Sealed with a Kiss

CHAPTER TWELVE

JESSIE LOOKED at the clock on her nightstand. She knew it was early in the morning but she couldn’t wait another second to talk to Molly. Last night she’d accidentally looked in the bottom of Molly’s closet-okay, she’d been snooping-and she’d found a suitcase full of colorful clothes. Sweaters, scarves, funky jewelry and other really cool stuff. She wanted to borrow some of Molly’s things, but to ask, she’d have to admit she’d been snooping. Jessie weighed her options and decided Molly wanted Jessie to like her as much as Jessie wanted to wear Molly’s things. So she felt sure they could work out an understanding.

She paused outside Molly’s room and only debated for a second before deciding to walk in without knocking. Molly wanted them to be like real sisters after all.

She swung the door open wide, stepped inside, saw Molly under the covers, Hunter lying beside her and…Holy shit! she thought as everything registered.

Hunter stirred.

Jessie bit her bottom lip and wondered what to do. Didn’t take a college degree to figure out she should back out quietly and pretend she hadn’t barged in, but what fun was there in that?

“Ahem,” she said loudly.

Hunter groaned and turned over so his face was buried full in the pillow. Molly, however, jumped halfway to the ceiling.

“Jessie!” She lowered her voice when Hunter grumbled, still asleep. “What are you doing in here?” Molly hissed.

Jessie took a long look at Hunter, who’d begun to snore. “What’s he doing in here?” she shot back. “I was just trying to figure out a way to get you to let me borrow some of your funky clothes in the suitcase in the closet. Suddenly, I’m thinking blackmail.” She clasped her hands behind her back and grinned at her half sister. “What do you think?”

Molly closed her eyes for a quick second. “I think you’re a pint-size brat and we’ll talk about this later. Now shoo.” She waved her hand toward the door.

Jessie frowned but she was sure she’d win in the end since Molly looked annoyed but not angry. “Can I take the bright yellow cardigan first?”

“Out!” Molly said, this time pointing a finger.

Jessie rolled her eyes. “I’m going, I’m going.” She walked out the door, laughing as she went.

Suddenly, living with Molly was actually fun.

MOLLY FLOPPED BACK against her pillows, realizing her head was sore but the throbbing was gone. “Tell me that didn’t just happen.”

“It happened.” Hunter rolled to his side and propped himself up on one hand.

“You’re up?” She turned to Hunter.

His hair was rumpled, razor stubble darkened his cheeks and he looked extremely sexy lying in her sheets, staring at her with dark, bedroom eyes.

“I’m up but no way was I going to let Jessie know it. How’s your head this morning?”

“Not perfect but better. Thanks for staying with me,” she said softly.

His heavy-lidded gaze met hers. “My pleasure.”

She ran a hand through her hair, wondering how bad she looked. The damp washcloth had probably left her hair standing on end and her makeup in dark circles beneath her eyes. It couldn’t be pretty but Hunter didn’t seem to be running for cover, she thought wryly.

“I guess we should get up,” she said halfheartedly and didn’t make an attempt to move.

“How about we talk first instead?” He levered himself against the pillows as if settling in for a long conversation.

Her defenses immediately went on high alert. “About?” she asked warily.

There were any number of subjects he could choose to tackle, from her lie about her father and Sonya, to Ty’s news about her father’s case. Coming off the migraine, Molly wasn’t ready to have an argument with him.

“Your clothes. Why are they packed away in the closet?”

She blinked. “What? Why in the world would you care about that?”

“Back when we were in law school, do you know why I noticed you in the first place?”

She shook her head. She only knew why she’d noticed him. Like her, he’d been the one to close the law library night after night. His study habits and determination to succeed had matched hers. That, and his brooding good looks.

“It might have had something to do with the miniskirts you wore to class.” He tipped his head and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

She grinned. “When we started classes it was ninety something degrees!”

“It also might have had something to do with the hot colors you wore on top. Or the matching bright colored scarves you tied around your neck or your waist. No matter what outfit you wore, you had one piece that stood out in a bold color. When you walked into a room, you made a statement.”

She knew where he was going with this conversation and she didn’t want to talk about how she’d changed since last year. She also knew he wasn’t going to let the subject drop. “Color is fun,” she said defensively.

“Then why have you buried your more colorful things in a suitcase in the closet?”

“My headache is coming back,” she muttered.

“Liar.” He spoke softly. Gently. His tone was so understanding a lump rose in her throat. “Molly, I fell for the woman who made a statement. Who wasn’t about to let anyone dictate to her at all, including her choice of clothing. So what happened when you moved here?”

Molly remained silent but Hunter wasn’t about to let the topic go. He already knew in his gut why she’d buried the boldest part of herself, but he wanted to hear her admit it. And then he wanted the old Molly back. He supposed he had Jessie, the pint-size brat, to thank for giving him the opening he’d been seeking.

“I can’t imagine the commander with her eggplant-colored hair complaining about how you dressed,” Hunter said.

“She didn’t.” Folding her arms over her chest, Molly stared straight ahead, not meeting his gaze.

He wasn’t deterred. “Is it the general? Is he that ultraconservative?”

She shrugged. “About some things.”

“But he’s so happy to have you in his life, I can’t really see him caring what his adult daughter wears. Robin does her own thing and is rarely home, and you couldn’t give a shit what Jessie thinks about you, so what gives?” he asked, covering her hand with his.

“You already have me figured out. Everything’s about my family. About not losing my family. When I came here I wanted to be accepted so badly, I’d have done anything to fit in.”

“Including burying your identity.”

“It’s not that drastic.”

“It most certainly is. If not for those fuck-me red cowboy boots, sometimes I wouldn’t even recognize you. Don’t you miss being you?”

She didn’t answer but he could see the tears in her eyes and he knew he’d hit a nerve. Good. That meant maybe she’d think about what he was saying. He knew he missed the kick in the gut he got every time he saw her in another of her bold color choices. It was what made her unique. Special.

“Your family has already accepted you. At some point they deserve to know the real you.” Acting on impulse, he swung his leg over hers and straddled her hips. “Just like I know the real you.”

“You don’t exactly like me all the time,” she reminded him.

“But I’m an idiot.” He grinned at the admission.

“You’ve got a point.”

His body liked their positioning and his penis hardened against his already open jeans.

“Does this mean you’ve forgiven me?” she asked.

Hunter groaned. Grabbing her arms, he drew them up and over her head. “It means I accept you for who you are.” And that meant he had to accept her need to keep her family together at all costs, which he supposed he could do for the short time he remained here with her.

“It’s a start,” she said, obviously pleased.

“So’s this.” He slid his hands down to her breasts, then lowered his lips to hers, the kiss long and lingering. His tongue tangled with hers and his body demanded more.

And that was his signal to leave. With regret, he rolled away from her. “I’d better get going before the little snoop returns and catches us doing more than sleeping.”

“The kid is adding to her list of sins,” she muttered.

He knew she was kidding, but he heard the frustration in her tone, matched only by the frustration inside him.

AFTER SHOWERING, Molly’s first stop was Jessie’s room. Although she and Hunter had only slept in the same bed, she still hardly felt in a position to yell at the teen for entering without knocking. Still, Molly figured she held the moral high ground since her half sister had stooped to attempted extortion. Molly’s clothes in exchange for Jessie’s silence about finding Hunter in her room. Sheesh.

Molly knocked once and let herself inside.

Jessie yelped and turned around, hugging her shirt against her chest. “Hey!”

“At least I knocked and gave you warning,” Molly said as she stepped into the room and shut the door behind her.

Jessie frowned and turned her back to Molly so she could pull her shirt on in relative privacy before pivoting back to face her. “I’m sorry I didn’t knock.”

The teen’s apology took Molly off guard. “Thank you. And for what it’s worth, I was sick last night and Hunter stayed with me. He must have fallen asleep. I would have preferred you didn’t walk in on us but there wasn’t anything going on.”

“Are you here to yell at me?”

“For your barging in? No, you apologized for that. For attempted blackmail? That we can discuss further. At my age, I don’t think anyone’s going to punish me for having a man in my room, and if you think you’re going to win me over by snooping in my things or threatening me, then you’re mistaken.”

“You have to admit it was worth a shot.” A sheepish grin crossed Jessie’s face.

Apparently the progress they’d begun making wasn’t all lost. Molly rolled her eyes. “No more nonsense. Promise?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jessie muttered.

“Good.” Molly inclined her head. “I brought you something.” She pulled the bright yellow cardigan sweater from behind her back and tossed it Jessie’s way.

“Cool!” The young girl’s eyes opened wide as she wrapped her fingers around the soft material. “Thanks.” She met Molly’s gaze, gratitude evident in her expression.

“No problem. I’m not rewarding bad behavior, mind you, but I do think yellow is your color.”

Jessie had the decency to blush. “I’m sorry I give you such a hard time.”

“I can handle it. But I like you better when you’re more like this. So how’s Seth?” Molly asked, deliberately changing the subject.

“He seems better. He says he looked up Hunter on the Internet and that he’s got an awesome track record of getting people off. That seemed to settle him down a lot. I think he’s worried about losing my dad and his dad, if that makes sense.”

“It does,” Molly said softly. “And he’s right about Hunter. Our dad’s in good hands.” She deliberately tossed the volley to Jessie.

She curled the sweater in her hands, holding it up to her face. “Yeah, he is.”

No fight over whose dad the general really was, Molly thought and released her breath. “Enjoy the sweater. It looks best with dark jeans, by the way.” She turned to go, pleased with the progress made.

“Thanks again. Hey, I was thinking…” Jessie said.

Molly glanced over her shoulder. “About?”

“Maybe this weekend you could take me to Starbucks. You know, just us. Unless Robin comes, then uh, maybe the three of us could go?”

Molly grinned. “Now, that sounds like a plan.” And a darn good one at that.

HUNTER FOUND the general outside on the porch. The sun shone overhead and the older man stared through a pair of shades into the distance.

“Mind if I join you?” Hunter asked.

“Be my guest.”

Hunter slipped his sunglasses on and sat down beside him. “Is freedom tasting sweet?”

“Bitter.”

Hunter nodded. “I hear you.” Molly’s father was happy to be out of jail and petrified he’d have to go back. “Can we go over a few things?”

The general nodded. “I’m happy to do something to help my own case. I’m not used to being idle.”

Leaning forward, Hunter thought through the events they needed to discuss. “Your office manager hasn’t been to work, has she?”

“No. No letter of resignation, either. Lydia has disappeared and since Sonya’s been willing to fill in during the day, I haven’t worried about where she is.”

“Molly and I are going to Atlantic City later on today. I want to show Paul’s photograph to the staff at the motel where he used to stay. In the meantime, can you and Sonya go through both the business bills and Paul’s personal ones and get me a list of dates when Paul was out of town on business?” As much as Hunter needed the information, he sensed Frank needed even more to be busy and involved in his defense, something Hunter understood and respected.

“Not a problem. What are you thinking?”

Hunter shook his head. “Nothing certain at this point. I’m just wondering if Atlantic City was a side stop when Paul went on his various business trips for you. And if so, was it because he was gambling? Did he owe even more money than he already lost? I’m looking for other suspects so we can plant reasonable doubt in the jury’s mind. Or even more importantly, maybe convince a judge to drop the charges against you altogether due to lack of evidence.”

“I appreciate everything,” Frank said.

“Just doing my job, sir.”

“How’s Molly holding up? Not the brave front she’s putting on for me, but how is she really doing?” he asked, his voice full of concern.

Hunter appreciated the older man’s feeling for his daughter. In the general, Molly had found everything she was looking for in a parent and Hunter couldn’t be happier for her. “She’s strong. She’ll come through this fine,” Hunter assured the other man.

“It isn’t fair, you know. Something this awful happens and it’s the people I love who are taking the brunt of it.”

Hunter nodded. He’d heard something similar from many of the people he’d represented over the years. But this time, Hunter felt more of a connection to the parties and more invested in the outcome. And he couldn’t watch what went on around him with a dispassionate eye. Instead, he often found himself preoccupied with their feelings, and wishing he had the tight family unit Molly had discovered here.

He didn’t, of course. And though Molly thought he hadn’t made peace with his past, he had at least accepted it for what it was. The past. Unfortunately that did not mean he didn’t experience pangs of regret and longing, and when he saw Molly so settled in her life, his own needs resurfaced and were harder to tamp down.

“Cigar?” the general asked, pulling two stogies out of his shirt pocket.

Hunter raised an eyebrow. “Isn’t it a little early?”

Frank let loose with a laugh. “In this house, I take my smokes where and when I can get them since my mother insists on a smoke-free environment for the damn bird.”

Hunter winced, feeling the other man’s pain. “Your home isn’t your castle.”

“You catch on fast.” He extended the cigar and Hunter accepted it.

“It’s hard living with a houseful of women, huh?”

“If you know what’s good for you, you won’t answer that.”

Both men turned to see Edna standing behind the screen door with the above-mentioned bird on her shoulder.

“Sometimes I don’t know if she looks more like Baretta or someone from Pirates of the Caribbean. ”

Neither was a complimentary description, Hunter thought.

“I’m still your mother, so be nice. Hunter, can I get you a cup of coffee?” the commander asked.

“No, thank you. I already had one.”

“Then how about one for the road? Molly’s pouring hers now and it’s a long ride to Atlantic City. Especially with Molly behind the wheel.”

Hunter hadn’t thought about how they’d get there, but he realized his bike wouldn’t be comfortable for them both on such a long trip. “I’m sure she’ll let me drive her car.”

“Don’t be so certain. The girl’s my granddaughter and like me, she likes to be in control.”

That sounded like Molly, all right. “I think coffee for the road sounds great,” he told the commander, then immediately turned back to the general. “And hopefully when we return, we’ll have good news.”

“Amen,” the general said.

For the first time in a long time, Hunter was actually looking forward to being with Molly. Even knowing that they weren’t in it for the long haul didn’t dim his sudden enthusiasm for their overnight trip to Atlantic City.

MOLLY HAD NEVER been to Atlantic City and she was excited by the idea. Small suitcase in hand, she met Hunter at the car. “I’m ready and on time.”

“I can see that. I also saw Jessie run by me in a bright yellow sweater earlier.” His eyes lit with approval.

“I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt and pretend she really didn’t mean to blackmail me,” Molly said, laughing. “She’s warming toward me. I couldn’t see any point in saying no.”

He took her suitcase from her and walked around to the trunk. “But you gave her a lecture about not walking in without knocking, snooping and blackmail first?”

“You know it.”

“Keys?”

She pulled her key ring from her bag, then hit a button on the remote and the trunk popped open wide. Hunter tossed her suitcase in, followed by his duffel and slammed the trunk closed.

“I’ll drive.” He held out his hand.

Normally Molly preferred to drive and would have loved to navigate their way to the Jersey shore, but the medication she’d taken for her headache last night still weighed her down. Her muscles ached and she knew she’d be fighting to stay awake during the trip.

With a shrug, she tossed Hunter the keys.

He caught them midair. “Thanks.” He sounded surprised.

“Why so shocked?”

They settled into the car before he finally answered. “Your grandmother mentioned your need to be in control. She said you’d never let me drive.”

“And you believed her?”

He turned the key and started the ignition. “Let’s just say, knowing you the way I do, I had no reason to doubt her. But I figured I’d give it a shot.”

“I don’t mind you being in control, at least for a little while. Besides, it’s a new car and it has GPS.” She pointed to the map on the dashboard. “In case you get lost.”

Hunter rolled his eyes. “I think I can handle it. It’s a straightforward ride.” He swung an arm over the back of her seat and backed out of the driveway.

Molly fell asleep almost before they left the neighborhood. She woke up after an hour and a half, when Hunter pulled in to a rest stop to buy coffee. She used the restroom, bought a snack, ate and fell back to sleep again, only to wake as they pulled up to a large, grandiose hotel.

A valet immediately opened her door. “Are you staying overnight or just for the day?”

Molly opened her mouth, then closed it again. She didn’t know if this was the place where they were chasing down leads or the place where they’d stay. The decision to come here, once made, hadn’t been discussed in detail.

“We’re checking in,” Hunter said as he came around to her side. He accepted the ticket stub from the valet and she followed him inside to the front desk.

“This isn’t Paul’s motel, is it?” she asked.

“Nope. This is our hotel, at least for the night. I thought since we’re here, we might as well enjoy the trip.” They stepped up to the long front desk and Hunter smoothly handed the man behind the counter his license and credit card.

The young man, dressed in a white, starched collared shirt, smiled at them. “Welcome, Mr. Hunter.” He began to type into his computer. “That’ll be one deluxe, no-smoking suite, correct?”

“Um…” Molly interrupted without saying anything intelligible.

“Excuse us for a quick second.” Hunter grasped her elbow and led her a few steps away from the other man. “Problem?”

“Well, I have no problem sharing a room as I’m sure you know…”

He grinned, a sexy, seductive, I-can’t-wait-to-get-you-in-bed grin. “But?”

“I can’t afford a suite. I’m not exactly working full-time these days. I’m not sure I can even afford half the price of a suite here. And I know you can’t write this off as a business expense because my father’s never going to be able to foot the bill for this place, either.” She bit the inside of her cheek, embarrassed to be discussing her finances or lack of them.

He stared at her for so long she squirmed and shifted from foot to foot. “Did I ask you to pay for it? Give me a break, Molly. I have some class. I brought you here, it’s my treat.”

Her eyes opened wide. She hadn’t thought they were coming down here for anything more than business, and they’d stay in a cheap hotel or motel, not one of the nicest places in Atlantic City. “I can’t ask you to do that!”

“You didn’t ask. I offered. I wanted to surprise you with a night away from the problems at home. So far the surprise isn’t going very well,” he said, obviously upset with her arguing. “Can we just start over, check in and have you not second-guess me every step of the way?”

“Okay,” she said, truly touched by his offer.

He reached out and caressed her cheek, his gentle touch in stark contrast to the frustration in his voice. “Let me do this for you.”

She nodded. “If you’d warned me ahead of time, I wouldn’t-”

He shushed her by placing his finger over her moving lips. “No more arguing, remember?”

She merely nodded.

“Good.” He clasped her hand firmly in his and stepped back to the desk. “We’re set now. The deluxe suite will be fine.”

Ten minutes later, they had finished the check-in process, but the suite wouldn’t be ready for another hour or so. “How about we head over to the motel and do some digging about Paul?”

“That would be great.”

“Just one thing,” he said. “Once we finish, we put it behind us until we get home tomorrow. We take the rest of today and tonight as ours.” He studied her intensely, waiting for an answer.

Molly realized he’d put thought and effort into their trip, much more than she realized. Sometime during the last twenty-four hours, he’d forgiven her for lying to him.

“Nobody will ever accuse you of being a stupid man. You have this all figured out, don’t you?”

“I gave it my best shot.”

Pleasure at his foresight washed over her and she smiled. “I like how you think.”

He nodded. “Good. Then let’s go see what we can dig up at the Seaside Inn so we can have more time for us.”

Us. Molly did like the sound of that coming from his handsome lips.