He didn’t talk about it.
He didn’t dream about it anymore.
He’d stopped caring—or so he thought.
I shouldn’t have talked about it today.
Jared cursed himself for screwing up as he lay back on his pillows, wondering why in the hell he’d blurted out his sordid secrets to Mara Ross. To her credit, she hadn’t asked any more questions. She’d dropped him off to get his car where he’d parked at the farmers’ market and had said a polite good-bye to him as he’d exited the truck, embarrassed for spilling his guts to her. Granted, his somber mood hadn’t exactly invited any further conversation, but he was fairly certain that he’d probably frightened the shit out of her, rendering her silent.
Why the hell did I tell her? I found peace from nightmares, and I had my control back, dammit. I have for years.
Rolling over in bed, he pounded the pillow, trying to alleviate his jumbled thoughts so he could sleep again. Regardless of how he’d blurted out his dark past to Mara, he still planned on helping her, whether she wanted his help now or not. She was likely afraid of him now—what woman wouldn’t be if he’d blurted out that he was a killer?
It won’t keep me from helping her out, even if I have to do it anonymously now somehow because I opened my big mouth and told her the truth.
Flopping onto his back again, he scowled into the dark as thunder rolled outside, the wind starting to kick up as the rain began to fall. Jared could hear the fat droplets as they plopped against the glass of his bedroom windows.
I wonder if her roof is leaking. I wonder if she’s okay.
He found himself actually counting the days until he could get Mara out of that house, a death trap disguised as a neglected home. Unfortunately, they hadn’t been able to discuss their business any further because he’d been uncomfortable talking about anything after his confession, but he planned on tracking her down early in the morning. He’d stalk her if he had to until she agreed to his terms. Her ability to make a living depended on it.
“Fuck,” he cursed in a harsh whisper as his house vibrated with the next roll of thunder, the lightning momentarily illuminating his massive bedroom. The storm just kept getting worse, the rain pounding against the windows as the howling wind made the droplets come down at an angle. “She’s probably drowning in that damn old house.”
Jared sat up in bed again, frustrated. He wasn’t going to fall back asleep anytime soon. Leaning over, he clicked on the bedside lamp, got out of bed completely nude, and wandered over to the window. The only thing he could see was the beacon of the lighthouse in town, situated at the end of the Amesport Pier. Amazingly, the coastal town actually had a functioning lighthouse. In an era of GPS, radar, and other technology, so many lighthouses didn’t function anymore. Hoping like hell there were actually no boats out in this ferocious storm, he focused his gaze toward the approximate area where he knew Mara’s house was located.
Nothing but darkness.
It was well after midnight, and most people in town were sleeping. Even if they weren’t, it was unlikely he could actually see lights that were any dimmer than the blazing glow from the lighthouse from this far away. Although he’d built his home on the side of the Peninsula closest to Amesport, and his bedroom window faced town and the Atlantic, downtown Amesport was still a few miles away.
Turning away from the window even more aggravated, Jared searched for his pants on the floor and rifled through the pockets until he found his cell phone. He crawled back into his bed, gripping the phone hard in his fist, willing himself not to call her.
She’s sleeping. You aren’t going to call her now.
But what if she wasn’t? What if the house was leaking so badly that she wasn’t asleep? What if she needed help and nobody was there to help her?
In the end, Jared dialed her number, contact information she’d given him back when he’d been researching his family history. Come to think of it, he really needed to talk to her about handing out her number so easily to anybody who might need information. But right at the moment, he hoped like hell that it was her home phone as well as her business.
“Hello?”
Mara’s sleepy, husky voice made Jared’s dick stand at attention immediately. Erotic visions filled his mind. They all included Mara in his bed with him, in various positions, and always coming hard.
He clasped the phone, knowing his greatest pleasure in having Mara here in his bed would be that he would know that she was safe, away from a home with a leaking roof and other possible safety hazards.
“It’s me.” Stupid response, but it was about all he could get out of his mouth when he was imagining her in his bed, naked and having multiple orgasms.
“Hello, you.”
Jared listened intently, able to tell by her breathlessness that she was sitting up in bed, becoming more aware of her surroundings. “Is your roof leaking?” he asked abruptly, feeling like an idiot now because he’d given in to the urge to call. She’d obviously been sleeping comfortably. The last thing she needed was a middle-of-the-night call from a near-stalker acquaintance who’d just admitted to killing two people earlier that day.
“It’s leaking pretty badly. I’m glad you called. I need to change out the buckets.”
His heart was pounding as loud as the rain against his house, relief washing over him as he realized he hadn’t scared her away because he’d opened his big mouth earlier. She didn’t sound the least bit frightened of him.
I’m glad you called. I’m glad you called. Jared didn’t much care why she was okay with him calling her, it only matter that she didn’t mind.