CHAPTER FIFTEEN
‡
Shailyn woke to sunshine. She closed her eyes once more and laid there for a moment, mulling over in her mind what was wrong with this scenario.
Peace.
She was experiencing peace and what a wonderful sentiment it was in the bright morning light.
“Your coffee is on your side of the bed on the nightstand.”
Shailyn slowly smiled at the rasp of Townes’ voice and the way he referred to her side of the bed. Most men would wake up speaking in that rough manner, but it would fade by their second or third word. Not Townes. His vocal cords had been damaged in some way that he’d yet to share.
“I’m warm.”
“The sun is shining directly on you, woman.”
Leave it to Townes to point out the obvious. He understood exactly what she meant, but he wasn’t allowing her to go there.
“I didn’t dream about him, either.”
Shailyn lifted her lashes, but Townes was nowhere in sight. She leaned up on her elbows to find that he was watching her from his position at the bottom of the bed. It was as if he were searching her expression for something only he would recognize. She broke eye contact to look around the room…his room.
“I might have slipped you a sleeping pill last night.”
Shailyn quickly brought her gaze back to him to see if he were telling the truth, but his small grin gave him away.
“I wanted to be here when your parents arrived, but Coen’s found something that I need to personally see for myself out at the site.”
Townes wasn’t dressed in his usual pair of faded jeans. In their place was a pair of black dress pants. It was then she realized that he held a tie in his hand. Something had happened. She sat straight up, her previous unusual warmth evaporating. She missed it already.
“Why?”
“I want you to focus on your parents today,” Townes said, trying to divert her attention. It wasn’t working, but he took her by surprise when he walked around the side of the bed and softly pressed his lips to her forehead. Visions of last night flooded her mind. “They may try to influence your decisions, freckles. Don’t let the distractions pull your attention away from what is important.”
Shailyn wasn’t able to find her voice before Townes picked up his shoulder holster and left the bedroom. She sat there rather helplessly and tried to gather her thoughts. Last night had been unexpected. When was the last time she’d broken down like that? Granted, the intimate feel of his lips against her bare skin…against her scars…had almost broken her. It had broken her.
She lifted a hand to her neck, realizing that she hadn’t covered the disfigurements during their conversation. Her life was changing rapidly, yet it wasn’t permanent. Was she setting herself up for heartbreak once again? Was it possible this brief safety would be ripped out from under her before she was ready to say goodbye? Her father wasn’t going to be part of that decision this time.
“You’ve faced this before,” Shailyn whispered to herself as she tossed the covers aside. She swung her legs over the side of the bed. His bed. She wanted it to be hers too. Butterflies invaded her stomach at having reached a decision, and they became even more agitated when the door reopened to reveal Townes. “I don’t want to go back to WITSEC.”
To say that he appeared taken aback by her abrupt declaration was an understatement. He’d evidently returned for his suit jacket that was lying over the end of the bed, but he made no move to retrieve it.
Had she made a mistake? Had she misread his intentions?
“I want more.”
Townes had composed himself and slowly closed the distance between them. He knelt beside the bed in front of her, though they were still eye level given his large frame. He didn’t touch her, but set both hands on either side of her. His grey eyes had darkened into what she could only describe as an oncoming storm.
“Do you only want this safety I’m giving you, or do you want everything that comes with it?”
Townes was asking if she wanted him.
“It’s not this place that provides me shelter, Townes. It’s you.” Shailyn placed a tentative hand on his cheek. “You give me warmth. Your presence allows me to sleep. I’m at peace when I’m with you, which tells me that the connection we share can’t be severed by distance or time. I don’t want to be forced to walk away from you ever again.”
Townes rested his large hand over hers, turning his head so that he could kiss her palm. Warmth flooded her, but this time it wasn’t unexpected. Her soul mended a little more from his tender touch.
“Calvert, we need to—” Sawyer broke off his statement when he caught sight of them from the hallway. Townes must have left the door open when he came to retrieve his jacket, but she didn’t mind being caught in such an intimate position. It had become clear from meeting the team in Maine that they understood the depth of their feelings for one another. “Sorry. I’ll be waiting downstairs when you’re ready.”
Shailyn let her gaze drift back to Townes, who hadn’t been fazed by the interruption in the least. He was so formidable in his wants and needs. His confidence in what could be led to her strength.
“There are still quite a lot of loose ends that I’d like to see dealt with before we make any decisions.” Townes brought her hand down to her lap, but never released his grip on her fingers. Had she misread his signals? Her stomach knotted. She would have pulled away from his touch had he not stopped her. “Let me reword that, because it’s clear you misunderstood me. I want you here, freckles. Too many years were spent apart, and I’m partly to blame for that. I allowed outside influences to sway my instinct of what was right. Be assured, that will never happen again. But I also understand the tremendous impressions you’re experiencing from the possibility that Moss is dead.”
Townes thought she was reacting on emotion. He wasn’t wrong, but he was incorrect about his belief that she might be confusing her reasons for wanting to here…for wanting him.
“Let me be clear.” Shailyn couldn’t prevent the catch in her breath at the intensity of his gaze. “I want you here. But should you decide to stay, that’s it. I won’t let you go for any reason under the sun, and I’ll fight anything or anyone who tries to stand in our way—including your father or even your own fear. We will live in every way as a normal, loving couple.”
Shailyn managed to swallow the lump in her throat after Townes spelled out for her the meaning of this firm stance. Her father was a very powerful man in his own right, and he did have a lot of sway with a good amount of influential people. As for the other implication, that remained to be seen. He hadn’t seen her body in a very long time.
“Your parents are coming here to visit you. They still believe you’re dead, and that is for a very valid reason, as you well know. I wish I could be here to stem the shock they’re going to suffer, as well as buffer you from their anger toward my decision to hide that fact from them.” Townes lifted both of her hands and pressed his warm lips against her knuckles. “I’ll do my best to make it back before they leave this evening. I’m sure your father will have a few choice words dreamed up for me. Until then, enjoy this time with them. Deflect blame on me, if need be. You deserve some quality time with them, freckles.”
And just like that, Townes left the room as if he’d never been back. He snagged his suit jacket with a long reach of his arm before he crossed the threshold. Did he know he’d left her breathless? Did he comprehend her body’s response to his declaration regarding her decision? He basically claimed her as his own, and while that would have offended her had he said it in any other manner…his virility was intoxicating regardless of her fears.
Shailyn figured she stayed where she was in his room for at least another ten minutes before she composed herself enough to transit back to her own. It took her another hour before she was showered and dressed, though she’d gone through three outfits with six different scarves before deciding on the appropriate apparel. Most of her clothes were for lounging around the house. Her only saving grace was that she’d had to pack everything she owned, which included the eight or so ensembles she could wear in public when the rare opportunity arose.
“Knock, knock,” Remy called out lightly with a rap on the door. Shailyn turned to see both the pretty blonde and Camryn standing in the hallway. Neither one of them would ever know the painstaking care she had to take when making herself presentable. It was hard not to experience a bit of envy. “Brody called up from his office. Your parents are five minutes out.”
Shailyn nodded her appreciation for the early notification before turning to look at herself in the full-length mirror. She was back in her room and wishing Townes had been able to stay for this long overdue reunion. She wasn’t ready to do this by herself. She needed his strength.
“You look beautiful. I love the navy blue scarf.” Camryn had come to stand behind her, reaching around for the brush still in her grip. She met Shailyn’s gaze in the mirror as she held up the brush for permission. “May I?”
“Of course,” Shailyn replied, watching as the bristles drew back her auburn hair. Camryn did the same on the other side, combining the two sections together and twisting them in a beautiful knot. She held it in place and then peeked over Shailyn’s shoulder for approval. “I love it.”
“Here, use my clip,” Remy offered as she let her blonde hair fall around her shoulders. “And look, your nails match your lipstick. I love it!”
Shailyn hadn’t noticed it before, but the rose-colored polish did match her lipstick. She looked over her appearance one more time with satisfaction. Remy and Camryn’s presence also helped in giving her the confidence she needed for the emotional reunion about to take place.
“Thank you.” Shailyn had to clear her throat, but she managed to convey her appreciation for their friendship. She missed having this type of encouragement. “I think I’m ready.”
“Need some backup? I’ve taken a course in self-defense when it comes to overbearing parents.”
Shailyn smiled when she saw Brett enter the room. Carter and Pam Doyle would no doubt remember the sweet little brunette from middle school. Should a distraction be needed, Brett would certainly be able to provide it.
“I would love some,” Shailyn responded before taking a very deep breath to calm her nerves. She’d taken extra time with her makeup, but she highly doubted she would have any mascara left within the first five minutes of seeing her parents. She’d missed them so much. “I think I’m ready.”
“Let’s do this. We’re right behind you.”
Brett held out her hand, which Shailyn took gratefully. It wasn’t long before all four women descended the staircase, where Ashlyn already had her hand on the doorknob of the front door.
A light buzzing sound took up residence in Shailyn’s ears that eventually drowned out whatever was being said around her. Her vision had slightly tunneled to where all her concentration was on the entrance Ashlyn had revealed by opening the front door.
There stood her parents who were expecting to see Townes Calvert. No doubt they thought Townes had requested their presence to go over the details of Moss’ death.
They’d both aged far more than Shailyn would have thought they would. Her mother was still a beautiful woman, but the grief of losing a child had taken its toll. Her pallor was visible against the black blouse she was wearing, as well as the slight puffiness around her green eyes. She stared at Shailyn in horror for a few moments before accepting that the person standing before her was truly her daughter and not some apparition sent to cause her more grief.
“My baby,” Pam whispered in a strangled tone as she rushed into the house and wrapped Shailyn in a protective embrace.
It had been so long since Shailyn had seen her parents, let alone been held by her mother. She clung to what had been and what could be. Tears for time lost, memories remembered, and the chance for a future fell from both their eyes.
She wasn’t sure how long they stood in each other’s arms, but eventually her father joined them. He embraced them both without a word, though he silently cried as he rested his forehead against her shoulder.
Her parents deserved an explanation, but now was the time for all of them to appreciate this moment…to recognize the value of family.
*
He sipped the bitter coffee as he took in the cooler morning temperatures. He preferred tea, but this hot beverage would have to do.
The cabin had been rather chilly last night. He hadn’t lit a fire for fear it would draw attention from some random hiker or some idiot out to retrieve a souvenir from his nearby gravesite. It wouldn’t do to have carefully arranged such a well thought-out plan, only to have it fail due to such a chance encounter with a well-meaning simpleton.
He would have taken a seat to enjoy the sweet melody from the birds had he not noticed the silence.
Why?
An unfamiliar discomfort settled over him at the unnerving stillness of the woods.
Something wasn’t right.
Someone was coming to see him.