by Iris Abbott
LITTLE RED VALENTINE
Enigma, Maine Series
Book 5
Iris Abbott
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal.
LITTLE RED VALENTINE
Copyright © 2012 by Iris Abbott
First E-book publication: February 2012
Cover design by Iris Abbott
Photos and illustration by Yuri Arcurs, Alena Ozerova, and Petra Roeder
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters in this book are fictitious and exist only in the imagination of the author. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
IRIS ABBOTT has always enjoyed reading. She especially enjoys romances. So it was no surprise she would eventually pursue a career as a romance writer. She grew up in North Carolina and has also lived in California and Georgia. She travels extensively throughout the United States and enjoys sharing the ambiance of some of her favorite places through her stories.
When she’s not writing emotion packed romances with a happily-ever-after ending, this former high school science teacher is traveling with her husband, taking photos of any animal she can find, watching the birds in her backyard, riding her bike on the greenway, or taking care of one very spoiled and demanding cat. She loves to hear from readers and fans. She can be reached at [email protected]. Also please check out her website irisabbott.com and the Facebook page for Iris Abbott (author).
Books by Iris Abbott
Montgomery Family and Friends Series
A MONTGOMERY HOMECOMING
AUBREY’S SONG
A MONTGOMERY MARRIAGE
CAROLINE’S SEDUCTION
EVAN’S SURRENDER
LAURA’S STORM
FAITH’S SHERIFF (April 2012)
Enigma, Maine Series
A VAMPIRE’S LOVING BITE
A GUARDIAN’S LOVING CLAIM
A PIRATE’S LOVING KISS
A SOLDIER’S CHRISTMAS HOMECOMING
LITTLE RED VALENTINE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ONE
TWO
THREE
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
ONE
Mitch Gannon jumped when the church doors flew open. He was alpha of the Enigma wolf pack and the owner of the most successful security company in the state of Maine. That meant he was always on high alert, even when he was the best man at a triple wedding. He locked eyes with the stranger. She was wearing a red cape that seemed to be hiding masses of dark blond curls. A jolt of current raced straight through to his heart. He turned to shoot Cupid a dirty look, but typical of that particular nuisance, he’d already left the scene. Oh well this could get very interesting Mitch decided. He had a thing for the color red and he definitely loved blonds.
Scarlet Valentine glanced around the filled church and realized she’d interrupted a wedding. How embarrassing! Could this day get any worse? Her car, which had been totally reliable until now had just died in the middle of the road! She didn’t even have time to pull onto the shoulder. At least it didn’t appear to be a heavily traveled route. And thank goodness no one had hit her when the car died and then just stopped. She’d turned on the hazard lights and gone to find help. At first she thought it was a bit of good luck that her car had stranded her next to a church full of people. Now as several heads turned her way, she wasn’t so sure. What an awful start to her new life!
A pair of black eyes caught her attention. She couldn’t look away even though those dark and brooding eyes reminded her of a predator. Scarlet suppressed a shiver. Eventually she noticed that those eyes were part of the most gorgeous and rugged face she’d ever seen. And the owner of those eyes and that face was now making his way straight to her. He advanced at a rather fast clip and had a hold of one of her arms and was dragging her out of the church before she could even take a breath. She shuddered from the intense look the stranger was giving her. “Hey,” she shook her arm loose. “What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded as soon as they were outside and away from the curious eyes of the wedding guests.
“I think that’s my line.” He arched a dark brow and his black eyes glared into her light brown ones. “You just crashed a very private wedding ceremony and I’m head of security, so you’ll be answering my questions not the other way around.” And boy did he have a lot of questions. His wolf was in the background howling to know more about this lovely morsel of a woman. Cupid and his magic wasn’t even a factor. Mitch would have been attracted to this woman regardless of Cupid’s interference. That didn’t mean he was going to do anything about the strong chemistry between them. Not yet anyway. First he had to find out who she was and what she was doing in Enigma. A recent attempt to assassinate both him and Alessandro Russo one of the grooms amplified the need for him to be cautious.
Mitch crowded into the alluring but uninvited guest. His forward motion forced her to take several steps back. Eventually she was caught between him and the rough stone wall of the historic building behind her. There was nowhere left for her to go. He slapped both palms down on the cold stone right next to her head. He watched with satisfaction as her eyes widened and her lips trembled. “Good you should be scared. You’re playing in my woods now little girl.” Mitch was six feet three inches tall and the blond vixen only came up to his shoulders.
Scarlet couldn’t believe the nerve of this man. She was not going to be bullied. So what if he was about five inches taller than she was. She narrowed her eyes, sucked in her trembling lips, and shoved. Hard! “Get out of my way you big oaf.”
Her actions were so unexpected that Mitch actually took a couple of steps back even though his body was screaming for him to close the gap and press into her enthralling curves.
Bolstered by his small retreat, Scarlet pressed home the advantage. Her fear was quickly subsiding to be replaced by righteous indignation. She poked a deep red fingernail into his chest. “I’m sorry I crashed your party, but it couldn’t be helped.” She let out a big huff of air. “And just think my grandmother always said Enigma was such a friendly place.” She rolled her eyes. “No wonder I was never allowed to come here again after that last fateful spring visit.”
Mitch stopped his retreat. He had been so sure she was an outsider. He furrowed his brows. Surely he would recognize someone as delicious as the woman standing in front of him. “You’ve been to Enigma before?” His voice sounded doubtful but something kept tugging at him, a distant memory trying to break free.
Scarlet dropped the offending hand that had been poking the stranger and stared at him with wide eyes. “Of course I’ve been here before.” She shrugged her delicate shoulders. “What about it? This is Enigma, Maine not a hidden village near the Amazon.”
A remote village halfway across the world was sounding real good about now to Mitch Gannon. “I’ve lived here my entire life, and I don’t remember you.” But then again there was something faintly familiar about her.
Unaware of his expertise in security and the fact that he made it his business to know everyone that came in and out of Enigma, Scarlet laughed. “There’s no way any one person can know everything that goes on especially in a midsized town like Enigma.” She finally offered an introduction. “I’m Scarlet Valentine by the way. My grandmother Susan Valentine lived on the outskirts of Enigma for several decades.” Her voice hitched a little at the end after the mention of her grandmother. She bit her bottom lip to keep her emotions under control. She really missed he
r grandmother. Even though she hadn’t been back to Enigma in years she and her grandmother had talked almost every day on the phone.
Scarlet Valentine, Mitch turned the name over in his mind. It was a fitting name for the gloriously vibrant woman standing in front of him. He picked up one of her delicate hands and brought it to his lips. “I’m Mitch Gannon and it’s a real pleasure to meet you.” He kissed her hand and then slowly released it. Her skin was soft and sweet and he knew then that he wasn’t going to be able to rest until he’d tasted all she had to offer.
Scarlet as if mesmerized by his touch slowly brought her hand back to her side. The church door opened and several people began streaming out. The noise and gathering crowd brought her to her senses. She stepped out of their path. Mitch she noticed was right behind her. “Umm, I’m sorry about interrupting such an important occasion, but my car died.” She pointed to the bright red sports car sitting in the middle of the road.
Mitch knew enough about autos to cover the basics. “Let’s have a look at it and I’ll see if I can fix the problem.”
Scarlet was grateful for the suggestion. “Thanks.” She looked toward the setting sun. “I wanted to be settled in my grandmother’s cottage before dark.” She shivered remembering the last time she’d been out after dark in Enigma. “It looks like I’m going to be cutting it close. I should have gotten an earlier start from Boston. Traffic was a nightmare. And my stubborn car sure hasn’t helped matters much either.” She let out a breathy little sigh as she started to walk toward her car. She could only hope it was her car being temperamental and not a form of sabotage. She hadn’t forgotten for one minute the real reason she’d left Boston behind. She was probably going to be looking over her shoulder for a long time to come.
Mitch felt that sigh all the way down to his toes. This woman was gorgeous and she was going to be living right in his backyard. He was definitely going to get to know her better. A nagging thought in the back of his mind persisted. He sifted through time and memories. He finally remembered the frightened seventeen-year-old who had been visiting her grandmother during a long weekend in the spring. She had managed to wander off the path and had gotten lost in the forest.
Mitch had stumbled upon her by pure chance when he’d been out on a run. Even in early spring temperatures could dip below freezing. It had been a bitterly cold night. He had remained in his wolf form and stayed with the teenager to keep her warm and safe until the sun rose. Then he’d led her to the edge of the woods and safety. He’d looked for glimpses of her around town afterward, but he’d never seen her again. That is until now. During the ten years since he’d last seen her, the pale blond hair had darkened to a burnished mass of dark blond curls with honey highlights. And the gangly teen had grown into a gorgeous woman with luscious curves, but he was sure they were one and the same.
They reached her car and Mitch gave it a hard look. It probably wasn’t even five years old and looked well cared for. There shouldn’t be any reason for it to have just died. “Get in and try starting it one more time,” he suggested.
Scarlet gave him a doubtful look, but she did as he asked. She inserted the key into the ignition and twisted. Much to her surprise the car fired right up. She shot Mitch a mortified look. “Oh my goodness, I can’t believe that. I tried to start this darn thing several times before I went inside the church.”
She saw Mitch’s narrowed eyes and look of disbelief. “Really I swear it wouldn’t start. I would never endanger anyone’s life or my car for that matter by leaving it in the middle of the road.” Scarlet stopped babbling. She saw that Mitch was still giving her a suspicious look and now his arms were crossed in front of his massive chest. That was more off putting than the narrow eyed stare.
She thinned her lips and gave him a piercing look of her own. “Whatever! Thanks for the help,” she muttered. “And I’ll be sure to stay out of your way from now on.” She pressed her foot down onto the accelerator. The bright red sports car shot forward forcing the tires to squeal in protest. Scarlet and the car left flying gravel and an unsettled Mitch Gannon in their wake.
Mitch watched the little red vehicle disappear from view. He still had a miffed look on his face. He had no doubt that Scarlet was telling the truth. He could thank the powers and magic that be in Enigma for his surprise encounter with the divine Ms. Valentine. Everything had to do with fate. There was no such thing as a coincidence at least not in Enigma, Maine. Here anything that could happen usually did as he knew all too well.
TWO
Scarlet listened to the howling wind. She couldn’t help the shiver that moved up and down her entire body. She’d been in Enigma for several weeks and winter had settled in bringing this fierce storm in its wake. The noisy wind brought back memories of being lost in the woods ten years ago. She’d been picking wildflowers and had wandered into the forest even though she knew better. Her grandmother had always warned her never to venture into the woods. And of course she’d gotten lost. It had been a bitterly cold night just like this one even though it had been early spring.
A wolf had been her saving grace as funny as it sounds. It found her huddled on the forest floor trying to stay warm. The furry animal had stayed with her during the night sharing its body heat. It had even guided her out of the dense forest at first light. Several people had been searching for her and a police officer found her not long after she emerged from beyond the trees. The wolf was nowhere to be seen by this time.
Nobody seemed to believe her when she mentioned the wolf. Though she could have sworn a strange look passed between her grandmother and a couple of the officers. Everyone including her grandmother had tried to convince her that she’d imagined the whole thing. She’d been packed up the next morning and sent back to her parents’ house in Boston. That was the last time she’d been allowed to set foot in Enigma, Maine until two months ago.
A gust of wind fiercely attacked the back of the cottage and one of the shutters flew open and then banged against the side of the house. Scarlet visibly jumped from the loud noise. Normally she wasn’t scared of storms and she didn’t mind a little wind, but these weren’t normal circumstances. She was a woman in hiding and she had a bad feeling that it was only a matter of time before the stalker she’d left behind in Boston found her. She had to be cautious. Her life depended on it.
She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Work should be enough to keep her mind off of the storm. She turned back to her computer. She was a graphic artist and web designer. It was a great career to have when you needed to flee a dangerous situation. She missed her almost daily conversations with her grandmother, but inheriting this cottage could not have come at a better time. She owned her own business and worked from home, so the move hadn’t affected her career at all. It however just might have saved her life, but it still paid to be cautious. She wasn’t out of the woods yet, as the old saying went.
Currently she was updating and revamping the website for Gannon Security. Of course Gannon Security made her think of its primary owner Mitch Gannon. She’d tried hard to avoid him after their run in on her first day in Enigma. That had turned out to be impossible. She hadn’t even been in town three days before Mitch’s brother Justin had contacted her about overhauling their company’s website. She wanted to introduce her work to local clients, so she’d jumped at the chance to prove herself with such an established and well-known business. She’d accepted the job even though it meant having occasional contact with Mitch.
She and Mitch had been dancing around each other ever since. Occasional contact had somehow managed to blossom into almost daily contact. She ran into Mitch almost everywhere she went. Considering what she was running from it was more than a little worrisome. She did her best to stay out of his way and work only with Justin, but Mitch seemed to thwart her at every turn.
Today was a prime example. She and Justin were supposed to meet for a business lunch in the town square earlier today. Of course Mitch had shown up in his brother’s place. Scarle
t had gritted her teeth and bit back the acid comment threatening to trip off her tongue. Then she’d offered him an awkward smile before turning on her laptop to show him the latest progress she’d made on their new website. The design was in the last stage. She just needed Mitch or Justin to sign off on her work and then she’d be done.
Mitch had taken his time and thoroughly perused the finished product. He made comments and asked a few questions as he looked over the home page and navigation menu. Then he fell silent as he continued to look over the website word for word.
After about ten minutes of silence Scarlet’s nerves had been stretched to the breaking point. She added a pack of no calorie sweetener to her cup of hot tea and stirred. Her hand shook and the spoon clanked against the side of the china cup. Mitch looked up at her with those mysterious black eyes and grinned. The tension that had been snaking around her spine and tightening every muscle in her body finally broke and she relaxed back into the wooden chair. Mitch might annoy her, but his smile and those eyes were mesmerizing.
She cleared her throat. “What do you think?” Her voice quavered slightly and she hoped that Mitch didn’t notice how nervous he made her.
He rubbed his chin and then turned the laptop back toward Scarlet. It had been a chore to concentrate on the computer screen with someone so delectable sitting across the table from him, but business was business and he’d managed. “I like it. It’s simple and much cleaner than the website we are using now. It clearly shows that we have three separate divisions: home security, commercial security, and personal security. If potential customers contact the correct division right away it saves us a lot of time and sorting at the office.”
Scarlet realized she’d been holding her breath and gently let it out. “Justin explained to me that you guys spent a lot of time passing messages and phone numbers back and forth to each other. I knew that was something an organized website could correct. I made that my main focus when I put this mockup together. Your company is already well-established, so you don’t really need the website to drive business to you.”
