Behind Closed Doors (11 page)

She’d left the door open in her haste, and her voice floated pleasantly into his office as she greeted the caller. He didn’t know what to do. Staying away from her wasn’t an option. She worked for him and lived in the same building. It was a no-win situation no matter how he played it.

As he contemplated his options, he realized that things had gotten eerily quiet in the other room. He looked down at the phone and saw the light was on; she was still talking to someone. Curiosity got the better of him, and he walked out to see if there was a problem.

When he saw her, he knew something was very wrong. She’d lost all color in her face and her knuckles had turned white as she clutched the phone.

In two long strides he was by her side, that need to protect her rushing through his veins once again, and she locked eyes with him, full of fear.

He knelt down in front of her before reaching for the phone. Putting it up to his ear he said, “Who is this?”

No one answered.

“Hello?”

Still nothing.

She sat motionless, staring off into space.

No longer caring who was on the phone, he placed it back on the receiver and took hold of her arm, forcing her to face him. “Are you all right?” he asked, trying to remain calm.

“Yes,” she said. “I just . . . I wasn’t expecting . . .” her voice trailed off.

“Who was on the phone?”

Like a switch had been flipped, she pulled away from him, grabbed her purse and bolted out the door.

She didn’t exactly know where she was going, she just knew she had to leave. Chris and his mood swings were confusing her to no end. She didn’t need that right now, especially after the phone call she’d just received.

What she hadn’t expected was for Chris to follow her. She’d just reached her car when she felt his hand on hers. Fear ripped through her, and she pulled away, spinning around to face him.

“Elizabeth, what’s wrong? Tell me,” Chris asked.

“Why do you care?” she yelled. “Until this morning you barely said two words to me!”

“I told you I was sorry about that.”

“And I said you didn’t need to be.” She could feel the tears building and just wanted to be able to shed them without witnesses.

He took a deep breath. “Whether you believe me or not, I
am
sorry.”

She didn’t answer, and he seemed to get frustrated with her non-response. “If you don’t tell me who called, I’ll just call the phone company. Whoever it was obviously upset you. I
will
find out one way or another.” His voice was determined, and as she looked into his face, she knew he meant it.

What does it matter if he knows?
she thought, defeated. He already knew about the biggest skeleton in her closet. What was one more thing?

“It was my mother-in-law.” Her chin jutted out in defiance.

“Your mother-in-law?”

“Yes.”

His face was full of confusion, but finally realization dawned along with understanding. For some reason that just made things worse. She didn’t want his pity, his anger, or whatever emotion he decided best fit this new information. She just couldn’t deal with it right now.

She took advantage of his distraction, opened her car door, and slipped inside. He knocked on her window, but she ignored him as she drove away.

A minute later, she had to pull over because she couldn’t see the road through her tears. Jared’s mother had never liked her much. Abigail Carter always thought her little boy could do better. Her perfect son. And Elizabeth had taken him from her.

Although the things Abigail had said weren’t anything new, they still hurt. She wasn’t a horrible person. She’d loved Jared in the beginning. He’d made her feel special, like she was the only woman in the world for him, but Abigail could never believe her baby boy was beating his wife and that what Elizabeth had done was purely in self-defense.

Anger began to replace the fear and the hurt. She wasn’t sorry she’d fought back. She only regretted that it had ended with the loss of a life. Jared had been terrible to her, but she could never bring herself to wish him dead. All she’d wanted was to leave, but he wouldn’t allow her. She’d had no choice. She knew that. Unfortunately, that didn’t make it any easier.

She had no idea how much time passed before she glanced at her surroundings. Nothing looked familiar. She had no idea where she was.

She dug through her purse for a tissue and then angled the rearview mirror so she could wipe the tears and streaked makeup from her face. After she pulled back onto the road, it didn’t take her long to find a sign for Route 40. All she wanted to do was get home and have a large bowl of double chocolate fudge ice cream.

As soon as she left, Chris locked up the office, jumped in his truck, and pealed out of the parking lot.

He pushed the speed limit as much as he dared to get to the house. He figured he’d try there first. If she wasn’t there, he had no idea where to look, but he’d cross that bridge when he came to it.

Luckily for him her car was in the driveway, and as he hopped out of his truck, he realized she was still sitting inside. Slowly, he walked over and knocked on the glass.

She jumped and just stared at him, looking shocked. Her eyes were red.

Seeing her hurting caused an odd pain in his chest, and he felt compelled to comfort her. Before he could think it through, he opened her door and guided her out of the car and into his embrace. Her arms hung limply at her sides at first, but then she wrapped them around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder.

She felt good against him—right. She always smelled feminine. He wasn’t sure if it was her perfume or just her, but it pulled him in no matter how hard he tried to resist.

Suddenly, as if realizing where she was for the first time, she stiffened and he released her. She stared up at him, but neither spoke. Minutes passed, and that pull he felt for her returned again, even stronger than before.

Ever since Elizabeth Marshall had walked into this life, he’d wanted her, and no amount of avoiding or denying was working. At that moment, he didn’t want to avoid. He didn’t want to deny. He wanted her. Now. Even if he woke up tomorrow kicking himself, he’d take it. All he wanted was to stop fighting whatever this was, just this once.

When he finally kissed her there was an energy he’d never felt with another woman surrounding them, and something inside him wanted to get as close to her as humanly possible.

The moment their lips met, she couldn’t think clearly. His lips were soft, gentle, and tentative in such contrast to his size. He cradled her cheek as if she were the most precious thing before sliding his hand back into her hair to pull her closer to him.

The feel of him so close wasn’t as scary as she’d thought it would be. Jared had never touched her like this. He’d never made her feel alive like she did now. She felt vulnerable and strong at the same time. Chris guided their movements, but allowed her to lead.

She gripped his shirt as she lost herself in the sensations. A warm, tingly feeling ran from her lips down to her feet.

He pulled back and she opened her eyes. He stared at her with a strange look on his face. His hand was still in her hair, sending warm pulses down to her feet. She wanted him to kiss her again.

They stared at each other until the spell was broken by the sound of a car door slamming.

“I knew you were screwing her!” Carol stomped toward them with a look of fury in her eyes.

Chris took a step back but didn’t release Elizabeth completely and kept a hand protectively on her waist. “What are you doing here?” he demanded.

“Not even going to try and deny it, are you?” Carol was acting like a jealous wife.

“If memory serves, you’re the one who had trouble keeping your pants on, not me. We aren’t married anymore, so what I do or who I do it with is none of your business.” His voice held an eerie calm, but Elizabeth felt his fingers flex against her back. “So I ask you again, what are you doing here?”

Carol stood motionless as if waiting on Chris apologize or beg her forgiveness. But judging by his expression, he looked like he’d rather eat glass.

Then, before Elizabeth’s eyes, Carol’s features changed, becoming both pouty and flirty at the same time. She’d witnessed this earlier when Carol had stormed into Chris’s office.

Suddenly, Elizabeth was furious, and she had no idea why. Chris leaned down and whispered in her ear, asking her if she could give them a minute. She didn’t want to leave that nasty woman with him, but she did. She turned on her heel and marched inside, leaving them on the front lawn.

Once inside, the stairs seemed taller than usual as she trudged up them. It was as if a rubber band were inside her and with each step, it was stretching, pulling. She didn’t know what was causing the feeling, but she didn’t like it.

When she stepped inside her apartment, she walked straight to the kitchen for some water. Her mouth felt dry, and she wanted to lie down. It was only eleven in the morning, and she already felt as if she’d had run a marathon.

As she walked into her bedroom, she kicked off her shoes. It wasn’t until she was half way across the room that she noticed something wasn’t right. The sun was shining brightly outside, and yet her room seemed dark in comparison. Had she closed the curtains this morning?

Then she looked over to the window across the room. It took only seconds for her brain to take in what it was seeing. She screamed as she dropped her glass and heard it shatter on the floor.

Chris watched as Carol drove away. For whatever reason, she obviously wanted him back, but that was so
not
going to happen.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice . . . Yeah.
She was not going make a fool of him again. Once was more than enough.

He turned toward the house, looking up to the second story windows. He’d kissed Elizabeth, and there was no question he wanted to do it again, but all his doubts where still there. He wasn’t sure he could handle what happened with Carol again.

But she wasn’t Carol. That was the whole point, really. Elizabeth was genuine. She didn’t hide behind falsities. He never had to wonder if she was being honest with him.