The Ransom (25 page)

“When?” The words fell out of her mouth. She almost gasped in shock.

“Now. I need you.”

Heaven forbid, she needed him, too.

After taking down his address, she bid him a hasty good-bye and bolted off the bed. Racing into the bathroom, she stared at her reflection. Her breath came fast. Her face was aflame. The eyes that stared back at her were the eyes of a stranger, wild and wide and glassy with anticipation and desire.

She ran cool water into the sink and leaned over the basin to splash it over her heated skin. Lane needed her. And she was going to go to him. Blowing her breath out on a determined sigh, she dried her face on the hand towel and took out her hairbrush. After applying a couple of coats of mascara and adding a slash of dark red lipstick, she strode back into the bedroom and pulled open the doors to her closet.

Wishing she had more time to deliberate, but keener to be with Lane, she chose a simple cotton dress in her favorite teal blue. It skimmed her curves and emphasized her waist, falling in a swirl of fabric to just below her knees.

Quickly shucking off her shorts and T-shirt, she pulled the dress over her head and tightened the sash around her waist. She spotted a pair of wedges in the same shade of blue, and slipped them on her feet. Taking a moment to survey the results in the mirror, she patted her hair in place and checked that her lipstick hadn’t smudged.

Collecting her handbag from the nightstand, she picked up her phone and tossed it inside. Not in the mood to speak with her father, but unwilling to add to his concern by not letting anyone know where she was going, she tugged a notebook out of the drawer of her nightstand and scrawled him a quick note. With nerves and excitement vying for space inside her, she left the room in a rush.

* * *

Clayton pulled up the covers over his sleeping daughter and leaned over to press a kiss against her cheek. The relief of having her home, safe and sound, was overwhelming.

After a check-up at the hospital, Olivia was declared healthy and had been released into the loving arms of her parents. They’d left the hospital together and had returned home. They’d spoken to her in gentle tones about the ordeal, but she’d shared very little with them, other than to apologize over and over again.

It saddened Clayton to know that his daughter felt it was her fault. He swore quietly under his breath that he’d do whatever it took to convince her she wasn’t to blame. With a last glance at her slumbering form, he turned and left the room, leaving the door open as Olivia had requested.

He found Ellie seated on the couch in the living room. Lines of weariness had etched themselves onto her face and dark shadows colored the skin beneath her eyes. She looked as haggard as he felt and his heart turned over at the thought of what they’d been through.

He took a seat beside her and heard her soft sigh. Looking across at her, he caught a glimpse of fresh tears. He shuffled closer and reached for her.

“It’s over, sweetheart. Please don’t cry. We got her back. Our little girl’s safe and sound and unharmed. Please don’t cry.”

His gentle words appeared to unleash an avalanche of emotion in the woman he held in his arms. Ellie’s shoulders shook with barely controlled grief. Clayton pressed kisses against her hair and held her close, knowing her reaction was a normal response to the release of the pressure both of them had suffered since Olivia’s disappearance.

“I’m sorry, Clayton. I’m so sorry,” she cried, her ragged voice muffled against his shirt.

“Hey, it’s okay, darling. We’ve talked about this. It wasn’t your fault. Don’t think for an instant I blame you. Everytime I think about the way I treated you—even before Olivia was taken—I’m overcome with shame. I’m the one who’s sorry.” He shook his head. “I don’t know what I was thinking, letting Olivia behave like that. You love her more than I ever hoped—as much as you love our boys. I should have supported you during the times when she lashed out at you. It wasn’t fair and it wasn’t right and I’ll never let that happen again.”

Ellie lifted her head off his shoulder, her eyes red and swollen from her tears. She stared at him, her expression one of sadness that warred with hope. Clayton’s heart clenched at the pain in her eyes, the agony of it made worse because he knew he was the cause.

Framing her face in his hands, his voice cracked with emotion. “I can’t change what’s happened, but I promise you with everything that I am that I’ll make it up to you. I promise from now on we’ll deal with Olivia and her needs together, united as one. She’s our daughter and we love her, but you’re my wife and I love you more than anything in the world.”

“Oh, Clayton,” Ellie gasped. Another wave of tears sparkled in her eyes, but a tiny, trembling smile tugged at her lips, chasing the pain away. “I love you so much.”

Tilting her chin upwards, he leaned down and brought his lips to hers. She melted against him, her mouth moving under his, matching the desperate passion that coursed through him.

His arms pressed her tightly against him. He kissed her like a starving man, silently vowing never to let anything come between them again.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Tuesday, January 30, 1:22 p.m.

Lane pulled back the curtain in the living room for what felt like the hundredth time and checked the street below.

Nothing
.

He’d spoken to her more than an hour earlier. She should have been there by now. Perhaps she’d taken down the directions wrong? Perhaps she’d gotten lost? Perhaps she’d simply changed her mind?

With a groan, he turned away, unable to believe the state he’d gotten himself in.
What the hell was he?
A randy teenager? Anyone would think he was on his first date, about to go all the way for the first time.

He wiped sweaty palms on the shorts he’d hastily donned and tried to think of something else.
The fact that she hadn’t called was good news, right?
Surely, if she were lost or had changed her mind, she’d call him. It was just plain good manners and she struck him as someone who believed manners were important.

He looked around his condo and was grateful he’d taken the time to tidy up a bit. The pile of clothes he’d cast on the floor had been deposited into the laundry hamper, along with his wet towel and last week’s newspapers had been tidied away off the couch. He’d even put on a fresh pot of coffee.

A knock at the door drew his attention and his heart stuttered. He wiped his hands again on his shorts and hurried forward to open it.

She was wearing another floaty kind of dress, this time in a bluey-green color that highlighted the golden tones of her skin. Her full lips sparkled with burgundy lipstick. Her smile was shy and hesitant.

“Hi,” she said and her gaze skittered away.

“Hi to you, too.” Heat crept up his neck. He cleared his throat and then turned abruptly and headed back inside. “Come in,” he threw over his shoulder and escaped into the hall.

Get a hold of yourself, mate. What the hell are you doing? She’s just a girl. So what if you like her more than any other girl since Sonia Bullan in the fifth grade? She’ll go running for her life if you don’t stop acting so weird. Now, get a grip.

Lane drew in a deep breath and turned to face her. “I’m sorry. Can we try again? I’m…I’m a little nervous.”

Her face filled with relief. She smiled again, this time with more confidence. “Really? I thought it was only me.”

He grinned and moved closer. “Nope. I’m so nervous I have sweaty palms and I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve had to visit the bathroom. How’s that for impressive?”

She laughed outright and the light sound of it went straight through him, exciting him on so many levels.

Her smiling gaze met his. “I’m so nervous, I took the wrong turn like…five times and I have a state-of-the-art navigation system mounted on my dash. How’s that for lame?”

“I wondered what was taking you so long.”

Her smile widened and she ducked her head in an effort to conceal the blush that stole across her cheeks. Lane’s heart clenched.
God, she was beautiful.

“Can I get you a drink? Tea? Coffee? Something stronger?”

“Coffee would be great. It smells good.”

Lane moved into the kitchen, inordinately pleased when she followed him. He pulled two mugs out of the cupboard. “How do you take it?”

“White with one, thanks.”

He frowned and opened another cupboard, hunting around inside for the sugar. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had someone over who’d asked for it. He grimaced when he realized he had none and turned toward her with a sheepish smile on his lips.

“I’m sorry, but it looks like I’m all out. Sugar’s not something I use a lot of.”

She smiled back at him and his heart did another somersault. “That’s fine. I’ll do without.”

“Great.”

Striding over to the fridge, he pulled the door open and came up short. The shelves were decidedly bare.
Oh, hell, he didn’t have any milk
. With cheeks flaming, he faced her again and slowly shook his head.

“Let me guess, you don’t have milk, either. Right?”

Grimacing, he nodded.

“Well, I guess I’ll take it black.” She grinned mischievously. “Let’s start again, shall we? Hi, Lane, great to see you. I’d love some coffee. Black would be great.” She turned her face up to him, her eyes glinting with laughter. “How did I do?”

He tried not to laugh, but despite his best efforts, it burst out anyway. “Good. You did good. And you wouldn’t believe it, but it’s your lucky day. Black coffee I can do.”

Their gazes locked. For the life of him, he couldn’t look away and it seemed, neither could she.

The silence between them lengthened. Her eyes went wide. Then lips parted. The smallest sliver of pink tongue peeked outside and swept across them. His heart thumped. Blood rushed to his groin.

“Zara?” His voice had turned husky with need.

Her chest rose and fell more quickly, with excitement or apprehension, he couldn’t tell. But then she took a step toward him, her gaze still on his.

“I want you, Lane.”

It was the only encouragement he needed. In two long strides, he closed the distance between them and took her in his arms. Crushing her to him, he lowered his lips to hers, groaning aloud as he finally tasted the softness of her lush mouth. His arms tightened around her.

“Oh, God, you taste so good.” He angled his mouth and increased the pressure. His tongue glided over her lips, seeking entry. She gave it freely and he slid his tongue inside her mouth and relished the warmth and softness that met him. She tasted as good as he’d imagined. Better.

Anticipation surged through him and pulsed hot and hard through his veins and immediately centered in his cock. He pressed his erection against her and was gratified when she leaned into him and her arms crept around his neck.

Fire ignited in his groin. He kissed her harder, more urgently. His hands tugged at her clothing, loosening the belt at her waist. It came free and he started on the row of little white buttons that began at her neckline and ran down the length of her dress. His fingers slipped and fumbled and he cursed aloud.

Zara laughed and dipped her head, a blush stealing into her cheeks. “Here, let me,” she murmured.

He gazed at her hands, fascinated by the daintiness of her fingers, each nail painted a soft, pearly pink. The buttons opened one by one. Each time one was released, a little more of her smooth, tanned skin was exposed. When she was done, he pushed the dress off her shoulders. It pooled at her feet.

He stared at her.

“You’re so beautiful.”

When her blushed deepened, warmth spread through him. His heart filled with tenderness.

“You look like you don’t believe me,” he whispered and brushed a strand of black hair off her face.

She lowered her head, her face hidden behind a curtain of silky, dark hair. “My father’s the only man who’s ever called me beautiful and everyone knows that doesn’t count.”

Lane shook his head in disbelief. “What about all your past boyfriends? Were they blind?”

Zara dropped her gaze. “To tell you the truth, there…there haven’t been that many who’ve been in a position to comment. I-I haven’t exactly been a social butterfly. My boyfriends have been fairly thin on the ground. I guess I’ve spent most of my adult life either at university or at work.”

Lane couldn’t help the surge of surprise and contentment that flooded through him. A rush of protectiveness rushed through his veins. He wrapped his arms around her and drew her close. “I knew right from the start you were special,” he whispered against the softness of her hair.

* * *

Zara breathed in the warm, manly scent of him and tried to quell her nerves. As much as she wanted this, wanted him, she was scared her inexperience would show and would turn him off.

Not that he seemed to be concerned at the moment, if the rock hard erection against her belly was any indication—but all they’d done was kiss. It might be a different story once they were completely naked.

As if sensing her shyness, Lane pulled back and looked down at her with tenderness and concern.