After tossing back the alcohol, he pushed off the sofa and leaned against the porch railing. He hated talking about how he’d failed his wife. How the guilt of her abduction haunted him. “The kidnapper sent me a GPS location. It led us to her car, abandoned in a remote area of Virginia. Her blood was found in the interior. I never saw her again.”
“I’m so sorry.”
She set the glass on the table and rubbed her neck. “Who told you to give them that amount?”
“I did it on my own. The detective, along with Luther, advised menotto give in to their demand until we knew who we were dealing with.”
“What does Sammy know?”
“Since Beth’s body was never found, she was presumed dead. When Sammy started asking about her mom, I told her that she had died.”
Providence pushed off the sofa. “Do you have the blackmail letter?”
“The detective took it as evidence, but I have a photo.” He scrolled through his phone until he found it. He hadn’t seen the handwritten letter in years.
IF YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR WIFE AGAIN, DEPOSIT $500,000 TO BANK TAHITI, ACCOUNT 84739083. NO MONEY, NO WIFE. YOU HAVE ONE WEEK.
“I know this must be difficult for you,” she said, stroking his back. “Thanks for showing me that.”
It pained him to discuss this. He couldn’t bring Beth back and, as he stared into Providence’s eyes, guilt grew in his heart. For the past three and a half years, he’d kept women at a comfortable distance. The longer he knew Providence, the closer he wanted her to be. And he wasn’t sure how to reconcile his newfound feelings.
For now, all of that could wait. Over the next few hours, he had something in mind that didn’t require any reconciling at all.
18
The Awakening
Providence was grateful Dakota had offered her refuge, but her thank you extended beyond what was deemed appropriate guest behavior. She wanted to screw his brains out, for starters.
“I should go to sleep,” she murmured, fighting against the mounting need thrumming through her.
He cupped her chin, dipped down, and kissed her. “Your bed or mine?”
“Someone has to do the right thing.”
“We will, and we’ll do it together.”
“That’s not why I’m here.”
“But you are here and we can’t control how we feel.”
“We?”
“We’re crazy attracted to each other. We have commitment phobia. We haven’t loved in a long time. And we’re the kind of people who take one day at a time.” He dropped one more soft kiss on her lips before murmuring, “I’m leading with my heart on this one.”
She glanced at his crotch. “I think you’re leading with your teeny tiny man balls.”
He laughed. “My compass is pointing due north toward Miss Rhode Island.”
That made her laugh, then the smile fell away. “I don’t want Sammy finding out.”
“We’ll make sure you’re in the guest room before she wakes up.”
“You want me tosleepin your bed?”
“I’m not having sex with you, then tossing you out. I want to hold you and keep you safe all night long.”
She melted from how much he wanted to protect her. His sensual kiss was a tease for all the other ones she would receive as soon as she crawled into his bed.
