A spike of volcanic heat blasted through him at the memory of last night. The way Meg had responded to him, the way she’d looked at him. She’d made him feel like a god.
After she’d left, he’d showered and taken care of his raging hard-on. Then spent much of the night going through his parents’ shit in all those boxes.
The pictures.
All these years and he still couldn’t face them. Fucking coward, that’s what he was. He had medals proclaiming him a hero. He had given them all to his little brother. Left them on his grave. That was the only time he had gone back to San Diego, where Brady was buried.
He felt a warm gentle sensation on his right leg. Looking down, he saw Ellie. She sat next to him, her head resting on his leg. She had stayed with him as he’d tried to decide what to do with the pictures. Burn them? Put them back into storage somewhere?
“That’s it, I’m coming out there.”
Sienna’s voice jerked him from his thoughts. Fighting down the ghosts, he studied the computer. “No. I’m fine.” Taking a breath, he said, “I saw Megan last night. We had dinner. We’re catching up. Now can we work?” He’d asked Megan to come over tonight, but she’d said she was busy. She couldn’t see him Sunday, either, but promised to call him about next week. He was trying to be patient.
“Did she mention her mom running for mayor?”
He blinked. “Catherine Young?” He’d met her a few times when he and Meg had dated. Looking back, he wondered why Megan had let him get away with avoiding family events for the most part.
“Now Catherine Sullivan.”
Adam sat forward, startling Ellie. He put his hand on the dog’s neck, rubbing that spot she liked beneath her chin. “That’s why I didn’t recognize her name when I checked the club’s schedule. She’s having a fund-raiser gala at the club tonight.”
“Yep. I’ve already bought your ticket. For business, of course. You need to check out how the staff works, find the flaws in security. After all, there will be a mixer in the clubhouse after the gold tournament.”
Adam sighed. “Why do you jerk me around like this?”
“Be nice or I won’t have a tux sent over from the local monkey suit store.”
“Yeah,” he said dryly, “because that would break my heart.”
“Sarcasm duly noted. I also reserved one of the guest cottages at the country club for you. You’ll want to check that out as well.”
Adam knew what Sienna was doing. He’d told her about Megan, that she was the woman he couldn’t forget. What he hadn’t told Sienna was that he could never be the man she wanted. There were things locked inside Adam, trapped there, that he couldn’t talk about. He actually could not say the words. His throat would close up, strangling him with guilt if he tried. He was that screwed up. The only time it came out was his nightmares.
But Sienna didn’t know that, no one did. And looking around the house, he realized that when he made love to Megan, he didn’t want it to be here, where ghosts and guilt haunted him.
…
Megan slipped through the country club’s French doors leading to the patio to call Bridget, her best friend and babysitter when her mother wasn’t available. She sucked in a breath of cool air, tinged with damp chlorine from the well-lit water feature. People milled around by the heaters, holding drinks and chatting.
Quickly, she made her way across the flagstones to the intricately designed wrought-iron fence. She slipped her phone out and made the call. A few minutes later, she’d spoken to Cole, telling him she loved him. Bridget was in the middle of reading his favorite books to him. They were fine. She was spending the night, so Megan didn’t have to worry about what time she got home.
Megan put her phone away. For a moment she stood there, her hands on the waist-high fence, a light breeze fluttering the slit skirt of her long gown around her legs. The moon shone down over the lush green grass of the golf course. She thought of Adam. The way he kissed her, touched her…his tenderness had punched through her old anger. For the first time, she understood he gave her what he had to give, with a sweet intensity that had rocked her right to her very soul.
She sucked in a deep breath. He was truly haunted, and this town…her…they hurt him in a way she couldn’t grasp. He had come back from war with a new edge, tougher and more brittle. What was the right thing for her to do? Let him go without telling him? Give him the freedom he needed from his past? She knew he hated Raven’s Cove, had always wanted to escape it. Now he was selling the house, his last tie. If he never knew about Cole, he would finally be free of the town. But that wronged both Adam and Cole, and she knew it. But if she told him, then what?
She knew he wouldn’t stay in Raven’s Cove. Cole would be shuffled between them with long car rides or trips on a plane. Growing up in two different homes.
Her throat tightened. She loved her baby so much, she wanted to protect him from any possible pain. But that wasn’t realistic, was it?
“Dr. Young.”
She startled at the voice behind her, and her stomach clenched. Nathan McCray. He wore a tux and too much arrogance to suit her. He was part owner of the country club, and the golf course, which was named after him. “Mr. McCray, it’s very nice of you to come tonight.”
“I like your mother’s ideas for the town. I’m supporting her campaign.”
Megan didn’t know where this was going. Did he think he could use his support as more blackmail? “Thank you. I know my mother appreciates it.”
He looked around, then back at her. “Look, Dr. Young, I was angry last week in your office. I said things I shouldn’t have, and I’m sorry.”
“For the bribe or the threats?” The words were out of her mouth before she thought about them.
“That wasn’t a bribe.” He frowned at her as if she was a child. “That was a fee for your expert testimony. You misunderstood.”
“Okay.” She didn’t trust the man, but she didn’t need him for an enemy, either.
“I still disagree with your assessment of Celtic Fire, but I was wrong to lose my temper that way. I hope you’ll accept my apology.”
“Of course.” She didn’t know if he was sincere or if this was a new tactic. “As long as you understand that I won’t lie under oath.”
He sucked in his lips for a second. “That’s good, because lying under oath is perjury. Enjoy your evening.” He turned and walked away.
Megan stared after him. What had that been? First he came in to her office and tried to bribe her, then he apologized? Which was the real Nathan McCray?
A burst of laughter from inside the ballroom reminded her where she was—the fund-raising gala. This was her mother’s night. She strolled into the sparkling grand ballroom. One side of the room had round tables set for dinner, and beyond that, the stage with her mother’s campaign photo and slogan on the wall.
To her left were the band and the dance floor. The far side of the room held the bar where people surrounded her mother. Megan smiled, glad to see things were going so well. She was headed toward her mother when she spotted her mentor, Lawrence Hamilton.
“Lawrence!” She held out her hands, truly pleased he was here. She’d worked for Dr. Hamilton at the Raven’s Cove Animal Hospital until she’d decided to open her own practice.
Grasping her hands, Lawrence smiled, showing his perfect white teeth. “Megan, you look lovely.” He leaned in to kiss her cheek. “Did you save me a dance?”
“Naturally.” She let him lead her onto the dance floor. Placing her hand on his shoulder, they moved to the music. “It means a lot to me that you came tonight.”
“Wouldn’t miss it.” He settled his hazel gaze on her. “You really do look stunning. Very chic with your hair up off your face and spilling down your back.”
“Better than my usual ponytail, huh?”
Lawrence looked like he was born to the country club life. Tanned, fit, light brown hair, and sexy eyes. He was past forty, but he looked younger. He loved golf and tennis. Megan
liked tennis, but golf bored her.
“You work too hard. You always did, but at least when you worked for me, I could keep an eye on you and make sure you went home at a decent time.”
“These days, I have a reason to go home,” she said, thinking of her boy.
“How is Cole?”
“Busy.” She laughed. “Just like a rambunctious puppy. I don’t know how the canine moms do it with a whole litter.”
“Me neither,” Lawrence said, guiding Megan out of the way of an oblivious couple. “I burned off a lot of energy playing with my brothers and sister growing up.”
“There is that,” she said.
He looked down at her. “Are you seeing anyone?”
“Dating? No time for that.” She laughed, keeping the conversation light. For sure she didn’t want to talk about Adam. “You’ve played golf with Nathan McCray, right?”
He paused for a second, and then said, “Sure. Why? You’re not interested in him, are you?”
She shook her head at the absurd question. “I’d like your opinion on something, though.” She quickly outlined the incident with Nathan in her office and the subsequent apology.
Lawrence rolled his eyes. “Nathan can be a hothead. Back when he was on the pro golfing circuit, his temper was legendary.”
“Should I be worried?”
He sighed. “I did try to warn you that going out on your own would be tricky. This kind of thing, it could damage a young practice like yours,” he said, thoughtful. “I’ll talk to Nathan.”
“Oh, no. I don’t expect you to do that. I just wanted your opinion.”
“Independent as ever, aren’t you, Megan? But this really isn’t a big deal. I treated Celtic Fire for a few years. Talking to Nathan won’t be a problem.”
Real affection spread through her. In some ways, he was like a father figure to her. “Thank you. For talking to Nathan, of course. But also for handling Debbie’s decision to bring Celtic Fire to me with such grace.”
“Hey, I trained you, remember? It just means I’m that good.”
Smirking at him, she said, “And that modest.”
The music ended. Putting his hand on her back, he led her off the dance floor. “Didn’t I just finish dancing with the most beautiful woman in the room?”
Amused, she opened her mouth to respond but was cut off by a new voice.
“Megan.”
She whipped her head to the left and got an eyeful of Adam. In a tux. One that barely contained his broad shoulders. He wore it with casual ease, but his golden brown eyes glinted dangerously at her. “Adam, what are you doing here?” She couldn’t get her head around it.
“Who is this, Megan?” Lawrence asked, his tone sharp.
Real panic bubbled beneath her rib cage. She didn’t want Lawrence to mention her son. She quickly introduced the two men, but her thoughts were spinning. What if someone mentioned Cole? Her guts tightened. This could be a disaster. First she had to get rid of Lawrence. “Thanks again for the dance.”
He glanced at Adam, then kissed her cheek and said, “We’ll talk later.” He strode off.
“Who is that guy?”
Adam’s scent tantalized her senses. “Lawrence is my mentor. I worked for him at his animal hospital when I was first starting out.”
He glanced over to where Lawrence stood at the bar with Nathan and a few others. “He wants to be more than your mentor.”
“You’re jealous?”
“Apparently,” he said with a soft chuckle. “And I don’t like it.” His gaze softened as he looked at her. He reached out and ran his fingers over her bare shoulder and down her arm. “You look stunning, Meg.” He caught her hand in his. “I don’t know if I should dance with you or pick you up and take you to the first room I can find with a door that locks.”
His voice was pitched low, and his fingers left a trail of heat that tingled through her. “Adam, I—what are you doing here?”
“Security detail. I have the schedule for the country club and saw the fund-raiser for tonight. I knew you’d be here.”
She tried to ignore the thrill coursing through her at the idea that he had searched her out. “We agreed not to see each other like this.”
He tugged her closer. “I thought I could control myself, but last night…it wasn’t enough. I can still taste you, Meg. And technically, I’m here on business.”
Heat bloomed from her chest. Her entire body clenched at the memory. She was losing control over everything around her too fast. Disaster loomed like threatening black clouds moving in from the ocean. And yet her breasts swelled and her panties dampened.
“Adam? Is that you?” Her mom slipped up to them. “It is you.”
He released Megan’s hand and his face slid into a relaxed grin. “Hello, Catherine.” He kissed her cheek. “You look lovely.”
“Megan didn’t tell me you were in town.”
Both of them turned to look at her. It felt like a hundred spotlights fell on her. She knew she was flushed. “I…it hasn’t come up.”
Catherine touched his arm. “It’s good to see you looking whole and safe. We’ll catch up after the dinner.” She caught Megan’s eye. “Time for us to go onstage.” Then she walked away.
Megan stood frozen to the spot. By the bar, she saw Nathan watching her. Darting her gaze to Adam, she blurted out, “I have to go.” Her stomach twisted with worry. She had to convince Catherine to keep Cole a secret—at least until she herself was ready to tell Adam that they had a son.
Chapter Seven
He needed her. It was a throbbing burning in his chest that matched his aching arousal. But it was more than that. It was a sensation that she was hiding something from him. Once she had been an open book. Now? A mystery. What had put that panicked look in her eyes when she’d seen him?
Megan Young was driving him out of his mind. He wanted her in his bed, but he found he needed her trust even more. He needed…all of her, which was ironic as hell since he held back parts of himself from her.
For two hours, he’d watched her in that dress. The color reminded him of that last blush of coral when the sun sank into the ocean. And the fit? Like a man’s hands sliding along her curves.
Damn it.
On stage, Megan introduced her mom. Catherine gave her speech while dinner and dessert was served. Adam could not recall a word of the speech or a bite of his food. He watched as Meg moved through the throng, stopping to chat with smiles or one of her husky laughs. She belonged here. In this town. The one his parents chose just to make sure that he never forgot his brother.
It was her home.
And his hell.
He narrowed his gaze when he saw Lawrence approach the group Megan was chatting with. Mentor, his ass. That man wanted Megan.
Not happening, not while he was here. A voice in his head tried to remind him that he had no claim on Megan. But the rest of him, the primal man, rode right over that voice and drove him to act. He put down his ice water and strode up behind Megan. He paused as she spoke to a woman.
“I have a deposition Monday at lunch when I usually come by, so I’ll stop over tomorrow and take a look.”
The middle-aged woman reached and out took Megan’s hand. “Oh, thank you, Dr. Young. The poor dog was just left on the doorstep with no sign of her puppies. Emily found her this morning.”
“No problem. We’ll take care of her.”
Lawrence said, “Why don’t we give Dr. Young a break from work.” He turned a smile on her. “Megan, how about another dance?”
“I’ve already asked her for this dance,” Adam said keeping his gaze on Lawrence. He put his hand on her shoulder.
She straightened so suddenly her back hit his chest. “Adam.”
The feel of her against him, the skin of her bare shoulder beneath his palm made him burn with a possessive fire. He wrapped his other arm around her waist. Lowering his head, he rubbed his cheek against the tumble of red curls flowing down her back. “Come dance with me,” he said
into her ear. “I’ve missed you.”
He felt the shiver ripple down her spine.
She tilted her head up. Confusion. Surprise. Wariness. And desire. They were all there in her gaze. “And if I say no?”
He ran his thumb below her ribs. “You won’t.” He couldn’t bear it if she did. If she rejected him, he’d walk away, but it would cost him something too painful to even consider. He had to play this out with Megan. He’d have to walk away at some point. He knew it and hated it.
They hovered there, the seconds ticking off louder than the band’s music. Adam felt the stares of the others. He didn’t care. Only Meg mattered. This woman currently filling his arms, her sweet weight against his chest, the rich curve of her ass in his groin, the scent of her hair saturating him.
Lawrence stepped closer to her. “I thought you said you weren’t dating? That you had no time with your s—”
“Sorry!” Megan cut him off. “I promised Adam this dance. He’s an old college friend,” she added while twisting from his hold, then tugging Adam toward the dance floor.
Adam blinked at the sudden change of heart, but quickly caught up to Meg’s determined stride. They arrived on the dance floor as the current song ended. Couples around them clapped.
The strains of a new song began. Wicked Games.
Smug at getting her away from that other veterinarian, he reached for her, but Megan spun and, putting her back to him, she raised her arms over her head and swayed to the darkly sexual music. He stared at the vibrant curls of her hair sliding over her long back, hitting the top of her waist.
His throat went tight, his chest hot, and he thickened instantly with arousal as he watched her sway, watched the curve of her backside cupped in that dress. Before he realized what he was doing, he reached out, wrapped his hands around her hips, and tugged her close against him.
She laughed as she bent her knees to shimmy down, then back up, her back sliding over the front of him as her long arms reached up in graceful swirls. Her fingers grazed his face, sweeping through his hair in butterfly touches. There and gone.
The Baby Bargain Page 5
