Chapter Seven
Austin
I stand in the kitchen, talking to the police detective who arrived along with the uniformed officers when the alarm company didn’t reach anyone at the house.
According to the detective, someone entered through the back door off the kitchen.
They’ve already done a sweep and the house is clear and safe.
Whoever broke in is gone. They shattered the window on the kitchen back door and unlocked it from the inside.
The police had a team come in and check the knob for prints.
Everyone agreed the perp probably wore gloves.
Obviously, the alarm scared them off, but had that been before they took anything? I’ve done a quick walk through of the house. No electronics, televisions, computers, or anything worth money appears to have been stolen.
I run a frustrated hand through my hair and glance at Bailey and Mia from the window over the kitchen sink. Mia took her to the swing set to keep her away from the adult talk and chaos inside.
I filled the police in on the custody issue I am having with my ex-wife, although breaking and entering doesn’t strike me as her MO. She has nothing to gain and everything to lose by taking such an extreme step or persuading someone to help her.
I called my parents, and they are on their way to pick up Bailey. I want her out of here for the night—or longer. I don’t know what is going on, but I don’t like it, and I don’t want my daughter at risk.
“You’re sure I can let my daughter inside?” I ask the officer who is writing up a report.
“Yes. We checked closets, the basement, and every room in the house. We just have a man going through room by room to see if we missed anything.”
I open the window, avoiding the broken glass on the door. “Mia!” I call and wave to her to bring Bailey inside. “Come in through the garage!”
She flashes me a thumbs-up gesture. A few seconds later, they join me in the kitchen.
“Can you take Bailey upstairs to pack? She’s going to have a sleepover at her grandparents’.” I ruffle my daughter’s hair.
Mia nods in understanding.
“Really??” Bailey asks, obviously surprised.
“They miss you. Let’s call it a special occasion,” I say to her, forcing an easy smile I don’t feel.
“Okay, Daddy.” She unhooks her backpack from her shoulders, where she’d slung it to come inside, and places it on the kitchen table.
I catch sight of an unfamiliar manila envelope on the counter. “What’s this?”
“Oh, my God.” The color drains from Mia’s face. “With all the excitement of what happened at school and then the break-in, I completely forgot! Shit.” She winces, glancing at Bailey. “I was subpoenaed to testify at a retrial for my old boss.”
“I thought he was in jail?” The hair on the back of my neck begins to prickle uncomfortably.
“Apparently, he got off on a technicality, and it took the DA a while to find me since I moved out of state.”
“Mia, do you think he has anything to do with the guy who approached you at the supermarket? Or this?” I gesture to the still-broken glass by the back door.
“I… The supermarket definitely. Threats are something he’d do. A break-in?” She shakes her head. “He’s done nothing like that in my past experience.”
“Detective?” A uniformed officer walks out from the hallway where Mia’s room is. “I found this on the bed in the extra room down here.” He holds up a white paper with typing on it.
The detective accepts the sheet. “‘Mind your own business,’” he reads out loud.
I shoot Mia a knowing look. “Still so convinced?” I ask her.
“Oh, my God. I’m sorry. I mean, I had no idea there even was a retrial until today. I’ll pack. I’ll go. I would never put you or Bailey in any danger. I’m so sorry.” She starts for her room but I stop her, grabbing her arm.
“Whoa. Slow down. You’re not going anywhere.”
Panic rushed through me at her words. She isn’t leaving when she is in trouble. Guarding against it is my specialty, and I’ve already arranged for Bailey to be away from things for a while. School can wait. She is only six, after all. If Mia is going to turn to anyone, it will be me.
“But—”
“Please go help Bailey pack. I’ll fill the detective in on your situation, and you can answer any questions when you’re finished. Okay?” I glance at the other man, not wanting to step on toes.
“Fine. Make it quick,” he says to Mia, his gaze softening when he glances at Bailey.
I begin to explain Mia’s previous employer’s trial, conviction, and subsequent release, and while I am doing so, my parents arrive. It takes a few minutes to calm my mother down and reassure her the break-in is under control and everyone is safe and will remain so.
My dad steps up and ushers Bailey and his wife out of the house. I kiss my daughter good-bye and promise to video chat with her later. Mia and I finish up with the police, and they say they will let me know about anything new they find out.
Finally, the cops are gone, Bailey is safely with my parents, and Mia and I are alone.
I walk up to her and grasp both hands in mine. “Do you really think I’d let you go through this alone?”
“I think you’d put your daughter first, and you should.”
“And I did. She’s safe with my parents. Now I’m going to take care of you.”
She meets my gaze, gratitude and something more shining in the depths of her eyes. “Thank you—”
I pull her close, cutting her off by sealing my lips over hers.
I kiss her hard, wanting her to understand that she is a priority, as much as I don’t want to admit that to myself.
I don’t want anything to happen to her, and not because being a protector is ingrained in my veins.
No, it is because this is Mia, and she’s gotten under my skin.
“What am I going to do?” she asks.
“You mean, what are we going to do?” I correct her. “First, I’m going to clean up the mess and board the window. We’ll spend the night here, and first thing tomorrow, we’ll get on the road.”
Her eyes open wide. “Where are we going?”
“The papers say you don’t testify for another week or two. We have time. And I have a cabin upstate. We’re going to get away from everything for a few days while I think and formulate a plan to deal with both my ex-wife and your former employer.”
“Okay.”
“And Mia?”
“Yes?”
My gaze falls on her. “I plan to pick up where we left off a month ago. I still want you.”
And I mean to have her. We’ll have the opportunity to distract each other and forget about our problems… if only for a little while.
* * *
Mia
I have mixed feelings about going away with Austin.
Of course, I am looking forward to being alone with him, and yes, excited awareness ripples through my veins, but I can’t forget the reason for this trip.
It isn’t just about sex; that is the bonus.
This excursion is because someone is serious about preventing me from testifying.
Serious enough to break into his house, and I feel guilty about bringing trouble to his doorstep and separating him from his daughter.
But after his earlier declaration, I still want you, I decide to leave my fear behind and savor the time we spend together. I won’t overthink things, and I definitely won’t let myself dwell on the pesky feelings that could mess up the good thing I have going with him.
There are no heavy expectations, and I tell myself it works for me.
And it does, as long as I don’t let myself think about all his finer qualities.
Like his protectiveness when it comes to his daughter and how he transferred it to me.
He could have sent me packing when he realized I was bringing trouble to his doorstep.
Instead he stepped up and took charge of my safety.
It is hard not to fall for a guy like that…
but falling isn’t an option. It isn’t what we tacitly agreed to.
An affair is all this is, all it can be.
And I intend to enjoy until the real world intrudes once again.
I pack and meet him out at the SUV parked on the driveway. He wears a pair of jeans and a cream-colored sweater, looking sexy with a pair of aviators covering his eyes.
“Ready?” he asks.
“Yes.” I gesture to the carry-on-sized suitcase I packed, trying to be practical and not overdo it with too many choices. It isn’t like we are going out to fancy restaurants. We are staying in, and I chose accordingly.
He loads the trunk with our bags, and we get on the road. The trip passes in comfortable silence, the discussion mostly about music and other things we like… and don’t like.
We stop at a grocery store not far from the cabin, and I insist on food I can prepare for us. Cooking relaxes me, and I like taking care of people. He went on about the fireplace he loves at the cabin, and so I add some fun things to the grocery list, hoping he likes my idea later.
Throughout the morning, we are just two people enjoying each other’s company.
Of course, that is on the surface. Right below is a simmering awareness that I can’t deny.
He pushes up the arms of his sweater, and my gaze settles on his muscular forearms with a sprinkling of dark hair.
Those arms are sexy. The man himself is delicious, and I want to get my hands on him again.
We just had that one time together, and nothing since except in my daydreams and at night when my subconscious takes over and lets me imagine him sneaking into my room and taking me hard and fast, slowly and sensually, and many other ways.
He made his intentions clear for our time away from the world. And I know what I want, too.
I want him.
* * *
Austin
I love the cabin. My parents bought the place as a family getaway, and it is my home away from home.
I come up here sometimes to get a break from the stress of life.
Bailey is too young to join me in the woods or to commune with nature, but when my parents take her for the weekend, I come here and just… breathe.
I never brought a woman to the cabin before. Not before Bailey… and definitely not after. Mia is the first. She is a first in a lot of ways.