Saved by Sin [Paladin Protection Agency 1] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by Susan Hayes

  He watched to see which cabin she was heading for, assuming she’d drive down to the far end of the lake where most of the vacation cabins were located. Instead, the Jeep slowed and turned down the narrow lane that led to a pair of private lots, one of which was his current home. “Son of a bitch,” Sinjin sighed. It looked like the powers that be had decided he’d been alone at Dark Water Lake long enough.

  The wind picked up, and he set out for shore again, swimming hard against the light chop that had suddenly appeared. The exertion felt good, and he felt a pang of relief when he realized that nothing was hurting, despite the extra effort. It was the first time he’d pushed himself this hard since the accident, and it looked like his body was finally healed. Now if he could just get over the nightmares, he’d be ready to go back to work.

  He reached the beach outside his cabin and stood, the wind blowing hard enough now to make goose bumps chase over his arms. “Weird weather,” he muttered to himself as he snagged the towel he’d left on shore and dried off quickly. Normally the lake was calm and still since the hills surrounding acted as a weather break. He slipped on his shoes and jogged back up to the cabin, already looking forward to the long, hot shower he’d promised himself.

  By the time he was dressed again, the wind was actually howling at the windows and he looked outside, expecting to see a storm. The sky overhead was still clear and blue and the sun was warm where it fell on his skin through the window, but the trees outside were being beaten down by a serious blow. When he looked toward the water, he noted it had turned to a deep slate color beneath the choppy waves. The lake was living up to its name today.

  He pulled on a sweatshirt and headed out back to double-check the generator. If the wind kept up, he had no doubt he would lose power. The little Honda needed a fuel top-up but was otherwise ready to go, and Sinjin headed back to the cabin, gathering up an armload of firewood along the way. It had been too warm for a fire before today, but tonight might be a good night for it. As he dropped the wood off inside the porch, he wondered if the new arrival at Dark Water was prepared for a power failure.

  * * * *

  Michelle hauled the last bag inside and dropped it on the floor of the cabin’s larger bedroom. “And I’m home,” she announced with a faint laugh. Walking back into the main room, she looked around and wrinkled her nose at the musty smell that filled the air. “Spiders and mice and dust bunnies, oh my. First order of business is to get this place aired out.” She opened several of the windows, struggling slightly as the old, weather-warped wood resisted before giving up with protesting creaks and groans. The wind was still picking up, but Michelle left the windows and door open, preferring the slight chill to having to breathe musty air. She checked the old-fashioned ice box and was relieved to see it was clean and still well sealed. Her family had never bothered to buy a modern fridge for the cabin, which meant for the next while she’d be roughing it in a world without ice cubes. She got busy unloading the groceries she’d bought on the way, restocking the cupboards and filling the ice box.

  Staying busy was important. Since she’d been woken up the night before, Michelle had been constantly on the move, not standing still long enough to let her thoughts catch up to her. She’d barely managed to snatch another hour or so of sleep before she’d given up entirely and gotten out of bed. Her mother had called early, confirming Michelle’s long-standing belief that her mom somehow always knew when her daughter needed her. They’d talked for an hour, and it had been her mom’s suggestion to come up to the cabin and get away from everything for a few days. It had seemed a brilliant idea at the time, and Michelle had set about packing immediately. She’d kept up a near-frantic speed all morning at the idea of being able to get away to somewhere quiet and safe. She wanted to be far away from Nancy Turner’s threats and whatever it was that had caused her to imagine she had heard Robert speaking to her last night.

  She’d called her new boss and given her apologies, explaining that there were family issues regarding the funeral and will and she was going to need a few days off to deal with it all. She’d expected to be fired, but her boss had somehow understood and given her the time away, even though she hadn’t worked there long enough to earn it.

  Now she was at the lake though, she was having second thoughts. It was too quiet, and there was nothing to distract her from remembering everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours. Letters sent from beyond the grave, Nancy’s venomous accusations, and the strange breeze that spoke with Robert’s voice.

  The wind blew hard enough to make the windows shimmy in their frames, and she went to close them, yanking back her hand in surprise when the last window slammed shut before she’d barely laid a finger on it. Her nerves on edge now, she turned to the door, and was stunned to see a man’s shape filling the doorway. For a moment, she was seized with panic, her heart squeezing into her throat and choking her as irrational thoughts filled her head. It’s Robert. He’s here! Part of her mind screamed at her to run, but she couldn’t move, or speak.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.” It was not Robert’s voice, and now she realized whoever was standing at her door was taller than her ex-boyfriend, his big body very nearly filling the open space.

  “It wasn’t your fault. I just seem to be jumping at shadows today.” Michelle offered her apology without moving, curious as to who would be out in this normally isolated area.

  “I know how that can be.” Her visitor stepped just inside the cabin door and stopped to lean back against the frame. The cabin lights were bright enough to reveal his face for the first time. “My name’s Sinjin Heath. I’m in the cabin on the next lot over.”

  All the air seems to rush out of Michelle’s lungs as her eyes drank in the vision in front of her. He was tall enough to make her tip her head up to see his face, which was rare considering she was five foot ten in her stocking feet. His brown eyes were so dark they seemed almost black, and he wore his hair long, its dark-brown length falling loose past his shoulders. A thin scar ran from his temple to just by the outer corner of one eye, giving character to a face that might have otherwise been too pretty to be real.

  “Hi.” She finally managed to pull herself together and gave him what she hoped was a friendly smile as she offered him her hand. “Michelle Jamieson.”

  He took her hand with a smile, but instead of shaking it, he raised it to his mouth and brushed a brief kiss over the knuckles as his brown eyes stared into hers. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Michelle.” His mouth turned her name into a whispered caress, and for a moment, she forgot to breathe. As her mind returned, she realized he was still holding her hand in his, and she tugged it out of his grip. “In all the years my family have been up here, we’ve never seen anyone at that cabin. I thought maybe it had been abandoned.”

  “I don’t think it gets used all that much. It belongs to the company I work for. They keep it for using as a retreat for employees in need of a little peace and quiet.” He shrugged slightly, his eyes still watching her intently. “I’ve been here a few weeks. You’re the first person I’ve seen.”

  “Sorry if my arrival has disturbed your solitude,” she said, wondering what could make someone leave their life to come out here to hide. Then she realized that was exactly what she was doing. “I uh…needed some time away myself.”

  “I think this lake is big enough for the two of us to share.” Sinjin’s lips quirked into a grin that made him look like a mischievous boy. “I’ll take this half, you take the other side?”

  “Maybe I should take the top half and you can have the bottom.” She found herself grinning back.

  “No thanks, I don’t have any gills.” He turned his head and swept back his hair to show her his neck. “See?”

  She caught a glimpse of another scar as she leaned in and pretended to examine his neck for gills. “I see. Well, I suppose we’ll just have to share the top half then.” Without thinking, she reached up and brushed her fingertips to the scar just vis
ible above the collar of his shirt. “What happened?” The words were out before she realized she was speaking, and she felt him stiffen and his hand reached up to cover hers.

  “It’s a long story. Let’s just say my line of work comes with danger pay.” He kept her hand in his as he lifted it from his neck, his fingers moving lightly over hers. “I came over to see if you needed help. If this wind gets any worse, we may lose power.” It was hard to think when he was holding her hand like that, and it took a moment for his words to sink in past the warm tingles that rose at that simple caress.

  “I haven’t checked on the generator yet. Thanks for reminding me.”

  “Just being neighborly.” He smiled again and her heart did a triple beat. “I wouldn’t like to think of you over here sitting in the dark tonight, all alone. Why don’t we go check on it now?”

  “It’s just out back. I’ll show you.” She felt a glow of something she determined was most definitely gratitude and nothing more as she headed toward the front door. After all, she’d never been up here without either her dad or Robert, and the generator was a bit of a mystery to her. He was just being kind. That was all.

  “Could you show me what to do with it? My dad never thought to tell me. He always considered it the man’s job, like barbecuing and chopping wood.”

  Sinjin laughed and followed her out, somehow still holding onto her hand. “I’m not an expert, but I think I can manage to show you the basics.”

  The moment they stepped outside, the wind seemed to blow harder, screaming through the trees above them and sending a shower of leaves and debris down on their heads. “This is nuts! Let’s run for it!” She tugged on his hand and bolted around the back of the house to the small add-on where the generator and water pump were housed. She ducked inside and laughed as he followed her in, his large build taking up most of the room. Grabbing a flashlight from its place on the wall, she flicked it on and ran the light over the generator.

  “Perfect, it’s just the same as the one at my place.” Sinjin crouched down and started showing her what he knew as she knelt beside him. The musty smell of the shed couldn’t completely obscure his scent, and she breathed it in, woodsy and subtle. His presence filled the entire space, and she realized she’d lost track of his explanation, distracted by the play of muscles in his forearm and the way his hands moved as he talked.

  “—and that ought to do it.” He glanced over at her with a smile that shot straight through her, warming her body in intimate places.

  “Thank you.” She looked up and found herself caught in the gaze of two brown eyes, and when his hands rose up to cup her cheeks, her breath caught in her throat. For a long moment, they stayed like that, and then he leaned closer. He lowered his head and brushed a soft kiss to her mouth, sending sparks sizzling through her entire body.

  “This is not a good idea,” he murmured before kissing her again.

  “Probably not,” she managed to reply before leaning in to kiss him back, her arms around his neck, the flashlight beam shining off into the rafters, forgotten. She felt his hands leave her face to glide over her torso, stroking her lightly through her T-shirt. As his arms wrapped around her waist he stood and pulled her up with him, drawing her in tight to his hard body. She moaned, and her lips parted beneath his. He took control then, deepening the kiss, his lips slanting over hers, laying claim to them. Strong hands curved over her ass, holding her in place.

  Her fingers drifted to his chest, spanning muscle and sinew as she worked her way lower, finally finding the edge of his shirt and slipping her hands beneath. His skin was warm, and every part of him felt solid, strong, and huge. She moaned into his mouth and nipped at his lower lip, needing more. After all the chaos and upset of the past few weeks, this was what she needed. He was what she needed. She didn’t know why, but she knew it deep down inside, had known it since the moment he’d appeared at her door.

  He kissed her again, fierce and hot. His tongue twined with hers, and his cock rose hard and heavy between them. “Michelle.” He groaned her name and lifted his head at last. “I want you, but not here.”

  “Not here,” she whispered in agreement, her pulse racing and her knees weak. “Come with me.” Part of her was stunned by her brazen behavior as she untangled herself from him and then took his hand, leading him back around the cabin. The rest of her was too turned on to care. She wanted him, and for once in her life, she was going to take what she wanted without worrying about the consequences.

  Chapter 3

  He followed behind her, watching her hips sway with every step she took, leading him back to her cabin and hopefully, her bed. What the hell am I doing? And then he decided to ignore the question. Whatever this thing was between them, it had come on like a freight train and taken them both by surprise. He’d seen it in her eyes as he’d given in to the urge to kiss her. A mere moment of hesitation and then she’d been wrapped around him and they’d gone up in flames together.

  When he’d come up to her cabin, it had been purely a neighborly visit. But the moment he’d seen her standing there, all long legs and honey-blonde hair, he’d wanted a hell of a lot more than to welcome her to the neighborhood. Then there’d been the way she’d looked at him, just at first, that flash of fear that was more than being startled by his arrival. Something had her scared, and in that moment, he’d recognized a kindred spirit. This was someone else who knew how it felt to be alone in the darkness. That called to him even more than her body did, and that was saying something because damn, she was gorgeous. She moved with an athlete’s grace, and even in faded jeans and an old T-shirt she had made an instant and memorable impression.

  He wanted to tug her hair out of that ponytail and wrap it around his hands while he kissed her. His cock got harder at the thought, and the last few steps to the cabin door seemed too far, so he scooped her into his arms and carried her, too busy kissing her to do more than kick the door closed behind him. She smelled good, and he couldn’t tell if it was her perfume or her own natural scent, but he liked it.

  “Where?” He barely recognized his voice.

  “The door on the left.” She lifted a slender arm and pointed down the hall. He kissed her again before carrying her into the bedroom and lowering her down on the patchwork quilt that covered the bed. The old bedsprings creaked as he laid down beside her, the scent of cedar rising up from the quilt to surround them.

  “If you don’t want this, say so, Michelle, and I’ll leave.” He kissed his way from her lips to her jaw and down her throat, finally reaching that spot below her ear he’d been eager to taste since he’d met her. Hell, had it really only been a few minutes ago?

  “I want this. I want you. Please Sinjin, don’t go.”

  “Believe me, I don’t want to go.” He swiped the tip of his tongue over her skin, needing to taste her. “God, I don’t want to be anywhere else in the world right now.”

  She laughed softly, turning her head so her lips were right by his ear. “I’m glad to hear that. I don’t want you to be anywhere else either.”

  He nuzzled her neck, his hands working into her hair, snapping the elastic in his haste. Her hair flowed like cool silk between his fingers, and he blazed a trail of openmouthed kisses along her throat, craving her essence. He felt her brush his hair back, and that simple contact made his entire body hum as though he was standing next to a lightning rod during a storm. She gently touched the scars on his neck, tracing them with her fingertips. When her lips grazed over his neck, he groaned with the pleasure of it, letting his hands tangle in her hair, as her soft body curved into his.

  When kisses weren’t enough, he sat up and skinned the sweatshirt he was wearing over his head and tossed it aside before reaching down to do the same for her. He wanted her naked, needed to see her, feel her skin to skin. She already had her top halfway off, and he helped her, tossing it on top of his clothing as she reached around and undid her bra. He skimmed his hands over her shoulders, brushing the soft bit of pale fabric and lace a
side so he could see her properly. She was breathtaking.

  “Beautiful, you’re so beautiful, Michelle.”

  She flushed pink and looked up at him with blue eyes full of heat. “So are you, handsome.” She grinned as her hand grazed down his chest, flowing along the lines of muscle he had worked every day to rebuild. She sat up and kissed him, her hands in his hair, tugging him closer.

  Her breasts filled his hands as he cupped them, and he could feel her nipples tighten as he brushed his palms over them. Michelle’s breath caught, and he stroked her again, loving the way she arched into his hands. She lay back, taking him with her until they were both sprawled across the bed. Each and every one of her openmouthed kisses was full of heat and the promise of more to come. She coiled one leg around his thigh and rocked into him, an invitation he wouldn’t dare ignore.

  He nipped at her lower lip gently before releasing it to kiss his way down her body, nuzzling the gentle curve of her breast before giving into his need to taste her again. His mouth covered one pert nipple, and he was rewarded with a keening cry of need as the sweet taste and scent of her filled his head.

  “More, please.” Her breathless plea heated his blood, and he heard himself groan her name against her skin as he nibbled and teased at her nipple, his thumb and forefinger echoing his actions with her other breast. She arched her back, presenting herself as an offering, a succulent feast for him alone. His cock ached, thicker and heavier than he’d ever felt before, and he ground it against the rise of her thigh even though the pressure only made the ache worse.

  He lifted his head to kiss her and froze as a shrill chirping filled the bedroom. His cell phone was ringing. Fuck.

  She was grinning up at him as he gave her the most apologetic smile he could manage and sat up, fishing his phone out of his back pocket to check the number. Remington. Double Fuck. “I have to answer this. I’m so sorry.”