Absolute Love: A Hot, Romantic Suspense Series, Book 3 (The Carlisle Sisters) (12 page)

"I can be quick," he said persuasively.
 
Then added, "When I want to be."

She groaned and pulled out of his embrace.

"Nooo, London.
 
I want to but we can't....at least not now," she smiled seductively.

He smiled slowly.

"Lady, you will be busy tonight," he promised.

"I'd better be," she bantered.

He reached for her and she scooted out of his range, getting back to setting the table.
 
She had placed the last fork in its place when she heard a knock.

"That must be Beth and Grey," she said brightly.

She ran to answer the door.

"Hi, Beth!
 
Hi Grey.
 
Come in," Jennifer said enthusiastically.
 
"You didn't have to knock!"

"Hi, Jennifer," Beth smiled as she hugged her sister.
 
"We didn't want to interrupt anything."

Jennifer made a face at London as she hugged Grey and he smiled back knowingly.
 
It was almost as if Beth knew what he had been up to, though that's not a difficult feat with a new couple.

"Mmm, something smells good," Grey said appreciatively.

"I think Jen ordered every dish the kitchen could make," London grinned, shaking Grey's hand and then moving to kiss Beth.
 
"Lunch should be great.
 
There's some really good food in there."

"I'm a hungry man.
 
Lead the way!"
 
Grey chuckled.

"Follow me," Jennifer said.

She led them out to the terrace.

"The table looks beautiful, Jen," Beth admired.
 
"I had no idea you were so domesticated."

"I guess my inner Martha Stewart is coming out," Jennifer giggled.

"You can host my gatherings anytime," Beth said warmly.

"Thank you, honey!"
 
Jennifer said.

They all took their seats and passed the serving dishes around, filling their plates with the amazing selections.
 
Grey was helping himself to a heaping spoonful of buttery, mashed yams when London addressed him.

"So, Grey, Jennifer said you have an idea to flush out my culprit.
 
Tell me about it," he said.

"It's quite simple, really, as long as you would be willing to expose yourself as an easy target.
 
If so, I'm thinking we could set the trap on the land that you'd like to purchase for the ranch," Grey explained.
 
"Right now, I hear it is isolated and would be the perfect place for someone to try and harm you.
 
We wouldn't allow that to happen, of course, but we will make it well known to everyone involved that you are going to be spending a few days there scouting the area.
 
Meanwhile, we have a team of men staked out and ready to apprehend the perpetrators when they strike.
 
Perhaps we can even gain the cooperation of the local constables, considering you are doing all of this to help their people.
 
What do you think?"

"I like it," London confirmed.
 
"The location is certainly the perfect setting for nefarious dealings!
 
And getting the local constables to help should not be a problem.
 
I am on very good terms with them."

"Great," Grey said.
 
"We'll gather whoever we know we can trust, starting with Blaze and me.
 
You never know where there may be an inside man or a spy when dealing with something like this so we have to be careful or we risk blowing everything."
 

"I don't like it.
 
It's too dangerous," Jennifer said severely.

"This coming from the woman who wanted to act as the bait on her own," London said dryly.

"It's still perilous.
 
Why does
anyone
have to set themselves up as a lure?
 
There must be another way," Jennifer debated.

"This is a clean and precise way of drawing your attacker out," Grey said to London.
 
"He's not going to pass up this opportunity for an easy kill."

"Kill?"
 
Jennifer exclaimed.
 
"Who said anything about a
kill
?
 
I thought they were just trying to scare him off!"

Beth looked at Grey murderously.

"Sorry.
 
Wrong choice of word," Grey said ruefully.
 
"Of course that's what they're trying to do."

London shrugged.
 
Without knowing who was actually after them or why, he knew that murder was a possibility.
 
Who could tell whether someone had succeeded in simply knocking Jennifer unconscious or had failed in their attempt to kill her?
 

That's why he had to put an end to this.
 
He couldn't take the chance of someone trying to hurt her again.
 
Or worse.

"You've explained everything clearly.
 
It's a simple and straightforward plan," London said.

"It's a bad plan," Jennifer said, not backing down.

"It's a strategy that I accept," London said looking at her, finality in his voice.
 
"That's the end of the discussion."

Jennifer looked at him with beseeching eyes.
 
She wanted him to change his mind and she silently pleaded with him to do so.
 
London reached for her hand under the table and squeezed it reassuringly.
 

"I promise I'll be fine," he said.
 
Then, looking around the table, he added, "We'll
all
be fine."

His confident smile did little to comfort her.
 
She was afraid for him; and for herself.
 
What would she do if something horrific happened to him?
 

In that moment she realized just how much she loved him.
 
The emotion was strong and constant; just like he was.
 
He was everything she'd always wanted in a man; kind, loving, tender, courageous and sensitive.
 
Plus he was a stud to boot!
 
No one she had ever been with could come close to being the man that London was.
 

But was she about to lose him just as she had found him?
 
The very thought could suffocate the life from her.
 
She couldn't lose him.
 
Not then.
 
Not ever.
 

London could see her distress was persisting and he leaned over to kiss her cheek.
 
Beth watched the exchange between the two of them and was pleased by what she saw.
 
London was attentive to Jen, something she desperately needed, and he obviously cared for her.
 
That brought a smile to Beth's face.

Wouldn't it be fabulous if all of the Carlisle sisters had wonderful men in their lives?
 
After the rotten past that they had all survived, they were due some happiness.
 
All of them.
 

Beth glanced out toward the path where people were rushing to and from the beach and noticed a man standing by a banana tree.
 
She had felt like he'd been staring at them but every time she'd turned to look, it seemed he averted his gaze.
 
She couldn't tell if she was being paranoid or if they were really being watched.

The man wore typical tropical island garb consisting of khaki shorts and a flowered shirt.
 
But it was the baseball cap with its brim pulled down low that made him suspicious.
 
Yet, despite not being able to see his face clearly, Beth felt that there was something oddly familiar about him.
 
Was he someone they had met since arriving?
 
Had they possibly seen him around somewhere?

Beth watched the man out of the corner of her eye and, when she was confident that he was stealing a glance in their direction, she quickly turned her head.
 
His eyes clashed with her's and she sucked in her breath, suddenly frightened by the fact that she had been correct.
 
A panicked look came over his face, as well, and when he realized that he'd been caught in his act of surveillance, he spun on his heels and briskly walked away.
 

Beth wasn't sure she could believe her eyes. After all, she'd never met the man she'd seen.
 
Not in person, anyway.
 

"Are you alright?"
 
Grey asked softly.

Beth quickly decided not to mention what she thought she'd seen.
 
She could be wrong.
 
In fact, she probably was.
 

There was no reason for the man she thought she'd seen to be in Tahiti observing them.
 
What could possibly make him want to do something so bizarre?
 
It was probably just someone who looked like him.
 
She smiled at Grey.

"Yes, I'm fine," she murmured.

Only, she wasn't fine.
 
She joined the conversation and tried to put the nagging thought out of her head.
 
But despite her efforts she could not.
 
It continued to plague her mind for the rest of the day and into the night.
 
And as she lay in bed next to a snoring Grey, that face was all she could see.
 
The face of Jennifer's ex-husband, Stephon.

Chapter 6

Once it had been decided that Grey's plan was a go, things swiftly fell into place, much to Jennifer's chagrin.
 
London and Grey met with the local constable, with whom London had spoken previously regarding his efforts concerning the future of Tahiti's natural resources, and the man eagerly agreed to help.
 
In order to ensure that the news found its way to whoever was out to stop him, they also casually passed word around town that London would be spending the following night scouting out the land.

London and Grey were becoming fast friends and, as they sat at the kitchen table scrutinizing every step of the plan in an effort to perfect it, Jennifer reclined in the hammock and stared at the moon.
 
It was waxing and would be completely full by the following night--the night of their venture.
 
They had decided to wait until the moon was full, as they would be traveling at night and its glow would assist them during their trek.
 
Plus, with their offenders using spirits and legends as a cover, the timing couldn't be more perfect for inciting an attack.

Jennifer, on the other hand, felt the timing was anything
but
perfect.
 
She still had a terrible feeling about the entire situation and she couldn't shake it.

"Mind if I join you?"
 

Jennifer turned her head to see Beth coming toward her.

"Please," she smiled.

Beth climbed onto the hammock and lay with her head at the opposite end.
 
The hammock swung gently.

"Mmm.
 
I love this hammock.
 
I have to get one for the cabin porch when I return home," Beth said contently.

"Lying here is addictive.
 
Sometimes I think I will never get up," Jennifer giggled.

"Not a horrible way to live your life.
 
I could sure get used to it," Beth said.

Jennifer laughed.

"No you couldn't.
 
You'd be bored out of your mind in two days," Jennifer grinned.

Beth chuckled.

"Probably sooner.
 
But it's a nice thought," Beth responded.
 
"You know it just occurred to me that, with everything else going on, we haven't talked about how you met London!
 
You have to tell me all about it!"

"He tried to drown me," Jennifer said matter-of-factly.

"What?"
 
Beth exclaimed.

Jennifer laughed then told her the story of their meeting.

"Aww, how romantic," Beth sighed, only half-joking.

"He was an egotistical know-it-all and it drove me crazy at first!"
 
Jennifer huffed.
 

"How was he a know-it-all?"
 
Beth grinned.

"He acted like he could read my mind and it pissed me off.
 
But, honestly, at times it seemed as though he could!
 
He could certainly sense my feelings and thoughts," Jennifer said reflectively.
 
"It was downright spooky!"

"Not spooky.
 
Destiny," Beth returned.

"Destiny?"
 
Jennifer asked curiously.

"Sure.
 
I think it was fate that brought the two of you together.
 
And it will be divine providence that keeps you together," Beth smiled.
 
"Forever."