The woman looked troubled. “Hang on.” She crossed the room and spoke in hushed tones with an older woman. The manager, Tessa supposed, as they both headed toward her.
“This is Jerri, the manager. She talked with your husband yesterday.”
“I’m not married. And I never asked for my account to be canceled.”
“I’m sorry for the inconvenience,” Jerri said. “A man came in here yesterday before close and asked to cancel his wife’s service. I explained that I couldn’t do that without her permission. So he called you—“ She glanced at Tessa’s tightly clenched fists and amended her statement. “He called someone. She gave me your privacy protection information. Your birth date and social security number.”
Cold fear seeped into Tessa’s bones as she tried to digest what the manager told her.
Jerri tapped the keyboard, rapidly entering information. “I’ll go ahead and reinstate your account, Ms. Maycroft.”
“What did he look like?” Tessa demanded.
Jerri paused in thought. “Slightly taller than you. He wore a brown, cowboy hat and a leather jacket.”
“What color was his hair?”
The woman shook her head. “I’m sorry. I didn’t notice with the hat. He had blue eyes, though.”
Tessa sighed with relief.
“Or, maybe, they were green.”
Her relief faltered. It wasn’t Zander. It couldn’t have been. “Do you have video surveillance?”
Jerri nodded. “But I’ll need a warrant.”
“Not a problem.” Using the store’s phone, she called Detective Duritz. When he didn’t answer, she left the details on his voicemail.
Tessa checked her watch. She had just enough time to get ready for her non-date with Zander. If she was still going. The image of his name on her account had been branded into her mind. She shook off the fear. If he were her stalker, he would have hurt her already. He’d had ample opportunity. But if not Zander, then whom?
Chapter Nine
Zander tried to decide if he wanted to go to the awards banquet. What he really wanted was to skip it and talk to Tessa, but he had students who had worked hard for their honors. He needed to be there. Afterward, whether she liked it or not, he and his angel were having a talk.
On the heels of that thought, a knock sounded on his door. He opened it to find her standing there. She wore a black-and-gold sarong skirt and matching top. Both garments draped around her in some complicated style that made him think of unwrapping her like a gift. Yeah, right. After the other night, he was pretty sure that wasn’t happening. Ever.
The pendant he’d given her rested enticingly above the swell of her breasts. Did the fact she wore it mean anything, or was he reading too much into her jewelry choice?
“Are you ready?” she asked.
He was ready for a lot of things, but he sincerely doubted she’d go along with any of them. “For what?”
She checked her watch. “The awards banquet. We haven’t missed it, have we?”
“No, but…”
Her face fell, and she straightened her shoulders as if she were facing a firing squad. “Oh. I’m sorry.” She twisted her ring around her finger. “Look, I should have checked first to make sure you still wanted me to go with you.”
“Tessa, I—”
“I understand.” She wouldn’t meet his gaze, and her words tumbled faster from her lips. “I was a total freak the other night.” Her nervousness ricocheted like bullets off his skin.
“Tess—”
“I’m really sorry,” she stammered. “That whole thing got way out of control.”
“Tess—”
“But, it’s not like it meant anything.” She started to turn away. “So I’m going to go now.”
Oh hell no. He spun her to face him.
She moistened her lips. “I’ll see you—”
She obviously wasn’t going to listen to him. Time for plan B. He cut off the rest of her thoughts with his mouth. God, she tasted so sweet.
Stiffening, she clutched the front of his shirt and crushed the fabric. Not that he minded. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. A sensation of intense relief washed over him at her nearness. It had been, what? Not quite forty-eight hours and it felt as though he hadn’t seen her in months. For a moment, he thought of Niko, closer than ever before to comprehending how much his brother had lost.
Tessa softened against Zander, drawing the breath from his mouth as he kissed her. She traced the seam of his lips with her tongue, before opening beneath him. He slid his hand into her hair, angling her closer.
How could she think this heat flaring between them meant nothing? He supposed it was possible that it wasn’t important to her, but Tessa wasn’t the kind of woman who fell into just any man’s arms. No matter what she said, it had to mean something to her. Reluctantly, he raised his head.
“Later,” she whispered. Her eyelids fluttered open. She blinked as if coming fully awake and released his shirt. Frowning, she tried to smooth the wrinkles. “I’m sorry, I—”
“Tessa!” he said with more force than he’d meant to.
She froze in his arms.
“Angel,” he said in gentler tones. “Quit apologizing. You don’t have anything to be sorry for.”
She blinked rapidly and tried to pull from his embrace.
“Well, actually,” he continued. “Maybe, you do.”
She stopped struggling and met his gaze. Her eyes had darkened, and her lips were slightly swollen from their kiss. She was so damn beautiful it was difficult to think coherently. But when he remembered how worried he’d been about her, he managed it.
“Why were you avoiding me yesterday?”
She flinched and he instantly regretted his harsh tone. He smoothed his thumb over her cheek.
“I was worried about you.”
She shrugged from his grasp and paced around him into the living room. “I wasn’t avoiding you. I was just busy.”
He snorted. “You could have come over or, at least, called when you got home.”
“I didn’t get back until after midnight, and I didn’t want to wake you,” she finished weakly.
“I was awake.”
She glanced almost desperately at the clock over the mantel. “What time does the ceremony start?” Her evasion tactics were tireless.
He followed her gaze. “In half an hour. And yes, I would like you to come with me.”
“You might,” she gestured loosely at him, “want to change your shirt.”
Satisfaction curled through him when he looked at the wrinkles, evidence of her passion. She couldn’t pretend to be unaffected by their growing desire. Holding her gaze, he loosened his tie and began unbuttoning his shirt.
She followed his fingers with her eyes as he parted the fabric. Her breath caught in her throat, and he remembered, too late, the scratches on his chest.
Horror dawned across her face, and she closed the space between them. Her hands trembled as they came into contact with his body. She trailed her fingers over his skin, outlining the marks. “Oh God, Zander.”
He raised her suddenly cold hands to his lips. “This wasn’t the scenario where I’d hoped to hear those words from you.”
Instead of the amusement he’d hoped to see, her eyes filled with tears. “Did I do that when…” she broke off, as if unable to finish the sentence.
“It’s okay, angel. No big deal.”
She shifted to pull away. When he didn’t release her, she dashed her hand across her eyes. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.
Flattening her fingers over the wound and his wildly thudding heart, he kissed her forehead. “It’s okay.”
She shook her head. The welling pain in her eyes tightened his chest. She looked so stricken.
He drew her against his body, wanting to soothe her.
Lowering her head, her lips hovered above the injured area before she rested her cheek against it. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, her voice breaking.
> He kissed the top of her head, her hair silk against his lips. “It’s okay,” he murmured. “It’s okay.”
And it was. He was willing to do whatever he needed to do prove it to her. For an endless moment, she curled into his embrace and let him hold her. He tried not to think about how good it felt to have her face pressed against his bare chest.
Abruptly, she straightened, nearly knocking his chin with her head. “We should leave soon, if we’re going to be on time.”
He released her, albeit reluctantly. She was right. They needed to get moving. He pulled a shirt from the hook on the back of his door. Ripping off the dry cleaning plastic, he quickly changed.
“Can you grab my jacket for me?” he asked. “It’s on my bed.”
“Sure.” Her relief at having something to do was obvious.
Oh yeah, they’d be talking tonight. However, he’d wait until after the banquet in hopes she’d be more relaxed.
Buttoning his shirt, he glanced at Tessa. She stood just inside the doorway of his room. Her entire body was rigid, and her breathing harsh. Her fear was a tidal wave swamping him.
He moved to her side. “Tess? What’s the matter?” Trying not to frighten her further, he gently touched her shoulder.
She whirled, her pupils dilated with alarm and her skin pasty white. He glanced into his room, half expecting to see a dead body. There was nothing.
His suit coat lay across the end of his bed where he’d left it. Sure, there were dirty clothes on the floor and his bed wasn’t made, but the sheets were clean. It wasn’t the neatest room, but he didn’t think it was bad enough to be a hyperventilating offense. What the hell was going on?
Spell broken, she swallowed audibly and shook herself. “Sorry.” Darting into his room, she snatched the jacket and handed it to him. “Are you ready? Let’s go.”
“Tess, talk to me. What just happened?”
“Nothing,” she rushed to say.
“Bullshit.” He pulled her into his arms. Her heart pounded with an erratic rhythm against his chest. “Something terrified you. What the hell was it?”
“I thought I saw something.”
What pathetic lie would she come with this time? “Ted Bundy?”
She flinched. “A rat,” she said flatly as she pulled from his embrace.
He’d never known her to be afraid of any animal, but he let it go. For now. It seemed their list of discussion topics grew longer by the minute.
“Ready to go?” she asked hopefully. Keeping her back to his bedroom, she seemed to be purposely slowing her breathing. He relaxed slightly as the fear drained from her eyes. Tension stretched between them like a taut cable, but she didn’t recoil when he put his arm around her. He couldn’t shake the feeling that she regarded him differently somehow.
“Do you have a cowboy hat?” she blurted, as they walked toward the door.
“What?” Where had that question come from? Was it related to the terror she’d just experienced?
She nervously twisted the ring on her finger, waiting for his answer.
He studied her anxious face. “Do you have a thing for cowboys?” he asked. “I could go buy some chaps if you want.”
She shook her head, her cheeks tinged pink. “So no hat?” she asked, her tone suddenly hopeful.
“Nope.” He skimmed his hand over her arm. Her skin was chilled to the touch.
She shivered and closed her eyes. He felt her apprehension fade as she leaned into his caress.
“Want to check my closet for any other unfortunate fashion skeletons?” he asked. He wanted to know why the hat was so important, but he couldn’t make himself bring the guarded expression back to her face. Like everything else, he was sure they’d talk about it later. There was no way he’d let her avoid the answers tonight.
* * * *
Aidan waited by the door of the auditorium, and Tessa’s steps slowed. She still couldn’t believe what she’d done to him the other night. The way she’d been acting, she was surprised Zander hadn’t dropped her off at the nearest insane asylum on the way to the campus.
“I was about to file a missing person report on you two,” Aidan griped. His eyes softened when he turned to her. “Hey, love. How are you? I feel terrible about the other night.”
“You and me, both.” She tried to smile, but it felt as if her face would crack with the effort of it.
Zander pulled her into his side. Gratefully, she sank into his warmth. After the stress of the last few days, her nerves were exposed and raw. He felt like shelter. Like home.
Aidan grinned, obviously amused by Zander’s possessive behavior. “Monique’s been asking after you.”
Zander glanced at Tessa. “There’s still time to make a run for it.”
“Not a chance. This is important.” Besides, knowing that her stalker knew Zander’s name and had the ability to cancel her personal accounts made a public event seem like a good idea. At least, now, they were in a crowd of several hundred people. Not as safe as the police department but not bad.
Zander laced his fingers with hers and led her to their seats. As they sat, he gazed at her with such tenderness it hurt to look at him. She couldn’t hold back the wave of sorrow that lapped at the shores of her consciousness. Why did the best relationship she’d ever had have to be a complete lie? Worse, she feared she was falling in love with him.
During the ceremony, Zander handed out several awards to his students. His pride in them and their accomplishments was evident in his presentations. She couldn’t help but imagine him at a child’s ballgame or dance recital. If he settled down long enough to have a son or daughter, he’d be a wonderful father.
Tessa couldn’t help the pang of jealousy that accompanied the stray thought. If he ever made that kind of commitment to a woman, it wouldn’t be to someone like her. If they’d actually been dating, he would have bailed long ago.
She tried to hide her sadness as Zander made his way back to his seat. Judging by his pensive expression, she hadn’t done a very good job. The ceremony seemed to drag on for hours. Finally, Monique stepped up to the podium and introduced the faculty honors. Zander received the last award of the evening. As he accepted his accolade for his most recent study, his gaze sought Tessa’s and held her motionless.
“In addition to my colleagues, I’d like to thank the love of my life for her friendship, support and love.”
His eyes shone with such emotion she wanted to believe it was true. It was official. By the time they were done with this game of pretend, her heart would be shattered into countless pieces. It figured. The one time she fell in love and it was with someone who was acting. So much for self-control.
Tears welled in her eyes at the thought. She dodged Aidan and excused herself, looking for the nearest bathroom to hide in, until she could pull herself together. Students and other guests formed a line outside the restroom. She had to settle for the darkened alcove, near an exit door at the end of the long hallway.
Rifling through her purse, she looked for tissues. She wasn’t about to cry and embarrass Zander or herself. Nor would she explain to the King of Casual Relationships that she might have done the unthinkable and fallen in love with him.
Feeling slightly more composed, she slipped through the exit into a dimly lit garden. The trees and bushes twinkled, covered with strings of tiny, white lights. Both the dark and the temperature had fallen during the ceremony. Tessa shivered and rubbed her arms. She needed the fresh air and solitude more than she needed warmth.
A cobblestone walkway surrounded a gurgling fountain. She circled it and trailed her fingers through the chilly water. Watching the ripples widen and spread across the surface, she thought of all the things that had changed since she agreed to Zander’s request. Because of two people, her whole life had been turned upside down. Zander and the stalker. It had been a long time since she’d felt she had so little control.
She sighed. But what about Zander? She’d thought she’d been in love once before. With him.
But even before he’d hurt her, she’d never experienced the kind of soul-deep connection she felt with Zander.
She wasn’t stupid. She knew she was alone in her emotions. She also knew the heat between them was genuine. Well, genuine enough. She wanted Zander more than she’d ever wanted any other man, and apparently he wasn’t all that picky. Would it be so bad to give in to their desire? By the time he moved on to the next woman, their friendship would be over anyway.
She’d have to find a new place to live. As soon as he no longer needed her help, she’d leave. She couldn’t possibly stay in the same house, hearing the passionate cries of the next woman he brought home. She couldn’t bear the thought of eventually having to watch him fall in love with someone else. At least, she’d have the memories of him to take with her.
She tried to think rationally. Maybe, this wasn’t love at all. Maybe, this was just her psyche’s misguided bid for dominion over the uncertainty in her life. Maybe convincing herself she was falling in love with him was just another way of sorting out her control issues. Or maybe, she was just plain crazy. Besides, she didn’t believe in love. Not anymore.
A stick snapped beyond the protective glow of the lights. She straightened, alert. Had the stalker tracked her here? She supposed it was possible. He knew where she worked and could have easily followed them to the university. Or it could simply be a raccoon looking for dinner.
Looking into the darkness, she strained her ears, listening for any sign of movement. The door opened behind her and she whirled around.
“Are you hiding?” Zander asked.
“I needed a break from the crowd,” she said, still on high alert.
Another twig snapped on the grounds behind the garden. Tessa startled and backed into him, trying to stare beyond the trees.
“We need to talk,” he murmured in her ear.
“Okay,” she agreed, wanting to leave the deserted garden.
“Okay?” he asked. “I say we need to talk, and you say okay?”
“Um, yeah,” she answered, still scanning the bushes, not exactly sure what she’d agreed to. The sound of stone scraping stone stopped her from asking. Was her stalker watching, waiting in the darkness?
Vengeful Shadows Page 12
