by Robyn Grady
“Not a chance. If Ann knew Rick was involved, she would have left him in a heartbeat.”
“Even with that insurance money winging its way over to her account?”
Billy’s mouth tightened. “Ann wouldn’t lie to me like that. Besides, keeping quiet would make her an accessory to insurance fraud. If I was a good girl back then, Ann was a saint. Still is.”
“Then why the argument?”
“Rick was at Ann all the time. He wanted her to move in with him.” Billy crossed her arms. “But there was the younger sister to consider.”
Fact remained that Ann had been going for her boyfriend’s throat that day. Time he spoke with Rick himself. The saintly Ann, too.
Later, while Billy was catching up with other friends, Jax and Lacie got better acquainted. She was direct as well as funny, in an off-beat kind of way. She believed that the creative soul was infinitely more important than wealth and its trappings. She and Billy had known each other only three years.
Jax cleared her as a suspect.
By eleven, the club was pumping, overflowing with an audience ready for a show. All around, Thain’s name was whispered. Jax wasn’t into watching guys perform, dance—whatever. But after speaking with Thain over a beer, sharing views on sports and hearing about his commitment to law school―how ‘performing’ was a way to make ends meet―Jax was ready to cheer him on, too. Except...
The stage housed a pole similar to the one in Billy’s living room. Did Thain pole dance? Jax really didn’t need to see that.
Billy had just joined him again when the lights and music dramatically dipped. Pockets of the audience began to call Thain’s name. Finally, he appeared on stage wearing a rather ‘dapper’ suit, a bowler hat and umbrella. Billy wedged herself in front of Jax and wrapped his arm around her middle. Inhaling the clean scent of her hair, Jax pulled and kept her super close.
She tipped her head back to tell him over the hoots, “You will seriously want dance lessons after this.”
“Uh, no, I won’t.”
“How about private lessons? You can call me Miss Slade and bring an apple for the teacher every day.”
He grazed his grin over her temple. “Now that I’m interested in.”
When the music swelled, Thain strode down the catwalk, swinging the umbrella handle around a wrist before throwing his bowler hat up into the air and positioning himself so that it landed back on his head, no hands. The ladies went crazy.
And then the ‘rain’ set in—a sprinkling at first, which was, in fact, illusions created through lighting and a series of shimmering ribbons. Clever.
After Thain stomped around in the ‘puddles’, through mime he let the audience know that his suit was all wet. He ditched the jacket and signalled to ask the crowd’s opinion before ripping the costume’s pants clean off. He tossed them at a woman, who jumped up and down while draping the legs around her neck like a scarf.
When the ‘rain’ grew heavier, the shirt came off, too, leaving only a loosened black tie and boxer-briefs behind.
As Thain spun around, presenting his broad bare back to the crowd, the crowd exploded. Then the boxer briefs came off and he tossed them into the crowd. While the place erupted, Thain’s sidekick in the galley collected tips in another bowler hat.
Jax looked around. It was past twelve. Time to move onto the second, more intimate part of the evening.
“I hate to sound unappreciative,” he said above the din, “but I’m not sure how many male strips I can watch.”
But Billy was waving to someone she obviously knew in the crowd. As she headed off, she said over a shoulder, “I’ll be back in a tick, okay?”
Jax kept a smile pasted on. For Billy, he’d wait as long as it took.
A few minutes later, he was checking his cell phone when a spotlight hit the stage, focused on a woman frozen in a theatrical pose. Fishnet stockings. Little black jacket. A black Fedora sat low over her brow. The music kicked off and she flung the hat out to the crowd. When the dark shades flew off too, Jax’s heart shot to his throat and his jaw dropped to his knees.
That was no dancer.
That was his date!
Chapter 8
After her first ever public pole dance adventure, she and Jax left the nightclub in a hurry. Not because Jax was upset by the surprise. He was eager to get home.
So was Billy.
Now, the morning after, her cheeks heated and stomach swooped every time she remembered the way they’d made love. Being together that way had been even more powerful, more incredible, than the first time. Everything about giving themselves to each other seemed to fit. Seemed to fly.
Her body still burned thinking of how he’d felt pressed against her. How he seemed to read her mind and know just what to do, and where, and why. Yesterday at his place, she’d felt as if she’d been floating on clouds.
Last night, he’d flung her up into the stars.
As Billy gazed down, drinking in every angle of her sleeping lover’s face, every hair and line and promise, she fought down an urge to think beyond the now. To second guess and even doubt.
The audition was coming up. If she got that part...moved to L.A...
For so long, she’d wanted to be an actress. But at this particular moment, with Jax so close and perfect, she wanted him more.
Still, as much as she wanted to be selfish and wake him, she would let him sleep.
Billy eased out of bed and crossed into the bathroom. She was in the shower, faucet on, when she heard the glass door click open. Before she’d wiped the water from her eyes, she felt strong arms bring her close. And when his mouth dropped over hers, every one of her doubts vanished into that world of way better than heaven.
As big sure hands slid up and down her back and the kiss deepened, Billy unravelled. Jax was so determined. So skilled and giving. By the time her arms coiled around his neck, she was already floating...a slave to his touch, to his heat.
To his love.
When he broke the kiss, she looked into his purposeful lidded gaze and sighed.
“This bring back any memories?” he asked, and then grazed his lips over her brow while he kneaded the small of her back.
“Of the day we met?” The day she walked in on him taking a shower. Seemed like a lifetime ago.
His smile slid around her cheek. “Did I mention how much I enjoyed your performance last night?”
“You mean on the stage?”
He laughed. “Yeah, I mean on the stage.” His mouth slipped down one side of her throat. “You’re full of surprises. It worries me what you’ll come up with next.”
She hesitated. She was on the theatrical, ‘take a risk if you need to’ side, but she wasn’t stupid. He did trust her, didn’t he?
“Are you really worried, Jax?”
He stilled―his lips on her throat, his hands on her back. “Should I be?”
Billy shook herself. She didn’t need to test him. Didn’t want to bring the mood down. They were supposed to be having fun. So she sluiced her palms over his steamy hard chest and teased.
“Well, let me tell you about the time I was asked to help tame a killer whale.”
He chuckled. “You did say whale, right?”
“He was a sweetheart. And you should’ve seen my costume...”
But she’d lost her train of thought. Jax was nuzzling her shoulder, massaging the backs of her thighs, his thumbs tickling the underside of her rear. When he bent at the knees and angled her that crucial bit closer...
Billy’s head went back as she quivered and lost her breath.
Jax’s teeth nipped at the sensitive sweep of her neck. “Billy?”
“Mmm?”
“Don’t go to work today.”
When his thumbs brushed and tickled again, she groaned. “On one condition?”
“Name it.”
“Keep doing what you’re doing.”
He lifted her until her toes hovered above the tiles. As he lowered her an inch, Billy’s insi
des contracted with longing. Then he whispered at her ear, saying how he was going to keep her just this close all day. How he’d never met anyone quite like her. How he couldn’t wait to see her again.
Somewhere along the way, she imagined she heard the word love.
Chapter 9
The not knowing was driving Jax crazy.
Today was Billy’s audition day. She’d promised to phone straight away and let him know how she’d gone. It had just gone five. The ‘day’ was pretty much over. He’d left a text. No response.
So, this silence meant one of two things.
Billy was either making plans with the director, too busy and excited to call. Or she’d flunked out. In which case he was two hundred percent there for her.
After making a reservation for dinner at a new place that had amazing reviews, he couldn’t wait any longer. He phoned. Billy’s recorded voice asked him to leave a message. Just wanted to know how you’re doing, he said, and willed her to phone him straight back.
Then he opened that bottom drawer. Popping off a few imaginary rounds was usually a sure-fire way to lose himself. He would start thinking about how to right a butt-ugly wrong...how to correct a mistake that, in reality, he could never undo.
But today, playing with a toy pistol wouldn’t cut it.
So he went for a walk, moving through the various areas of the Lodge. After making sure the kitchen was on course for dinner reservations, and the gym was tidy and clean, he found himself near Margo’s office.
As he wandered in, Margo was headed out. They bumped into each other, and hard enough for Margo to bounce off his chest. As she stumbled backward, he lunged to catch her. His hands locked around her forearms before he dragged her back up onto her five inch heels.
With wide eyes, she let out a breath.
“I should watch where I’m going,” she said.
“My fault.” Head in another space. “Are you hurt?”
“No. A miracle because your chest’s harder than granite.”
So, no harm done. Unless he counted the fact that her palms had somehow come to rest on his shirt front, and her smile said she was in no hurry to let go.
Stepping away, Jax cleared his throat while Margo crossed back to her desk.
“Here. Have a look at the invites.” Holding a few slips of paper, she headed back. “They’ve gone out by email, too, of course. I’m a little worried at the short notice. Ladies like to know well ahead.”
He examined the invitations. Neat and official. But with a hint of ‘this will be different’. Cool. “Looks good.”
“I’ve picked out an evening gown. Something sophisticated but party-mode, too.”
“Make sure you put in an expense claim.”
With a grin, she plucked the invites out of his hand. “It’s going to be an amazing night.”
“As long as the patrons are happy.”
“I’m hoping we enjoy ourselves, too.”
Jax focused on the expectant sparkle in her smile, and then tucked in his chin.
Oookay. The way she was looking at him, all dewy eyed. Was he delusional or was Margo hitting on him? She was an attractive, intelligent, self-assured woman. She’d make some guy really happy someday.
Just not him.
He hoped this wouldn’t affect their working relationship. Then again, if he didn’t acknowledge the suggestion, how could it?
As soon as Jax was back in his office, he phoned Billy again. This time she picked up. He was so relieved. And not.
Billy’s response was not what he’d hoped for.
“I stank worse than boys’ gym socks,” Billy told Jax over the phone. “The guy actually cut me off halfway through the audition to say he’d be in touch.”
“They do that sometimes, don’t they? Producers. Directors. They see how good you are and phone later.”
Billy plopped down into a chair out the back of Emma Bagwell’s Realty Office. After the audition from hell, she’d driven here, her vision blurred through tears and her confidence in shreds. She’d promised to finish up Emma’s accounts for the month. Emma had asked what was wrong―why she’d been crying?
Billy had told her friend everything. She had never needed a hug more. Emma had said all the right things, too. Her big break was just around the corner. That director would kick himself one day.
But Billy only wanted to crumple. A soggy house of cards in a downpour.
On the phone, Jax firmed up his tone. “You need to get out. Recharge your batteries. I’ve got an idea...”
But Billy had switched off. All the years she’d spent believing it would happen, like thousands of other hopefuls busting their gut to catch any wave that might land them on a red carpet.
She’d invested so much of herself in this journey.
How much longer could it possibly take?
Jax was still pep talking. “We’ll go somewhere nice for dinner—”
“I don’t want to go out.”
Jax was only trying to help. Again. But he couldn’t. Not with this. Maybe not even with solving the secret behind the disappearance of her ring. He’d told her from the start: tracking down the thief now would be near impossible. Even if they did manage to put a name to the crime, what then? Ask Mrs. Garfield for the ring back? Sure. Take a powerful pillar of society to court to have her post-insurance paid out property returned.
Good luck with that.
“Then we’ll stay in,” Jax said. “I’ll take the day off tomorrow and―”
“You don’t want to be around me right now.” Pity fests were worse than broiled liver. Broiled liver with the flu. She couldn’t put Jax through it.
“Billy, you’re a great actor. You fooled me, didn’t you?”
“And where did that get me?”
“Working with a private investigator, remember?”
She had to ask, “Jax, do you really think we can find out who took that ring?”
“You’re the one who convinced me that we can.”
Billy bit her lip as a tear rolled down her hot cheek. “Yeah...well...maybe I was wrong.”
Wrong about a lot of things.
There was long silence followed by a groan. “Really? You want to give up? Chuck it in? Tell me to take a walk?”
Billy wiped at the moisture on her face. “I didn’t say that.”
“That’s how I heard it.”
She exhaled. “I know what you’re trying to do.”
“Trying to figure out if I’ve been wasting my time.”
“This won’t work.” He was prodding her, wanting to get her riled enough to get up and punch that bag again.
“If you can throw it all away after so long,” he said, “that’s fine. That’s good. Means I can get back to my life. I’ve got plenty of other stuff to do.”
She bit back. “Hey. Just a minute. You were having fun.”
“We were both having fun.”
That made her smile. They did work well together.
“Billy, we need to sit down with your sister and her husband,” he said. “We need to contact your aunt. And you should tag along when I interview your old friend Fay, too.”
“You’re really not letting me off the hook, are you?”
She heard the sexy grin in his voice. “You don’t want me to.”
An hour later, Billy was finished with Emma’s books. After getting her stuff together, she headed for the front section of the office. Emma was speaking with a woman Billy hadn’t seen here at the Point before, a new client, she guessed, wanting to rent or buy a property.
She was around Billy’s age. The most vibrant classic red hair cascaded down her Vogue-model straight back. Her chin and its dimple were held high, too. When she glanced across to the connecting door where Billy was waiting, Billy could tell that this woman had been crying earlier, too.
Emma was handing over a set of keys. “I’m sure you’ll love the cottage, Ms. Toomey.”
Slotting on a pair of dark glasses, the woman replied, “Call me V
anessa.”
“If there’s anything else I can help you with―”
“One thing.” Vanessa Toomey lowered her voice. “If anyone should happen to come in and ask about me... Well, I’m a private person.”
Understanding, Emma nodded. “I never saw you.”
A moment later, as the woman slipped into a luxury vehicle parked outside of the realty office, Billy joined Emma.
“How you feeling?” Emma asked, giving her friend another hug.
“Better.”
“So, back on the horse. When’s the next audition?”
“Guess I’ll have to start looking.”
“I couldn’t help overhearing earlier. Whoever you were talking with on the phone...sounds like they care a lot.”
Billy couldn’t tell Emma about the investigation; that was part of the deal she’d made with Jax when they’d started out. Zipped lips all round. But she could share something with Emma about Jax Angel. About them.
“Jax is helping me out with a problem.”
“To do with acting?”
“It’s something that goes back a while.”
“Something private.”
As Emma flicked a glance outside at Vanessa Toomey driving away, Billy nodded.
“Private is the word.”
“So, is he good looking?”
“That would be an understatement.”
With a cheeky grin, Emma crossed her arms and leaned a hip against the counter. “I think Damon and I should have you two over for dinner.”
Dr. Damon Knight was the amazing man who had saved Emma last Christmas in more ways than one. The town was still talking about it.
When the investigation was sewn up, maybe they should have a double date. Jax certainly was good for her, on so many levels, in so many ways. And now that she’d stopped feeling sorry for herself over botching that audition, Billy could admit...
She didn’t want to give up on her other dream, either.
