Tempted by a Dangerous Man

by Cleo Peitsche

  Corbin stared neutrally at me for several long seconds. “I just thought about it. And it’s still no. Let him find out from Rob. I don’t want you talking to him. The best thing you can do is to keep away from him, not give him anything to interpret or obsess over.”

  I stood, crossing my arms.

  “No,” Corbin said before I could open my mouth.

  I couldn’t say for sure that it was the first time Corbin had told me no outside of sex, but it was definitely the most vehement he’d ever been. I knew I wouldn’t be able to argue him over to my point of view.

  He came over, took my hands and forced me to uncross my arms. “I know it doesn’t make a lot of sense to you.”

  I raised an eyebrow, and he sighed. “It’s just a feeling,” he said. “Once is chance, twice is a coincidence, but three times? That’s a pattern. Henry’s been in the business for too long to wait for something to happen three times before acting on it. You were there during the Florida fiasco.”

  “But you cleared things with him!”

  “Audrey. Think! Didn’t Zachary say that he’d been telling Henry that you were leading him on? He has to be suspicious of you on some level.”

  “But I can tell him—”

  “Suppose you get caught in a lie? Or if someone looked out the window and saw me going into your apartment at five in the morning? Hell, Henry has access to the office now. He might get ambitious with a bottle of Luminol. I was in a hurry, and I wasn’t prepared to do that kind of cleanup.”

  “But you’ve done this a million times,” I said.

  “Yet I make mistakes. Like the night you first saw me. I decided, against my better judgement, to meet up with that woman. She was that crucial to my project. It was last minute, there was a blizzard blowing through the city, and I was meeting her in a greeting card gift shop in a second-rate strip mall. I put on a cowboy hat but no other disguise. Think about it: I was undisguised on official business for two minutes. Next thing I know, there’s a bounty hunter after me.”

  “I get what you’re saying, but—”

  “The best policy is to say nothing.” Frowning, he tilted his head. “To be honest, I don’t quite understand why you’re fighting me on this.”

  “You don’t know Henry, but I do. He thinks I’ve got a temper, and he’ll think it’s weird that I’m avoiding him. That will make him suspicious. What he expects is for me to curse him out. Second, who knows what Rob didn’t tell me? It’s secondhand information from someone who thinks there’s no story to tell.”

  Corbin’s frown deepened. “And third? I sense there’s more.”

  “I want to help fix the mess I made.” It was one thing to have Corbin save me when I was helpless, but quite another when I was thinking clearly and perfectly capable of action.

  He walked me backward until I was sitting on the bed. “Fine. How about if you text him? Play up that you’re pissed at him and your father.”

  “Thanks,” I said sarcastically. “Sure you don’t want to type the text yourself?”

  Corbin didn’t react to that. Probably just as well. I wrote the message.

  A moment after I sent it, Henry texted back: Haven’t heard from Zak. He say anything to you about where he was going?

  “Can I tell him that Zak didn’t say anything? I mean, why would he?” I bit my lip. “Should I ask why he’s asking?”

  “No,” Corbin said. His mouth settled into a harsh line.

  My phone buzzed with a text from Henry. Hope he wasn’t too rough with you the other night.

  Corbin snatched the phone away. “Damn it.”

  “What?” I asked, baffled.

  “If you don’t answer, he’ll be suspicious. If you do—”

  I grabbed the phone back and texted: Zak is a jerk. You too because you sent him. No idea where he is. You can both go to hell.

  Corbin read it. “I guess that’s fine,” he said. “But I’m not convinced that it will make him less persistent.” When the phone rang, he turned it off without looking at it. “Do us both a favor and don’t text or call him ever again. Ok?”

  “I’m not an idiot.”

  “Never said you were.” He handed me my phone, and I returned it to the backpack pocket where I had found it.

  “So what’s on the agenda for today?”

  “Sleigh ride, if you want. There’s a production of Singin’ in the Rain this evening.”

  My eyes lit up. “And here I thought I’d have to fuck you all day.”

  Corbin smiled. “I haven’t had much time to relax the last few years. It feels nice to do normal things. Makes me feel like I belong here.”

  “At the bed and breakfast?”

  “Among civilized people, smart ass.” He took a slow, lingering look at my body. “Though I’m in the mood to un-civilize you a bit.”

  “Like to see you try.”

  His response was a wicked smile that made me shiver all over.

  ~~~

  For the next few days, Corbin and I crammed our afternoons full of activities, and our nights and mornings were spent in different hotels and inns.

  It was magical. I didn’t bring up his past again. I knew enough to be comfortable, though I hoped one day he would tell me more.

  And it wasn’t like we were running out of things to talk about or do.

  The last night of our week together, Corbin took me to a Fred and Ginger double feature: Top Hat and Swing Time. When the song “The Way You Look Tonight” played, Corbin squeezed my hand. Afterward, he whistled as we returned to the truck.

  It was well after midnight by the time we drove down the long, winding driveway toward the mountain house where everything had started months before. I snuck a look at Corbin. I’d gotten used to having him around. “After this month away, you’re free?”

  “For a while. Even offloaded the headache with the leaks to someone else.”

  “What’s the latest on that?”

  He frowned. “It’s not good. But it’s not my problem, and I’m moderately protected. I can’t put off this next project because of it.”

  “Too bad you can’t arrest Henry for paying off FBI agents.”

  “I can neither confirm nor deny—”

  “Really?” I asked, excited.

  He shrugged. “Even so, a million things could happen. He has some impressive connections. Wouldn’t get him off the hook if he’s charged, but charging him might be problematic. And he’s not the focus, and I’m not working on it. So don’t get your hopes too high.”

  Too late for that, but I kept it to myself. “What do you think you’ll do if you’re able to retire for good? I mean, what do you want to do? Be a chef again?”

  “No. I wouldn’t be happy in the kitchen all day. Not now.” He glanced at me. “Even retired, some habits will be hard to break. And other habits I can’t leave behind. There are people out there who would love to kill me if they could find me. But I was thinking about hanging up my bounty hunter shingle.”

  I grinned so hard that my cheeks hurt. “Let me know when you’re hiring, and I’ll get a résumé together.”

  “I was hoping we could be partners. We make a good team.”

  My snort was automatic and uncontrollable. “Team? I won’t deny that we work well together, but let’s not forget that you had to rescue me.”

  “You were great with Syre. And you have an advantage. People underestimate you. To their own peril. You think fast, and you work hard.”

  He was actually serious. I couldn’t believe it. Something I’d labored for with my father, Corbin was willing to offer me based on the potential he saw. Just one problem. “But I… I’m broke, and I’ve got nothing to use as collateral,” I pointed out, keeping my voice steady to hide my shame. “I can’t contribute to startup costs. And I don’t want to be your employee.”

  “Nor would I want you to be. I’m sure something can be worked out.” He paused, cleared his throat. “I have a favor to ask, and you’re not going to like it.”

&nbs
p; He had parked, and we were walking into the house. “Go on. Get it over with,” I grunted as I flipped on the lights.

  “I don’t want you going back to your apartment.”

  I crossed my arms. “I don’t want to go back there, either, but being unemployed, I don’t have options. You want me to stay here?”

  “No. I think it’s safe, but I can’t be sure until the leaks are completely resolved. I certainly can’t risk you being here alone. But I can put you up somewhere.”

  “No.”

  “If I allow you to pay me back?”

  I hesitated. “No. It’s bad enough that you spent hundreds…” I frowned. “Thousands of dollars on clothes for me. Plus the nice dinners, the hotels…”

  “You forgot to tally up hot water, and you’ve used half a tube of toothpaste,” Corbin said. Irritation roughened his voice.

  “I’m not trying to offend you, but it makes me uncomfortable.”

  He heaved an exasperated sigh. “But I wouldn’t even notice the cost. It’s less than a rounding error.” He straightened suddenly. “Let’s not fight about this. It’s late, we’re both tired. You can go up. I have to take care of a few things in my office.”

  I repressed a shudder, remembering all the guns he kept in that hidden room. Surveillance stuff, too. And who knew what else? “You’re so sexy when you don’t argue with me,” I said. I went over to him, lifted onto my toes and pressed a kiss to his mouth.

  Corbin smiled. “In the grand scheme, these are little details to work out. Though I’m not giving up on getting you out of your apartment. I’m going to be incommunicado for most of the time that I’m gone. This next month is going to be an intense one for me, and I don’t want to be distracted by worrying about you.”

  Damn. “And you’ve also got guilt trips down pretty well.”

  He scowled. “I’m not playing with your safety. But we’ll talk about it in the morning.”

  He went down toward his office, and I knelt by the backpack and dug my phone out. Vacation was officially over.

  There were several messages, I saw as I walked up the steps. Martha. I hadn’t even bothered checking to see what angle she was working.

  I sat on the edge of the bed and braced myself for a manipulation of master proportions. My guess was that she’d tell me how broken up my father was, and that I should apologize but that everyone would realize that he was in the wrong.

  Some bullshit like that.

  But when she spoke, her voice was shaky, breathless. “I’m in the back of an ambulance with your father.” She broke down halfway through.

  I replayed the message, stunned, certain I had misheard. The next message was Rob, telling me what Martha had said, saying he was heading to the hospital.

  Rob called a few more times to update me, and then his messages turned darker. “You need to set this aside,” he said. “Dad’s knocked out now, but he was asking for you.”

  There was a message from Henry. “You’re hiding something. How do you think you would fare in prison, Audrey? I’m running out of patience. Call me.”

  “Fuck you,” I whispered. I would freak out about that sometime later.

  The final message, left only a few hours earlier, made my heart stop. “They’re operating again in the morning, and he might not survive, Audrey. You need to get down here before it’s too late. Don’t be stubborn.”

  I stood, my heart hammering. My brain raced with incomplete thoughts, leaving me frozen.

  The need to run was overwhelming. I took a few steps in several directions, stunned.

  This. I wasn’t prepared for this.

  Corbin started up the stairs, and I rubbed my cheeks with the heel of my hand, trying to pull myself together.

  “So Rob called,” I said, artificially shooting my voice higher as I sat on the bed. Corbin came to me in two quick strides, crouched in front of me. He didn’t say or ask anything, just waited for me to speak.

  “My dad’s in the hospital. I have to go home.”

  His eyes searched mine, doubtless wanting more information, but he was already nodding. “I’ll take you.”

  “But I have to go now.”

  “I’ll take you now.”

  Just like that. Even though it was so late at night, and he had to prepare to fly heaven-knew-where and do things I didn’t want to hear about, he was willing to drive me to the city at a moment’s notice. In that second, I realized that I didn’t care about the things he had done, or would have done, or had almost done. All that mattered was how he treated me, how he was always there when I needed him.

  ~~~

  I stared at the hospital entrance. During the drive, I had somehow managed to pull myself together. And now we were there, but I couldn’t move.

  Anything to avoid going into that building and facing my father.

  Though for all I knew, the situation had changed. Funny how fear could pull me back to him, but fear could keep me away, too.

  “Sure you don’t want me to come in with you?”

  I nodded, but not quite as decisively as the first time he’d offered. Corbin squeezed my hand. “Compromise. How about I get us some donuts? I’ll bring them in, and if you want me to leave, I will. And if you need me, I’ll be there. How’s that?”

  I swiveled to look at him. “Donuts? Stuffed with broccoli?”

  “This is a time for comfort food,” he said with a sage nod. “Stop procrastinating.”

  Unfastening my seatbelt, I leaned over and kissed his cheek. He needed a shave. My sexy, unshorn rescuer. “Thank you.”

  Corbin smiled. “I’m sorry you’re going through this. And I’m sorry that Henry is making things more difficult. That’s my fault.”

  “It’s no one’s fault.” I opened the door, then stopped. “I think cell phone use isn’t allowed. How will you find me?”

  “It’s what I do.”

  I walked away, not sure if he meant finding me or finding people in general; a case could be made either way.

  I hadn’t spent much time in hospitals, and most of what I knew of them came from TV shows. Early morning in the hospital was, well, quiet. No one stopped me when I walked in, so I followed the signs to the cardiac center, expecting to find my father there. Hospitals smelled terrible, I decided. Like antiseptic poured on top of sweaty blankets. It made my skin crawl.

  A nurse was waiting when I stepped off the elevator. She did a double-take. “Visiting hours aren’t until eight o’clock,” she said with a kind smile.

  “Oh,” I mumbled, relieved. Then realized that posed a whole other set of problems. I didn’t want to be there when Rob and Martha were. But I hadn’t come all this way just to shrug it off and go… wherever I would go after this.

  “Unless you’re family and it’s urgent,” the nurse said, prodding. “Visiting a parent or grandparent, perhaps?”

  “Father,” I said, my voice suddenly a cracked whisper. “Bob Stroop.”

  When she heard his name, her face softened more. “His daughter, right? He talked a lot about you. He’s medicated and will stay asleep, but I think you should see him. He’ll be in surgery soon after the start of visiting hours anyway.”

  There was so much that I could have read into what she hadn’t said. Into the unexpected kindness and bending of the rules. But I refused to allow my mind to follow that train of thought to its logical end.

  “Thank you,” I said. My lip had started to tremble, and I fought it.

  “Room three-oh-six,” the nurse said. “And if anyone gives you a hard time, tell them Greta said it’s ok. By the way, I chatted a bit with your twin. Nice guy.” She stepped onto the elevator, probably thinking that I was the worst daughter and sister ever. Or maybe I was paranoid. Maybe she was thinking about hooking up with Rob.

  Room 306 was at the end of a long, wide corridor. Each step down the hallway seemed like I was walking through quicksand. I wanted to go back outside, climb into Corbin’s arms and hide there until the reality of this all went away.

/>   I brushed my hand against the closed door. My fingers drifted down to the cold metal handle.

  As long as I was in motion, as long as I felt in charge, I could deal with anything. But actually facing my father?

  I wished Corbin were with me. Shouldn’t have been so quick to reject his support. I closed my eyes, imagined him standing behind me. Something about him, his heat, maybe, always made me sense him when he was close by. It felt like he was always with me in a way.

  In an embarrassingly small amount of time, I had gone from accepting that I wanted Corbin around as a steady fuck buddy to wanting him around as everything else. This was what mattered. Having someone to go to the hospital with you when your estranged father had a heart attack.

  I exhaled slowly and considered that Corbin wouldn’t understand if he walked up now and saw me standing there like a ninny. He took it for granted that I was strong and decisive. Maybe because around him, I was.

  The handle gave under my push, and the door swung open. I sensed my father in the hospital bed, but I couldn’t bring myself to look at him, so I stared at the white floor, the ugly television that jutted from the ceiling, the three wide chairs with hideous confetti upholstery on the seat and along the armrests.

  The vase of showy red and white flowers wasn’t strong enough to overpower the reek of disinfectant. I wondered who had bought them, and for a full minute, my mind ran down the list of likely candidates.

  When I finished, I was still in a hospital, still avoiding looking at my father.

  Finally my gaze swept across the lump in the bed. He seemed so small. There weren’t any beeping machines like in the movies, but he was hooked up to enough monitors to supervise a rocket launch.

  I slipped inside the room, feeling like an intruder.

  My father’s face was slack, and to say that he was gray was an understatement. He looked… sick. He looked like hell. I remembered how nasty I’d been at the evaluation lunch, yelling at him to eat better and exercise, and my face burned with shame. The truth was that he hadn’t seemed wholly himself for some time. Hadn’t quite been there.