When Jackson’s lawyer Reginald Cooper had advised it would take several days to assess Cristal Creations and come up with a plan of action, Mac had suggested a spa getaway. Crista had vetoed the idea of leaving town again. She was tired of running from her problems.
But Ellie had begged her to reconsider. She reminded Crista that they’d been talking about a girls’ getaway and how it would give her time to think. Then Jackson had added that the owner of the Gold Leaf Resort was a client of Rush Investigations, making the weekend practically free.
With all three ganging up on her, Crista had finally relented.
Now, lounging with Ellie in the outdoor mineral pool, she couldn’t say she was sorry. The breeze was strengthening and clouds were closing up in the sky, but the rock pool was deliciously warm. Lounging on a seat, sculpted into the smooth boulders, with a tall glass of iced tea beside her, Crista closed her eyes and emptied her mind.
She felt more peaceful here than she had in days, and her brain had slowed down enough for her to picture her future. Maybe she’d find herself a new job. She probably would have to find a job, at least in the short term. Crista Creations was about to be dismantled. Without the Gerhards’ backing, the company couldn’t afford retail space. But without Crista, there’d be no more creations to sell.
She knew her designs were the unique element of the company. Without her, Cristal Creations was just another jewelry retailer. And it was a very competitive market.
She’d keep designing. But she’d pull back, retrench, rent booth space at a few jewelry fairs, work on her website and try to build up brand recognition. She’d make new pieces in the evenings, setting up in her kitchen like she’d done for so many months before Vern came along.
She pictured the work space on the island counter, the dining table covered with supplies, her closets overflowing.
Her eyes popped open. “Oh, no.”
“Huh?” Ellie seemed to give herself a shake.
“I can’t believe I forgot,” said Crista.
“Forgot what?”
“I canceled the lease on my suite. The movers are putting the furniture into storage next week.”
“You’re homeless?” asked Ellie.
“It’s almost impossible to find affordable rent.”
“You can stay with me,” said Ellie. “The new sofa folds out. It’s really quite comfortable.”
“That’s nice of you. But it’s not going to be that simple. I need to work from home again.”
“Why not wait and see—” Ellie’s eyes widened, focusing on a spot behind her.
“See what?” asked Crista, realizing she’d suddenly lost Ellie’s attention. She twisted her neck to look behind.
A cloud partially blocked the sun, and she had to blink to adjust to the light.
Then she saw him. It was Vern. He was pacing along the pathway toward them, and there was a smile on his face.
“How did he find me?” She wasn’t exactly afraid, but she was annoyed.
Ellie rose in a whoosh of water.
Crista pushed to her feet, striving for a greater sense of control. She crossed her arms and pinned him with a level stare. “What are you doing here, Vern?”
“I need to talk to you.” His tone was smooth, his expression open and friendly.
He was wearing a business suit, but he bent down on one knee on the cobblestones at the edge of the pool. “I hate the way we left things, Crista.”
She’d hated it, too, but it was entirely his fault, and there was no going back.
She held her ground. “Go home, Vern.”
“Not until you hear me out.”
She firmly shook her head. There was nothing he could say to undo infidelity.
“I know you’re upset,” he said.
“Upset? You think I’m upset?” Try angry. Try incensed. Everything about their relationship had been a lie.
“I can explain,” he said.
“Explain a girlfriend?” Now that she was rolling, she couldn’t seem to stop herself. “You can explain having both a girlfriend and a fiancée at the same time? How exactly are you going to do that?”
Ellie touched her arm. “Crista, don’t.”
Crista struggled to calm down. She knew Ellie was right. She shouldn’t be challenging him. She shouldn’t be engaging with him at all.
“She’s not my girlfriend,” he stated emphatically. “It was just a thing. One of those short-term, stupid things. I panicked. I knew I wanted to be with you for the rest of my life, but I panicked. I thought, well, I thought as long as it happened before the wedding—”
“Stop!” Crista all but shouted. “Quit rationalizing. You cheated. And I doubt you regretted it at all. I think you were going to keep doing it.”
“That’s not true.”
“It’s entirely true.” She was certain of it.
“I love you, Crista. I want to share my life with you.”
“You don’t love me. You can’t love someone and not want what’s best for them. You don’t want what’s best for me. You want what’s best for you. And you’re willing to sacrifice me to get it.”
“That’s the thing. I do want what’s best for you. And I’ve learned my lesson. I told myself it wouldn’t hurt you. If I thought for one minute it would have hurt you—”
“Shut up,” Ellie interjected. “Just shut up, Vern. Leave her alone and go away.”
Vern’s tone cooled as he looked at Ellie. “This is none of your business.”
A clipped male voice interrupted. “Maybe not. But this conversation is over.”
Jackson had appeared from nowhere.
“How did you…” Crista found herself gaping at him in surprise.
“Well, well, well,” said Vern, slowly rising and looking Jackson up and down.
“Goodbye, Gerhard,” said Jackson. “Or do I have to call security?”
“So you’re here with her,” said Vern.
Jackson didn’t answer.
“He’s not here with me,” said Crista. “He wasn’t here at all. Not until just now.”
Vern shifted his gaze to Crista, clearly trying to decide if she was lying.
She wasn’t. Then again, she didn’t really care what he thought.
“You don’t owe him an explanation,” said Jackson. He took a menacing step toward Vern.
“You want to do this?” Vern challenged, widening his stance.
“She wants you gone,” said Jackson. “You can walk out or be carried out. It’s all the same to me.”
Ellie grasped Crista’s arm. “Come on.” She tugged, urging Crista toward the glass-encased underwater staircase.
Crista realized it was good advice. She had absolutely nothing left to say to Vern, and her presence was only going escalate the situation. She left the pool and walked briskly away, scooping up the towels and robes they’d left draped over a pair of deck chairs.
Jackson caught up to them at the elevator.
“He’s gone,” he said.
“I’m beginning not to trust that.”
The elevator arrived, its doors sliding open for them.
“I don’t blame you,” said Jackson as they walked inside.
“I’m going to hide in my room now.” At least there, people would have to knock.
“You and I need to talk.” His expression was too serious for her peace of mind.
“Can it wait?” she asked.
“It’s important.”
“You can drop me at the smoothie bar,” said Ellie, pressing the button for the third floor.
Crista braced her hands on the rail behind her. “You know, I was happy in the mineral pool. All my cares and worries were flowing away.”
“Five minutes,” he said. “Ten, tops.”
“I don’t want any more bad news.”
Before he could respond, the elevator stopped on three, and the doors slid open.
“Mac’s around here somewhere,” he said to Ellie.
Ellie’s expression brightened. “He is?”
Jackson grinned at her telltale reaction.
“Catch you in a while,” said Ellie, and she stepped briskly away.
“She likes Mac,” said Crista, happy for her friend despite everything.
“Mac likes her back,” said Jackson. “He’ll track her down in no time.”
“Because he’s a skilled investigator,” Crista guessed.
“Because she’s still got the GPS phone.”
“You guys make me paranoid.”
“It’s healthy to be paranoid.”
Their eyes met as the elevator rose toward the presidential suite on the twentieth floor. His gaze was soft, and a rush of awareness heated her skin. She could fight it all she wanted, but he seemed more attractive every time she saw him.
Exiting the elevator, the suite was at the far end of the hallway. A set of double oak doors led to a spacious set of rooms with a dramatic bay window overlooking the spa.
She extracted the key card from her bag and swiped it through the reader. Jackson reached for the handle and held the door open wide.
“Do you want to change?” he asked as they entered.
She dropped her bag on an armchair and tightened the sash on her robe. “You wanted to talk?”
“I did. I do.” He seemed to give himself a mental shake. “I really missed you.”
She’d missed him too. And her feelings for him were getting more confused by the moment.
He was an extraordinary man. He was sexy and self-assured in a rugged and dangerous way. But he was also classically handsome. In fact, he could probably be a model. She had a sudden vision of him in a pair of faded jeans, shirtless on a windswept beach. She wanted to tear off his shirt so that reality could mesh with her fantasy.
“Don’t look at me like that,” his voice rumbled.
“I’m not.”
He eased forward. “You are such a liar.”
It was true. She was lying to him, and she was lying to herself. She was looking at him exactly like that. She was completely attracted to him and completely turned on, and she couldn’t figure out why she was fighting it.
“I’m sorry,” she offered.
“For what?”
“For lying.”
He seemed to take a breath. Then he squeezed her hands, causing her hormones to surge to life, and she swayed toward him.
He let go of her hands. Then he reached slowly up to cradle her cheek. He canted his head, easing his lips toward her.
“Do you want this?” he asked.
She was tired of lying. “Yes.”
“Are you sure?” he persisted. “Because if we shut it down again, it might kill me.”
It might kill her, too.
In answer, she reached for the buttons on his shirt, flicking open one, then another and another.
“I’m sure,” she whispered and stretched up to meet his lips.
His reaction was immediate. He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her deeply. She molded against him, feeling the strength of his body and the thud of his heart.
He tugged at her sash, releasing the robe.
“I’m soaking wet,” she warned. Her bathing suit was going to soak through his clothes.
“I don’t care.” He stripped the robe from her shoulders and let it fall to the floor.
Then he lifted her into his arms, her flip-flops falling beside her robe. “Which way?” he asked.
She pointed to the bedroom door.
He carried her through then closed the door firmly behind them, setting her bare feet on the thick carpet. The balcony door was partway open, a breeze billowing the sheers. Muted sounds from the pool area below rose into the room. The fan whirred, and dappled sunlight danced on the buttercream walls.
He brushed back her damp hair, raking his fingers through the strands. She tugged free the hem of his shirt. Then she finished with the buttons, removing his shirt to reveal a close-up view of his broad shoulders and tanned muscular chest.
“I was right,” she muttered under her breath, then she kissed his smooth pec.
“Right about what?”
She was surprised he’d heard. “About you.” She kissed him again, making a damp spot with her tongue.
He gasped in a breath. “In a good way, I hope.”
“In a good way,” she confirmed.
He slipped off the strap of her bathing suit, kissing the tip of her shoulder. “I was right about you, too.” The vibrations of his deep voice penetrated her skin.
It was becoming a struggle for her to talk. “In a good way?”
“In a very good way.”
He released the hook of her bathing suit top. It fell, and her cool, damp breasts tumbled free.
He stepped back to look, and his eyes turned the color of dark chocolate. Her nipples beaded and a bolt of arousal spiked through her.
“Gorgeous,” he whispered with reverence.
“Not so bad yourself.” She ran her fingers from his navel to his chest and across to his shoulders. He was satisfyingly solid over every inch.
His hand closed on her breast, and his smile faded. He caught her lips again and wrapped his free arm around her waist to draw her close, her bare chest coming up against his.
Their kisses seemed to last forever. She wanted them to last forever. The whole world could disappear for all she cared. She wanted this moment, these feelings, this bliss she’d found with Jackson to go on and on.
Her knees began to weaken, and she could feel her muscles relax. He kicked off his shoes and popped the button on his pants.
In a moment, they’d be naked. They’d be on the big bed, and their inevitable lovemaking would finally come to pass.
“Protection?” she asked.
“I have it.”
She took a step, the backs of her knees pressing against the mattress. She gave him a sensual smile and hooked her thumbs into her bathing suit bottoms. Feeling sexy and powerful, and loving the molten expression in his eyes, she slowly peeled away the bottoms, stepping from them, standing naked in front of him.
He didn’t move. His gaze went from the top of her head to the tips of her toes and back again.
Her confidence faltered.
But then he met her eyes. “I’m in awe.”
“In a good way?” she joked.
“You’re stunning. I’m afraid to touch you. If you’re another dream, I’m going to be bitterly disappointed.”
Her confidence came back, and she smiled. “Another dream?”
“I’ve had several dozen.” He moved closer, stepping out of his pants.
“That’s good,” she told him.
“It was terrible,” he countered. “They weren’t real, and they were wholly unsatisfying.”
She wound her arms around his neck, coming up on her toes to kiss his mouth. “I’ll try to do better.”
“This is better,” he said. “So much better.” And then he claimed her mouth.
Their naked bodies pressed tight together. She could feel every ripple of his chest, every shift of his thighs. His palms moved down her back, over her rear, smoothing the backs of her thighs.
She moved her feet apart, arching against him, a throbbing insistence growing at her core.
“Oh, Crista,” he moaned, burrowing his face in her neck, kissing the tender skin, his hands kneading her fluid muscles.
“I can’t wait,” she told him.
He produced a condom.
Seconds later he cupped her rear and lifted her up. She twined her legs around his waist, reveling in the friction between them. He kissed her, his tongue teasing her mouth. Her hands tightened around him, gripping hard as he pushed inside, completing them.
She moaned at the instantaneous raw sensations. This wasn’t merely pleasant. It wasn’t merely nice. It was brilliant and intense, breathtakingly wonderful. Ripples of ecstasy radiated through her. He’d barely begun, and she was flying away, flying off in a million directions. Colors exploded in her mind, and she cried out his name and catapulted over the edge.
He stilled, giving her time to breathe.
“I’m sorry,” she managed, embarrassed at her hair trigger.
“For what this time?” he rumbled.
“I didn’t mean… I don’t know what happened. I’m not…” She wasn’t usually like this.
He stopped her with a kiss. “That was amazing. I’m honored. And we can start all over now.” There was a chuckle in his voice. “Maybe you’ll do better next time.”
She was about to tell him next time never happened. It never had. When she was done, she was done. But she’d be patient with him. He didn’t need to—
His thumb brushed her nipple, and her body zinged back to life. Then he kissed her mouth, and the glow grew inside her.
Curious, she touched her tongue with his.
“Oh, my,” she muttered.
He flexed his hips, moving against her.
Arousal teased her stomach, moving along her thighs.
She answered his thrusts, losing track of time all over again. Their lovemaking went on and on, and he took her to unimaginable heights, all but shattering her soul.
Afterward, they fell onto the bed together, him on top, her tangled around him. She couldn’t move. She wasn’t even sure she could breathe. She certainly couldn’t talk, even though she wanted to tell him he was fantastic and she’d never had lovemaking like that.
Minutes slipped past while they both dragged in deep breaths.
He finally broke the silence.
“That,” he said, “was all of my dreams combined.”
Crista’s chest went tight. Warmth radiated within her. She didn’t know what happened next. She’d worry about that later. For now, all she wanted out of life was to bask in the glow of Jackson.
* * *
As Crista nestled against his shoulder, Jackson kept her held tight. All he could think about was how close he’d come to missing this moment. If he’d hesitated outside the church, if he’d let her walk through the door, if he hadn’t grabbed her in that split second, she’d be married to Gerhard by now and forever out of his reach.
He’d settled a blanket around them, his instinct to cocoon them together. Faraway shouts from the pool below made their way through the window. He watched as the fan blades whirled slowly above them, dispersing the fresh outside air.
He wanted to order some champagne, maybe some strawberries. He wanted to lounge in her bed for hours, laughing with her, teasing her, asking about her childhood, her friends, her jewelry designs. But he knew he didn’t have that luxury. He’d put this conversation off too long already.
She needed to know she was a multimillionaire and that Gerhard was after her money.
“The Borezone Mine,” he whispered in her ear.
She tilted her head to glance at him, blinking her gorgeous eyes as her lips curved into a smile. “That wasn’t what I expected you to say.”
He brushed a lock of hair from her forehead. “You need to hear again that you were fantastic? Because you were fantastic.”
She shook her head, her hair brushing his chest and shoulder. It felt good.
“But we have to have this conversation. Have you ever heard of the Borezone Mine?”
“No.”
“I’m not surprised. A few years ago, some shares of the Borezone Mine were put into your name.”
She didn’t answer. Instead, she propped her head up on her elbow, looking curious. “Was it an accident?”
“I doubt it. But that doesn’t really matter. The point is you own them.”
“How do you know that?” she asked.
“Mac discovered it.” Jackson hoped he wouldn’t have to mention her father.
“Okay.” Her tone was searching. “Should I give them back?”
“No.”
“I don’t understand your point.”
Jackson pulled himself into a sitting position. “Thing is, Gerhard knows about your shares.”
Her forehead wrinkled. “How does he know about them?”
“I’m not sure,” Jackson answered honestly.
She sat up, tucking the blanket around her. “I think I know what must have happened.”
“You do?” Jackson braced himself.
“It had to be my father.”
Jackson was surprised at how quickly she’d worked it out.
But instead of angry, her tone turned worried. “Is it an illegal mine?”
“No. It’s nothing illegal. The mine is in northern Canada. It’s perfectly legitimate.”
“If my father is involved in something, it’ll be a scam.”
“We need to talk about Gerhard.”
She was clearly becoming impatient. “Do we have to? Really?” She spread her arms. “Right now?”
“He knows about the mine, Crista.”
“So what?”
“So, he wants to get his hands on your shares. That’s what this is all about.”
She blinked for a moment, clearly parsing through the information. “Are you suggesting Vern was marrying me for a mine?”
“I—”
“Are you saying he felt nothing for me?” She suddenly sounded angry. She bounced from the bed, draping the blanket around herself. “Why would you say that?”
“I want you to be safe.”
“It was something, Jackson. I’m not that naive. He wasn’t faking our entire relationship.”
Jackson realized he’d made a colossal error. He couldn’t have picked a worse time to have this conversation.
“Let me start over,” he said. “Or better still, forget it for now. We can talk about this later. I am starving.”
“Oh, no.” She vehemently shook her head. “I want you to finish telling me how my fiancé suckered me and strung me along for a year to get his hands on a few shares in some mine.”
“I want you to be safe,” said Jackson. “This is all about you staying safe.”
“Since the wedding’s off—thanks to you, by the way—I don’t see how I’m not safe.”
“Gerhard is not a nice man.”
She lifted her chin but didn’t answer.
“And neither is his father. The entire family is shady. We think they tried to bribe city councillors for building permits. Mac is checking into it now. And as long as you have shares in the Borezone diamond mine, you could be a target.”
“It’s a diamond mine?”
“Yes.”
“It has to be a mistake.”
“It’s not a mistake,” said Jackson. “It’s easily verifiable.”
Her anger seemed to switch back to confusion. “But the Gerhards don’t need money. The last thing in the world that family needs is more money.”
“I can’t say I disagree with that.”
“So why would they care about anything I have?”
“They do.”
“That’s your theory.”
“You’re right,” he said. “It is a theory. But I know I’m right. They won’t go away. They’ll try every trick in the book to reacquire you.”
“Reacquire me?” Her tone was incredulous.
“You have to trust me.”
She sat down on the edge of the bed. “Why did you make love to me?”
The question took him by surprise. He wasn’t sure what she was driving at, so he didn’t know how to answer.
He went with the truth. “Because I couldn’t stop myself.”
She frowned. “You tried to stop yourself?”
“Not today I didn’t.” He reached for her hand, but she tugged it away.
“Are you after the diamond mine, Jackson? Is that why you’ve stuck around all this time?”
“I am not after your mine.” He hated that she had to ask. “The mine has nothing to do with you and me.”
“Apparently it has everything to do with you and me.”
“I’m here to keep you safe, full stop.”
“You don’t even know me.”
“That’s not true. I didn’t know you. That day at the church, I didn’t know you. But now I know you. And I care about you. And I am not about to stand by and let the Gerhards get their hooks into you.”
“They can have the stupid mine,” she snapped. “I don’t want it. I don’t care.”
“You should. It will help you get your business back.”
“How? Why is this so important?”
“They’re criminals, Crista. And they have absolutely no right to that mine or—”
“I don’t care,” she cried.
“Crista.” His tone was hard, but he needed to get her attention.
“What?”
“That mine is worth a hundred million dollars. And you own 40 percent.”
The color drained from her face. Her shoulders dropped. Then her arms wrapped protectively around her stomach.
Silence ticked by, but he was afraid to speak. He didn’t know what to say, and he didn’t want to make it any worse.
“That’s not possible.” Her voice was small.
He wrapped a gentle hand over her shoulder. “To Gerhard, you represent forty million dollars.”
The words sank in. “He didn’t want a prenup.” She tipped her chin to look at Jackson. “I thought that meant he trusted me.”
Jackson gave in to his urge and pulled her protectively into his arms. “That’s what he wanted you to think. You’re a kind, trusting person.”
She smacked her hand ineffectively against Jackson’s chest. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I just did.”
“Why didn’t you tell me before?”
“You wouldn’t even believe he was cheating on you. I needed you to trust me first.”
“I don’t trust you now.”
“I know, but I couldn’t wait any longer. When I saw him out there at the pool, I knew it was time for some hard truths.”
“It’s been two hours since you saw him at the pool.”
“I know that, too.” Jackson spoke huskily, tightening his embrace. “But I figured you were safe with me.”
“Plus, you wanted to get me naked before you confessed.”
“Should I apologize for that?”
“Are you sorry?”
“I’m not remotely sorry for making love with you.”
“The mine has to be a scam,” she said with conviction. “It’s my father. He wants people to believe it has a lot of value, but it will turn out to be worthless.”
Jackson knew differently, but he didn’t want to fight about it. He could show her copies of the share certificates, but she might think they were faked. It was better to wait and have Reginald take her to an official government office.
“Even if it is a scam,” he said. “Gerhard believes it’s true. That’s the problem.”
“He can’t steal something I don’t have.”
“He can hurt you while he tries.”
“I’ll stay away from him,” she said.
“Good decision. Give me the benefit of the doubt, and I’ll show you final proof when we get back to Chicago.”
“All right. I’ll believe it when I see it,” she said.
“Fair enough.”
Her brow furrowed. “I think that means your job will be done.”
“My job will be done,” he agreed.
“Will you leave?” She tipped her chin to look up at him, obviously struggling to be brave but seeming vulnerable.
“I’m not leaving.”
He was very, very far from leaving. His job might be done, but that didn’t mean he was ready to walk away. Not from Crista. Not by a long shot.