Still listening to his customer, he reached for his unopened mail. Flipping past the bills, he smiled at an envelope from an old college buddy who also created prototypes-condom prototypes.
It was time to admit he needed help, Stone thought as he opened the envelope. He had for some time now. It was just a matter of hiring a clerk to help with the paperwork, but somehow, he just never got around to it.
Laughter bubbled as a small foil-wrapped package fell into his hands from the envelope. The stick-it note attached read: Hey, Buddy-thought you might appreciate my latest in the high-tech world of prophylactics.
Stone lifted the note off and gaped. The condom was plaid.
Grinning, Stone tossed the thing in his drawer and forced himself to concentrate on his telephone conversation. Should I ship to the individual schools, or do you want them all to go to you? he asked, and then immediately shook his head. No, I cant deliver them in person. Sorry.
He refused to travel because it meant leaving Sara, something he couldnt bring himself to do. Yes, they had Mrs. Potts, who would be happy to fill in for him. But Sara hated it when he left. She became weepy, difficult. Clingy.
Stone considered himself pretty tough, but he caved in like putty when it came to Sara. Watching her regress because of his own actions tore at him. No doubt Sara was afraid of losing him, the only real solid presence in her life, something Stone understood all too well. He hated the thought of being separated from her for days at a time, hated what it did to her, so would do just about anything to ensure it didnt happen. It hadnt been difficult to come to an important business decision.
If people wanted his educational products in their schools-and he had to believe they did, since they constantly clamored for him to hurry up and build more-then they had to agree to his terms.
He didnt travel.
Which didnt ease his ever-growing fear.
What if something did happen to him? Auto accident, illness-it could be anything. And when he was gone, Sara would be all alone. Hed started to lie awake nights worrying about it, and he knew he had to come up with a plan. A will.
He had to guarantee Saras safety and care.
Hed put it off for too long now, simply because he hated to admit that he didnt know what to do. Turning to his family was out of the question.
Ten years ago, when Jenna had gotten pregnant, his family had surprised and shocked him by refusing to believe Sara was his child.
Though Stone tried to tell them the truth, they turned a deaf ear. Jennas trouble, theyd said.
Look at the scandal, theyd said.
Youre a fool, theyd said.
Stubbornly hed stood by Jenna, knowing the truth.
Sara was his child.
Though Jenna had put on a tough front, shed let Stone see past her wild ways. Shed shown the real Jenna to him, and Stone had loved that frightened, uncertain, self-conscious Jenna with all his heart.
Shed been a virgin the night she and Stone had first made love, and though theyd used protection, somehow shed gotten pregnant-with his child.
Stones family refused to listen to reason. They were wealthy, disdainful of scandal of any kind, and though hed once thought of them as loving giving people, the truth was, they were snobs. Itd been a huge shock and major disappointment to Stone, but theyd stood firm. If he kept the baby, hed be disowned. Stone had loved Jenna, loved their unborn baby, but even if he hadnt, he wanted to be responsible for his actions. Hed kept his baby, for he could do nothing else.
And he ended up with no family, no Jenna, no money. Just Sara. Somehow theyd made it, and God, he didnt want to remember those first months, how nightmarish theyd been, but hed done it. Theyd done it.
He and Sara were a family now, and it rankled like hell that he, after all this time, needed his parents.
They didnt need him in return. They had Richard, and Stone knew his brother had never married. Hed never had any kids.
Which meant Sara was the only grandchild his parents had.
How could they ignore that?
How could they ignore her?
Stone continued to listen with half an ear as his client rambled on about the product he was buying, watching with detached interest out his window as two doors down from him, a moving truck pulled up.
A new neighbor.
The back of the truck opened, and two beefy men started to unload. An oak desk and chair. An elaborate computer system. An expensive-looking couch and matching chairs. A huge bulletin board, filing cabinet.
And Cindy Beatty.
Chapter 4
Cindy Beatty?
Stone set his feet back on the floor, made quick excuses to his client before hanging up and left his office.
His heart thundered uncomfortably. Truth was, hed not stopped thinking about this woman since theyd met, which was enough to make him wonder what the hell was wrong with him.
Rarely, if ever, had he let one woman intrude so on his private life. Driven by a need to see if their crazy attraction was real, he walked toward her, his gaze soaking in the first sight of her in days.
She looked the same-irresistible, and any hopes hed held that hed be able to turn and walk away were dashed.
Her black jeans outlined her thoroughbred legs to perfection. Her lightweight sweater clung to her soft curves in a way that made him ache, and he came to the uncomfortable realization that he was hopelessly attracted to her.
And he had no idea why.
Never one to run from his fears, he continued toward her. He wanted to see her face, watch her lips curve into a shy smile. He wanted to know her innermost thoughts.
But she was wearing those damn dark glasses, hiding herself from the world. Absorbed in watching the truck unload, she didnt look up when he stopped next to her. Hello, he said. Whats this?
She gave a startled little jump. Oh! With her hand to her chest, she offered him that tentative smile hed wanted to see. Uhhi.
Hi. She could still do it, he discovered. Still make his heart skip a beat.
You scared me.
Vulnerable but determined, hesitant but brave. Such a contradiction, and yet it had been so damn long since hed wanted to touch anyone quite as badly. Like a hormone-filled teen, he had to slip his hands in his pockets, or he would have actually reached for her. What are you doing?
Im moving in. Her smile brightened, and on the surface she appeared to be fine. Great. Mouthwateringly beautiful, actually.
But only an idiot could miss the quivering tension in every line of her body, the delicate purple circles beneath her eyes makeup had not successfully covered. Truth was, tension shimmered off her in waves, and even as he looked at her, she lifted a hand to cover one side of her face and jaw.
He gently took her hand away from her face and brought it to his mouth. She gasped as he kissed her palm.
He gently took her hand away from her face and brought it to his mouth. She gasped as he kissed her palm.
Why do you cover your face? he asked. Youre so lovely.
I You She let out a breath and stared at her hand in his. You make it difficult to think.
And she made his heart drum. Youre opening your office here? he asked, letting her go. This is an industrial park.
Its small and affordable. And its perfect, actually. Centrally located. She looked away. And most of my business will come from the industry around here, anyway.
Was that the only reason?
She regarded the tall oak tree lining the parking lot as if it held the greatest interest. Not quite.
Stone had no idea how he felt about her silent admission that she had picked this spot because of him. Disturbed? Wanted? Wary? Appreciated? All those things, yes, but what he felt mostly was relief.
She scraped her teeth over her lip, drawing the skin on her chin tight. And there, on her neck above the scarf, he saw a faint weblike scar that spread With a gentle hand he brushed her scarf aside. His heart beat faster as he realized the scars spread along both sides of her jaw, and disappeared into her hairline behind her ears.
He jerked his gaze up, meeting her sunglasses-covered eyes, horrified to be caught gaping, even more horrified at whatever it was shed gone through. Cindy
She took a step back, bringing her hand up to cup her cheek, an instinctive move on her part whenever she was nervous or upset.
Now he knew why. She was trying to hide her scars. God.
Hey, lady, where do you want this?
Cindy quickly turned from Stone, clearly jumping at the chance for distraction. One of the men stood there holding two large boxes. Practically falling in her hurry to get away from Stone, she smiled shakily at the mover. Next to the filing cabinet Thanks. Is there more? Maybe I should help
The man shook his head and disappeared into the office.
They were again alone, yet for the first time in his life, Stone didnt know what to do or say. He wanted to grab her, hold tight and offer comfort, but more than that, he didnt want to scare her off, and since at the moment Cindy appeared to be braced for flight, he had to be careful.
Her head was ducked, she was busy studying her shoes. Slowly, gently, he ran his hand over her silky short hair, tucking a strand behind her ear before he cupped her jaw and lifted her face. Stroking her skin with his thumb, he murmured, What happened to you?
Immediately Cindy looked away.
But Stone forced her chin back up, his clasp on her face firm yet careful, for he was well aware of his strength in a way that most men his size werent.
She shrugged. The how of it is not important.
Stone thought it was important. Cindy-
Please.
Imagining the pain and trauma of whatever shed been through to cause such scarring made him feel sick for her. But he could see that his closeness was unnerving her, so he backed off.
She straightened the damn sunglasses he was beginning to hate. Because of it, Im here, she said simply. Okay?
So theres a silver lining.
A ghost of a smile touched her lips. Lets call it a mixed blessing so far. I hope it wont disturb you, having me nearby every day.
He laughed shortly and rolled his shoulders, which were filled with tension. Disturb me? Youve done nothing but. His easy joking tone was such a complete contradiction to his words, her gaze flew to his. You disturb me a lot, he told her more seriously. But I think I like it.