Unlikely Love: A Hot, Romantic Suspense Series: Book 1 (The Carlisle Sisters) (7 page)

“Well, I’m sure that Jonas had plenty of enemies.  It could be anyone.  Do you know of anyone that Jonas cheated or conned?”  Beth asked.

“Of course.  A number of people.  And I’m having them checked out as we speak.  But I don’t think the culprit will be easily identified,” Grey said.  “He’s gone to a lot of trouble to conceal himself so far and that is not going to change.”

“They weren’t able to pull any fingerprints from the shack?”  Beth inquired.

Grey shook his head negatively.

“No.  Either he got lucky or this guy knows what he’s doing,” Grey said.

“Well, he’s bound to make a mistake eventually,” Beth stated.  She sounded unsure.

“Let’s hope that happens soon before someone else gets hurt.  The last thing we want is for people to think The Sea View is unsafe,” Grey said.

“But that may be part of his plan.  Maybe he
wants
to ruin the resort,” she said.

“It could be any number of reasons.  And right now we just don’t have enough to go on to speculate,” he said.  “We just have to be extremely vigilant from here on out.  No unusual occurrence is too small to investigate.”

His arm was resting on the back of the sofa, his hand just behind Beth’s neck.  He reached to play with her hair.  He fingered the red tresses lightly; almost absent-mindedly.  He was thinking of the resort’s troubles and didn’t really grasp what he was doing.  But Beth did.

His knuckles brushed the nape of her neck and soon his fingers began to massage it.  It felt so good that Beth was sure the hairs on her nape were standing up.  She wanted to close her eyes and relax into the sensation of his massage.

“Just relax, Beth.  We won’t do anything that you don’t want,” he whispered.

She turned her head to look into his clear, bright eyes.  She saw nothing there but decency and integrity.  She slowly closed her eyes.

He moved to hold her close in the crook of his arm; his hand massaging her scalp.  It felt so good.  Beth marveled at how amazing it was that such a large man could be so tender.  She melted under his gentle assault and wanted it to go on forever.

“Will you tell me what happened to make you afraid of intimacy, Beth?”  he asked softly.

Beth stiffened and he felt it.

“Don’t brace up, Beth.  I only want to help you.  The last time we were here our intimacy became pretty intense.  But then you bolted out of here as if you’d been hurt in some way,” he said softly.  “Talk to me, Beth.  Tell me what happened.”

“I don’t want to talk about it, Grey.  I just want to forget it.  To pretend that part of my life didn’t exist.  Doesn’t exist.  Please don’t try to force it out of me,” she begged.

Her plea broke Grey’s heart.  Someone had done the unimaginable and it still tortured her.  How he would like to get his hands on the neck of that lowlife.  And he would.  He didn’t know how or when or where.  But somehow he would exact his revenge on the scum and the piece of shit would wish he were dead when he was finished with him.

“It’s alright, babe.  We won’t talk about it,” he murmured.  He kissed the top of her head gently.  “Just know that I am here for you, Beth.  And I’ll always be here for you.  You can tell me anything.”

Those words were music to Beth’s ears.  She’d wanted someone that she could trust with her darkest secret for so long and now she had found him.  She didn’t know if she would ever tell him of what she had buried deep in her soul; but she knew that she
could
and that it would be alright.  And that piece of knowledge was enough.

*****

Jarod stood before his vanity and brushed his light brown hair.  Then he set the brush down and leaned forward to peer in the mirror at his receding hairline.  He frowned then shrugged.  There was little he could do about his fading hair so he may as well accept it.

Besides, he thought he would look rather good as a bald man.  He still had time before his head would be
completely
bare but he wasn’t dreading it.  In fact, he had considered shaving his head and being done with it.

He wondered what Jen would think when she saw him sporting a bald head.  He laughed.  He imagined that she would have a hard time adjusting.  Dating bald men was not exactly her style. 

He couldn’t wait to see her reaction when he finally did it.  Would she surprise him and be okay with it?  Or would she have a similar reaction to the one she’d had yesterday when he’d arrived at her office to invite her to lunch?

That had truly been his intention:  lunch.  Plain and simple.  But things had gotten a bit out of hand and they’d ended up at his house.  And they weren’t there for a sandwich.

Jen was sexy and hot and he’d been aching to get her into bed.  And from her response she was just as eager to join him there.  As soon as they entered his home she had pushed him against the wall and began kissing him.  For a man who was used to being the aggressor, it surprised him.

But he rather liked her assault.  She’d unbuttoned his shirt and kissed his bare nipples.  Blood surged to his burgeoning cock and he ached to release it from the confines of his trousers.  When she knelt on the floor and slipped his zipper down he’d wanted to shout with desire.

She’d pushed his pants down.  Then his briefs.  His penis jutted forward proudly; ready to be licked and caressed.  She’d gently held it between her slender fingers and brought her mouth to its head.  She’d flicked her tongue out to touch him and he groaned.

This made her smile and she opened her mouth to suckle him, only to tease him by pulling back at the last second.  He caught his breath.  She’d chuckled at his reaction.  He couldn’t wait any longer so he grabbed her head and pushed his cock through her lips.  His action was rough but she didn’t mind.  In fact, she liked that he’d taken control back from her.

She had suckled him until he was close to exploding.  Then he ripped her clothes from her sleek body and pushed her to the floor.  Spreading her creamy thighs, he rammed into her, causing her to gasp with the intense and sudden pleasure.

He’d never been so rough with a woman before and he’d thought she would pull back.   But instead she had laughed and encouraged him to come on stronger.  He did and together they’d bucked and writhed like two wild animals; insatiable for one another.  Physically unable to get enough of each other.

When they finally climaxed, all they could do was pant heavily as they tried to catch their breath.  Then, after barely a few moments, they’d looked at one another, smiled and did it all over again.  They spent the rest of the day and night engaged in the most thrilling sex that either of them had ever had.

Jarod had slept with quite a few women in his life but never had it been as good as it was with Jen.  She knew how to please a man and wasn’t afraid to do so.  But, while it was obvious that they were very compatible between the sheets, what would the rest of their relationship be like?

Jarod was eager to find out.  He moved into his bedroom and took his suit jacket from the rack and put it on.  He needed to be in court in twenty minutes so he had to hurry.  It would not do to keep Judge Loman waiting.  He rushed out of the house with a skip in his step.

*****

Tracy woke the next day and threw the sheet aside.  She was finally able to get out of that blasted bed.  She sat up, swung her legs over the side and then immediately grabbed her head.

She felt woozy and a little faint.  She sat still for a moment to allow the room to stop spinning.  As it settled, she eased off of the bed, grabbing the nightstand to steady herself.  Then she slowly began moving toward the bathroom.  She was halfway there when Jen entered the room.

“Tracy!  What are you doing out of bed?”  Jen exclaimed as she rushed to Tracy’s side.

“I’m getting out of that bed if it is the last thing I do.  I can’t stand to be in it another second,” Tracy retorted.

“But the doctor said you…”

“Screw that doctor!  He’s not the one going batty staring at the Goddamn ceiling twenty-four seven,” Tracy snapped.  “Besides, it’s the fourth day and I have to go see him today.”

“I’m well aware of that and I plan on taking you there myself.  If you’re up to it let’s go now,” Jen said.

“Wonderful.  But I need a shower first; then we can go,” Tracy said, stopping at the closet for some clothes on her way to the bathroom.

Jen moved to the chaise, sunk into it and picked up a magazine from the end table.  She hummed tunelessly as she flipped through its pages.  Tracy noticed Jen’s mood.

“You’re feeling good.  Any particular reason why?”  Tracy asked from inside the walk-in closet.

“Mmm, no,” Jen said.

Tracy came out of the closet and laid her red sun dress on the bed.

“I don’t believe you.  You haven’t smiled or hummed a single note since we’ve been here.  Something is up.  What is it?”  Tracy demanded.

Jen couldn’t hold it in any longer.  She turned to face Tracy.

“Jarod invited me to lunch yesterday.  We had a fabulous time,”  Jen said sunnily.

“Jen, that’s great.  I thought he had his eye on you.  Where did he take you to eat?”  Tracy asked.

Jen paused.

“Well…we never got around to eating; at least not in a restaurant,” Jen said slyly.

“Huh?  You’re losing me.  Where did you have lunch?”  Tracy asked, her typical wit clouded by her time spent convalescing.

“At his house,” Jennifer revealed.  Then she held her breath while awaiting Tracy’s response.

This time Tracy paused.  She knew her sister very well.  Had her hormones taken over her better judgment?

“And just what happened at his house?”  Tracy questioned playfully.

“We made out,” Jen hedged.

“Made out?  Is that
all
?”  Tracy pressed.

Jennifer sighed.

“We had hot, racy sex and I loved it,” Jen blurted.

“Jen!”  Tracy exclaimed.  “Even before your first date?”

“But Tracy, he’s so frickin’ good!  I’ve never been with a man that is as good as he is!”  Jen said elatedly.  “If I had my way I would
still
be in his bed.”

Tracy raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“Who would have thunk it?”  she joked.

“Exactly!”  Jen said.  “And I can’t wait to see him again.”

“I’m sure you can’t.  But don’t you think you should try and get to know him, as well?”  Tracy asked.  “A relationship can’t survive or thrive on sex alone.”

“I’m not so sure,” Jen grinned.  “This sex was
awesome
.”

Tracy chuckled.

“Seriously, Jen.  Get to know him before you go too far.  I don’t want to see you get hurt,” Tracy said seriously.

“Well, you can’t go much farther than where we’ve gone, Trace.  But I hear what you’re saying and I will take your sage advice,” Jen said, playfully bowing in obedience.

“Good,” Tracy said.  Then she went into the bathroom. “I’ll be quick.”

“Take your time.  I’ve got plenty of memories to keep me occupied,” Jen grinned.

Tracy stuck her head out of the bathroom door.

“I bet you do,” she quipped.

They laughed hysterically.  It felt good.

.

Chapter 5

T
racy and Jen entered the infirmary to find complete chaos.  They were in shock at the confusion and drama taking place.  Nurses and doctors were rushing here and there, attending to ailing patients.  The place was swarming with resort guests who were complaining of a horrid rash.  Tracy saw Doctor Burris coming out of an examination room and moved to catch him before he went into another.

“Doctor Burris!  What is going on?”  Tracy asked in alarm.  She had grasped his arm to detain him.  He briefly covered her hand with his own as he looked into her questioning hazel eyes.  He then removed his hand.

“All of these guests have a bacterial infection.  The common denominator, I’ve just discovered, is that all of them have been swimming in the Blue Lagoon pool,” he said.

“Oh my God!  The Sea View is responsible for this?”  Tracy asked in horror.

“”It looks like it,” he said.  “I’m sorry, Tracy, but I won’t be able to see you today for obvious reasons.  Have you experienced any extreme headaches or vomiting?” 

“No.  Only minor headaches once in a while and the medication you gave me always relieves the pain,” Tracy answered.

“Good.  I’ll check on you in a few days.  Come in if anything changes before then,” he advised.

“I will,” Tracy said.

Doctor Burris rushed off and Jen and Tracy left the infirmary.

“We’ve got to tell Grey and Beth about this,” Jen said urgently.

“Come on. Let’s hurry,” Tracy urged.

They hurried back to the office.

*****

Jen and Tracy burst into the office breathing heavily.  Grey was sitting at his desk and glanced through his open office doorway as they rushed into the cabin. He hurried into the outer office.

“What’s wrong?  You two look like you just ran the New York Marathon,” he said.

“We’ve got a huge problem.  Tons of guests are in the infirmary complaining of a rash,” Tracy said.

“What?”  Grey snapped.

“They have a bacterial infection and Doctor Burris said they contracted it by swimming in The Blue Lagoon pool,” Jen explained.

Grey looked horrified.

“Damn it!”  Grey cursed.

“Do you think it’s sabotage, Grey?”  Tracy asked, worried.

“What else could it be?  That pool had its routine inspection three days ago and it was in perfect condition,” he retorted.

“Then someone is trying to shut us down,” Tracy concluded.

“But who would do such a thing?”  Jen asked in disbelief.

“I don’t know; but I’m going to find out.  Cissy!”  Grey called out.  Cissy ran into the room.  “Call Maggie and tell her to get down here pronto.  Then call Jake and have him close all of the pools until further notice.  Every pool and hot tub needs to be check by Maggie and her team.”

Jake was in charge of maintenance for the entire resort.

“Yes, sir.  Right away,” Cissy replied and hurried back to her desk to make the calls.