The Stranger Next Door (4 page)

Jack’s deep voice rumbled.

Suppressing a shiver, Tess took a deep breath and slowly continued downstairs, stepping off the last stair in time to see him sliding his cell phone back into his pocket.

Moving deeper into the room, she couldn’t conceal her smile as he looked up and met her eyes.

A smile lit his blue eyes, the corners of his full, masculine mouth tilted roguishly, and for a moment, he reminded her of a wolf stalking its prey.

She shouldn’t have invited him in.
She sensed an air about him that screamed danger.

Not danger in the I’m-going-to-kill-you sense, but danger in the, I’ll-break-your-heart-after-a-wild-ride sense.

She needed to be cautious, to keep a tight reign on herself when facing Jackson Blake. She didn’t think for a minute he would try to harm her, but she’d met men like him before. And, even though their looks and charm were nowhere near the level of Jack’s, they always left a weeping woman in their wake, intentionally or not.

But there was no fighting the hypnotic hold he held over her. Something about him made her feel as if she needed him near, which was completely absurd. She’d only met the man once and knew nothing more about him than his name and address.

Get over it!
She screamed at herself mentally.
He would cause her nothing but trouble.

But trouble can be so much fun
.

Smiling, she walked around the sofa.

“Here it is,” she said, hoping the anxiety coursing through her veins wasn’t evident in her voice.

He looked so tasty in his tight t-shirt and faded old jeans. She could imagine him pacing toward her in nothing but those tight, low-slung jeans, his sparkling indigo eyes gleaming in the night, a wicked smile curving his full lips.

She didn’t want anything to do with a man until her life was back on track, but she feared it was too late… She had it bad for the stranger next door.

“Are you all right?”

Blinking, Tess cleared her throat and knew by the mischievous twinkle in his eyes she’d just been caught ogling the goods.

Struggling desperately to calm the blush burning her cheeks, she nodded.

“Yeah, I’m fine, just a little tired,” she lied. Now that he was here, sitting on her sofa looking more delectable than any man she’d ever laid eyes on, she was anything but tired.

Get it together
, she chided herself.
You’ve faced murderers and thieves and yet you can’t keep it together in front of this man? What’s the matter with you? He’s only a man.

“Thanks,” he said lightly, taking the robe from her hands. “It’s getting late. I don’t want to keep you.” He stood then moved toward the door.

Something inside her snapped, took over her mind, and led her to do something she knew she shouldn’t but couldn’t resist doing.

“Would you like to stay for awhile? I just made a pot of tea, and it really isn’t all that late.”

Smiling, Jack turned to face her and nodded. “I’d love to,” he answered. “If you’re sure it isn’t a bother.”

Oh, it was a bother all right. She hadn’t been this bothered in a very long time, if ever, but there was nothing she could do about it. It was as though everything above her waist was on hiatus and everything below was fired up and ready to go.

Leading him into the kitchen, she sighed silently and tried to come up with an excuse for her actions.

When one didn’t immediately surface, she shrugged. Perhaps getting to know Mr. Sexy wouldn’t be so bad. Everyone needs a little human interaction now and again, right?

What would a little late night visit from the scrumptious neighbor hurt? It wasn’t like she was going to marry the guy or anything.

Chapter Four

Hours had passed since she and Jack had taken up residence at her kitchen. In that time, he’d learned very little about her personal life but plenty about her new house and several of her likes and dislikes. Many of which matched his own.

It’d shocked Jack when Tess invited him to stay for tea, but now that they were sharing laughs over a pot of tea, he was glad she had.

“What do you do for a living?” he asked as he allowed himself to relax against the back of the chair.

A small smile tilted the corners of her mouth. “I’m a cop, or at least I think I am.”

Now that he watched closely, he could see some of her behaviors would have given that fact away. If only he’d looked for them, instead of looking at her pert ass or plump, tempting lips.

“What do you mean you think you're a cop?”

“It’s a long story,” she muttered as she stood and moved back to the counter and the pot of tea.

“I have time.” He smiled easily. He didn’t mean to pry, but his curiosity stoked him to keep asking questions.

Jack watched the conflict play out in her expression. There was something bothering her, hurting her, and he needed to know what. The thought of Tess hurting in any way sent a bolt of anger streaking through him. Which was asinine. She was a stranger, albeit a sexy, mysterious stranger, but she was still a stranger.

“Six weeks ago, my partner and I were patrolling the south side when we received a call of a disturbance at a convenience store.”

Setting his cup down, Jake leaned forward, resting his forearms on the thick wooden table.

Tess retook her seat at the table across from him. “We’d been to this particular store many times in the past. The owner considered everything a disturbance.” She chuckled sadly. “When we arrived, we found a terrified clerk and a dead body.” She took a deep breath. “I went to check the body, and my partner, Dean, searched the rest of the store. When he came back to help me with the body…”

He heard the tremor in her voice, and a pang of pain and sadness filled him. Reaching across the table, he covered her hand with his. For a moment he feared she would pull her hand away. But she didn’t. “Go on,” he urged her.

“Dean knelt down beside me to take a look at the body. The next minute he was screaming for me to get down. He must have missed someone when he searched the store, or they came back in through the back door. They fired and… He was shot in the head.”

It was no wonder she was so guarded. She’d lost her best friend.

“I don’t know what I’d do if I ever lost my partner,” he said honestly.

A curious expression lit her features. “You’re a cop?”

Jack shook his head. “Not really, it’s kind of complicated.”

“Try me.”

Sighing in defeat, he answered, “I’m a private investigator.”

Smiling, some of the sadness leaving her expression, she nodded. “And you have a partner?”

“Yes.”

“What’s so complicated about that?” she asked with a laugh, the sound coating him like a warm blanket.

“Nothing, I suppose. It’s just that, usually, when I tell people what I do for a living, they get all edgy, like I’m watching them or something.”

“I know the feeling.” She laughed.

“When are you going back to work?”

Tess stood up and walked to the sink, rinsed her cup, and set it in the dishwasher. Following her lead, he did the same.

“I’m not sure if I’m going back or not.”

“Time heals all wounds.”

“That’s what they say,” Tess agreed.

Jack didn’t like the idea of Tess going back to work. He had no doubt she could take care of herself, but it didn’t stop him from worrying she might be the victim to a criminal’s bullet, just like her partner. Accidents like that happened, but the thought of it happening to Tess burned like acid.

Over the last three hours he’d spent getting to know her, he found himself drawn to her more than ever.

“A lot of people from the precinct called, asking when I’ll be back, but the truth is I don’t know if I want to go back or not. I’m just not sure that’s what I want to do anymore. What do you think?”

Blinking with surprise, Jack raised his brow. He hadn’t expected her to ask his opinion, but boy, was he happy she did.

“Well, if you’re not ready to go back then don’t. If I’ve learned anything in my life, it’s that you have to do what makes you happy. You can please some of the people some of the time, but never all of them all of the time. There’s no sense trying. You should take as much time as you need, and if you decide you don’t want to be a cop anymore then quit, but don’t do it for anyone but yourself. Do what makes you happy.”

Tapping her chin, she looked up at him then around the room.

“I guess I could take some time and get the outside of this house together. I’ve been working on the interior but the exterior really needs help,” she said thoughtfully. “It’ll take a while because there's so much to do, but I always seem to think more clearly when I'm working on the house.”

An idea formed in Jack’s mind.

Helping Tess renovate her house would not only give him something to do during his vacation, it would help him get closer to her, which he was determined to do now that he’d gotten to know her a little better. She was a beautiful woman, one he was surprised to find he wouldn’t mind having a relationship with. That was saying a lot since his longest relationship had lasted all of two months.

“I’m on vacation at the moment, and I’ve been looking for something to do. Sitting at the house twiddling my thumbs is getting mighty boring. Could you use some help?”

“That’s a great idea.” Tess beamed up at him. “I could get this house into shape and decide what I’m going to do at the same time. Are you sure you're up to it? Like I said, there's a lot to do.”

When he nodded, she grinned. “How’d you feel about starting in the morning? I was going to start stripping and painting the front porch and maybe the trim if there’s enough daylight left when the porch is finished.”

“Sounds good to me.” He smiled. “I should probably hit the road.”

“Yes, we’ve got a lot of work ahead of us,” she agreed cheerily.

Jack couldn’t help but grin as she walked him to the door. He didn’t know what it was about Tess that drew him to her so completely, nor did he care. He only knew he wanted to be as close to her as possible, and if a little manual labor was what got him there, he’d do it happily.

Stopping at the door, Tess smiled up at him brilliantly and placed a hand on his arm.

“Thank you for your help. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

“You're welcome and thank you for letting me lend a hand. I've been going crazy without something to do these last couple of weeks.”

Opening the door, his arm tingling with heat from her innocent touch, he stepped out into the darkness of night. The cool air swirled around him as he walked down the steps. The truth was she didn’t know how much this meant to him. Yes, he’d been suffering some severe boredom since settling in, but more than that, he now had the chance to figure out what this intense attraction to her meant and what to do about it.

But somewhere deep, deep within, he suspected she was meant to be something more to him than just a friend. What exactly, he wasn’t sure, but there was definitely something between them. If only he knew what to do about it. He was as inexperienced with relationships as a teenager, thanks to his dedication to his job. He’d known women but never for more than a very short period of time. His job was so hectic and demanding he didn’t have time for more than a quick night or two with a woman. But now, things were different. He had time to concentrate on this connection between them, and he was going to examine every damn aspect of it.

Turning back, he smiled at the sight of her leaning against the doorframe, watching him intently with a small, teasing smile.

“Sleep well, Tess.”

* * * *

Standing before the bathroom sink, Tess smiled.

She and Jack had talked for more than three hours, and never once had she sensed a lull in the conversation. Now, well after three o’clock in the morning, she was bushed.

She hadn’t realized how lonely she’d let herself become since leaving the city.

She’d never really had many friends, and when she’d moved, she let herself lose touch with the ones she did have, with the exception of Patrice.

It should’ve been uncomfortable speaking so intimately with a stranger, but much to her surprise, it hadn’t been. Part of it stemmed from the fact that Jack didn’t feel like a stranger. She felt as if she’d known him a very long time, rather than mere hours.

They’d talked about everything, from their reasons for choosing this neighborhood to their job occupations and what foods they liked. She’d even told him about Dean’s death.

She’d done everything in her power not to talk to anyone about that night. The memory was still too fresh, too painful to recite, but when Jack asked, it was as if she couldn’t resist telling him.

There was something about him that made her feel as though she could trust him, which brought even more questions concerning Jack to the fore. Being suspicious by nature, trust wasn’t something that came easily for Tess.

“What’s the matter with you?” she asked herself. “A handsome man asks you a question and you spill your guts? Pathetic.”

But that wasn’t the only thing that irritated her. She feared she wouldn’t be able to deny Jack anything he asked from her.
Anything.

Running the brush through her hair one last time, she set it down on the counter and flicked off the bathroom light.

Sitting down on the side of her bed, she removed her socks and slid beneath the inviting sheets, then snuggled into the fluffy bedding.

Closing her eyes, she sighed.

As much as she wanted to be upset with herself for letting Jack in, she couldn’t. The memory of Jack’s dazzling blue eyes tingled at the fore of her mind. He had to be the handsomest man she’d ever seen. His thick, rich auburn hair begged for her touch. Everything about him beckoned her like a fly to honey. The more time she spent with Jack, the more she found herself not only wanting to know more about him, but wanting him.

What little about himself he’d shared with her tonight was only a taste. She wanted more.

With only his commanding presence and clear blue eyes, he tempted her. She couldn’t help but wonder how she’d keep her composure around him. After all, they’d be together most of the coming days while working on her house.

What was I thinking?

Pounding the pillow, Tess groaned.

She couldn’t let herself get too involved with Jack. She had more on her plate to deal with. Adding a man wasn’t something she was ready, or willing, to do, no matter how incredibly handsome he was.

But how could she resist when he gazed at her with those radiant eyes or graced her with his wide, alluring smile? Just the thought of his mesmerizing smile and his seductive scent—that arousing, spicy scent—sent heat racing straight to her core.

Opening her eyes, Tess stared up at the ceiling.

“What have I gotten myself into?”

* * * *

Blood, hot and sticky, slithered down the side of her face, twisting her already churning stomach to the point of retching. Closing her eyes, Melanie Camillo swallowed against the thick lump of fear residing in her throat.

“I already told you. That’s all I have unless you want to take a trip to the bank.”

She knew being a smartass wasn’t going to help her, but at this point, she was certain she wouldn’t be getting out of this situation alive, so what would a few snide comments hurt? The men before her had already beaten her viciously. What else could they possibly do to her?

“Now’s not the time to run that pretty mouth of yours.”

Peering up into a pair of deep-green eyes, she had the overwhelming urge to scratch them out; the only thing stopping her was the duct tape securing her hands behind her back and to the chair.

“And what a pretty mouth it is,” the leader of her captors said mockingly. “So very useful, too. Remember how you used to wrap those plump lips around my cock? You would moan and shiver as I pumped in and out. I think you loved that every bit as much as I did.”

“Fuck you,” she grated through clenched teeth.

“Been there, done that, remember?” he replied as he stepped forward and ran the tip of his finger over the swollen and bloody flesh of her bottom lip. “But you always did like to play the part of the whore, didn’t you? Your poor husband acted as though he didn’t know about your transgressions, but he knew. We all knew, didn’t we? After all, we were the ones you were busy fucking night after night like a bitch in heat.”

Melanie shook her head. Nothing he said caused her an ounce of pain. Her affairs were her business. She didn’t regret any of them. She’d married for money, and only money. There was nothing stopping her from having a little fun while she was young and attractive.

“You checked the safe. Now take what you’ve found and get the hell out,” she growled.

“Oh now, Mel, don’t be like that. You know what I want and where I can get it. Now, you scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours.”

Watching as the fair-haired man dressed in an immaculate black suit walked behind her, she couldn’t contain the shiver of fear that snaked through her. She’d once thought him the sexiest of her many lovers. Now she only wished him dead and gone.

“I know Dean had more cash here somewhere. You tell me where it is, I’ll untie you, and we can put this whole ugly ordeal behind us and pick up where we left off.”

“I already told you. What you found in the safe is it, other than the funds being held in the bank. Dean didn’t like to keep a lot of hard cash in the house, and neither do I. It tends to draw trash like you to my door.”

Suddenly, her head was yanked back over the back of the chair. Her eyes stared wide at the ceiling above her as the man held her hair tight in his fist and stepped closer to her, blocking her vision of the ceiling.

“I don’t play games, and this one is getting tiring. I need that money, and I need it now. You better tell me where it is, or I’ll slit your throat.”