Love Me if You Dare (6 page)

She wanted to pick up where they left off. So did he. But someone had to think rationally and look out for both of them. As hard as it was, Rafe stepped
back, folding his arms over his chest, deliberately placing distance between them.

“What’s wrong?” Confusion followed by hurt flickered over her face.

The hurt hit him in his gut.

Rafe shook his head, sorrier than she could imagine. The last thing he wanted was to cause her pain, but she’d brought up their feelings, and he had no choice but to be honest.

“I don’t understand. We’re both unattached, right?” she asked before he could explain. And her voice cracked, making him feel even worse.

“Right.” He inclined his head in a curt nod.

“And unless I’m really misreading signals, you were as into that kiss as I was.”

She attacked a problem head-on. Another thing he liked about Sara—her no-nonsense attitude. “You’re right. I was.”

She perched her hands on her hips. “So, what’s the problem?”

“We are. A quick fling can’t end in anything but pain and heartache for us both.”

His brother was currently living in hell over a woman who’d started out wanting the same things out of life as he did. Why willingly put himself in that position with Sara, his polar opposite, knowing ahead of time how it would end?

She drew a long, deep breath, her chest rising and
falling beneath her shirt, and Rafe braced himself for an argument.

“You’re right.” She raised her hands in a gesture of defeat. “I’ve thought the same things myself.” She turned her back to him and stared out over the lake, wrapping her arms around herself.

For comfort?

Or to ward off the chill?

He came up behind her, pulling her against him for warmth. And for one last touch before he took her back to Angel’s for the night.

As the smell of the water mixed with her fragrant scent, Rafe wished like hell he could throw caution away and dive into her. After all, Rafe was all for affairs, and he was way overdue. He’d like nothing more than to bury his thoughts and himself deep inside Sara’s sexy body. And if she was any other woman, he would.

But Sara wasn’t just another willing female. She meant something to him. She had from the start. That kiss had proven without a doubt why he had to resist her—because his gut told him this limited time with her would never be enough.

And a short period of time was all she’d ever allow.

R
AFE DIDN’T SLEEP.
How could he when he’d been given a taste of what could never be? He climbed out of bed early, determined to focus on the ordinary. The mundane. If he was going to have company, he needed to stock up the fridge. He showered and headed to town. First stop: Hidden Falls’s doughnut shop, for coffee. Fortunately for the doughnut shop, unfortunately for Rafe, the small store was located next door to the barber shop where his aunt’s husband, Pirro, and his cronies hung out every Saturday, rain or shine.

Today offered pure sunshine, as had most of the sum mer. Pirro wore a Yankees cap to protect his bald head from the sun and a pressed white-collared shirt courtesy of Aunt Vi. He was surrounded by his friends.

“Rafe!” They greeted him before he could speak.

“Hi, all.” He tipped his head in acknowledgment. “In a rush.” He hoped they’d take the hint.

“Sorry to interrupt you last night,” Pirro said with a not-so-subtle wink.

“Not a problem.” Rafe wasn’t about to get into a conversation about his private life with the town gossips. These men were worse than the women who gathered in the beauty salon. He took another step toward the doughnut shop, but his escape wasn’t to be.

“Vi tells me she’s a visitor from the city?” Pirro prodded, digging for more information than his wife had given him.

“Good to know the family grapevine is alive and well.” Rafe’s mother had probably spoken to Aunt Vi bright and early this morning.

“You don’t want to talk about it, do you?” Pirro asked.

“Nope.”

Ernie, Pirro’s best friend, had stepped toward Rafe. “You having trouble with your pecker? Because there are pills you can take for that. Pirro here can hook you up!” He spoke too loudly, and people on the street turned to stare.

“Ernest, you shut your mouth!” Pirro shouted.

Rafe agreed. Too much information about his uncle’s sex life, Rafe thought and shuddered.

“Not having any trouble, Ernie, but thanks for the advice. I’m in a rush, so I’ll see you all later.” He
waved at his uncle and his friends and finally headed into the doughnut shop.

When he exited a few minutes later, coffee in hand, the men were huddled over Pirro, who was scribbling in a notepad.

“Bye, Pirro!” Rafe called out.

The older man snapped his pad shut while his cronies surrounded him, blocking Rafe’s view.

“Strange,” he muttered, hoping when he was their age he had better things to do than hang out outside the barber shop.

S
ARA SPENT HER
first day in the small town of Hidden Falls wandering the shops and getting to know the area. Main Street was decorated for the festival. Outdoor tables with umbrellas and chairs were placed on the sidewalk, and across the street on the grassy lawn, booths were being erected for everything from wine to handmade crafts to food. A makeshift stage had been set up at the far corner, with chairs lined up, obviously for a concert of some kind, and she found herself looking forward to the event.

She didn’t run into Rafe, and she was disappointed. Though he’d made his feelings clear the night before, and, as hard as it had been, she’d agreed, she still wanted him. Now that they’d kissed, she knew what she was missing and found herself looking out over the street, hoping to catch sight of him. When she
didn’t, she consoled herself with the notion that there would be plenty of together time when she moved into his place tomorrow.

Before heading back to Angel’s, she stopped at an Internet café to check her e-mail messages. She wouldn’t answer them, because she didn’t want anyone tracking the IP address, but she needed to know if someone was looking for her. She scrolled through the usual mass of jokes from her cousins, mail from the various stores where she shopped, and the daily account balance she received from her bank.

But there was one e-mail with a red flag that caught her eye. A warning from her bank that someone had been searching activity on the debit card linked to her account. Sara paid extra for the additional security just for times like this—the rare incident when she was working a case or lying low and wanted to be notified if someone was tracking her. Not that Morley’s people would find anything. She’d taken out a lump sum of cash and wasn’t leaving a paper trail.

Still, she was unnerved. Using one of the disposable phones she’d purchased the day she’d left the city, she called the bank, only to hear they’d been unable to discover who had initiated the search, just that it had occurred. She thanked them and hung up, frustrated, then called Rafe and left a message that she needed to see him. If he was going to be her backup, she had to keep him informed.

She walked into Angel’s late in the afternoon to find her hostess in the family room talking to a young girl who appeared to be in her early twenties. Not wanting to interrupt, Sara waved and continued, planning to go to her room.

“Sara, wait! I’d like to introduce you to someone.”

Sara walked over and joined them.

“Sara, meet Joy. Joy, this is Sara. She’s a guest here now. Joy’s looking to book her wedding here this fall!” Angel said, her excitement at the prospect of hosting the event tangible.

“That’s fantastic. Congratulations,” Sara said, more to Angel than to Joy.

But the other woman didn’t seem to notice. “Thanks. I couldn’t stay here, because I decided to come at the last minute and the rooms are booked because of the Wine Festival, but I wanted to come take a tour. I’m looking for a small, intimate bed-and-breakfast where my fiancé and I can get married in a private ceremony,” she said dreamily.

The woman obviously had stars in her eyes when it came to romance, Sara thought. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from expressing her opinions on the subject. She’d learned long ago not everyone was as pessimistic as she was. Then again, not everyone saw divorce and discontent everywhere they looked within their own family tree.

“Anyway, since Joy will be around for the festival, I thought I’d introduce you in case you see her in town,” Angel explained.

Sara smiled. “I’ll be sure to look for you.”

“Same here.” Joy’s gaze remained on hers too long for comfort.

“Sara, when I’m finished with Joy, I’m going to be baking a second set of apple pies for my booth at the festival. Want to help?” Angel asked.

Glad to turn her attention away from Joy, Sara glanced at Angel and nodded. “Sure. I’d love to.”

“Okay, why don’t you meet me back downstairs in about half an hour?”

“I will.” Sara turned and headed for the stairs and the comfort of her room. Her knee ached, and she could use the time to lie down for a little while.

S
ARA MUST HAVE DOZED
off. She jumped up, certain she’d been sleeping for longer than the half hour Angel had given her. A glance at her watch told her she’d been out for an hour.

By the time Sara walked into the kitchen, Angel was surrounded by ingredients, bowls and a mixer. The scent of apple pie permeated the air, and a warm, tingling feeling filled Sara, making her wonder if this was what she’d missed growing up without a mother.

The thought took hold, and she shivered, unable to
escape the haunting feeling that she had missed out on something deep and fundamental. Something she’d never allowed herself to miss—or want—before.

“Those pies look tiny,” Sara said, noticing the mini-piecrust holders spread out on the table.

All day she’d been forcing the unsettling news about someone trying to track her accounts to the back of her mind by immersing herself in the present, and now was no different. She’d find comfort in easy things like making small talk and baking.

Angel glanced up, her hands covered in flour as she kneaded dough. “I’m making individual pies for the festival. I’m working on the crust right now. Grab a roller. The dough will be ready in a second.”

Sara glanced at the cluttered table as she settled into a chair beside her. “I haven’t baked in years.”

Not since she’d turned herself into a little cook for her father. Birthday cake had been her specialty. But once out on her own, she’d worked long hours, and, on her days off, she kept busy by shopping and browsing as she walked through the city. She’d never thought to use her old baking skills as an outlet to relax or keep busy.

Half an hour later, she’d rediscovered the magic. And the company was interesting. Rafe’s sister-in-law had an independent streak as long as Sara’s, and a good sense of humor.

“So, how was dinner last night?” Angel asked.

Sara raised her gaze. “Yours was delicious, but you’re not referring to that, are you?”

Angel shook her head, a guilty smile on her face. “Sorry I didn’t warn you, but I figured you might not want to show up uninvited. But I know my in-laws. They love company.”

Sara nodded. “They welcomed me with open arms, but I’d have appreciated a heads-up anyway.”

“Next time,” Angel said with an easy shrug. Obviously, she didn’t feel too badly about sending her over.

“I’d already met Mr. and Mrs. Mancuso when they came to visit Rafe in the hospital,” Sara said. “I like them.”

Angel gestured to the flour, indicating that Sara should coat the prep area so the mixture wouldn’t stick.

Sara followed her lead with each step.

“My in-laws are good people. I just wish they’d stop pushing for Nick and me to get back together. It’s not as easy as they think.”

In between instructions on how to make piecrust, Angel confided in Sara about her miscarriage and the reason behind the breakup of her marriage. According to Angel, she wanted to move on and put her energy into building the B and B. Nick wanted to constantly talk about what had happened, what it meant to them both. But Angel felt that talking about
the most painful thing in her life wouldn’t change the fact that she’d never be a mother. Her choices were to try again and risk miscarrying over and over or adopt. Not wanting to deal with any more disappointment, she’d chosen to give birth to her business instead.

She needed the stimulation the B and B provided. And for Angel, best of all, it didn’t leave her with time to think about their loss and her inability to have children.

Nick wanted the life they had had.

Angel couldn’t go back.

All things Sara innately understood.

“But Rafe seems to get why I need this.” Angel waved her arm around the small kitchen, but Sara knew she was really referring to the entire house and venture. “I wish Nick did, too.”

Sara raised an eyebrow. “Rafe isn’t on his brother’s side?”

The other woman shook her head. “He says he’s on
our
side.” Angel paused from pressing the crust into the tin. “You sound surprised.”

“It’s just that I always thought of Rafe as a very traditional guy. He wants what his parents have. Marriage, family. The white picket fence.” Which was what stood between them now.

Angel pressed her lips together, obviously needing time to think. A few seconds later, she exhaled a long breath. “Okay, I’m going to share something private.
But I don’t want you to think I’m a gossip. I’m telling you this because no woman drives five hours just to say hello to a man. You must have strong feelings for Rafe, or you wouldn’t be here.”

Sara bit the inside of her cheek. “Actually, I need him. I need his…expertise.” She stopped short of saying protection. There was no reason to worry Rafe’s sister-in-law by admitting there was danger looking for her.

“I’d believe you, except for one thing. His mother told me you didn’t leave his side the entire time he was in the hospital. That’s caring. Whether you want to admit it or not.”

Sara shook her head and laughed.

“What’s so funny?”

“You remind me of me.” Sara had been as blunt with Lexie when she’d confronted the other woman about her feelings for Coop. Sara admired Angel’s honesty and decided to open up a little more. “Okay, I care about Rafe,” she admitted. It felt funny saying it out loud.

Angel smiled wide. “My gut is so good,” she said, laughing. “So, I’ll tell you where the Mancuso boys got their feelings on marriage and family. Maybe it will help you understand Rafe better.”

Sara rested the rolling pin on the table and leaned in. “Now you’ve got me curious.”

“When they were younger, Rafe’s father had an
affair.” Angel wiped her hands on a damp kitchen towel. “And not a one-night stand, either—though that’s how it started out.”

Sara let out a low whistle. “You’re kidding.” She was stunned by Angel’s admission, unable to imagine how a younger Rafe would have handled that.

She scratched an itch, running her hand over her nose, her focus never leaving Angel.

“It was a long time ago. He started sleeping with a woman who worked in the office. Joanne was older and on her own, but the boys and Carol were still young, so Mariana was home then. She hadn’t started working in the business and wasn’t there every day. My understanding is that Frank eventually fell in love with this other woman.”

“Uh-oh.”

Angel bobbed her head in agreement. “But Frank’s a good guy, and the guilt ate him alive. He broke up with the woman so he could save his family. He confessed to Mariana, and they agreed to try and work things out. But the other woman felt betrayed and made their affair public. Even the kids knew. It was very ugly.”

“But they obviously stayed together and made the marriage work,” Sara said, remembering the close-knit couple from the night before.

Angel nodded. “They’re stronger than ever. But the affair left scars. Sometimes I think Nick can’t let
go of the idea that he needs me around where he can see me, check up on me. In his mind, letting me work outside the home, especially taking in strangers, just opens us up to possible trouble.”

Sara paused, thinking about what Angel had said. “Maybe it’s not about cheating. Maybe he’s just afraid of losing you, period. This kind of job takes a huge commitment. Sort of like mine does. It takes a rare person who can understand that. I should know. Every one of my family members who is or was married to a cop had marriage problems.”

“But his attitude drove us apart, not this place!” Angel pounded on the dough in frustration.