by Kat Mizera
She swallowed hard. “You don’t have to… I can, I, uh, oh hell, who am I kidding?” She looked down sadly. “I’d appreciate your help. Thank you.”
It was more than two hours before police came to the scene, took statements, wrote reports and told Maddie that they would look into it, but there was very little chance they would catch the culprits. By the time the police left, the sun was rising high in the sky, the humidity was off the charts and Maddie was starving.
“Do you know if there’s a place I can get something to eat?” she asked Garrett, wiping beads of sweat from her forehead.
“The diner across the street isn’t bad, and you look like you’re about to drop.” He dug out his keys. “Come on, we’ll take my rental, go get some food and then we can get the situation with your car sorted.”
She paused. “You don’t even know me… Why are you being so nice?”
He shrugged. “You look kind of overwhelmed, and I’d like to think if something like this happened to my sister, someone would be there to make sure she’s okay.”
“You’re sweet,” she said softly, meeting his eyes.
“Not that sweet,” he chuckled. “But I’m trying.”
“Are you generally not a nice guy?” she asked, following him to his rented SUV.
“I’m…” He shook his head. “Let’s just say I’m no angel.”
“And I’m getting in a car with you,” she chuckled. “Probably not my brightest move.”
“Probably not,” he agreed. “But I can give you my sister’s number and she’ll tell you that I’m not as bad as I look.”
“Because your tattoos are…misleading?”
“For sure.” He glanced over at her as he pulled out of the parking lot. “They all have meaning—it’s not just decorative.”
“Yeah?”
“My favorite is the dog tags on my shoulder, because they were my dad’s. He died in Desert Storm when I was a kid.”
“I’m sorry.”
He nodded. “Thanks. The others are all related, important for different reasons, but it would take hours to explain them.”
“The ones I see are beautiful,” she said. “My brother is getting his whole back done to cover…” Her voice trailed off. “Well, an accident.”
They pulled up to the diner and Hawk motioned her to go ahead. “I need to make a phone call. Go on and get us a table. I’ll be right in.”
She hesitated but then nodded. “Okay, thanks.”
Hawk watched her go before picking up his phone, glad he had a full battery again. He called Clay and explained the situation.
“You’re a lucky man,” Clay said. “We’re sold out except for one of the villas…Artemisia. The people staying there had to leave early this morning due to a death in the family. It’s available for five days. You want it?”
“Do you have anything for my friend?”
Clay paused. “I’m sorry—we’re completely sold out. This wouldn’t even be open if they hadn’t left unexpectedly.”
“Yeah, okay, no problem.”
“Listen…we can check you in under your other ID but the story’s all over the sports channels. I can’t guarantee you won’t be recognized.”
Hawk mentally gritted his teeth. “Don’t worry about that, I’m lying low. Anyway, I appreciate this. I’ll be there in a few hours. Have to help her take care of the rental car and all that.”
“Who is she?” Clay asked casually.
Hawk just chuckled. “Honestly? I don’t have a clue.”
Clay laughed. “Good luck with that!”
Chapter 2
The ordeal at the car rental agency wasn’t as bad as she’d been expecting, and she was grateful she’d bought the extra insurance. It only took about an hour to handle the paperwork and pay her bill. She was drained by the time they walked outside, though; it didn’t seem fair for so many things to go wrong on one vacation. And she still didn’t know where her suitcase was.
“Look, if you want to leave, I’ll take you to the airport right now,” Garrett told her as they walked into the blazing sun. “If you’d like to salvage what you can of your time here, I have a proposition for you.”
She frowned, startled out of her thoughts. “Like what?”
“I have friends over at the Casa Blanca Resort—I just booked one of their villas. You’re welcome to share it with me—not a bed or a bedroom!” he added quickly as she immediately began to protest.
“Your own bedroom, all the privacy you need. I plan to relax, get some sun and think about what I’m going to do next at work.”
“You work?” She arched a brow at him and he scowled.
“Well, yeah. Guys with mohawks and tattoos can have jobs!” He wasn’t sure why he was so affronted; he’d probably think a guy like him was a loser too.
“Sorry.” She bit her lip. “I didn’t mean to offend you…you just seem so…”
“Non-corporate?” He cocked his head. “And no, I’m not an accountant or a doctor.”
“Lawyer?” she teased, trying to lighten the mood after her thoughtless comment.
He grinned, shaking his head. “No. Family business. That’s why I need to make some decisions. Anyway, I’ve got the place for the next five days. It’s huge, with every amenity, and I really don’t plan to do much but soak up the sun. You can use it like a hotel, come and go as you please, enjoy the water, the spa, whatever you want. I don’t want anything in return—I’m just trying to buy myself some good karma.”
She eyed him, trying to see past his incredibly sexy gray eyes, the strong chin and that perfectly sculpted ass. He had an athlete’s body, now that she looked at him carefully, and it was truly beautiful to behold. He’d also been so kind to her, it was hard to imagine him as some kind of killer or rapist. She couldn’t stay with him, though. She didn’t even know him. That had naïve written all over it, and she’d already shown enough stupidity just by coming here. Except she was already here and it was going to cost her even more money to change her flight. He was offering her a lifeline, a way to salvage the vacation she’d been saving for—for nearly a year—and it was at the resort she’d been thinking about for months. How could she say no?
An hour and a half later she followed him into the Casa Blanca Resort & Spa with a much lighter step than she’d had since leaving Toronto. This was the vacation she was supposed to have, and if fate was determined to intervene so she could have it, who was she to say no? It wasn’t supposed to be with a sexy stranger who made her feel both safe and terrified at the same time, but it was too late to turn back now.
“Hi,” Garrett said to the woman behind the desk. He handed her his ID.
“Welcome back, Mr. Raven.”
“Thank you.” He took the keys from her and nodded. “The airline should be delivering my companion’s suitcase at some point.”
“Your name?” the woman asked Madison.
“Madison. Teller.” She handed the smiling woman her passport. “They said my suitcase would be here by eight.”
“Perfect. We’ll have it delivered. Do you want to leave a credit card on file for—”
“Everything can go on mine,” Garrett interrupted quietly.
They were quickly checked in and Hawk immediately started heading for the administrative offices where he would find Clay. He was moving at a fast clip but slowed down when he heard her hurrying after him. His gesture of kindness had just turned into his worst nightmare. Her last name was Teller?! What were the chances? So much for trying to be a good guy—this was going to go south faster than geese in a snowstorm. He needed to get away from her and think. Except he’d just invited her to stay with him and now she was staring at him with those big brown eyes. What the hell was he supposed to do when she looked at him like that?
“Wait up!” Her voice was filled with misgiving.
He took a deep breath before returning her gaze.
“Did I do something wrong?” she asked, frowning at him.
“No.” He
cleared his throat. “I’m sorry. I just remembered something I have to do and it’s important. Why don’t you go on to the room and settle in?”
She nodded slowly. “Um, okay. Are you sure you’re not mad?”
“I am, but not at you.” He forced a smile. “Promise. Just have something to take care of. Go on—make yourself at home and I’ll be there in a bit.”
The look on her face made it obvious she didn’t believe him, but he hadn’t left her with much choice. “Okay. Um, thanks. I’ll…see you in a little bit?”
“Half hour, tops.” He watched the uncertainty play across her features again as she turned away and he felt like a jerk. He hadn’t meant for this to happen, but how could he have known he would meet this particular woman at a miserable little hotel off the beaten path in Florida? If Maddie found out his name, this would go bad quickly. First, though, he had to find out exactly who she was; if she was who he thought, he didn’t know how he would get out of this.
Maddie put a few things in the bathroom and tossed her dirty clothes in the bag hanging in the closet. Since she wasn’t paying for a room, she could afford to have a few things washed. Hopefully, her suitcase would arrive tonight as promised. If not, maybe she could find a T-shirt to sleep in at one of the shops she’d passed in the hotel. Otherwise she’d be sleeping in the shirt she’d been wearing all day.
She decided to explore the villa before Garrett got back. He was in a bad mood all of a sudden and she hoped it wasn’t because of her. This place was so beautiful, and now that she’d finally convinced herself she could have the vacation she’d been planning, she wasn’t going to let him ruin it for her. Her life the last nine months or so had been stressful to say the least. Her older brother, Jamie, had almost died back in January after a violent beating by a group of skinheads who didn’t approve of the fact that he was bisexual. Though he was on the mend now, the emotional scars were still impacting their entire family and she was seeing a therapist about the nightmares she’d been having for months; the memory of his broken body on that hospital bed haunted her.
Her therapist had been the one to suggest she pick a relaxing place to vacation. She and Angelique had been talking about a girls’ trip for a year but Maddie had been the one to get the ball rolling. Once she’d discovered the Casa Blanca Resort & Spa online about six months ago, she’d convinced her this was the place they needed to stay. Pictures of the Moroccan-style construction, beautiful villas, and picture-perfect Barefoot Bay were exactly the escape she’d envisioned after months of stress, worry and unwanted media attention. For a while, she hadn’t been able to go anywhere in Toronto without being recognized as the sister of the victim of the biggest hate crime Canadians had seen in years. Reporters had finally moved on to other news, but the whole ordeal had left her anxious, underweight and having nightmares. Maybe now that she was here in such a beautiful place, with a guy who’d inadvertently become her protector, she would find some much-needed peace.
The villa was big, spacious and had a private pool. The pool and patio faced the gulf and for a moment she could only stare, taking in the turquoise waters and white, sandy beach. She couldn’t wait to dig her toes in it, but there was still a lot of villa to see. So far, she’d found everything she would need and the fact that there was a kitchen meant she could buy yogurt and fresh fruit to keep on hand. Though she’d lost a lot of weight worrying about Jamie, she was working out now and trying to find a better balance of food and exercise.
A knock on the door startled her and she wondered if Garrett had lost his key. She hurried to open it and found herself staring at a smiling woman whose name tag said “Bella.”
“Hello! Mrs. Walker sent this, compliments of the resort.” Bella handed her a shopping bag with a big blue bow on it.
“I, uh, thank you. Hang on, let me get you—”
“No need.” Bella nodded and backed away. “It’s taken care of. Have a wonderful stay.”
She disappeared and Maddie took the large shopping bag into her room. Inside she found a Casa Blanca Resort & Spa T-shirt, sunscreen, a Mimosa Key baseball cap, an entire plastic bag of travel-sized toiletry items that weren’t already in the bathroom, and a simple, one-piece black bathing suit. When she unfolded it to check the size, a note fell out:
Hoping your vacation gets better from here. Please don’t hesitate to ask if there’s anything at all we can do to help.
Casa Blanca Resort & Spa Staff
P.S. If the bathing suit and/or T-shirt don’t fit, please swing by the concierge desk.
Maddie frowned but couldn’t help the excitement suddenly building in her chest. There was a gorgeous pool out back and it was calling her name. It was almost 3:00, the hottest part of the day, but she didn’t care. This thoughtful gift meant she could start her vacation and Operation Relaxation immediately.
Within five minutes she had the bathing suit on, sunscreen applied and her hair up in a ponytail. She grabbed a towel and walked outside. For the first time since she’d left Toronto, peace washed over her. Vacation. She was actually on vacation. She forgot about the long flight, her lost luggage, the terrible hotel, getting shot at and even her brother’s horrible attack. Nope, all she was going to think about right now was the sun and the refreshing blue water. She’d deal with Mr. Sexy-But-Cranky when he got back.
It was an hour and a half before Hawk got to the villa. He and Clay had talked and he’d made it clear no one was to use his real name. Somehow, some way, he had to get through five days without Madison Teller finding out who he was, and he was pretty sure he could keep her occupied. There was plenty to do here at the resort, from golf to tennis, snorkeling to jet-skiing and much more. If nothing else, he could rent a private cabana for them on the beach, where no one would bother them, and he could keep her away from TVs, radios and anything sports-related.
Assuming she likes you enough to want to hang out with you, he told himself with a grunt. He just wanted to get her back home to Toronto none the wiser about whom she’d spent time with here in Florida. Well, now that he definitively knew who her brother was, she would most likely see his face somewhere in the hockey world and figure out she’d been duped, but that would be well after the fact. She’d never forgive him, but at least he’d make sure she remembered someone different than the man she’d hear about on TV or the sports grapevine.
He walked through the villa softly calling to her, but she didn’t respond. The door to the second bedroom was open and there was a shopping bag and a few items strewn on the bed, but no sign of her. Had she already left for the beach?
He was about to make his way to the other bedroom when he saw a flash of dark hair. He paused, looking out the sliding glass doors to the pool just as she dove into the water. Her body looked strong and lithe, appearing much longer in the water than when she’d been pressed up against him in that stairwell. She was probably about five feet five or so, but very slender. However, from what he could see now that she was half-naked, she was athletic. There were muscles and toned calves in those legs as she dove off the side and he watched in fascination as she cut through the water like a pro. She made it to the other side of the pool without coming up, flipping around underwater and kicking at the wall before gliding another ten feet and finally breaking the surface. She did a strong, steady crawl back to the other side, dove under and did the whole routine three more times before slowing to a stop in the middle of the pool. She flipped onto her back and let her legs float out in front of her, arms at her sides, completely at ease.
She was stunning, he thought, unable to tear his eyes away. A veritable sea nymph, despite being in a pool. She was as comfortable in the water as he was on the ice, except where hockey got him worked up, being in the water seemed to erase every trace of tension in Maddie. Sure, most people relaxed out by the pool or the ocean, but this was different. Maddie was in her own little world, unaffected by the sun, the ocean air or even the man watching her; she was completely in her element. Was she a swimmer? When he�
�d looked up her brother on the computer in Clay’s office there’d been no mention of a sister who was an athlete. They had a brother who’d played college hockey before blowing out his knee, but Maddie had remained firmly under the radar.
Turning around, he went to his room and dug out his swim trunks. He stripped off the clothes he’d been wearing since last night and tugged the trunks on, grabbing sunscreen and his favorite baseball cap as he headed back outside. She was just getting out of the water as he stepped onto the patio and they both froze.
“Hey,” he called out. “Looks like you were enjoying yourself in there.”
She flashed a brilliant smile. “It was wonderful! Thank you so much for inviting me!” Without warning, she took three steps towards him and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. “This makes up for everything bad that happened in the last 24 hours.”
He nearly groaned at her closeness, all soft wet skin and toned muscles. “You’re welcome, hon.” He took an involuntary step back, unwilling to let her affect him any more than she already had.
“Are you coming in?” she asked, her wet hair making a pool of water at her feet.
“Sure.” He didn’t know how to refuse so he put down his hat and sunscreen and followed her.
Maddie had almost stumbled on the steps of the pool when she’d looked up and found Garrett standing there. He was truly larger than life and it took her a second to regain her composure. Sculpted shoulders, six-pack abs and that damn V that disappeared into his swim trunks—under different circumstances she would have made the first move to seduce him. Something about Garrett was different, though; he wasn’t hook-up material. Sure, he was a hot, tattooed, muscular hunk with the kind of bedroom eyes that made a girl weak in the knees, but he was a bad boy with a secret. Maybe a wife or girlfriend back home in L.A.?
