by Jessica Gray
Throughout her life plastic people, to whom status and proper behavior counted more than true feelings, had surrounded her. Linda was wary about believing in love, but when Chuck patted the cushion next to him, her heart was beating faster, and a warm feeling spread throughout her body.
No doubt, she was falling in love with this man. The question was whether he was falling in love with her too. She hesitantly approached him, swallowing nervously, and sat down beside him, deliberately leaving as much empty space between them as possible. Which wasn’t much.
She felt the heat radiating off him, and while she wanted nothing more than to throw herself against his chiseled chest, she resisted and tried to keep her back straight.
The movie started up and Chuck reached out to pull her into the curve of his arm. A gesture as considerate as it was loving – and hot as hell. His unique scent wafted to her nostrils and caused a turmoil in her brain and body.
Linda didn’t have much experience with men, but from the way he held her possessively and brushed his fingers lightly up and down her upper arm, she could tell this wasn’t about his own lust, but about her.
Chucks light caresses were so soothing, she finally relaxed into his arm, her breath coming nice and even. Until he moved his arm to slide it around her waist. Fireworks of desire exploded in every cell of her body and she gasped at the intense sensation.
Then he turned her to face him and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. And just like that, all of the calm she’d managed to find evaporated, taking her resolve to stay away from him with it.
Linda tipped her head up and he captured her lips in a searing kiss. Gone was the tenderness as he crushed his mouth over hers, his need for her apparently as great as her need for him. His tongue traced the seam of her lips and she parted them with a gasp at the electrifying sensation.
His kiss stole her breath and heated her body to the point where she wriggled in his arms.
“Come here,” he encouraged her, pulling her onto his lap. She willingly ground her core against his hardness and felt her nipples tightening painfully.. “Gosh, you’re gorgeous. I’ve wanted to do this since I first saw you, he murmured while showering her face, neck, and shoulders with kisses, before he returned to her mouth.
Linda’s brain refused to form another coherent thought; for once she was lost in desire and didn’t think about being too fat or otherwise undesirable. Chuck pushed his hands through her hair and tilted her head to gain better access to her mouth.
A moan escaped her throat as he slid his tongue inside and stroked the inside of her mouth. Every lap of his tongue sent tantalizing shocks across her body. She needed more of him – she pressed her aching nipples into his hard chest, wrapping her arms around his neck for better purchase.
Her breath came in bursts, and she wanted this exhilarating sensation to never end. She shivered when his hands let go of her hair and stroked up and down her back, the shivers magnifying when he found the hem of her shirt and delved underneath. His rough hands on her sensitive skin were all she could think of.
Panting, she came up for breath and tipped her head back. And in the next moment heat seared through her body, because he’d used the space between them to cup her breasts in his palms. Through the thin silky fabric of her bra he teased her nipples into taut peaks. The sensations rushing through her body were almost too much to bear. She’d never been in such a frenzied ecstasy before. “Oh God, Chuck,” she hissed.
He chuckled into her ear, “You’re such a hot babe.” Then he proceeded to nibble on her earlobe, and blood rushed to her face. Whether because of the naughty compliment or the excruciatingly delicious nibbling on her earlobe, she didn’t know. And didn’t care. All she cared about was the fire his touch had sparked in her.
Linda was so caught up in Chuck’s expert teasing of her body, it took several moments for the sounds of an arriving sports car to register in her brain. When it did, she went from consumed with lust to consumed with fear and anxiety. She jerked away from Chuck, scrambling off his lap and landing on the floor in a heap of legs and arms in her haste.
“What’s wrong?” he said with a shocked face.
“My mother.” Linda was panting; panic was quickly overtaking her ability to function. “She’s home.”
Chuck looked at her and then cursed beneath his breath. He stood up and straightened his clothing, pushing his hands through his hair. “Linda…”
“No! I can’t do it. I can’t face her. Not now.” If her mother saw her like this, she’d exactly know what had happened. Linda laughed hysterically. Wasn’t it ironic, that the man who’d turned down the iconic actress would make out with the ugly duckling? But then she sobered. Evangelina considered Chuck her booty, and she’d surely not be amused that he’d favored Linda over her.
“Please, don’t tell her,” she pleaded.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart.” His eyes looked at her with so much love her heart fluttered, despite the terror still coursing through her veins.
He helped her up and gave her one last calming kiss. “Everything will be alright.”
I love you, she wanted to whisper, but instead she leaned her head against his shoulder. It was much too early to admit to love.
Chapter 18
Chuck walked out of the room and headed down the stairs. Linda was exaggerating – her mother might be unbelievably conceited, but she wasn’t an evil person. He’d talk to her like adults did and she’d understand.
Evangelina was checking her fan mail in the foyer as he reached the hallway. “Good afternoon Ev. May we talk for a moment?”
“You found the thief?” she inquired, looking him up and down as if he were on the menu.
He ignored her blatant attempts to flirt with him and followed her into the front sitting room. “I have discovered what happened.”
“You found them?” Her voice pitched itself a tone higher.
“Not exactly. Unfortunately, the statues have been destroyed. Linda took them.”
“What? Are you insane? What kind of bullshit are you trying to pull here? You couldn’t find anyone else to blame, so you blame my daughter?” Evangelina shot daggers at him and if a glance could kill, he’d be dead by now.
Chuck breathed deeply before he continued with as much calm as he could muster, “I know this is very upsetting for you. Maybe you want to sit down for a moment.”
She took three measured steps toward him and put her flaming red-varnished fingernail on his chest. “I. Do. Not. Need. To. Sit. Down.”
“Linda confessed to have taken your Oscars. You and she have some problems you need to work, through.” Chuck wasn’t sure if it had been wise to add that last sentence, but he’d wanted to defend Linda for her deed. It was as much Ev’s fault as Linda’s that this whole mess had happened.
He observed the actress while she processed his words and, much to his surprise, nothing happened. No temper tantrum. No shouting or cursing. Nothing. It was frightening. He noticed the exact moment Ev acknowledged he was telling her the truth, because she straightened her spine and her expression turned from upset to calculating.
“You have to blame it on someone else,” she said.
“What?”
Ev nodded and began to pace across the room. “Yes. Find someone else to take the blame. Even if we have to pay them a hefty sum.”
Chuck wondered why a woman who by actions and words didn’t actually care for her daughter was willing to lie for her. “But why?”
“Because she’s my daughter. Whatever she does ultimately comes back on me and I can’t have that. If word got out that Linda was a thief, it would be a mark against me, not her.”
Her reasoning shouldn’t have surprised him, but it did. In his book family always came first. He’d helped his siblings on countless occasions but never to rescue his public image or the family honor. No, the Armstrong family members stuck together because of their love for each other.
“I can’t accuse someone else,” he replied. �
�I uncover the truth, I don’t hide it.”
She approached him again with a fake smile that was meant to intimidate him. “Look, Chuck. I don’t care about your moral inclinations. Either pin this on someone else, or I will ruin you. I know everyone in town – and a word from me about how incompetent you are, and you’ll never work in Hollywood again.”
And that would be a bad thing because why? But it would be a bad thing. He relied on word of mouth to get him his next job, and if Evangelina Ross were to spread lies about him, it could destroy his business. She had him, and looking at the smug satisfaction on her face, she knew it.
“I won’t let you blackmail me.” He stormed past her to leave the mansion, but she called after him:
“You have two days to think about your decision.”
Chapter 19
Linda was trying to fend off the panic consuming her. She crawled into bed, hugging a pillow to her chest as she tried to deal with the happenings. Chuck. Making out. Her mother. The Oscars. Her mind was spinning.
And then Evangelina stormed into the room. Her face was mottled red and she was shaking with fury. “You little bitch! It’s not enough that I house you still, you have to steal from me!”
“What are you screaming about?” She tried to play ignorant.
“You know exactly what I’m talking about. You destroyed my Oscars.” Her mother stepped to the bed and Linda slid her feet to the opposite side, suddenly remembering that her shirt was partially tucked out from Chuck’s hands earlier. Heat flooded her body and she reached to fix it, which was a mistake.
Ev’s eyes darted to take in the disheveled state of Linda’s clothing and messed-up hair, and then she sneered at her. “Was that bastard up here? With you? You little slut.”
When Linda opened her mouth to deny it, her mother cut her off. “Don’t lie to me. I can see the whisker burn on your neck and your puffy lips. I sure thought he had better taste than making out with you, of all persons. Or is this how he got the information out of you?”
Linda fisted her hands. She wouldn’t let her mother destroy the notion that Chuck liked her for who she was. “What right do you have to question my morals when you are the queen of sex with any male who has two legs?”
Ev advanced on her and Linda wisely kept the bed between them. “So, you think to show a backbone with me? You don’t have the nerve to follow through. You’re nothing but a worthless waste of space and I don’t know why I put up with you.”
“You don’t put up with me, Mother. It’s the opposite. I put up with you.”
“Well, you know where the door is. But you don’t have the guts to leave. Mark my words, you’ll rue the day you messed with me. I can’t believe you hate me enough to destroy my Oscars.”
“Believe it!” Linda yelled at her, keeping her volume at the same level as her mother’s. She stared the woman down, shaking with emotions and fury.
Ev gave her a hateful look. “You’re pathetic. I’ve done nothing but tried to make a valuable person out of you. And what do I get for that? A useless stealing bitch.”
Evangelina turned on her heel and flounced from the room, her four-inch heels clicking on the boards of the floor.
Linda waited almost a full minute after her mother’s grand exit, before she left her position by the bed. She was crying and shaking, but somehow summoned the strength to walk into the closet and pull out her suitcases. Item after item landed inside, until all three suitcases were full. She wouldn’t come back here. Ever.
When she’d dragged the last suitcase into the back of her SUV, the anger had only accumulated and she needed an outlet. She grabbed her cell phone and dialed Chuck’s number.
“Linda?”
“How could you do that to me?” she screamed into the phone.
“I’m sorry you’re upset…”
“Oh, I’m way beyond upset.” Her rage made her shout out the words. “I’m done with you.” She disconnected the call and slammed her cell onto the passenger seat. Then she drove back to the doctor’s office. But the dog training had to wait. She wasn’t in a state of mind where she could do that. Training dogs needed calm and patience.
Instead she retrieved Courage, taking a moment to hug him close to her, needing the comfort of his unconditional love. She loaded him into her vehicle and then leaned her forehead on the steering wheel, her hand moving mindlessly through his fur.
When she felt she was capable of driving again, she headed out to the cliff that overlooked the beach. It was one of her favorite places, where she always seemed to end up when she was upset.
Courage jumped out of the vehicle and sniffed around, doing his business, while she walked to the edge of the cliff, sitting down in the grasses and staring morosely out at the ocean.
As always her dog sensed her mood and rather than running about, investigating all of the smells, he sat down next to her and leaned against her side. She wrapped an arm around him and then laid her head on his, tears pooling in her eyes. “You’re the only one who truly loves me in this entire world, did you know that?”
He wagged his tail.
“My life is such a clusterfuck. Sure, I have plenty of money, and because of Mommy Dearest I’m even a bit famous, but what has that ever gotten me? Nothing.”
Courage prodded her with his nose, and she looked into his large brown eyes full of compassion for his master.
She hugged him close. “I love you, Courage. You’re the only one I’ve ever loved that loved me back. Does true love even exist among people? I know others say it does, but I’ve sure never experienced it.”
The rolling waves on the ocean down the cliff caught her attention. Maybe I should just end it all now. Nobody would shed a tear. Everything would be so much better.
Courage chose that moment to bump her shoulder with his wet nose and she turned sad eyes on him. “But that wouldn’t be fair to you.” She scratched his head, discarding all thoughts of ending her life by jumping. It had been a stupid idea to begin with.
Linda sat there for a long time, whispering her thoughts to the dog, and letting her emotions pour out of her. She told the Golden Retriever about Chuck and the wonderful feelings he’d created in her, but also how angry and hurt she was that he’d thrown her under the bus. Linda cried, cursed, fretted, and when all of those emotions were spent, she felt better at last.
“You know, Courage, Chuck’s the only person who has ever liked me the way I am. He didn’t want to change how I dressed, or what I did for a career. He didn’t even want to get to my mother through me. And he sure didn’t want my money.” She sniffed. “But I drove him away. All because of my stupid mother. She ruins everything.”
Darkness fell. She had to find a place to stay. But where? Nate would let her crash at his place, but he was out of town. She sighed; there was no way she would go back to her mother’s place. Over my dead body. It was time to take hold of her life and to break the chains of oppression. To become the person she wanted to be, and not try to please someone else.
With no other friends to count on, she decided to sleep at the office tonight. Courage lived there, and she could use a couch in one of the therapy rooms. Right now, her head hurt and she was so tired, she just wanted to lie down and sleep for the next year.
Back at the office, everything was locked for the weekend. She opened with her key and found Picasso and the other dogs patiently waiting for someone to feed them. She dumped kibble, opened cans of wet dog food, and changed their water, before she left the dogs for the night and disappeared inside the building.
Chapter 20
Chuck had been struck by Linda’s angry phone call. He could only imagine what had happened between Evangelina and her. By the tone of her voice, it had been awful.
He felt guilty about misjudging Evangelina’s wrath and leaving Linda in such a tenuous position. I wasn’t there to protect her like I promised. He needed to apologize and make sure she was okay, but Linda was nowhere to be found. Not on her cell. Not at the office. An
d not at the Ross mansion. No trace of her or her car anywhere.
He called her number again and again, but every time it went straight to voicemail. As the darkness fell, he became seriously worried. Not sure what to do next, he decided to call his brother Drake and ask for advice.
Drake simply laughed at his predicament. “Much in love there, bro?”
“What?”
“Oh, come on. You’re the best private investigator around and you can’t even find your own girl. Love must be clouding your mind.”
“Forget the love thing, I’m truly worried by now. You don’t know her mother – she makes Cruella De Vil look like an angel.”
Drake laughed again. “Can’t help you here, but push your emotions aside and consider her one of your cases. Use all of those private eye skills and find her. You can do it.”
Chuck cursed into the phone.
“Be nice with me, and call when you’ve found your girl,” Drake said and hung up.
Chuck cursed again at the phone, but then had to admit his oldest brother was right. He was a great private investigator, and thus should be able to find Linda without a problem.
He didn’t have to think long about where to start. One always started at the last known place a person had been seen. The Ross mansion. As much as he loathed meeting Evangelina again, she probably was the last person who’d seen Linda.
The maid opened the doors and answered with a shake of her head to his discreet question about Linda’s whereabouts. Minutes later a very haughty Evangelina greeted him. “I see you’re back. Did you reconsider you refusal?”
“No, I’m here to find Linda.” Chuck shoved his hands into his pockets.
“She’s none of your concern. And I would have believed you to have better taste.”
