by Sonya Weiss
“You’re right.” She arched her head toward the ceiling, exposing the soft skin of her neck, and groaned. “Why does temptation always come in such delicious packages?”
Looking back at him, she said, “Ever notice that? What’s bad for you always looks so damn good.”
“And tastes even better,” he added. “But who says I’d be bad for you?”
She licked her full lips and gave a rueful laugh. “I’ll go change.”
Jake was waiting by the tall windows when Holly came back. As soon as she entered the room, he turned around and his entire body went on high alert. There was nothing spectacular about the snug jeans or the deep blue sweater she wore, but they showcased her body in a way that made Jake sure the temperature in the room was only slightly less than boiling point. Her high heels were impractical in this weather but sexy as hell.
“You’re looking at me like you’re the big bad wolf and I’m Red Riding Hood. Sure I can trust you?” she teased.
“Mrs. Claus can vouch for me. I’ve played Santa here ever since her husband passed.”
Before Holly could come back with a response, Mrs. Claus hurried into the room, her cheeks flushed from the cold. “Gonna be a cold one tonight. You young folks should go home, get out of this nasty weather.”
“That was my plan until he invited me for a drink. Think he’s trustworthy?”
Mrs. Claus let out a loud eruption of laughter. “Jake? He’s—”
“Very trustworthy,” Jake cut her off, not wanting her to reveal his identity.
The tactic worked. The director nodded her head. “You’re in good hands, my dear. Off you go.” She shooed them out the door.
Jake grabbed his long overcoat and led the way from the room down the twisting, narrow staircase to the shoebox foyer at the front door. The car arrived as they exited the building. He swung open the door for her, and Holly made a dash into the rain, diving into the back seat. Face dripping wet, Jake slid in after her, and once he settled, he glanced Holly’s way.
The rain had soaked her thick hair, and Jake waited for the complaining to begin.
But Holly tugged a fast food napkin from the pocket of her jeans and squeezed the excess water from her ponytail without a word. When she was done, she pulled a second napkin out and offered it to him.
As soon as he reached for it, though, she snatched it back, stuffing it into her pocket. “Sorry, I wrote song lyrics I want to remember on that one.” She handed him another one.
“Song lyrics?”
“When I hear a line or so that has meaning for me, I jot it down so I’ll remember to buy the song.” She shivered.
“Where’s your coat?” Jake asked as he took his off and had her lean up so he could drape it around her.
She sank into it with a sigh of gratitude. “There was an elderly man who didn’t have one, and he was sick—”
“So you gave him yours,” Jake finished for her, his stomach clenching. He prided himself on giving back to others, but it looked as if Holly gave what she needed herself rather than out of abundance like he did. Though he hoped they would end up in bed together, he couldn’t help wanting to know more about this woman.
As if his scrutiny made her nervous, she wagged a finger and said, “That sexy look of yours should be banned in every state. Although I probably won’t listen to myself, something tells me I’d be wiser to stick with a soft drink. I’d hate to end up not having all my senses intact.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Staying on your guard?”
She slid a side-eyed glance his way. “Don’t pretend you don’t do the same with people.”
Her on-target assessment took him by surprise, and he flashed a smile to cover his unease at being read so quickly. “You think you know me?”
She shrugged and considered him like she was taking inventory. “Not at all, but I recognize parts of you.”
“Such as?” Jake asked as the car rolled to a stop outside an impressive-looking hotel.
He thanked the driver, then pushed open the door to climb out. Reaching in, he took her hand and helped Holly exit, running with her to find shelter under the bright red awning.
Standing close together, with the rain pouring down onto the sidewalk in front of them, Holly said quietly, “Such as your loneliness. You try to hide it, but I see it. You’re probably one of the loneliest people I’ve ever met. It’s a bone-deep kind of lonely that holds your heart in a grip so tight it hurts to breathe sometimes.”
Leaving him stunned, Holly tugged open the door and stepped into the hotel foyer. Pulling himself together, he followed her in, and with a hand on her lower back, guided her toward the softly lit bar. Threading his way through the people dancing in the middle of the room, he made his way to one of the smaller tables in the back, managing to act as if her assessment hadn’t nearly gutted him. He slid into the chair across from her.
After giving their drink order to the waitress, Holly leaned toward him with a cheeky grin. “Go ahead. I can see it in your eyes. You’re wondering which line to use to put me at ease so you can sweet talk me into bed.”
Jake laughed, liking her upfront way of speaking. “I don’t use lines.”
She smiled. “Your charm and good looks are enough, hmm?”
And my bank account.
“Ordinarily, but I have the feeling there’s nothing ordinary about you.” A brief shadow of emotion he couldn’t define passed across her face but was gone so quickly he wondered if he’d imagined it.
The waitress returned with their drinks, and Holly held her glass up. “To a night I don’t think either of us will ever forget.” She sipped her whiskey sour, then set the glass down carefully. “I have a deep kind of loneliness, too. In case you were wondering.”
“Then how about we don’t end up lonely tonight?”
Holly leaned toward him. “You think I’m going to sleep with you. A stranger?”
He set his glass down and covered her hand with his. “We might not know all there is to know about each other, but you feel as drawn to me as I am to you. I think you want me with an intensity that shocks you.” She bit her lip, and Jake wanted to touch the spot with his mouth. “I have access to a penthouse suite here at Parker Place.”
“Swanky hotel.” She studied him with a frown, then arched an eyebrow. “Not very affordable to the working class.”
“I know the owner.” Mason Parker and he were childhood friends who’d gone through hell and then into business together.
Holly studied him, a curious expression on her face. He knew he wasn’t the only one feeling the connection between them. She made him want in a way that he hadn’t wanted in as long as he could remember.
“You’re right. I am drawn to you.” She pushed back her chair to stand. “Lead the way.”
Chapter Two
Holly slid from the king-size bed and looked down at a dead-to-the-world Jake. The hard planes of his body against the softness of hers had awakened a need she’d thought was long dead. Writhing beneath him as he’d given and taken, she’d thought for certainty she’d burst into flames as she came apart in his arms.
He was handsome, funny, and an experienced, giving lover. She’d never had trouble walking away before, but this time, how she wished she could stay. But that would earn her a spot in the Idiot’s Hall of Fame if there were such a place.
Always walk away before you have to run, that was her motto.
Tiptoeing quietly around the room, she picked up her discarded clothes and dressed quickly in the faint light coming from the bathroom. Jake hadn’t batted an eye when she’d told him she slept with a light on. Hadn’t asked any questions. Had simply made the loneliness go away.
She stooped and located one shoe, then felt around for the other. Nothing. Dammit. Lowering herself to her hands and knees, she crawled on the floor to search beneath the edges of the bed. She’d already stayed longer than she meant to. After promising herself she’d be out by three at the latest, it was already almost four-thirt
y and she still had a bit of a trek back to her place.
Jake was probably an early riser and it would be a disaster if she were still here when he woke. There would be the awkward conversation and then she’d have to lie to him if he wanted to know more about her. Disappearing without a trace would be a favor to him even if he never knew it.
Finally locating the wayward shoe, Holly put it on, took one more wistful glance at Jake, then slipped from the room. She held the door to ease it shut, then made her escape to the elevators.
…
The phone was ringing off the hook as Holly let herself back into her tiny apartment above the bakery. The place was a dump, but at least it was in a safe neighborhood and affordable. Kicking off her shoes, she lunged across the sofa that doubled as her bed and picked it up.
“I did bad. Very bad.”
“Liam? What are you talking about?” In addition to his autism, her brother struggled with some learning and emotional difficulties. Used to his theatrical way of speaking and his vivid imagination, she eased herself down on the threadbare cushion and put her feet up on the coffee table. His idea of bad might be something as low-key as forgetting to hang up his jacket.
Liam kept repeating that he did something bad, then fell silent for a moment before he started talking rapidly, his words almost running together. “Jail is bad.”
Oh no. Jail. A word used to make them grow up as fearful children always waiting to be dragged away and locked up forever. Holly’s warning meter rose and her heart rate sped up. She had to take a deep breath to keep the anger from her voice. “Who told you that?”
His voice dropped to a whisper. “I’m not supposed to say.”
Her breath caught as she asked, “He hasn’t found us, has he?” Her heart slammed against her ribs. Her uncle had hunted them for years. Would they ever be free? “Liam, please tell me you didn’t do a job for Burt.”
“Yes.”
Holly closed her eyes as her past rammed into her present. Because of his eager-to-please personality, Liam fell for the lies and the manipulation over and over again. Their uncle counted on that, damn him. She knew she should have pushed harder to have Liam live with her, but her brother had balked, wanting his own space, and the therapist said it would be good for him. Holly thought he would be safe at the latest independent living home she’d found for him thanks to Mia, her best friend since high school. He’d landed a job bagging groceries and loved the busyness of the supermarket.
Taking a deep breath, Holly opened her eyes. “How did you help him?” she asked gently.
He made an agitated noise. “Someone stole his driver.”
“Driver? Do you mean drive, Liam?”
“Yes!” Liam’s excited tone filled the line. “From the safe in an office.”
Holly’s heart clenched. Liam had a gift for being able to break into any type of safe. “Did he pay you something in return?”
“A milkshake!” Liam crowed. The simplest things filled her brother with happiness and because of his autism, he didn’t grasp certain boundaries in life. He could get talked into doing things he shouldn’t.
“Liam, tell me about the drive.” Holly tried to steer the conversation back to the topic.
“I dipped fries in my shake.”
Holly squeezed the phone, knowing she wasn’t going to get anywhere unless they were face-to-face. “How about I come over and see you?”
“Now? Will you bring me something?”
“Of course. I’ll see you in a bit.” She hung up after his enthusiastic good-bye, and took one precious minute to rub her hand down her face. Since she’d given the last bit of her money away, she was going to have to see if she could catch a ride to the home with her insomniac neighbor. Erin was a budding actress hoping to land a part in a play at one of the local theaters and Holly had helped her run lines on several occasions. She’d said to let her know if she could return the favor. Normally, Holly would never ask because she didn’t like to lean on people, but based on the information she’d gleaned from Liam, the faster she got to him, the better.
An hour later, Holly walked into the foyer of New Hope Village and spotted a familiar face behind the reception desk.
“Hi, Mia.” Mia was the only one Holly kept in touch with from the high school they’d both attended in Texas and the only one who knew what Holly’s life had been like as a child. She’d gone with Holly during one of her failed attempts to take action against her uncle. No one had believed her.
Burt never allowed her to have friends over when she was growing up, so she’d wrongly assumed he wouldn’t make the connection between her and her friend. Mia’s grandparents had left her two of their independent living properties and with the help of her brothers, she’d made both locations a thriving business.
Mia returned the greeting. “You’re here early. Thought you had to work.”
“Wanted to see him before I went in.” Holly gave her usual nothing’s-wrong smile despite the worry gnawing at her. She didn’t like burdening others with her problems. Bypassing the desk, she made her way down the hallway to her brother’s room and knocked on the door.
Her brother opened it, shuffling back and forth for a second, then threw his arms around her. Holly hugged him tightly while trying to force her lips to stop trembling. Liam wasn’t a hugger and didn’t really like physical contact at all. So if he was hugging her, something was definitely bothering him, but if he saw she was upset, it would upset him. Taking him by the hand, she walked in and sat on the comic book hero blanket covering his bed.
Liam lowered himself to the floor, crossed his legs, then started rocking back and forth. He bit his thumbnail and mumbled, “Am I bad?”
“No.” Holly slid to the floor beside her brother, and unable to help herself, smoothed her hand over his closely cropped red hair. Pressing a kiss to the side of his face, she tucked her arm through his. “You could never be bad.”
He pulled away and touched the blanket on his bed. “Can I be a hero?”
“Liam, you are a hero. Always will be.”
A fierce expression crossed his face. “I don’t want to go.”
“Go where?”
“Anywhere.” His lower lip jutted out. “I’m staying. Heroes don’t run.” He began rocking back and forth faster.
With the petulant look on his face, and his lower lip jutted out in a pout, he looked more than ever like a child than a man of twenty-two. Holly sighed. “I know you like this place, but we can’t stay now.” The same age-old fear hit her. If they didn’t get out of Chicago, she knew what would happen. Her uncle would try to use Liam again. Liam could easily become overwhelmed and if he got caught, he could get hurt. “We have to run again,” she said firmly.
“I’m staying!” he shouted, and the rocking intensified.
Hoping to avoid a meltdown, Holly soothed, “You can live with me. It’ll be fun. We’ll see lots of new places and—”
“No. Mia’s here, and she’s our friend.” Her brother nibbled his lip, eyes pleading. “Can I stay if I give back the drive?”
Holly gasped, catching the first glimpse of hope. “You have it?”
He nodded. “There was a noise in my head. I ran.” He pressed his hands over his ears as if he could still hear it. “I ran out a different door, and I didn’t see Burt.” He lowered his hands. “He waited outside and said to give him the drive when I had it, but I got on the bus instead.” He shot her a look. “I wanted to see Mia.”
“You did the right thing by coming back here instead.” Holly was thankful her uncle hadn’t caught her brother. Or that no one else had, either. Burt would think nothing of blaming the entire heist on Liam. When they’d worked jobs as kids, he’d always made sure he waited somewhere close by so he could make a getaway if she or Liam were caught. Holding out her hand, she said, “Let me see the drive.”
Liam jumped up and hurried to the dresser. Reaching behind it, he pulled out a small brown envelope and dropped it in her lap. He swayed back
and forth, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “Can we stay?”
“Hold on a second.” Holly opened the envelope and dumped the contents. She turned the drive over in her hand, then realized a sheet of paper was stuck in the bottom of the envelope. Removing it, she scanned a series of numbers that didn’t make sense to her. Flipping it over, she saw the name Jake Lawson was written on the back. Huh. How odd that she’d met a Jake… Her heartbeat sped up. No, no, no. Had to be a coincidence.
“Burt said after he copied the drive, I have to put it in the boat safe.”
“The boat safe?”
Liam nodded. “The yacht. For the other drive.”
So it was a two-part job. “Liam, wait here.”
Clutching the drive and the paper, Holly rushed back to Mia. “Can you pull something up for me on your computer?”
“Sure. What is it?” Mia smiled encouragingly.
“Search for the name Jake Lawson.”
“One of Chicago’s most eligible bachelors?” Mia tapped the keyboard, then swung the monitor around. “Is this guy a hottie or what? Can’t believe we once lived in the same town he did. He was a senior at that newer high school across town when we were freshman in the older, crappy one. That building always smelled awful.”
Barely listening to her friend, Holly scanned the about page on the website.
Oh. My. God.
The photo was of her one-night stand. He owned a security software firm with two of his friends. Some of his clients included banks and government corporations.
Hands shaking, mind racing, she took an involuntary step back. No doubt the theft of the drive would be discovered before she could put it back. She couldn’t just take it to Jake and tell him what had happened. If he didn’t believe her, he’d sic the authorities on her and then what would happen to her brother? She rubbed her forehead. She and Liam needed to run tonight.
Chewing the inside of her lip, she tried to calm her runaway heart and think. She had to take the drive to the yacht and in the safe, she’d leave a note warning Jake. She wasn’t worried about her uncle finding someone else to pull off the theft of the second drive. He was too greedy to want to split any money he might make.
