Barbara's Plea (13 page)

He shuffled forward a step, putting our chests only inches apart, “I’d like that.” I felt his hands brace the sides of my face gently as he leaned down. “Barb,” he whispered as he closed the final inch between us and kissed me.

The kiss quickly deepened and filled with a passion and desire in which I wanted to lose myself, but he pulled away too soon.

“Sleep well,” he whispered and stepped away.

Nope, that’s not going to happen. I’m going to be thinking about that kiss all night. “You, too.”

He lifted my right hand and kissed my knuckles before he escorted me to the door.

“You’re not coming in?” I asked as he turned away.

“No, as tempting as that is, no.” His smile was soft but tight.

“Good night, Grey.”

“Good night, Barbie. Thank you for a wonderful night.” He turned, but before he could step away, I reached for his arm and pulled him back. My arms flung around his shoulders and with my raised height from standing on the step, we saw almost eye to eye as I brought his lips back to mine.

His arms tightened like bands of steel around my body as he kissed me back with a hunger I had never felt. “Grey,” I mumbled against his lips, “stay.”

He kissed me one more time, slowing the pace before he leaned his forehead on mine. “I can’t stay up here.”

“Then let me see if Amelia can listen for Allie and let me come back with you.”

He hesitated, “Is that what you really want?”

“Yes,” I breathed between us. I took his hand and pulled him inside, leaving him in the conservatory while I went in search of Linda and Amelia.

Ten minutes later, I was back at his side, “Let’s go.”

I
brought
Barb back to the guest house, keeping her as close to me as possible. When I closed the door to the shop, Barb wrapped her arms around my neck and urged me into a kiss that rivaled any from history.

I swung her in my arms and carried her up the stairs while she nibbled on my neck and kissed my cheek. In the bedroom, I lowered her to her feet and took her face between my hands. “We don’t have to do this—” I began to say, but she stopped my words with the tips of her fingers on my lips.

“I want to make love to you more than anything I have ever wanted to do before.”

“Barb, you have no clue what that means to me, that you trust me to show you that.”

“I have no doubt that you will treat me the way I deserve to be treated,” she murmured as she stepped up on her toes again and closed the distance between us.

“I’m glad because that is exactly what I’m going to do. I’m going to love every inch of you, and show you how incredible you are.”

“Show me, Grey.” She kissed me slowly, “Love me, Greyson.” Her husky voice drifted through the air.

“I already do.” I swooped her in my arms again and carried her to the bed.

After we made love, she lay with her head on my shoulder, and her fingers softly stroked my chest. I had taken my time and explored every inch of her body, making sure that she knew that I cherished her. In return, she did the same.

It was an experience I had never expected, and would never forget. No matter what happened, I had the memories of tonight to carry with me forever.

I felt Barb’s body relax and her breathing even out as she drifted off to sleep in my arms.

I stared at the ceiling while she dozed and recalled the conversation I’d had with Gloria right after Todd had left and Barb had gone in search of Allie.

Gloria had sunk down onto the closest sofa, “I’m not sure, but whatever it is, it’s not going to be good.”

I scratched my chin, “I think you’re right.” I studied Gloria for a moment, “Are you feeling alright?”

She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it and thought for a moment, “No, I’m tired—more tired than I had expected to feel, so soon.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” I sat beside her and shifted sideways so she had my full attention.

“You’re already doing it, Greyson.”

I wasn’t sure what she meant, “You mean the designs?”

She chuckled, “No, you’re being the man of the house, taking care of those that live under the roof.”

“Yeah, but I’m not really the man of the house.” I paused, “I’m sorry if I overstepped my bounds earlier with calling this home.”

“Grey,” she took my hand in her own, the difference in them was so noticeable that I didn’t want to squeeze her hand back for fear of hurting her, “this is your home. The moment you showed up here, this place became a home again and not just a fancy, sprawling estate. You are welcome to stay here as long as you wish, even after you are done with the project.”

My heart squeezed in my chest.

“I wasn’t going to tell you this, but I might as well. It might make you feel more at home. I had my will changed, I added you to it.”

Her words shocked me. “What? You don’t even know me, Gloria.”

“Now don’t get all excited, I didn’t leave the entire property to you, but I did leave the guest house and all the furnishings, including the workshop to you. As long as the estate stays in this family, you will have a place here. If the property is to get sold, you would get a portion of the sale.”

I blinked a few times to keep the tears from falling. “Why?”

“Why? Because the moment I met you, I felt like you were meant to be part of my family. You are a fine young man, a man anyone would be proud to have as a son, or a grandson.”

No one had ever done anything so incredible for me. I was speechless.

“Oh, and I should tell you one more thing while I’m at it.”

I cleared my throat wondering what else she could possibly have to say. “What’s that?”

“I paid off your hospital debt. You’re free and clear, Greyson. It’s time you take the world by the horns and make it yours. I expect you to do great things. Don’t disappoint me.”

“Gloria, how,” I stuttered trying to get the words out, “how did you do that? Why would you do that?”

“How? Easy. I’m on the board of directors for the hospital. Why? I already told you that. You have a future ahead of you, and I don’t want you looking in the past and struggling with it. It’s time to look forward and live your life.”

Two tears slipped out and ran down my cheeks, but I wasn’t ashamed of them. I was proud that I could show my emotions, especially to such a sweet, wonderful woman.

“I don’t know how to thank you,” I said as I squeezed her hand gently.

“I do. You can go check on my granddaughter and make sure she knows how much you care about her.”

I eyed her carefully, “You figured that out, huh?”

She winked, “The moment you set eyes on her, yours began to sparkle. They got brighter when you looked upon Allie. That right there is your future, Greyson. I would bet my fortune on it. She cares just as much for you.”

“We barely know each other,” I began to explain, and she held up her hand.

“I met Walter and married him two days later. We were married for fifty-six years, and not once did I regret it. Love can happen that quickly, you just have to believe in it.”

I pondered her words, and she was right. My parents had only known each other a few weeks before they had eloped and spent forty-something years happily together. Love could be that fast.

“If you’ll excuse me, Gloria, I’d like to go check on my ladies.”

“You do that,” she said as I leaned down and kissed her cheek.

“Thank you, Gloria—for everything, not just for paying off my debt, and giving me the guest house, but for believing in me.”

“If anyone deserves it, you do.”

Back in my bed, I pulled Barb closer to me, kissing the top of her head. Did I love her? Yes, I was pretty certain that I did, but with her life in upheaval, I wasn’t sure if this was the time to make declarations.

Until she was ready, I would do everything I could to show her, and leave the words for later.

Barb awoke when I climbed back into bed. “I can’t believe I fell asleep. I should get back up to the house.”

“Allie is fine. She’s with Amelia. I just checked on her a few minutes ago.”

Barb looked over her shoulder at me, “You called to check on her?”

“Yes,” I kissed the tip of her nose and pulled her closer to spoon against my body. “I wanted to make sure you got a good night’s sleep, so I made sure Allie was alright.”

“How did I get so lucky to find a man like you?” She turned in my arms and kissed me.

“I could say the same thing. How did I get so lucky to find a woman and child like you two?”

Barb examined my face, “You really care about Allie, don’t you?”

I kissed her, “And her mother, yes, very much.”

“Why?” she asked, and I leaned back from where I was nuzzling her neck.

“Why?” I laughed, “I don’t know. The moment you two walked into the house, I was a goner. One look at Allie and I was smitten, she’s gorgeous, just like her mother.” I went back to nibbling her neck.

She giggled, “You think I’m gorgeous?”

“Yes,” I whispered in her ear, “and sexy as hell.”

She spread her hand on the back of my head, burying her fingers in the locks, “Show me how sexy you think I am.”

“Oh, that’s going to be easy.” I rolled over so she was on top, her eyes wide, “I want you right here, where I can watch.”

She giggled and fell to my chest to kiss me.

The sun rose to find us tangled in the sheets and each other’s arms. It was the most blissful night of sleep I had ever had, and I dreaded getting up.

Barb kissed my check, “I need to get to the house. Allie will be waking up soon.”

“Do you want me to come with you?” I grabbed her hand before she could climb out of bed.

“No, I know you have work to do. Just don’t miss breakfast. I don’t think I could handle not seeing you until lunch.”

She kissed me again and was gone.

I showered and made a pot of coffee, taking a cup with me downstairs to work. This morning I felt like I was on top of the world, and I turned up the stereo and sang along to the music while I started laying out pieces to carve more spindles for the rocking chairs.

At nine o’clock on the dot, I showed up in the conservatory, and Allie ran right into my legs, yelling for me to pick her up.

For the next two weeks, that was how life went. Every morning, Barb would leave my bed and go back to the house before Allie woke up. The nanny had moved in, so Allie had someone all the time, and Amelia wasn’t responsible for watching her every night. At nine, I would come up to the house for breakfast. At one, I would return for lunch, or Barb would join me, and we would have a picnic at the lake. We brought Allie a couple of times, too.

Dinner time would arrive, and we would all eat as a family, and I soon began helping with the ritual of getting Allie to bed. I was even given the honor of reading the bedtime story to her at the end of the second week.

It was after Allie had fallen asleep that Barb and I would fall into bed and make love with a passion that most people only dreamed about. I never tired of touching her body, or hearing the little cries that escaped her lips as I made her feel satisfied and desired.

At night, she slept in my arms, and I felt a peace I had not felt in years begin to push out all the bad memories.

Nate’s turtle was now washed and sat on the center of the bed during the day. He was a good memory from my past, and one I would someday share with Allie, at least I hoped.

Fifteen days after Barb and I had first made love, she left me with a kiss in bed, like she did every morning. I showered and went to work.

I was running the router when Amelia threw open the shop door, a crazed look on her face, and I turned off the machine. “Amelia, what’s wrong?”

“Mr. Bloodstone, it’s Barb, the police are here. They are arresting Barb and taking Allie.”

“What?” I yelled, but my feet were already rushing past her and I was running up the path to the house. When I arrived in the foyer, it was a madhouse.

“Please! Oh, God, please don’t take Allie. Let her stay here. Please don’t take her.”

“What the hell is going on?” I shouted when I entered the room and saw the pandemonium. Barb was in handcuffs being held back by two officers, while another woman held a screaming Allie.

Gloria grabbed my arm, while Barb cried out to me, “Grey, he filed charges of kidnapping. Tell them I didn’t kidnap Allie, tell them.”

“Of course she didn’t kidnap her own daughter,” I stated to the officer that approached me. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Grey, man, I’m sorry about this.” Tom, a guy who up until now I had considered a friend and who worked at the local police department, stopped in front of me.

“Tom, what the hell?”

“The State of California put a warrant out for Barbara Murphy’s arrest for the kidnapping of Allie and for wiretapping charges and identity theft fraud. There’s nothing I can do. They have an extradition warrant for her.”

I stared at Barb. It had been so quiet lately—too quiet—and both of us had been waiting for something like this to happen.

“Why do you have to take Allie?”

“She is going back to her father,” he stated blandly.

“What? No! That child is scared to death of that man! I saw it myself. You can’t do that. Do you have any idea why he is doing this to her? He beat the hell out of Barbara for years, and she left him. She fled because she was scared for her life and Allie’s, and now he’s using the same damn control to try and destroy her this way.”

Tom put his hand on my shoulder, “I understand how you’re feeling Grey, but you need to calm down.”

I glared at his hand. “You need to remove your hand or you are going to be arresting me, too.”

“Grey,” he started to say and I moved away from him toward Barb. He grabbed my arm to stop me.

“Tom, let me go. Let me at least have one moment with her before you take her away. Give me that. You know me! Come on!”

Tom released me and nodded. I pulled Barb against my chest and glared at the officer beside her, “Can you give us a minute, please?”

He looked over my shoulder and then stepped away. Barb was shaking against me.

“It’s okay. We’ll get this fixed,” I promised. “We’ll get this all straightened out.”

I wasn’t sure how Barb hadn’t broken down and started crying, she was being stronger than I was because I wanted to throw myself on the floor and ball like a baby.

I heard her whisper against my chest. “The recordings are in her bear. Get them to the attorney.”

Tom cut in before I could reply. “Okay, I gotta break this up. We need to leave. There is also a search warrant that we have to search her living quarters for audio recordings.”

I stepped away from Barb and met her gaze. I knew what she wanted me to do.

“The recordings aren’t here,” she turned to Tom. “I already turned them over to my attorney.”

“We still need to look.” He gave me a quick glance as he spoke, “We have a warrant to do so.”

She looked at the floor. Allie cried out, “Gay, Gay, Mommy!” I saw Barb starting to crack, and I walked over to the woman holding Allie.

“Can I please have her for a minute? I want to go get her bear. If she has her bear, she’ll calm down, maybe.”

I knew the woman was uncomfortable about the whole situation. She handed Allie over to me, and Allie threw her arms around my neck. “Come on, sweetie, let’s go get your bear.”

I was climbing the stairs when I looked down and saw them leading Barb out the door, her hands behind her back. She glanced up and tears streaked her cheeks. I held Allie’s head to my shoulder so she wouldn’t see her mom being taken away.

Inside Allie’s bedroom, I pulled the bear from her bed. The back had Velcro that held a small sound device that played the sound of a heartbeat. I slipped my finger in and found a small clear bag. Inside the bag were three mini SD cards that were used inside electronics. I palmed the baggie and slipped it into my jeans pocket.