She flipped through page after page, skimming the passages, looking for one to jump out at her, and then bingo, she found something very interesting. Addison mentioned his will. He wrote that he was leaving his half of the brewery to Frank Douglas. No surprise there. However, farther down the page, he said he was beginning to question that decision. There’d been numerous issues and blowups with Boyd and Bennett, and that made Addison threaten to leave his fifty percent to someone else. Tara thumbed through the next few pages, looking for proof that he’d actually done that, and then there it was, written in bold print. Her grandfather had added a codicil to his will.
She quickly read through his last few entries, hoping to find the name of his new beneficiary, but her heart sank when she came to the end of the journal and it wasn’t there. With a sigh, she closed the diary and set it down on the pier beside her cell phone. Where was the codicil? Did the intruder find it, and that was why he didn’t search the upstairs, or did he worry that he’d already been in the house too long? If that was the case, then he might come back. Such a disturbing thought sent a chill through her.
Who would care that her grandfather changed his will? Her stomach clenched tight, and it was impossible to steady her erratic pulse. The answer was obvious—the Douglas family: Frank, Boyd, Bennett and…Easton. His handsome face flashed before her eyes. She remembered the feel of his mouth pressed hard against hers and his strong arms wrapped around her waist as he held her. Could she have been so wrong about him? Was it possible that she’d made a bigger mistake now than she had with Jason? Would her heart have deceived her for a second time?
As she stared out at the ocean, watching the waves shift and change, she realized she was falling hard for Easton. Thankfully, common sense told her he wasn’t the one. It was much more likely to have been his father or his cousin. Tara could envision Bennett sneaking into the house and even enjoying such an act.
She sat there for a long time, going over in her mind what she should do. How could she tell her grandmother that she thought one of their neighbors had broken into the house looking for Grandfather’s codicil? She’d been through so much already, having lost her husband only six weeks ago, and now being ill herself. Besides, Tara had no proof, just speculation. Upsetting her grandmother more now would serve no good purpose.
She looked down at her cell phone and, without giving it another thought, dialed Easton. He answered after two rings.
All she said was, “I need you.”
His reply came instantly. “I’m on my way.”
It seemed like a moment later, he was there, gathering her into his arms, and the very nearness of him gave her comfort. His hands locked against her spine, bringing her closer and making her body tingle from the contact. She tilted her head back to meet his kiss and savored this moment with him, not wanting it to end.
She wasn’t worried about telling him of her theory. Both her heart and her head were in agreement on that. “I think I know what the intruder was looking for,” she whispered against his ear. She thought she may have felt him stiffen but couldn’t be sure because his mouth sought hers again.
This time when their kiss ended, he pulled back to look at her. “And what do you think that was?” he asked, watching her closely.
“A codicil to my grandfather’s will.”
His eyes were hooded now. “How do you know about that?”
“I read about it in his journal.” She pointed to the leather-bound diary next to her foot. “It was one of his last entries. He wrote the codicil, and shortly after, he died.” She bit her lip and looked away. “The only people who’d want to steal it are your family.”
“Are you including me in that?” There was a distinct hardening of his eyes.
“Should I?” Her voice cracked a little.
“I can’t believe you’d ask me that. Do you really think I’d do that to your grandmother? To you?” He ripped out the words bitterly.
Heat stole into her face. “No… I don’t.”
“Have you told your grandmother about this?” His voice drifted lower.
She shook her head. “I didn’t want to upset her.”
The muscles in his arms relaxed. “I think that’s wise. It’s best not to say anything right now. I’m going to get to the bottom of this, Tara. You can be sure of that.”
“I believe you,” she said softly, brushing her lips against the side of his face.
He pulled her closer, holding her tightly against his body. “Whoever broke in last night might come back if he didn’t find the codicil, or if it was something else he was after. You and your grandmother shouldn’t be alone.”
Her heart fluttered wildly. “What are you suggesting?”
He kissed the pulsing hollow at the base of her throat. “I’m going to stay with you tonight.”
And then his mouth was over hers, sending her into a wild swirl of elation.
~*~
Easton watched Tara walk down the pier, her lithe body as graceful as a dancer’s, and waited for her to disappear inside her grandmother’s house, before he headed home to pack a few things for tonight.
He went in the back door and didn’t expect Bennett to be home from work yet—staying late was part of his brown-nosing tactic—so it came as an unwanted surprise to see him sitting at the kitchen table, peeling an apple.
“I take it you’ve been with Tara,” his cousin said, setting the knife down on the table. “Have you found out anything yet?”
Easton smiled smugly. “As a matter of fact, I have. Addison did carry out his threat. He added a codicil to his will, just as he said he would.”
“Damn, so Tara found it.”
“No. She read about it in his journal.”
Bennett’s eyes glistered dangerously. “So it’s still somewhere in that house.”
“Or in the hands of whomever broke in there last night, if I’m to believe that wasn’t you. And why should I, when your feeble alibi only accounts for your whereabouts for part of the night?”
“Believe what you wish. It doesn’t matter in the least to me.” Bennett picked up the knife and began peeling the apple again.
“I didn’t think it would. Here’s another piece of information for you, though. I’m spending the night next door, so if you’re thinking of sneaking over there, I’d think again, because you’ll have to contend with me, and the law’ll be on my side.” Easton didn’t wait for him to answer before leaving the kitchen to head up to his room.
He threw a change of clothes and some toiletries into a backpack and then headed out. It was bad enough he’d run into Bennett. He didn’t want to run into his dad too, so he needed to be gone before he got home from work.
When he arrived at the Spencer house, he found Emily asleep in the chair in the parlor and Tara in the library. At first glance, he thought she was straightening up the mess but then realized she was adding to it. “What are you doing?”
“I’m looking for the codicil.”
He went over to her and took the papers she held from her hands and dropped them on Addison’s desk, then he slipped his hands up her arms and pulled her close to him. “You don’t need to do that tonight.”
She collapsed against him, resting her head against his chest. “You’re right. If it’s in here, it’ll still be here tomorrow.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Are you hungry?”
“I hadn’t really thought about it, but it must be dinnertime. My poor grandmother is probably starving. She hasn’t eaten much all day.”
“Why don’t we order takeout? I know of a great little seafood restaurant that delivers.”
She smiled up at him. “That sounds perfect. Let’s go find my grandmother.”
“She’s asleep in the other room.”
Tara frowned. “All this stress is so bad for her.”
“Try not to worry so much. She’s a strong woman.”
“She is, isn’t she?”
“Yeah, she put up with Addison for all thos
e years.”
Tara offered him a halfhearted smile and led the way down the hall. After they woke Emily, they decided they all wanted clam chowder and fried shrimp. Easton phoned in the order, and while they waited for it to be delivered, he and Emily told Tara stories of past summers on the island. That helped to lighten the mood, and by the time dinner arrived, they were all laughing.
Later, Tara took him up to the second floor to show him the room he’d be sleeping in. It was across the hall from her grandmother’s, then while she got Emily settled in bed, he went back downstairs to make sure the doors were locked. A few minutes later, Tara was at his side.
“I made sure my grandmother took her cough medicine. That way we’ll be sure she’ll sleep through the night.”
“And won’t be tempted to come down and unlock the door,” he added.
“She promised not to do that again, but you never know.”
“Yeah, it’s better to be sure.”
She looked up at him through a fringe of lashes. “Well, it’s been a long day.”
“You must be exhausted.”
“I am. It’s finally caught up with me.”
He held her for a moment, then kissed her gently. Anything more, and there was no way he’d let her go upstairs to sleep.
After she left him and he was lying in bed alone, he began to regret his decision. His feelings for her had become much deeper than intended, and he wished she was there beside him.
Chapter Six
Thunder rumbled off in the distance, and Tara wondered if a storm was headed their way. She pulled the covers up under her chin and glanced at the French door, expecting to see a flash of lightning. She’d never liked storms much, and being in a big old house right on the water made her like them even less. Having Easton there was a comfort, though. She closed her eyes and imagined his hard body next to her with his lips burning a trail of desire across her skin.
As she drifted off to sleep, he remained in her thoughts, and her dreams were filled with images of him making love to her. His hands slid across her stomach, then down to her hips, where his gentle massage sent currents of desire rippling through her. A clap of thunder exploded over head. She shot up in bed, no longer asleep but not yet fully awake either—in that twilight state of somewhere in between.
She thought she heard a knock on her door but couldn’t be sure. Maybe it was the thunder, or maybe she was still dreaming. However, when she heard it a second time and louder, she threw back the covers and climbed out of bed. It could be her grandmother. She padded across the floor to open the door. Only, it wasn’t an old woman standing there. It was Easton. Her gaze skimmed over his bare chest, and then down to the sweatpants hugging his hips.
“What are you doing here?” Her voice was husky from sleep.
“I wanted to make sure you were all right. A storm like this can be dangerous.” His gaze dropped from her eyes to her shoulders, and then over her thin nightgown.
She crossed her arms over her chest as she stepped back to let him in, knowing full well she could be making a mistake. Hadn’t she learned anything from her last relationship? But Easton wasn’t Jason, and she knew better than to judge him based on her old fears. Besides, with the dream she’d just had still fresh in her mind, it would’ve been impossible to send him away.
She watched him cross the room and stop at the foot of her bed. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.” His voice was deep and sensual.
Tara closed the door. She went over to him, and his arms encircled her. A bolt of blue-white lightning illuminated the room like a strobe light.
Easton ran his hand over the small of her back. His touch was electric, and a shiver of wanting ran through her. “I’m glad you’re here,” she said softly.
He pressed his lips against hers, sending a shock wave through her entire body, and then he used his mouth to caress her more than kiss her. Her knees went weak, and she completely succumbed to him.
“You have no idea what you do to me.” He slid the thin straps of her nightgown down her arms, until her breasts were fully exposed. He cupped them with his hands, then outlined the tips with his fingers. Her nipples grew taut, and when he brought his mouth down to meet one, she gasped with pure pleasure.
She ran her hands down his back, digging her nails into his skin as he worked his way lower and began a lust-arousing exploration of her flesh. Her entire body quivered, and she was taken to a place she’d never known before.
Just when she thought she’d reached her peak of ecstasy, he slowly undressed her, his touch soft and teasing.
She returned the favor by removing his sweatpants, but not before he took a condom out of the pocket. His self-assurance didn’t bother her. Just the opposite. She was glad that he’d come prepared.
He eased her down onto the bed, and she gasped as he lowered his warm body over hers, then he took her hands, encouraging her to explore.
A wave of passion and love flowed between them. They were both ready. She sheathed him, and then raised her hips to meet him. He clutched the backs of her thighs as he entered her. Their bodies fit perfectly, and they moved as one, soaring higher. Later, when all their needs had been met, they fell asleep in each other’s arms.
~*~
Tara woke first, and she lay there for a few minutes, studying the beautiful man beside her. She kissed his brow, and his eyes fluttered open.
“Good morning.” His lips brushed hers.
“It’s a very good morning. And look, the storm’s passed.” She turned her glance to the French door, where small beams of sunlight shone through the glass as dawn broke over the water. “I know it’s early, but I’m starving. Feel like breakfast?”
He grinned at her. “Worked up an appetite, did you?”
“Guess so.”
“What are you making?”
“Bacon and eggs.”
“I could go for that.” He pulled her closer and pressed his lips against hers, then rolled out of bed to put on his pants.
Her nightgown lay in a puddle on the floor, and her underwear dangled from the arm of her chair. He picked them up and tossed them to her.
Tara slipped them on, then padded over to the closet for her terry cloth robe. After belting it tightly around her waist, she was ready to go.
They took the back stairs, not wanting to wake her grandmother. Tara bounded down first, with Easton right behind. When her feet reached the last step, she let out a shriek. The back door was wide open, and broken glass carpeted the floor below it.
“What the hell!” Easton leapt around her off the stairs and into the kitchen.
“Careful of the glass,” she cried. “You’re barefoot.”
Before he could answer, a whoosh of black tore out of the library and down the hall toward the front door. Easton was on him in an instant, tackling the intruder in the foyer.
While the two of them struggled, Tara called 911, then she grabbed the broom from the pantry and raced down the hall. By the time she got to them, Easton was on his back. The man dressed in all black and wearing a ski mask was on top, punching him. She swung the broom handle as hard as she could, whacking the criminal in the back of the head. He collapsed on Easton’s chest.
Easton rolled the unconscious man off him and sat up. “Good work.” He grinned at Tara as he wiped at the blood running down the side of his face from a cut above his left eye.
Tara dropped the broom and got down on her knees beside him. “You need to go to the hospital.”
“I’ll be fine.”
“But what if you need stitches?”
“It probably looks a lot worse than it really is.” He reached over to the man lying beside him and pulled off the ski mask. His dark brown hair was matted down on his head, and his ruddy complexion had gone pale. “Tim?” Easton staggered to his feet, and Tara wrapped her arms around his shoulders to steady him.
“You know this man?”
“He’s the brewery’s CFO.”
She stared
down at him, baffled. “Why would he break into my grandmother’s house?”
“I think I might know the answer to that, but why don’t we ask him?” The man had begun to stir. Easton picked up the broom, holding it over Tim’s chest, ready to strike, if he moved. “Why don’t you tell us what you were doing, before I do more than just knock you out?”
He gritted his teeth. “I gave Addison the best years of my life. I wasn’t going to risk having someone come into the company, someone who knew nothing about it, and tell me how to do my job.”
“And maybe discover that you’d been embezzling company funds?”
He looked up at Easton in shock. “You knew?”
“My grandfather had an idea someone was stealing from the company. He just didn’t know who. My bet was on Bennett.”
“I’m not the only guilty party here,” Tim spat. “Why don’t you tell your dirty little secret?”
Easton narrowed his eyes. “And what secret is that?”
“I overheard everything you, your father, and Bennett discussed. It wasn’t hard. Didn’t exactly try to keep your voices down.”
Tara stared at Easton with wide eyes. “What is he talking about?”
“I’m talking about the codicil. I’m not the only one who wanted it. Why do you think he’s been spending so much time with you? To find out if you had it, that’s why.” Tim sneered with sick satisfaction.
Tara blinked quickly in disbelief. “Is that true?”
A siren’s wail prevented an answer as a police car screeched to a halt in front of the house. Tara opened the front door to let the officer in, and as he entered the foyer, her grandmother appeared at the top of the stairs.
Surrender to Love Page 6
