by Loyd, Sandy
The rest of the night Claire spent in abject wretchedness, wanting Jason, only to wake the next morning with a firmer resolve. She climbed out of bed and quickly showered.
Exiting the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her head, she headed to her phone and punched buttons.
“Crystal?”
“Claire?”
She heard the grogginess in Crystal’s response and smiled.
“I guess I woke you. Sorry. Thought you’d be up by now.” Claire headed to the kitchen and the coffee she’d set up earlier. She grabbed a cup and filled it before adding cream. “I need a favor.”
Crystal groaned. “This isn’t a good time.”
“I won’t keep you then.” She took a sip of coffee before adding, “I was hoping you had Jason’s address.”
“Why?”
“I need a reason?”
• • •
Crystal sighed audibly into the phone. “I need a compelling reason to give out privileged information.”
“You can’t mean that. You always break the rules.”
“Not when my livelihood is involved.”
“Please? You know I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t have a compelling reason.”
“Okay. What is it?”
“I have to tell you?”
“Yes, if you want the address from me.”
“I can’t.”
“Then my advice to you is look in the phone book.”
“Come on. I googled it, but only could find his work number, which I already have. Please?”
“Hold on.” Crystal cradled the phone and reached over to shake Jimbo. “Wake up, hotshot.”
“What?” He sat up and shook his head. Confusion clouded his eyes for a moment as he looked around, getting his bearings.
Crystal stuck the phone in his face. “Give Claire Jason’s address, will you?”
“What?” The bewilderment in his expression deepened.
“Consider it a favor,” Crystal whispered as she put her hand over the receiver. “I can’t give it to her, but you can.”
“You’re not making sense, darlin’.”
“Just give her the address, and I’ll make it worth your while,” she purred, kissing his neck.
He looked at her with a question in his eyes, clearly at a loss as to what she was saying.
Crystal sighed and spoke slowly. “I want you to talk into the phone and give her Jason’s address.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know why. Probably for the same reason you came here last night. To stalk him.”
“Oh.” Now fully awake, Jimbo took the phone and his eyebrows lifted as his hand went over the mouthpiece. “So you’re gonna make this worth my while? How?”
“Give her the damn address,” she said, glaring at him.
He chuckled.
“Ma’am,” he said after putting the phone to his ear. “You want Jason’s address?”
“Yes,” Claire replied.
“You aren’t really thinking of stalking him, are you?”
His comment earned a slug on the arm from Crystal as she whispered, “That was a joke. She’s not going to stalk him. Like you couldn’t give her lessons.”
“Stop that.” Jimbo pulled the phone away from his ear and told Crystal, “I’ll deal with you and your interesting proposition later.”
• • •
Claire overheard their conversation and laughed. The world had tilted on its axis. She’d gone crazy.
The strangest part was, she embraced the sensation of power washing over her at that moment. Never in her life could she imagine a time when she’d come to the point of being taken for a stalker after asking for directions to a man’s house.
In essence, that was her plan. She had every intention of stalking Jason until he became her lover. Failure wasn’t an option.
“You still there?” the man asked, pulling her attention back to her reason for calling.
“Yes. I appreciate your help.”
“No problem.” He stopped abruptly and then asked, “What’d you say your name was?”
“Claire.”
“As in Carter?” Amusement spilled out in the question.
“Why, yes. I’m Crystal’s sister. I don’t believe we’ve met.”
“No, not yet.” He chuckled and murmured, “To be a fly on the wall,” before saying in a louder voice, “You got a pen?”
Chapter 26
When the call ended, Crystal accepted the phone from Jimbo. She set it on the nightstand and turned to climb out of bed, but a hand on her thigh stopped her.
“Where you goin’?”
“To shower.” She pulled out of his reach to stand. Feeling his heated eyes on her naked body, she stifled a warm flush and grabbed her robe, quickly covering herself.
“No problem. I’ll join you.”
“Not this time, hotshot.”
“What happened to ‘I’ll make it worth your while?’”
“I lied.” She threw his shirt at him and nodded at the door. “Get dressed and go.”
“You don’t mean that, darlin’.” He caught the shirt and leaned back in naked splendor, sporting a lazy grin and making no effort to move.
“Yes, I do.” She headed for the shower as she said over her shoulder, “I expect you to be gone when I get done.”
“Damn woman!” he said to her departing back. “Still prickly, even after a night of lovemaking.”
When Crystal came out of the bathroom, Jimbo and his clothes were gone. She heaved a relieved sigh and strode toward the kitchen with an easy step. After turning the corner and spying what appeared to be a fresh pot of coffee, she stopped and glanced at the center island.
“I thought you left.”
“Couldn’t,” Jimbo said with a grin. “Never had that talk.”
She snorted and moved to open a cupboard and pulled out a mug. After pouring coffee, she retrieved half-and-half from the fridge, purposely ignoring his sexy presence. Even sporting a day’s beard and bed head, Jimbo still looked scrumptious, and still made her heart skip a beat.
Barefoot, he sat drinking coffee on a stool wearing worn, body-hugging jeans, his shirttail out, and had her morning paper spread over the counter. The guy had definitely made himself comfortable, and she grabbed on to the twinge of annoyance his presumption stirred.
“We are not talking,” she said, enunciating every syllable. She might as well have been speaking to the wall, because he continued reading the paper.
“Let’s just say we had a great night and end things before they go any further.” Her curt tone got no reaction. While pouring the cream into her cup, she added, “That way, neither of us says or does anything we’ll regret.”
When she realized he was still ignoring her, all patience fled. “Will you quit being so goddamned stubborn and leave?”
“I’ll leave after we talk,” he murmured, and lifted the mug to his mouth.
“Talking won’t change anything.”
He shrugged. “Then it won’t matter if I say my piece.”
“Go ahead.” She slammed her coffee mug onto the counter, not caring that half the contents sloshed out. “Give it your best, hotshot.”
“Aren’t gonna make this easy, are ya, Red?”
“I’m waiting.” She crossed her arms and glared, ignoring him and his sexy smile. The cowboy was delusional if he thought a mere conversation could sway her.
“Didn’t think so.” He took his time closing the paper, appearing to be reaching for words as he did.
“Well?” she prodded.
He sighed heavily. “I should’ve listened to you.”
“Really? And you think listening now will change anything?”
“Damn it all! I’m trying to say I was wrong.” He rubbed at the stubble on his face as his gaze sought hers. “I’m sorry.”
“Okay.” Those bedroom eyes of his oozed sincerity, but they would not affect her. “It doesn’t matter.”
“I was all twisted up insid
e after seeing those pictures.”
“You had no business snooping through my stuff. How could you?”
“You got me there.” Jimbo flashed her a sheepish grin. “I was being a jealous ass, okay?”
“You got the ass part right.”
“Well, what’d you expect?” he yelled, his demeanor changing lightning-fast from contrition to irritation. “We’re tight one day, spending every possible minute together, and the next you’re too busy. I had to find out why.”
“Why didn’t you ask?”
“I couldn’t.”
“You couldn’t? And why is that?”
“Too risky.”
“I don’t understand. What were you risking?” Crystal’s gaze narrowed while watching his expression turn sheepish. She snorted in disgust. “Oh, I get it. Didn’t want to risk doing something foolish by asking me a direct question about our relationship. That might alert me to the fact that you cared. So you decided to make a bigger fool of yourself instead.”
He winced, putting up his hand to interrupt, but she was on a roll and wasn’t about to stop.
“And let me guess? Jason filled you in on the real reason why, and now you see the error of your ways?” She shook her head and met his gaze without flinching, letting the honesty of her meaning show in her eyes. “You blew it, hotshot. After screwing up, you wouldn’t listen to my explanation. Now it’s too late.” She nodded at the door. “You’ve said your piece. I’ve said mine. There’s nothing left to say. I’d like you to leave.”
“Come on, Red. You don’t mean that. Not after last night.”
“Yes, I do.”
Crystal folded her arms over her chest and turned her head. She couldn’t look at him any longer because she couldn’t lose what little resolve she had left. The begging quality in his tone was hard enough to ignore. But she couldn’t let the sincerity she glimpsed in that pleading gaze sway her. Jim O’Malley had the power to hurt her, and she would never travel down that road again.
Her back straightened while her jaw tightened. “Night’s over, hotshot. It’s time to leave.”
Praying he’d do as she asked, her attention went to wiping up the spilled coffee.
“Shit!” Jimbo said under his breath. “Definitely not gonna be easy.”
She felt his gaze as she rinsed out the dishcloth.
Finally, Jimbo bent to tug on his boots. Then he straightened. “This isn’t over.”
“Yes, it is.”
“I can out-stubborn you any day, darlin’.” Tucking in his shirt, he added, “What’s more, I like a good challenge.”
Crystal shrugged, ignoring the little flutter of excitement his threat generated. “You can let yourself out.” On her way to her home office, she said over her shoulder, “I have work to do.”
Once behind the barrier, she leaned against the cool wood, took deep breaths, and finally heaved a sigh of relief when the condo’s front door slammed shut.
Chapter 27
Claire stood on Jason’s veranda. From the street, his house seemed similar to all the others in the older, expensive section of Boca Raton. Upon closer inspection, the slightly shabby house appeared a little out of place among the well-maintained homes. Looking around, she noticed signs of flaking paint and wood rot.
She hadn’t pictured the attorney living in such a run-down place, even if the neighborhood reeked of money—old money—the kind that had been in families for generations and kept growing because of compounding interest rather than earnings.
Shrugging, she rang the bell. Sex with Jason had no bearing on where he lived. Last night, his only stipulation had been to be on dry land, and this house satisfied that requirement.
His startled expression after opening the door told her she was the last person on earth he expected to find on his doorstep.
“Claire,” he murmured. “This is a surprise.”
“Somehow, I figured that out on my own.” She grinned.
God, he was gorgeous, she thought, watching his expression turn from astonishment into a blank slate. Her eyes moved over that great body, one the old shorts and worn T-shirt he was wearing did little to hide. A thin patina of perspiration coated his arms and legs. Several drops beaded on his forehead and sweat was visible on his clothes, as if he’d been working out.
“Aren’t you going to invite me in?”
“Sure.” He opened the door wider and stepped aside. “But I should warn you. Enter at your own peril. Visitors are usually put to work on weekends.”
“Sounds intriguing.” Curious, she moved past him and glanced around.
“You may not think so after laying tile for a few hours.” He turned and blazed a path, pushing building supplies out of the way as he headed toward the back of the house. “Coffee’s still hot. Want some?”
“Um-hmm. I could use a cup.”
Following him, she noticed a living room that looked as ratty as the rest of the place. The faded wallpaper had to be thirty years old, and the orange shag carpet was worn, showing bare spots in places.
“It’s not much now, but I have plans.”
At the sound of his voice, she looked over. He’d halted his progress and was watching her. From his expression and tone, she had no doubt he’d observed her silent scrutiny as she stepped cautiously through the rubble.
“Okay,” she said evenly, quickly schooling her face not to show her thoughts, though inside her mind was screaming.
She didn’t want to think about that ugly avocado-green sectional. Did they even make fake leather anymore? This room had to be the most god-awful space she’d ever seen.
“Hardwood’s under there. I just haven’t had a chance to pull up the rug. I’ve been working upstairs.”
She smiled at his defensiveness and tried to think of something nice to say. Since nothing came to mind, she stayed silent.
Then they stepped into the dining room.
“Oh my God!” she whispered, gawking at the difference between the two rooms.
Stripped wallpaper hadn’t been replaced over a bare, patched wall, but Jason had obviously pulled the carpet up and had refinished the floor. The wood gleamed. But that wasn’t what caught her eye.
She spied the antique table and chairs with such intricate carvings, the sight took her breath away. The table wasn’t a department store knockoff, and neither were the throne-like chairs.
Glancing around, she could envision what this room would look like once it was finished. Didn’t matter what went on the walls. The furniture and floor were the centerpieces, and everything else was merely backdrop. That Jason Roberts had the vision to see this intrigued her.
“Hmm, the contrast is interesting. Is this same wood under the carpet in there?” The tilt of her head indicated the living room.
Jason nodded. “Heart of pine. Impervious to rot and insects. But will burn like tinder if it ever catches fire. This place was built at the beginning of the twentieth century, before the supply was decimated.”
He turned the corner and added, “I know it’s ugly, but I’ve only begun. I expected to be further along, but I’ve been too busy up until a few weeks ago.”
“How long have you been working on it?”
“Nine months. I bought it right after Elise and I split.”
“Let me guess. She lives in Boca Gardens.” An exclusive gated community with million-dollar homes.
“Close.” He grinned, leading her into the kitchen.
As always, that smile had an effect. Ignoring it, she made note of another hideous room filled with garish greens, oranges, and browns, colors of the late seventies.
Claire rolled her eyes and sighed. “You know the phone book’s full of contractors who’ll do amazing things in months.”
His head went from side to side in slow motion as he walked toward her, holding out a cup of hot coffee. “This is mine and will be refurbished with my hands. The physical labor’s relaxing and gives me something to do in the evenings when the girls aren’t here.”
“I see.” She took the offered brew, added cream, and brought the cup to her lips, hiding her smile behind it.
“What?”
“Nothing.” She worked to wipe the amusement from her face, which wasn’t easy since she was staring into laughing blue eyes.
“I’ll have you know this house is a one of a kind.” He flashed a satisfied grin. “I got it for a song. The widow who owned it lived here for most of her adult life. Said I reminded her of her son who died years ago, and she wanted it to go to someone who would appreciate it. I’m not about to let her down. I’ve decided I like doing the repairs on my own.”
“I believe you.”
“I get the feeling you hate my house.” He started walking again, causing her to take several steps back. “But it doesn’t matter.”
His forward momentum stopped when the small of her back hit the counter and she couldn’t retreat any further. Snaring her gaze, he took her cup and placed it on the thirty-year-old laminated orange counter and stepped closer. Taking each of her arms, he wrapped first one and then the other around his shoulders.
“Did you know there’s heart of pine under that orange-and-brown linoleum?”
His smile was so engaging that she couldn’t help but grin in response. She shook her head to break the spell his stare generated while air hung up in her throat.
He nuzzled her neck as he murmured, “And you haven’t seen the rooms I’ve finished.”
“I’m sure I’ll find them fascinating,” she replied breathlessly as her heartbeat quickened. She closed her eyes, enjoying the pleasant sensation that mouth elicited. Kissing Jason was becoming habit-forming.
“I’m sure you will,” he said before his lips found hers.
Disappointment filled her when he backed away and snatched her hand. “Grab your coffee. I’ll give you a tour. Then I’m putting you to work.”
Claire followed as one question plagued her.
Who was seducing whom?
Chapter 28
“I started up here because it’s where we live.” Jason said as they climbed the stairs. “I converted two of the bedrooms into a family room.”
