Sweet Seduction (20 page)

She sputtered something that could have been his name, reached out to touch him, but he turned away from her hand. “I need you to leave, Daisy. Now.”

“Okay,” she whispered, finally. When tears started to fall from her lashes he shut his eyes, unable to watch.

“Goodbye, Jamie.” He heard her pause by the door before opening it, followed by the sound of the heavy door closing behind her.

Final.

“What the hell is the matter with you?” Colin shoved him. “Why are you being such an ass?”

“You know me. I go through women like disposable razors. Isn't that what you said?” Jamie replied, his voice venomous. Rage and guilt warred so close to the surface he could taste them, rancid and sour.

“So you're just going to let the best thing that's ever happened to you walk out the door like that?”

Jamie ignored his brother's question. Blocked out the image of Daisy's stricken face. He pointed at his brother, noticing he was dressed to fight. “How's your head?”

“My head's fine. Don't deflect.”

“There's no tumor?”

“No. They don't know what it is. Now, are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?”

“No. It's none of your goddamn business. Now lace up. I need to beat the living shit out of somebody.”

He strode to the locker room, changed and reemerged, getting one of the guys to lace his gloves. Colin was already up there, flipping his mouth guard around in his mouth as he waited. The second Jamie climbed between the ropes, Colin came straight for him: a right jab to the jaw, followed by a left hook to his ribs. Jamie didn't bother defending himself; he wanted his brother to hit him. Needed his brother to hit him.

When Colin let up, Jamie opened his arms wide and said, “Is that all you've got?”

“There's plenty more, little brother.”

Jamie blocked the first jab—out of habit—but then let his brother back him up to the ropes and go at him with a combination of blows that perfectly matched the pain in his heart.

Breathing hard, Colin said, “What the hell, Jamie?” He double-fisted him in the chest as if to wake him up. “Fight me or tell me what's going on.”

“You know exactly what's going on,” Jamie shouted, taking his brother by surprise with a cross to the kidneys.

Backing away, Colin used his calmly disapproving voice—the one that had driven him nuts all his life—to say, “No, actually, I don't.” He followed his words with two rights and a left uppercut. Jamie blocked them all, and when his brother dropped his guard for a millisecond, Jamie took advantage, hitting him square in the jaw.

“You blame me.” Jamie tried to throw another cross but Colin blocked it. That angered him. “And you should blame me.”

Colin took two steps back, dropped his gloves and asked, “Blame you for what?”

“Sarah.” At the mention of her name, the beast within unfurled, consuming him, taking hold of his body until he became the thing, his fists an extension of its ugly claws. His mouth giving voice to all the pain and guilt it represented. His fists flew faster than he thought possible, the power behind his punches volatile and out of control.

“Whoa, Jamie. Whoa.” His brother caught him in a boxer's hug. “What the hell are you talking about?” He caught his head between his gloves. “Look at me.”

It took all of Jamie's effort to focus on his brother's face, to see through the red haze that had descended over him. But eventually he did see him: the trickle of blood that ran from Colin's left nostril, the brown eyes that were clouded with concern. Clearly and slowly, Colin said, “Tell me you don't think Sarah's death was your fault.”

“It was my fault,” Jamie replied thickly.

Colin expelled a slow, shuddering breath. “Tell me you don't think I blame you.”

“Don't you?”

His brother held his head so tightly, Jamie was unable to look away. “Christ, Jamie. Of course I don't blame you. Why would I? I blame the psychopath who killed her. That's whose fault it is. Not yours. Not mine. Not Sarah's.”

20

S
HE
HADN
'
T
MEANT
to come back to the apartment again, but after what just happened in the gym with Jamie, Daisy felt as though she needed the comfort of her old home one last time. The only problem was her old home was unrecognizable. She'd had the place professionally cleaned and now, instead of the warm scent of yeast or cinnamon or brown sugar, all Daisy could smell was floor polish and the sour scent of all-purpose cleaner. She walked through the empty rooms—the walls had been painted, covering the dark spots where pictures had hung for years. She ran her hand across the butcher block counter top, no longer sporting the nicks and cuts from years of use because it had been sanded and refinished.

She stood in the middle of the kitchen, closed her eyes and tilted her head to the ceiling.

“One last message would be nice.”

She waited. There was no dinging from the stove, no flickering of the lights...no voice in her head.

There was nothing left but silence.

With a sigh, Daisy plopped herself on the floor where her table used to be and sat cross-legged, resting her head in her hands, replaying the scene in the gym.

What on earth had just happened?

How could things have been virtually perfect between them and then have gone sideways overnight? Something had to have happened for Jamie to react like that. The question was what? Here was a man who had done everything to protect her, including putting his job on the line. He'd always been there when she needed him.

Yet now he was pushing her away? Why? Was it something she'd done?

No. Whatever it is, it wasn't you, Daisy.

The voice in her head was distinct and clear. Not her grandmother's.

Her own.

If you love him, don't let him push you away.

“You're right,” Daisy said aloud, raising her head and staring at the blank wall. “You're right.”

Well, there was one thing Daisy had learned, not just from living in this place with her grandmother, but in the last month with all the wonderful, crazy things that had happened. Love was the only thing that mattered. And right now, that was all she could give Jamie: her love.

Closing her eyes, she brought an image of Jamie to mind, and she drew on whatever source had given her strength over the last month and imagined sending love, pure and light, Jamie's way.

At the very least, the act made her feel better. She smiled as she thought of him, not as he'd been a half hour ago, but as he'd been last night, lying in her bed, warm and loving, protective and strong. She pictured the man who helped—anonymously—without need for thanks, who put his job on the line for others, who let others take their pain out on him—willingly. That was the Jamie she loved beyond reason.

She still had the key to his apartment, and when she was done here, she was going to go over there and talk to him. She was going to tell him she loved him, all of him, even when he pushed her away. It was either enough, or it wasn't, but there was no way in hell she'd let him go without a fight.

It took the scream of sirens—loud and close—to rouse Daisy from her meditation. She opened her eyes. What was all that racket about? Pushing herself to her feet, she went to the window, lifted the pane and leaned out.

The overwhelming aroma of gas made her stumble back.

Oh, shit.

* * *

S
OMETHING
BROKE
IN
Jamie when he heard the words, “I've never blamed you. It's not your fault.” The thing inside of him released its hold on his gut and heart and left Jamie empty.

An image of Daisy's face, confused and sad, filled the hollow spaces, and Jamie smacked his head. How could he? How could he have taken out his pain and guilt on her? After everything she'd been through?

Ripping the gloves from his fists and having no time to change, Jamie grabbed his wallet and keys and sprinted from the gym. He needed to make things right with Daisy. Right now.

He loved her.

That was all there was to it.

He loved her so much it scared the hell out of him.

He needed to find her, tell her how he felt, ask for forgiveness and spend the rest of his life making it up to her. She was the best thing that had ever happened to him and he didn't deserve her, but he was going to try his hardest to earn it.

Revving the engine on the bike, he made a U-turn in the middle of the street and took off to her place. Except that he wasn't going to her new place. He headed to the old building. Jamie didn't know why. He just felt very strongly that Daisy would be there.

Two blocks away, however, he had to pull over because the street was blocked. Fire trucks, police cars, barricades blocked the way. Jamie pushed the bike as close as possible, his heart racing, a feeling of dread filling his lungs. He parked, climbed off and attempted to slip past the roadblock.

“Sorry, sir. You've got to stay behind the barricades,” a young police officer informed him.

“My girlfriend's place is in there. I need to make sure she's all right. Please.” Jamie craned his neck, trying to see past the flashing lights and vehicles as fear stampeded through his veins. “What's going on?” The officer turned away, so Jamie called louder. “Someone tell me what's going on.”

“It's a gas leak.”

Jamie turned. The woman of his dreams was staring up at him with a quirky smile lighting her rosy cheeks.

“Daisy!” He picked her up and spun her around. “Oh my God, Daisy! You're okay. Oh, thank God you're okay.”

She wrapped her arms around him. “So...who's this girlfriend you were talking about?”

He set her down and stared into her sparkling eyes, running his fingers through her hair to the back of her head, bringing her close. He leaned down and whispered, “You. If you'll have me.”

“Hmm,” she hummed playfully. “I'll consider it.”

Resting his forehead against hers, he whispered, “I'm so sorry. I didn't mean any of that stuff I said.”

She pulled back. “Then why'd you say it?”

He touched her jaw, his eyes focusing on her lips. “Something happened to one of my clients. She was hurt and I felt...responsible. I took it out on you.” He rubbed her cheek. “It was so stupid. I'm so stupid. Will you forgive me?”

She rubbed his chest, making gentle circles with her small hands. “You know, I may have said a lot of things I didn't mean when I was upset, too. Like... I hate you and I never want to see you again...you know, little things like that.” She twisted her lips. “When probably all along I was really falling in love with you.”

“Daisy.” His mouth found hers, parted already for him, the sweet taste of forgiveness on her lips, the delicious flavor of love on her tongue.

“I'll forgive you if you forgive me,” she whispered.

“There's nothing to forgive.”

“Good. Then it's all settled.” She pulled back, her sparkling eyes lighting up with an ethereal glow that was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. “Now, want to come see what I've been up to?”

* * *

D
AISY
HELD
ON
TO
Jamie as he drove his bike through the streets of Chicago's warehouse district and parked in front of a large building with a for-lease sign in the window. She climbed off the back, marveling at how much better she was getting at climbing on and off of the thing, even when wearing a dress.

From her bag, she took out the key she'd just been given by her new partners and opened the front door. The front of the building was her favorite part. “This is it,” she said with a grin. “This is the new home of Nana Sin's.”

“What?” Jamie grinned wide. “Really?”

“Yep. Would you like a tour?”

“Of course.”

“This front area is three times larger than the last one, lots of room for people to sit and shelves for all the stuff. In addition to the baked goods, we're going to sell cookbooks and other Nana Sin paraphernalia—T-shirts, coffee cups, gift baskets, that sort of thing.”

“Good idea.”

She took him to the back, where the kitchen was. “This space needs renovating, but if we do it right, it'll give us twice as much room as my old kitchen. You know what that means?”

Jamie took her hand and squeezed. “You can produce twice as much?”

“Exactly. Maybe more. I can hire more people, do more things. We'll create an online ordering system, maybe do some corporate catering. I don't know, but the possibilities are endless.”

“So, who is this ‘we' you keep mentioning?”

“My mother and Alex. They're going to invest and help with business planning. They have some really good ideas and... I think we'll work well together.” Daisy looked around. She didn't see the dusty, rundown space as it was now; she saw it for what it would become; an efficient kitchen full of people and mouthwatering goods. Her vision also included a new and close relationship with her mother.

“That's wonderful.” Jamie beamed down at her, and Daisy suddenly realized he had a bruise blooming high on his right cheekbone. She reached tentatively to touch it. “What happened?”

“Colin.” He touched his face and winced. “He hit me until I saw the light.”

“And what light is that?”

Wrapping his arms around her, he said, “That I'm an idiot and that I love you.”

She smacked his chest. “I knew it!”

God, she loved the sound of his laugh. Still smiling, he framed her face, not saying anything until his expression turned serious. “I don't want to lose you.”

She helped herself to his belt loops, yanking him close. “Good. I don't want to be lost.”

As if he didn't hear her, he continued, “I want you in my life. For good.”

“Good. I want to be in your life. For good.” She slid one hand up his abdomen.

“I don't remember what I did without you.” His hands sifted through her hair.

“Good.” She undid a button on his shirt and then a second. “Because I've got all kinds of plans about what you're going to do to me now. And we're going to start right here in the kitchen.” She hopped up on the dusty counter.

“What is it about you and kitchen counters?” He cupped her jaw, drawing his thumb across her lips.

“Don't know, but they make me hot.” She finished the buttons on his shirt.

“I'm shocked, Daisy. Sex in an industrial kitchen has
health and safety violation
written all over it.”

From somewhere in the ether, Daisy swore she heard her grandmother's hearty chuckle echoing between the industrial pipes in the rafters. Pointing her face to the ceiling, she whispered, “I knew you'd come back!”

“What did you say?”

“Nothing.” She grinned, happier than she had ever been before. “Now, shut up and kiss me.”

* * * * *

Love a really sexy story?
Watch for Daire St. Denis's next book,
BIG SKY SEDUCTION,
coming soon,
only from Harlequin Blaze!

Keep reading for an excerpt from
THE CEO'S UNEXPECTED CHILD
by Andrea Laurence.

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