Hidden Away

CHAPTER 10

THE next morning, Sarah stood on her porch and stared over the debris-ridden beach and watched frothy waves foam onto the shore. Palm leaves, tree branches and an assortment of driftwood sprawled across the sand, remnants of last night’s storm.

The skies were clear this morning and a light breeze lifted her hair and blew over her face as she stood gazing over the water. She was trying to work up the nerve to go back into town. Alone. Without asking for Garrett’s help.

During the night as she lay listening to the wind and rain, she’d decided she wanted to do something to repay his kindness and understanding. He’d cooked her dinner and he’d retrieved her books, not to mention gave her chocolate and wine. That deserved something in her mind, and she was through being a ninny around him.

If she was going to spend all this time laying low, she was at least going to enjoy herself.

Now she just had to conquer her fear of returning to town alone and she’d be set. She took a deep breath and stepped onto the sand. Meat and beer were obviously the way to Garrett’s heart, but she was going to throw in something sweet as well.

She lugged her laptop bag over her shoulder and started at a fast clip down the beach before she changed her mind. While she was in town, she’d check her email and send Marcus reassurance so he didn’t get edgy and come after her. Surely he realized the necessity for them to stay as far away from one another as possible.

As long as she kept quiet and away from Boston, everything would be fine. She’d never risk running into Stanley Cross again. Allen was gone—a fact she couldn’t bring herself to feel any regret over. Just that Marcus had been the one to do the deed. She should have left Boston a long time ago, but she’d stayed locked in her apartment, terrified to go out. Terrified to live.

Well, that was over. It was time to regain control of her life. Even if it was here on this island. It wasn’t as if she wasn’t used to being uprooted and having to adjust all over again. She’d spent her life moving and adjusting.

She hit the café first. Enjoyed a cup of coffee while she checked her email. Her heart sped up when she saw a new one from Marcus.

Let me know you’re okay.

She typed a quick response assuring him she was fine. She even made her response a little wordier than she had in previous emails. She made it sound like she was taking an extended vacation. And maybe she was. Who was to say she wasn’t?

After packing up her laptop, she drained the rest of her coffee and headed toward the market. Remembering Garrett’s tastes, she chose a small brisket, large baking potatoes and all the fixings. She preferred salad with meat courses but Garrett obviously didn’t waste stomach space on lighter fare like lettuce and tomatoes.

She studied the array of beer, frowning because she couldn’t remember what kind Garrett had when he’d come over. Deciding it didn’t really matter, she chose three different brands and hauled them into her basket.

The small section that served as the bakery didn’t have anything she thought Garrett would go for. It was all too froufrou and fruity, whereas she pictured him as more of a pure sugar guy.

Cake would have to do. She didn’t have time to go all-out on something exotic and complicated. Not if she was going to invite him to dinner tonight.

She picked a mix and bought ready-made frosting even though she quivered at the sin of it all. Then she made her way to the check-out and paid for delivery of the heavy groceries to her cottage.

On her way home, she found herself humming. She actually stopped in the sand and grinned as she realized she had this ridiculous giddy thrill at the idea of seeing Garrett again. She hugged her arms and squeezed, so happy and grateful that the idea of having a man in her personal space didn’t freak her out anymore.

It wasn’t as if she considered herself miraculously cured. Obviously it couldn’t be just any man. Garrett was different. He made her feel safe. And for the first time since her attack, she felt a stirring of interest in the opposite sex. For that alone, she’d always be grateful.

She started back down the beach, a ridiculous smile plastered on her face. It was a good day. And it would only get better.

Two hours later, she stood on Garrett’s porch and second-guessed her chirpy assertion that the day was so wonderful. Her hands were clammy, her mouth was dry and her heart was about to beat out of her chest.

Why was this so hard? She wasn’t afraid of Garrett. She wasn’t! It was though her psyche refused to cooperate and had hit the panic button in her brain. It was completely irrational, but then she’d already acknowledged that fear was anything but rational.

More than a little pissed that panic was putting a serious damper on her good mood, she set her jaw and knocked briskly on the door. A moment later, Garrett opened the door and his eyes widened in surprise. That might have put her off but then he smiled broadly and she could see pleasure in his expression. Her heart jolted and did a funny flip.

He was only wearing swim trunks and she was afforded a prime, up-close view of his chest. The same chest she’d drooled over from afar. He wasn’t one of those polished, hairless, pretty boys with an even tan and skin as soft as hers. No, he was rugged, paler on his belly and chest than he was on his arms and face. And he was hairy. Not in a gross, man-wolf way. There was a smattering over his upper chest, enough to give him a rougher edge, and it tapered downward to a dark line to his navel and low enough to fire her imagination about what was beneath the band of those swim trunks.

Her face lit on fire and her cheeks were so tight, she thought she might explode. Whether from embarrassment or awareness, she wasn’t sure.

Her gaze jerked up to the fresh scar on his shoulder. There were other scars. Much older. Some more faded than others. The one at his shoulder was still angry and puckered looking. He followed her stare and slid his palm over the scar.

She flushed guiltily. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to stare. Well, I guess I did. I was curious. Sorry, though. Does it still hurt?” And God, was she babbling. Like an idiot.

He shrugged. “Some days more than others. Hey, I was about to go for a swim. Want to come?”

She blinked in surprise and took a step back. “Swimming?”

His eyes glittered with amusement. “Yeah. You know, that thing you do in the ocean? In bathing suits usually, although I wouldn’t be opposed to skinny-dipping.”

“Oh. Well. I mean, I came over to invite you to dinner.”

“Really? I’d be happy to. But no reason we couldn’t go for a swim first. Unless you’re cooking a pig or something and have to start on it now.”

He was totally ribbing her and she grinned as some of the panic melted away under the warmth of this smile. “No pig, but I did buy a fair piece of a cow.”

He rubbed his belly and sighed. “You do know how to tempt a man. So, how about that swim? I’ll help cook after we’re done.”

“Oh no you don’t,” she said with a shake of her head. “You did all the cooking last time. This time, you’re going to sit on the deck with the beer I bought for you while I do all the cooking. I already baked a cake.”

“Damn. You’re spoiling me, woman.”

Her cheeks tightened again and the warmth spread into her chest. “And yes, I think I would like to swim. I’ll just go change and meet you back here.”

“Great. I’ll wait for you on the beach.”

Sarah flew back to her cottage and rummaged through her things for the swimsuit she’d purchased just a few days after arriving on the island. She hadn’t used it yet. Not even once. But suddenly she was eager to feel the ocean.

It was a modest one-piece, and by modest, it covered everything. High-necked, broad shoulder straps and a skirt that fell midway to her knees. She felt like a granny, although she doubted many grandmothers wore suits this ugly.

Knowing she was about as attractive as a toad should have dimmed some of her enthusiasm, but she found she just didn’t care. Garrett didn’t seem to mind her odd behavior and her eccentricities. She was going to enjoy today if it killed her.

She mentally flipped Allen and Stanley Cross the bird as she trekked down the steps of her deck and onto the sun-warmed sand. Allen was already in hell, and Stanley could kiss her ass. If there was any justice in the world, he’d join his brother there eventually.

As promised, Garrett waited in front of his cottage, a towel slung over his shoulder. She slowed as she approached and realized she’d forgotten to bring one.

“I’m an idiot,” she said.

Garrett raised a brow.

“I forgot a towel. I need to go back and get one.”

He grinned. “No need. You can use one of mine. Let’s hit the water.”

She turned her gaze to the ocean and the gorgeous canvas of blue that sparkled like a cascade of diamonds. “Is it cold?”

He gaped in exaggerated fashion. “You mean you don’t know? You haven’t been in yet?”

She shook her head and grimaced.

“It’s warm. Feels pretty damn good. No crap on the bottom. Sand is smooth. No seaweed.”

Laughter bubbled up. “Well, thank goodness there’s no crap on the bottom. That would suck.”

He winked at her. “When you’ve waded through as much shit as I have, you tend to appreciate nice, clean water.”

“Last one in is a rotten egg,” she yelled, just as she took off for the water.

“Why, you little!” Garrett yelled. “Cheater!”

She hit the water with a resounding splash. Garrett barged in behind her and promptly tipped her into the surf. She came up sputtering, hair in her face but grinning like an idiot.

“I won,” she said triumphantly.

“You cheated.”

She sniffed and shoved at her bedraggled hair. “According to my rules, I won.”

Garrett laughed. “I know better by now than to argue with a woman when it comes to rules.”

She flopped back, rocking over the gentle swells as she stared up at the sky. “You were right. The water’s great and no crap on the bottom.”

He turned over onto his back and spread out his arms as he floated lazily beside her. “It’s good. I didn’t think it would be. I was thoroughly prepared to hate it here.”

Her brow scrunched up and she tried to glance over at him, but got a face full of water. “Why on earth did you come here then?”

He went silent for a minute. “Let’s just say my family was leaning on me pretty heavily to take a vacation. They put me on a plane and here I am. I hate to admit it, but they were right. I needed the downtime. I feel almost a hundred percent again.”

“Almost?”

“Yeah, I’m getting there.”

“Me too,” she murmured.

His fingers brushed hers as he stroked in the water. He snagged her finger, just one, but he held on, keeping that connection between them as they bobbed along with the waves. Here in a vast body of water, no one around for miles, she should have felt incredibly isolated and alone. She didn’t. For the first time in a year, she felt a connection to another person. A man. It helped heal a little part of her soul. The part that wondered if she was doomed to forever lock herself away from other people.

After a while, Garrett tugged at her hand and pulled her closer. He flipped and treaded water beside her while she continued to float on her back. “Having fun?”

She put her feet down and realized she couldn’t touch bottom. She grabbed a hold of his arm and righted herself until she was keeping above the water along with him. “Yeah. Thanks. I am. It’s ... peaceful out here.”

“We’re pretty far from the shore now. Think you’ll be able to make it back?”

She glanced up and gasped as she realized how far they’d drifted from the beach. She swam decently enough, but that was a long way back.

He nudged her cheek with a wet knuckle. “Hey, don’t worry about it. I didn’t mention it to make you frown. All you have to do is hang on to my shoulder and float. I’ll do all the work.”

Just like he’d been doing all along. Always helping her. Always shouldering the effort.

“Come on,” he said. “Grab hold. I’m hungry.”

She laughed. “We can’t have that. Clearly you’re in danger of starving to death with that body.”

“You like my body?”

The devilish glint in his eyes was nearly her undoing. The man was incorrigible. And his family thought he was an “uptight bastard?” It didn’t compute. Maybe his family didn’t understand him, or maybe they were the uptight ones. She’d never met a man as easygoing and understanding as Garrett.

She rolled her eyes at his fishing. “You know you have a great body.”

“You’ve been checking me out,” he said smugly.

“Duh,” she muttered under her breath.

He took her hand and slid it over a solid wall of muscle until her fingers were hooked over his shoulder. Damn but the man felt good.

“Hang on. Here we go.”

With a kick he was off. She attempted to help for a while until she realized her flailing about was actually hindering him, not helping. So she concentrated on staying afloat and was content to go along for the ride.

When he had them close enough to the shore that he could stand, he stopped swimming and began wading forward while she still grasped his shoulder. He tentatively slid his fingers over the top of her hand and then reached back in a gesture for her to give him her other hand.

She kicked until she was behind him and no longer beside him and gave him her other hand. He pulled until her arms were looped around his neck and she was hugged up against his back. Then he continued forward, pulling them both effortlessly through the water.

The shallower the water got, the higher he rose from the water and the higher she had to reach. He stopped when he was a little over waist deep, patted her hands to show her she should still hold on and then he reached back to grasp her behind the knees. He hoisted her up and wrapped her legs around his waist and continued to forge ahead.

Okay, so she could totally stand right now, but she was enjoying the piggyback ride way too much to point out that she could make it on her own. She was wrapped around his hard body, and his big hands burned her thighs where he had hold above her knees.

He trudged out of the water and onto the sand, and still, he made no effort to put her down. He started down the beach toward her cottage. She rested her chin atop his head and sighed in contentment. She almost wished he’d slow down just to make the ride last longer. But all too soon he reached her deck and he turned so he could deposit her on the bottom step.

“Thanks,” she said lightly.

“Not a problem. Now you don’t have sand all over you.”

She glanced down at the sand caked on his feet and legs. “Wait right here. I’ll get some water to rinse you off.”

She hurried inside and filled a pitcher of water and then went back out where he was now sitting in one of the lawn chairs. He dutifully raised each foot for her to rinse and then plopped them back down onto the deck.

“After all that discussion about towels, I left mine back on the beach,” he said.

She blinked. A towel had been the last thing on her mind. “That’s okay. I’ll run in and get us one. If you can wait just a few minutes, I’ll go ahead and change before I come back out.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” he said lazily as he stretched his arms over his head like he was seeking the sun. He tucked his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, and for a long moment she was riveted to just how beautiful the man was. She was utterly fascinated by him. The idea that man with such hard edges and scarred body—clearly the body of a warrior—could also be so gentle and understanding simply astounded her.

Forcing herself away, she let herself into the house and hurried for her bedroom, where she stripped out of her suit. With a grimace, she glanced down to see that sand had accumulated in some interesting places.

She ducked into the bathroom, turned on the shower and stepped underneath the chilly spray. Shivering the whole time, she quickly rinsed the sand off and decided while she was at it, she’d wash her hair.

Fifteen minutes later and feeling guilty for leaving Garrett for so long, she walked back onto the deck, towel in hand, to see him exactly as she’d left him. Kicked back in the chair, head back, eyes closed and looking completely relaxed.

“Sorry I took so long,” she said. “I had sand everywhere so I showered.”

He cracked one eye open and stared at her. “Yeah, sand in the sensitive parts is a bitch. It can cause some chafing issues.”

“Do you ... do you want to use my shower? You probably have sand issues too.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, I could use a quick rinse if you don’t mind me staying in my swim trunks. Otherwise I can just run back over to my place and shower and change.”

It made the most sense for him to just go home. It wasn’t as if he were a long distance. But she hated the idea of him leaving. Even for just a few minutes.

“I don’t mind. You’re welcome to my shower and towels. I only have girly soap. Sorry.”

“I’ll just rinse if you can bear the smell,” he drawled.

It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him he smelled so damn good that it would be a sin to use soap at all.

“I’m going to start dinner while you clean up.”

He plopped his legs down and ambled into the cottage ahead of her. He disappeared into her bedroom and she went into the kitchen, so many butterflies scurrying around her belly she felt dizzy.

There was a man in her bedroom. In her bathroom. Taking a shower in her shower. Naked. Right now. She grinned. And she wasn’t even running the other way, hyperventilating or otherwise freaking out. It was a start.

This might even constitute a date. An actual evening with a gorgeous specimen of a man.

She seasoned the brisket, washed the potatoes and put everything into the oven. Then she pulled out the three kinds of beer and her own bottle of wine and went out to the deck to wait for Garrett.

Just a few minutes later, he came out, barefooted and in his swim trunks and looking so delicious she wanted to lick him. He rubbed at his damp hair and then spotted the beer as he closed the glass door behind him.

“Oh hell, you didn’t lie about the beer. I feel so honored that you bought it just for me.”

She gestured toward the bottles. “Take your pick. I had no idea what to get so I grabbed what I could.”

“It looks good to me. It’s wet and cold. That’s all that matters.”

They sat enjoying the afternoon, her with her wine and him with his beer. The sun was settling over the western horizon, plunging the sky into vibrant shades of gold, pink and purple. The huge orange orb reflected and shimmered on the water, sending fingers of fire racing across the still ocean.

“This is my favorite time of day,” she murmured. “The sunsets are so beautiful here. They take my breath away.”

“They remind me of home,” Garrett said. “My brothers and I used to sit out on our back deck, drink a few beers after a long day and watch the sun go down over the lake. We haven’t done that in a while. I’m thinking when I get back home, we need to do it more often.”

Sarah smiled. Then she remembered dinner. “Oh crap! I need to check the brisket!”

She hurried into the house and was immediately surrounded by the scent of cooking meat. It smelled homey and delicious. More importantly, it didn’t smell burnt. She took the casserole dish out of the oven and set it on the stovetop and then she reached in with an oven mitt and retrieved the two potatoes.

The brisket looked perfect. It needed to rest a few minutes so she put the potatoes on a platter along with butter, cheese and sour cream and carried it outside so Garrett could dress his potato while it was still hot.

Then she returned inside to prepare a small salad for herself, get more beer for Garrett and sliced the brisket and arranged it artfully on a chipped platter. Bumping the door open with her hip, she carried the food and drink outside and set everything on the table so they could eat.

“It smells wonderful,” he said with an appreciative sniff.

“We need to eat quick or it’ll cool too fast with all this breeze.”

He chuckled. “I don’t ever dally when it comes to food.”

She sat and they both dug in. Garrett put away a shocking amount of food, but then she’d seen his exercise regime and it was clear he needed a lot of calories. By the time they’d finished dinner, the sun was barely hanging in the distance and in the east, stars had begun popping in the darkening sky.

“I have dessert,” she said.

He visibly perked up at that.

“Chocolate cake. Chocolate frosting. I’ll apologize in advance for the fact the frosting is store-bought.”

“I’m not picky when it comes to sugar.”

She smiled and then hesitated. “Would you ... Would you like to come inside and eat? The bugs will be bad if I turn on the outside light.”

“I’d like that,” he said softly.

She stood and began collecting the dishes. Garrett piled several up and followed her inside to the kitchen.

“Have a seat,” she directed. “I’ll clean the mess later.”

He settled his large frame on the other side of the bar and watched while she uncovered the cake and took out saucers. She cut a huge hunk for Garrett and a much smaller piece for herself and then slid his across the counter to him.

She opted to stand so they faced each other. In truth, she liked watching him.

“Thank you for today,” she said.

He glanced up, his expression curious.

“Swimming. I had fun. It was nice to just relax. The water is fantastic. Everything here is fantastic.”

She tried hard to keep her tone light, speaking as anyone might on vacation, but she couldn’t quite keep the wistful note from her voice. It was hard not to feel guilt or to allow herself to drop her guard even for a moment when the truth lingered so close to the surface. A man was dead and she was involved—responsible—even if she hadn’t pulled the trigger herself.

Even now, there were probably any number of people looking for her. Marcus included, though she couldn’t imagine him not being able to find her if he was set on it. She thought it likely he already knew of her whereabouts, but he was no fool. He had to know that it wasn’t smart for her to be anywhere near him while Allen’s murder was being investigated. His emails had gone from where the hell are you to asking her if she was okay. Yeah, he probably knew exactly where she was.

Stanley Cross was another matter. A shiver stole down her neck. He wasn’t the type to sit idle and allow just the authorities to investigate his brother’s death. He too would be looking for her and she was well aware of how ruthless he could be.

“You don’t look like you’re thinking fantastic thoughts,” Garrett broke in.

Startled, she settled her gaze back on him to see him watching her thoughtfully. “Sorry. Wandered off for a minute there.”

“Wherever it was, I’d say it wasn’t a pleasant trip.”

“It wasn’t.”

“Want to talk about it?”

She wasn’t sure what surprised her more. His blunt question or the fact that for a moment she had an overwhelming urge to unburden herself. She could just see the direction of that conversation. Garrett struck her as a black-and-white kind of guy. No shades of gray. And her entire situation was so murky that it would make swamp water look like the crystal Caribbean waters.

“Wouldn’t want to ruin what’s been a perfect day,” she said lightly.

He stared intently into her eyes. “Everyone needs somebody to talk to, Sarah. If you ever change your mind, I don’t mind being that person.”

She smiled, warmed to her toes by the sincerity in his tone. “Thank you, Garrett. You’ve been so wonderful.”

“No, thank you,” he countered. “Dinner was wonderful. Dessert was delicious. But the company was superb.”

He rose as he said the last, and panic hit her. She nearly laughed. She wasn’t panicking because he was here in her personal space. She was panicking because he was about to leave.

“It was the least I could do. You’ve done so much for me, Garrett. I really can’t thank you enough.”

He smiled. “Ain’t no thang. Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow.”

It came out more as a question, and she realized he was leaving it up to her.

“I’d like that. Maybe we could swim again.”

He reached across the bar and cupped his hand over hers. Warm and slightly rough. The feel of his fingers over her skin was electric. Heat pooled in her belly and she was shocked by the instant reaction, that she was capable of responding. She wanted to run around the bar and hug him. She wanted to do a lot more than that, but she stood there, stock still, not wanting the moment to end.

“I’ll be around.”

His hand slid away from hers and she curled her fingers, determined to keep the sensation alive for as long as possible. With a grin and a jaunty wave, he let himself out the door, leaving her in the kitchen to stare after him long after he’d gone.