A small, dim hall lamp had been left on in the entryway to light the way. Olivia carefully picked through the shadows and made her way into the kitchen, hoping that a cup of tea would help calm her enough to sleep.
She flipped the light on and grabbed the kettle off the burner. As she stood at the faucet filling it up, she stared out past her reflection and into the night, thinking about the events of the last day.
This whole experience was completely beyond the scope of anything she’d had to deal with before. She’d never been one to attract a lot of attention. Her beautiful sister, Fiona, caught people’s notice more often.
But her? She was the one in the ratty clothes, sweating over a hot stove in the back of the café. What could this guy possibly see that caused him to fixate on her?
For that matter, what could have caught Mason’s attention? Granted, it was a far more welcome kind of attention, but this was the most she’d received of either kind in ages, both wanted and unwanted.
Olivia sighed and turned to place the kettle on the hot burner. She admitted to herself, a part of her wished she could go back to her quiet existence before all this stuff had started…
Just then, a pair of hands was placed gently on her shoulders. Yelping, she quickly turned to find Mason standing before her in a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. She noticed his hair was mussed up again.
“Aah! You scared me!” she admonished, heart racing. She fought the urge to sweep the hair back from his forehead.
“Can’t sleep?”
She turned around and pulled the whistling kettle off the stove. “Sadly, no. I think I’m just too wound up after what happened today. Care to join me for some tea? It’s herbal, so there’s no caffeine.”
At his nod, she moved away and reached up, grabbing two mugs from the cupboard. “Sugar?”
She could feel his regard following her as she bustled around the kitchen, but didn’t feel quite ready to meet his eyes. “Olivia.”
At the sound of her name, she stopped. Once again, she found herself looking at her reflection above the kitchen sink window. Quietly, he walked up behind her. They looked good together. The errant thought crossed her mind before he turned her towards him.
He pinned her with his gaze. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” He ran his fingers carefully through the hair at her temples, massaging her scalp, and tilted her head up to him.
Yearning filled her and she leaned into his body, silently pleading with him to make her forget to be afraid. Slowly, with his eyes trained on hers, he lowered his head and brushed his lips against hers.
Back and forth, once, twice…
Impatiently, desperately, she craned her neck up and opened her mouth for a deeper kiss. With a groan, he complied, sucking her under his spell and silencing all the bothersome thoughts that had kept her awake.
Backing her up to the kitchen sink, he pressed the full length of his body against hers. She could feel his arousal through the thin barrier of his sweats and ground her achy, needy core against him.
As the kiss deepened, one of his hands released her hair and cupped her breast through the terry cloth robe, squeezing with just enough pressure to make her squirm. He broke off the kiss and trailed his lips down the slim column of her neck, while his clever fingers began to release the sash around her waist.
With a growl, he lifted his head when he discovered the silky material beneath. Olivia could see the passion burning in his eyes. She shivered along the path his finger made as he traced the lacy border of her chemise, her skin breaking out in goosebumps with his faint touch.
He followed the strap up, across her collarbone and dragged it down, bending his head as he did so and kissing the sensitive spot where her neck and shoulder met. Gradually, his mouth made his way down to the slope of her breast, where the garment tenuously clung to her skin.
Panting, she arched her back, her nipple thrusting up through the flimsy fabric, begging for attention. His hot breath stoked her passion, as she felt the tip of his tongue dip beneath the edge, exposing her breast to his mouth. He wrapped his lips around the tip and gently nipped it with his teeth before sucking it into his mouth.
She could feel the tug all the way down to the juncture of her thighs. Silky, liquid heat pooled at her core. Her whole body ached to be filled.
Abruptly, a car alarm came alive in the darkness beyond, it’s wailing sound screaming for attention. Startled, she jerked, her breast popping from his mouth. They both looked up and out into the pitch black, straining to see beyond their reflections in the window.
“Stay here,” he commanded gruffly, his voice hoarse and roughened with desire. Nodding, she hastily pulled the strap of her nightgown up and quickly wrapped the robe around her.
With a regretful glance at the very rumpled Olivia, he released her and dashed out the door into the night.
The car siren rang in his ears, spurring him to move faster. His bare feet took the brunt of his sprint as the asphalt from the driveway scraped into his heels and soles. Warm breath streamed from his mouth as he quickly rounded Olivia’s car. No one was there.
Frustrated, he spun around and stared out into the darkness beyond the pool of light the front porch fixture provided. In the distance, he could hear an engine start. Twin headlights speared the darkness farther down the slope.
The bastard must have parked just at the mouth of the driveway, he thought, as the car beside him chirped twice and the alarm cut off. Silence filled the atmosphere around him, nearly as deafening as the sirens had been a moment ago.
Mason glanced back at the house and noticed that both his sister and Olivia stood in the doorway, silhouetted from behind by the hall light. If anything happened to either one of them…
Quickly, he shut that train of thought down. “Stay in the house. I’m going to see if he managed to do any damage.”
“Here.” Melody called out to him. “Take the flashlight.”
With a nod, Mason bounded up the steps and grabbed the light from his sister. “Thanks.” He looked down at Olivia and noticed the way she had her arms wrapped tightly around her waist. She looked so young and innocent wearing the fluffy, white robe with her hair flowing loose down her back.
He couldn’t resist dropping a kiss on the crown of her head before slipping on his shoes and heading back outside. This time, he tried to take care where he stepped and watched the ground closely for any signs of their intruder.
It was difficult to spot anything on the driveway’s blacktop. There certainly weren’t any footprints that he could see in the dim light. He jogged down the length of the driveway, ignoring the way his lungs twinged as he inhaled the cold air. He hoped there might be tire treads out by the entrance, since the shoulder of the road was just dirt.
Unfortunately, when he reached the place he’d seen the lights turn on, he noticed the ground was too frozen to have been impacted by whatever vehicle had been there. Shivering and frustrated, he ran his hands through his hair and stared down the road into the empty distance.
After Mason walked back to the house, he slowly circled Olivia’s car for the third time that evening, this time checking for damage to the actual vehicle and not just for clues around it. He noticed the vehicle leaned drunkenly to one side, and got down on his knees to inspect the tires a little closer. Just as he suspected, they had been slashed.
With a resigned sigh, he got up from the ground and jogged back towards the two women waiting for him.
“Anything?” Olivia asked.
He shook his head. “He did a number on your tires, but other than that, it looks like the ground was too hard to get any kind of indentations. Looks like I’m driving you to the café in the morning. We’ll also call Brad tomorrow and let him know what happened. There isn’t much he can do for us tonight.”
They all walked back into the entryway, Mason shutting and locking the door behind them. His sister let out a breath and looked first at Olivia, then Mason. “Well, I think it’s safe
to say somebody is determined to get to you. So, what do we do?”
“I’m so sorry… I had no idea it would come to this. I never would have come here if I thought it would be putting you in danger.”
Her bruised, haunted look bothered him more than anything else had leading up to that point, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, hugging her closer to his body.
Melody rolled her eyes and quickly reassured her new friend. “Nonsense. It was better that it happened here where we could help you out, rather than down at your house. I can’t imagine how much more terrifying this whole experience would have been if you’d been alone.”
She continued, “The question is, what are we going to do about it? I think it’s fair to say that this whole situation is unsustainable. Obviously, you’re going to want to have your house back at some point. Mason? Do you have any ideas?”
He felt the attention of both women turn to him. “Well, unfortunately, each state has its own set of stalking laws. I’m going to have to do some research and see what the state of Maine has to say on the matter. I also think it’s important for us to keep a healthy, working relationship with the local PD here, and make sure they’re aware of every incident. It will help to have a record of everything that has occurred if this ends up going to court.”
He directed his attention to Olivia. “It helps that you and the officer assigned to the case already know each other and have a friendship. I’m hoping that will make it easier to include me and keep me in the loop as things develop.”
“As far as whether or not this is Mendez—gut instincts aside—I know technically speaking it’s too early to say. However, you know I’ve been keeping track of the investigation down in Boston and they’ve been keeping me informed of any new developments.”
The three of them stood there in the foyer and looked at each other for a split second, each of them lost in their thoughts and thinking about the ramifications of the night’s events.
“Well,” Melody finally said, coming back to the present, “I doubt there’s going to be any more excitement tonight, and there really isn’t anything else to be done right now. The best thing we can do is try to get some sleep and tackle the whole situation in the morning.”
Olivia nodded, her eyes straying towards Mason before quickly gliding away again. Her cheeks took on a slight blush. The recent stolen moments they’d shared seemed so long ago in the wake of everything that had happened. They all headed back upstairs, Melody saying her good nights as she continued up to her own private quarters.
Silently, they both stood awkwardly across the hallway from each other, remembering the passion that had occurred in the kitchen. Their gazes held the knowledge of where they were headed before they’d been interrupted.
“Well…good night.” she said, slowly turning the knob on her door.
“Olivia…wait,” She turned back to face him. “Listen,” he took a step towards her, but stopped as she shifted slightly away. “I meant what I said earlier about keeping you safe. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
Hesitantly, she nodded. “I’m just not sure I should get you or Melody any more involved in this messy situation. I can’t tell you how terrible I’d feel if something were to happen to either of you.”
He raised his hand and gently traced the side of her face, wishing he could bridge the gap between them and gather her into his arms. However, he sensed she was feeling overwhelmed by everything that had happened and was holding herself back.
Reminding himself to go slow, he let his hand drop. “What time should we leave for you to open the café tomorrow?”
“Oh! Probably no later than 5:30.” Olivia gave a little wince at the thought of having to get up so early.
With a groan of commiseration, he glanced down at his watch. “Well, then, I guess we should get some rest. I have a feeling it’s going to come a lot earlier than either of us wants.”
With a thin ghost of a smile, she cracked her door open and slipped inside, but before she closed herself in, she stopped. “Mason?”
Pausing, he looked back at her. “Thank you. I really appreciate you helping me out with this situation tonight and earlier today.”
He nodded and watched as she shut the door, the click of the latch sounding final in the now silent hall.
Well, hell, he thought. Not exactly the way he was hoping this night would have ended. With a sigh, he let himself into his room and fell back into the bed. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.
Chapter Twenty-One
Robert sat in the shadows and huddled deeper into the collar of his jacket. He stomped his feet and blew on his gloved fingers, trying to get feeling back into his hands and feet.
This afternoon had been too close. He knew he shouldn’t have lingered over the photo albums in the office, but they’d been too tempting to resist.
He couldn’t believe it when he’d heard her walk through the front door. It was only his quick reflexes that had caused him to dive under the desk. And what if she had come back to her office to work on her menu items?
He’d found the file of recipes she had left strewn on the top of her desk, along with all sorts of useful information in the drawers, such as bank accounts, social security numbers…it had been a gold mine.
Ohhh, but to be able to watch her relaxing on the couch like that! Completely unaware that she was being observed through the French doors. The arch of her bare foot as she’d stretched her leg out onto the table…he’d nearly been overcome by the need to stroke her there.
Now, light from the kitchen window spilled out into the darkness around him. His pulse quickened as Olivia came into view. He watched as she stood there and stared out into the night. It was as if they were connected on a deeper level and she could sense his presence.
Instantly, the hours of waiting in the cold for just a glimpse of her all became worth it. His eyes eagerly soaked in the image of her framed in the golden glow of the window. It was almost as if she was an otherworldly being. An angel, sent down to Earth to save him.
Right as the thought crossed his mind, another figure stepped up behind her. He watched as the other man’s hands came down on her shoulders, possessively, turning her towards him. Furious, he stared as their lips met.
Damn them! Damn them! Robert’s hands shook in rage as he watched the two of them kissing. The light became a sharp, piercing spotlight for the act, as if they were blatantly mocking him.
He watched as the little tramp’s robe slipped from her shoulder. Oh, that bitch was going to pay for her infidelity. In fact, he would enjoy showing her just what to expect when she crossed him.
His stomach clenched as he watched Olivia’s head drop back, that pig of a cop slowly making his way down the column of her slender neck.
Why? Why couldn’t she have just taken the hint from the flowers earlier? Why did all women insist on being such whores? Even his own mother had been a failure.
He dropped his head into his hands before raising it again to the scene in the window. He’d had such high hopes for this one, but he should have known better. Instead, she was just like all the rest of them.
Maybe he just needed to get his hands on her. He could teach her the lesson she obviously needed. He could make her learn how to be a lady. Make her yearn to live up to his exacting standards.
The darkness that was always there inside him began to roil and writhe in his breast. Visions of himself carving through that silky soft skin filled his mind and his fingers ached to do damage. He wanted to penetrate her in as many ways as possible. He wanted her to see red just like he did when he watched her with another man.
He wanted her to pay.
Feeling the need to lash out, he quickly dug through the pack he always carried with him and fished out the knife he kept there. Then, with a final glance at the activity in the window to spur him on, he slunk through the shadows towards her car.
Robert carved out his anger in black rubber. As he made the first s
lashes to her tires, he imagined it was her flesh he was transforming to his will.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Olivia’s alarm clock began its incessant beeping entirely too early for her taste. Bleary-eyed, she automatically tried to hit the snooze button, only it wasn’t in its usual place. Confused, she lifted her head, and only then remembered she was not in her familiar bedroom, but staying at Melody’s bed and breakfast.
With a groan, she dragged herself out of bed and across the room to where the alarm clock continued its harassment. All of the previous night’s events came rushing back to her, including the fact that she wouldn’t be able to drive herself into work because her tires were, once again, out of commission.
Stumbling into the bathroom, she briefly debated taking a shower before deciding to simply splash cold water on her face. After brushing her teeth, and slipping into her worn, but clean, work clothes, she opened the door to her room.
Mason’s door across the hallway was firmly shut, and she wondered how he’d slept the previous night. She shivered. Not everything about last night was a bad memory. Who knew? If they hadn’t been interrupted, she may have found herself slipping out of his room this morning.
She lightly jogged down the stairs and into the kitchen, surprised and relieved to find the aroma of coffee greeting her in the entryway.
“I hunted up a couple of travel mugs for us to use on the way into town,” Mason said, hearing her enter the room. “You take yours black, right?”
Eagerly, she reached for the mug and inhaled deeply. “I do, thank you. This is a lifesaver.”
“I take it this morning was rough for you, too?”
Nodding, she rolled her eyes and took her first tentative sip. Mason smiled, watching her. “Careful. It’s still hot. You have all your things packed?”
“Yeah. I left the bag in the foyer. Thank you for taking me in this morning. I know it’s a pain at this early hour.”
Secret Hunger (The Harper Sisters) Page 14
