Destiny Bay Boxed Set vol. 2 (Books 4 - 6) (Destiny Bay Romances)

by Helen Conrad

  “Here's where I'm staying,” he said gruffly, handing her a card with a hotel's name on it. “Give me a call when you're ready to admit I belong in your life. Okay?”

  She stared at the card, then at him.

  “Jace . . .”

  “Hush.” He put a finger to her lips, smiling at her. “You'll call me. You may not trust me, but I trust you.” With his usual jaunty grin, he faded into the night.

  Jim's voice on the telephone was pitched high with excitement. “We've got a pool!” he cried. “We've got one. And as much time as we need. With a weight room and everything.”

  “Where?” Kathy could hardly believe it. For the last twenty-four hours they'd all been sunk in depression, trying to make decisions and hating every alternative, and now the miracle they'd believed couldn't happen had.

  “Well ...” Jim's voice got funny. “That's the weird part. Bear with me, now, it's kind of unorthodox.”

  Fear clutched at her heart. She'd known this was too good to be true. “What? What do you mean?”

  “Don't pass judgment until you've heard me out. It's the indoor pool at the Marquis Grand Hotel.”

  “What?”

  “It's not a meter pool, but it's regulation twenty-five yards with a good wall for turns. I've checked it out. It's not perfect, but it's certainly better than no pool at all. And there's a weight room right there. They've offered you total access to both, whenever you need them.”

  “Don't they need it for their guests?”

  “Not in the winter. They keep it filled and heated, but no one ever uses it except the occasional lap swimmer, and they can fit in along with you if need be. Isn't this a great idea?”

  She could hear in his voice that he was holding something back. “Okay,” she said slowly. “It sounds a little weird, but not unacceptable. What's the catch?”

  He took an audible breath. “The catch is, you'll be on display.”

  She frowned. “What do you mean?”

  “The way the pool is located, it can be seen from the cocktail lounge on one side and the dining room on the other. You'll be the star attraction. They'll promote you: 'World Games hopeful trains for glory,' et cetera. They'll be doing press releases about you, following your progress, and all that. Human interest stories about you and me. And in exchange for all that, we get free access, no fees.”

  “Arrrgh!”

  “Come on, Kathy. It's an answer to our prayers. This way I can still train you. You don't have to go to L.A. We'll still have a chance. And in the meantime I'll be hunting up a meter pool for you to use closer to the Games. It gives us time, breathing space.”

  She knew he was right. He was always right. It was actually a godsend, and she should bless it. She sighed. “When do we start?”

  “We've got to vacate the university pool by the end of the week. We'll start at the hotel on Monday.”

  She was beginning to get excited. Sure, it would be weird, using her training as entertainment for out-of-town travelers. But once she got used to it, she might even enjoy it. And it gave them almost everything they needed to keep her here, keep her with Jim. A slow smile grew on her face. Yes. It was a miracle.

  “Thank you, Jim,” she said at last, tears in her eyes. “Thank you so much.”

  “You thank me when you get up on that victory stand,” he said gruffly. “Talk to you later.”

  She wanted to tell someone, to share the joy. Maxie already knew. They were still at work, and Jim would have told her. There was only one person she could think of who would understand just what this meant to her. She picked the card up from the counter where she'd tossed it and read the name of his hotel.

  The Bannington. Room 505.

  If she went there, what would it mean? That she was giving in? That she was admitting how much she needed him? That she was allowing this danger to her goals to exist of her own free will?

  She clenched the card in her hand. She was sick of worrying, sick of doubting. She wanted to tell him. She was going to.

  Her little car flew along the highway. She parked in the huge lot and sat for a moment, her pulse racing, her mouth dry.

  “He won't be there,” she told herself. “It's dinnertime. He'll be out. He probably has all sorts of business associates in this town. He'll be gone.”

  She left her car and walked quickly to the glass-enclosed, outdoor elevator that swept her up to the fifth floor and deposited her not far from his room. It took a few moments to gather the nerve to knock.

  The door opened, and there stood Jace, his hair rumpled, his face shadowed with a two-days' growth of beard, his eyes bleary. His torso was bare. Tight, faded jeans clung to his muscular hips.

  He stared at her for a long moment. She stared at him, thinking he was the most incredibly beautiful man she'd ever seen.

  “You were supposed to call first,” he accused her. “I would have cleaned up a little.”

  She glanced behind him, into the room. “What have you been doing? Having an orgy?”

  His grin was crooked. “Yup. An orgy of self-pity.” He pulled her in and closed the door. “But that's all over now that you're here.”

  She looked around for evidence that he might have been drinking again. He caught her glance and grimaced.

  “No booze. Honest. I haven't been drunk since the night you became my wife.” He grinned at her. “You caught me on a bad night then. I don't make a regular thing of getting falling-down drunk.”

  “I know that,” she said, but still, it was a relief. She looked at his chest, the reddish-brown hair gleaming in the lamplight, the dark, flat nipples, the smooth, golden skin, the hard, rounded flesh all creating a masculinity that took her breath away.

  “You should put some clothes on,” she said faintly, trying to look away but unable to do so.

  “No,” he said softly, moving toward her. “You should take some off.” His hand went to her hair, pulling it free of its band, letting it spill out around her. Her gaze was locked into his, and she couldn't look away.

  “I'm glad you came,” he said softly, his hands on her shoulders, pulling her to him. “I was beginning to think I was going to have to come and drag you by the hair.”

  She put her hands up as a defense, but when they touched his chest, the fingers splayed, flattening against his warmth. “I ... I didn't come for—”

  “For this?” His lips barely touched hers, his tongue flicking out to tantalize her, then vanishing again. “For this?” he repeated huskily as he pulled her body against his, pressing her so close they were almost one. “Don't lie to me, Kathy,” he whispered. “It's too late for that. This is exactly what you came for.”

  Fear tingled across her skin, but need was building a fire in her blood. She trembled. He felt it, and his kiss deepened while his hands slid down her sides until they came to rest in the small of her back, pressing her more tightly into the heat of his hips.

  “Jace,” she breathed against his open mouth. “Oh, Jace, I don't think—”

  “That's right, Kathy,” he said, his voice hoarse with desire. “Don't think. Not now. Just feel.”

  There was so much to feel—hot longing, the need for his touch, the smooth caress of his hand, the tantalizing thrust of his tongue, the sensual slide of his body against hers as he lifted her, carrying her to his bed.

  She didn't want to think. She'd loved before, but never like this. His hands pulled away her clothing, first her sweater, then her bra, and then she felt the raw heat of his flesh against her naked breasts and she heard a growl that could only have come from deep within her own throat.

  She was nothing but a woman in need now. Her hands fumbled for his belt, jerking it open as though there were every reason to hurry, hurry before this ecstasy slipped away and left them. When his hands slid beneath the closure of her slacks, she arched into his touch. She could see her own beauty in the glow of his eyes and she reveled in it, stretching instinctively, encouraging his passion with her own. And when he was finally naked himse
lf, she gasped at his gorgeous body, and then she was shuddering with a hunger so basic it shook her to her roots.

  It grew in the pit of her stomach and between her thighs, and she had to have him, pulling him to her, enveloping him with her body, demanding he come to her as she was prepared to come to him, until he was there and she cried out with a strange relief that only fed new anticipation.

  Wave after wave of frenzied pleasure took her far beyond thought, beyond reason, into a realm of such pure delight, she wanted to hold her breath to savor it, afraid that the least thing might take it away from her forever.

  “Jace!” she gasped, at the top of the wave, holding on for dear life.

  His only answer was a moan of his own as he thrust deeper and deeper, his body pulsing with the fullness of their union, then aching with the sweet fulfillment of their ride.

  She clung to him as the waves died away, leaving them in quieter waters. It took a moment to catch her breath, and when she did, she found herself still pressed to him, her cheek against his chest.

  “I didn't mean for this to happen,” she sighed contentedly.

  “I did,” he growled, his hand in her hair. “Do you wish you hadn't come here today?”

  How could she wish that? She smiled. “No. Of course not.” She spread her hand across his chest, slipping the fingers into his chest hair. I could love you, Jason Harper, she thought, the words swirling through her mind. But she didn't dare say the words aloud. Not yet.

  “Was it good?” he asked her.

  “Mmmmmm,” she breathed, stretching beside him. His hand tightened on her arm.

  “As good as a moment on the victory stand?” he asked, his voice slightly mocking.

  She froze, then pulled away from him. “What the hell are you saying? How can you compare—”

  He groaned and reached for her again. “I do understand the difference,” he told her. “I'm sorry I said that.”

  But he had said it, and with his words a chill had slithered into the room. She slid to the edge of the bed and began reaching for her clothes.

  “Don't get dressed,” he said softly. “Not yet.”

  His eyes were deep with mysterious emotions, and she hesitated.

  “All right.” Instead she reached for a robe she saw at the foot of the bed and wrapped it around herself. It was obviously his robe. Her arms were lost within its huge sleeves, and when she stood, the hem dragged on the ground.

  “Nice room,” she said, dropping into a chair. His long, naked body was spread out on the bed before her, his golden skin a contrast to the white sheets.

  “What are your plans?” she asked him.

  He propped himself up on his elbow and stared at her, not the least bit modest about his nakedness. And why should he be, she thought. There was nothing to be modest about. The man was stunning.

  “To be with you,” he said.

  She blinked. “Don't you have to get back to Los Angeles for your business interests?”

  “What I need to do I can do by telephone for a while.”

  Her gaze locked with his, and she tried to read what his eyes were saying, but his look was still too cloudy to interpret. She opened her arms, palms up. “But Jace,” she said. “I can't promise you anything.”

  “Yes, you can.” He reached out and took one of her hands in his. “You can promise me that you'll let me be a part of your life.”

  She wasn't sure what he meant, but she knew it was much too late for discussion. He already was a part of her life. He would be from now on, whether he stayed or not.

  She'd come to tell him about the pool situation, but now it hardly seemed to matter. There was a new joy inside her, a new sparkle to her life, something so special she wanted to hold it close and not let it float away.

  She rose from her chair and began a slow journey around the room. “Nice view,” she said at the window with its view toward the ocean. They’d had their mountains. She met his eyes, and they both grinned, connecting on a memory.

  “Nice big room,” she said as she traveled on to the dressing table. “Big enough for two,” she almost said, but she suppressed it. What would Maxie say if she called to let her know she wouldn't be coming home tonight? She almost giggled. But then she thought of what Jim would say and she sobered up immediately.

  She looked down at his personal items on the dresser, his car keys, his little pile of coins, his handkerchief, and the picture of a small blond boy. All the joy drained out of her in an instant. The photograph wasn't very old. It showed a boy, about four years old, his little face a bit pinched, but with the largest blue eyes Kathy had ever seen. He was holding a stuffed bear and smiling at the camera.

  “Is this Bobby?” she asked before she'd even thought.

  His face went blank, and his entire body seemed to stiffen. “What do you know about Bobby?”

  That wasn't an easy one to answer. She stared down at the big-eyed child. Had Jace taken this picture?

  “That first night, when I brought you back to your hotel room, I saw a letter from your lawyer-”

  “Yes,” he broke in dismissively. “That's Bobby.” He rose from the bed and took the picture from her. “You shouldn't read other people's mail.”

  “I didn't mean to, but you were so drunk and—”

  “Never mind that,” he said harshly. “That's old news. Forget about Bobby. It has nothing to do with you.”

  She turned, but as she did so, another paper fluttered to the floor, and she bent to get it. The words Marquis Grand Hotel were written across it in firm letters. Then “full access” and “promotional considerations” and a list of telephone numbers and names of directors on the hotel board. She stared at it, suddenly realizing what it meant.

  “I guess I keep reading your personal things,” she said slowly, “because they contain such interesting revelations.” She waved the piece of paper at him. “You set up the deal with the hotel, didn't you? You made the calls. You're the one who got me the pool!”

  His face still looked wary. He put the picture of Bobby into a drawer, but it was obvious he couldn't erase him from the room that easily. He turned toward her and tried to smile. “It took you this long to figure that out?”

  She didn't know what to think. Why hadn't Jim told her?

  “I've got interests in quite a few hotels out here along the coast and that's one of them. So is the Bannington.” Jace was before her, his hands on her shoulders. “Can't you accept the fact that I'm behind you one hundred percent?” he asked her. “I want you to have what makes you happy. And if winning a gold is going to do it, I'll do everything in my power to see that you get your chance.”

  Full of emotion, she couldn't speak. She shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes, and Jace grinned. “Hey, does this mean you didn't come over just to thank me?” he said. “I didn't think this was what you usually did in lieu of a thank-you note.”

  Laughter bursting through her tears, she went after him, and before she knew it, they were back in bed, where they belonged.

  CHAPTER EIGHT:

  It’s a Balancing Act

  “I don't understand how you could do this.” Jim's face was hard and pale with anger. “How can you risk everything for that bum?”

  “Jace is not a bum.” Kathy turned slowly to face Jim. She was standing in the kitchen of the apartment, and Maxie was in the doorway looking worried. “I know what I'm doing. He's the one who got us the pool, after all. Why didn't you tell me he was the one who did that?” It was too early in the morning for this, she thought angrily. He had to give her some credit.

  Jim's lip curled in a sneer as he rolled his chair forward to get his cup of coffee from the counter. “I was sure he'd tell you soon enough.”

  Kathy shook her head. “I wish you'd told me. I wish I'd known. I'm grateful to him, even if you aren't.”

  Jim's eyes narrowed. “I'm sure he wasted no time cashing in on that gratitude.”

  She flushed, hands clenched at her sides. “Don't mock me
, Jim. I'm a grown woman. If I want to sleep with a man, I'll do it.”

  Jim threw his head back as though she'd hit him, and she regretted being quite so blunt. But what she'd said was true. It was time everyone started treating her like an adult, not a child or a property to be exploited.

  Jim had been waiting for her at the apartment when she came in before six in the morning to grab her things and head for the pool. Maxie was waiting with him.

  “I had to tell him, Kathy,” she said right away. “He deserves to know.”

  She'd known Maxie would tell Jim, but she hadn't expected a confrontation at the crack of dawn. She was tired. She knew her workout wasn't going to be good, that she would have to listen to a lecture about how late nights and swimming didn't mix. But the long, lazy night with Jace had been worth the lectures and the uncomfortable scene with Jim.

  She had never known such ecstasy before. She and Jace had ordered up room service and lolled about on his bed, talking and eating and making love until three in the morning. And then they'd slept, their bodies tangled together in a love knot she hated to untie when the sun crept up over the horizon.

  But here she was, ready to get back into the grind. And she didn't want to listen to Jim insult Jace. Suddenly it became very important that he not do that.

  “I know what I need, Jim. And right now, I need Jace Harper.”

  She could see the conflicting emotions surging through the man, and she almost felt sorry for him. But Jim Corbett knew how to face reality. He'd probably faced more reality than most people are ever forced to. And he knew when to back down.

  “All right, Kathy,” he said at last. “We'll try it. If you say he's part of the equation, he's part of the equation.”

  She sagged with relief. “Thanks, Jim.” She bent and kissed his cheek. “I appreciate it.”

  “You don't give Jim enough credit,” Maxie chided her later that day while they sat in the kitchen again, drinking lemonade. “He cares so much about you. He may seem grouchy, but deep down inside. ...”