by Jessica Gray
Linda shrugged and then changed the subject. “He’s snooping around.”
Nate laughed and squeezed her shoulder. “That is what your mother is paying him to do. Find out who stole her Oscars.”
“Yes, but what if he suspects me?” Her voice was barely audible.
“You?” His eyes widened, and he laughed out lout. “Sweetie, this is not some of your mother’s movies, this is real life. You are her daughter. Why should he suspect you? You have no reason to steal from her.”
She opened her mouth to tell him the truth, but no words came out when she remembered she’d hidden the missing Oscars at his place. Oh my God, she was a lunatic. What if Chuck started investigating Nate and found them? Or what if Nate’s new lover stumbled upon them?
Her breathing accelerated. Nate would go to prison for a crime he didn’t commit, because nobody would believe him. The evidence would be stacked against him, and even if she came forward, no one would believe her. She started to hyperventilate, and Nate squatted down in front of her. “What’s wrong?”
She looked at him, her only human friend in the entire world, and tears spilled out of her eyes, streaming down her cheeks.
“Linda, you’re scaring me. What’s got you so worked up?” He was seriously worried about her.
Not able to hold his gaze, she cast her eyes to the ground, the enormity of how badly she’d screwed up dawning on her. She stumbled to stand, no words leaving her mouth, and her entire body shaking violently.
Her mother deserved to lose the thing she loved most. Those damn statues that had seemed to smirk at Linda every single day, saying, “See. We’re so much more important to your mother than you are. You are just her daughter. She hates you, but she loves us.”
But while she wanted to hurt her mother, she didn’t want to harm Nate. Never Nate. He didn’t deserve to pay for what she’d done.
She was trembling like an aspen leaf. Nate wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tight. “Sweetie, you need to calm down and talk to me. Please.”
The flow of tears increased and she buried her head in his shoulder. She had no idea how long they’d stood like that when the tears finally ran dry and she heard the door to the garden opening.
They both turned their heads, and Linda started, as Chuck stepped out into the morning sunlight. Fresh tears slipped down her cheeks as she looked at the man who had the power to destroy her. In more ways than one.
Chapter 15
Chuck fisted his hands as he stepped into the garden area of the doctor’s office and surprised Linda and Nate hugging.
After the phenomenal kiss they’d shared last night, how dare she hug another man? He thought they’d shared a connection – until she’d shied away from him. Was Nate the reason she’d shut down, because she remembered she had a boyfriend and shouldn’t be kissing around? But with Evangelina for a mother, he shouldn’t be surprised at her behavior.
Linda blushed a deep purple and Nate awkwardly removed his arms from around her, before he leaned down and whispered in her ear and then slipped inside through the side door. Chuck’s fisted hands ached and by the feel of them, the knuckles must have grown white.
Both of them looked guilty.
Chuck inhaled hard several times. Taking on a professional tack would be the best way to handle the situation. Pretend nothing had happened between them the night before, even if his heart shattered at that notion.
His heart hurt like crazy and the profound pain in Linda’s eyes made him want to reach for her. Console her. But he resisted.
Nate could have her. He was done with that woman. She was a cheater, just like her mother. She didn’t even have the decency to offer an explanation, but instead the pain in her eyes slowly transformed into fury and she blurted out, “What do you want?”
Chuck raised a brow at her tone and controlled his voice to convey a calmness and indifference he didn’t feel. “I’m here to interview you about the missing statues.”
After talking with Vivian the night before, his mind had been on overdrive and he’d come here to hear from Linda personally that she was innocent. But now he had serious doubts. Bit by bit the pieces of the puzzle were falling into place.
Her entire body language shouted “Guilty.” Of more than one crime. Stealing the Oscars. Cheating. And God knows what else.
She stood a few feet away from him, chewing on her bottom lip. He hated the way her eyes had filled with fear, but while he wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms and give her the hug she so desperately needed, he couldn’t. He wouldn’t comfort another man’s woman.
He approached her, watching her eyes dart back and forth. His intuition was screaming for him to sit up and take notice. She’s lying. The fear in her expression gave way to guilt and shame. There’s what you need to know. She’s a liar and cheater.
Chuck had never had a serious romantic relationship, but he’d only ever dated one woman at a time, and he’d always made sure those women knew their relationship was nothing serious. He didn’t cheat. And he didn’t tolerate it either.
“So, tell me about the Oscars,” he suggested. His next words left his mouth on an impulse: “Did you take them?”
Linda stared at him and nodded. “Yes.”
Chuck was so shocked by her confession that he had no idea what to say next. In his line of work, people didn’t admit their wrongdoings, but she’d confessed stealing her mother’s dearest possessions. Have to give her credit for that.
But she was still cheating on Nate. You don’t kiss a man when you’re with another one.
He met her eyes. “Why?”
“Why not?” she fired back angrily. “She took everything I ever loved and destroyed it. My dad. My childhood. My dog. She even took my self-esteem. She deserved to feel the same pain. That’s why I took the one thing she loves more than herself. Those stupid Oscars.”
Linda started crying again and despite his best intentions not to console her, he put an arm around her shoulders. His breath hitched at the exhilarating feeling of holding her again, but now was not the time to explore his feelings for her.
Courage was lying at her feet, and merely lifted his head to look at Chuck when Linda turned into his chest, her tears wetting his shirt as she buried her head against his shoulder. He brushed a hand down her back, trying to soothe her. Unfortunately the stroking fired up his libido and he had difficulties remaining amicable when all he wanted was to devour her. She has no idea how beautiful she is.
He held her for long moments until she gained control of her crying. When she pushed against his chest, he let her go and watched as she asked, “Are you going to arrest me?”
Chuck wiped her cheeks dry with his fingertips and grinned. “No, that would be the police.” When she looked at him like a rabbit fixated on a snake, he elaborated, “To arrest you.”
She froze in shock. He chuckled. “I’m sorry. Bad joke. No, I’m not going to arrest you. You need to talk to your mother.”
“No way.” Her voice was high-pitched and she looked like she wanted to run away. Just in case, he blocked her path to the door.
“You need to.”
“I can’t talk to her. You have experienced how she is. She’ll kill me.”
“Then return them.”
“I can’t,” she insisted.
“Why not?”
Linda swallowed and then murmured, “I destroyed them.”
“You did what? How could you destroy something so valuable?” His hands shot up to run through his dark hair. If Linda still had the Oscars, he might have been able to talk Evangelina into not punishing her daughter. But now?
“Valuable? They were nothing but stupid statues. You’re just like my mother. You’re only interested in money and material values.”
Chapter 16
Linda’s hand flew up to cover her mouth, but it was too late. The effect her offending words had on Chuck were visible in the hurtful expression on his face. But she couldn’t take them back; her own
emotions were flying too high at the moment.
Those Oscars represented everything Linda hated. Her mother’s career, her lack of love or time for her daughter, Linda’s constant – but unsuccessful – striving to live up to Evangelina’s sky-high expectations.
Throughout her entire life, Linda had been in the way of her mother’s glory. Never good enough. Never able to measure up to the great Evangelina Ross.
The anger burned through her as she remembered the time her father had left when she was five years old and never spoken to his daughter again. When he’d died a few years ago, she’d sneaked in to his funeral and had asked his second wife why her father had never tried to contact her. The woman had looked down on Linda with sadness and said, “Because he hated your mother so much, he couldn’t stand the thought of having to deal with her. Even to see you.”
Tears of wrath streamed down her face. “I hate her. She deserves it. She thinks she’s so fabulous, but she’s horrible. Always caring more what strangers think than her own flesh and blood. She never cared one whit for me. I was always in the way.” The sobbing interfered with her speaking. “ And you… you… I thought you were different. But you liked me only because of her!”
When she finally ran out of breath, Chuck was still standing in the same place, observing her with his strikingly beautiful blue eyes. Stupefied. He hadn’t tried to stop her tirade, nor did he make any attempt to convince her she was wrong. Instead, he stood there and listened.
“I do like you, because you’re a wonderful person, and not because of your mother,” he said and reached for her.
Linda stiffened at the physical contact, struggling for a moment before his warmth seeped into her soul and she caved. “This is so confusing. Nobody likes me because of me.”
“I do” was all he said, and she want to crawl inside him and stay there forever. In his arms she felt safe and loved. Desired. A rush of arousal shot into her core, despite the dire circumstances. But in Chuck’s arms nothing mattered, not even the prospect of having to face her mother.
They were still standing like that, his arms wrapped around her back, her cheek resting on his shoulder, when Nate returned with Picasso at his heels.
***
Now it was Chuck’s turn to blush with shame and feeling like he’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. He released Linda and jumped backwards, stammering out an apology: “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”
Nate seemed thoroughly confused until a spark of realization crossed his face. He took a step forward, his hands out in supplication. “Man, stop. It’s not what you’re thinking. Linda and I…we’re just friends. Best friends.” Then he grinned and added, “To tell you the truth, if I had to choose between you and her, I’d be much more interested in you.”
Chuck’s mind needed a while to comprehend the implications of Nate’s words. When it did, his jaw dropped to the floor and he felt like the fool he was. “Thank God,” he muttered.
Nate smirked. “This has got to be the first time a straight man has ever said this to me.”
All three of them burst out in laughter and Chuck stared at Linda, not believing how incredibly attractive she was when she laughed.
Linda gained control first. “Did you need something, Nate?”
Nate shook his head. “Nah, I just wanted to tell you I ‘m leaving for a few days right after my last therapy session. Will you take care of Picasso while I’m gone?”
“Of course. Courage will love the extra company.”
She gave Nate a quick hug, before he turned and shook Chuck’s hand, whispering in his ear, “She’s complicated but worth the effort.” Then Nate was gone. As were Courage and Picasso, who’d run across the gardens chasing some imaginary rabbit.
“So, what happens next?” she asked after several long, silent moments.
“You have to tell you mother.”
“She doesn’t deserve to know what happened to it.” Linda shivered and Chuck put a calming hand on her shoulder.
“That may be, but she hired me to find the statues. I can’t lie to her. The best thing is if she hears the truth from you.”
“I cannot do that!” Linda insisted.
“Yes, you can. This could be your chance to tell her how you really feel.”
Linda scoffed, “She doesn’t care how I feel. Haven’t you figured that out yet?”
Chuck didn’t relent. “You can do this. I know you can.”
She was saved from responding when Courage came running straight for them. Chuck stiffed for a moment, but then leaned down to scratch the dog’s head. Linda’s jaw fell wide open and she gestured to her Golden Retriever, “I thought you were afraid of him?”
Chuck glanced up at her, his hands moving gently over the dog’s head, with the tiniest tremble only he noticed. “I am, but I’m trying to overcome my fears.”
“Why?” she asked.
“For you. I know how important Courage is to you, and if I wanted to have a relationship with you, I should become friends with your dog as well.”
His entire body tingled with desire when he said the word relationship, and the power of the sensation surprised him. Chuck wasn’t known to be emotional, but with Linda his heart and body ached every second he couldn’t hold her in his arms.
“That was the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me,” she murmured with a smile on her lips. It obviously wasn’t meant for his ears, but he beamed from ear to ear. Making Linda happy proved to be immensely satisfying.
When the dog had enough and strolled away, Linda was misty-eyed. Chuck could only stare at her beautiful face. He closed the distance between them and took her chin in his hand to gently force her eyes to meet his. What he saw was confusing. Love. Tenderness. Fear.
He asked softly, “What are you afraid of, sweetheart?”
Linda shivered. “Nothing.”
“Liar.” Then he kissed her. It started out so soft and tender, barely touching her lips with his. Kissing Linda felt like nothing before, and he knew he was falling for her. Hard and fast. She eased into his embrace, soaking up every bit of nearness.
The moment she pressed her perky breasts into his chest and opened her luscious lips for him, every last trace of his self-control shattered and he crushed his mouth over hers demandingly, exploring every crevice with his tongue. Her sweet and alluring taste robbed him of any rational thought.
She reached for him, clinging to his shoulders desperately, and he hooked her up on his hips, surprised at how lightweight she was, bringing her core right over his hardened shaft.
Zings of pure pleasure bolted through his body as they clung to each other like drowning people to a lifeline. When he broke their kiss to come up for breath, a sexy moan escaped her. Chuck immersed himself in her shining brown eyes, that for once didn’t show any sign of pain.
He would have liked to take the kiss further, but they were in her workplace. With regret, he carefully set her down and grabbed her hand to take her inside. But he had to ask the question that had been tormenting him since last night. “Why did you shut me out yesterday?”
Linda jerked, trying to pull her hand away, but he held onto her and with a slight tug on her hand, she swirled right back against his chest. Where she belonged.
“Sweetheart, you need to stop running. Running away only hurts you, and doesn’t solve a thing.”
Chuck held her for a few more minutes before he released her and asked, “Do you have any therapy sessions right now?”
“No. Not today. I was going to train with the dogs.”
“Let’s go.” He grabbed her hand.
“Where?”
“To tell your mother.”
“No!” Her eyes widened in panic and she yanked at the hand he was holding, but he didn’t let go of her.
“Linda, the sooner you get it over with, the better for you.”
“Chuck, you don’t understand…”
He sighed. “I do understand. That’s why I’ll go with you and we’ll te
ll her together.” He really wanted to give Linda time to do this by herself, but she was so upset, he knew that would never happen. And he couldn’t keep this from Evangelina for long. She was his client and had a right to know what he’d found out.
Chuck finally managed to gently force her to the parking lot and into his SUV, holding her hand the entire time. She barely let go of his hand to let him enter the car and grabbed it again as soon as he settled in the driver’s seat. When they arrived at the Ross mansion, he practically pulled her from the passenger seat as if she was a dummy. “It’s going to be okay, sweetheart. I’ll be right by your side.”
“Promise?” she asked with a fearful voice.
“I promise.” They entered the house, and were greeted by the sight of a maid mopping the entryway tile. “Oh. Mr. Armstrong, Mrs. Ross is not home. But I expect her to come back soon. Would you like to wait in the sitting room?”
Linda shook her head. “No need, Daisy. I’ll show Mr. Armstrong around.”
“As you wish, Ms. Ross,” the maid said and continued with her work.
Chuck turned to Linda, smiling at how relieved she looked. “I guess you get a small reprieve.”
Linda nodded and then pulled him towards the staircase.
“Where are we going?”
“Upstairs. I never stay down here any longer than I have to.”
Chuck grinned and followed her up the winding staircase. They entered her suite of rooms, so different from the other rooms. In Linda’s sanctuary casual furniture and muted colors gave the suite a homey look, opposed to the ostentatious and overdone rooms downstairs.
Chapter 17
Linda was suddenly nervous. Chuck’s presence in her space caused all kinds of inappropriate thoughts and feelings in her. She wasn’t ready to fully trust him – yet.
“Want to watch a movie?” she said to distract herself from her nerves and his damn attractive body.
“Sure. You pick,” he said and settled in the middle of the couch.
She nodded and reached blindly for a movie from the shelf next to the entertainment center. Then she turned and swallowed hard, seeing Chuck sitting like he owned the place. His big frame leaned against the couch and the smile he sent her made her insides melt. If she weren’t careful, she’d soon be a puddle at his feet.
