Well, Grey wouldn’t be calling her because she hadn’t given him her number. And she wasn’t about to be rejected again, so she couldn’t call him.

  With a heavy sigh, she retrieved their cups, rinsed them, and put them in the dishwasher. Then she turned off the coffee pot and made her rounds through the house, checking all the windows and doors to make sure they were locked. Tonight she would sleep with the air conditioning on. Her nerves were on edge. She’d never get any sleep with them open.

  After turning off the lights she went upstairs and prepared for bed. Exhausted and wired at the same time, she lay in bed staring at the ceiling. Images of Grey invaded her thoughts, making sleep even more impossible.

  Flopping onto her side, she forced her eyes closed. Grey’s amazing eyes and sexy-as-sin smile filled her head, causing her womanly parts to tingle. Good Lord, at this rate, she’d never get any sleep.

  Too bad she’d screwed up her date with him.

  Chapter Five

  Grey sat in his truck outside Reganne’s house unable to leave. He watched the lights go dark downstairs, then turn on upstairs. Minutes later the house went dark. Images of Reganne lying naked between her sheets invaded his good intentions. Not that he had any idea what she slept in, but nude painted a gorgeous picture in his head.

  Damn. He’d planned on staking out her house for a bit in case someone had been peeking in her windows, not to have fantasies about her. God help the fool that decided to creep around Reganne’s house because his mood made him want to unleash on someone right now. Tonight had been the best date of his life. Before it all went downhill when Reganne said she’d always worry about him because of his career.

  Storming out probably hadn’t been the best way to handle it. Hearing those words come out of her mouth had hit him square in the chest. He’d been unprepared for them.

  He rubbed his forehead. He’d acted like an ass. If Reganne never called him, he wouldn’t blame her. This was exactly the reason he didn’t date. Too complicated.

  Deuce and Tag could have marriage and relationships. He wanted nothing to do with that mess. One date had proven that.

  Yet, here he sat outside her house watching over her. Protecting her. When he should be driving as fast as he could to the cabin and spend his leave fishing on his grandfather’s boat. Alone. No distractions. No rock in his gut because he’d screwed up. Letting peaceful Lake Toliver acclimate him to civilian life instead of sitting outside Reganne’s house thinking about her naked in bed. And wanting to be there with her.

  Sex worked as a great way to blow off steam after a mission, but his attraction to Reganne threatened to go deeper than that.

  Turning the key, he brought the engine to life and backed out of the driveway. As the headlights swung across the house he braked to a stop. A dark figure ran out from behind one of the pillars beneath the house.

  With a curse, Grey slammed the truck into park and took off after him. His shoes sank into soft sand but it didn’t slow him down any. He’d trained on these beaches. Still ran five miles on them every morning during leave.

  The figure darted between two houses. Grey followed, slowing down when he rounded the corner. A motion-sensor light triggered, illuminating the yard and road. Cars sat in driveways, some porch lights on, others dark. No dogs barked to alert him to the presence of the man he chased.

  “Damn it,” he muttered under his breath, scanning both right and left and seeing nothing. Circling around, he jogged back to his truck, turned it off and grabbed the keys. Reganne had definitely seen someone in her window and the creep might still be around.

  Like it or not, he wasn’t going anywhere tonight.

  He climbed the steps and knocked on Reganne’s door. With luck she hadn’t fallen asleep yet. A light turned on upstairs, then down.

  “Who’s there?” she called out.

  “Reganne? It’s me, Grey. I need you to let me in.”

  “Why?” Hesitant. Wary.

  Not that he blamed her after the way he’d left earlier. “We need to talk.”

  “It’s late. I really don’t feel like talking.” On the other side of the door now. “Why are you still here?”

  “You were right. Someone was outside your window.”

  The lock turned and the door opened to reveal a pale-faced Reganne wearing nothing but a silk nightie and matching robe that barely covered her thighs. The robe belted around her slender waist, the neckline plunging just deep enough to make him sweat.

  “You saw someone?”

  “Yes.”

  She held the door open wider for him to enter. He brushed past her, waiting until she’d reset the alarm to move farther into the room.

  “What did you see?” she asked, motioning for him to sit.

  “A man ran out from underneath your house. I chased him, but lost him.”

  “Wait. How did you see him? You left.”

  He sat down on the sofa, much as he had earlier. Reganne remained standing, her arms wrapped around her waist.

  “I decided to stake out your house for a while. In case the guy came back.”

  Unsure how she’d react, he watched a myriad of emotions cross her face. None of them being anger.

  She dropped down on the sofa opposite him, looking stunned. “You believed me?”

  He frowned. “I did.”

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  He got up and moved to sit next to her, wrapping his hand around hers where they folded in her lap. “What’s going on, Reganne?”

  She stared at their hands. “I don’t know who to trust.” Her voice was sad and low.

  “You can trust me.”

  Her head lifted, her gaze meeting his. “I just met you.”

  He grinned. “Yeah, but I’m a SEAL and I can’t lie.”

  “Is that true?”

  “No.”

  She laughed. “You got me.”

  “Got you to smile, though.”

  “You do have a way of doing that.”

  Pride swelled in his chest. Who could ever make this woman sad? Her smile lit up the room. He’d do anything to keep it there.

  “Wanna tell me what’s got you so spooked?”

  “Not really.”

  His turn to laugh. He hadn’t expected such brutal honesty. “Well, I can’t force you to tell me, but I wish you would. Maybe I can help.”

  Her gaze dropped. “If I’m right about who was here then no one can help.”

  “Let me try.”

  “The police weren’t able to stop him. What makes you think you can?”

  He cupped her chin and forced her eyes to meet his. “Because it will be over my dead body that I ever let anyone hurt you.”

  ****

  Reganne stared into Grey’s intense grey eyes, the warmth of his hand calming her nerves a little. His gruff vow echoed through her head. So badly she wanted to trust him, confide in someone, but the last time she’d done that she’d ended up in a coma.

  Besides, she didn’t know for sure if Carsen was the one who’d been at her window. Or left the poem. Or made the prank phone call. Even though they were his M.O. What was the chance she’d have another stalker?

  If she had this all wrong and Carsen hadn’t found her then she would be confessing all for nothing. Admitting to Grey what a fool she’d been to trust a man like Carsen, to fall for his charms, to believe him the perfect man. To have missed the signs that seemed so glaringly obvious now.

  She didn’t like admitting she’d fallen for a psycho.

  If Carsen had found her then the last thing she intended to do was put Grey’s life in danger, too. No matter how flattered she was that he’d already endangered himself for her by chasing off the stranger.

  Torn between wanting to lean on his broad shoulders and let him handle Carsen—because she wasn’t sure she could go through that again—and pushing him far, far away to protect him, Reganne leaned into his touch. She couldn’t help it. His callused hand felt so good. It had been a long time since a man had touched her.

  When his hand opened, his thumb lightly stroking her cheek, she closed her eyes, absorbing his caress. The way he touched her indicated she could trust him, that he would protect her. She turned her head and pressed her lips to his palm.

  “If this is your way of distracting me, then you’re doing one hell of a good job,” he said, low and husky.

  “Good, because I’m not going to bore you with my past.”

  His hand cupped her nape, his thumb feathering down the side of her neck. Goosebumps rose on her arms, traveling to her toes.

  “I doubt I’d find anything you said boring.”

  Oh, this man was going to be the death of her. In more ways than one if she didn’t send him packing. It took effort, but she pulled away, put distance between them. “Thanks for staying and keeping an eye on things, but you can go.”

  “You’re sure?”

  No. “Yes.”

  “I’d like to see you again.”

  Her heart fluttered. More than anything she wanted to spend time with him. But, until she found out if Carsen had found her she couldn’t take the risk.

  “I’ve got a busy schedule this week.”

  He leaned over, kissed her cheek, and rose to his feet. “You have my number. If anything changes, give me a call.”

  She walked him to the door, disappointment riding her. Men had asked her out in the past eight months but she’d turned them all down. Not because of Carsen, but because she simply hadn’t been interested in any of them. Until now. Grey turned the tables on her. All she wanted to do was be with him.

  Grey paused halfway through the door. “If you feel threatened again I’m only a few minutes away.”

  “Right. You’re staying at your place tonight. Thank you.”

  With a two-fingered wave he strode across the porch and down the steps. She waited until his taillights disappeared around the bend before turning off the lights and returning to bed. This time she couldn’t sleep because the lingering effects of Grey’s touch on her skin kept her awake. Longing to feel his caress again.

  She was in big trouble. In so many ways.

  Chapter Six

  Monday morning Reganne walked outside, dressed for work. Balancing travel cup full of freshly brewed coffee, purse and tote she carried all of her work in, she hit the key fob button to unlock her car. The skies were overcast, heavy, dark clouds building in the west. The news channel had predicted a storm tonight. Looked like it was rolling in early.

  Fumbling for the door handle, she pulled it open, tossed her bags in, then slid behind the wheel. She was about to push the start button when she saw a folded, pink note trapped beneath her wiper.

  A rock settled in her stomach as she leaned out and snatched the note off the windshield. Forcing her hands not to shake, she unfolded it. Written in a familiar script were three lines. A poem. Not one she’d read before. But she recognized the script, the flow of words, the message.

  Carsen had found her.

  The note fell out of her hand, drifted to the floor to rest next to her heel. Reganne clamped a hand over her mouth. God help her, he’d found her. She hadn’t imagined seeing him in the crowd or at her window this weekend. He had been there.

  And he’d seen her with Grey.

  Drawing in a deep breath to calm her nerves, she brought her car to life. From past experience she knew to keep the note, even if it wasn’t threatening. Well, to the average reader. To her, those three simple lines represented underlying danger.

  Tucking the note in her purse, she drove toward the office, her mind reeling. She’d done everything right. Even went as far to have her name left off the practice advertisements. No one would find her in the phone book, online, or on the sign out front of the office. Word of mouth had built her patient list. She gave the term ‘silent partner’ new meaning. Neither of her partners had questioned her request to be left out of the publicity. They were too busy to worry about why she didn’t want to be promoted.

  But, no one could completely disappear or erase their existence unless they went into Witness Protection. Since Carsen had never been convicted of anything, that hadn’t been an option for her. No one believed the charming, prestigious neurosurgeon could be responsible for stalking her and putting her in the hospital for three days. No one believed her.

  This time she refused to play the victim. She wouldn’t run again. No more new starts. She knew this man and how he operated. That gave her the advantage. Granted, she’d never thought he’d chase her, but that had been her first mistake. Thinking a man like that could ever let her go was her second.

  Not again. This time she would be smart.

  Even if the man did scare the life out of her.

  The day flew by. She barely had time for lunch, let alone to think about the consequences of Carsen finding her. However, she did have a certain Navy SEAL on her mind. As she wolfed down a salad for lunch she picked up her phone and started to dial his number more than once. It may be hanging on her fridge, but she’d committed the numbers to memory. Each time she disconnected before punching in the last number. He’d said to call him if anything changed or if she needed him. Wanting to hear his voice didn’t exactly qualify.

  Until she dealt with Carsen, Grey remained off limits. As much as that disheartened her. Her ex was unstable. There was no telling what he would do if she continued to see Grey. He’d overreacted when she went out with her girlfriends. Claiming she wanted to spend more time with them than him. Completely irrational and untrue, but Carsen chipped away at her until she’d given up her friends, her life, completely.

  She’d only just met Darci and Cloe but they’d become good friends almost immediately. She adored Darci’s spunk and Cloe’s easy nature. Not to mention they were married to hot SEALs. A rough life both women handled like pros.

  Although Carsen hadn’t made his intentions known yet, she knew where they would head in the end. And she wasn’t willing to give up her newly-found friends so easily. She liked California. Loved the ocean. Had settled into private practice more comfortably than she’d expected. Leaving wasn’t an option. This time, she would stand her ground and find a way to get Carsen out of her life once and for all. Somehow make him see she wasn’t the woman for him and he didn’t love her like he thought he did.

  Now, to figure out how to do that.

  Dr. Cummings poked her head in the doorway. “There’s someone here to see you.”

  Reganne frowned. Her next patient wasn’t due for another fifteen minutes. Usually the receptionist, Penny, buzzed in when a patient or salesman arrived.

  “A patient?” she asked the gray-haired woman.

  “No. He asked specifically for you. Penny is in the restroom so I took the message.”

  Hmm. Her mood lightened. Maybe Grey had stopped in to see her. She certainly wouldn’t object to that. In fact, it would make her whole day better. “I’ll be right out. Thanks, Pamela.”

  “No problem. Oh, I’ll be taking off early today. Granddaughter has a dance recital tonight. I promised her dinner first.” With a smile and a wave, Pamela walked back to her office.

  Reganne quickly finished her salad, tossed the carton and checked her hair in the mirror before walking out to the patient waiting area. Nervous anticipation dogged her steps all the way out to the front desk. She searched the faces for Grey, then froze when she saw the man sitting near the door.

  Anticipation turned to anger and shock as she hurried toward him. He stood when she approached, a smile stretching across his handsome face. That smile sent chills down her spine.

  “Carsen.” She came to a stop directly in front of him. “What are you doing here? How did you find me?”

  He held up a hand to ward off her questions. “Hello to you, too. Is there somewhere we can talk?”

  “We have nothing to say to each other. Please leave.”

  “Just hear me out.”

  She turned to leave but he caught her arm. Going rigid, she whispered, “Get your hand off of me.”

  Immediately, he let go. “I just want to talk. I traveled a long way to see you. Five minutes. Please.”

  “No. We’ve said all there is to say to each other. I have patients waiting. Goodbye, Carsen.”

  With that, she walked back to her office, head held high. It wasn’t until she closed herself in her office that her legs gave out and she fell into her desk chair. Tears welled in her eyes, emotions surging to the surface.

  Her worst nightmare had come true. Her ex had found her. Although she’d suspected it, nothing could have prepared her for coming face to face with him again.

  Trembling, she wrapped her arms around her waist. Part of her wanted to believe that he’d changed and he’d come thousands of miles to apologize. The other part wanted to pack her bags and run far and fast.

  Her phone buzzed, startling her. She clamped a hand over her mouth then cursed her reaction. She’d lived like this for over a year in New York. Never again could she give that power to Carsen.

  “Dr. McCain, your one o’clock is here.” Penny’s voice came through the speaker.

  Reganne pushed a button. “Thank you, Penny. I’ll be right there.” Only a slight waver in her voice.

  Pulling herself together, she grabbed her stethoscope and went to see her patient, firmly pushing her ex out of her mind.

  ****

  With quick steps, Reganne walked to her car. The storm hadn’t moved in yet, but dark clouds hung low in the sky. She wanted this day to be over. Carsen had left and not bothered her again, but she’d feared him returning the rest of the day. Made it hard to concentrate on work.

  Glancing around the empty parking lot, she unlocked her car and slid in, holding her breath to look at the windshield. No note. Thank God. Maybe he’d gotten the message and left her alone.

 

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