Smashwords version Sweet Surrender (6 page)

Her hands were shaking, and she clenched them into fists at her
sides, her stomach turning sour at the memories she was dredging up.
“She sounds pathological.” Rafe shook his head in sympathy,
 wincing at the thought of growing up in a household like that. Not for
the first time, he thanked his lucky stars that he’d grown up with two
wonderful, loving parents – for as long as he’d had them.
He looked at Poppy with compassion.

“But that’s not your fault, is it?  Penelope’s a grown woman.
How long do you have to keep paying for the sins of your mother?”
“I know, I know. But inheriting this bakery was a godsend.
Penelope was drifting around from job to job, always getting in trouble, and
suddenly she had something to focus on and it seemed as if she was finally
growing up and acting like an adult. I really want to save it for her.”
He looked at her, his expression serious.
“Did it occur to you that this guy breaking in, and Penelope’s
so-called accident, might have been connected somehow?”
She stared at him, shocked.  “How could they be connected?
 I mean…he yelled out the words jezebel, scarlet woman, that kind of
stuff, when he climbed in the window…he’s just crazy.”
“When you were giving the police your report just now, I didn’t
hear you tell them that. You need to call them tomorrow and let them know, so
they can add it to their report. You do know about the vandalism that happened
before your sister’s accident?”
Poppy shook her head, feeling a chill wash over her.
“Somebody spray painted the words Die, Jezebel, and You’ll Burn In
Hell, Scarlet Harlot, on the wall of the bakery. Two separate occasions. And
somebody slashed the tires of the clerks who worked there.”
“How do you know all that?” A wave of shock and dismay rolled over
Poppy. She felt the ground shifting under her feet.  “My…my sister told me
that the store clerks just up and quit.”
“Well, that would explain why, wouldn’t it? And I know all that
because I live in the neighborhood, and I work from home right now, doing
freelance work for my uncle’s company.”
“Why’d you quit being a cop?” She didn’t know why she asked, but
at her question, a look of pain washed over his face.
“I’d rather not talk about that right now. I’ll tell you some
time, I promise you. Let’s get back to the attacks on the bakery.”
Attacks on the bakery.  Hearing it described like that made
her feel faint.
“My biggest concern is that the attacks are escalating in their
level of violence.“ His voice took on a professional tone, as if he were
briefing a room full of police officers. “It started with someone spray
painting the bakery. Then they did it again. Then they slashed the tires on the
cars of the people who work there. Then someone very likely deliberately ran
your sister down.  Then somebody broke into your apartment, and God knows
what they would have done to you if I hadn’t been there.”
Poppy stared at him, stricken. “It’s hard to believe my sister
wouldn’t have warned me about all of those earlier attacks.”
“Is it?” He searched her face, and she struggled to believe her
own words, but she had to admit that when Penelope dragged her into her messes,
she often she seemed not just careless, but downright spiteful towards Poppy.
Not openly, ever, but Poppy’s mind flashed back to how she’d had
been so excited when she got into college, and then she had to skip an entire
semester because Penelope went on a shoplifting binge and she used her tuition
money to bail her out and hire a lawyer… those humiliating double dates that
Penelope had dragged her on, when she could have asked any of her skinny
nightclubbing friends to go instead…
“I’ll talk to her tomorrow night,” she said wearily. “And I’ll ask
her. Although honestly, she’s a world-class liar when she’s motivated, so I
don’t know if it will do any good. And I’m still not 100 percent convinced that
all of this is connected.”
He shook his head. “Well, I am convinced.  I’m going to ask
the police to patrol the area more frequently, and I’ll talk to my friends in
the detective division about it tomorrow.  These attacks aren’t very
organized or subtle. Whoever is doing this is mentally ill and spiraling out of
control, and they will get caught sooner or later, but in the meantime, you
need to be very careful.”
Poppy took a deep breath and sat down at the kitchen table. “I’m
not taking this lightly, but I’ve got mace on my keychain. I’ve taken self
defense classes.  And I’ve never liked bullies. Honestly, the fact that
some religious nut job wants to destroy the bakery makes me want to stay here
even if Penelope did lie to me.”
“That’s admirable, but as long as that crazy is out there, I’m
going to be sticking to you like a shadow.” As she spoke up to protest, he held
up his hand. “No arguments. And now – I’m hungry, and I’m going to order us
some takeout Chinese for us. It’s been a rough night.”

And it only got rougher.
Hours later, after counting several thousand sheep, Poppy lay on
the couch, tossing and turning and listening to Rafe’s rhythmic breathing.
She’d forgotten one little problem with having him there.
She had packed her battery operated friend when she’d come to stay
at Penelope’s…but with him there, in the tiny apartment, there was no way for
her to use it. And having him lying several feet away, close but untouchable,
was driving her crazy. She kept replaying their kiss in her head, and imagining
more. So much more. Him ripping the clothing from her body, buttons flying
everywhere. Taking the body butter from Sweet Sensations and lathering it on
her nipples and sucking it off, with swirls of his tongue. Him spreading her
legs open with his big, strong hands and…
“Rafe?” she said. “Are you asleep?”
“Nope.”
“Me either,” she groaned. “You know…I was thinking. I’m leaving in
eight weeks when Penelope gets well enough to come back to the bakery.  So
we couldn’t really have anything permanent with each other. So I know that
going in, which means I won’t get too attached.” Keep telling yourself that,
she thought.
“Oh?” He sounded amused.
“So, it’s not like we really need to get to know each other,
because it’s not going to be a real relationship.  I guess there’s no reason we
couldn’t…you know…I mean…”
Damn the man, was he going to make her beg?
“Nope,” he said firmly.
“No?” she echoed, shocked and hurt.
“I told you I’m going to take this slowly and treat you with
respect. I mean it. My daddy raised me right. I’m going to take you out to a
very nice dinner, and we will get to know each other. And that means I’m going
to get no sleep tonight, and my balls are going to be bluer than the guys in
the Blue Man group, pardon my French, but if something’s worth doing, it’s
worth doing right.”
After a pause, he added “And in case there was any question in
your mind, that something is you. You’re worth doing right.”
Despite the erotic frustration that sizzled inside her and twisted
her into knots, she couldn’t help but giggle. “Fine. We’ll see if I’m even in
the mood next time the opportunity comes up.”
“You will be,” he assured her.  “I’m dead sexy.”
If only he were wrong.  She groaned, rolled over, and pulled
the pillow over her head.

Lying on the couch cushions on the floor, Rafe listened to her
quiet, almost inaudible whimper of frustration, and imagined himself sliding on
top of her, flesh against flesh, pressing into her soft warmth.  He ached
with desire, and thoughts of ripping her clothes off and kissing her luscious
red mouth while he thrust inside her made his head fuzzy, but finding out that
she was Penelope’s sister made this even more difficult.

It wouldn’t be right to take advantage of her when he was keeping
important information from her – information that might make her think twice
about wanting to be with him at all.

She was a genuinely decent person, and despite her claim that she
just wanted sex, he could tell she wasn’t a one night stand kind of girl – she
was the type who got emotionally involved. Which was fine, because his
instincts told him that she was the kind of girl he could spend a lifetime
getting to know - but there were certain things he needed to wrap up first.

He heard Poppy sigh and move in the sofa-bed, and he clenched his
teeth and shifted, struggling to find a comfortable position, his erection rock
hard and straining at the fabric of his trousers.
It was going to be a long night.

“You both look like hell,” Viola said, as Poppy chugged her second
large coffee of the morning.   
Poppy was wearing a pale pink sweater with pearl buttons and a
flowing pink skirt adorned with prints of scattered flowers.  Her outfit
was bright and springy, and she was surly and exhausted.  She had circles
under her eyes and hadn’t bothered to comb her hair after she’d showered that
morning.
Rafe had dashed back to his apartment to shower and change. He’d
obviously shaved fast, leaving several tiny nicks on his broad, strong jaw and
chiseled cheekbones, and he was stifling a yawn as he nursed a double espresso.
Viola glanced over at Rafe suspiciously. Poppy had called her to
explain the break-in in detail the night before, and told her that Rafe was
there so Viola wouldn’t insist on coming over herself.

Rafe yawned again and sipped his espresso. “You are a little ray
of sunshine at all times, aren’t you?”
“So did you guys, like, totally do it? All night long? Is that why
you look like death warmed over?”
“Viola! For the love of god, woman, he is standing right there.”
Poppy skewered her with a glare, which Viola ignored completely.
“So?  If you did it with him, he’d know, so I’m not exactly
revealing any secrets, right?” Viola looked from him to her, appraisingly. “You
guys didn’t do it. That’s why you didn’t get any sleep.”
She turned to Rafe and jabbed him in the arm with an accusing
finger. “Why didn’t you guys do it? My friend isn’t good enough for you?”
Poppy choked on her coffee and grabbed a napkin to smother her
coughing fit.  “Viola!” she wheezed, and crumpled up her napkin and threw
it at Viola’s head.  It stuck in Viola’s hair and Viola swatted it off,
still glowering at Rafe.
Rafe took a step back, set his espresso cup down, and held his
hands up defensively.
“I am planning on taking your friend out to dinner, taking it
slow, and wooing her like a gentleman. And that’s all you need to know, angel
of darkness.”
Viola flashed a smirk at Poppy. “Ha. Poppy can’t keep any secrets
from me.  I will totally know when you guys do it, because Poppy will be
grinning from ear to ear.” Then she narrowed her eyes and glared at Rafe.
“You’re still on probation as far as I’m concerned. If you hurt my friend, I
will hurt you back twice as hard.”

And she turned and flounced off, to greet a young pair of Goth
women who came in the door holding hands. A minute later, Poppy heard Viola
squeal with delight “You guys are getting married? You MUST look at our wedding
cake book!”
Rafe shook his head, bemused. “How is it that you guys are best
friends?”
“Oh, I don’t know. We were room-mates in college until she got
kicked out for punching a sorority sister who was making fun of me.” Poppy
winced at the memory of the lean, tanned blonde leading a table full of girls
in making “moo” noises as she walked by them with her tray in the cafeteria.

 “I guess we stayed friends because opposite personalities
attract.”
“Good, I’m glad you think so. I’d like to introduce you to
someone.” He glanced towards the front door, and Poppy was surprised to see a
man who was a near lookalike to Rafe walking in to the store. The lookalike
wore a sexily rumpled grey silk business suit that was clearly hand-tailored,
and had shiny black Italian leather shoes; he was every bit as handsome as
Rafe, but when Poppy looked at him, she didn’t feel a thing. Only Rafe sent
shivers down her spine and into her nether regions.
“This is my brother, Jeffrey. I’m headed over to the police
station this morning to talk to them about what’s going on here at the bakery.
 While I’m gone today, and when I’m away on my business trip, Jeffrey has
volunteered to stay here during the day in case anything else happens.”
Jeffrey managed a pained smile. Clearly he hadn’t volunteered;
he’d been drafted.

“Jeffrey, don’t you need to work?” Poppy asked him.

He shrugged. “I own my own business. I’m an investment advisor.
I’m fine as long as I can duck into your office and call my clients and check
my laptop from time to time. I can even help you with sales in between.” He
looked askance at the bakery shelves.
“Rafe, really, this isn’t necessary. It’s broad daylight now,
there are people everywhere on the street outside, we’ll be fine,” Poppy
protested.
“Not necessary? Someone broke into your apartment last night with
the specific intent to harm you.  I feel like I should be stationing armed
guards in here.”
“Okay, okay! No armed guards.  Your brother can stay.”
“So you’re engaged to the bitch?” Viola appeared at Jeffrey’s
side, looking him up and down with open disdain.
“Pleased to meet you too. Er, yes, so far today, I’m still engaged
to her.”
“I’d offer you my sympathies, but if you’re engaged to someone
like that, you don’t deserve it.” Viola picked up a chocolate penis pop and bit
down on it savagely, while looking Jeffrey straight in the eye.
He grimaced. “The symbolism is not lost on me. I will stay on the
other side of the store.” He shot a look at his brother. “You owe me,” he
informed him.
“I chaperoned your fiancée around town to half a dozen stores, and
I didn’t push her in front of a bus.”
“Touche. We’re even, then.  See you when you get back. Don’t
take your time,” Jeffrey said, looking at Viola with trepidation.
Rafe left with a smile and a lazy wave, and a wink at Poppy which
made her weak in the knees.  Cheeks flushed, she rushed into the office,
leaving Viola and Jeffrey alone.
When she emerged later, she was thankful to see that they hadn’t
killed or even maimed each other, although they kept to opposite ends of the
store, studiously ignoring each other.