Chapter Ten #2
Goldie shook her head. “I need to be alone for a while.” She headed for the back door, not wanting to run into anyone she knew. With luck she’d fall into one of the swimming pools being dug out back and die from her injuries, she thought as she rushed out.
DONOVAN SPOTTED ARNIE LEAVING, a bounce to the little man’s step, and knew the sale had gone through. He hurried downstairs in time to see Goldie going out the back door. He’d hoped she would come up to his hotel room but saw at once that that wasn’t happening.
Worried about her, he followed her out into the darkness as she made her way past the freshly dug gaping holes for the swimming pools and headed up the hillside behind the hotel.
He found her sitting on a rock under a large pine tree overlooking the lights of the tiny Western town.
He took a seat on a rock next to her in the dark.
She didn’t look at him, didn’t say a word, but he could tell that she was gutted.
She’d given up something she loved to try to reach the man she’d loved and lost. He couldn’t help but admire her, even though he would never do something that risky.
Earlier, he’d thought again about leaving, chucking this “job” and hitting the road.
He’d learned a long time ago that distance was sometimes the best answer.
He didn’t like the idea of sticking around here to see what Malcolm was up to.
He was such a small player in whatever it was, he doubted the crime boss would care if he left, given that the café sale had gone through.
But he wasn’t completely sure of that. He’d been nervous ever since Arnie had shown up.
It had crossed his mind that the cook could have come here to spy on him for Lolly.
Once he heard what Arnie had offered for the café, he’d known then that Malcolm had to be behind it.
But why would the crime boss want a café in Dry Gulch? It made no sense.
“You signed the papers,” he said, half afraid she’d changed her mind. For whatever reason, Malcolm and Arnie wanted the sale to go through, which meant that it was in Donovan’s best interest as well.
Goldie nodded. “I did it.”
He felt a wave of relief but couldn’t help feeling bad about it, seeing how devastated she was.
“Are you sure about this? Maybe it’s not too late to back out,” he said.
Selling the café had broken her heart and she didn’t even know how bad it might be that she’d sold to someone connected to Malcolm Mandeville.
It still worried him. What could the gangster want with a tiny café in Dry Gulch, Montana?
Donovan looked from the hillside down onto the town.
He could hear music drifting up from the hotel and the sound of a car backfiring somewhere down the main drag.
He didn’t belong here, and now it was time to leave since Goldie’s plan had failed, the sheriff was too much of a blockhead to realize his mistake and Arnie and Malcolm had gotten what they’d wanted. His job here was over.
“I’m sorry about your café,” he said.
She glanced over at him. “Me too.”
He looked into her eyes and saw the pain of her loss, knowing it was much more than losing the café. She was giving up on Sheriff Max Lander, which meant she was giving up on him as well. “Is there any way I can make it better? I do have a couple of ideas,” he said, only half joking.
A smile worked at her lips as she leaned her shoulder against his for a moment before she turned toward him as if on impulse. Her hand cupped the back of his neck and drew him closer to touch her lips to his.
At first, he didn’t move, barely took a breath.
As the kiss deepened though, all his male genetics kicked in.
His tongue answered hers, his hand found her waist, drawing her closer, burying his free hand in her hair.
He’d wanted this from the first time he’d laid eyes on her, but he’d pretty much given up on it ever happening.
He still wasn’t sure it was. He really doubted she wanted to do much up here on a rock overlooking town. Then again… She pulled him back, dropping them both behind the rock onto a bed of dry pine needles.
Okay, he thought, we’re doing this. Right here. Right now.
With her free hand, she tore open his shirt and pressed her palms to his chest as she deepened the kiss. He fumbled her blouse open, wondering when she would stop him or if she would. She’d been specific about the job. No sex. But maybe he was right about things having changed.
He cupped her full breast, thumbing the fabric away to get to her nipple.
It was hard and throbbing, his touch making her arch against his hand.
He wanted to bend down and pull it into his mouth, but Sheriff Max Lander came to mind in the most annoying way and at the most impromptu time. He felt himself freeze.
This was revenge sex, he realized as she began to work at the zipper on his jeans. Not that he had a problem with that, his body reminded him. Did he really care what her motivation was? He wanted this, wanted her. Needed this. Lived for this. She wanted him. He wanted her. What could it hurt?
He felt his zipper start to go down and with a groan of frustration and irritation at himself, he grabbed her hand to stop her. She drew back to look at him. He shook his head, telling himself he’d gone mad to turn her down. “You don’t want this.”
“Don’t tell me what I want,” she snapped as she sat back, looking close to tears.
He gave her a patient look. “You forget. I know what you want and it’s not me.”
For a moment, he thought she would put up an argument. He almost hoped she would. But then she sighed, and he saw her swallow as she began to rebutton her blouse.
He zipped up his jeans and tried to fix his shirt with several buttons missing, all the time mentally kicking himself for not taking her up on her offer. What was wrong with him? It was almost as if he was falling for this one.
“Let’s go for a ride in that sports car I can’t afford,” Donovan said. He reached out his hand. “I’m going to get you what you want or die trying.”
She sighed. “I hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“So do I,” he said truthfully as he took her hand, and they headed down the hillside, going through the space between the hotel and the town’s post office to his car. The best thing he could do was end this and get out of town. So why wasn’t he?
He looked over at Goldie and groaned inwardly. With this one, there was no leaving in the middle of the night. “I’ll even let you drive.”
“You sure you want to do that?” she said, but he could tell she wanted to.
He tossed her the keys. “You might even want to let your hair down.”
Goldie pulled the scrunchie free, letting her long blond hair fall around her shoulders and grinned over at him as he opened her door and ran around to jump into the passenger side.
Behind the wheel she started the engine, backed out and took off down the main drag as if asking to get a speeding ticket.
Donovan laughed and leaned back to enjoy the ride. He couldn’t leave Goldie. Not yet.
“WHAT ARE YOU doing here?” Luca Havers stood blocking entry into his apartment.
Lolly had driven all the way to Laramie to surprise him, so this was not the reception she’d been expecting. She felt herself bristle.
He must have seen the change in her because his expression softened. “Seriously, Lolly, what are you doing here? We agreed we wouldn’t see each other until it was time.” He looked past her to the street, then finally moved aside to hurriedly let her enter.
“Maybe I’m tired of waiting,” she snapped, knowing she sounded childish and pathetic as she stormed in. Then again, he would expect nothing less from her.
He closed the door and, turning, stepped to her and pulled her into his arms. “Be patient a little longer. I’m sorry you lost your boy toy. Maybe you should find another one to keep you company until we can be together.”
She pulled free, fire in her eyes. “Donovan was your idea.”
Luca held up both hands. “I just wanted to keep you happy, whatever it took.”
Lolly narrowed her eyes at him. “You didn’t want my father to know about the two of us.”
He smiled, all teeth. “You know Malcolm wouldn’t like it and it’s for the best that Donovan is out of the picture. We don’t need him.” When she said nothing, he lifted her chin roughly, and said, “Do we?”
She jerked away and shook her head. “He didn’t mean anything to me, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“Good. I thought he was going to be a problem when he took off, but as it turns out, I found a way to salvage things. It’s exactly what I’d hoped for. It won’t be long now and we’ll have everything we ever wanted.”
“I already have everything I ever wanted. Except you.”
“Right,” he said, mugging a face. “I forget sometimes what a spoiled little rich girl you are, but soon you’ll have me as well.”
She could tell she was making him angry and stepped closer to run her finger along his jawline. She had to keep him where she wanted him. For now, he had to believe that he was in control until she made up her mind about him. “Tell me what’s going on.”
He shook his head. “It’s better you don’t know.”
She studied him for a moment, then decided she wouldn’t call him on it. She knew Luca. Just as she knew her father. Both of them thought they knew her and could control her. Both of them were wrong. “Since I’m here…” She began to unbutton his shirt.