How many times did he have to say it? He parroted flatly, “I really mean it. I don’t want another chance with you. Goodbye, Ella.”
“Oh, Sten!” Ella cried.
Karin chose that moment to burst out laughing.
Ella whirled on her. “Bitch,” she proclaimed, after which she tossed her head. Her silky hair fanned out and settled, just so, on her shoulders. She aimed her scowl at Sten. “That does it. I am so done with you, Sten Larson. Forever.” And she marched out the door.
Karin, still laughing, sagged against the doorframe. Sten scooted past her and followed Ella out into the front office, just to make she was actually leaving. She kept walking. Rounding the counter, she flung the outside door wide, stormed through and slammed it behind her.
“You’re enjoying this way too much,” Sten said to his sister, who kept right on laughing.
Outside, he heard a car start up. Through the window next to the outer door, he saw Ella’s Jetta speed away.
Karin peeled herself off the doorframe and went to her desk. “I’m sorry for laughing.” She dropped into her chair.
“No, you’re not.”
“Okay, okay. I couldn’t help myself. But you are so right. I’m not sorry in the least. That was just too perfect.” She waved her hand in front of her face as a few more random giggles escaped her. “Really brightened my day, you know?”
Sten shook his head. “You said you never liked her, but I guess I didn’t realize how much you didn’t like her.”
“Actually, I did like her at first. She was nice to me then, because she was sucking up to you. Once she had you, she didn’t need to make an effort with the rest of us.”
“So what you’re saying is that I was a complete idiot for ever getting involved with her.”
“You’re no idiot. You’re just a man who was finally ready for the right woman when the wrong one came along.”
“Okay, on second thought maybe I’d rather just be a damn idiot.” That brought another giggle from his sister—and he was still kind of worried that he hadn’t seen the last of Ella. “Tell me honestly. Do you think she’s really gone for good?”
“Yeah. I do. How can she manipulate you if you don’t buy her act? That drama queen has gotten your message and she is never coming back.”
* * *
Madison heard Sten’s truck drive in at a little after six that night. A few seconds later, her phone beeped with a text: Want some company?
With that lovely rising feeling in her chest just at the prospect of seeing his face, she texted back: I do. Especially if the company is you.
When he showed up a couple of minutes later, he took her in his arms and kissed her until her head was spinning. She pulled him inside and they tore at each other’s clothes.
After a breathtaking interlude in the bedroom, they got dressed again and went out to the kitchen.
She fried the pork chops she’d bought that day and served them with baked potatoes and a green salad. They ate. After the meal, when she asked him if he wanted coffee, he got up, grabbed her hand and led her back to the bedroom again.
What was it with her clothes around him? They seemed to fall off of their own accord. Once he had her naked, he knelt before her on the bedside rug.
Oh, the things that man could do with his lips and his hands. The aftershocks of the pleasure he brought were still rocking through her when she pulled him onto the bed with her, rolled on top of him and kissed her way down to where he jutted up hard and ready from the nest of dark hair between his powerful thighs.
It wasn’t the first time she’d used her hands and her eager mouth on him. But it was the first time she felt strong and confident making love to him that way. It not only turned her on, it also felt natural and right.
Afterward, she cuddled up next to him, pulled the sheet over them and invited him to dinner at Daniel’s on Sunday. “It’s kind of a DNA-results party. Daniel specifically said I should invite you to come—and don’t ask me how he knew about us. I never said anything. Believe me, I would have. But I haven’t had a chance. Maybe Aislinn told him.”
He braced an elbow on his pillow and rested his head on his hand. “Isn’t that more of a family thing?”
She got the strangest feeling then. A sense of his retreat from her.
It hurt. Like he was taking away something she needed to live: water, food. The very air she breathed.
And she might have been short on real experience with men when she arrived in Valentine Bay. But she was learning fast.
If he was pulling away, she was going to make him say so right to her face. Yeah, she was new at this romance thing. But she’d never been afraid to come out with whatever was on her mind.
She captured his blue gaze and wouldn’t let go of it. “Right. It’s a family thing. Like breakfast at your sister’s is a family thing. And razor clamming. Those are your family things and you and your family were kind enough to include me. Me and my family want to include you in Sunday dinner. Are you saying you don’t want to go?”
He stared at her for a long time. Finally, he said, “God. You are so beautiful.”
“Thank you. But you didn’t answer my question.”
“I just think we should kind of watch it, that’s all, be realistic about this. Not get in too deep.”
Did that piss her off?
Oh, most definitely.
At first. She let the hurt and anger wash through her, waited for it to settle down to a dull throb in the vicinity of her heart before she asked, “You really meant what you said Sunday night, didn’t you? That you just wanted this time with me, every minute we could steal?”
It took him way too long to answer. And then it got worse because he answered with one painful word. “Yeah.”
“But you’re crazy about me?” She tried not to pile on the irony and knew that she didn’t fully succeed.
“I am, yeah. I think it will probably mess me over really bad when you go.”
She sat up, pulling the sheet with her to cover her breasts. Because it was like that between them suddenly. All at once, he was someone she didn’t want to be bare in front of. “It doesn’t have to end when I go back to LA. You know it doesn’t. We could—”
“Maddy. Leave it alone. Let’s just enjoy what we have for right now. Please.”
“I don’t understand you.”
“What’s to understand?”
“It’s like you’re trying to prove that things can’t work out with us. One way or another, you’ll make sure it all goes to crap and then you can say you knew that it would all along.”
“Look.” He lied with his eyes. He watched her so tenderly, begging her to understand that he knew best and what he knew was that she would go and he would stay and that would be the end of them. “I’m the first guy you’ve been with. There are going to be other guys. The day will come when you look back on this time we had together and—”
“Ungh!” She cut him off with a hard groan aimed at the ceiling. “Please. Believe it or not, there are still people in this world who have one sexual partner their whole lives and are totally happy about that. So can we not talk about my next boyfriend while I’m still in bed with you?”
He nodded. Slowly. “You’re right. Sorry.”
And really, why was she pushing this? Hadn’t she promised herself she would take this thing with him one day at a time, enjoy every moment and not weigh it all down with expectations?
She wanted him, loved him even. And that meant she wanted more of him—of his kisses and his tender touch. Of that fine body of his that felt like home when he held her tight. Of his time and attention, his great laugh, his kindness and that way he had of seeing things that made the world all new to her, made the path before her clear and bathed in light.
So, all right. She wanted him and imagining the two of them together into the future seemed utt
erly easy and right to her.
It just wasn’t that way for him.
And the guy had a right to his doubts. He was only trying to be honest about them, trying to put the brakes on a little. Could she really blame him for believing that in the end the big movie star from LA would eventually return to her Bel Air mansion and her amazing, perfect, big-time career, leaving him far behind?
She made herself put away her frustration with him. “All right then. That’s a no-thank-you on the post-DNA party.”
“It’s just better that way.”
“Wrong. But you’re certainly entitled to your opinion. I really don’t want to fight.”
“Neither do I.” He pulled her close again. She settled her head on his shoulder.
And then he asked, “What time do you need to be there?”
She rubbed her palm against the light dusting of hair on his hard chest, enjoying the springy feel of it against her skin. “Around three.”
“I’ll drive you. You can call me when you’re ready to come home.”
“I’ll get a cab.” Before he could argue, she pressed her hand harder against his chest, communicating that she meant what she said. “If you’re not going, you’re not driving me.”
“Maddy...”
“Forget it. Let it go.”
* * *
Sten’s goal was to keep his outlook realistic when it came to him and Maddy. The whole point was to not get in too deep.
He knew it would be bad when she left. But maybe, by drawing the line on her now and then, he could make his future misery a little less so.
That was his plan.
Didn’t really shake out that way, though.
When he got home Friday afternoon, he went straight to her. A bee to honey? Moth to a flame? Yeah. That was him. A walking, talking, can’t-get-enough-of-her cliché.
But he couldn’t stop thinking what a dumb-ass he’d been over Ella once. Having to come face-to-face with her again had brought it all way too sharply home. Three years of his life he’d wasted thinking he was in love with that woman.
And now, well, he couldn’t even remember what he’d seen in her. He’d made up a woman to love and put Ella’s face on her.
Screw love.
Simple as that.
Yeah, he knew Maddy was nothing like Ella. Maddy was generous and kind and good. She was beautiful inside and out.
But she would leave. She would leave for completely different reasons than Ella had. The kind of career she’d built, well, she might be going through something of a life crisis, what with learning she had a family she’d never met and finding out that her parents had no blood relationship to her. She might tell herself she needed a big change in her life to cope with all the shocking revelations that had come her way lately.
But in the end? Nobody walked away from Maddy’s kind of success. And he, well, he didn’t fit with her, not really. She needed to be free to find the kind of man who liked the high-powered life she led.
He didn’t resent that she would go. And no matter what she said about wanting to be with him when her time in Valentine Bay was through, she didn’t need him trailing around after her as she got on with her real life. And he’d never planned to live anywhere but here.
And that was what it came down to. Valentine Bay was not her life. She was on vacation, pure and simple. In the end, she would leave.
And he would stay.
Sunday afternoon, she rode off in a cab and didn’t come back until after two Monday morning. He knew what time she returned because he was wide awake—in his own bed, damn it—and heard a car pull in at the front of the house. A car door closed and the vehicle drove away.
He lay there staring up toward the dark ceiling, reminding himself that he was not getting up to go make sure she was all right.
If she needed him for some reason, she would let him know.
Three minutes later, his phone lit up.
Grinning like the fool he was for her, he grabbed it.
R U worried? Don’t be. I’m home safe. She included a selfie taken in the cottage kitchen. Her eyes looked kind of bleary and she had a goofy grin on her face.
Are you drunk?
Not exactly. Nice time at Daniel’s. Went out afterward with Hailey and Harper to Keely’s mom’s bar. I got kinda reconized. Had to autograph some napkins. But it’s OK. Everone was relly nice. Wish U were there.
You’re drunk.
If I send U a sexy pic will U come over?
Don’t tempt me.
Silly. That’s the point. 2 tempt U.
Even drunk, she made him laugh. I’m on my way.
Wait. I didn’t send the pic yet.
And she sent one. It was a close-up. Her eyes were crossed and she was sticking out her tongue.
He responded, I’m coming.
Told ya. I’m super hot. You can’t resist me.
She thought she was kidding. He chuckled to himself as he pulled on his pants and headed out shirtless in flip-flops.
She was waiting with the slider open, barefoot, her body braced against the doorframe. Those blue-green eyes were low and lazy. She looked a little wobbly, like she needed the doorframe to keep her from slithering to the floor. “Did I ever mention that you look really good without your shirt?”
“Thanks.” He took her by the shoulders, kissed her forehead and turned her around. “Bedtime.”
“I don’t know. My feet are tired of walking.”
He bent and scooped her up against his chest. With a soft little sigh, she wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head under his chin. He carried her to the bedroom.
“It’s fun to have sisters,” she said when he laid her on the bed and set to work undressing her. “We talked about starting a business together, Harper, Hailey and me. Creating kids’ parties. We would play clowns and magicians, provide the entertainment, you know? Oh, and we’re keeping it quiet, that I’m a Bravo, for the time being. News like that would put the paps in a frenzy. We don’t need that. I told them I was quitting acting. They might even have believed me. Unlike some people I could mention.” She fell silent. Unresisting, she let him turn her this way and that to get her out of her clothes. Eventually, she piped up with, “At the Sea Breeze, we did Jell-O shots. They were too sweet. But it’s a funny thing about Jell-O shots. The more you have, the better they taste.”
He had her down to her bra and panties by then. “Sleep shirt?”
“Yes, please. Top drawer, left. Gimme the black one. It’s really soft.” She was wiggling around trying to unhook her bra as he went to get it.
When he returned, she’d gotten rid of the bra. On her back, naked from the waist up, she stared dreamily into the middle distance.
“Can you sit up and raise your arms?”
“I’m not incapacitated,” she replied with great dignity and popped to a sitting position. Fisting her hands, she shoved them high in the air. He eased the shirt on, smoothing it down over her gorgeous body. “Thanks.” She scrunched up her face. “Tomorrow, I prob’ly won’t feel so good.”
He went to the bathroom and came back with a couple of aspirin and a full glass of water. “Take your medicine.” She downed the pills and drained the glass.
He put the glass on the nightstand. “Come on. Under the covers.”
“‘Kay.” She dropped back to the pillow. He settled the blankets over her. “You come to bed, too,” she commanded.
As if he could tell her no.
He kicked off his flip-flops, got rid of his jeans and slid under the covers with her.
“There we go.” She rolled to her side and assumed the small spoon position. He wrapped himself around her. Peace settled over him and he drifted toward the sleep that had eluded him all night.
“I love you, Sten,” she said in a near-whisper and snuggled in clo
ser.
The words sounded unbearably sweet. He almost returned them. But that wouldn’t be wise.
Chapter Eleven
Three days later, in the afternoon while Sten was still at the Boatworks, Coco knocked on the glass door of the cottage. She had a temporary tattoo of a butterfly on her left cheek and a plastic pail in either hand, each containing shovels, scoops and rakes of various sizes.
“Ben’s at soccer practice,” she announced when Madison slid open the door. “Grandpa said I could come over and see you but not to be a pest.”
“You are never a pest.”
Coco beamed. “That’s what I said.” She held up the pails. “You want to go make a sandcastle, maybe?”
“What a stellar idea.”
“Here.” Coco handed her one of the pails. “Look.” She peeled down her lower lip. “I lost a tooth.”
“Wow.” Madison admired the empty space where the baby incisor had been. “Your first?”
“Yep,” replied Coco proudly. “C’mon. Let’s go.” She headed for the stairs. Madison followed her down to the sand.
Several feet from the shore, they dropped to their butts and removed their shoes and socks, leaving them there, away from the waves.
Barefoot, they got to work, hauling wet sand up to the spot they’d chosen near their shoes, packing it down, then going for more. Madison enjoyed Coco’s chatter as well as the sound of the waves and the misty sweetness of the wind that kept blowing her hair into her face.
She wasn’t sure what alerted her that they weren’t alone, but all of a sudden, a shiver skated along her arms. She looked up and there were two guys not forty feet away, each with a camera plastered to his face.
The paps had found her.
“Coco,” she said softly. “Let’s get all our stuff and go back to the cottage.”
Coco glanced up from the sand she was patting. “But we’re making a sandcastle.”
“I know, but we have to go now. I will explain everything as soon as we get back to the house.”
Coco frowned. But then she shrugged. “Okay. I’m kinda thirsty anyway.” They put the tools in the buckets, snatched up their shoes and headed for the stairs.
Switched At Birth Page 15
