Authors: W. Lynn Chantale
Zach followed her gaze. The sleeves were just short enough to reveal the cuts on her wrists.
When she lifted her head, what he saw on her face broke his heart. He’d rather she keep arguing with him than see the tears bubbling in her eyes.
Zach held her body trembling against his. And for a moment he was able to offer comfort. “You’re hurt, allow me to tend to the bruises.” Desire pooled, but he quickly banked it, as now was not the time. He stroked her hair. “Please.”
She stiffened in his arms and jerked from his embrace. “Let go of me.” With shaky fingers, she shoved a hand through her tousled curls. “What I want you to do is leave.”
If he walked away now, he’d lose her forever, but what else could he do? “You have no idea what’s going on here, do you?”
She planted her hands on her hips and raised her chin in defiance. He resisted the urge to shiver beneath her icy stare. Instead he drew a deep breath. Somehow he had to convince her to come with him.
“I need you to come stay with me for a few days.” He read the scorn in her eyes, and knew she wasn’t going to listen. “Please. My privacy was invaded as well, and yes I should have said something, but if your ex is willing to do this, don’t you think he has more in store?” Her shoulders drooped slightly and he sensed she was listening to him.
“Look, I know you’re pissed at me and rightfully so. I should have told you he was up to something, but I’m telling you now. Gordy is up to something. Don’t give him any more ammunition to hurt you. And I don’t think he’s working alone.”
She was silent a long time. So long he figured she believed him. Until she spoke.
“He said he knew you.”
Zach sucked in a breath. “I...”
“How does he know you?” she demanded.
He remained silent.
“How!”
“We’re cousins.”
She sank down on the bed behind her. “Cousins?” Her hair cascaded over her shoulders as she covered her face with her hands.
Guilt sliced through his conscience. He crossed the room to kneel in front of her. “I wanted to tell you, I really did, but...”
She dropped her hands from her face. Mistrust and anger were prevalent in her brown depths, but the emotion that stole his breath and made his conscience bleed, was hurt. He’d hurt her.
He stared at his hands. What could he say now? An apology didn’t seem sufficient, and neither did the flowers he’d brought. He should have taken the time to explain. It was as if the opportunity hadn’t presented itself. He had numerous occasions to tell her the truth about who he was and what he did.
When he lifted his gaze again, her eyes glistened with unshed tears. He cradled her hands, her skin soft against the roughness of his palms. “Sweetheart.”
“I want you gone.” She tugged her hands away, stood, and held his jacket by two fingers, as if she no longer wanted anything else to do with him.
Just what he needed, his woman angry and no chance at make-up sex.
“Leave. Now.”
He hauled her close, searching her face for any vestige of the emotion they’d shared the past few weeks. The quick rise and fall of her breasts let him know she wasn’t as oblivious to his touch and that made him want to kiss her all the more. He still hadn’t told her why Gordy had given him the money, but he doubted she would listen to him now.
“You’re not staying here alone.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
Closer still and her breath mingled with his, her soft feminine scent rising to entice. Adrenaline spiked through his blood and his groin hardened with each flutter of her breasts against his chest. She flattened her palms against his torso, and he savored the warmth.
“I don’t want you here.”
“Tough.”
“Am I interrupting?” Shauna Withersbee said, a distinct chill in her voice.
Zach whirled, shielding Trisha with his body. He eyed the newcomer with practiced indifference.
“Yes,” he said to the dark-skinned woman frowning at him.
Trisha stepped around Zach. “No. Zach was just leaving.”
Tension filled the silence. Two against one. He glanced between the women, gave a curt nod, and ejected the DVD from the disc player.
“What have you got?” Suspicion clung to Shauna’s voice.
Zach swung a gaze over his shoulder. Trisha worried her lip, her hands balled into tight fists, while Shauna eyes held contempt. He shrugged. “None of your damn business.” He shoved the disc in his pocket and strolled from the room.
Trisha slammed the door behind him.
****
“You’ve got glass on the floor.”
“Yeah. Gordy knocked over a figurine.” The weight of Shauna’s stare followed Trisha around the room.
“Your ex is being escorted downtown,” Shauna said. “What’s the deal?”
“Gordy wanted to exact his marital rights.” Trisha shoved her sleeves to her elbows. “I still have no idea how he got in.”
“The backdoor. I found glass on the floor.”
Trisha shook her head. She hadn’t even checked the back door. Maybe if she had she wouldn’t be here now, with various bumps, bruises and a broken heart. A lone tear streaked down her cheek.
Shauna stood beside her. “How bad are you hurt?”
She held out a bruised wrist for the other woman’s inspection, then lowered one shoulder of her bathrobe.
She whistled, examining the abraded flesh. “Would you mind if I get photos of this?”
Trisha cringed.
“I know how you feel, but it will help. At least we can get the judge to revoke his bail.”
Wordlessly Trisha held out her arms.
“Did Gordy do anything else?”
“Shoved me against the wall and tied me up. Zach came in before anything worse could happen.”
Trisha endured having her bruises recorded. If anyone other than Shauna were doing the photo taking, Trisha would never show her face.
“You should get that looked at.” Shauna tapped the wrist with the bracelet.
“Rope burn is the least of my worries.”
Shauna’s eyes widened. “What else happened?”
Heat touched Trisha’s cheeks as Shauna’s gaze drifted up and down her body. “I’d rather not talk about it right now.”
Shauna patted her arm and sat beside her. “That might work with everyone else, but not me.”
Tears spilled and dampened her face, and she hastily wiped them away. “Zach and Gordy are cousins and I think Gordy paid Zach to have a sex tape made.”
“What!”
She nodded.
Shauna held Trisha’s hand. “This doesn’t make any sense.”
“It does with my track record.”
Shauna opened her mouth to say something, closed it and tried again. “So what do you want me to do?”
“It would be really great if you could send Zach home.” She blew out a breath. “I can’t believe I fell for the wrong guy again.”
“Are you sure that’s what happened?”
Trisha stared at her. “Are you taking his side now?”
“No.” Shauna lifted a hand, palm side up. “Just hear me out.” She stood. “When I walked in Zach stood in front of you. Didn’t matter that I was your friend. I moved farther into the room and he stepped in front of the TV. When he left the room, he took the tape and told me ‘none of my damn business.’ That doesn’t sound like a guy who has been paid to humiliate you. What purpose would it serve?”
“This sounds a lot like you’re taking his side.”
“What did Gordy want?”
“To ruin my life. Again.”
“Sounds like motive for a sex tape to me.”
“But...” Trisha glanced at her wrists. She shouldn’t have done that. The area was now pulsing and burning with pain. A thin layer of blood coated the metal of the bracelet. “Zach had to tell him something.” She eyed Shauna with suspicion. “Why are you siding with him?”
“Because until tonight he’s kept a smile of your face. He’s been flirting with you for months.”
“Oh.”
They fell silent. An occasional creak of wood could be heard, but silence reigned through the room.
Trisha played Shauna’s argument and then Zach’s reaction through her head. She groaned. “Oh sweet daisies.”
“What?”
“He told me he loved me.”
“Wow.”
Trisha nodded. “Yeah.”
“So what do you want to do?”
Trisha leaned her head back and blew out a breath. “I just want to forget this day ever happened.”
“Tell you what. I’ll leave a car outside, get all the paperwork filed and come back after my shift.”
“You don’t have to do that.”
Shauna offered a smile. “I know, but that’s what friends are for.”
Chapter Eleven
She wouldn’t return any of his calls. Zach set down the phone and scrubbed the heel of his hand across his face. Two weeks and nothing. The time should’ve been more than enough to allow her to calm down, but now this was just ridiculous. He’d even sent flowers and candy. The only thing he hadn’t done was camp out on her doorstep.
He straightened. Might as well give it a try. She couldn’t ignore him if he was standing in her face. And besides...he glanced around his condo. Small splashes of color dotted his otherwise dismal furniture. Cozy throw pillows on the leather sofa, a pretty blanket folded on the ottoman and a blue crystal vase sat on the cocktail table.
He missed her. And it wasn’t just having her in his bed. He missed her smile, her laughter. Fourteen damn days without her and he was turning into a lovesick fool.
He picked up his phone again and dialed her number. If he had to leave another message, he’d go by her shop. And this time he wasn’t leaving until he said his peace.
****
Later the same evening Trisha balanced a stack of boxes as she carried them from the back room to the front of her shop. She set the boxes on the counter with a thud. Two weeks had passed since she told Zach to leave and she hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him. Of course it didn’t help that he had flowers, cards and candy delivered every day.
She picked up a box cutter and dragged the blade along the dotted cut line. The last client and stylist left more than an hour ago. Now she was killing time stocking shampoo and conditioner. For the first time since her marriage ended, she dreaded going home.
Not because of what Gordy had done though, and thankfully the judge had revoked his bond and slapped additional charges on him. But because of Zach. She hated to admit how much she missed Zach.
She affixed price stickers to several bottles of product before sliding them onto the cylindrical display stand. The empty box ended in the small heap on the floor, next to the counter.
Once the shelves were restocked she leaned against the wall and glanced around. Her gaze fell on Zach’s latest offering, a mix of roses and lilies. A small sad smile touched her lips. Somehow he remembered her favorite flower and made sure they were included in each arrangement.
She looked up and gasped. Zach stood on the other side of the glass. Without thinking she unlocked the door.
“What are you doing here?”
Warm rain blew in after Zach. She locked the door as he set his umbrella on the commercial doormat.
“I came to see you.”
A tiny thrill rippled through her body. “Okay, you’ve seen me. Thank you for stopping by.” She reached past him to open the door again.
He moved closer. Warm masculinity and body heat beckoned. She could feel her resolve crumbling as he stood before her. She focused her gaze on the open triangle of his crisp white dress shirt and slid downward over his black pinstripe dress slacks and the obvious bulge near his crotch.
“I thought a little time would have eased your temper.”
Trisha shook her head.
A mirthless smile creased his lips. “I see.”
“No, you don’t.” She studied him a moment. Weariness etched the lines in his forehead and around his mouth deep. “When is the last time you slept?”
“What day is it?”
Guilt pricked her heart. “Seriously, Zach. You can’t stay behind the wheel with so little sleep.”
He reached out a hand and trailed a finger along her collarbone. Desire ran rampant, tightened her nipples, zipped to the apex of her thighs and tingled through her limbs. Her breath stilled in her throat as she willed her traitorous body to stop making demands.
She stepped away. “Don’t. Please don’t.”
Sadly, he nodded. “Are you here alone?”
“Yes.”
He frowned.
She straightened and squared her shoulders. “I don’t need you telling me how I should run my business or when I need to be home.”
Heat shimmered in his silver stare and he closed the distance between them. She was having none of that and she stepped away. He stalked her across the lobby, until the wall at her back brought her up short. He placed a large hand on either side of her head and leaned in. He’d effectively trapped her with his body.