Living Dangerously

Chapter Fifteen



Late afternoon and Julie’s house was dark. Too dark. The garage was boarded up and the cement in front of it was burned to a crisp on the short driveway. Yellow crime-scene tape wrapped around the area. He’d been here for hours and hours and there’d been no sign of anyone. There’d been nothing but time to look at all the houses along her street and up above on the hillside where a dozen homes sat on stilts. This neighborhood screamed money, with custom homes, expensive cars and immaculate yards. One mansion in particular caught his attention. Undergoing a complete renovation, it looked like it might topple down the mountain any minute and take out Julie’s house directly below it. Good thing Julie planned on moving.

A car came up the road. A little red Fiat. Brand new. Very sharp. His mother called a car like that a ticket magnet. The car made a U-turn and parked three spaces in front of him. A short woman wearing all white got out. Her mini dress and high heeled shoes showed off amazing calves. She juggled a key ring as she got to the front door, then let herself in.

Allen couldn’t see enough of her face to place her.

Frustration and anger all boiled together. Allen got out of the car and strode to the front door with every intention of finding out where Julie had gone. She couldn’t be far. She’d been hurt for God’s sake. He’d seen it on the news. There had even been footage of her on crutches.

His poor Julie. She needed him now more than ever and if this girl had a key to her house, then she’d have to know where Julie was.

He just had to play this right. He knocked on the door and wiped his sweaty hands down his khakis as he waited. A few seconds later, it swung open and the lady looked up. This close, recognition dawned on him. “I know you,” he said. “You were in Nowhere to Hide.” The words spilled out before he could stop them.

She gave him a flat stare. “Yes. I was. Can I help you?” The film had been panned so she was probably more used to harsh criticism than anything else. He knew how that felt.

“I loved that movie. I thought you were terrific.” He’d rented it and ended up getting off more than once to her pole dance scene. “Your name is Carrie Ann, right?” Julie’s best friend.

Her hard gaze softened and her caramel brown eyes studied him more closely. “Are you a neighbor? Can I help you with anything?”

A neighbor! Yes, that would work. He nodded, knew the perfect house to call his own. “I live up there.” He pointed to the mansion under construction high on the hill behind Julie’s home. “I thought I had a mini hill slide and wanted to check if the backyard was okay.” He loved the sound of this and by the look on this girl’s face, she was buying it.

“Oh, wow. A slide. That would be bad. I haven’t even looked in the yard. Do you want to wait here or—”

“Of course not. I’d like to see if there’s damage. This is Julie’s house, right? I met her briefly once when I was walking the hill. That poor lady has had enough trouble in the last day. I don’t want her to worry if there’s any damage. I’ll cover anything.” He couldn’t stop the wide smile that spread across his face. “I’m right about your name, aren’t I?”

She finally grinned at him and nodded. “Yeah. You caught me. Carrie Ann.” She scrunched her face into a pucker. “You really liked the movie?”

“Loved it. I don’t know what all the fuss was about. I thought it was great.”

The smile she gave him could’ve melted wax. Allen’s pleasure with his deception made his insides bubble with glee.

“Is Julie here?” he asked, looking over her shoulder into the house, knowing full well Julie wasn’t there.

“Uh, no. No, not at the moment.”

“Well maybe it’s for the best if there was a slide. After everything she’s been through, this is the last thing she needs.”

Carrie Ann finally opened the door wider and ushered him in. He looked around the spacious house, barely able to keep his jaw from hitting the floor. It was gorgeous. Just like the woman. The big slate entryway welcomed him and he’d never felt more at home. It was too bad she had the place up for sale. He could see living here with her, spending lazy mornings making love in front of the big fireplace in the living room.

“The yard is this way,” Carrie Ann said, leading him through the house. The slate gave way to thick cream carpeting that didn’t have one spot of a stain anywhere. The open floor plan showed off the combined giant den and living room areas. They passed through a formal dining room and went out French doors to the backyard where a narrow lap pool took up most of the yard beneath the hill. Carrie Ann scanned the yard. “I don’t see a slide.”

The upper part of the hill consisted of thick brush and trees. A big slide could bring it all down in Julie’s backyard, but a small one could go unnoticed if the brush stopped it.

“What a relief,” Allen said. “I’m sure glad she won’t have this to worry about.” He strolled around the patio and fingered the hummingbird feeder that still had a sticker on it. “I just love how cozy this place is. I can see it from my balcony.”

Carrie Ann eyed him. “What did you say your name was again?”

He opened his eyes wide. “You know... I don’t think I even told you.” Allen sounded too formal and he wanted to be the neighborly guy next door. He put his hand out. “I’m Al.” He should come up with a good last name, something to get this lady interested. “Al Gates. You’ve probably heard of my cousin Bill. He gets a lot of press.” Allen laughed at his joke and when Carrie Ann’s eyes bugged out wide, Allen’s pleasure doubled.

“I’m not nearly as successful as him.” Allen looked shyly away. He needed a big job, something to warrant the mansion under renovation on the hill. “My video games are about to go global. They’re in the final stages of testing. But once they’re released, my cousin’s going to have a run for his money.” He laughed and she laughed with him.

She took his hand and led him inside. “I can’t believe Julie’s never told me about you.”

“We’ve only talked a couple of times since I bought the place a few months ago. I figured I should introduce myself since I’m right on top of her.” He laughed again and widened his eyes. “Well, that didn’t come out right!”

Carrie Ann laughed again. “You’re funny. I knew what you meant.”

“Anyway we’re both so busy. But with the renovations, I’ve been having trouble with my watering system. Every time I fix a leak, I find another one, and it’s making the ground soft and I’m getting these little slides, so...” He shrugged as if that explained it all and Carrie Ann nodded knowingly. Anyone who ever spent anytime near a canyon home knew the possibilities.

“Can I get you something to drink?” she asked.

Allen put his palms up. “I don’t want to be a bother.”

“It’s no bother. Let’s see what she’s got in the fridge.” She led the way into the kitchen and Allen was floored again at the absolute beauty surrounding him. Granite countertops gleamed among stainless steel appliances and redwood cabinets. Maybe he could persuade Julie that with him here, she wouldn’t have to move. He’d protect her against anyone and anything.

Carrie Ann opened the fridge door. “Iced tea. Cranberry juice, sparkling water... Any of those catch your fancy?”

“If she has a Perrier, I’ll take one.” He’d followed her enough to know Perrier was her favorite drink. A new surge of self-esteem washed through him. This is how those frickin’ video companies should treat him. They should offer him beverages when he pitched his games. They should make him feel comfortable and worthy.

“Sure, she’s got plenty.” Carrie Ann snagged his drink and passed it to him, then got one for herself.

“Great.” Allen twisted open the bottle and chugged a few swallows. Carrie Ann watched him as she did the same. “So, I want to know why Julie hasn’t ever mentioned you.” He grinned and got exactly what he wanted when she smiled at him.

* * *

Julie looked out the diner window at the green fields on the outskirts of the third rest stop on their way to Denver. The sun didn’t come close to the California heat she was used to, but it seemed clearer out here without the smog to diffuse it. She welcomed the warmth of the restaurant after the cool air-conditioned BMW. She sipped her iced tea and scratched the itch above her ear under another god-awful wig. Ditching the old brown one, she’d gone bold with red. She wished she hadn’t mentioned her collection. Troy had made her pack all four of them.

The restaurant buzzed at a third its capacity. Red-and-white checkered table cloths covered the tables while battered red leather chairs dotted empty spaces. Weary travelers—truckers, families and businessmen—took a break from the road with hot meals and cool drinks.

Across from her, Troy rubbed the back of his neck. He looked tired. They’d been on the road the better part of ten hours. Hell, she was tired and she hadn’t been doing anything but researching and reading scripts in the backseat.

“Why don’t we find a hotel so you can sack out?” she suggested as she set her glass down and reached for her dinner. She’d thrown her healthy eating out the window for the house special: a barbeque burger that hadn’t disappointed.

He checked his watch. “It’s still early. We can make it to Denver and call it a night there.” He cut into the mammoth steak on his plate.

“Then how about I take a turn at the wheel?” It was the least she could do and her pain meds had worn off. Her leg could handle an hour in the driver’s seat.

“Maybe tomorrow. I’m okay.”

Two men came from the short hallway that led to the restrooms on their right. Troy had made sure to seat her with her back facing the restaurant, but this one spot left her vulnerable to anyone coming from the bathrooms. Sure enough, one of them slowed down and took a good long look at her as he walked by.

After so many years of experiencing that sensation of eyes on her, Julie tilted her head and took a bite of her burger, giving the guy a good angle of the back of her head. Tangy barbeque sauce exploded on her tongue but she barely tasted it. She waited until they passed before continuing her questions. Troy still hadn’t told her something fairly important in all of this. She swallowed her bite and wiped her mouth. “Where are we going anyway? You owe me that much.”

He didn’t immediately reply, and she wasn’t sure if it was because he had food in his mouth or he didn’t want to tell her. “It’s my uncle’s place,” he finally said, keeping an eye over her shoulder. She didn’t dare turn around to see who he was watching. “I used to go there in the summertime. It’s not fancy, but it’s remote.”

She considered that. If her presence meant the people around her were in trouble, then didn’t this put Troy’s family in danger? “Does your uncle know we’re coming?”

Troy shook his head, then sipped his iced tea. “Nope. I doubt we’ll run into him. He only uses it a few times a year.”

“When was the last time you were there?” She liked getting information out of him. Maybe his guard came down because of his exhaustion, but Julie didn’t care. She liked that she had him talking.

“Too many years ago to count.”

“I can count pretty high,” she informed him. She popped a French fry. “Humor me.”

He looked at her, then cut another bite of steak. “I left when I was nine.”

How did he even know the place existed anymore? “Nine? You know, it’s possible he’s not there. Or maybe he sold the place,” she said. “Then what will we do?” She chewed another fry.

“He didn’t sell it. He told me years ago that when I wanted the place, it was mine.”

“That’s nice, but life happens you know. Maybe he had to sell it or maybe it burned down.”

He paused with the fork halfway to his mouth and lifted a dark eyebrow. “Hello, Miss Sunshine and Light. I thought you were an optimist.”

She sighed. “I guess my cup is more half-empty these days. Sorry. What I meant to say was, ‘Gee, that’s nice to fall back on.’”

He laughed around the food in his mouth, but it sounded harsh around the edges. “Let’s see if you think that after you see the place.”

“Hey, I can rough it as good as the next gal.”

He cocked his head and gave her a flat stare.

“What?” she said, letting a hint of indignation creep into her voice. Just because she’d gotten used to the finer things in life didn’t make her a sissy or a wimp. “I’m tough. You don’t think I’m tough?”

His dark eyes watched her, his face turned as serious as she’d ever seen him. “I know you’re tough.” Maybe he was thinking about that day on the red carpet so many weeks ago or the fact that she’d lived through a car bomb yesterday. Or was it the day before? Time seemed to have gone haywire with her internal clock. “I just don’t love that I’m taking you to a place that I haven’t been to in decades. But it’s about keeping you und—”

“Under wraps. I know.” She sipped her drink. “Why don’t you cut yourself some slack where I’m concerned. I can take care of myself.”

He looked over her shoulder again, then glanced at the crutches leaning on the wall next to the table.

“Hey, don’t be looking at those stupid sticks of death. Just because I’m not great on them doesn’t mean I can’t take care of myself.” She lifted her fork to snag a French fry, then set it down. She wasn’t even hungry anymore. She hated running and that’s what this was. Running far and fast and leaving everything she knew behind.

He reached out and covered her hand with his. “This is the right thing.”

Then why did she feel like such a chicken? Why did she think that no matter how much time she spent away from home, it wasn’t going to make a bit of difference to the man stalking her? Why would someone want to kill her in the first place? Was it a fan she’d let down or one of the crazies who asked her to marry them? She didn’t have enemies. She’d told that to the police. In a town that fed on gossip and rumors, she’d learned to keep her mouth shut and watch what she said like a hawk when it came to interviews and sound bites. She’d learned years ago that if she kept a positive or diplomatic spin on things, it was much harder to edit something out of context and make her look bad.

“It might be the right thing, but for how long?”

His understanding gaze said more than words. Once again it struck her that he had put his own life on hold for her. He might be a man of few words, but his actions spoke for themselves.

Julie picked up her burger if only to end the conversation so Troy would finish his dinner. She’d heard his stomach rumbling the past two hours of the drive and knew he was starving. He demolished his steak in minutes and pulled out his wallet.

“Let’s go,” he said, yanking a couple of bills from his money clip. “I don’t like how these two guys keep looking over here. You might’ve been made.” He tossed the cash on the table.

Julie’s pulse jumped and she set her napkin on her almost-empty plate. “I’ve got this ridiculous wig on. I can’t imagine they really recognized me.”

“I can.” He got up, reached for her crutches and they escaped out the side exit.

Hours later, Troy hauled their luggage into another hotel room outside of Denver, this one much like the last with the exception of one king-size bed. Julie made another call to the detectives and had to leave a message. She didn’t expect a call back in the near future. Troy used the bathroom first then crashed on the bed as she hobbled her way toward the toilet. By the time she came out of a quick—albeit shallow—bath, feeling fairly refreshed and ready for bed, he was sound asleep. He hadn’t even taken off his shoes.

Julie put her crutches on the floor, sat next to him on the bed and studied his face. Sleep softened the worry lines on his forehead and bracketing his mouth. When he smiled, those lines got deep and his eyes sparkled bright, and it turned him into one hell of a sexy package.

She pulled off his boots. His eyes opened into slits and he started to sit up. She pushed him back. “I’ve got them. Go to sleep.”

He leaned back on the white sheets and watched her, his eyes dark and sexy. She noticed the hard ridge in his jeans and held back a grin since she hadn’t done anything to warrant his erection. After all, her baggy T-shirt and sleep shorts did nothing for her figure. Like his hands, his feet were big: solid and strong, just like the man. When she got his socks off, he tugged her down next to him on the bed. He didn’t make any moves, didn’t even try to kiss her. He just held her close and Julie soaked up the contact. The sense of safety she felt with this man was unparalleled.

It seemed she’d just fallen asleep when his voice woke her up.

“Julie,” he whispered. “Time to get up. We need to hit the road. I brought you a chai and some breakfast.” He looked guilty for waking her up while it was still dark outside and because he was going out of his way for her, she didn’t want him feeling bad.

“Did you put it on my tab?” she asked as she gently stretched sore muscles.

“This one was on me. Sorry I crashed on you last night.”

She peeled back the covers, sat up and took the chai he offered. “It’s okay. Driving is tiring. I could take a turn, you know.”

He shook his head. “I like knowing you’ve got your leg up in the backseat. It’s not a problem. Besides, I don’t want you to get behind in your pain meds.” He zipped up his bag on the luggage rack and turned toward her, his face expectant.

Too late for that. Her leg was throbbing already. “I guess you’re giving me another twelve minutes to get ready?” she asked.

“Take fifteen. You deserve it.” He flashed a rogue grin and her heart tumbled over. “Hey, I was thinking since you’re not at home, now’s the perfect time to get the garage door fixed. I know a guy with a garage business and he owes me a favor.”

“Wow, first plywood and now garage doors. You know all kinds of helpful guys.” Julie didn’t see a reason to argue. “I may as well. I have to fix it before I can sell it. Between Abbey and Cal, someone can be there while the workers are there. Thanks.”

Troy nodded. “You’re welcome. I’ll leave a message for him while you’re in the bathroom.” He glanced at his watch. “You’re down to fourteen and a half.”

Julie groaned as she sat up. “That shouldn’t count as my time. You stalled me.” This close to him, she smelled his aftershave. She could breathe him in all day long.

Sitting in the close confines of the car, she realized she would.

* * *

Abbey unlocked Julie’s front door and set her backpack on the entry table. She thought she’d get a little vacation time with Julie gone, but she should’ve known better. It didn’t matter where Julie was, she always had something going. Something that required Abbey’s time or energy.

Right now, Abbey needed to be at the studio practicing for an upcoming audition. She wanted to work on the signature moves the choreographer was known for. She brought a couple of DVDs to aid her rehearsal. If she could nail down a few numbers now, it would be easier when she got into the audition. Or so she hoped. Luckily the original audition had been postponed from now to tomorrow, which gave her more time to rehearse. This way, she didn’t have to panic about getting to Julie’s house to open up for the workmen coming to fix the garage door.

Abbey strode into Julie’s huge den, glad for the bamboo flooring. She wouldn’t be able to do any of the spin moves on carpeting. She stripped off her baggy T-shirt, tossed it over the leather recliner and got down to her dance threads, a form-fitting strappy black top and leggings.

After shoving the DVD in the player and moving the furniture back, she stretched to the introduction of the video. Things were just getting started when she heard a truck pull up out front. Already? She thought she’d have time before the workmen came. She’d gotten here an hour early on purpose to get these moves under her belt.

Something caught her eye in the backyard, but the closed blinds blocked her view. Her heartbeat thumped between her ears as she inched to the window and peeked through the slats. A man was creeping along the outside of the house. Abbey’s pulse leaped and her palms slicked. Maybe this was the guy after Julie. Maybe he thought he could get in and wait for her, surprise her when she came home.

Anger joined the mix of fear and panic as she backed away from the window. She needed to call for help. She headed for the wireless phone, but the receiver was gone. Julie had a terrible habit of never replacing the phone on the charger. If Abbey didn’t put it back, the thing would die on a regular basis. She held back the urge to groan and scurried to her bag near the front of the house for her cell phone.

The man was at the backdoor now, jiggling the knob. Abbey’s heart jumped into her throat. Even if she called for help the police wouldn’t get here fast enough.

The alarm! Abbey ran to the keypad in the hallway and flipped the top. She heard the squeak of the backdoor as it opened. Panic shot through her. She hit the alarm button on the pad, but it stuck. Glancing over her shoulder, she heard him coming closer. She jabbed at the button but nothing happened. What good was this stupid f*cking alarm!

Run! She should run out the front and to a neighbor’s house.

Wait! The workers! The guys out front would help her. She raced into the entryway and opened the door, ran outside, ready to call for help, but didn’t see any workers. A lone truck sat parked across the street. The neighborhood looked deserted. Where was everybody?

Oh shit. The workers hadn’t come early after all. It was the man stalking the house who’d come. Her pulse tripled. She heard something behind her and panic shot through every cell. Abbey bolted for the neighbor’s house. She heard him behind her and wanted to scream, but she couldn’t pull any air into her frozen lungs. She’d barely gotten ten yards when a massive weight brought her down, tackled her to the lawn. She hadn’t even called the police! No one knew what was happening. No help was on the way.

Abbey fought like a wild woman, bucking and kicking as she wiggled and squirmed to get out from under the massive weight surrounding her.

Not again! Not again! Tears leaked out of her eyes as she struggled. Her ponytail came free and her hair obscured her vision.

“Nowhere to go, doll. I’ve got you now.”

Abbey barely heard his words through the roaring in her head.

The man flipped her on her back, trapped her wrists to the ground and stopped suddenly. He’d probably just now realized she wasn’t Julie. Although their skin tones were dramatically different, their body shape and hair color were remarkably similar.

“What the hell?” he muttered.

Abbey still fought like a mad woman. She wasn’t a teenager anymore. She had the ability to fight this guy. All those self-defense classes hadn’t been for nothing. She opened her eyes and screamed, a whole new burst of adrenaline racing through her.

Surprise stopped her cold and her scream died in her throat. What the hell?

“Abbey?” the guy said, breathing hard. His weight crushed her to the lawn. “What the hell are doing sneaking around in Julie Fraser’s house?”

Gasping for air, Abbey searched her terrified brain for his name. She’d never forget him. Elevator guy. Tall, auburn hair and a spectacular body. “Blake?”

He nodded and sat up, not one bit of humor on his grim mouth, his hand wrapped around her arm. “Answer me,” he said. “What were you doing in her house?”

Abbey smacked his hand off her as he tried to help her up. “Don’t touch me.” She got to her feet, still leery and shoved her hair behind her ears. She glanced around the neighborhood. He’d been at the hospital and now he was at Julie’s house? That was too coincidental. “Why don’t you tell me what you were doing sneaking around her backyard?”

He held up a key. “I’m under instructions to open the house for the workers that have to fix the garage.” He folded his big arms across his muscled chest and looked down at her like he owned the property. “And you?”

That condescending look of his rubbed her the exact wrong way. “I work for Julie. I told her I’d be able to meet the workers when they got here, but I had a conflict and couldn’t come early. That changed.” She spread her hands wide. “So I’m here.” She folded her arms across her chest and mimicked his stance. She could play this game too. He’d obviously found the hidden house key in the backyard. Julie, Elena, Carrie Ann and she were the only ones who knew about it. So who told this guy? “How did you know where to find the key?”

Blake looked around the neighborhood and sighed. “Can we do this inside? It’s about a hundred and twelve out here.”

He was right. The sun beat down mercilessly and perspiration already dripped between her breasts, but Abbey didn’t know if she wanted to be alone with him. She didn’t have enough information yet. “First tell me how you knew where the key was.”

He exhaled a huff of air. “Troy told me. This morning. Over the phone. Are you happy now?” He spread his arms wide. “Can we go in?”

“Troy?” Abbey asked. A new wave of clarity crashed in her head. She’d met Blake at the hospital when he must have been visiting Troy. “How do you know Troy?”

“He’s my...friend,” he said, clearing his throat. “He’s a friend of mine.”

Abbey narrowed her eyes. Why would Troy be hanging out with a guy so much younger than himself? Something was off about this. “A friend. Right.”

“C’mon,” Blake said, gesturing back to the house. “I’m under orders to move anything near the garage door back toward the interior to give the guys space.”

That made a little bit of sense.

Abbey shook off her panic and headed for the house. “God, you scared the absolute crap out of me,” she admitted.

“Sorry,” he said, opening the front door. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. Are you okay from the tackle?”

She rotated her sore shoulder and glared at him. “I’m fine.”

“Look, I wasn’t expecting you either. I was thinking, what were the chances that I’d be here to catch Julie’s stalker.”

Turning on him in the entryway, Abbey caught his eye. “How do you know about her stalker?”

He made a face and shrugged. “How else? Troy told me.”

Abbey scowled. This was all very convenient. “It’s not his place to talk about Julie’s life to you.”

One of Blake’s eyebrows lifted. “Maybe not, but he seems pretty serious when it comes to protecting her and if calling me to help out keeps her protected, then I think he’s allowed.”

Abbey’s perfect posture went for shit. She felt like a world-class bitch. She covered her face with her hands. “You’re right. I’m sorry.” Residual fear manifested itself in her chest and a knot lodged in her throat. She would not cry. She would not cry. It seemed every time she was around this guy she had a panic attack.

“You okay under there?” His voice was low and soft, and Abbey clenched her jaw to keep her chin from wobbling. She nodded.

Gently, he took her wrists and pried them apart and away from her face. The empathy in his eyes made her feel two inches tall. Before she had a chance to run away, he pulled her into a hug. “I am so sorry I scared you. Really. I had no idea it was you. I didn’t even know you worked for Julie.” He pulled back and looked into her eyes. “I was just getting it in my head that you weren’t ever going to call or email me.”

Ugh. Not that. “I lost that slip of paper you gave me.”

His face brightened. “You did?” He sighed. “Thank God. My self-esteem took a real boot to the head.”

Abbey laughed. She couldn’t help it. His infectious grin had her cheeks heating up. She’d just avoid telling him that after staring at his contact information it had taken her the better part of six weeks to decide to email him. Then she’d promptly lost the information. Brilliant.

“Been in any elevators lately?” he asked.

“Not a one. You?”

He shook his head. “Nope. They’re off my diet. I’m good with the stairs for the next long while. So, where’s the door to the garage? I should get to work.”

“It’s this way,” Abbey said, leading him through the house. “I can help you. She doesn’t have that much near the door. Just some stacked bins.”

Abbey unlocked the door to the garage and after one step in, they both stopped. Instead of the garage door, huge plywood planks covered the opening. Black, singed wood showed where the heat and fire had burned the wood at the mouth of the garage. Debris was strewn everywhere. Clearing the garage might take longer than she’d thought.

“F*ck,” Blake muttered. “That was a real car bomb.”

“No kidding,” Abbey breathed. It was completely surreal that someone was trying to kill her boss. The fact that they’d nearly succeeded multiple times sent a chill down her back.

Between the two of them, it took almost twenty minutes to clean the mess and move the bins and miscellaneous boxes to the back of the garage. The workers showed up a few minutes early, and Abbey and Blake went back into the house.

“I guess you can go,” Abbey told him. “No reason to stick around.”

Blake looked out to the two guys taking down the plywood, plus the two construction workers unloading the wood for the new garage frame and the other two guys removing the garage door panels from the truck. His gaze landed on her. “I’ll wait.”

“I’m fine,” Abbey insisted.

Blake grinned, and it was the sexy grin he’d hit her with in the elevator. “You are that,” he said.

She felt her cheeks heat. “I’m serious. You don’t need to stick around.”

“I know I don’t need to. I want to.”

“Don’t you have a life to get back to? Something that you had to cancel because Troy told you to come here?”

He didn’t answer her. He just gazed into her eyes and made it hard for her to form a sentence. In fact, the longer he stared at her the harder it got to think at all.

“He must be a pretty good friend for you to drop everything and show up here at the drop of a hat.”

Blake took a sip of the ice water in front of him and Abbey needed the reprieve from his gorgeous blue eyes. “Troy’s a good guy. Have you met him?”

Shaking her head, Abbey doodled on the notepad near the answering machine, which also had no phone in the base. Ugh. Julie! “Nope. Never met him.”

Blake took the pen out of her hand and moved the pad toward himself. He very neatly printed something on the page, tore it off and slid it in front of her. “My information. Again,” he said. “Don’t make me wait another six weeks. Don’t make me wait six hours.” He didn’t bat an eyelash as a half grin curved his lips. “I know how to find you now. And I will if I have to.”