So, the kid gloves were coming off, Julianne thought. Good. Some honesty between them might help settle things.
She crossed her arms. “Go ahead. Set me straight, Mr. Keller.”
“First of all, to the rest of the world, this marriage is real. Only you and I know the reason for it.”
“And everyone else thinks we fell in love in a week and simply had to get married? I think these people know you too well to believe that.”
“They’ll believe whatever I tell them.”
“Don’t expect the same of me.”
“If you let on to anyone that this marriage is other than real, you put that person in jeopardy. Do you want that on your shoulders?”
Of course she didn’t. “No.”
“Okay. Second, in order for this to appear like the real thing, we have to share a room.”
“I understand. But we don’t have to share a bed.”
“Mrs. Moody makes the bed. She cleans the room. She’s in there every day. Where would I put a cot or whatever?”
“Sleeping bags roll up and can be hidden in a closet.”
“I’m not sleeping on the floor. You can, if you like.”
He didn’t see that she wasn’t worried about him taking advantage. She was worried about herself. Unless he continued on as a dictator, like now.
When she didn’t answer, he added, “It’s a big bed. We don’t have to touch.”
He must have a lot of faith that she wouldn’t act on her attraction, even unknowingly in her sleep. The nights were cold, and getting longer…
“Agreed?” he asked.
“Sure.” Like she had a choice?
“Outside the room, we need to look like newlyweds.”
“Whatever.” If she acted bored, would he believe she wasn’t getting aroused just thinking about sleeping in the same bed, touching him in the hallways as they passed, sharing meals and conversations? “Is there more?”
“I need to know that what happens in this house, stays in this house. I will protect you from as much as I can, but the longer you’re here, the more you’ll see. You can’t talk about it with anyone. Not Jamey. Not Lil. Not even the Moodys.”
“I won’t disappoint you again.”
Tension left him like a balloon losing air, slowly, steadily, visibly. “Thank you.”
“I’m going to change out of these clothes.” She headed to the staircase. She knew which room was his, but she hadn’t seen inside it, as the door was always closed. And then there was the door that led to the other tower room, where someone lived. No ghost, but a woman.
Julianne needed to remember that Zach had secrets she might never learn about. Deep, dark secrets, with consequences.
She sighed as she climbed the stairs. Her feet ached.
“You looked beautiful, Julianne,” he said from where he stood.
The sincerity of the compliment brought heat to her body. For moments of time today she’d felt like a bride, and she’d liked having his arm around her, and his lips on hers. But because she’d lived her life playing a role, first for her father then for her brother, she resented that she had to play a role at all.
Still, she wanted to keep the peace with him, so she thanked him and continued up the stairs.
She turned the doorknob to his room. Everything was…big—a huge, eighteenth-century stone fireplace, colorful tapestries and the bed. He was right. It was large enough that they wouldn’t touch…unless they wanted to.
“Your clothes will be in the closet behind the door on the right,” he said from close behind her, startling her. “And in the left armoire.”
“Thanks.”
“What would you like to do for the evening?”
Have a wedding night. The thought triggered electrical charges in her erogenous zones. She didn’t understand it. She hardly knew him. Sometimes she didn’t even like him—or maybe she just resented another man being in charge over her, controlling her.
Yet she wanted him.
“Maybe just go for a walk,” she said finally, moving toward the closet, needing to get out of range of his body heat.
“It’s raining.”
“Really?” She looked toward a window. “When did that start?”
“During the reception.”
She heard laughter in his voice and smiled a little in return. “I hadn’t noticed.”
He kindly didn’t tease her but instead grabbed jeans and a sweater from a dresser. “I’ll leave you to change.” He closed the door.
His walk-in closet was enormous, and her clothes hung neatly inside, with room to dress there, as well. After she changed she found him leaning against the wall outside the bedroom. “You hungry?” he asked.
“I could eat.”
He wouldn’t let her help heat up the dinner that Mrs. Moody left behind, an amazing lobster thermador, crisp green salad and homemade rolls. They carried the food to the dining room but conversation lagged. She didn’t know what she could ask him, so she asked nothing.
Just as they settled in the media room to watch an old Katherine Hepburn/Spencer Tracy movie, the phone rang. He listened for a moment, then pressed the hold button.
“I have to take this in the office,” he said. “Go ahead and start the movie without me.” He didn’t wait for a response.
Feeling abandoned, she curled up on the couch to watch the movie. She toyed with her wedding ring, a stunning circle of diamonds. She hadn’t expected such a ring, if she’d considered it, she would’ve. But she would’ve assumed he’d buy a plain gold band. Instead it looked like a real token of love and commitment—the “appearances” part of the marriage. It made her sad.
An hour later Zach returned.
“I need you to stay in this room for a while,” he said abruptly.
“How long?”
“Maybe an hour. If you’d rather be in the bedroom, go now, but please stay put.”
“Bedroom,” she said, standing. She could see outside from there.
“Go quickly.”
She jogged up the stairs and slammed the door shut. After a minute she heard the helicopter. Breathless she ran to the window and watched its spotlight light up the landing area. The rain had stopped. She saw Zach make his way quickly up the path then disappear. As she had before, she waited and waited for his return.
Julianne went still as she heard a baby cry, the sound thready through the stone walls but definitely a baby, or toddler, crying.
What was going on? Obviously the helicopter had brought a child, but why? What secret, criminal thing did Zach do involving children? He couldn’t possibly be harming them—or anyone—so…what? What?
She pressed her ear to the door. It opened suddenly, making her stumble back, and the sound of crying filled the room.
“Know anything about babies?” Zach asked over the noise. He tucked the screaming child closer to him.
She automatically patted the child’s back. “Not really.”
“You probably know more than I do. Here. His name is Jacob.” He plunked the boy into a perplexed Julianne’s arms. “I’ll be right back.”
Jacob pushed and shoved and kicked and wriggled. He screamed and cried. Tears ran down his face. Julianne walked and jostled and hushed, again and again and again. He was the first baby she’d held. She hadn’t babysat or had nieces or nephews or cousins to care for. Was she holding him too tight? Too loose? Too…wrong? Why was he here without his mother?
Where is Zach?
He flew in carrying diapers and other paraphernalia.
“I hope you brought one of those pacifier things,” she shouted.
“Maybe.” He dug into a bag and came up with one.
She snatched it out of his hand and slipped it into Jacob’s open mouth midscream. It fell out. She tried again, rubbing it against the inside of his cheeks. His lips clamped shut around it and he sucked hard and noisily. Poor thing. His big blue eyes finally focused on her. Tears trailed into his soft, shiny brown hair, soaking it. She smiled at him. He sniffled, his breath hitching, then his eyes began to close. Poor thing had worn himself out. She kissed his forehead…and recognized him.
“Thank you,” Zach said quietly.
She’d forgotten he was there. So many questions came to mind. Would he answer them? “His picture is on the wall in your office.”
There was a long pause, then, “Yes.”
Yes. A simple and complicated word. “How old is he?”
“Fifteen months.”
“Why do you have him?”
“Someone else would’ve taken care of him, but they weren’t available.”
“That’s not an answer, Zach.” Jacob became dead weight in her arms, but she didn’t want to put him down, thinking he needed the comfort she offered, and feeling, well, possessive. She’d stopped his crying, after all. It was her face he’d seen before he fell asleep. She figured he should wake up to the same face.
She tucked Jacob closer then spoke to Zach. “I think it’s time you tell me what’s going on.”
He ran his hands through his hair. She waited. Finally he spoke. “Four weeks ago Jacob’s father kidnapped him. We just recovered him.”
“We?”
“My team.”
“Are you some kind of law enforcement?”
“The opposite.”
“I don’t understand.”
“We have no legal authorization to do what we do.”
“Which is?”
“We rescue the abducted.”
So, he was a good guy. Relief blanketed her. “As a full-time job?”
“Unfortunately, yes, it has become that.”
“The pictures on the wall in your office…?”
“Are current cases. And successes. And failures.”
She wondered whether the wall with the huge number of photos was the success or failure wall.
A phone rang. He pulled his portable out of his pocket and answered it. “Okay, good…He’s sleeping. Thanks.” He ended the call. “Julianne, I promise I’ll explain more to you, but right now Jacob’s mother is arriving and things are going to get hectic for a little while.”
“What can I do to help?”
He laid a hand on her shoulder. Gratitude shone in his eyes. “We’re a well-oiled machine. What would help most is if you would stay out of the way. I know that sounds harsh—”
She put a hand over his mouth. “No. It’s okay. Just tell me if you need me for anything. I think—I think what you do is noble.”
He kissed her, lightly at first, then he pulled her as close as he could get her with Jacob in her arms and deepened the kiss, until she was giddy and light headed…and needy.
“We’ll talk later,” he said, stepping back then hurrying away.
She looked down at the sweet little boy. She wondered how Zach knew that Jacob was better off with his mother than his father. She assumed he checked out that sort of thing. She hadn’t figured him for a particularly emotional man, but a practical one. His passion for his work told her there was a deeper story, maybe a sad one.
That made him even more intriguing.
And now she was married to him…