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“Hopefully,” I said in a singsong voice. After ending the call, I finally poured the wine, tossing my phone onto the table while I walked by, heading for the French doors.
The Mediterranean feel of the home was inviting. Between the arched windows and doorways, the spectacular fireplaces made of stone and the pristine gardens, Lachlan’s estate was beautiful. I checked my watch, curious as to when he’d get home. Good God. Now I was questioning his whereabouts instead of celebrating the fact he’d left me to my own devices for a while.
One night of raw passion and suddenly I needed his itinerary? No, I needed a CAT-scan. Maybe a walk in the gardens would clear the peach fuzz from my head. At least it was a warm afternoon, the light breeze refreshing.
I headed outside onto the patio, admiring the canopy-style awning. While the huge covering offered a shaded respite from the humid summers, I preferred the feel of sun on my face. I moved to the second, less formal patio positioned by a pool that I wondered if anyone had taken a swim in recently.
As I walked around the perimeter, I allowed my thoughts to drift to Lachlan. I’d tried so hard to shove the man and images of his stunning physique out of my mind, but just like his bulldozer personality, they shot back into my mind every few minutes. Was it possible I’d misjudged the man? Maybe. Even worse. Was it plausible to think I liked him? Now I was treading on a dangerously thin line.
Still, just thinking about him forced me to press two fingers across my mouth, remembering his rough kisses and the way he’d held me in his strong arms. I’d enjoyed every second of being with him. I envisioned Jackie wagging her finger at me and smiled. As I sipped the wine, the images of his naked body refused to leave, every thought pushing the boundaries of filth and sin.
He did that to me.
I turned away from the pool, trying to concentrate on the lush foliage and beautiful arrangements of flowering shrubs. Maybe I’d expected Lachlan to live in a castle of stone surrounded by a moat. The thought allowed me to laugh. I checked my watch again. Somehow, almost thirty minutes had passed.
I had no idea what to do or what was expected of me. He hadn’t left any rules, other than to return to the house. Was I supposed to wear something or be a certain location in the house? Maybe naked and down on my knees? The thought was repulsive.
Or was it?
I turned around sharply, allowing the water to call to the inner bad girl. I yanked off my shoes and eased onto the edge, testing the temperature with my big toe. It was surprisingly warm, allowing me to slide my feet in. A few seconds later, I found myself laughing. If the man didn’t enjoy this, he was crazy. Being able to kick my feet in the water was refreshing.
Every sip of wine tasted better than the one before. Within a couple of minutes I’d finished more than half a glass. While I’d nibbled on some food at lunch, the knots in my stomach had prevented me from devouring food, which I usually did. Maybe I was lightheaded because I had no clue what to expect from Lachlan. Whips and chains perhaps?
There was no reason to cover my mouth while laughing, but the latest set of images also made me snort. When I heard a noise, I tensed. Was that the wind? Then I heard footsteps, although they were much slower than I was used to with Lachlan. He always acted as if he was a man on a mission, in absolute control of everything and everyone around him.
An eerie feeling swept over me, and I struggled to my feet, not bothering with my heels. I almost called out Lachlan’s name but thought better of it. When I finally noticed a figure headed in my direction, I raised my arm against my forehead, shielding my eyes from the sun.
A cold shiver skated down my spine, a strange but very strong urge to run sweeping through me. The man headed in my direction wasn’t Lachlan. When the visitor came into view, I was frozen on the spot.
What the hell was Ernest Davidson doing here and how had he gotten in? My father’s words drifted into my mind.
Wearing dark shades and a black suit, he gave off dangerous vibes.
It was at that moment I realized that with him being a doctor, he would know the best way to strangle a person with ease. As my father used to tell me, my mind worked in scattered brain ways. However, a sickening six sense refused to unclasp its sharp claws from my throat.
He obviously noticed the shocked look on my face, smiling warmly as he continued his approach. “I didn’t mean to frighten you, Ms. Winston. I did try and call and I rang the bell several times, but I knew you were inside.”
He knew? First of all, how did he know where I was? Had he been following me? “I’m sorry. What are you doing here?”
“There’s nothing to be sorry about.” He came closer, cocking his head as I folded my arms out of fear as well as defiance. “I just wanted a chance to have a conversation with you.”
When he came closer, I instinctively took a step away, giving him a stern look.
He acted as if my disdain for his sudden appearance was completely unexpected. “I can tell you’re confused.”
“You’re right. This is a private residence of a friend of mine.” Who was I kidding? He, like several million other people, had likely seen the news broadcast.
He laughed, sniffing as he glanced at the pool. “I’m a good friend of Lachlan’s. I thought I’d take the opportunity to congratulate both of you, especially because of the wonderful cause you represented. I do so love animals myself. And I admit the other reason for my abrupt appearance was that I wanted a chance to ask you to reconsider and stay on my case.”
As expected, Trent had contacted him immediately. His carefully crafted words troubled me more than I would let on. “I’m sorry, Dr. Davidson, but both Mr. Abbot and I feel my involvement at this time is a conflict of interest.”
“So I heard,” he said as he removed his shades, folding them slowly then sliding them into the outside pocket of his jacket. His stark, cold stare gave me a series of prickles, but my anger was starting to kick in. “I must tell you that I’m not very happy with the decision.”
“I’m sorry. Neither Mr. Abbot nor I were anticipating what happened at the auction.”
“No, of course not,” he said thoughtfully. “I was going to have a chat with Lachlan about that too. He knew better than to…” When he laughed, the sound sent a cold chill through me.
Than to what? I narrowed my eyes, shifting to the side to keep the sun out of my eyes. The bastard moved exactly the name number of inches as well.
