The Stranger Next Door (3 page)

Maybe he just wanted to be a good neighbor. And maybe he just wanted to have her all to himself, for whatever reason, if only for a few innocent moments.

He could tell she was contemplating the invitation from the expression flickering across her face. She was so easy to read, her emotions showing clearly in her brilliant blue eyes. Silently, he willed her to accept.

From the corner of his eye, he spotted a familiar blue van rolling down the desolate street.

The neighborhood didn’t see much traffic, and he’d seen this van in her driveway many times. The plumbers had come to her rescue.

“Thanks, but the plumbers are here,” she said, confirming what he already knew, in what sounded to him like a relieved voice. Sending him a small wave, she started back in the direction of the house.

After weeks of wondering who she was, she was about to escape without his learning anything more about her than the fact that she wasn’t modest. She intrigued him, and in an attempt to learn more, he tossed out the first offer he could think of that would keep her with him a little while longer.

“Don’t you need to rinse out your hair?”

She turned and gave him a look.

*

He was simply gorgeous.

Taking another quick glance at the man before her, Tess smiled.

He was tall and muscular, and his eyes were the most brilliant shade of blue she’d ever seen. His deep, auburn hair was just long enough to be shaggy, giving him a rakish look, like one of the heroes in the romance novels she so often read.

Her fingers itched to trail through his hair, to feel the silky strands beneath her fingertips. Fisting her hands in the thick material of the robe, she took a deep breath.

His chest was broad, his arms thick and muscular. Lowering her eyes, she couldn’t help but sigh silently at the sight of a trim waist, a flat, rigid stomach, and muscular legs encased in tight, faded jeans.

Giving herself a kick and mentally wiping the drool from her chin, she shook her head. “No, I can take care of it in the house.”

The last thing she needed was for this stranger to get the wrong impression of her; he’d already caught her buck-naked on her front lawn. If she slipped up and let him catch her ogling him, or accepted his invitation to be naked in his house, that’s exactly what would happen.

Not that it would be the wrong idea, but she wasn’t telling him that.

She was finally getting her life back on track. She didn’t need any more complications to block her path, and this stranger, with his wildly handsome features and wicked grin, definitely looked like he would make one hell of a complication … one fun, hot, wild, sexy-as-hell complication.

“But didn’t you just turn the water off?”

Turning back to the stranger, she nodded. “Yeah, but I have a couple gallons of water stashed away for emergencies. I can rinse this out in the kitchen sink,” she finished, pointing quickly at her now semi-dry, soap-sticky hair.

What was it about this man that jumbled her thoughts and heated her blood?

There was no way she was going to be alone with him, ever again. He was too much … way too much.

The best thing for her to do was stay as far away from him as possible. But a part of her was curious, wanted to ask questions, learn more, anything he was willing to teach.

Curiosity killed the cat
, she reminded herself then remembered, and
satisfaction brought him back
.

Smiling, he nodded and, with a little salute, turned away and walked back toward his house.

“I’m Tess, by the way,” she called out and immediately felt the urge to slap herself silly.

Way to go, Tess! What happened to keeping your distance? You're a police officer, for the love of goodness sake. Where’s your self-control?

She couldn’t get to know him, so why did she feel as though she needed to introduce herself to him?

Turning back, he grinned. “I’m Jackson Blake. Jack, for short. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Tess.”

“I’m sure it was,” she answered wryly, and continued when he looked at her curiously. “You met more of me in ten minutes than most men ever see in a lifetime.”

She couldn’t help but laugh when he chuckled and nodded. “And it really was my pleasure.” He smiled wickedly, sending a surprisingly arousing heat through her chilled body.

“If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask,” he called to her as he crossed the street, his large, muscular form growing smaller as he put distance between them.

Watching Jack a moment longer, she turned and hurried up the lawn to her front porch. Mr. Marsten stood, waiting patiently.

“Finally met your neighbor, I see.” He smiled as she climbed the steps.

Nodding, she smiled. “Yeah, I had a little trouble with the water valve,” she said, pointing to the towel still protruding from the valve cover.

“It was awfully nice of him to help you,” he said, holding the door open and gesturing for her to lead the way. “He seems like a nice guy, might be handy to have around, maybe help you with this place a little,” he replied with a mischievous twinkle in his gray eyes.

“Maybe,” she mumbled, leading him through the entry and up the stairs.

She could think of some things Mr. Jackson Blake—Jack for short—could help her with. She just wasn’t sure Mr. Marsten needed to hear about them.

Chapter Three

“When are you coming back?”

“I’m not sure,” Tess mumbled.

“It’s been six weeks, Tess. You need to get your life back on track. Come back to work.”

“I’m not sure if I can,” Tess admitted reluctantly.

“What happened that day wasn’t your fault. Dean saved your life. He always protected you. He liked being the big, protective male, and you know that. It’s just how he was.”

“I’ll think about it,” Tess lied quietly.

“Come back, Tess. It’s just not the same around here without you.”

“I’ll think about it,” she repeated. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

Hitting the end button, Tess tossed her phone onto the sofa cushion beside her.

Leaning her head back against the thick cushions, she closed her eyes. Patrice was right. It wasn’t her fault Dean had died, but it didn’t stop her from feeling as if it were. Even Dean’s wife blamed Tess for his death. She’d blamed her at the funeral in front of their family, friends, and the entire police force. Melanie had screamed and shoved her finger into Tess’s chest, “It’s your fault he’s gone! He’d still be here if not for you. You’re just a weak little whore!” The words echoed in her head.

Tess would never forget the whispers and disparaging looks cast her way by her fellow officers, and Melanie’s friends.

Can I go back? Should I go back?

She hadn’t ever thought about how the loss of her partner, her best friend, would affect her life because he’d always been larger than life in her eyes. But now that he was gone, there was no denying he was a bigger part of her than she’d realized.

A piece of her had died that day. She suspected that feeling was because she’d been an only child, and Dean had been the only other person who understood her, protected her, and believed in her as an older brother would after her parents’ death.

Propping her feet up on the oversized leather ottoman in front of her, she sighed.

Dean was the reason she was now the proud owner of this run-down house an hour away from the chaos of the city and her job.

The life insurance Roman had told her about had been more than she’d ever imagined. Dean had left her more than enough to live on for the rest of her life. Of course, his wife had gone into a tizzy upon learning of the policy. Tess herself had been more than a little shocked by his generosity as well.

Melanie was spoiled and demanding and just a flat-out bitch. Tess had done her best to befriend Melanie when she and Dean first married, but in the end, she’d realized it was only a waste of time.

After the funeral, Tess had contemplated going back to work, but the looks from the other officers brought upon her feelings of guilt and shame.

She knew it was all in her head, but she couldn’t help but think that half of them agreed with Melanie, that Dean’s death was her fault.

Six weeks had passed, and she still didn’t know for sure if she wanted to return to work or not. Perhaps it was time for a change of career as well.

“What are you going to be, Tess, a wedding coordinator, a stockbroker? Oh, a doggy groomer?” she joked to herself, pressing the heels of her hands against her eyes.

She’d never wanted to be anything other than a cop and, eventually, a detective. Anything else would bore her to death, and she knew it. But could she ever go back? She feared she already knew that answer, but she wasn’t ready to face the fact that her life as Officer Tess McCoy was over.

Pushing these thoughts aside, Tess curled her feet beneath her on the sofa and picked up the remote. As Tess flicked on the television, her mind wandered. Over the previous weeks, the only thing she’d been able to think about was that night. The blood covering her face and hair, blood seeping into her clothing, and her best friend’s corpse being zipped into a body bag. She even thought about the funeral and wake. The horrid confrontation between herself and Melanie played over and over again in her mind, churning her stomach with every word. She still couldn’t believe she’d let herself drop to Melanie’s level and laid it all out in the open like she had. The words she’d flung in the woman’s face had just fueled everyone’s beliefs that she and Dean were so much more than friends. It shouldn’t have surprised her they’d jumped on the “believe the gossip” bandwagon, but it did.

But what really surprised her was the fact that she hadn’t had those dark memories haunt her since yesterday morning.

Instead, Jack’s eyes occupied her mind, replacing the horrors burned into her memory. The smell of his cologne filled her, heated her blood. The intensity of his gaze sparked curiosity deep within her, curiosity she couldn’t explain.

Nearly a year had passed since she’d been with a man. Maybe that was the reason she was attracted so strongly to Jack. She was definitely not in the right mind-set to start a relationship with anyone at the moment, but the mere thought of Jack threw her into a fit of arousal.

It had to be the lack of a man in her bed that drove her mind and body to remember her handsome new neighbor so clearly.

And, boy, was he handsome.

Snuggling deeper into the sofa, she couldn’t extinguish the sight of his piercing blue eyes and broad muscular chest from her mind.

His spicy scent had enveloped her the instant she’d donned his robe, and although she knew it was ridiculous, she could still smell it lingering on her skin, even now as though she’d soaked it in somehow like a sponge.

She flipped through the channels without paying any real attention to the images flashing across the screen. Her mind was set on Jack, and why exactly she couldn’t stop thinking about him, when a gentle knock at her door startled her. She turned to the door.

Tap, tap, tap.
The knocking sounded louder.

“Who the hell?”

Setting down the remote, Tess looked to the clock on the mantel over the fireplace, ten-thirty p.m.

She moved slowly toward the door. Her senses alert, a thread of worry laced through her. She hadn’t had a single visitor other than Patrice since she’d moved in.

“Who could it be at this hour?” She stopped before one of the long vertical windows that flanked the door.

Pulling back the side curtains, she peered out onto her front porch and couldn’t stop the smile tugging at her lips.

*

Jack hadn’t meant to show up on her doorstep at this late hour, but the need to see her again pulled at him. His senses begged him for one more sight, one more smell, of Tess.

Jack had been unable to do anything right since meeting Tess the day before. He couldn’t get through a single shower without thoughts of her silky hands caressing his aching shaft flitting through his mind, and it was all because her big blue eyes and soft damp skin had taken root.

Now here he stood, tapping on her door after ten o’clock on a Friday night.

He’d thought all day for an excuse. Remembering she still possessed his robe, he now had one. If she were any other woman, he would’ve just walked over and knocked on the door but Tess was different. Something about her told him she would balk at the idea of letting a strange man into her home, and he wasn’t going to risk scaring her away. He already liked her, perhaps a little too much.

Slowly, the door opened.

“Hi.”

The sight of her took his breath away.

Her hair hung in dark ringlets over her shoulders. Her eyes glittered brilliantly in the full moon’s light.

“Hi, um … I know it’s late, but I believe you still have my robe.”

Her eyes lit up ever so slightly with understanding, “You’re right, I do,” she said with a smile. “It’s upstairs. Would you like to come in?”

Mission complete.

He smiled to himself and nodded as he followed her into the house.

“Have a seat. I’ll run up and grab it for you.” Tess smiled sweetly, pointing to the sofa, before jogging up the stairs.

He couldn’t stop himself from devouring the sight of her tight ass in thin, plaid pajama pants, and the slight jiggle of her plump breasts covered by a strappy, black tank top as she jogged up the stairs and out of sight.

Taking a deep breath, he lowered himself onto the sofa.

If he didn’t get himself under control he was going to make an ass out of himself. Closing his eyes, he struggled to get himself together. He hadn’t let a woman drive him to distraction since he was a teenager, and he wasn’t about to start now.

He felt so pervy for buying a house close to a pretty woman, watching her for more than a week, and now weaseling his way into her house.
What the hell was the matter with him? Was he no better than the scumbags he was hired to spy on?
Shaking his head, he sighed. From this moment on, he would be nothing but a gentleman. His behavior was becoming atrocious, even to him.

Despite the house’s rough exterior, she’d done an amazing job on the interior. Taking in his surroundings, he smiled at the feminine décor she’d chosen.

The furniture was a soft cream color with wood and leather accents. A large, soft leather ottoman sat before the sofa. Heavy, intricately carved wooden accent tables dotted the entryway and living area.

Hardwood floors gleamed up at him from under thick, dark throw rugs. Pale beige silk curtains covered the wide windows lining the room.

Taking a closer look at the ottoman, he smiled and leaned forward. A book lay open, pages down, beside a remote control he assumed was for the television, as she had a mess of electronics crammed into her elegant, richly colored wooden entertainment center.

Looking to the stairs and not seeing Tess, he reached out and picked up the book.

Gazing at the cover, he chuckled.

A highland warrior, clutching a broadsword, adorned the cover. In one hand the warrior held his sword, while pressing a beautiful woman against his chest with the other. Her dress hung from one shoulder, baring her pale skin as she gazed up at him through lust-filled eyes.

“A romantic,” he mused aloud, before gently setting the book back in its place.

Situating himself more comfortably on the sofa, he waited patiently for Tess to return. Listening closely, he heard her muffled footsteps shuffling about in the room above him. For a moment, it sounded as though she was competing in a foot race, and he laughed.

He’d never met a woman who stirred his curiosity as thoroughly as Tess. She was beautiful and sassy, and no matter what he did, what he told himself, he couldn’t get her out of his mind. He wanted, no, needed to know more about her.

Blowing out a breath, Jack ran his fingers through his hair.

Just then, the vibration of his cell phone grabbed his attention. Pulling the phone from his pocket, he glanced at the caller ID screen. He grinned before hitting the call button.

“How’s it going?”

“It’s as hot as hell down here, bro.”

The sound of his partner, Robbie’s, voice echoed over the line.

Robbie Martin was your typical bachelor, taking a different woman as often as possible and finding the most dangerous stunts to pull for an adrenaline rush. That was why he fit the part of private detective so well. Young and wild, he could keep his job separate from his private life, which was something Jack had been finding harder and harder to do in recent months.

“You’re in Mexico; what’d you think the weather was going to be like?”

“Not this damn hot,” Robbie answered. “If I’d remembered how hot it was down here, I would’ve put this assignment off on someone else. But hey, the senoritas are smokin’,” he finished with a laugh. “So, how’s the vacation going since we talked last? Find any hot tail?”

Closing his eyes, Jack pinched the bridge of his nose. He hadn’t used the term “hot tail” since being a teenager.

“It’s complicated.”

Jack longed to return to work. At least there, he’d be able to think straight, as opposed to not knowing whether he was coming or going, as had been the case since coming face-to-face with Tess.

“What’s that supposed to mean? Either you got some lovin’ or not.”

Deciding it would be a waste of time to try and explain what he felt toward a complete stranger to Robbie, he pushed the subject aside. His situation sounded crazy even to him. He could only imagine what it would sound like to anyone else.

“Never mind. How’s the case going?”

Jack envied Robbie’s being able to work, but not the assignment he was on. Jack never did like spying on someone’s spouse, especially when the one who hired you was head over heels in love with the one they recruited you to watch. But a P.I. had to do what a P.I. had to do.

“Not great,” Robbie began. “This guy’s slick. I’ve followed him to three different hotels to get some good shots of him.”

“He’s that busy, huh?”

“I’ve been watching him for three days, and he’s picked up three different women. You do the math.”

“His wife’s going to be devastated.”

“I know,” Robbie agreed solemnly. Just because Robbie wasn’t the marrying type didn’t mean he wasn’t loyal. He would make a good husband someday … after he stopped referring to women as “hot tail”.

“Be careful down there.”

“I will. I’ll talk to you in a couple of days,” Robbie said. “Take it easy.”

“Talk to you later.”

Closing his cell phone, Jack frowned. He was a thirty-three-year-old man. He had a great job, equally great friends, and a nice new house. But he still felt like something was missing.

Scrubbing a hand over his face, he couldn’t help but wonder if maybe this restlessness was because, deep inside, he was ready to settle down.

That would certainly explain the odd feelings he’d been experiencing toward Tess. Maybe his instinct, or better yet, fate, was trying to tell him something.

* * * *

Jogging to the bathroom, Tess checked her appearance in the mirror. Grabbing a brush, she quickly set her hair to rights before snatching the robe off the back of the bathroom door.

A million questions ran through her mind; number one being:
Why am I running around like a horny teenager?
And number two,
Why would Jack wait until so late to come for his robe?

After thinking a moment longer, she gave up, checked herself one final time in the mirror, and headed back downstairs.