Drake didn’t have to like the fact Larry White had forced him to take a sabbatical for decking Jeremy.
He hadn’t had to like it, but he’d accepted it, especially when Larry had put it to him the way he had: “Get your head on straight or lose the job.”
Drake reached into the ice chest and pulled out a frosted beer.
His phone vibrated. Larry.
He answered his boss’ call by asking, “When are you going to get a real refrigerator?”
“I just bought the damn place. Consider yourself lucky it was there for you to take your vacation.”
“Don’t you mean forced leave of absence? Because it sure as hell wasn’t voluntary.”
“You know … I might join you and check out the area. Anything interesting pop up?”
Drake walked out to the front porch, which had a spectacular view of the town. The only thing he had found interesting was a woman named Selena. “Didn’t you check out the area? You bought this place sight unseen? That’s not like you, White. What are you up to?”
“I surf the net once in awhile.” This brought laughter from Drake. Everyone knew Larry hated technology. “Martha’s always trying to get me to take a vacation. I had one of the girls do a little searching. They showed me some pictures and I thought Martha would enjoy it.”
Drake sat in the chair made from logs. “That explains why it’s so rustic. Nothing has Martha’s touch. Which means, Larry, you’re not only up to something, but if Martha finds out, you’re dead. And I’ll help her kill you.”
“Repeat that. You’re breaking up. I’m losing you.”
The line went dead. Larry’s way of avoidance.
Drake leaned against the wall and propped his feet up. He closed his phone and inserted it back onto his belt. It was too quiet here. When he had seen the location of Larry’s cabin, he was ready to turn and go back, no matter what the consequences. He couldn’t retire from the agency. The clawing need for revenge against the Donovans for killing his brother had taken over every part of his life. His only agenda was getting through this enforced leave to take them out.
Thankfully, he’d smuggled the Donovan reports from his desk for late night reading to ferret out any new leads on Donovan’s weaknesses, anything that might lead him to Donovan’s next move. Except thoughts of Selena interrupted his flow of concentration.
He hadn’t scouted the outside of the cabin earlier and now was as good a time as any to get his focus back on track. A map of the few manmade trails in the wooded area had been taped inside the cabinet door above the sink, marking locations of stores, residential homes, and other trails within the area.
An ax butted against a stump and logs were stacked three feet high under a tarp. The wood bin overflowed with seasoned wood and kindling had been thrown in a crate next to it. Because of the pine trees blocking the sun, there were more patches of sandy dirt than grass. He’d almost forgotten how sweet the scent of pine trees smelled. His world had always left a foul scent in the wake of its violence. Even in silence, the guns and impending danger had overwhelmed the silence, unable to give the agents time to completely regenerate for the next day.
A branch snapped in the woods.
Drake waited.
Nothing came into sight.
“Are you Drake Malone?” a woman asked.
He turned, wary. She had appeared out of nowhere. He sighed. Too much of the past was hard to get out of his system.
“Selena thought you might need a few provisions until you get stocked up.” She held up a basket of muffins and a covered dish.
The food smelled delicious. “Why didn’t she bring them up herself?” he asked, offering to take them from her. The covered dish was spaghetti, homemade meatballs, and sauce.
The girl was very pretty, wearing no makeup and dressed for hiking.
“Oh, Selena didn’t make these. I did. She thought you wouldn’t know many people since you’re new and all and thought you might like some company.”
Was Selena matchmaking? The girl followed him inside the cabin, not waiting on ceremony.
“Great place,” she said. “We wondered who would buy this place. It’s a bit of a fetch from here to town, but you look in great shape and can probably handle it.”
His eyebrow rose.
“You seem to know my name,” he said.
“Oh. Sorry. Name’s Katrina Belford. I’m your neighbor.” She grinned and held out her hand as he grinned back. “Around these parts, a neighbor up here can be as far as a few miles away.”
As politely as he could, he ushered Katrina out the door, but not before she reached up and hugged him.
He froze.
“Selena did the same thing when I hugged her.” Katrina seemed puzzled. “Come to think of it … Mrs. Irons did the same thing. I guess you’ll all get used to it. We’re huggy around here.” She laughed at his expression. “Not the men. Don’t worry.” Katrina waved and headed outside, her ponytail bouncing with each step.
He watched Katrina as she took the road into town. Not a twinge of spark when Katrina hugged him. He knew he didn’t have to hug Selena to know what he would feel for her.
Flipping open his laptop, he began surfing the marked pages he still had access to. Two hours later, phone calls and surfing results brought nothing in new leads on the Donovans’ activities.
He leaned back in his chair and propped his feet on the desk, crossing them over each other. Selena hadn’t left his thoughts completely. The silent sparring, his body going into overdrive, Selena’s attitude all added up to one thing. He wanted her. If he didn’t convince her they would be good together, she would continue sending distractions his way. He pulled his feet from the desk. One day was one day too long in putting Selena’s matchmaking on ice.
He locked the doors and almost ran into a woman carrying jugs of what looked like apple cider.
She smiled. “Hi. I’m Sandy Kitt from the apple orchard on the other side of your trails.” At the lift of his eyebrow, she added, “The trail behind your place leads to mine. I thought I’d bring over some apple cider until you had a chance to stock up the place.”
Drake couldn’t help but laugh. “Let me guess. Selena?”
“Why … yes.” She handed him the cider after he unlocked the door and gestured for her to follow him in.
Placing the cider in the ice chest, he decided he would have to buy Larry a refrigerator or he’d never fit any meat in here. After they spoke a few minutes, Sandy took off — not before she gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek.
He quickly changed into jogging clothes in case Selena sent anyone else over. He could use jogging as an excuse to keep on the move.
Within twenty minutes he was standing in front of Heaven’s Brew. He walked in and found her congregating with five women, two of whom he had just met. All six were huddled and whispering.
He walked by the group. “Hello, ladies.” He ordered a caramel latte. The whipped cream and chocolate fudge drizzle oozed out of the lid. Selena’s favorite. He walked over to the guys standing by the counter. He’d met Tom, Henry, and John on previous visits to the coffee shop.
“Don’t worry. You guys are out of the loop on this one,” Drake remarked dryly. “It seems I’m her next target.”
“What happened? Food delivery?”
“Apple cider?”
“Massage?”
Drake, Tom, and Henry turned. “Massage?”
A flush crept up John’s face. “Well, I’d just gotten out of the shower and when I walked into the living room, Cassie had set her equipment up. The next thing I know, her hands are all over me. So how could I say no?”
“Say no,” they chorused.
“Easy for you guys to say. It’s not the beginning campaign you have to worry about. She just wears you down with the first group and after that it’s too late,” Henry said into his coffee cup. “Look out, here she comes.” He left the counter.
Selena brought an empty cup and filled it for Drake. Her eyes sparkled with mischief. “Had a chance to meet your neighbors yet?”
“You know I have. You sent them over,” he whispered, leaning toward her.
“There are plenty of people to meet. Enjoy your stay.”
His hand prevented her escape.
He could feel her struggle for domination over her emotions.
“This is for you.” He held out the coffee he’d ordered. “No?”
Still holding her, he circled the cup within an inch of her mouth. He knew the combination was irresistible. When she looked at him, he saw the unspoken words that said he wasn’t playing fair.
He brought it back to him and licked the sauce from the lid. “Delicious.”
She pulled away. Foreplay with coffee was a new approach.
He lifted the cup in the air as a salute and walked out, whistling.
• • •
Selena didn’t stop until she had walked out into the alley.
Closing her eyes, she leaned against the double doors, finding it hard to battle her attraction for this man. Instead, she focused on something less pleasant: how she had failed so many people by allowing Dean into her heart.
How could she ever explain that to them? That she had caved for a shoulder to lean on, to cry on and to be held during those dark times? Until Drake, she hadn’t missed those feelings.
It was the slightest sound, but she’d heard him.
A shadow crossed the toe of her shoe.
She followed the trail up and met Drake’s scrutiny head on, daring him to cross the line.
He not only dared, he walked straight up to her, pulled her into his arms, and gave her a taste of what he’d offered earlier. He kissed her like a drowning man in a sea of darkness, reaching for the light. Reaching for hope. Desire mixed with cream, caramel, and chocolate.
And heaven.
He slowly released her.
“Chocolate, caramel, and whipped cream make a powerful combination. I found it hard not to share.”
She pushed him away, frustrated with her self-imposed roadblocks and for him reading her mind and her body.
“How long are you staying?” Hand on the doorknob, she turned it slowly and opened it, ready to escape the truth.
He placed a hand above her head and closed the door gently. “I’m not sure. It depends on you.”
She didn’t dare turn in case he saw the tears.
Or the aftereffects of his kiss.