“That’s not what this is about.”
“Then what is it about?”
“Mia’s future!”
Alice and Marie glared at each other for a long moment, then Marie stalked past her to the stairs. “Forget it,” Marie said as she charged to the second level. “There’s no point talking to you.”
When Alice heard a bedroom door shut loudly upstairs, she dropped onto the landing and let out a frustrated groan. God, what was she doing here in this house? Her mother was barely talking to her. Marie didn’t seem to want her around. Why was she willingly putting herself through this torture? She could always stay in a hotel and come to the house when necessary to take care of her mother, who, thankfully, was getting stronger every day. Then, after her mother no longer needed her, she could go to the theater and teach the children until they performed the play. After that, she could go back to Los Angeles and kiss this place good-bye once again.
Placing her palms flat on the landing, Alice pushed herself up. She felt an unexpected and very strong urge to call Marcus. Leaning her hip against the banister, she wondered why. But she knew. How many times had she called him from this house after an ugly argument with her mother or sister?
Too many to count.
But she couldn’t very well just pick up the phone and call him now to complain. For one thing, things
had changed between them. For another, she was a big girl now and quite capable of fighting her own battles.
If this were years ago, she never would have outright questioned her mother and sister’s opinions. Except for the day her mother had opened her letter from the Screen Actors Guild and Alice had finally felt compelled to defend her dreams, she had always protested silently, so as to avoid a confrontation. In her years in Hollywood, she’d quickly learned that she had to fight for what she wanted, and that meant being vocal. She wasn’t about to revert to the way she once was just because she was back in this house.
But she certainly didn’t feel like dealing with anyone, and since Mia was spending the evening at a friend’s, Alice retreated to her bedroom to continue searching for a children’s play the students could perform.
There were so many to choose from, so many of which would be wonderful, but she could choose only one. Automatically she dismissed the ones with fewer than ten characters. The class had twenty-five students, almost twice the normal limit of fifteen, because there had been so much more interest in the class once the word had gotten out that Desirée LaCroix would be teaching it. Tanisha was content to continue registering students, but Alice had insisted they limit the class to no more than twenty-five. Even now, she wished she had told Tanisha twenty. She could only hope that she could give each child adequate attention.
Alice was so absorbed in going through the thick volume of plays that she was startled when she
heard the knock on her bedroom door. She closed the book on her lap. “Come in.”
Marie opened the door a crack and peeked in. “Marcus is downstairs.”
“Marcus!” Alice’s heart thumped in her chest.
“Mmm-hmm,” Marie replied in a singsong tone.
Alice bolted to her feet, smoothing her T-shirt as she did. A quick glance in the mirror and she groaned. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, she wore no makeup, and she was dressed in an oversized T-shirt and shorts. Hardly appropriate attire for visitors.
But she certainly didn’t have time to change, and she wasn’t going to keep Marcus waiting. As she made her way downstairs, she wondered what he was doing here in the middle of the week.
In the foyer, Marcus stood facing the door. When he heard her, he turned. His eyes met and held hers, and Alice’s breath snagged in her chest. Wearing black slacks, an olive-colored shirt, and a black blazer, he looked as if he had come from a modeling shoot. He could easily rival Denzel Washington on the big screen any day.
She felt even more conscious about her appearance, and as she walked toward Marcus, she crossed her arms over her chest.
“Marcus.” She gave him a warm smile. “Hello.”
His eyes swept over her in a quick perusal. “I hope this isn’t a bad time.”
“No. What are you doing here?”
“I was in the neighborhood. And I figured I’d see how you were doing.”
“I’m okay.”
“No other problems?”
Marie sat in the living room with a magazine on her lap, but Alice wasn’t naïve enough to believe that her sister wasn’t eavesdropping. “Uh, maybe we can step outside.”
She placed an arm on Marcus’s bicep, immediately feeling the bulging muscles beneath. He was definitely an incredible specimen of a man. Pushing that thought out of her mind, she led him to the front door and onto the porch.
Dusk settled over the city. There was a chill in the air, so Alice hugged her arms.
“Cold?”
“No, not really.”
Marcus’s eyes swept over her again, lingering on her legs and feet. Alice couldn’t believe it, but her skin actually tingled beneath his gaze. God, he was staring at her legs. And judging from the look on his face, he liked what he saw.
Which thrilled her down to her very toes.
“You should at least put on some shoes.”
“I’m fine. Really.”
“Here.” He slipped out of his blazer. “Take this.”
His chest muscles bunched and expanded, and Alice was helpless to tear her eyes away from him. He’d always been incredibly sexy when they were younger, but now that he was a man…
He looped his arms around her as he placed the blazer on her shoulders. His fingers barely grazed her body, but where they did she felt prickles of warmth. The blazer held his body heat, and it enveloped her. The faint scent of his musky cologne floated to her nose. “Forever a gentleman.”
“I try my best.”
“You asked if anything has happened. No. But
I’ve had time to think, and I’m not convinced that note wasn’t pure coincidence.”
Marcus raised an eyebrow, his expression dubious.
“Okay, maybe it was intentional, but I guess I just think it was someone’s crazy idea of how to get a laugh.”
“And you thought it was funny?”
Despite Marcus’s jacket, Alice suddenly shivered as she remembered the knife protruding from her tire. “If you wanted to scare me, you have.”
“I didn’t mean to scare you. I just hope you take this seriously. You have to pay attention to everything, Alice. If you see anything or anyone that seems strange—”
“Call you and you’ll come save me?” Her lips curled up in a smile.
“I don’t want anything bad to happen to you,” Marcus said seriously.
“Thank you.”
She met his eyes and for a long moment, he simply stared at her. Then he jammed his hands in his pants pockets and dropped his gaze to the artificial turf covering the porch.
“By the way, congratulations. I heard about the cash donation to the theater. There’s no doubt that happened because your name is now connected to the theater.”
“I’m just glad the theater has gotten some of the money it clearly needs.”
“Wanna celebrate? Maybe get a bite to eat?”
“Right now?”
He shrugged. “Why not? Two old friends…”
“Uh, well, this isn’t exactly the best time.” For one thing, she certainly couldn’t go out dressed as she
was. Other than that, she really wanted to go through the plays so she could narrow down her options to a few.
But it was the thought of going out with Marcus when she couldn’t quite stop looking at him like he was the sexiest man alive that made her fearful of spending time with him. Maybe it was better she limit their one-on-one time together.
“Oh.”
If Alice wasn’t mistaken, he looked slightly crushed. She wondered why. “Rain check?”
“Sure. Well, I’m glad you’re okay. Did you get a different car?”
“Mmm-hmm. The black Saturn.”
“Good. Nothing flashy.”
“I don’t think whoever slashed my tire knows where I live. And if he or she does, they haven’t come here.”
“Good to hear. Hopefully, it’s nothing to worry about. But just in case, please be careful.”
“I will.”
“All right, I won’t keep you.”
“Here’s your jacket.” She shrugged out of it and passed it to him. And when his eyes flickered over the length of her body again, her heart pounded against her ribs.
Their gazes met, held. Something changed between them in that moment. A spark ignited and Alice’s skin grew hot as Marcus’s gaze once again went lower, lingering on her lips.
Almost as if he wanted to kiss her.
Alice’s mouth suddenly went dry, and she flicked her tongue out to moisten her bottom lip.
Marcus watched the simple action, and Alice re
alized that she
wanted
to feel Marcus’s lips on hers—slow, wet, and hot.
God, what was wrong with her?
“What was that?” Marcus asked, turning his attention to the road.
“What?” Alice looked behind him.
“I…I thought I heard a noise.” He shrugged. “Guess it was nothing.”
Alice’s heart fluttered as Marcus looked at everything but her. Goodness, he was actually avoiding her.
She hadn’t mistaken the desire she’d seen in his eyes any more than she could deny the rush of passion she’d felt beneath his gaze.
Days ago, she was irritated because Marcus hadn’t looked at her with the spark of interest that said he thought she looked good. Now that he had, she suddenly wished he wouldn’t.
Maybe she was going crazy.
“Well, I guess I’d better go,” he said.
“Good night.” Alice smiled brightly.
“Good night.” He turned and headed down the steps.
As Marcus started his car and backed out of the driveway, he saw Alice peer through lace curtains of the floor-to-ceiling window beside the door. He frowned, and not simply because he was wondering why the hell he couldn’t read her.
He hadn’t quite been prepared for seeing her so casually dressed. And
barefoot.
Christ, he hadn’t expected her to look so good so dressed down.
She
was
beautiful. Damn, she was more than
beautiful. She was exquisite. From those wide, brown eyes to her ruby red toenails, the whole package was gorgeous.
He thrummed his fingers against the steering wheel. Today, she looked like the girl next door, but she was hardly that. And he still wasn’t entirely sure her stardom hadn’t gone to her head.
At least he had eased his mind. She was all right.
The knife incident had disturbed him more than he’d thought it would. It had brought the memories of Melissa back with striking force.
He had met Melissa Reynolds almost a year ago when he was assigned to drive by her house while she was under police protection. She had filed for divorce from her husband and walked out on him. As a result, he had threatened on numerous occasions to kill her. Twenty-two years her senior, her husband was enraged at the thought that she’d married him for his clout and money, and that once she didn’t need him, she was getting rid of him without a second thought.
Melissa was afraid, which was why she reported the threats to the police. She had gotten a restraining order, but when she claimed she’d seen her husband hanging around her new house on several occasions, the captain of Marcus’s precinct ordered police units to drive by her house at regular intervals to make sure she was okay.
Marcus knew the captain was attracted to Melissa and couldn’t fault the man; he had seen pictures of her, and she was absolutely stunning in person. But he didn’t expect her to show an interest in
him.
He was parked outside of her house writing down some notes when she first came out to see him. Instantly, he was smitten by the dark-skinned beauty.
“Hey there,” she said, smiling down at him as she glanced through his car window.
Marcus closed his notebook. “Hello, Mrs. Reynolds.”
“Please, call me Melissa.”
“All right. Melissa.”
Bending, she leaned her elbows against the window frame and stared at him directly. “You must get pretty lonely out here. All by yourself.”
Her playful pout made it clear she was flirting. Marcus suddenly felt flustered. “I’ve got a lot of work to keep me occupied.”
“Hmm.” Bringing one hand to her hair, she twirled a dark tendril. In moving her arm, she gave Marcus a clear view of her cleavage—and he knew it was no accident. But he was helpless to stop his body’s reaction to her raw sensuality.
“Did you need something?” he managed to say.
She giggled. “That depends.”
“On what?”
She answered him with a heated look. Marcus glanced away.
“Why don’t you come inside? For some juice, or maybe a sandwich?”
“No. That’s all right.” The last thing he needed was to go into this woman’s house. He knew exactly what she wanted. Maybe if they had met under different circumstances he might be tempted, but this was wrong.
She’d stood then, sighing wistfully. “Well, if you change your mind.”
“I won’t.” He spoke in a businesslike tone, and he was proud he’d pulled it off. He thought that would be the end of it.
He was wrong. Over the next two weeks, she always came out to see him. When her subtle and not so subtle attempts to seduce him failed, she resorted to playing on his sensibilities as an officer. “I’m afraid,” she’d say. “I think Peter is at the back of the house.”
Marcus would do a search of the area and find nothing suspicious. But to make her feel better, he sometimes went inside her house and share a coffee with her or a piece of fruit. Soon, he admitted to himself that he liked spending time with her as much as she liked spending time with him. She was vivacious, her laughter refreshing. And she was beautiful. He was flattered by her attention.
One time when they were in her kitchen, as they laughed over some silly joke, Melissa edged closer to him and placed her hand on his thigh. He knew exactly where she was heading, and this time, he wasn’t about to resist her. She ended up in his arms, her body pressed to his, his lips smothering hers. But after a very quick and heated exchange, he regained his sanity. He knew better than to cross the line with someone he was supposed to be protecting, and he got out of there fast. He had many more opportunities, but aside from that one time, he never touched her again. It wouldn’t be right. He was there to serve and protect, not do the nasty.