“So where are we off to?” Elton was a small town with few date options or hotspots. Part of her was intrigued by what Wade would plan, knowing no matter what he chose, it would reveal something about himself.
As he tugged on the door to his truck and ushered her into the warmed cab he said, “My place.”
Sydney’s mouth fell open. She wasn’t prepared to be alone with Wade. A million thoughts and images filled her head of the two of them at his house, none of which she would ever admit to another living soul.
She thought they might go to Murray’s and have a drink, be teased by a few of their mutual friends and that would be the end of it. Maybe a drive down by the lake or a walk down Main Street for some coffee and a donut, but the thought of being so alone with him was completely terrifying, and exciting. By the time they pulled out of the parking lot, she had regained her ability to speak. “So, your place?”
“Yep,” he replied with a smirk on his face. “You warm enough?”
“I’m fine, thanks.”
The darkness quickly enveloped them, the streetlights giving her little glimpses of his face as he drove until they turned onto one of the more rural roads. The truck was neat and orderly and smelled like soap, the faintest hint of cologne, and Wade. She had the strangest urge to reach out and touch his cheek so she could feel the sexy stubble that shadowed his jaw. To keep from making a fool of herself, she locked her fingers together in her lap instead, and watched him out of the corner of her eye.
Her nerves started getting the better of her in the dark. She had a moment of panic, but then reminded herself Faith was in good hands. Agnes wouldn’t let anything happen to her. Knowing her daughter was safe, Sydney allowed herself to relax and enjoy her time with Wade.
She never really thought about where Wade lived, since he always seemed to be working. He slowed down and turned down a hidden gravel drive. They followed it through a dense line of trees for a few yards until, off in the distance, Sydney could see the faint glow of a porch light.
Wade’s home was a modest split level with neatly manicured landscaping, she noticed as he led her up the walkway. There was a rocking chair and a small table on the porch. Sydney smiled, imagining him in the chair with his feet propped up on the rail, taking a nap or reading a book on his day off. What she wouldn’t give to be in another chair beside him, having an absolutely normal afternoon, instead of always sleeping with one eye open.
“Come on in.” His voice startled her out of her day dream. He held open the screen door and waited. She took a nervous step through the doorway and he followed in behind her. There seemed to be less air in the world when Wade was around and Sydney felt her breathing intensify to make up for the lack of oxygen.
“You have a beautiful home.” She couldn’t stop herself from wandering around, her curiosity getting the better of her. She was immediately drawn to a series of pictures that hung on the wall, wanting to know more about him. They showed him and his family, in various snapshots of his life. Part of her was jealous that he could so openly put his entire life on display. That was something she would never be able to do, but on some primal level she wanted to know what it would feel like to share that with someone.
Her eyes scanned more photos, finding a small boy who must have been Wade, then more where he had grown up and was more recognizable in his late teens. He’d always been tall, she could see, but the chiseled looks and sex appeal had clearly developed over the years. The photos of him in the military were reverently placed on a small hutch next to an older photograph from around World War II of a young man in uniform.
“That’s my grandfather,” he murmured proudly very close to her ear making her jump. She was acutely aware of his presence in the diner, but being alone with him, in his house, brought things to a whole new level. There was such an intimacy between them as she looked through the images of his life, learning more about him, Wade so openly sharing information with her. He reached around her and picked up a smaller frame with a picture of a boy holding a baseball bat.
“And that’s you?” Sydney asked, trying not to jump when she felt his other hand settle on her hip. She felt like his hand was branding her skin through the material of her jeans.
“We won the championship that year,” he said wistfully as he put the picture of himself wearing catcher’s gear back on its perch. It was a simple wall of pictures, but to Sydney it was the most precious thing in the world. “It’s my mom’s favorite picture, and she gets mad if it’s not out when she visits.” She knew so much more about him after looking at the various snapshots from his life. Part of her wondered what he would do if she had a wall that showed all she had experienced. Would he turn and run? Or better yet, arrest her on the spot?
“Would you like some wine?”
“Yes,” she said a little too quickly. “I’m sorry. I’m not very good at this dating thing.” She didn’t belong here. Wade was a nice guy, honest, respected in the community, and she was nothing but trouble. The things hanging over her head had the power to not only take her down, but everyone around her, and she didn’t want that for him.
“You look like you’re gonna run for the door.”
“Honestly, I’m considering it,” she said as she nervously played with her hair. Her eyes met his and she saw he had gone as still as a statue, waiting for an explanation. If she wanted to go, he was going to let her, even if he didn’t agree. Knowing he’d do that for her made Sydney crave him all the more, and for one night, just one single night, she wanted to be normal. She wanted to forget her baggage and have fun. More than anything, she wanted that night to be with Wade. “It’s a long walk back to the diner. How about that wine?”
“This way.” He slipped his hand onto her lower back and led her into what appeared to be a gourmet kitchen. There was a huge cooktop on a large island in the center of the room, and an enormous refrigerator along the wall. The smells coming from the stove made her mouth water. Pots and pans of various sizes hung from the ceiling on a steel rack. Sydney leaned back against the granite countertop and gawked.
“This is the most amazing kitchen I’ve ever seen.” She reverently ran her fingers along the cool granite, tracing every vein of color.
“Thanks. I did most of the work myself when I remodeled after my parents moved to Florida.”
There were already two glasses on the counter next to an open bottle of wine. Wade poured a generous amount, the deep, rich color of the red wine swirling into the glasses. He handed Sydney one of them, raising his own and clinking it against hers before taking a drink.
“Is there anything you can’t do?” She took a long sip, savoring the woody, plum flavor. Sydney moved around to the stove to peek into one of the pots. Lifting the lid, she saw a delicious red sauce bubbling inside.
“I can’t crochet. My hands are like baseball mitts, according to my mother.” He waggled his fingers playfully at her. “Or dance, I don’t dance.” Sydney laughed, remembering back to the night of the festival and what he had said to Agnes when she suggested he dance. It was nice to know he’d been truthful and hadn’t made an excuse to escape.
While he drained the pasta, Sydney drank more of her wine, loving the warm feeling that was spreading through her body. It could have been from the drink or Wade, it didn’t matter. She felt the tension and worry slowly leaving her body. This time she initiated the contact between them when she reached around him and snagged a piece of spaghetti from the strainer.
“Don’t worry, I’m a great dancer.” She popped the noodle into her mouth as she leaned back against the counter. “I’ll teach you.”
“I can’t wait,” he said with a wolfish smile that made Sydney both excited and nervous.
Working side by side in the kitchen, they put the finishing touches on dinner. It was amazing how comfortable they were together. Sydney set the table while Wade laid out the food. The square shaped table was cozy and intimate, especially when Sydney put the place settings side by side rather than acr
oss the table from one another. If she was going to have this date, then for one night, she was going to enjoy herself, and the closer she was to Wade, the better.
When they finally sat down, Wade filled her plate. Each bite was more delicious than the next. Flavors exploded in her mouth, and it was intoxicating knowing that he had gone through so much trouble for her.
“This is amazing, Wade. Thank you.”
“I’m glad you came. I know Melissa didn’t give you all the details on the auction before you entered and you could have said no.” For just a second he lowered his defenses and she could see his vulnerability.
With a sincere smile she said, “I don’t think Melissa would have left for Europe until she forced us into this date.”
“Forced?” he asked with a smile.
“Coerced is probably a better word.” Feeling happier than she had in a long time, she raised her wine glass. “To Melissa and her brilliant ideas.” She knew she’d remember this night for the rest of her life and she had Melissa to thank for it.
They spent hours talking and laughing about everything from movies, to music, to the people in town. Their time together flew by. It was great to see him so animated. It was a side of him she hadn’t seen before. He shared a lot about his family and she shared pieces of her past, without giving too much away. A part of her wanted to lay it out – the whole ugly truth. There was something about him that made her want to open up and trust him, but she knew it couldn’t happen. For a second she allowed herself to think that a relationship with Wade was possible, but then reality rushed back in. They were pathetic fantasies and she knew it, but it felt good to think about frivolous things for a change. All the darkness seemed so far way when she was with Wade.
In the middle of their evening, Sydney’s phone beeped. She did her best to ignore it, angry that she hadn’t turned it off completely, but if there was a problem with Faith, she wanted to make sure she could be reached at any time. There was no way she could stand to be completely cut off from her daughter. She apologized, but Wade understood her need to stay connected to Faith and didn’t seem bothered in the least. When she checked the message, they both were relieved to see it was from Melissa. She sent a picture of the St. Louis Arch, assured them she was fine and sent her love.
“She has always loved an adventure.” Wade laughed as he took the last of the dinner dishes and rinsed them in the sink.
“I can imagine running around with you and her brother kept her on her toes and prepared her well for this trip.”
“You have no idea.”
AFTER DINNER, THEY WENT outside, where Wade led her to a porch swing that was tucked off in the shadows. He lit a few candles on the small table and placed a blanket across her legs as they finished the bottle of wine in the crisp fall air.
“You’re so lucky,” she murmured turning to snuggle closer to him for warmth. It was impossible to keep from smiling when he slipped his arm around her shoulder and held her tight against his side. Sydney just hoped the darkness would hide her reaction from him a little.
“Why?” he whispered against her temple.
“Because you have all of this.” She waved her glass at the house and the property. “You have a town that adores you, a supportive family, you enjoy your job, and we’ve already established you’re good at just about everything.” His chest shook with laughter.
“I like this,” he said softly looking out into the dark.
“What?” Sydney murmured softly.
“This. Here. With you.”
It was as if the world around them had gone silent at his words. After all the months of wanting him, she finally had him all to herself. As Sydney looked up at him, she found herself holding her breath, waiting for what might come next. His eyes were intense and sparkled in the moonlight that played across his face. Eyes that were staring at her lips.
“Wade.” She managed to exhale his name before he kissed her, the rich flavor of the wine mixing with his own intoxicating taste. Though his lips moved gently, she could feel the power in his body that he was holding back. This kiss was nothing like the last one. It was so hot Sydney could feel herself burning up under his touch. His hand knotted in her hair, pulling her even closer to deepen the kiss. Sydney felt like the world was spinning and grabbed onto his shirt to ground herself on Earth.
Then, as quickly as it began, it ended. Immediately she felt the loss of their connection. While she tried to regain her composure, Wade stood up and stared off into the dark as if looking for something. His body language had changed from relaxed to edgy in a matter of seconds, and it startled her. Sydney stepped behind him, wrapping the blanket around her arms.
“What’s wrong?” She heard the distant rustle of twigs snapping and that tingle of awareness she had went down her spine. Had someone been out there, watching them?
Wade tried to shrug it off, wrapping an arm around her and kissing the top of her head. “Nothing, just a deer. Probably a buck.” Another woman might have fallen for his act, but Sydney had been on the run long enough to know when danger was close and she felt it in her gut like Wade did. She scanned the trees, looking for the source of their unease but whoever it was had left.
“Come inside,” Wade said as he slipped his hand into hers and led her toward the door.
The danger had passed but Sydney’s heart was racing as Wade pinned her against the doorframe with his much larger body. There was something raw and powerful about Wade that Sydney found irresistible, even if it wasn’t a good idea. Instead of being cautious, she made the dangerous choice to play with fire. “I am a little chilly.”
“I think I know a few ways to warm you up,” he said in a low, sexy drawl that gave her goosebumps. He ushered her inside, locking the door behind them.
They didn’t make it any farther than the entryway before he captured her mouth again. Strong hands settled on her hips then wandered over the curves of her body. In their wake was a burning trail, mapping his progress across her skin. Sydney’s arms locked around Wade’s neck, pulling them closer together, desperate for more contact. She longed to feel every inch of his rock hard body against hers. She’d dreamt about this countless nights, but the reality blew all those dreams away. There was something erotic about the way his muscles responded to her touch as she, too, explored his body.
Without warning, she felt like the floor had dropped out from under her. Wade scooped her up into his arms as if she weighed less than a feather, and carried her to the couch, never losing contact with her lips. The fire and passion built between them until Sydney was certain they’d both go up in flames. The buttons on her shirt fell open and she couldn’t tell if she had done it, or Wade. A flurry of hands and skin found each other, greedy for more. All the months of sexual tension between them came to a head leaving them breathless and desperate for one another. Nothing could have stopped her from sleeping with Wade in that moment, nothing.
“Shit,” Wade cursed as his phone started ringing on the table.
“Ignore it,” Sydney gasped as his hand found her bare breast.
“Done.” With a growl, Wade lowered his head and drew her nipple into his mouth. When his house phone joined and started clamoring, he let out a string of curses. “Don’t move.” He ran his hand through his hair in frustration, looking at her as she laid spread out on his couch like an offering, panting like she had just run a marathon. There was no controlling his anger when he picked up the phone.
“What?” he barked. Whatever he heard on the other end of the phone made his eyes lock on her like laser beams. Sydney started to panic. “Calm down. She’s right here, why?”
What if he found out?
While he turned his back and asked a series of vague, short questions, Sydney frantically searched for her shirt and shoes. She tugged her disheveled hair into a ponytail and was ready to take off if he tried to take her in. He was sexy, mouthwateringly gorgeous and made her hotter than any man ever had in her life, but she wasn’t going to jail and she
wasn’t leaving Faith. She was horrified when she looked down into her hand and saw she had grabbed the paperweight off of the side table. How far was she willing to go to protect her secret? Horrified at her subconscious behavior, she dropped the glass weight to the floor with a thud. Wade gave her a confused look as he set down the phone.
“Sydney.” He cautiously approached and settled himself into a crouch at her feet.
He knew. Everything about his body showed he was trying to be calm but she could tell that he was ready to explode with anger.
“You have to come with me.”
“No.” She was prepared to run when Wade’s words changed everything.
“That was Cara.”
“Cara?” Confusion was quickly replaced by panic. “Oh my God, is it Faith?” Sydney was on her feet before Wade stopped her and pulled her into his arms.
“Faith is fine, but Cara had quite a scare.”
“Is she all right? Pete?” Something awful had happened. She could feel it in her gut. Wade calmly took her hands and Sydney braced herself for the news.
“There’s been another murder.”
AN HOUR LATER, WADE was still recovering from the sound of Cara screaming hysterically into the telephone, desperate to know that Sydney was all right. It took a few minutes for what she was saying to actually sink in, that a woman was dead behind the diner. A blonde. And he could only imagine how terrifying it was for Cara and Pete to see the woman and immediately wonder if it was Sydney or Melissa. After he calmed Cara down and spoke with Pete, he’d told Sydney what happened and watched her face go completely white at the news. She had immediately called Melissa for her own piece of mind and confirmed again that she was all right and over a hundred miles away from town in St. Louis. It wasn’t until they pulled into Sydney’s driveway that the color started to creep back into Sydney’s face.