In Your Shadow

by Middleton, J

  “Do you want your father to know you hired an escort service to bring you to the party, it would break his heart? Loosen up Katie and have some fun. I am.”

  His lips find hers, he grabs her head, and deepening the kiss. His tongue touching hers as she falls into him. She is so intoxicating he is yearning for her. He pulls away staring down at throughs big green emeralds, that was calling for him. He could feel her hard breathing.

  Her heart seemed to burst forth with emotions, so much that it bought tears to her eyes. She was furious but she knew he was right. She had to play along but didn’t like it. Katie didn’t trust herself around him anymore. He stirred up feelings in her that had long been dead. Her father was her world she couldn’t break his heart. Losing her mother was so hard on him she never saw him happy after that.

  “Fine have it your way,” Katie said as she finally pulled away and grabbed his hand and yanked hard on his arm almost causing him to fall.

  “Oh let’s play, I love games. Let me warn you, my dear, I will win,” he giggles.

  He jerked her arm back causing her to fall into his arms. He grabs her and kissed her long and hard once again, but this time she pulled back. When she pushed away her father was standing in the doorway smiling at the both of them.

  “It makes me so happy Katie to see you in love. I wanted this for you for so long. I hope one day I will see you married again.”

  “In love what, married, no I’m not in love with that…, I could never marry this …” the voice was so loud in her head it was screaming at her. She had to take a deep breath and compose herself before she answered her father.

  “We are ready,” that’s all the words she could say, stunned at what just came out of her father's mouth.

  She looked over at John and she could see her father eating out of the palm of his hand. He was loving it. Grinning with his arrogant attitude, he was so sure of himself.

  “Oh we are going to play Mr. John Taylor.” She thought to herself as they walked to the door.

  Chapter 7

  It was silent during the four-hour flight to the Keys. Katie listened to her father and John talk business. She could have jumped in the conversation at any time but she chooses to be silent. Nothing he could say impressed her anymore. She had her own money and company.

  Katie just stared out the window looking at the low white clouds that covered the ocean it. The big blue would peek though from time to time, it almost looked green in some spots. It went on forever, like it never ended. She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She picked it up and it was Zoe.

  “Hello Zoe.”

  “Hey Katie, I have some new for you.”

  “What is it?”

  “The house we looked at today, well the sellers will fix everything on the house but they will have to stay firm on the listing price.”

  “Oh.”

  “Yes.”

  “When can they start on the repairs and how long will it take to get it done? Will you keep me informed I’m on a plane right now.”

  “Oh, okay I will be in touch.”

  Katie hung the phone up and noticed her father and John was staring straight at her.

  “Was that Zoe at Midland Realtor,” her father asks.

  “Yes, daddy it is.”

  “What are you buying that needs work?”

  “The house on Shady Cheek. The one I told you about that was out in the country.”

  John gazed at her and took the opportunity to step in the conversation.

  “Dear why didn’t you tell me about it I can help fix it up for you?” John said smiling at her.

  “Well, darling I knew you were real busy designing things,” She answered with sarcasm in her voice.

  “Katie I didn’t know that there was a place in that gated neighborhood that needed to be repaired. Most of the residents there are fairly new.” Her father said looking at her with a puzzled look.

  He knew that neighborhood, his family lived there for years.

  “It’s the large white colonial house that sits back of the road.”

  “That house has been there for as long as I can remember, it needs a lot of repairs. Are you sure you don’t want something more modern?”

  “I like the house daddy.”

  “Well, that is all that matters I guess. I am just glad you are getting out of the city. Well, at least, that house has a tall iron fence around it and a gate with security.”

  “I know you are dad and yes it has security around it, so no one can come in without an invitation.”

  Katie smiled at her father she knew this would make him happy.

  “Excuse me for a moment need to find the little boys room,” John said, as he stood up and walked to the back of the plane.

  He quickly went in the small bathroom and closed the door. He grabbed his phone out of his pocket and called his foreman that heads remodeling.

  “Hey John.”

  “Ben, listen I don’t have but a minute I want you to get that bid on the house on Shady Creek, and I need the house redone and quickly. You know my taste but make it a little more elegant than usual.”

  “Okay, how fast do you need this done.”

  “Now”

  “Okay John I will get on it today”

  “Good Midland realtor has the house, her name is Zoe, make sure you get bit.”

  “I am on it.”

  “We will take soon.”

  John hung up the phone and returned to his seat. Katie was still watching out the window as the plane was starting to land.

  The car was waiting to take them to the house in the west harbor, Key West. It was a 3.7 estate on 350 feet of the natural white sandy beach. It was five bedrooms and 5 baths Magnificent 50000 ft. with a 45,000lb boat lift. They had a spectacular custom rock pool with waterfall grotto, complete with a pool bar. It had a large master suite and bath, and private balcony dedicated to the second story. It had a spectacular one-of-a-kind kitchen and dining room, large living area. Everything was decorated at her mother’s taste, white and topic décor. Her parents had purchased this home after they had married. Every time Katie would come here she would feel closer to her mother. Katie was quiet on the drive to the house. The driver pulled up and John got out and opened her door. Katie never even looked at him as she walked up to the front door. The house still smelled of her mother’s perfume.

  “Make yourself at home John,” Daniel said as he tapped him on the back.

  “Thank your sir, your home is magnificent,” He answered.

  “I’m going up to change dad and check my messages” Katie turned and hurried up the stairs hoping John wasn’t right behind her.

  “Let me show you around John” Daniel leads him through the bottom floor of the home.

  They went out to the back patio that was covered. The ocean breeze was warm and refreshing. It was totally different then the fridge air up north.

  “Here” Daniel handed him a drink from the bar.

  “Be patient John.”

  “Sir.”

  “Be patient with Katie she had really been through a lot in the past years. She is a hard woman to get close to. I can see how much she loves you and I am so happy about that.”

  “Katie in love with me, no not with that hard heart,” he thought.

  “I can see she had a hard time losing her husband.”

  “It is more to it than just the lost.” Daniel said with a sad look on his face.

  “Really.”

  “Yes.”

  “How so?”

  “I don’t know if she told you how he died.”

  “No sir she didn’t.”

  “It was a home invasion, he was off that day and she had left for work early. Someone broke into their house and shot him. She got home from work and found him dead on the floor in a poodle of blood. The intruder shot her to and she survived. She has never been the same sense. What is so sad their anniversary was the next day?”

  “I am so sorry I didn’t know. Did they c
atch who did it?”

  “Know they are still investigating and it has been over four years ago.”

  “Katie has worked herself in the ground ever since. She thinks that if she works hard enough it will dull the pain, but I don’t think so. I haven’t seen her happy sense until you came along. Her eyes light up and I can see the love she has for you. I know my daughter can be hard to deal with at times but I know she has a great heart I have seen it. “

  “Thank you for telling me this, I had no idea what had happened.” John took a drink of bourbon with his mind going crazy.

  “Could he be right, does she care for me, well we will see.” He thought.

  John turned around as he saw Katie step out on the patio, dressed in a bikini that barely covered up anything. She had a towel over her shoulder. John’s mouth dropped to the floor, he almost chocked on his drink. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her. This was the conservative woman he saw in the bar. She looked as if she was coming alive.

  “She has no reason to hide her body. She could stop a train in an instant.” He thought.

  He couldn’t do anything but stare at her. He noticed she was enjoying intimidating him. “Two can play this game baby,” he thought.

  She walked passed him without even looking over and kissed her father on the head.

  “I’m going for a swim,” that quick she walked away and down to the swimming pool. A few minutes later they heard a big splash.

  John turned facing her father and he was laughing.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “She is. She never dresses like that at all. I don’t think I have ever seen her in a bathing suit are anything revealing. When we always come down here she would wear her clothes over her suit. I think she is agitating you.” He laughs again harder this time.

  “You are right sir,” he answered. They both were laughing.

  “Your daughter is challenge.”

  “Yes she is.”

  They sat there for a moment and John was getting the itch to follow her down the pool.

  “Go join her the suits are in the room to left as you walk in the door. I have a few calls to make anyway.” Daniel smiled knowing John couldn’t sit still much longer.

  It didn’t take John but a few minutes to get out of his clothes.

  When he walked up to the pool she dove under the water. She was so enticing his body on fire as he watches her head break through the crystal clear water. He sat down on the edge of the pool watching her arms swept over the surface.

  Katie caught a glance of him sitting on the edge. She gave him a wicked grin as she went back under the water.

  “Oh my dear, I know what you are doing” he giggled.

  He drives under the water when he opens his eyes he could see she was still swimming. Katie was unaware that he was just inches from her. When she resurfaced and looked up he wasn’t sitting on the edge anymore. She then looked around the pool and didn’t see him. She signed thinking he had when back in.

  She let out a squeal as he grabbed her waist and went under with her. They resurfaced as she started to choke, catching her breath she was tried to push away. He freed her watching her swim to the other side. When she turns around and saw him underwater. Katie tried to get out he pulled her body back in again. Once more she went underwater with his arms around her. She could feel his lips on her neck. They both came up out of the water with their bodies pressed against each other.

  “Let me go.”

  “Never love” he kissed the back of her neck again.

  “I’m not playing.”

  He bites the top of her ear as his tongue ran down her shoulders. He pauses for a minute as his arms loosen up his grip. She then realized she could break free so she pushed away. He then started laughing.

  “What’s so funny?” She turned to face him her eyes hot with fire.

  “You.”

  “I’m glad you find me amusing.”

  “Oh my dear I do.”

  Katie swam back to the ladder and steps out of and grabs a towel. She turns around and John is almost at the ladder. Her heart skips a beat as she watched water dripping from his muscular body. She hurries to the to the patio bar and grabs her glass of wine. She played with the stem of the glass as she could hear him approach. Her heart was pounding as she could feel him behind her. She turns around and he is standing just a few inches. He was so close she could smell the chlorine from the pool dripping off his skin. She jumped as he took one hand and grabbed a fork from behind her and stabbed a shrimp and brought it slowly to his lips closing his mouth around it he bit it in half. He put the fork down as his eyes never left hers. She bit her bottom lip as panicking ran through her body. His hands slowly moved up and down her arms. Her whole body was responding to his touch as her belly started to flutter. Her eyes were glued to him like she was controlled by his presence. Just that moment she heard a cough.

  “Excuse me, how about some lunch” her father’s voice came from beside them.

  “I am not going to make it two days with him,” she thought as her heart dropped to her stomach beating so fast she thought she was going to hit the floor.

  John slowly turned his head and answered him.

  “Sounds great.” He paused for a moment.

  “Lucky your dad walked up when he did” he giggled.

  One hand was still on Katie as she was leading him to the dining room. His touch tied her up in knots.

  “Let me change and I will be right back” she pulled from him and ran upstairs.

  She closed the door to her room and leaned against it. Tears rolled down her cheek and she didn’t know why. Was it because she had never been with no one but her husband is it because she missed him and her mother. She didn’t understand her emotions. Katie had been so strong even after both deaths, why did this man bring these feelings to the surface. He is a playboy with and arrogant attitude. And lately, he was getting intolerable. Keeping her heart safe was getting harder to do.

  “Focus, it’s just a few days.” she told herself.

  “Yes just a few days, I can do this,” she thought. Jumping up she hurried and dress and out the bedroom, she stormed.

  Chapter 8

  Katie dressed as they headed into to town at this local tavern. Her father loved this place because you could eat right on the beach right under the moon. She sat there watching the sun go down with it many colors, orange, red, yellow it was beautiful. The dinner was great, as they sat there and watched the sun go down. Stars lined the ocean skies, with blinking white lights. The warm ocean air blowing slightly against her face. Katie turned and looked at her father as he was so enjoying looking off in the sunset. He seems at ease and relaxed here, he was away from the money grubber Jewels. She knew that Jewels wasn’t too happy about their trip down to the Keys, she was so jealous of everything Katie did with her father, even though it wasn’t very much.

  “I wish he was happy like he was with my mother,” she thought. Looking at his face she could see the light in his eyes was gone.

  She turned and looked over at John and his eyes were sparkling like the stars in the sky. He was so inviting her body was craving him and her mind was blocking her from preceding. It wasn’t long before they finished their meal and headed back to the house.

  The drive back to the house was quiet, no one said a word. They finally pulled up at home as John jumped out and opened her down. She gave him a slight grin as he waited on her father.

  “Thank you for the wonderful evening Daniel.”

  “You are so welcome, everyone needs a break from work every now and then. I have enjoyed my time with my daughter,” he said as he took another sip.

  “I am headed up to bed, see you two in the morning,” Daniel said as he walked to the stairs. John watched him until he was out of sight.

  Katie was getting a little nervous now, there was no one in the room but them two.

  “Well I am going to bed.” glancing quickly at him.

  “I will join you
.”

  “What, no you want,” She answered.

  “Oh yes, I am you don’t want to blow your cover do you.”

  Katie’s eyes narrowed, knowing he was right. This night she wasn’t drunk so how could she sleep with him in there. She could tell he was enjoying his self just a little too much.

  “All I have in there is a full-size bed.”

  “That’s big enough isn’t it” he grabbed her hand quickly and lead her up the stairs before she could resist.

  “Well which one is your room” he stopped in the middle of the hallway.

  “Right here”, she pointed to the next door on the right.

  She was so frustrated with him but didn’t want to say anything because she knew her father could hear her.

  They both stood there as they heard her father’s voice coming from the other room. It sounded like he was on the phone.

  He opened the door of the bedroom and quickly went in. He had a grin on his face but never said a word. He walked passed her she could feel his eyes on her.

  Katie stood there nodding her head as she watched him stand at the bathroom door.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Well I am going to take a hot bath,” he paused for a minute.

  “Join me,” he said smiling back at her.

  He looked at her as his heart lodges in his throat.

  “Huh … I don’t think so.”

  She watched him take his shirt off and dropped in on the floor, leaving his bare muscular chest. He was ripped without an ounce of fat on him. She watched his hand go toward his zipper.

  “Huh don’t you think you should wait to you are in the bathroom to undress.”

  He giggled and walked closer to her, he leans down and gently kissed her on the top of the head. His eyes widen slightly and full of passion. She pulls away from him and starts to walk over to her closet. Drawing a long breath and let it out. Her stomach still in knots, instant heat burning through her like a raging fire. She clearly feared being in the same room with him.

  She froze as she heard his clothes hit the floor and she couldn’t turn around. She closed the door of her closet as she took off her clothes and changed into a t-shirt and long pajama pants.