Aha, the trap is sprung, he thought. And she just
fell in.
“If I don’t go this week, it’ll make a lot more work for me later. This is the time of the year I plan my investments through the holidays. There will be a lot of people in town this week that I need to talk to. It will make my life so much easier to see them all in one place, at a trade conference.”
“Oh. I forgot. You’re a broker.”
“No, not really. I have partners from time to time, but for the most part, I only manage my own portfolio. I buy and sell, speculate and move money around on a daily basis. So there’s a lot to keep track of.”
“I see.”
Oh, he had her good. Next she’d be asking when he’d be back.
“So, when will you be back?”
“I’m targeting Thursday night. But the meetings could go as long as Friday. I’ll call you when I get back to the beach.”
“Okay,” there was a moment as doubt registered in her eyes, and then she forcibly brightened. All the way back to her house she talked non-stop about her friends, Cat, Viv, and Tess.
He walked her to the door, carrying her purchases from the farmer’s market. He told her he’d have to go, as he had a golf lesson scheduled with a private trainer. He could have cancelled it with a phone call, but his game plan was to keep her off balance, to make her yearn for more. He helped her inside and kissed her hungrily.
She smiled up at him and told him to travel safe, then reached up and brought his head down for another kiss.
“You get all your work done, then come back and we’ll play some more, big guy,” she said seductively and then capped it off with a wink worthy of Lauren Bacall.
He laughed and kissed her forehead, then stepped away. It was at that moment that he realized he was going to miss the hell out her. But no way was he going to let her know that.
So it was with great chagrin that he arrived back in Sunset Beach on Friday to find she was not available to him. He couldn’t find her anywhere. And she wasn’t returning any of his calls.
Chapter Fifty-eight
“I don’t know, Viv. It was odd—everything was perfect one minute—then bam, he was different somehow. I suddenly had this feeling he was playing me. On the way back to the house, he backed off rather abruptly and I got the distinct impression that he was afraid of me getting too involved.” Laurel and Viv were animatedly gesturing as they sat in wet bathing suits under an umbrella at a table at the Ocean Ridge pool. Tessa, lost in her cell phone, was texting Roman and seemed oblivious to their conversation.
“Did you feel as if he was trying to tell you that all his time wasn’t going to be spent with you? Did you feel like he was stringing you along for the sex?”
“I did get the feeling I was being patronized . . . I guess. I don’t know. I just can’t explain it. I felt wonderful and at ease with him one minute, then off kilter the next. Like I didn’t matter all that much to him. Which didn’t make sense, because no one has that kind of sex without being invested. It was the most amazing sex, you just wouldn’t believe. So hot!”
Tessa stopped texting long enough to look over at Viv, and they shared a secret smile.
“You think he might be seeing other women?” Viv asked.
“Well, we only had that one week, really. Maybe he already had a girlfriend and after our fun and games, he knew he had to back off.”
“So you think he’s a player?”
“You know, he could be . . .” Laurel paused and tapped her fingers on her lips, remembering something. Remembering when he’d forgotten to use a condom. No player worth his salt would ever take a chance like that. There was more here.
“So he didn’t set up another date? That surprises me. From the way that guy looked at you Friday night, I thought for sure he was a goner. What was the last thing he said to you about getting together?”
“That he’d call me.”
Tessa sat silent listening to the whole exchange, her eyes going from one to the other above her flying fingers, assessing. She put her phone down and broke in, “Well, he won’t be able to get you. You are not going to sit home and wait for him to call. No way. Two can play that game.”
“What game?” Laurel asked as she turned to face Tessa.
“I’m not sure. It’s either the make-her-work-for-it-game, or some kind of I’m-the-one-in-control-of-this, you-just-be-ready-when-I call game. Either way, you’re not playing it,” she said emphatically.
“I’m not?” Laurel asked.
“She’s right,” Viv said. “You’re not.”
“Okay, so what do I do?” Laurel trusted these women; each one had landed a very difficult and powerful man. Collectively, they were the wise counsel she had called on since her mother’s death.
“You go away,” Tessa said.
“Go away!”
“Yeah, let’s go to Charleston, just you and me. Roman’s parking ships for a harbor pilot whose kid is having surgery. He won’t be back for a week. We could leave on Thursday and come back on Sunday—do some shopping, take a house tour. There’s this nautical art gallery that sent me a catalogue I’d like to check out. Roman has a birthday coming up and I want to surprise him with something for his den.”
The idea of going to Charleston was very tempting. She knew she and Tess would have a marvelous time. But the thought that she might miss Garrett’s call didn’t sit well with her. “What if he calls?” she asked in a timid voice.
“See? Look what he’s done to you already! He will call. Count on it. And when he finds out that you aren’t going to just sit at home until he’s ready to make another move, maybe he’ll appreciate you more.”
“Yeah, you’ve got to put him in his place. You don’t need a man who walks all over you.”
“Well . . . you’re right about that. I’m not looking for a man who wants to control me.” Except that she was. She thought about the time she’d spent in the truck with him, in the woods. His words, husky and commanding, came back to her. Show me your pussy. Spread your legs wide and let me look at you. I want to see that secret place where I’m going to be fucking you. Her head swam with desire; she felt moisture pooling and coating her. She did want a man who controlled her. One who made her feel as Garrett had made her feel . . . sexy, desired, beautiful . . . and so wicked, so delightfully wicked.
“If you want him to be interested in you for more than sex, you can’t be at his beck and call.” Viv added. “He’s wisely given you some space, take it. Show him you function perfectly well without him.”
“What you say makes sense. And I certainly can’t fault either of you for your tactics. After all, ya’ll are wearin’ the rings. So I guess Charleston it is.”
“Wonderful!” Tess said as she gathered her things. “I’m going to run over to Island Classic and get something to wear.”
“Wait a minute, you’re going shopping to buy clothes, so you’ll have them to wear, while you’re shopping for clothes?” Laurel asked.
“Well, you saw Pretty Woman. They treat you better in the shops when you’re already wearing the latest thing.”
Laurel shook her head and waved her off. As an afterthought she called out to her, “Since this was your idea, you’re driving, and booking the room.”
Tessa came back to bend and kiss her on the cheek, “No problem. I’ll pick you up Thursday at ten and we’ll go to lunch at High Cotton. Ooooh, we’re going to have soooo much fun.” She squeezed Laurel’s shoulders and ran off to the ladies room to get out of her wet suit.
“She’s a trip,” Laurel muttered.
“She’s gonna run you ragged.”
Laurel smiled over at Viv. “Why don’t you come, too?”
“No, you two do up the town. Besides, I told Cat I’d
help her with that bike-a-thon she’s putting together. In fact, I’m supposed to meet her to map out the route right now.”
“Well, thanks for coming to swim with me,” Laurel said as she stood to give her friend a hug.
“Wouldn’t have missed the chance to see how things were going with that young hunk of yours.” She reached up and ran her fingertips down Laurel’s cheek and tucked a long blonde strand that was lifting in the breeze behind her ear.
Her mother used to do that, in the exact same way, and she had to blink away the tears at the thought.
“You’re a beautiful, smart woman. He’d be a damned fool not to want you, and to want you for keeps. But you never can tell these days what’s motivating a man. Just make sure you don’t let on about the lottery winnings or you’ll never know if he wants you for who you are instead of what you have.”
“I think he has money, too.”
“Honey, very few people have the kind of money you have. Your ‘godfathers’ would be very upset with you if you let a man walk away with any.”
“I know, they’ve coached me. The six of you are like my family now. I listen, I pay attention, and I watch. I’m being a good girl.”
Viv smiled. “I suspect Garrett thinks otherwise. Just remember, if it’s meant to be, it’ll all work out in the end. You and Tess have a good time in Charleston. Relax and have some fun, and don’t let Tessa talk you into doing any Jell-o shots.”
“Yes, Mother,” Laurel said, and with great affection, hugged Viv tight to her chest. She really did feel as if she had three mothers in the dear friends her mother had befriended in the short time her parents had lived here. And the godfathers that came along with them? Well, Garrett had better not be a player . . . that’s all she had to say about that.
Chapter Fifty-nine
Garrett was beginning to get pretty ticked off. He’d expected to get home, get unpacked, and showered before heading over to pick up Laurel. He thought he’d take her to dinner, maybe go to Broadway and walk around—see that upside down house she’d talked about. Then take her home and fuck her brains out. He felt as if he’d had a hard on from the moment he’d left her at her door last Saturday.
Friday had come and gone without a return phone call, so he’d driven to the park on Georgetown Road with his bike on the bike rack. From there, he’d biked into the Ocean Ridge development and then over to her neighborhood. He had hopes of seeing her or her truck on the road or parked at one of the golf courses. With ear buds in his ears and wires dangling down into a pocket, he rode around the development looking for her SUV and pretending to sing to an energetic soundtrack. It made people think you weren’t paying attention when you were so visibly distracted, but he was only giving a cursory amount of focus to the music, he was looking for signs of Laurel. But there were none.
Now here it was Saturday at four, and she still hadn’t called him back. He’d driven over to Ocean Ridge twice. Rang the bell and waited before walking around the house in hopes that she’d be working in her garden. He was tempted to call her friends. Find out where the hell she was.
By seven he was pissed. He grabbed his cell phone and punched in Paul’s number. He waited while it rang and thought, how lame was this? Calling his private detective to find his girlfriend . . . what was she doing to him?
When Paul answered, he explained the situation and braced for the sarcasm.
“You mean you lost her already?” he wasn’t even trying to keep the smile out of his voice.
“I haven’t lost her. We’ve just had a miscue of some sort. I want to know where she is. Can’t you do that thing you do with charge cards and cell phones and let me know where the hell she is?”
“I can. It’ll take some time . . .”
“Just do it and get back to me, would ya?” The impatience was hard to disguise.
“I’ll see what I can do. You sound like you could use a drink.”
“I could use several. Let me know what you find,” he said and ended the call. He paced the living area, running his fingers through thick strands that had grooves from how many times he’d done this. Where was she? Why hadn’t she stayed at home and waited for his call?
At that moment he realized what he’d done. And how she’d reacted—clearly, in a way he hadn’t expected she would. And he had to smile in spite of himself. He snorted. She was a stronger woman than he’d thought. Stronger, smarter . . . and probably one hell of a chess player.
He shook his head. Hell, it seemed he needed her more than she needed him. She’d made a stand . . . sent him her statement in the form of doorbell resounding through an empty house. Fuck. He was in love with the woman.
He didn’t know exactly when it had happened. Whether reading her stories had predisposed him to falling for her, or whether she was just that amazing and seemingly custom-made for him. But he physically hurt right now because he didn’t know where she was. Didn’t have the assurances that she was safe.
Games aside, he wanted this woman. Wanted to be the man she turned to when she needed to be satisfied, pleasured . . . taken to glorious heights. He groaned as he thought of her lips wrapped around his cock, her eager enthusiasm, her wicked and contented smile afterward. He groaned again.
He was pouring his second Patron, anxious for the bite of the hundred percent agave to calm his nerves, when his cell phone rang. He picked up his phone and saw that it was Paul.
“Where is she?” he asked.
“Geez. Give me a minute will ya?”
“Do you know where she is?”
“She’s in Charleston. Just left a place called 82 Queen. Spent $128, so it’s not likely she’s on her own.”
The flash of heat that coursed through him that she could be with another man matched that of the Patron he held in his hand. With great care he placed it on the counter. This was not the time to drink.
“What else do you have?” he asked with forced calm.
“A pre-approval went through Thursday afternoon for a suite at HarbourView Inn. Charges at three top-line dress stores . . . looks like she’s spent close to three grand.”
“Can you call the hotel and find out who she’s with?”
“Not this kind of hotel. I could get someone there in the morning to tempt housekeeping.”
“That’ll be too late. I’m leaving now.”
“You have it bad don’t you?”
“I don’t know what I have,” he said gruffly. “Any chance of a room number?” He looked at his watch. It was 8:30; it would be close to midnight when he got there.
“I’ll do what I can. I have a friend in Mount Pleasant. Sometimes there’s a valet ticket with the car with the room number . . .”
“She may not have taken her car. The garage doors are solid so I couldn’t tell if her SUV or Firebird were in there or not.”
“I’ll see what I can do. I’ll call you on the road if I get something.”
“Thanks.”
“Hey, don’t drive too fast. South Carolina Troopers don’t bribe easily.”
“Hmmph! I’ll try to remember that.”
He closed his phone and tossed some things into an overnight duffle. Threw his laptop in the case and hefted it on his shoulder. Checked for his wallet and his phone charger. He looked at the full glass of Patron on the counter. Took a hefty swig and enjoyed the shudder. Then he grabbed his keys and ran out the door, locking it behind him.
He wanted to take the Corvette, but since he didn’t know what he was up against, he took the Edge. Loaded with his favorite music, and just gassed up, he backed it out and drove down Main Street, and then off the island. Did she go alone, he wondered. If not, who was she with? While several unsettling scenarios ran through his mind, he comforted himself with the fact that, whoever he was, he was soon going to be minus te
eth and sporting some well-placed bruises.
At 10:53 his phone rang. “Third floor, waterfront, southeast corner. Can’t get in to get a room number, this is from my spotter. Says he thinks it’s two women, but he can’t be sure.”
Ah, Tessa or Viv, he’d just bet. His money was on Tess though. He remembered Roman saying he was heading to Bermuda this week.
“And guess what else?”
“Don’t bait me.”
“You better be nice to me or I’ll consider offering my services to her.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Your lady love is rich. Very rich. Unless I’m mistaken, she can buy and sell you.”
“What are you talking about?”
“She won the lottery. Literally. Thirty-six million.”
Garrett almost drove off the road. He drew in a deep breath and held the wheel steady. “You’re sure about this?” He’d seen evidence of prosperity, but not that much.
“Umm hmm, just about the time her parents died. She struck it rich but refused the photo-op. She doesn’t advertise it. It’s in her tax file though. Had to dig deep to get that. Just came through a few minutes ago.”
“Well, that is a surprise. But just for the record, she can’t buy and sell me.”
“Then you’re not paying me enough.”
“Send me a bill. Include what would be a fair bonus.”
“Now you’re talkin’.”
“Thank you, Paul,” he said and hung up. He sped down 17 taking in all he’d just discovered—processing it and wondering how it impacted him. Finally, he realized that it didn’t.
So she had money. So did he. The only way it changed things is that at one time, he thought she might have become dependent on him because of his situation. Now it seemed she’d always be independent. And if they married, he would never allow her to merge her money with his. No woman was going to contribute to his support. He smiled as he drove; no wonder she hadn’t seemed impressed with his Corvette or his new Edge. This woman could own a fleet of Testarossas. He amended that to his woman. Because he had no doubt that by morning she’d be his again.
Flash Drive Page 43
