by Sherri Hayes
She was still trying to give herself a pep talk when Chris left the room and then came back with a pillow under his arm. He walked to the couch she’d been lying on earlier and threw the pillow down at one end. “I made up the bed with clean sheets for you. I also laid out a toothbrush in the bathroom for you to use.” Chris stretched out on the couch and turned away from her.
As much as she didn’t want to, she had to say it. “I can go back downstairs. You don’t have to give up your bed for me.”
He turned and his stare was hard, determined, and somewhat angry. “No. Until the alarms are installed, you stay here.”
The kink in Chris’s back left little doubt that he’d spent the night on his couch. Rolling over, he stretched out his limbs as far as he could, given the limited space, and glanced at the clock. It was only five thirty, an hour before he had to get up. Looks like today will be starting early.
Throwing the blanket off, he sat up and aggressively rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Jim had promised to be here first thing this morning to discuss security options, but that still meant eight o’clock at the earliest.
What he wanted was a shower, but that wasn’t going to happen. She was asleep in his bed, and he’d have to walk through his bedroom in order to get to the shower, so that would have to wait. There was no way he could handle seeing her in his bed. Knowing she was there was bad enough.
Since he had time, he went into the kitchen to make breakfast. He pulled out all the stops, fixing bacon, eggs, pancakes, and even frying up some hash browns. Just as he was ready to plate the eggs, he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. She was standing there in one of his T-shirts and a blanket wrapped around her.
It was only with great effort that he managed not to drop the eggs. Trying to distract himself he said, “I made breakfast. Hope you’re hungry.” When he looked up, she smiled and his heart slammed against his chest, making it difficult to breathe. If he thought she’d been nearly irresistible before . . .
Knowing he had to get out of there and soon, he set the plates down on the counter. “Everything’s ready. Help yourself. I’m going—I’m going to grab a shower first.” Then he quickly brushed past and locked himself in his bedroom.
The problem was his bedroom was no longer safe. He could smell her everywhere, and that was before he noticed the tangled sheets.
It had been over three years since he’d been with a woman. After seeing Carol in bed with his best friend, the last thing he wanted was any type of female companionship. He’d been tempted, sure, but even the thought of reliving what he’d been through with his ex-wife had turned his stomach and easily quashed any desire he had. He could honestly say he’d never been tempted like this. Elizabeth Marshall was something he’d never experienced before, and he wasn’t sure that was a good thing.
He wanted her. There was no doubt about that. The physical attraction had been obvious from the first moment he’d laid eyes on her. But he’d dealt with that before. This . . . was something else, and he had no idea what he was doing. All he knew was it was driving him insane.
Now, someone was toying with her. Even though the cop hadn’t done much yesterday other than get their statements, take a few pictures, and collect a sample, he couldn’t fault his assessment that someone had been trying to scare her.
That thought cooled his jets like nothing else. But of course, it also brought that driving need to protect that seemed to come out whenever he was around her.
Given what he knew about her, which wasn’t a lot, and the phone call she’d received yesterday, it was clear that people from her past didn’t like her very much; people who may think it within their right to mess with her. But whoever had done this had entered her home. That didn’t sit well with him. What if she’d been there?
He needed to find out more about what her life had been like before she’d moved to Springfield. She didn’t like to talk about it, he knew, but it couldn’t be avoided now. If someone was willing to go to this extreme once, who’s to say they wouldn’t do it again?
He let that uneasy thought settle into his bones as he rummaged through his drawers to find a change of clothes.
She watched Chris disappear behind his bedroom door, shutting it a little harder than necessary. He seemed preoccupied this morning, although considering what had happened yesterday, she couldn’t blame him. She was too.
She took her plate over to the table still cluttered with the paperwork Chris had been going through last night and made some room. It surprised her was how hungry she was both this morning and last night. Normally when she was stressed, she ate less. With that thought came the nagging voice telling her she’d need to spend more time in the gym, working off the pounds she’d shoveled into her mouth. She tried to ignore it, but that was easier said than done.
She thought of Chris and how different he was from Jared. Their kiss yesterday had felt really good. So gentle. She had no idea if he’d enjoyed it as much as she had. Jared’s kisses were always hard and forceful from the very beginning. When Chris kissed her, she’d felt special. When Jared had, she’d felt marked.
Even when Chris had been angry, it was different. Jared used to grab her by the hair and pull her roughly against him. He’d tower over her just to scare her. It was as if he fed off her fear. When Chris had realized he was frightening her, he’d backed off.
Hearing the water turn on again in the other room, she wondered what Chris looked like naked. Just one look told her he was well built. She had never showered with a man, not even her husband. She’d never had the desire to. But for whatever reason, the thought of doing that with Chris left her feeling flushed.
Then reality hit her. If she could see him, he’d be able to see her too.
Okay, maybe that’s not such a great idea.
She took her dishes to the sink and then grabbed her purse. She needed some air and some clothing. Without allowing herself time to talk herself out of it, she ran down the stairs and dashed into her own apartment.
She stopped just inside the door. It was the same space and yet it felt different. Everything was in its place. Even when she walked into her bedroom, it was just the way she’d left it the morning before.
She went to her closet and selected a nice pair of slacks and a pretty top. It would be dressy enough for work, but still comfortable if she stayed home. As she closed the closet door, something nudged at her subconscious. She opened the door again, and looked inside, but nothing appeared out of place. Shutting the door again, she started to get ready for the day.
She had just slipped the top over her head when she heard her front door open.
“Elizabeth?”
Rushing out, she saw a furious and somewhat frightened Chris.
“What—”
He crossed the room in three long, determined strides and backed her up against a wall. A moment of panic registered before her brain kicked in again. Chris. Not Jared. She felt small pressed up against him like this, felt every muscle in his body against hers, but the fear wasn’t there. And then she couldn’t think anymore as Chris took her head in his hands, tilted it upward, and kissed her.
This was so unlike the kiss they’d shared previously. Before it had been soft and gentle, providing comfort. This kiss—this kiss had nothing to do with comfort. There was an edge to it. She could feel his anxiety seeping through the kiss itself.
Pushing away to hold her at arm’s length, but not relinquishing his grip on her, he said, “What are you doing down here?”
She was so disconcerted from the kiss that it took her a moment to get her thoughts together. Before she could respond, his mouth was on hers again.
His lips were just as possessive as they had been before, but this time his hands roamed down her arms and back. Chris’s touch sent heat through her body, and she felt almost dizzy from the sensation.
She didn’t want to lose the feeling. Lifting her arms, she wrapped them around his neck. Suddenly Chris’s body relaxed against hers, and he de
epened the kiss as his hands continued to explore.
Something inside Chris had snapped when he’d come out of the shower and Elizabeth wasn’t there. He could think of nothing but finding her as he’d raced down the stairs.
The moment he’d laid eyes on her, all reason went out the window. His body acted on instinct alone and had him pushing her up against the wall. He needed to feel her, to know she was all right.
Nothing he felt was the least bit gentlemanly. He wanted to devour her, to erase the dread he’d felt when he’d realized she was gone. He’d never felt that level of fear before, and he never wanted to again.
His hands slid down her lower back to cup her backside, pulling her against him. The feel of her soft curves pressed against him just fueled his desire.
When Chris lifted her up, it took little encouragement from him before she wrapped her legs around him.
Her lips were so soft against his, but they met his kisses with equal fervor. He could taste the orange juice she had with breakfast, but it held a minty undertone and the warm sweetness he remembered from the kiss last night.
Why did I ever think this was a bad idea?
Pressing her back against the wall, he slid his hand under her shirt. Her skin was just as soft as he imagined it to be. He took pride in her answering gasp. He explored her throat and neck with his mouth as her head fell back against the wall.
He was just inching his hand upward when he heard a knock on the open door behind him and a throat clearing. Chris took a deep breath and turned around, already knowing what he’d find. Jim was standing there with an uncomfortable look on his face.
“Sorry. The lady downstairs let me in. You said this was urgent, but I can come back if . . .” Jim’s voice trailed off.
“No,” Chris said, clearing his throat and letting Elizabeth’s legs slip back down to the floor. “It’s fine.” He took a step back from Elizabeth and noticed her face was flushed and her breathing was ragged.
As if on cue, Jan appeared behind Jim at the door. “Oh good, you found them.” Then to Elizabeth she said, “I thought maybe you’d join me for coffee while the boys do their thing.”
“Uh . . . sure,” Elizabeth said, wringing her hands together.
Her eyes stayed fixed to the floor as she left, and then she turned back, looking at Chris once more before disappearing.
He didn’t know how he felt about what had just happened between them. His body had wanted it, sure, but it didn’t change anything. In fact, it made him feel like a cad. She needed a friend right now. She’d just had her personal space violated, and no one deserved that, especially her.
With a new determination, he turned to Jim. “Where do you want to start?”
It took a few seconds for Jim to catch up, but when he did, he was all business. “The perimeter.”
They walked downstairs and he willed himself not to look at Jan’s door when he went past, knowing she was in there.
The rest of the morning was full of distractions. Jim led him around the property, pointing out locations he felt needed lighting before they both headed back to the house for a walkthrough of every room on all three floors. They discussed sensors for the windows, new locks for the doors, and an alarm system for the main entry as well as each individual unit.
Some might have thought it was overkill, but he was just hoping it was enough. He never wanted to come home and see that look on Elizabeth’s face again.
Jim handed him a sheet of paper. “This is list of all the recommendations I’m making. You can look them over, mark the ones you want to go with, and fax it back to me when you’re ready.”
Chris looked it over. Everything seemed pretty standard with a couple of exceptions, but they’d already discussed those. “You got a pen?”
It took all of twenty seconds for him to put a checkmark beside all of the items and sign at the bottom.
He handed the papers back. “When can your guys start?”
Jim tucked everything back into a blue folder. “They’ll be here first thing in the morning.”
After they shook on it and Jim left, Chris lingered for as long as he could before walking back inside. For all his distractions, he was no better mentally than he’d been three hours ago.
He’d kiss her. Twice.
The first time he could almost justify. She’d been upset, and he’d gone in wanting to comfort her. It was completely innocent. At least that’s what he tried to tell himself.
What had happened in her apartment this morning had made it clear that whatever it was could not happen again. He’d felt so out of control, desperate. He didn’t like it. Logic had taken a backseat to his need to be as close to this woman as he could physically get.
And what would have happened if Jim hadn’t appeared when he did? That was simple. He could have stripped her of every inch of her clothing and taken her against the wall.
He gripped his hair in frustration. He didn’t like this—this out of control feeling. Women were trouble. They took and took until you couldn’t give any more, and then they tossed you aside like yesterday’s garbage.
But as those thoughts played on repeat in his mind, he knew they weren’t always true. He could see how different Elizabeth was from Carol. Knew that they were cut from totally different cloth, but even if he dismissed his worries over getting hurt again, there was still her past. Her husband had only been gone for seven months and she had a lot on her plate right now.
She had baggage and so did he, plain and simple. The two of them were not a good idea.
As if knowing his thoughts, the door to Jan’s apartment opened and Elizabeth appeared. “Hey,” she said shyly.
He took a deep breath. “Hey.” He tried for a friendly smile, but he wasn’t sure he pulled it off.
“We saw your friend leave.”
“Yeah, he’s sending a couple of guys over tomorrow morning to start the installation. There’s a lot to be done so it might take a couple of days.”
She nodded. “Jan has a spare room. She said I could stay there until everything’s ready. I thought—well, this way you wouldn’t have to sleep on the couch.”
He pushed himself off the wall. “Yeah. Yeah. That’s a good idea.”
Looking anywhere but at him, she said, “I’ll just—get some of my things then.”
She turned to go, but he reached out to stop her. “I . . . I just wanted to say that I’m sorry about Carol yesterday. I don’t know what’s gotten into her.”
“It’s okay,” she said.
“No, it’s not.”
She nodded, and he stepped back. Her body brushed by him on the way up the stairs. He wanted to stop her again, but he didn’t. This was for the best. If he didn’t gain some perspective soon, good or bad, rational or not, he was going to do something he’d regret.
Jan waited downstairs for Elizabeth who was upstairs returning a call to her friend Stephanie.
She’d been staying with Jan for the last two days since the alarm installation was taking longer than expected. Windows weren’t cooperating, and bushes and trees had to be trimmed. There was even some problem in the attic. Every delay seemed to put Chris more on edge. He’d taken to only going into work in the mornings and bringing a stack of paperwork home with him every afternoon.
In some ways, Jan was glad for the delay, even with the way Chris was acting. It had been a long time since she’d had someone living with her, and she’d missed the companionship. Elizabeth was a gem, the ideal roommate. And she was perfect for Chris. He was just being stubborn as usual and refused to see it.
Or maybe he does. Maybe that’s the problem.
When her telephone rang, Jan smiled when she saw the caller ID.
“Hello. How are you? How’s my boy?”
Jan laughed. “I’m well. And your boy? Well let’s just say he’s being kept on his toes.”
“It’s his new assistant, isn’t it?”
“You know about Elizabeth?”
“So that’s her nam
e.” Mary chuckled. “I knew there was someone who’d piqued his interest, but he wasn’t all that forthcoming with details.”
“He’s in denial.”
“Obviously. What’s she like?”
“She’s perfect for him. Very sweet, but with a little bit of spunk too.”
“I’ve got an idea,” Mary said. “Gage has a pre-season game in Cinncy next Sunday. He’s getting us all tickets, and I’m sure one more won’t be a problem. It’s an early game, and we were planning on having everyone over for a barbecue after. Do you think she’d come? I’d love to meet her.”
“Just leave it to me,” Jan said. “I’ll make sure she’s there.”
“No,” Chris said. “Absolutely not.”
“You want to leave her here alone for the whole day? After what happened? Alarm system or not?”
Jan was one of the best women he knew, but right now he wanted to strangle her. She couldn’t be serious. “You want me to invite Elizabeth to come to Gage’s game? With my whole family?” He was just barely holding on to his sanity.
“Yes,” Jan said as if it made all the sense in the world. “Your mom and I have already talked about it, and she’s having Gage get an extra ticket.”
He groaned. Between the conversation he’d had with his mother last weekend and whatever Jan had told her, he was in for twenty questions. And that was just from his mom. There was no telling what he’d get from his brothers.
He knew if he showed up with her what conclusions his family would jump to in their minds. They would want to know everything about her, and she was not big on sharing. Not that he could blame her, given her history.
He rubbed his hand roughly over his head in frustration. With the struggle he’d had just keeping his distance, this was possibly the worst thing that could happen. He wanted to avoid thinking of Elizabeth that way, from remembering what it was like to hold her in his arms and feel her lips against his. Pushing them together on a family outing was the last thing he needed.
