- -
- 100%
- +
“Evening, Mr. Crenshaw,” the man said.
“Yep,” Dan replied without pausing. He marched over to the elevators, punched the button and the door immediately opened. With innate courtesy he waved her inside, then stepped in behind her.
“What floor?” she asked.
“Top one.”
“Mmm. Must have a great view.”
“Good enough.”
Neither spoke until the doors opened and he stepped out ahead of her, fumbling in the pocket of those tight cutoff jeans for the key. Once he opened the door, he made a graceful sweep of his hand. “Welcome to my humble abode.”
Humble was a definite misnomer. The place was alight in mirrors, glass and chrome. A sweeping expanse of Berber carpet flowed to walls of glass. She could see a long balcony that wrapped around the outside of the condo.
“Would you like a drink?” he asked.
She turned and saw that he stood behind a wet bar, holding up a bottle. She smiled, amused despite the circumstances. “Uh, no, thanks. Maybe later.”
He flashed that charming smile at her once again, the one that had always made her knees wobble. “Would you like to see the rest of the place?”
She clasped her hands at her waist and nodded. “Please.”
He gave her a whirlwind tour of the dining room and kitchen, which was filled with every appliance needed to turn an average cook into a prize chef. She idly peeked into the pantry and the refrigerator.
They were empty.
There were three bedrooms, each with its own complete bath. Well, that would make things a little simpler, she decided, following him into the master bedroom.
Ah, the view from here was spectacular. He could lie in bed and watch the moon as it arced across the sky.
Dan closed the vertical blinds and turned back to her.
“What did you say your name is?”
“Shannon.”
“That’s a pretty name.”
“Thank you.”
“How did you know my name?”
“Well, that really wasn’t difficult, since I’ve known you for most of my life.” She walked over to the rumpled bed, straightened the covers before turning them back. “Why don’t you get some rest? We’ll talk in the morning.”
He stalked toward her and said, “I don’t think either one of us will be getting much rest, do you?” He wrapped his arms around her and found her lips with his.
She hadn’t expected him to grab her like that. She struggled, trying to place her hands on his chest. Somewhere along the way the kiss changed, became more seeking, less demanding, and she found herself relaxing in his arms.
This was Dan, after all. He would never take advantage of her. Besides, wasn’t this exactly the fantasy she’d lived with for years? However, he didn’t need to know that, and she sure wasn’t going to let him think that he’d successfully seduced her.
With a quick twist away from him she stepped back, trying to catch her breath and maintain her composure, as well. There was no reason for him to know that she didn’t have much experience in the seduction department.
Her sudden evasion caused him to lose his balance. Luckily he fell forward and ended up facedown on the bed.
He didn’t move.
She ventured closer. He was sprawled across the bed, his head on the far pillow, his body angled so one foot dangled over the side. He’d lost his flip-flops. She studied him for a moment, then decided to leave him there. She draped a light blanket across him and left the room, quietly closing the door behind her.
Shannon spotted the phone in the living room. This was as good a time as any to contact Mandy. She took the cordless phone out onto the balcony and sank into one of the comfortably padded chairs. She punched in the numbers from memory, then listened to the phone ring at the other end of the line.
As soon as Mandy answered, Shannon said, “Hi, this is Shannon. Mission accomplished. I found Dan this evening.”
The relieved sigh from the other end winged its way to her ear. “Thank God. How is he?”
Shannon smiled to herself. “He could best be summed up as having gone native. He might not have gone as far as the South Seas, but he looks like your typical beachcomber.”
“Has he lost weight?”
“Now that, I couldn’t tell you. Remember, I haven’t seen him in several years. I must say, he looks healthy enough to me.”
“I’ve been so worried. I managed to get in touch with him earlier today and we had a horrible fight.”
“Well, he didn’t give me any trouble. I found him at a local hangout and suggested we come back to his place.”
“Oh, good. Did he recognize you?”
“Are you kidding? He hasn’t a clue who I am or why I’m here. I have a hunch he won’t be nearly so happy to see me come morning.”
Mandy sighed once more. “I really don’t know what to do anymore, Shannon. And Rafe’s no help. He says everyone at the plant is very understanding of the situation. Thank goodness there are good shift managers who can oversee what needs to be done without supervision.”
“I can understand your concern. After all, I have a couple of big brothers, too. If either of them went off the deep end like this, I’d be worried sick as well.”
“I can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate your volunteering to look after him for me.”
Shannon laughed. “I have a hunch the job’s going to get much tougher when morning rolls around. But I can handle him. As I said, I’m used to dealing with my brothers.”
“I hope you’ll be able to enjoy the island, as well.”
“Oh, I certainly intend to do that. I haven’t been down here in more than five years. I have some serious sunbathing to do.”
“I’m sure once Dan gets his act together, he’ll thank you for what you’re doing for him.”
“I won’t hold my breath. Besides, I’m still hoping to fill one of the positions currently being offered at his company. So if he’s feeling all that appreciative, he can hire me.”
“Ah,” Mandy replied with a chuckle. “Your ulterior motive reveals itself.”
“Absolutely. Of course he may never want to lay eyes on me again after this little jaunt, but that doesn’t matter. I was unemployed when I offered to do this. He can’t fire me since he hasn’t hired me.”
“He’ll be furious when he finds out I sent you down there.”
“Oh, he won’t hear it from me. I’ll keep in touch. Take care. I’ll talk to you soon.”
Shannon hung up, found the key to the apartment and went back downstairs to her car, where she got her luggage out of the trunk. The security man helped her with it, made certain she managed to get the pieces inside the elevator and waved her off.
All the way up the elevator she couldn’t help but wonder what the guy must be thinking, since Dan hadn’t come back down to help her. Maybe she’d introduce herself as his sister. Not that it mattered what he thought. Unless, of course, Dan wanted to protect his own reputation.
Back in the condo, she chose one of the guest bedrooms and unpacked before showering and getting ready for bed. First thing tomorrow she’d go to the grocery store. Well, maybe not first thing. Her favorite occupation whenever she was on the island was to get up at daylight and walk to the jetties to watch the sunrise.
She had a hunch Dan wouldn’t be stirring that early. After that, however, she would be off and running, doing what she could to make Dan’s life on the island a living hell.
What, after all, were real friends for?
Three
Ah, yes, this was the part of life on the island she had missed, Shannon thought the next morning as she strolled along the beach. A few early risers were also out—some jogging, others looking for shells. She took in a slow, deep breath of air, reveling in the fresh scent of the sea.
Shannon had spent the past three years working in St. Louis, spending her winter vacations on the Colorado ski slopes. She’d missed the sensuous pleasure of walking barefoot over a damp, hard-packed, sandy beach.
While on her shopping spree yesterday she’d indulged herself by purchasing a two-piece swimsuit with matching cover-up. Before leaving the apartment this morning, she’d taken the time to braid her hair into a single plait. The mirror had revealed that she was much too pale. She had every intention of soaking up some sun later today after she ran her errands.
In the meantime, she was content to pick up unusual shells and slip them in her pockets. By the time she reached the jetties, she had a nice collection.
She climbed up on the granite boulders so that she could see the channel that led to the seaport farther inland. There were large birds—she recognized pelicans and egrets, but others she wasn’t so sure about—fishing along the edges.
There were also human fishermen with their rods and reels casting off of either side of the granite ledge. Shannon walked out a short distance and found a spot where she could sit and watch as the sun burst fully into view.
She gave herself up to the moment.
Eventually, the time came when she knew she had to get started with her day. With a great deal of reluctance, and a mental promise to return in time for sunset, Shannon focused on her reason for being on the island—Dan Crenshaw.
She listened for him when she let herself into the apartment, but heard nothing. The door to his room was closed. She peeked inside the darkened interior and saw him still asleep.
So. First things first. She quickly made up a grocery list and left for the store. After buying basic essentials and enough food for a few simple meals, she returned. Still no sign of his stirring.
Shannon made coffee, began frying bacon, and mixed up an herbal concoction for Dan. She had a hunch he might have a bit of a headache this morning.
The sun was now up in all its glory, flooding the large living room with light. She tapped softly on his door but when he didn’t answer she opened the door and stepped inside.
Dan now lay on his back, his arms thrown wide. He looked very good to her from what she could see in the dim light.
She sat the steaming cup beside the bed and walked over to the blinds. She got an immediate response as soon as she pulled the shades open.
“Wha—? Shut the damn blinds! What do you think you’re doing?”
She turned and found him sitting up in the middle of the bed, his elbows resting on his drawn-up knees, his face buried in his hands.
“Good morning!” she said, brightly. “I brought you something to drink.”
His head jerked up at the sound of her voice.
“Who—what are you doing here?”
Crossing her fingers behind her back, she grinned and said, “Why, you invited me to stay here with you...don’t you remember?”
He groaned an answer.
She picked up the cup. “Here. This should help.”
He reached for it with a trembling hand. He sniffed, then made a face. Squinting into the cup, he asked, “What is it?”
“Oh, my very special formula for late nights and overindulging.”
“I never overindulge,” he stated with dignity.
“That’s good to hear,” she replied, turning away. “Breakfast is almost ready.”
“Good grief, this stuff tastes vile! What are you trying to do, poison me?”
She stopped at the doorway and looked over her shoulder. “Now there’s a thought. If you’re going to be a baby, then don’t drink it.” She closed the door softly behind her.
Dan felt as though he’d awakened in some kind of nightmare. He didn’t remember leaving the bar last night. He didn’t remember coming back to the condo. And he certainly didn’t remember anyone like the woman who’d just walked out of his bedroom.
She wore a pair of bright yellow shorts that revealed shapely legs, a yellow halter top that displayed more than a little cleavage and long earrings of brightly painted macaws. Her black hair was pulled back from her face in an intricate braid, and her black eyes seemed filled with amazing good humor.
What the hell was going on?
He forced himself to drink the steaming, and very bitter, herbal tea. Not that he wanted it or even needed it. Granted he had the granddaddy of all headaches this morning, but he was certain that was due to too much sun yesterday.
He felt his way into his bathroom and stared into the mirror. Why had he slept in his clothes last night?
Well, at least that reassured him about one thing—he hadn’t made love to the seductive stranger who seemed to have made herself at home in his place. Why couldn’t he remember her?
With that thought he had a sudden image of sitting in the bar and watching an exotic-looking woman come in wearing a red, saronglike dress. That’s all he remembered—a brief burst of memory, like a camera flash.
Maybe he’d had a little more to drink last night than he’d thought. He didn’t remember settling up his tab with Laramie, but he knew that wasn’t a problem. He could go back to the bar today, or pay it this evening when he was there. The place had become a hangout for him lately.
Dan stripped out of his clothes and stepped into the shower. He needed something to get him going. Somehow he was going to have to explain to the unknown woman that whatever he may have said to her last night, she couldn’t stay with him.
He’d never had much time for relationships, especially in the past few years. A broken engagement had taught him a valuable lesson—most women wanted more of his time and attention than he had available. He closed his eyes and let the spray hit him in the face.
He hadn’t thought of Sharon in a long while. He’d been really shaken when she’d called off the wedding just a few weeks before the ceremony was to take place. The problem, he’d realized many months later, was that he had been unprepared for her sudden decision. She’d never hinted there was a problem. In fact, the reason he’d been putting in the long hours was because of the three-week honeymoon they’d planned to take.
That’s when he realized how little he understood women. He could deal with them quite well in a business setting, but socially he hadn’t a clue what to say to them.
What had happened to him last night that had caused him to brave rejection by inviting his visitor home with him? And why had she said yes?
By the time he was out of the shower, he’d firmly resolved to get some of his questions answered. But first, maybe he ought to shave. He rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. He could pass as Blackbeard the pirate at the moment. Not exactly what he’d had in mind for a dress code—even for his new vacation-style way of life.
Shaving took longer than usual. Damn, he wondered how long it had been since he’d bothered?
He also noticed his stomach growl a couple of times. He hadn’t been hungry in a long time. Maybe it had something to do with that horrible herbal drink.
He returned to the bedroom and slipped into a pair of briefs and a faded pair of jeans. He grabbed a pullover shirt out of the drawer, one of the last clean ones, and reminded himself to wash some clothes today.
When he opened the bedroom door he smelled the scent of bacon and coffee. A heavenly combination if he’d ever smelled one. He followed his nose into the kitchen area and discovered the small table there had been set for two.
“My, don’t you look nice,” the woman said when he walked through the door.
Dan rubbed his chin self-consciously. “Thanks,” he muttered. He looked at the table. “Uh, this is really nice of you, but you didn’t have to go to all this trouble.”
“It’s no trouble.” She poured a glass of orange juice and handed it to him. “How do you like your coffee?”
“Mmm, black.” Dan couldn’t figure this out. He could swear he didn’t know this woman and yet she was acting as though they’d lived together for years.
He sat down and she placed a steaming plate of food in front of him. His stomach did a little flip and he closed his eyes. “I’m not sure—” he began, but she cut him off.
“Eat. It’s the best thing for what ails you. You’ll be amazed how much better you’ll feel once you get something solid inside you.”
He rubbed his forehead, where little sledgehammers still tapped rhythmically. He wasn’t up to the argument. He picked up the coffee as soon as she set it down and sipped.
Ah, that definitely helped.
When the woman sat across from him he forced himself to meet her eyes. He got caught up in their size and shape and color. Large and black and slightly tilted, which gave her a very exotic look. He gave his head a quick shake. What difference did it make what her eyes looked like?
“I’m a little hazy about last night,” he finally muttered.
She gave him a brilliant smile. “Oh, you have absolutely nothing to apologize for, Dan. You were wonderful! I’ll never forget it.”
He leaned back in his chair and looked at her with irritation. “Wonderful, huh?”
She nodded with enthusiasm and began to eat.
“Exactly what did I do that was so wonderful?”
That seemed to give her pause. She finished chewing, took a dainty sip of juice—which triggered another memory—of her sipping from a wineglass—before looking at him with eyes that sparkled in the morning light. “Well,” she said slowly, “I don’t know how I could single out one particular thing.” She gave a little wave of her hand.
“Try,” he replied, deciding to nibble on a little of the toast and bacon. He took a bite and was relieved to find it not only tasted good, but also had a very good chance of staying down. He was encouraged.
“Well, you just—sort of—swept me off my feet. I couldn’t resist you. I—” She paused and watched him munch on a piece of toast. “You don’t believe me, do you?”
“Not a word,” he assured her, taking a bite of egg with bacon.
“Oh.”
“So what is this all about? Who are you and why are you here?”
She studied him for a long moment, then sighed. “You really don’t remember, do you?”
He finished off the egg and another piece of toast before he said, “I remember enough to know that I was neither irresistible nor able to sweep you off your feet. I was doing well to navigate with my own two feet.”
She laughed.
It caught him off guard. She had a delightful, husky chuckle that felt like little fingers running up and down his spine. He straightened and reached for another piece of toast.
She jumped up and returned with the coffeepot, refilling both their cups.
When she sat down again she leaned her chin on her hands and asked, “Do you remember Buddy Doyle?”
He stared at her, for the first time wondering if she was a mental case. If so, he would have to handle her very carefully.
“Buddy Doyle?” he repeated.
“Uh-huh.”
“The only Buddy Doyle I know was a guy I knew back in high school. He was one of the best—and the biggest—defensive linemen on our football team for three years running.”
She smiled, as though delighted with him. “That’s Buddy. I’m his kid sister, Shannon.”
“Buddy Doyle is your brother.”
“Yes.”
“And what does Buddy Doyle have to do with your being here with me?”
“Absolutely nothing.”
“I see.” He wished to hell he did. This was becoming more bizarre with every moment.
“I was behind you a few years in school,” she prompted.
“You’re from Wimberley?”
“That’s where I attended school. We had a ranch south of there.”
Dan’s ranch was north of Wimberley. He didn’t remember Shannon at all. He would definitely have remembered her if they’d gone to school together. She was not the type of woman a man could easily forget.
“So what are you doing here?”
“Well, I’ve recently moved back to Texas, and I was looking for a job. I answered an ad in the Austin paper and discovered that you were the owner of the company, but that you were away on vacation. I thought that since I hadn’t had a vacation in a few years, myself, I would come down to the island for a few days. You can imagine my surprise when I saw you at that bar last night. It was like fate had thrown us together.”
He carefully placed his utensils on his now empty plate and folded his arms. “Let me get this straight. You’re here to interview for a job?”
Her infectious laugh cascaded in musical peals around him. “Oh, no. I’m going to enjoy the island for a while. I’ll wait until you get back to Austin to set up an interview.”
“I have no idea when that will be.”
“I’ll wait.”
He eyed her with misgiving. “I don’t want to be rude, Ms. Doyle, but I don’t want you staying here.”
Her smile was sunny. “My name is Shannon and I promise not to get in your way. I’ll be happy to prepare your meals, and do a little housework for you. You have a lovely place here. It will be a pleasure.”
“Look, if you need money for a hotel room, I can probably help you out there.”
“That’s so kind of you to offer, but this will do just fine. You go on about your routine. Just pretend I’m not here, okay?”
With that she bounced out of her chair and efficiently gathered up their dishes. Dan could feel his jaw drop in astonishment.
Granted, he didn’t know much about women, but surely this one was being more than a little brazen.
“Do you expect me to sleep with you?” he asked coldly.
She spun around and stared at him for a moment before offering him a jaunty smile. “Oh, no. That wasn’t part of the agreement.”
“Then maybe you’d better explain the agreement.”
“I’m going to be your housekeeper until you’re ready to go back to Austin.”
Four
“You must be out of your mind,” he muttered. “I don’t need a housekeeper.”
She patted his hand. “Well, let’s see how it goes for the next few days, all right?”
“No! It isn’t all right. I came down here to be alone. Being alone would preclude having a housekeeper.”
“Don’t worry. You won’t even know I’m around.”
“Oh, right,” he replied, heavy on the sarcasm.
“What do you usually do at this time of day, Dan?”
Did she have to sound so blasted reasonable? He was feeling anything but reasonable at the moment. He made himself pause and get a grip on his rapidly escalating temper before he spoke.
Finally, he said, “I’m usually asleep at this time of day,” he said through a clenched jaw.
She smiled. “Well, now that you know what you’ve been missing, you should be thankful I got you up. How about a walk on the beach at dawn tomorrow? That’s my favorite time of day on the island. You’ll love it.”
“My God, haven’t you heard anything I’ve said? I don’t want you here!”
She finished loading the dishwasher before she turned around and faced him. “Don’t worry. I’ll grow on you. Eventually.” Then she had the absolute nerve to walk out of the room humming.
He sat there, seething.
All right, enough already. He’d call security and have them get her out of here.
Oh, that would look good. Order security to remove a woman who was scarcely tall enough to come to his shoulder. As though she were some kind of threat to him.
Actually, she was a threat to his peace of mind. He didn’t need the aggravation. He stomped into the living room and went out onto the balcony. Actually, the day looked quite pleasant. Not many people on the beach.
Maybe he’d go down for a swim. He hadn’t bothered to get out much since he’d arrived. Hell, the first week he’d been here all he’d done was sleep, almost around the clock.
The trial had taken its toll on him, that was certain. Helping to convict his long-time friend and business partner for stealing from their own company had been an exhausting nightmare. But it was over now and he had the rest of his life ahead of him. It was no one’s fault that his life no longer seemed to have any direction.