Breaking Point (Drew Ashley 1) (10 page)

"I see you're a woman of many hidden talents."

I was glad I couldn't see his eyes through his dark glasses. They would have undone me for sure. "Thanks for the flowers. How did you get my address?"

"I asked the HR department."

"And they gave it to you?"

"They give me whatever I want."

I'd bet they did. I'd bet most people did, especially women. I had to look away. How could Harvey be oozing so much raw masculine appeal just sitting on grass in jeans and a t-shirt? I guessed the surroundings added to the magic of the moment.

He was obviously thinking about the magic of the surroundings too because he said, "It's a beautiful day, this is a beautiful place, and now…" he lifted a hand and tucked a wisp of my hair behind my ear. "I got me a beautiful woman to enjoy it with."

I almost jumped at his touch. It was like he had an electric current in his fingertips that blazed heat all over the parts of my skin that his fingers brushed. I pursed my lips and looked at my painting, frustrated with myself.
Cool it, woman!

"What's up?" Harvey asked. "Don't feel like talking to me today?"

I glared at him, annoyed that I'd transformed into a gobsmacked little girl just because he'd complimented me.

Harvey's lips curved into a mischievous smile. "You seem like a challenge, Drew. And I'm all about a challenge. Especially challenges that are as hot as you."

Was I dreaming? Had I been transported into a fantasy world, where men that looked like Harvey considered me hot? Travis had stopped making those kinds of comments in about our third year together, so I wasn't used to it.

I dipped my paintbrush in water, blushing. Harvey smiled, relishing the fact that he was throwing me off.

I gave myself a silent lecture, reminding myself that I was a strong woman who did not allow a man's opinion—or anyone's opinion, for that matter——to define her. Harvey thought I was hot. So what? It was my own opinion of myself that mattered.

Harvey reached for my flip flops. I didn't look up from my pad, but I watched him from the corner of my eye as he moved to my feet. "What are you doing?" I asked, still not looking up.

"I'd like you to walk with me," he said, slipping my flip flops onto my feet.

I packed away my pad and brushes. Harvey gave me a hand up and then took my bag from me. I let him lead the way.

I was surprised The Parks wasn't crowded today, with the lovely weather we were having. Apart from a few couples on romantic walks, the place was all ours.

"I only discovered this place yesterday," Harvey said.

"Really? I've been coming here to paint for years."

"I really need to get out and do some sightseeing before I start work."

"You do," I agreed. "Make the most of this nice weather because who knows how long it's going to last."

Harvey led us down a grassy pathway towards the valley, his concealed eyes lending him an aura of mystery that heightened his appeal.

"What are you doing here today?" I asked him. I assumed he lived in London since he was going to be working at News24.

"I needed to meet a student. She's freaking out about her thesis not being good enough so we met at the library and I looked it over." Harvey grimaced. "She was right."

"That's not fair. My supervisor would never come in on a Sunday for me."

"You wouldn't need him to."

The way he said it was like he thought I was really smart. "When is she supposed to submit it?"

"Wednesday." Harvey reached for my hand and his fingers closed around mine. "Let me take you to my favourite spot out here."

He led me through the plush parkland of the valley and up a very steep hill. I tried to keep pace with him, but as we progressed, my legs slowed and my breathing shallowed. The heat didn't help.

Harvey noticed I was struggling and slowed down. "You okay?"

I nodded, dragging in a breath and telling myself that we were nearly at the top. I hadn't had so much exercise in ages, which was terrible because I worked at a gym and had free access to the facilities.

It seemed like an eternity before we reached the top. When we did, I dropped to the ground, exhausted. Harvey laughed. I stood up again when my breathing steadied.

Harvey had removed his sunglasses and was looking out at the view. I took the opportunity to look at him. The sun had bathed his cinnamon skin with gold. His eyes squinted against the sun, and his strong jaw gave him a look of power and mystery. Any woman with a pulse would find Harvey irresistible. His powerful build alone was enough. You didn't even need to see his face, although that was the icing on the cake.

I looked down at the view that had captivated Harvey. It was as breath-taking as he was.

"So, will you be my tour guide?" Harvey whispered, as though to speak out loud would disturb the serenity.

I considered it. "What kinds of places do you want to visit?"

Harvey looked at me now and I almost buckled under the intensity of his gaze. "You decide. I'll let you arrange my welcome-to-England tour."

A strain of music broke into the air, disturbing the tranquillity. "My phone."

Harvey passed me my bag and I removed it. It was Travis. I tossed the phone back into my bag.

"Someone you don't want to talk to?" Harvey asked.

"Yes."The music stopped and then started again immediately.

Harvey grinned. "Sounds like they really want to speak to you."

I removed the phone from my bag in annoyance. "I told you I'd call when I get home."

"Aren't you home yet?" Travis whined.

"No!"

"Well, please just give me another chance. I'm so sorry for dumping you. And as for Sharon, I don't really want her. But she's pregnant, you see—"

"What!"

"I know. But I'm thinking it might not really be my child because she's a bit of a slapper——"

"Travis, I'll call you when I get home." I was not having this conversation right now. I hung up and switched my phone off, because I knew he'd probably just call back again.

Harvey was studying me with those searing eyes of his. It was all I could do to remain upright. But maybe that was partly to do with the fact that climbing this hill had exhausted me. I fanned myself with my hand. I loved sunshine, but it was getting unbearable. I was starting to itch.

"You look like you're going to keel over," Harvey noted.

"I do?"

Harvey gave me a grim look then started ushering me down the hill. "Let's get you into some shade."

I stumbled and Harvey caught me. I felt really woozy all of a sudden. It would be just my luck to faint in front of Harvey, like I was some fragile woman.

We made it down to the bottom of the hill and Harvey sat me down under the welcome shade of a magnificent beech tree. I leaned against the bark and closed my eyes.

"I'll be back in a minute," I heard Harvey say.

I nodded not opening my eyes.
A cool breeze would be nice right about now, Lord!
I prayed, silently. I saw the irony in the fact that I grumbled whenever it wasn't sunny, and now that it was I was praying for some wind. Heck, I'd even take some rain right now. I might not even mind my hair getting wet.

I lay down. I could just have a snooze under the tree. A nice afternoon nap. Just as sleep started beckoning, I felt something ice cold touch my head and my eyes flew open. Harvey's face was too close to mine. I grabbed the bottle of water he was holding to my head and opened it. I took a long drink.

"Did that hit the spot?" Harvey asked when I lowered the bottle, gasping for air.

"Yeah, baby!"

Harvey laughed. "You had me worried for a minute there. Do you live far from here?"

"It's about a thirty-minute walk."

"Thirty minutes? I'd give you a ride but I left my car on campus."

"I'll be fine," I told him.

"I'll be worried," he replied. "Why don't you call a cab?"

"Good idea." I switched my phone on and called. Within minutes, I was in the backseat of an air-conditioned taxi.

When I got home, I staggered into the house and leaned against the door. "Destiny!" I yelled.

There was no response. Great! Who was going to nurse me back to life? I groaned when my phone rang. I was going to so kill Travis. "What do you want?" I snapped.

"Jeez, girl!" It was Harvey's voice. "I was just checking to make sure you're okay."

"Oh, I'm fine, thanks. Sorry, I thought it was someone else."

"Right. Call me if you need anything. I'm at the library with another student. I can get to you in ten minutes flat if need be."

I smiled, but I was not going to let my heart believe that this man cared about me. "Don't worry, I won't be needing anything."

I hung up and staggered into the living room, wondering what had possessed me to go out without sunscreen. I noticed the back door was open and a laundry basket was sitting just outside the door. Destiny was a pretty domestic person. She acted like a housewife.

"I'm back," I called.

"Call your mum," Destiny yelled back. "She wants to know when you're moving back home."

I collapsed onto the couch and removed my phone from my bag and called her. We arranged for Saturday. I made sure the conversation went on no longer than a few minutes. I wasn't in the mood to listen to her go on and on about irrelevant things.

Suddenly, a shrill scream pierced the air. I almost fell off the couch. "Destiny?" I yelled, jumping up and rushing to the back door.

"What happened?" I asked, hopping over the step and running into the backyard. I found her crouched on the floor amidst a pile of clean, dry clothes, her face as white as the white blouse she was holding.

She lifted terrified eyes to me. "Oh my goodness, Drew."

"What?" I demanded. "What is it?"

Tears slipped from her eyes, her lips trembling. "I don't think you want to know."

"Tell me!"

She wiped her cheeks, then lifted a white t-shirt from the floor, under it a strange looking doll was lying on the floor. Its neck was broken.

I moved closer. "What is it?"

Destiny drew in a ragged breath. "Well, I've never seen a voodoo doll before, but I'd bet my last penny that's one."

I reached out to pick it up and Destiny slapped my hand back. "Don't touch it," she screeched.

"Do we believe in voodoo?" I asked her.

"No."

"Then it doesn't matter. We're Christians, right? Nothing's going to happen to us. It's probably here by chance."

Destiny pursed her lips. "I think someone's after you."

"Me?" I rolled my eyes. "Come inside Destiny," I said, trying to pull her to her feet. She wouldn't move. "Come on, I'll finish taking down the washing."

"Drew, listen to me," she snapped. "I'm not overreacting. Last week I noticed that someone of your underwear was missing from the line, but I thought you must have taken them down yourself. So I didn't say anything, although I was a bit annoyed that you took your underwear and didn't take the rest of the clothes."

I thought back to last week. "I didn't take my underwear down last week. I've never even been out here in this backyard."

Destiny glanced at the doll, as if to make sure it wasn't doing anything. "Just now," she said. "As I was taking the washing down, I noticed that your some of your knickers are missing. Again."

I looked at the house next to ours. "Maybe it's the lads next door. Pervs!"

"Would they leave a voodoo doll on our patio?" Destiny asked. "It's a threat to you, Drew."

"How is it a threat to me?"

"Well, let's say someone's just playing a prank, stealing your knickers, but that voodoo doll is you, Drew."

I looked at the doll. "How is it me?"

"It's black, you moron!" she snapped. "How easy is it to get a black doll?"

"You can get black dolls everywhere," I replied.

"But why go out of your way to get a black one," she asked, adamantly. "It's supposed to be you."

I grabbed the doll and Destiny jumped. "I said don't touch it!"

"I'm throwing it away, okay?"

I walked back to the house.

"I don't want that thing in the house," she yelled after me.

"Fine!" I turned and went around to the side of the house where Destiny kept the wheelie bin and tossed the doll inside, but not before taking a good look at it. Something was written very faintly on its forehead in pencil. I strained to see it. DA, my initials. I frowned. Maybe Destiny was right.

When I returned to the backyard Destiny had thrown all the clothes into the basket and was dragging it towards the house. "Wash your hands," she told me.

I went in and washed my hands then went to my room. I'd acted dismissive about the doll, but to be honest it was pretty creepy. I'd never seen anything like it before.

Not only was its neck broken, but its legs were snapped off too, and its eyes had been poked out.