Seeking Vengeance (11 page)

Done with his swim, he slogged through the shallow water and caught his breath at the sight of Molly stretched out on the other Adirondack chair, her ankles crossed. Sunglasses hid her eyes, but he knew she was awake since Kelsie still played on the water's edge. He felt her gaze on him even through the glasses. His heart rate, already fast after his swim, sped up as she watched him cross to the other chair. He grabbed his towel and swiped his face and chest before sitting on the end of the lounger. Molly's lounger angled so the foot of it almost touched the foot of his. Hot pink nail color decorated her toenails.

“
How was the swim?”

“
Huh?” He swallowed hard and tore his gaze from her delicate feet, only to slide it up her lightly tanned legs that seemed miles long. Toned and trim, she had the legs of a runner or bicyclist. When his gaze finally made it to her face, she had her head cocked, one eyebrow visible above the rim of the glasses a smile parting her lips. “Oh. It was good. Real good.” He drew his shoulders back to work out a kink in his back.

“
Is your back sore?”

“
Just a little.”

“
Here, let me take a look at your wound.” She scooted to the end of the chair and motioned for him to turn his back towards her. “The steri-strips are starting to peel, but that's okay as long as the skin is healing.”

He couldn't
suppress the shiver that shook him as her fingers traced along his back and a groan escaped when one fingernail lightly scratched him.

“
Oh! I'm so sorry! Did I hurt you? I was trying to make the tape stick again.” Her hands ran up to his shoulders as she turned him to face her again.

It hadn't been a groan of pain, but embarrassed, he shrugged
and then winced as the movement pulled at his sore muscles. “Forget it.”

“
Here, allow me.” Her hands felt warm and soft against his water-cooled skin as she kneaded the base of his neck.

If she was trying to relax him, her met
hod wasn't working. He tensed, every nerve attuned to her touch. He wanted her to stop before he lost control, but at the same time, he never wanted her to stop.

“
Sam? Relax. Jeez, you're so stiff!”

That did it. He burst out laughing. He couldn't help it. The tension drained right out of him as h
e bent over in another wave of laughter.

Molly giggled and when he straightened to wipe tears out of his eyes, he grinned at her.

She bit her lip, her face flushing a deep red. “That came out wrong.”

He hadn't laughed like that in a long time. It felt good. It felt better than good. It felt fantastic.
Their faces were only inches apart and he reached out, cupping the back of her head and leaned in, brushing her lips with his.

The scent of sunscreen, sand and sun filled his nose. She made a small sound in her throat as the kiss deepened. He steadied her with his other arm around her waist, his hand resting on her bare skin.

“Mommy?”

Sam tore his mouth away as Molly pushed against his chest. Her breath came in short gasps as sh
e turned to Kelsie. “Yes, honey?”

“
What are you doing? Did Mr. Sam drown?” Her little face pinched in concern.

Molly shot a startled glance at Sam before turning back to Kelsie.
“No. Sam's fine. Why would you think he drowned?”

“
Cause that's what you do when someone drowns. You breathe into them.”

“
You are so smart, Kels! Where did you learn that?”

Sam bit back a grin and mumbled out of the side of his mouth,
“Nice re-direct.”

He stood and held out his hand to Kelsie.
“Why don't we go inside and see if your Uncle Johnny is still sleeping? Then maybe we can have a little cookout. How does that sound?”

“
Can we roast marshmallows?” She put her hand in his without hesitation and they headed back to the house.

“
Absolutely.” He smiled down at her. “We might even have the makings of S'mores.”

Her eyes grew huge and it was all he could do not to sweep her into a hug.

Molly caught up to them, the bucket and shovel that Kelsie had been playing with dangling from her hand. “Talk about
me
redirecting…” 

Sam winked at her.

As they reached the house, he heard the grind of gravel from a car turning into the drive. He froze and held out his arm, blocking Molly's way. “Listen up. Wait here until I see who it is. If it's okay, I'll be back in a second. If I'm not right back, take Kelsie to that third cabin, the one that borders the woods.”

Molly's eyes widened as she nodded. With a glance towards the sound of a door slamming, she took Kelsie's hand and went down on one knee, whispering into the little girl's ear.

S
am took a deep breath and rounded the corner, wishing he hadn't left his gun in the house. Just because he was home didn't make them safe. Footsteps sounded on the wooden steps up to the porch. They sounded too light for a man. From his vantage point on the side of the house, he could see the car. A maroon Ford Explorer with Wisconsin plates. At least it wasn't a motorcycle.

A knock rattled the screen
door.

Sam eased around the corner and glanced into the vehicle as he passed it. A large red bag lay carelessly on the front seat.
Victoria's bag.

Relief swept him. Since she hadn't seen him yet, he ducked back around the house and motioned for Molly.

“Just Victoria. Come on.”

Molly looked relieved, but rolled her eyes.
“Does she have a tracking device on you or what?”

Sam laughed and said,
“Oh come on, it's only the second time we've seen her.”

Molly's eyebrow quirked, but she didn't say anything as they turned the corner.

Victoria stepped down the stairs, her feet encased in impossibly high sandals and she wore the tiniest pair of white shorts Sam had ever seen. They set off her tan very well, but she had the look of a woman trying too hard. The skimpy tank top completed the picture.

“
Well, there you guys are. I just knocked and nobody answered.” She put her hands on her hips and pouted as if she'd been stood up.

“
Hello, Victoria. We were on the beach.” That fact should have been obvious considering their attire, but Sam doubted Victoria noticed.

“
Hello…again.” Molly wore a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. He was sure Victoria wouldn't notice that either.

Victoria
nodded to Molly, but she won a point when she grinned at Kelsie. “Hi again, sugar. You're just the cutest thing in that little swimsuit.”

“
So, Victoria, is there something you needed?” Time to cut to the chase.

She turned from the child.
“Well, I was just at a friend's house up the road, and since I was in the area, I thought I'd stop by. I was feeling nostalgic.” She smiled and stepped closer to Sam. “Remember when we were kids and we used to just run into each other's houses all the time? You practically lived at our cabin that one summer.”

“
Yeah, I did. By the way, how is Tony doing? Your brother and I lost touch with each other.” Victoria made it sound like he'd been there to see her instead of hanging out with her brother, Dave. Sam had barely noticed Victoria, who'd been four years younger than Sam.

“
Well, if you two will excuse us, it sounds like you have some catching up to do.” Molly brushed sand off Kelsie's shoulder. “Come on, sweetie, let's get you into a bath. You have sand everywhere.”

Sam called after Molly,
“I'll get the grill going.”

“
Grill? You're having a cook-out?”

The hopeful look in
Victoria's eyes pushed him to offer, “Not really, just some burgers, but you're welcome to stay.”

She beamed.
“I'd love to.”

Damn. Before he could say anything more, Johnny stepped onto the porch.

“Molly wanted to know if you need charcoal or if it's a gas—” The poor guy almost stepped on his tongue when he caught sight of Victoria.

Sam could almost hear it snap back like a tape measure retracting as Johnny took the steps in one bound and was beside
Victoria. He stuck out his hand. “Hi. I'm Johnny Flynn.”

Victoria
smiled and took his hand. “Victoria Matlock. “ Her head cocked to the side. “Flynn? Are you Molly's husband?”

Johnny laughed.
“Oh god, no. She's my sister.”

“
Ah, now I see the resemblance.”

“
You're going to stay and eat with us, right?” Johnny touched her arm and motioned to the porch. “We have plenty.”

Apparently enjoying the worship in Johnny's eyes,
Victoria's voice dropped a notch and she smiled coyly. “Yes, Sam has invited me. I was going to say no, but now that I've met you, I think I'd love to stay.”

Johnny's chest puffed up and Sam wanted to gag. Instead, he pushed between them.
“Excuse me, I need to start the grill.”

“
Oh my heavens, Sam! What happened to your back?”

He turned at the top of the steps and shook his head.
“It's nothing. A little accident.”

“
Poor baby! It must have hurt.” Victoria's brow furrowed in concern, and at least that emotion looked genuine.

Sam waved his hands.
“Nah, it's fine. Why don't you two sit on the porch and get to know each other?”

“
Can't you sit with us?”

Johnny scowled at him and it was all Sam could do not to laugh.
“Sorry, if we're going to eat tonight, I have to the grill going, but talk to Johnny. He's a
fascinating
guy.”

Victoria
pouted, but then smiled at Johnny. “I'm sure he is.”

Sam escaped into the house and into the kitchen, thankful when
Victoria didn't follow him. He sorted through their grocery bags and found the small bag of charcoal, and paused in the hallway, warmed by the giggles that came from the bathroom.

After starting the grill, he returned to the kitchen and washed his hands. Molly stood at the counter rolling balls of hamburger and smashing them into patties. She didn't speak to him and he knew his next comment probably wouldn't go over well, but he stepped behind her and slid his hands around her waist.
She had showered and wore a soft pink t-shirt and cut-offs. Her hair was still damp and pulled into a ponytail. He pulled her close and nuzzled the back of her neck.

A shiver shook her, so he knew she wasn't immune, but she tried to shrug him off.
“I'm busy, Sam.”

“
Yes, I see that. Um…could you make sure there's enough for five?”

She tilted her head back to glance up at him.
“Five?” A meat patty slapped against the wax paper she'd spread on the counter as she dropped it. “You invited
her
?” Her nose wrinkled in distaste, then she scraped up the patty and re-shaped it. It joined a stack already on a tray.

“
I did. What was I going to do? Just stand there after she asked if we were having a cookout?”

He couldn't see her roll her eyes, but he was sure she did. He felt it in her stiff posture. With a lift of one shoulder, she shook her head.
“I suppose not, and it's your house. Sorry I said anything. It's none of my business who you want over for dinner.”

Sam applied light pressure against the right side of her abdomen, urging her to turn towards him. She resisted for a few seconds, then twisted to face him, one eyebrow raised, her hands held out to her side so as not to touch him.

“Don't worry about her. Her brother was my best friend, but she was just the kid sister who bugged us. From what I can tell, she hasn't changed much.” He grinned. “Besides, I think your brother caught her eye,” Sam added, hoping to ease her mind.

Molly shot a look towards the porch.
“You don't have to explain your actions. It's not like what happened last night can ever happen again.”

Sam stepped back in surprise.
“What do you mean?” He hoped the kiss on the beach had meant something, but she had already warned him this morning that they didn’t have a future. In the heat of the moment, he had forgotten. Damn it.

Molly turned and resumed forming the hamburgers.
“I told you. I can't get involved with someone right now. I have my daughter to think about.”

“
I understand—I really do, but just so you know, I would never in a million years do anything to hurt Kelsie.”

Molly nodded.
“I know you wouldn't mean to. I can see how good you are with her, but we have a life back home and the sooner we get back to it, the better. Before Kelsie gets too attached.”

The ache in his chest caught him by surprise. For a little while, the pain he'd lived with for the last year had dampened, but it came back full-force at her statement. Without a word, he left the kitchen.

* * *

Molly bit her lip as Sam's footsteps retreated, telling herself that being honest with Sam was the right thing to do. The situation was too volatile. It was bad enough she and Kelsie had to leave their home, even if it was due to her brother and not Sam. She couldn't let her daughter
become too attached to a man who would walk out of their lives when the situation changed.

After the burgers were ready to be
cooked, she opened a package of frozen corn and poured it into a pan, setting it on the stove ready to heat when the hamburgers were close to being done. Molly pulled the potato salad out of the fridge along with the makings for a tossed salad. There wasn't anything more to do right now and she admitted to herself that she was stalling. She didn't want to face Sam or make small talk with Victoria. Kelsie had gone out to the porch, not wanting to miss anything.

Chin high, she took the platter of burgers, along with a clean one for the cooked meat, and
headed out to Sam. The grill was on a cement apron at the side of the drive and she had to walk past Johnny and Victoria to reach it.  She nodded and smiled, hoping it looked more genuine than it felt. Sam took the platter with a quiet thank you, his face impassive.

She looked around, wondering what to do next. Johnny and
Victoria were deep in conversation, Sam wasn't speaking to her, and Kelsie was playing with a couple of stuffed animals at the far end of the porch.

With a sigh, she sat on the steps. It was too nice
of an evening to sit cooped up inside the house. The hamburgers sizzled on the grill, and as the scent wafted past, her stomach growled. The hours on the beach had whet her appetite. Sam had changed out of his swimming trunks and wore a gray t-shirt and an old worn pair of jeans.

“
Hey, Sam?”

He glanced over his shoulder.
“Yes?”

She winced at his impersonal tone, but she had it coming.
“I should probably take a look at your wounds.”

He didn't face her, just flipped a couple of burgers.
“They're fine. I can take care of them.”

“
Oh. Okay. Well, let me know if you need any help.”

“
I won't.”

Molly stared at his back for a minute before standing. It was prob
ably better that he was angry with her. It would make it easier for them to stay away from each other. The reasoning didn't help ease the sting as she climbed the steps to the porch.

“
Molly?”

She paused at the top of the steps, and faced him.

“Thank you for what you've done. I know I should have thanked you sooner, and I apologize for my thoughtlessness. You've been wonderful through all this.” He held her gaze for a long moment before he gave a quick nod and turned back to the grill.

“
You're welcome, Sam.” She didn't know if he heard her, but didn't wait to find out as she hurried into the house to hide the tears welling in her eyes. If he'd have been a jerk about it, it would be a lot easier, but no, he had to go and be all civil to her.

A few minutes later, they all sat down to eat, and Molly was actually thankful for the buffer of
Victoria. Between her and Kelsie, they kept up a steady stream of chatter. Sam asked Victoria about a few people they both had known, and Johnny questioned Victoria about where people went to have fun up here. Molly ate her dinner, barely tasting a thing, and admonished Kelsie to talk a little less and eat a little more.

After they ate and cleaned up the kitchen, Kelsie rem
inded Sam about his promise of S'mores. Sam looked at Molly for permission before agreeing to making the treat. She was bone-tired, but Kelsie had such a look of hope on her face, she couldn't crush it. “I'll get the stuff together. You guys find the sticks for the marshmallows.”

Sam rested his hand on the top of Kelsie's head and bent to hear whatever it was she was saying as the two left the kitchen. It had been only a few days, but already her daughter was completely smitten with Sam. Molly couldn't blame her. He was hard to resist.

After gathering the chocolate, marshmallows and graham crackers, Molly approached the living room, intending to ask if Johnny and Victoria wanted to join them in making the treats, but she paused before entering when she heard Sam’s name mentioned. She peeked in to find Victoria and Johnny sitting on the couch looking at a book.

Curious, she crossed to them.
“What's that?”

They jumped, and
Victoria started to close the book, but then she giggled. “Just a photo album. I was showing Johnny some pictures from when Sam, my brother and I all hung out together.”