Unforeseen Danger (8 page)

“Jake needs a little time.
 
His father was like that, when he felt threatened, he would just shut down.
 
But I will say this, I believe the love you and Jake share is stronger than the problems you have.
 
You’ve made it through a lot already – the two of you came from different worlds.
 
Your marriage called for a lot of adjustments on both sides.”
 
She winked at Nikki.
 
“Plus, you’ve had to deal with two interfering mothers-in-law.”

“Where
is
my mother, Catherine?
 
Why isn’t she here?”

Catherine smiled again.
 
“You’re not cutting me any slack with these questions, are you?
 
I’m not really comfortable discussing this, either, but I know Sara loves you in her own way.
 
She’s a complex woman, very involved in her career, and I know you’ve often felt eclipsed by that.
 
There’s been some…difficulty between the two of you since you married Jake.
 
She was dead-set against it, and the two of you didn’t speak for nearly a year, but I believe there has been some progress made as of late.”

“Why was she against it?
 
For the same reason you were?”

Catherine frowned.
 
“Not exactly.
 
Sara felt you should marry someone of your own social status.
 
Your mother is a wealthy woman, Nikki.
 
She expected you to marry a senator or a lawyer, not a man who owns a construction company.
 
Sara is very ambitious and couldn’t understand why you weren’t more like her.
 
I think she was afraid you were ruining your life.”

Nikki sat back, absorbing this new information.

“You and Jake are a lot alike – headstrong, impulsive.
 
I think we were both afraid you were rushing into something you couldn’t handle.
 
Sara tried to force you into leaving Jake by cutting off your inheritance.
 
I must say, even I was impressed when you stood up to her.
 
You told her the money didn’t matter to you.
 
You gave up a lot of material things, just to be with Jake.”

Catherine stood and busied herself by straightening the things on Nikki’s nightstand.
 
“There I go again.
 
I’m afraid I’ve said too much.
 
I really shouldn’t discuss your relationship with your mother.”

“No.
 
I’m just glad someone’s telling me something.”
 
Nikki pushed herself up in the bed by her elbows and smiled.
 
“So, now maybe you can tell me why Elaine hates me?”

Catherine’s blue gaze snapped back to her.
 
“Elaine?
 
What did she say to you?”

“She called me a manipulative bitch and thinks I’m faking this to hold onto Jake.”

Catherine sighed.
 
“That girl is so full of anger.
 
Anyone who knows you should be able to see you aren’t acting.
 
I think Elaine has always been jealous of you.
 
There was a boy that you dated before Jake – I cannot think of his name – but she accused you of stealing him from her.
 
Then, of course, there’s Jake.
 
I think at one time Elaine was a little in love with him, but he treated her like a sister, even before Zeke and I married.
 
You knew how she felt and there was a lot of bad blood between you.
 
Another trait you and Jake share—
”
 
Catherine
cast a sideways glance at Nikki.
 
“—is jealousy.
 
Each of you is extremely possessive of the other.
 
You would forbid him to see her, she would retaliate by making sure she ran into him and then the battle would be on.”

“She told me not to bother trying to keep him from her.”

“Yes, I bet she did.
 
But please, don’t let her get to you.
 
Jake cares for Elaine.
 
He has been friends with her and Eliot since they were children, but it is you that he loves.”

Nikki frowned as she tried to remember her conversation with Elaine.
 
“Was the boyfriend we shared named Derek?
 
She told me she wasn’t going to let me destroy Jake like I did Derek.”

Catherine frowned.
 
“Yes, that was his name, but you are not responsible for what happened to that boy.
 
Elaine had no right to say that.”
 
She plucked at a piece of lint on the white blanket and gave Nikki a crooked smile.
 
“If it’s any consolation, Elaine hates me, too.
 
She blames me for her mother and father not being together, even though they were divorced for nearly a year before Zeke and I started dating.
 
Elaine is a lonely, bitter young woman.
 
I’ve tried to reach out to her, but she wants no part of it.
 
Eliot and I have a warm relationship and I always hoped Elaine would come around.
 
I don’t think it will happen, though.”

A soft knock on the door announced dinnertime and Nikki let the questions drop as Catherine arranged her tray.
 

“Nikki, I’m getting a little hungry myself.
 
Do you think you’ll be okay if I run to the cafeteria?
 
I’ll get a sandwich and bring it back with me.”

“Take your time.”
 
Nikki poked at a square of bright, orange
gelatin
.
 
“I’m fine.”

Nikki forced herself to eat, though she had no appetite.
 
When the telephone rang, she shoved the tray aside and leaned over the rail to grab it.

“Hello?”

“Nikki?” a man’s voice asked.
 
“Is that you?”

“Yes, may—”

“Oh, good!” he said breathlessly.
 
“I was hoping you’d be the one to answer the phone.
 
Are you okay?”

“I – who is
this
?”
 
Something about this conversation was setting off alarm bells in her head.

“Oh, I get it.
 
You can’t talk right now.
 
I understand.
 
What were you doing in his truck?
 
Never mind.
 
We’ll straighten everything out later.
 
Don’t worry about Jake.
 
I’ll take care of things, just like I promised.”

Before Nikki could say anything, the line went dead in her hand.
 

November 4

The morning sun burned across Jake’s face.
 
He rubbed his eyes, rolled over on his stomach and pulled the pillow over his head.

Her pillow.

He caught the faint, floral scent of Nikki’s shampoo in the crisp white pillowcase.
 
It was the first time he’d slept in this bed in days, but somehow he needed to be close to her.

Jake glanced at his watch and groaned.
 
He needed to get moving.
 
Reluctantly, he swung his feet over the edge of the bed and headed down the hall to the bathroom.
 
It wasn’t until he swung open the door that he remembered the mess he hadn’t cleaned up last night.

The sound he’d mistaken for an intruder was a vase of flowers Nikki had sitting in the bathroom window.
 
The wind from the open window had sent them crashing to the floor.
 
Jake cleaned up the glass and the water, remembered to pick up the torn gown, then stumbled to the shower.

The cool water did little to wake him up, but he was feeling better a half a pot of coffee later – at least until Evan Stephens called.

At the sound of the man’s voice, Jake gripped the phone a little tighter.
 
His dislike for his wealthiest client was so intense he had to struggle to keep it hidden.

“Jake, Evan Stephens here.
 
How’s the wife?”

“She’s doing better.”
 

“The papers say Nikki has amnesia—”

Jake hated to hear the jerk say her name.
 
He damn sure didn’t have any business asking about her.
 
“What can I do for you, Mr. Stephens?” he interrupted.
 
“Hank said the project’s coming along on schedule.”

“Yes, but I have a modification I’d like to speak to you about.”

Jake winced as he listened to Stephens.
 
They were already pushing their luck with the weather.
 
If they got off track now, they might not beat the first snow.

“Let me look over the plans, see if it’s possible, and Hank or I will get back to you,” Jake said when the man was finished.

“Great.
 
And tell Nikki I hope she recovers soon.”

Jake hung up without replying and called Hank.
 
The other man’s voice was instantly wary.

“Jake, you okay?
 
Something else happen?”

“What – oh, no.
 
It’s about Stephens.”
 

When Jake told him what Stephens wanted, Hank let loose with a string of
colorful
obscenities.

“Yeah, I know.
 
I can’t stand him either, but he’s the man with the cash right now.
 
We’ll have to figure out something.”
 
Jake rolled his head around, making his neck pop.

“I can’t believe that guy.
 
He showed up at the site yesterday with a girl that couldn’t have been much older than my Gracie.
 
He was all over the poor thing.
 
I wanted to put my fist through his face and send her home to her mama.”

“I know Hank, but we’ve already signed the contracts.
 
Can’t back out now.”

Jake told Hank that he’d talk to Stephens, try to work out a compromise and they hung up.
 
Evan Stephens was a pervert.
 
When they had first signed the contract, Stephens invited Nikki and him to dinner at his house
.
 
It had taken all Jake’s restraint to keep from breaking the guy’s neck for the way
he ogled Nikki, but Nikki sensed his anger and stilled him with a hand on his thigh.
 
He could read the look in her eyes.

Don’t blow this, Jake.

He didn’t give a damn about the money, but he knew status was important to Nikki.
 
This job could mean big opportunities for his company.
 
Stephens had a lot of influential friends.
 
Still, he nearly lost it again when Stephens draped his arm around Nikki’s shoulders as they went to have a drink on the patio.
 
Sensing his anger and moving quickly, Nikki said, “Please excuse us, Mr. and Mrs. Stephens.
 
I need to go to the ladies’ room.
 
Follow me, Jake, so I don’t get lost in this amazing house.”

She got directions and jerked him down the hall before he had a chance to protest.
 
She shoved him into the bathroom and shut the door behind them, then wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Please, baby, don’t let your temper ruin this for you,” Nikki begged as she pressed against him.
 
“All he can do is look.
 
Who cares?
 
I belong to you.
 
Evan Stephens can never have me.”
 

She took one of Jake’s hands and placed it on her breast.
 
Instantly, a wave of desire washed away Jake’s anger.
 
Sometimes he wondered if he’d ever felt anything, either, before she came into his life, because everything else paled against the intensity he felt at her touch.

He raked his thumb over her nipple and watched it grow taut under the thin fabric.
 
Nikki sighed as Jake slipped his fingers inside the neckline of her red dress and tugged it down to expose her breast.
 
Her sigh became a moan when he placed his mouth over the pink tip and teased it with his tongue.
 
Nikki whimpered and Jake reached behind her to unzip her dress.
 
She shrugged her arms out of the straps and let it fall to the floor.
 

Suddenly, her hands were everywhere, fumbling at his trousers, caressing him, tearing at his shirt.
 
Jake stumbled to the edge of the big marble tub and pulled Nikki onto his lap.
 
He cupped her hips in his hands, lifting her up and down, faster and faster until they shared a shattering climax.
 
It was several minutes before they rejoined the Stephens’, and Jake supposed he had an idiotic grin on his face, but he didn’t care.
 
He slapped Nikki on the rear before they opened the patio doors and whispered, “I’ll keep my mouth shut, but if he touches you again, I’m
gonna
tear his arm off and beat him to death with it.”