Waiting for You (10 page)

Another photo was of the lake at dusk, the setting sun casting different hues on the still surface. She managed to capture the bright flowers on the trees arching over as a swan played in the cool waters.

More shots included the neighbor’s children playing in the yard, a couple staring lovingly into each other’s eyes before a kiss, and Adam. Many, many photos of Adam. She hadn’t realized it at the time but the day he had taken her out to the waterfall, she had snapped him in many photos, some where he’s in the background, and others where he is the focus. She perused the shot of him on the beach, hurtling toward the goon as they both leapt off the pier. She had zoomed in and the image was stunning. The strength and determination on his face was evident, as was the sheer calm. Another picture showed him holding the guy down, his drenched clothing contouring his hard body, water dripping down his forehead making him resemble an erotic Norse God.

She sighed as she fingered the prints. Her body should not be reacting this way to him. It should still be angry and closed off. Men were bad. Bad, bad, bad. So, why did she find herself craving to touch the ridges of his stomach? She closed her eyes, remembering what his dark hair felt like beneath her fingers and her skin tingled in anticipation of touching it again.

She needed to get a grip. And quick. This was Adam Parker. He who had taken her virginity one night and had been locked in another woman’s embrace the next. She was interchangeable to him and the quicker she got that clue, the better!

Chapter 10

T
he Annual CVPD Barbeque rounded off the week before Audrey even knew it. She’d nearly forgotten about the age old tradition and had intended to spend her Friday night camped out on her Grandpa’s couch watching Ray Donovan. He was delicious, dangerous and something about him reminded her of Adam. Instead of her tub of extra buttery popcorn and her bunny slippers, she was decked out in shorts and a tank top, taking in the scenery at the town gathering. Oliver had cornered her the day before and pleaded for her to take some pictures of the event although how anyone knew about her hobby was beyond her. Maybe Adam had told him? Doubtful. What reason did he have to talk about her? Was she making herself more important to him than she really was?

So, there she stood with her camera at her side like a crutch. Audrey hadn’t thought out the part of her arriving alone and emphasizing how socially awkward she was being back in Crystal Valley. She could do this. If stress burnt calories, she would be a super model.

Someone was rapidly waving at her, pulling her attention away. Thank God, Emma. She walked over to her friend who gave her a quick, genuine hug in greeting.

“You’re here early,” Audrey observed.

“I want to be first in line to get the burgers.”

Audrey was bemused. “Or is it so you can get in more eye candy time with Chief Hot Buns over there?”

“Audrey Kelly!”

“What?” she laughed at the mock indignation lining the pretty blonde’s face. “Don’t act like it’s not true.”

“Well, it’s not.” Instead of arguing further she opted to make a swift change in conversation.

“So, your cupcake pictures are ready.”

Her expressive blue eyes widened in excitement. “And?”

“And they make me crave a dollop of sugary goodness every time I glance at them.”

“Awesome, that’s the idea.” She beamed, obviously pleased with both herself and Audrey.

They linked arms and walked through the promenade, stopping at a few food stalls to fill their faces with things that they would regret tomorrow but thoroughly enjoy today.

“Someday I want to be hot, skinny and provocative,” Audrey began. “But not today. Cause right now I want everything fried, dipped in chocolate and dusted with sugar.”

They joined the line for their grilled burgers as Emma prattled on about her vision for Sweet Temptations’ Facebook page. Audrey took the moment to soak in the scenery at the festival. Bunting was strung along from pole to pole and vibe-y music played in the background, mingling with shrieks of laughter from playing children. The air was warm from the open fires as much as from the summer heat and the scent of salt in the breeze was heady. Bon fires were burning on the beach in what Audrey could see were specially crafted fire pits. After all, open fires on the beach were illegal. If ever there was a day to throw caution to the wind and break the rules, it was at the PD’s BBQ.

They reached the front of the line, grabbed some paper plates and held them out like Oliver Twist waiting for a hand out. Audrey glanced up and met Adam’s gaze. He resembled dark and dangerous in his black T-shirt and beige cargo shorts, flipping burgers at the grill but beholding her with something primal in his eye.

“Hey, there’s Adam,” Emma stage whispered. “Why don’t you go tell him how hot he looks in those shorts?”

“No way!”

“Why? What’s the worst that could happen?”

“He could hear me!”

Emma giggled.

“Well, hello you lovely ladies,” Oliver drawled, hitting Emma with a suggestive grin. “What can I get you tonight?” the question was loaded and Audrey heard Emma go off on a rant at the smug law enforcer.

Audrey instead made her way around the grill to pick out a piece of prime meat for herself – if ever there was such an appropriate innuendo.

Adam continued to stare at her, a familiar hunger in his eyes.

“So,” she tried to break the trance, “that was some acrobatics you pulled the other day.”

His brow furrowed in confusion.

“At the beach. When you dove in for the bad guy.”

Audrey could be mistaken but his gaze reflected concern. “You were at the beach that day?”

“Yeah, Emma and I were catching some rays.”

“That was dangerous Audrey. You could have gotten hurt.”

“Unlikely, we used lots of sun screen,” she joked impishly. She slathered mayo and ketchup on her burger in an attempt to avoid his serious gaze. “We were far away, didn’t miss the action, though. Is that what you did with the Navy?”

He took a few moments but eventually the look of concern faded as he talked about his prior career. “That’s like petting a dog compared to what I did in the Navy.”

Instead of deterring her, that just made Audrey tingle all over. Dammit.

*****

Adam still could not figure Audrey out. Right now, she was perfectly friendly, making small talk. Joe had mentioned that she had left for New York for a day and he wondered what she was doing there. Had she gone back to her old home? Seen her husband? What difference did it make to him anyways? It pissed him off.

He was further surprised when she mentioned his antics on the pier. For him it was just another day’s work and yet she spoke of it with enthusiasm and respect? Like she was genuinely interested. Nah he must be imagining it. And it bothered him as much that she had been there and could have been hurt. It was absurd.

He and Oliver manned the grill for another hour before the next team took over and they were free to enjoy their own meals. Grabbing a beer out of the cooler they headed to one of the open bonfires. The breeze was chilling a little and the warm flame made for a toasty glow.

Around them sat a group of other guys from the station, some he knew well and others not as much.

“Hey, Adam,” Kevin James, a rookie on the force called out. “A bunch of us are going paddle boarding tomorrow, you guys want in?”

“Sounds good,” Adam scarfed down his food and washed it down with his beer.

“Finished already?” Oliver asked.

Adam grinned devilishly, “That’s what she said.”

“Ha ha, you got jokes funny man. I ain’t quick on the draw, if you know what I mean.” Oliver grinned languidly, the gait of a man confident in his own skin and prowess apparently.

Adam snorted. “You’re so fabulous you fart glitter.”

Oliver laughed good-naturedly.

They all exchanged more banter as Adam stretched out his legs on the cool sand. The waves crashed on the shore and the sound was soothing to his soul. He decided to take advantage of that and got up to walk along the water’s edge.

He wasn’t there two minutes before Mindy Carlson joined him, trying to Velcro her large breasts to his arms.

“Mindy,” he greeted casually, not wanting to be outright rude.

“Hi Adam,” she breathed, batting her fake lashes at him. “What are you doing all the way out here? You fancy some company?”

He was thankfully saved from an awkward rejection when some of her friends called out to her. For a moment she appeared conflicted before saying, “You stay here, ok? I’ll be right back.”

She retracted her claws from his arm and the minute her back was turned, he made his way down the beach, an extra speed to his step. The further in the darkness he could get the better for his self-preservation.

****

Audrey watched as Mindy Carlson had her hooks into Adam at the water’s edge. She couldn’t figure why it bothered her so much that those big, fake tits grazed his arm. She watched as he leaned down to talk to her, probably sharing sweet nothings. Well, Adam Parker could bone anyone he well pleased. It certainly wasn’t going to be her.

Her phone buzzed in her back pocket then and she reached to retrieve it.

Mom.

Great, just what she needed to spoil her good mood. She pressed ignore but it rang again. Trepidation started to set in. Nobody would be so adamant to call if everything was ok. She glanced up and noticed that Adam was gone. Probably hand in hand with Mindy Big boobs. Her mood was souring anyways; why not deal with her mother to add icing to the cake.

She left her Nikon with Emma and took a walk along the shore to take the call, hoping the crashing waves would soothe her.

“Hi, Mom,” she answered hesitantly.

“Oh hello dear,” Mrs. Kelly greeted brightly. Certainly nothing wrong on her end.

“How are you dear? And how’s Michael?” Right, her mother was definitely souring the night. It was time to speak up and finally come out with it. Of course, Lara Kelly bulldozed right on without waiting for an answer. She prattled on for a few more minutes about this project or that, boasting about the significance of work they were doing in Africa. Audrey just stood silently in the dark, the noises of the festival so far behind her that all she could do to block out her mother was focus on the waves. The tips of her ears prickled as she felt someone watching her. “And so,” her mother said, voice rising in pitch, pulling Audrey out of her ocean trance. “Your father and I are going to adopt a little Malawian boy. He’s just two years old and the most adorable creature you have ever seen.”

What the hell? They were pulling an Angelina Jolie? Or was that Madonna?

They had ignored her for most of her life, how were they going to play parents to another child? This wasn’t right and it wasn’t fair on that little child who would grow up lonely and jaded because of her parents. She had to put a stop to this. “Mom—”

She was further cut off, “Got to go darling. Chat soon.” Without waiting for a response, the call was cut and Audrey stared at the phone in her hands like it was a snake. She tucked it back into her pocket, resisting the urge to throw it into the inky waters. She stared into the vast darkness of the ocean. Her mother was nuts. That’s all there was to it. It was the only rational explanation. Adopt a child? In their late fifties! Madness. Utter lunacy.

Audrey was lost in her thoughts when she sensed someone behind her. The hairs at the back of her neck stood on end and panic started to engulf her. Stay calm, stay calm, she chided herself. She could feel the intruder’s presence as they got closer to her. Element of surprise. The thought whizzed by so quickly, it barely registered.

A hand touched her shoulder and on instinct she shoved her elbow into her assailant hard.
Your elbow is a strong natural weapon
. The attacker bent over to hold his chest. She kicked her foot back to connect with the side of his knee and she thought he had fallen but he came up to touch her again and she used her weight to grab his arm over her shoulder and flip him on his back, then lodged her knee to crush his wind pipe.

Never again. I will never again let a man hurt me.

****

Adam was stunned. This couldn’t be happening. One minute he was enjoying his dark solitude and the next he had heard the heavy silence on Audrey’s end of the phone conversation. No doubt another fun chat with her mother. He had approached her, not thinking he would startle her but the ambush he received knocked him on his ass-literally.

His chest hurt and his knee throbbed as her weight sat on him but the thing that shocked him to the core was the emotion in her eyes. She looked terrified. Beyond scared. How she even managed to subdue him so quickly was a mystery but he’d only ever seen true terror like that in the eyes of hardened soldiers who had woken up from their own haunted nightmares.

“Aud,” he managed. “It’s me, Adam.”

The recognition crept slowly back into her dark eyes and she attempted to erase the terror from her reflection. She couldn’t undo what Adam had already seen.

She scrambled off him. “Oh my God, I’m so sorry.” She touched his arm and despite the pain rocking parts of his body, the touch of her hand sizzled all the way up his spine. “Are you ok?”

He rubbed at his chest as he sat up on the sand. The pain was easing but his knee still throbbed. She really knew how to hit someone where it hurt. He wondered if she had done self-defense or krav maga classes. Those had been precision moves. Did someone try to hurt her? “I’m fine. Are you ok? I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Adam managed to stand up and putting pressure on his good leg, he could pretend he wasn’t suffering. He reached for her and she flinched like he was going to strike her and she took a step back.

“Hey honey, it’s ok,” he soothed. “It’s just me, come here.”

She lifted her head and met his eyes but remained rooted to her spot. “I’m ok; I was just surprised is all. Talking to my mother puts me in a different world, you know how she gets.” She smiled and attempted a light hearted laugh and Adam could tell she just wanted to shake the experience off.

“I’m really sorry I hit you, I didn’t mean to. It was just instinct.”

“Jeez, you have some reflexes. Makes me feel better knowing you can protect yourself just in case it wasn’t me out here with you, even though I had to be the crash test dummy for this experience.”

She smiled a sad smile and without realizing it Adam took a step toward her. On his bum knee. And stumbled into her.

They fell into each other’s arms and he grinned down at her. “Sorry. Can you do me a favor though? Can you not tell anyone that you kicked my ass and rendered me immobile? I have a rep to maintain and it kind of makes me a pansy that a girl bested me.”

“A girl?” she sniffed with mock fury, “I am a woman Adam Parker.” She poked a finger at him.

He caught her hand and held it against his chest. The pain was like background noise as he was engulfed by Audrey’s scent. Warm vanilla and flowery woman. The heat of her body tempted him and teased him to touch her. Her hooded eyes glazed with what he was sure was matched arousal. “Don’t think I haven’t noticed.” His voice was gruff to his own ears as he neared her. She didn’t back away this time; instead he felt her body, and her resolve, give up resistance as he crept up into her space, so close they shared a heated breath. She pulled him in with her haunting eyes, which were now focused on his lips. As if that wasn’t invitation enough, his hand reached out to cup her face as he captured her full lips in a tantalizing kiss. She tasted sweet and sexy and he lost all thought. Her lips were soft and full beneath his, tantalizing him. His hand came to the back of her head and tangled in her silky hair, holding her there.