Singing a Song...

by Crystal V. Rhodes

  Mercifully, it was a plan that he didn’t have to act on. She let him inside her house. There, she introduced him to her young cousin, Colin Reasoner, the boy who had refused Thad entrance. He watched Darnell with narrowed eyes as she praised the kid for obeying her directive not to open the door to anyone.

  “This is my little sweetheart.” She gave the adolescent boy a fond hug. “Colin, I’m sure you know who Mr. Stewart is.”

  The boy’s handsome, cinnamon brown face broke into a grin at the endearment Darnell had bestowed on him. The grin faded when he turned to Thad.

  “Yeah, I know, who he is,” he drawled, dropping onto the sofa. “I’ve heard you and Mama talking.” It was clear that he wasn’t impressed.

  Thad gave the boy a cursory nod and settled in a chair across from him. It was obvious that he knew Darnell’s opinion of Thad and was trying to play her protector. The kid had nothing to worry about. Thad wouldn’t touch her with a ten-foot pole.

  “I’m going to run upstairs and change,” Darnell informed Thad as she headed toward the stairway. “Then we’ll talk. I’m tired of arguing with you, so I’d like to settle this matter once and for all.”

  Thad raised a brow, encouraged by her words. Maybe some progress could be made. He watched her as she left the room, trying hard not to notice the soft sway of her hips. Despite her many irritating qualities, there was no doubt that the woman was built.

  Upstairs, Darnell took a quick shower, then wrapped her wet body in a large, fluffy towel. As she dried herself, her thoughts turned to the man downstairs. What was Thad really up to? His presence here was highly suspicious. Over the past few months, they had fought like warring countries. From what she had learned about him, he wasn’t the type to cave in easily. Something was amiss. For now, all she wanted to know was what she had to do to get rid of him permanently.

  Frustrated, she dropped on the bed. Her eyes fell on the picture of Lance Austin on the nightstand. Ironically, it was on a date with Lance that she first heard the name Thad Stewart. At the time he had been a rising young comedian, poised for his age and very funny. Lance had said that Thad was going places. He had been right. Presently, however, he was in her place, and it was imperative that she get him out of her home and out of her life.

  As she dressed, Darnell prepared herself mentally to go one more round with Thad. As she started out of the bedroom, her eye fell on the manila envelope lying next to Lance’s photo. It had arrived by messenger earlier that morning. It was a script. According to her manager this was the script—the one that would assure her entrance into the movie world. She couldn’t wait to start reading it and had planned to do so the rest of the day. The sooner she got rid of Thad Stewart, the sooner she could settle down and begin reading…

  Darnell glanced at the title her manager had scribbled on the envelope—Sensuous.

  CHAPTER 4

  The staring duel between Thad and Colin had been ongoing from the moment Darnell left the room. Finally, Thad broke the war of silence. “How old are you, Colin?”

  Colin answered pointedly, “Old enough to know what you’ve got on your mind.”

  Thad frowned, taken aback by the boy’s candor. Just his luck; a smart-aleck woman and a smart-aleck kid. “You’re out of order,” he warned sternly. “You don’t want me to tell Darnell that her little angel has some devil in him, do you?” He looked at him steadily until Colin muttered a half-hearted apology and diverted his attention to the television.

  Restless, Thad rose and began wandering the room under Colin’s watchful eye. Boldly, he meandered past the living room and down the hallway, grateful to escape Colin’s unfriendly glare.

  Evidence of Darnell’s talent and popularity were apparent in every room he passed. Awards and citations were displayed on tables, shelves, and walls. Locating her office, he wandered inside.

  The room was a kaleidoscope of color, furnished comfortably with overstuffed chairs and an array of gigantic floor pillows. On one wall was a fireplace, and placed on the mantel were framed pictures of what appeared to be family and friends. A built-in bookcase full of books took up a second wall. The third wall consisted of floor-to-ceiling windows with glass so clear that the room and the Pacific Ocean beyond seemed one.

  Thad’s eyes drifted to the glass-topped desk placed in front of the bookshelves. A picture caught his eye. Rounding the desk, he flopped down in the leather swivel chair behind the desk and picked up the picture.

  He knew from the media that the man in the picture was Darnell’s significant other—Lance Austin, a hotshot doctor, who was presently conducting AIDS research in South America. Reportedly, he and Darnell had been together for years. Thad studied the man closely. He would guess that some women might find the guy handsome. He looked a little too perfect as far as Thad was concerned.

  “I hope you’re enjoying yourself.”

  Thad looked up to find Darnell standing in the doorway. She had changed from her jogging outfit into a pair of jeans and a tailored shirt. Leather loafers had replaced her running shoes. Her hair was still in a ponytail, and she wore no makeup, but her smooth, dark skin practically glowed. She looked enticing. Thad reined in the hormones.

  “I was just looking around.” Thad placed the photo back on the desk.

  “So Colin said.” Darnell’s voice was terse. “But I’d rather we return to the living room.”

  Without a word, Thad brushed past her. She was weary of this man, and for that reason she would simply concede the battle just to have him gone once and for all. Following him into the living room, she gestured to a chair.

  “Have a seat, and we’ll talk.” Darnell joined Colin on the sofa as Thad settled into a chair.

  Darnell smiled at the boy warmly and threw an arm around his shoulders.

  “Did you know that my cousin here is one of the brightest kids around? He wins every prize that they give out in his school. We’re so proud of him.” She hugged him to her and gave him a quick kiss. Colin threw Thad a triumphant grin.

  Thad ignored both the grin and the comment. He had no doubt that the kid was smart, but if Colin thought that he was going to compete with him for a grown woman’s attention, he was sadly mistaken. The grownups had important matters to discuss. He got straight to the point.

  “Are we going to discuss the car repair or not?”

  Darnell turned her attention to Thad. She stared at him long and hard, then turned to Colin. “Sweetie, do you mind going downstairs to watch television?”

  Getting the hint that his presence was not needed, Colin rose and left the room. Darnell addressed Thad.

  “I thought that the car issue was settled last week when I threw you off my property, but obviously not. I’m sick and tired of the entire situation, so let’s settle this once and for all.”

  Thad nodded. “I agree.”

  “Then I’ll tell you what. Since Hazelwood’s will be closed today and tomorrow, and you don’t want him to fix your car anyway, I’ll pay your transportation cost for coming down here, and I’ll write you a check for whatever you think it will cost to fix the car. I won’t question it. You can take your car anywhere you want.”

  Thad knew that the answer he was about to give would frustrate her, and secretly delighted in the fact. “Then I choose Hazelwood’s garage on Tuesday.”

  Darnell closed her eyes for a moment to regain her composure. She knew this man was up to something, but she conceded. “All right, I’ll make the arrangements. When you bring your car back here on Tuesday, I’ll pay to fly you back to the Bay area.” She would do anything to get rid of him!

  “I’d rather have you rent me a car so that I can drive home.”

  “No problem. I’ll type up our agreement and you can sign it.”

  Thad rubbed his hands together eagerly. “Sounds like a plan to me.”

  “Good, then it’s settled. I’ll see you back here on Tuesday at ten-thirty in the morning. That should give me time to arrange everything.” Darnell started to rise to
see Thad out, but he settled deeper in his chair. It was clear that he wasn’t ready to leave.

  She frowned. What was he doing, taking up permanent residence? She watched as Thad placed his ankle across his knee and flashed her a charming smile. “So, what are we going to do the rest of today?”

  Darnell was stunned. “We? Aren’t you driving back to Tiburon?”

  “Nope, I’m staying in Carmel until Tuesday, and since I’m here, I assume that you’ll be entertaining me.”

  Darnell’s eyes narrowed. “You assume wrong. I have plans for the day. I won’t be able to entertain you.” The nerve of the man!

  Thad gave a prolonged sigh. “But I thought I might drive to Big Sur this afternoon. You can go with me.”

  Darnell raised a brow. Something was wrong here. She and Thad could barely stand to be in the same room together, and he wanted to take her for a ride. Hmmm, maybe he meant that literally. “Like I said, I have plans.”

  Rising, she walked to the entranceway. Thad followed her. He looked disappointed.

  Colin appeared at the downstairs entranceway. “Goodbye, Mr. Stewart,” he called. It was obvious that Colin was happy to see him go.

  “Bye, kid,” he threw over his shoulder as he stepped outside. He turned to Darnell. “What are you doing tomorrow?”

  She raised both eyebrows this time. What was this man up to? She had no doubt that she would find out eventually. Placing a finger against her temple, she pretended to ponder his question. “Let me see, what am I doing tomorrow? Hmmm, when I’m fully awake, I’m going to get up, wash, slip into some clothes, and go for a run on the beach. Maybe you should do the same. Goodbye.” She closed the front door firmly in his face.

  As he headed to his car, Thad gave a wicked grin. He just might take the lovely Ms. Cameron up on her flippant little suggestion. He could do with a little exercise. Besides, he had to soften her up in order to get her to read his script. What better way to do that than by joining her in her morning ritual? It looked as if this little project might not be as difficult as he thought.

  * * *

  The gates leading to Darnell’s house opened, and the red Ferrari exited just as Moody was driving his rental car down his driveway. As the luxury sports car with its tinted windows turned and headed down the street, he briefly wondered who the occupant of the flashy automobile might be. He knew from last week, when he had nearly collided with the same car, that it didn’t belong to Darnell. He knew her cars on sight. Besides, the color wasn’t her style. Her taste was more refined. Perhaps it belonged to one of her band members or some other employee. It didn’t matter. Presently, there were more important matters on his mind.

  His right-hand man had called and informed him that the shipment from South America had reached its destination, but in transport a large quantity of product had come up missing. Millions would be lost if it wasn’t found. The matter called for his immediate attention. He hadn’t planned on making any trips back east so soon, but this one was necessary. He estimated he could take care of his business and be back here to resume his plan to meet Darnell within a week. These interruptions were frustrating, but hopefully this would be the last one.

  By the time Moody reached the road leading to the highway, the red Ferrari had disappeared, and his curiosity about its occupant had been quietly dismissed

  * * *

  When Darnell descended the stairs the next morning, ready for her run, she was faced with an unexpected visitor. Thad Stewart sat in her kitchen entertaining her housekeeper, Mrs. Sharon.

  “Good morning, Ms. Cameron.” The grin on Thad’s face was as wide as Darnell’s eyes.

  “What are you doing here?” Her glance swept the length of his long, firm torso. He was clad in a designer sweat suit and a white cotton T-shirt that defined every line of his muscular chest and arms. The expensive running shoes he was wearing were new. A stylish pair of sunglasses perched on top of his head.

  Mrs. Sharon, a pleasant, rotund woman in her early sixties, looked up at Darnell with surprise. “I thought you two were running together this morning?” She eyed Thad suspiciously. Had the dimpled smile the handsome young man bestowed on her been one of deceit?

  “We are.” Thad spoke up quickly, trying not to look guilty about his little white lie. He eyed Darnell, undaunted by her hard expression. “Remember yesterday when you said that maybe I should go for a run on the beach? Well, here I am, ready to go.” He spread his arms wide and flashed a smile as sparkling as the diamond stud earring twinkling at her from his ear.

  At this point, it didn’t matter to Thad whether Darnell wanted him with her or not. She was wearing another one of those spandex outfits. Hell yeah, he was going running!

  “I don’t remember extending an invitation to you.” She was about ready to report this man as a stalker.

  By the look on her face, Thad could almost hear what she was thinking. It galled him, but he decided that humility might be the best tactic for this one.

  “Please, may I go with you?” He tried to turn on the charm. It didn’t work.

  “Cut the act. I’m not falling for it. If I thought that you could keep up with me, I wouldn’t mind, but—” She allowed her skepticism to speak for itself.

  “Believe me, it won’t be a problem.” Thad was insulted, but he didn’t want her to know it.

  Darnell studied him for a moment. This guy was bluffing. “Let me warn you, I’m not about to slow my pace for you.”

  “Like I said, no problem.”

  She gave a suit-yourself shrug. Placing her earphones over her ears, she adjusted her sunglasses, then walked past him and out the patio doors.

  With a wink at Mrs. Sharon, Thad drained the glass of juice she had given him and, in a few long-legged strides, he caught up with Darnell. That was the last time that morning that he could make that claim.

  He tried. He tried hard, but as fit as he was from daily workouts, he hadn’t run on a regular basis in years, and it showed. During the first mile, he called upon the skills he could remember from his glory days on his high school track team, but by mile two, he knew he was in trouble. By mile three, he was in serious trouble. Years of partying and club hopping had finally caught up with him. Mile four was excruciating, and by mile five he had conceded defeat. Darnell left him lying face-up on the beach at mile five.

  About an hour later, on her return trip, she found Thad where she had left him, sprawled in the same position. She thought about continuing her run and letting the tide do what she couldn’t seem to do—make him disappear—but her conscience got the better of her. Stopping, she kicked his outstretched hand with the tip of her shoe. “Thad!” He didn’t move.

  Bending over him, observing his stillness, she frowned. Maybe he had passed out. She shook his shoulder gently. “Hey, are you okay?” No response.

  Darnell dropped to her knees as her stomach began to flutter nervously. Oh, God! He wasn’t dead, was he? She didn’t mean for him to die. Sure, the thought of killing him had crossed her mind a time or two, but she hadn’t been serious. With tentative fingers, she felt his neck for a pulse, then sighed in relief. He was breathing, but he still hadn’t responded to her touch.

  Darnell felt bad. The man was unconscious, and she had left him there on the beach unattended. What kind of person had she turned into? With care, she removed his sunglasses, and gently laid his head in her lap. She bent close to his ear, hoping that he could hear her. “Thad, are you all right?” She rubbed his brow with the tips of her fingers. Her touch was as light as a bird in flight. His smooth skin glistened with perspiration, giving it a soft, healthy sheen. His long eyelashes cast a shadow against his dark cheeks as they began to flutter in response to his name.

  Darnell drew back a little, suddenly struck by how handsome Thad actually was. He wasn’t pretty-boy handsome as some members of the press described Lance. No, Thad was a rugged, masculine handsome, with dark, deep set eyes, thick, straight eyebrows, a broad nose and a strong jaw line, all in a chocola
te brown face accentuated by perfectly round dimples centered in the middle of each cheek. The combination had set many-a-female heart aflutter, but not hers, of course.

  His lips parted. He sighed, and a sound escaped him. He was snoring. The man wasn’t unconscious. He was asleep! Darnell jumped to her feet, dumping his head in the sand.

  The impact of his head hitting the ground brought Thad’s eyes flying open. “What the hell?”

  With some effort, he sat up. Every bone in his body was aching. Hands on hips, Darnell stood glaring down at him.

  In the twilight between sleep and awareness, he had been sure that he had died and gone to heaven. When he surrendered his pride and admitted defeat, Thad was certain that death would be better than the pain his attempt at jogging had caused. The sand had felt good beneath his exhausted body as he lay waiting for either his heart or his lungs to burst. Which came first didn’t matter. All he wanted was a painless death. Instead, sleep had overtaken him and he was grateful, until he had been so unceremoniously awakened. He wasn’t sure what had happened, but it didn’t take a genius to see that Darnell wasn’t happy.

  “I must have fallen asleep,” he said sheepishly. He rose and brushed the sand from his clothes and hair. “This salt air will do that to you.” He stooped to pick up his sunglasses and placed them over his eyes.

  Darnell glowered at him. “You are pathetic.” She spat out the last word contemptuously. Flipping her sunglasses down on her eyes, she turned to resume her run. Thad’s hand on her upper arm stopped her.

  “Hey, come on. I’m standing here humble in the face of defeat. No more running, okay? Walk with me.”

  Darnell scowled as she looked at the hand he had placed on her arm. He quickly removed it.