Deadly Desire (Carrington-Hill Investigations Book 2) (16 page)

Chapter 1
8

A knock sounded on his office door. “Collin, she’s on line two again
. Are you ready to talk to her?”

Collin glanced up from his keyboard. “No, and next time
, Regina, I don’t even want to know that she called.”

Drew stepped into the room as Regina backed out of it. “Dude, you were a little harsh with Regina, don’t you think?”

Collin tried ignoring his brother by clicking away at his keyboard, but Drew didn’t go away. Abandoning his keyboard, Collin leaned back in his chair and let out a sigh, knowing that he would need to deal with Drew before he could get back to working. “Did you need something?”

Drew
plopped down in one of the empty leather chairs and crossed an ankle over his knee. “No, but you do.”

Collin raised his brow at the suggestion. No, he didn’t need anything. Not anymore. “And what might that be?”

Drew rose from the chair and started pacing the length of the office. He waved his hands in the air. “I don’t know. Maybe you need to see a shrink to help you get your head on straight or, hell, maybe just a good ass-kicking. Either one should work.”

He stopped pacing and leaned against the chair. “You’ve been
a jerk for the last few weeks, and now you’re not even leaving the house. You’ve skipped all of your scheduled fundraisers and blown off appointments. You’re like a lovesick schoolboy, and I’m starting to worry.”

Collin huffed. “I haven’t known her long enough to have fallen in love with her.”

Drew shrugged. “Who gave you the impression there’s an appropriate amount of time before you can fall in love? Honestly, dude, I thought you were smarter than that.”

Collin rubbed his palm over his face, knowing his brother was right. “Drew, I almost got her killed
. I can’t take the chance that it will happen again.”

Drew frowned. “No,
you
didn’t almost get her killed. You aren’t responsible for the psychos beyond your control. Her job is dangerous.” He straightened and walked to the door before turning around. “We both know you miss her and want her to be a part of your life, no matter how much you deny it. I guess the real questions here are whether or not you can accept her career and if you’ll still be able to win her back after you blew her off.” Drew crossed his arms over his chest. “Because I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you’ve screwed up big time.” Drew shrugged. “You’ve blown her off for almost a month. She’s a strong woman, but even the strongest have to draw a line somewhere.” Drew patted the doorframe and disappeared down the hall.

Maybe his brother was right. He had some tough decisions in front of him
, decisions that could potentially affect the rest of his life.

Regina walked in and dropped the mail on his desk without a word and turned to leave. She deserved a raise
. He hadn’t meant to snap at her every time Sara had called, but the mere mention of her name had him longing to be with her, be near her.

“Regina.”

She turned around and raised her brow.

“I’m sorry I’ve been a grump for the last few weeks.”

“More like an ass if you ask me.”

Collin gave a slight nod of acknowledgement. “I am sorry.”

Regina turned to leave but hesitated and turned back. “You know…she told me she won’t be calling back and, if you ask me, I can’t say that I blame her.”

Regina spun on her heel and left Collin alone with nothing but his thoughts. Thoughts that included the little brunette that starred in his dreams. 

****

After everything calmed down, Sara tried to reach Collin to no avail. Regina politely told her that he was busy and that she’d tell him she’d called
. First a week went by then three with no word from the man. She tried to resume a normal life by volunteering at the dog shelter to take her mind off Collin, but even that hadn’t worked when she’d realized that her favorite pooch had finally been adopted. Realization hit her hard that she was truly all alone.

It was going to be tough for
her to act happy at Lexi’s wedding when Sara’s own life was such a mess, but she’d prevail. She always did. Sara pushed all thoughts of Collin out of her mind and squared her shoulders before walking into the bridal suite to be pampered while she and her friends got ready for the wedding. There was no way she’d be the one responsible for ruining her best friend’s big day. Nope, it wasn’t going to happen, especially over a man.

Sara relaxed and sipped champagne while manicurist
s, makeup artists, and hairdressers reformed her from the tomboy she was to the princess her mother always wanted her to be.

Sara’s thoughts returned to a comment that Lexi had made the first time she’d laid eyes on Collin.
He was supposed to be her date but here she sat, dateless. Not even an offer from Garrett had cheered her up. Her heart ached; she’d been unable to sleep or eat and, by the looks of the extra room in her dress, she might have even lost some weight. Not that losing weight was ever a bad thing, but she’d never experienced it because of a guy. Not until now. She must have had that poor-pitiful-me look on her face because Lexi interrupted her thoughts.

“He hasn’t even called you back yet?”

“I gave up about a week ago.” She sipped her champagne, hoping the alcohol would drown away the memories. It didn’t.

Catherine reached over and patted her hand. “Maybe he’s just been busy or needs time to come to terms with everything that’s happened.
”

She shook her head. “Let’s just face it
, ladies, it was over before it started.” She rose, and tightened the sash of her robe. “Besides, relationships that start under extreme duress hardly ever work out.” She glanced at Lexi and smiled feeling truly happy for her best friend. “Except yours, Lexi.” Thinking of Catherine’s similar experience she turned toward her other best friend. “And yours.”

She plopped back down in her chair when the realization hit her that it wasn’t the circumstances
; it was the men. Lexi and Catherine’s boyfriends had realized they couldn’t live without them. What did that say about Collin and his feelings or lack of feelings for her? She lowered her head. “What were the odds that lightning would strike a third time?”

Lexi and Catherine moved to her side. “If he hasn’t come to his senses by now
, then he doesn’t deserve you.”

A knock sounded on the door before an older lady popped her head in to announce. “Ladies,
five minutes ladies.”

She was saved from more of the clichés she’
d heard all of her life. They pulled on their dresses, helped Lexi with her veil, grabbed their flowers and walked out into the hall, moving into position like a well-choreographed maneuver. Sara chuckled as she wondered whether Trip realized that even though he was marrying Lexi, he was not only getting a wife, but the added bonus of having the new wife’s best friends around also; her gun carrying best friends. Sara smiled.
Three peas in a pod.

The wedding
was quick, but the reception lasted all night. Lights twinkled around the room and the flowers were to die for. The food was scrumptious and the crowd was having fun dancing to the band. Lexi smiled at her husband before sharing a kiss, and stolen glances between the two, lifted Sara’s heart. That was exactly the kind of love she wanted for herself.

Sara’s
gaze landed on Catherine. She was giggling on the dance floor as she tried to help her fiancé conquer the moves to the line dance.

People young and old enjoyed themselves, some sitting around the tables talking, others with drinks in their hand and
, like Catherine, even more were on the dance floor trying to do a line dance that Sara had never heard of. She’d been asked to dance several times by Garrett and others she worked with, along with a few of the groom’s friends. She’d let herself escape from reality and actually enjoyed herself for the rest of the evening. She’d successfully pushed all thoughts of Collin to the back of her mind, and it had worked. She’d laughed and danced and enjoyed the joyous occasion and determined that life wouldn’t end because of Collin Martin. She’d been fine before he came into her life, and she’d be fine after. Especially after the trip to the beach house she had scheduled.

****

Sara arrived at her most favorite place in the world. She had her bikini on beneath her clothes and dragged her suitcase up the porch steps and into the beach house. It had been months since the last time she’d been here and almost six years since the last time she’d been to the beach house alone, without Lexi and Catherine joining her for their yearly excursions. The caretakers had mentioned that the place was stocked and ready for company when she’d called to inquire and warn them that she’d be having more people than usual on this trip. Husbands and boyfriends would be showing up also. Even though Sara didn’t have a significant other, her friends wouldn’t make her feel like a fifth wheel.

She ditched the suitcase in the living room, grabbed a towel and
bottled water, and walked out the French doors overlooking the ocean. The familiar smell of the salt water drifted to her nose as she lifted her face to the sun. She inhaled a deep breath as she threw the towel over her shoulder and took the steps down to the sand two at a time. This was her favorite place to swim. Lexi found her release in jogging for miles on end, Catherine enjoyed laying out in the sun, but Sara found hers in swimming. She discarded her towel and clothes and walked through the rolling waves and into the caressing water of the ocean.

She submerged in the water and swam half a mile off shore before she returned. After making her way back up to the beach
, she wiped the salt from her face and was toweling off when she heard a dog barking up toward her house.

She recognized
the barking as Spike’s immediately and dropped to her knees to prepare for impact. He launched himself at her, and she caught him in the air, causing her to land on her back. Spike’s long pink tongue attacked her next. His wet doggy kisses covered her face as she rubbed his ears and laughed.

****

Collin rounded the house in search of the mangy mutt that had jumped out of the car and took off. The dog was starting to grow on him. That was when he spotted Sara on the beach. Collin couldn’t take his eyes off her. Her smile was like a sunrise after a rainstorm. It brightened everything and everyone around her, like a fresh scent the morning after a hard rain, clearing the air and making everything new and more alive. His heart ached at the thought that he’d almost given up hope on their relationship. He had almost let her walk out of his life.

She rubbed Spike’s ears and asked. “Who brought you here baby? Was it Lexi or Catherine?”

Collin moved to the steps and sat down, watching and waiting, unable to predict her mood. Her smile slowly started to fall when she noticed him sitting on her steps. The happiness he’d witnessed moments ago vanished from her face. She stood and brushed the sand from her legs before grabbing her towel. 

She marched toward the stairs with Spike on her heels. She bypassed him and galloped up the steps.

“What are you doing here?” she asked without even glancing over her shoulder. She was pissed all right, and he couldn’t blame her.

“I missed you.”

She threw her head back and laughed as he followed her into the house. She moved to the kitchen, grabbed a bowl, filled it with water, and set it on the floor for Spike. Well, at least one of them was getting a decent greeting. He envied the mangy mutt, wishing she was stroking him instead of the dog.

“You’re about a month too late, Mr. Martin
,” she said before taking a sip of her water.

He wiggled a finger as he stepped closer to her. “I’m afraid we have unfinished business to discuss.”

She swallowed the water and squeezed the plastic bottle. “No, I don’t think we do. I caught your stalker, exposed your business manager, and kept you alive. I finished our business.”

He stepped within arm’s reach but didn’t breach the barrier. “You were supposed to make me dateable
, and I’m afraid you’ve ruined me for all other women.”

She stepped toward him and poked him in the chest. “I can’t claim credit for that, Mr. Martin.” She poked him again only this time harder. “I can’t change what doesn’t want to be changed.” She lowered her hand. “And
, to be honest, I’m not sure I want to continue to try.”

Collin took her hand in his and kissed the finger she’d just used to put him in his place. “Forgive me, Sara. I was a fool
, and I’m miserable without you.” Spike trotted over to her side and barked. “We both miss you.”

Sara shook her head and dropped her gaze
, as if unable to look him in the eye. This was the first time he’d ever seen this vulnerable side of her. She was cautious, and it broke his heart that he was responsible.

He lifted her chin with the crook of his finger. “Sara, I’m falling in love with you
. Please just give us a chance.”

Her gaze searched his face, searching for what he didn’t know, but he damn sure hoped she found
it. She frowned. “Collin, you don’t love me.” She gestured between both of them. “What we had was an illusion. It wasn’t real.”