by Lori Foster
Just as he cleared the gates, his cell phone rang.
Thinking it might be Chris with news of Molly, he snapped the phone open on the first ring. “Yeah?”
In a tone far too grim, Trace said, “I have some info you’ll want to see.”
Damn. Dare glanced at the time on the console. “I was just heading home.” And for once, seeing his girls took second place. He wanted to check on Molly. And more. But the way Trace had worded that, Dare knew he had some photos. “They’re important?”
“You’ll want to see them ASAP, yeah. I can upload them to you, or I can meet you somewhere along I-75.”
“Let’s meet. I’d like to get your take on things anyway.” Knowing Trace, the photos would be telling. Anything that’d make it easier for Dare to ensure Molly’s safety was a priority. “Say in forty minutes?”
“That’ll work.”
After they agreed on a restaurant that catered to truckers, Dare asked, “How’s Alani?”
“Throwing herself into her work. I wanted her to take some time off, to chill with me, but she said that’d be the worst thing to do.”
Dare grinned. Thanks to Trace’s financial backing and business influence, Alani owned an interior-design business, so she could easily set her hours to be as busy or as idle as she wanted. “You hoped to hover over her and instead she’s out and about with strangers.”
Voice going lower, Trace growled, “She’s remodeling for some asshole businessman.”
Given what Alani had just been through, Dare understood his friend’s need to shelter her. But while Alani might look delicate with her fair hair and slim build, she had the same strength of character as her brother. “I suppose you already started a background check on him?”
“First thing I did—against Alani’s protests. So far he’s come out clean enough. He’s a financier. His family is old money, and I don’t like him.”
“Because he’s rich?” Dare laughed. “Hate to break it to you, but most would consider us rich, too.”
“We worked our asses off for our money.”
True, but not really the point. “Alani has always had every advantage, and she’s still grounded.” Being eight years older than Alani, Trace had ensured that she wanted for nothing, and yet she remained sweet and unspoiled.
And if it was old money Trace objected to, well, hell, Molly’s father was well pedigreed, but she was the least overindulged person he knew.
Trace sighed. “Plain and simple, I don’t like him, okay? I don’t know him, but I still don’t like him.”
“Right now, you’re not going to like anyone who’s around her.” Odds were it’d take Trace longer to recuperate from the ordeal than it would Alani, because Trace also had guilt working on him. “But she’s only remodeling for this guy, right? It’s not a personal relationship.”
“You know what Alani looks like. Do you really think the guy—who’s single, damn him—will want to keep it strictly business?”
Trace had a point. The combo of fair hair and golden-brown eyes was remarkable on Trace; on Alani, coupled with her figure and sweet sex appeal, most guys wouldn’t be able to resist hitting on her. “Want me to talk to him?”
“God, no. Alani would pulverize us both. I’ll keep an eye on the situation.”
Dare grinned again. “If you need backup, let me know.”
After disconnecting the call, Dare let his thoughts meander back to Molly. It was odd that she affected him so profoundly. Not once, ever, had he gotten emotionally involved with a woman. He enjoyed socializing and sex, but that’s where it had always ended.
With his career choice, anything more was absurd, because he knew, deep down to the marrow of his bones, a relationship would never work. Not only did he spend too much time away, but the job made secrecy necessary. Add to that the level of danger often involved, and it wouldn’t make sense to let a woman get too close.
Before Molly, that reality had set fine with him.
Now…now he found himself wondering about impossible things. He found himself thinking longer term. He wasn’t the kind of man who could commit to a lifetime, but a month? Two months? The idea of having her around, getting his fill of her, tantalized him.
But she’d need time to recover from her trauma, and he had no idea how long that might take, or how long she’d tolerate his intrusion into her life.
If he was able to nail her father for the sin of her abduction, where would that leave them? Once Molly knew the culprit, she could get on with her life without fear of another threat—and she’d no longer need Dare around.
Driving down the highway by rote, his reflexes on autopilot, Dare let himself examine every possible scenario. He was damned good at what he did, and he had a hell of a lot of resources at hand. Through the years, he and Trace had built up contacts in the government, the military and within all the highest-profile businesses.
Bishop Alexander thought he possessed power; in truth, he had no idea what real power could do.
No matter how Dare looked at it, his time with Molly would be short-lived. Yes, she was a complication to his life, but now…now he rather liked the way she complicated things.
Somehow he’d have to figure out a way to solve her dilemma and still give himself the time he needed to indulge his every carnal urge.
And with Molly, the carnal urges were plenty.
CHAPTER TEN
CHRIS TRIED TO DO all his chores, but at every moment he was aware of Molly. She’d awakened disoriented, confused that Dare had left and a little hurt even, but determined to hide that reaction behind calm acceptance.
Both he and Dare had told Molly to make herself at home, and to an extent she did. But she remained cautious, trying her best to be inconspicuous, when such a thing wasn’t possible.
She didn’t like to rock the boat or draw unnecessary attention to herself.
Chris snorted. All the woman had to do was breathe to draw attention. True, she wasn’t a classic beauty with her average brown hair and dark brown eyes. She didn’t flirt, and what figure she had she managed to disguise.
Most of the time, anyway.
But there was something about her, an aura of sensuality that he knew had Dare on high alert. Her gentle smile and sedate manner emphasized that natural sex appeal. Chris had already noticed how she looked him in the eyes when she talked to him, how she listened intently when he talked, how she protested too much attention, and her effort to be unassuming.
All very admirable qualities.
Maybe it was the little things, too, like how she bit her lips, the way she lowered her lashes, the movement of her hands while she spoke, and her gratitude and graciousness about everything. One would never know the awfulness of what she’d recently gone through. She wasn’t clingy or needy or even all that shaken.
At least, not with him.
But she had slept with Dare, in the platonic sense, so she must still be feeling the effects of her ordeal.
Since he’d never before considered Dare to be a coddler of any kind, it was a pretty incredible setup.
Chris couldn’t help but wonder how long the nonphysical aspect of their bond would last.
So far today, she’d done her utmost to stay out of his way. In fact, other than watching her on the monitors whenever possible while she was outside, he’d barely seen her since she’d eaten breakfast.
For hours she’d strolled around the grounds. She’d stayed within the fenced perimeter, but that encompassed a lot of woods and rugged land. Molly Alexander wasn’t a princess or she wouldn’t have hiked and communed with nature for so long.
She’d also walked along the shore, skipping rocks, examining leaves, testing the chill in the water with her toes. She appeared to like the outdoors as much as Dare did.
Late March had brought an uncharacteristic warm spell, with daytime temps hitting in the low-to mid-sixties. Combined with the bright sunshine, it felt more like early summer than spring. Chris could understand why she’d wanted to get some
fresh air. But most women would have been bored in no time.
Not Molly.
She played with the dogs by throwing their Frisbee and then racing them down the hill a few times, laughing all the way. When Sargie knocked her down, Chris waited for her to complain, to push the dog away and scold her.
Instead she sat there in the dirt and leaves and smiled.
She appeared to love the dogs, which meant that Dare was a goner for sure, whether he knew it yet or not.
At one point late in the day, Molly came in to find a brush for the dogs, then went back out to sit peacefully on the dock, grooming first Sargie and then Tai. The girls loved to be brushed and gladly allowed the attention. Most importantly, Dare wasn’t around, so Chris knew this wasn’t a female ploy to get on his good side through his precious girls.
Nope, Molly was just being Molly, genuine and honest and straightforward, and that was powerful enough to level any guy.
Off and on, Chris checked on her, but Molly stayed there on the dock for a long time, just taking in the serenity of nature.
Chris understood her awe, because he’d done the same many times. The way the setting sun cast long red ribbons across the surface of the lake could mesmerize him still. Little by little, the sun sank lower behind the western hills in a blazing crimson display that slowly faded to golden, then gray, until everything turned dim and chilly.
Because he’d been keeping tabs on her, Chris wasn’t surprised when she poked her head around the door to the library.
“Chris?”
“Hmm?” One of his last chores for the day was refilling the paper trays to the many printers throughout the house. He looked up and found her windblown, rosy-cheeked and looking quite adorable again. “Had enough fresh air?”
Her smile charmed him. “I had no idea that being on a lake was so…”
“Relaxing?”
She nodded. “The sounds and smells and the incredible quiet… It sort of saps all the tension away.”
Meaning she’d been tense? Well, of course she had. Dare had left her alone in strange surroundings when she was still battered and uncertain of her safety. Chris understood Dare’s motives, but did Molly? And even if she did, would that make it any easier?
Chris stored the remainder of the paper in a drawer and started toward her. “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”
She hugged her arms around herself. “After the sun set, it started to get pretty chilly out there. I’d love a nice soak to warm up again.” She bit her lip. “Would it be okay if I used the tub? I mean, the Jacuzzi tub in Dare’s room? Or would he prefer that I didn’t—”
“Of course you can.” Dare would love for her to make use of his tub. If he called, Chris just might tell him about it. That thought forced him to bite back a grin. “Do you know where everything is? Towels, soap…?”
“Dare already showed me.” She hesitated. “Is there anything you wanted me to do to help out around here? I could do that first. I wouldn’t mind pitching in—”
“I’ve got it covered.” He shooed her on her way. “Go, relax, enjoy. When you’re done, you really should get something to eat, though.” If he didn’t keep her fed and well hydrated, Dare would have his head.
“I will, thanks.” She took off, again with the dogs trailing her.
A few minutes later, Chris heard the hum of the Jacuzzi tub in Dare’s room. If Dare were here, he’d go nuts thinking of her in there, all wet and relaxed among swirling bubbles.
Chris shook his head before making the rounds, checking the monitors first, then checking Dare’s messages both on the phone and on the computer. One of his duties was to sort out the emails, answering what he could and flagging those that required a personal reply.
Over an hour later, just when he was starting to worry that she’d fallen asleep in the tub, the jets turned off. Chris paused, listening, forgetting what he was doing for the moment. A glance at the clock showed it was after 8:00 p.m.
Now that she’d finished with her bath, she’d be at loose ends again, and, for all his many talents, he had no idea what to do with her. He hoped like hell that Dare would make it home soon.
Not ten minutes later she poked her head into the kitchen, where he busied himself by taking inventory of groceries and cleaning supplies that he’d need to pick up tomorrow. Dare had a cleaning crew that came in once a month to really get things spic-and-span, but between those highly supervised visits, everyday tidying fell to Chris.
Tai and Sargie remained Molly’s shadows, bemusing Chris. Usually, when Dare wasn’t around, the girls stuck close to him. They’d never met a person they didn’t love, but they seemed especially taken with Molly.
Her damp, pinned-up hair left little wisps curling around her ears and nape and showed off sharp cheekbones, a refined jaw and an innate elegance. It also emphasized the marks of mistreatment that remained on her soft skin. He couldn’t forget, even for a second, how badly she’d been abused.
Straightening to face her, Chris asked, “Enjoy your bath?”
“Yes, thank you. I might have to invest in one of those tubs. It was heavenly.” She moseyed over to a chair but didn’t sit. The dogs followed her, so she knelt down to pet them both and ended up with Sargie knocking her to her butt.
Molly just laughed and let Sargie crawl across her lap.
“Do you think Dare will mind that I borrowed his hoodie?” She pulled together the unzipped front of the sweatshirt. “I was a little chilled after that hot bath, but I don’t really have too many clothes yet.”
“Of course he wouldn’t mind.” Chris cursed himself for not thinking of that himself. The house was kept on the cool side to accommodate two men, but naturally a woman might find it uncomfortable.
“I didn’t get in his closet or anything. It was on a hook in his room.”
“It’s fine, Molly.” They had to get the woman some more clothes. Hopefully what she ordered would arrive tomorrow, and then Dare could take her to her place to gather her own, familiar belongings. “Hungry?”
She gave it some thought before nodding. “A little. Is it okay if I roust up something myself? I won’t make a mess.”
“I’m not worried about that.” Did he really come off as such a bastard? Hell, he was the sloppy one. Dare was the one who wanted everything immaculate. “What sounds good to you?”
“Do you have peanut butter and jelly?”
That surprised him. “Sure. But don’t you want something more? Forget Dare’s insults. I really can cook, I promise.”
She shook her head and wiggled out from under Sargie. Because Tai wasn’t as aggressive, she took a moment to give her some attention, too, then went around the kitchen gathering what she needed. “I missed the simple snacks, you know? Bowl of cereal, peanut butter and jelly, ice cream. I always keep that kind of stuff around my place because I’m not a big fast-food person at all, and I usually don’t see the point in cooking for one person.”
“Dare isn’t into fast food, either. I have to twist his arm to get pizza on occasion.” Chris glanced at the clock. “He should be home soon.” God willing.
“You don’t have to babysit me, you know?” She glanced toward him with a quirky smile. “I know you have your own place, and without Dare here, you probably would have been there already, right?”
True. While Dare was away, he could complete his work and have the rest of the time to himself. But he didn’t want her to know that. “I had some chores to do.”
Her expression said she didn’t believe him. “You’ve been keeping an eye on me all day.”
Had she seen the viewers mounted around the property? “What makes you think so?”
“I don’t know. I just felt it.”
Ah. Something else she and Dare had in common—keen awareness. “Actually, I keep an eye on everything, including the property, and you just happened to be in the scene.”
“Did you expect trouble?”
“Nope. At least, not any more than any other day. Dare is nothing i
f not cautious.”
She said nothing to that, but Chris knew she’d just stored away that knowledge. After she finished preparing her snack, she put away the utensils and food and said, “Would it be okay if I used a computer?”
“Uh…” Dare didn’t want her on any of her accounts, but how was he supposed to police that?
In dramatic fashion, she crossed her heart. “I won’t break any rules, I promise. My accounts are off-limits. It’s just that while I was out walking earlier, I had an idea for my WIP and I wanted to get it down while it’s fresh in my mind.”
“WIP?”
“Work in progress. I haven’t been able to write for a while, and not writing makes me…antsy.”
Being held captive probably made her antsy, too, but he got her point. “Hey, have at it. I just refilled all the printers, so feel free to print off whatever you write.”
“Actually, if you have a flash drive or something that I could pay you for, that would work better. Then if I want to change things later, I can.”
Fascinated by her writing process, Chris said, “I’m sure I have some extras stored in the library.” She trailed him as he started out of the room. “You can use the computer in the room Dare gave you.” But maybe she didn’t want to be alone there, so he quickly added, “Or the one in his room, or the library… Doesn’t matter, really.”
“I’ll use the one upstairs.” She wrinkled her nose. “I like a lot of privacy when I write.”
Was that a hint for him not to try looking over her shoulder? Bummer. It’d be cool to watch a writer at work.
Chris located a flash drive in the library desk and handed it to her. “There you go.”
“Thanks.” She juggled her glass of milk and the plate with the sandwich and pushed the flash drive into the sweatshirt pocket. Then she gave Chris a direct look. “And since I’ll be occupied, you really don’t need to hang around—that is, unless you want to. But don’t change your plans on my account, okay? I really, really detest being a bother.”
