Hot and Bothered (9 page)

“I figured that out already. Yet you eat anything. You didn’t even flinch at dinner tonight.”

She knew he was referring to Ina’s entree of
birrieria
, barbecued goat. Fine foreign cuisine often included snails, eels, and other delicacies not on typical American menus. She’d traveled the world and found it delightful to eat what the natives ate. And here they ate
birrieria
. She smiled a little. “Well … I like to try everything.”

He grinned knowingly. “Is that a promise?”

Her face heated. “For someone who says he
doesn’t want to get involved with anyone, you certainly don’t sound that way.”

“Oh, like you’re not contrary?”

She didn’t answer, knowing she was guilty.

“Judith, never play poker. Whatever you’re thinking is written all over your face.”

She groaned and laid her head down on the table. “I was afraid of that.”

He chuckled. “At least I’m not in the boat by myself.”

She raised her head to take a sip of her coffee. It didn’t help her churning stomach. He could make jokes, but she was in the throes of emotions she couldn’t control. He stirred things inside her she hadn’t even known existed.

He took a healthy draft of his coffee. “I need to say something to you, Judith.”

She tensed.

“I want to thank you for your … patience last night. You treated me fairly. It’s been a long time since someone’s done that.”

“You’re welcome.” This man’s ability to put her at a loss for words was phenomenal. One notion pushed at her, and she couldn’t resist, wanting to make things better for him. “I know it’s been difficult for you—”

“That’s an understatement.”

She swallowed, knowing she was about to broach a touchy subject. “I really think you ought to see your daughter—”

His mug slammed down on the table. “No.”

“Paul.”

His face was set in stone as he rose from his seat. “I’ve got to go.”

“Paul …”

“Good-bye.”

He walked out.

The Mercedes bumping its way down the dirt road could have been a match for Judith’s, except it was gleaming black in color. Paul froze. He had just emerged from the
ejido
office and a conversation with Pedro, and was grateful it was he and not the young entrepreneur who would greet this newcomer.

The car stopped and the driver’s side window rolled down smoothly and steadily in state-of-the-art luxury. A man around forty with cold eyes leaned out. Paul had seen some sinister characters in his time, and this guy would fit right in.

“
Ha visto en la vecindad a una mujer en un carro igual quel mío?
” he asked in near flawless Spanish. “
De color diferente? Dorado?
”

Paul forced his expression not to show the answer to the man’s question of whether he’d seen a woman driving a car like the one before him, but gold, not black. He frowned for a moment, then shook his head. In Spanish, he asked in his best astonished voice, “
¿Aquí?
”

The man smiled grimly before muttering in English, “That’s what I thought.”

He disappeared back into the Mercedes’ interior, the darkly tinted window closing him in. The car swung around and made its way back up the road. Paul memorized the California license plate. Whoever was looking for Judith was looking hard now. The man hadn’t expected her to be there, but he’d checked anyway with professional thoroughness.

“Who was that?” Pedro asked, coming out of the office.

“He was lost,” Paul lied.

“Oh.” Pedro shrugged and went back inside.

Paul hurried the rest of the way to the village. He had avoided Judith for the past few days. She was sincere, he knew that, but he didn’t want to hear any arguments from her about seeing his daughter. He couldn’t give in to the temptation to see Amanda. He couldn’t, not if he loved his daughter, and he did. Judith didn’t understand that, and he didn’t want to argue the point. But she needed a warning that her people were getting close.

He found her on the beach with the kids. She was wet and smiling in contentment. He glanced behind him to see if the car was on the road above, checking. It wasn’t. He turned back and waved Judith in. She paused, looking at him.

“Judith!” he shouted, waving her in again.

She said something to the kids, then waded in. The waves rolling over nearly tumbled her.
Paul went out to help her, uncaring that his Dock-Sides got soaked.

“There was a man here,” he said, “looking for you, I think.”

She stilled. A wave crashed into her back, but barely moved her from her stance. “Are you sure?”

“He asked if I’d seen a woman driving a Mercedes like his.” He pulled her along out of the water, getting her moving again.

“A chocolate-brown one?” she asked.

“No, black.”

She relaxed a little. “It probably wasn’t for me.”

“Judith!” He wanted to shake her. How dumb did she think he was?

“Well, I don’t know anybody in a black Mercedes. I mean, I do, but they wouldn’t be looking for me.”

“He asked about a woman in a gold Mercedes. You may not know him, but he knew
you
. Maybe he’s been hired to find you.”

“Oh! I never thought of that.” Panic filled her eyes as the realization hit home.

Paul wanted to ask again what her trouble was, yet was determined not to. Just because he’d spilled his guts didn’t mean she had to spill hers. Besides, he would follow his vow not to pry. When she was ready, she’d tell him. It might kill him in the meantime, but he’d wait.

“They would go this far,” she whispered. “What am I going to do?”

He tried to reassure her. “He didn’t think you were here at all, but checked anyway. If he was really serious, he wouldn’t have believed me. He would have come down and looked around. You should be okay now.”

She drew in a deep breath, obviously to calm herself. “You’re right. Thanks for telling me, though. I’ll be careful.”

He scooped up her beach towel and handed it to her. True to form, it was a Flintstones towel. As she wrapped it around her wet body, he grinned. “No one would recognize you now as the same woman who first came here.”

She glanced down at herself, then smiled a little. Her fear was far too much in command. “Thanks. Thanks for not asking more. I feel so stupid about the whole thing—”

“I said I wouldn’t. If you need any help … I’m not without connections in the States.”

“I’m okay. I just need to work through it.”

She was kidding herself if she thought she needed only to “work through it.” Not with some hitman type searching for her. “You shouldn’t be alone. Maybe—”

“I’ll get one of those noisy dogs everyone has.”

“It’s not a bad idea.”

She gazed at him. “I pressed you again the other night. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” He wished she would stop about it. The subject was a closed one. It had to be or he would go insane from the need to be a father.

“I still think … I’m doing it again, aren’t I?”

“Yes.”

“Going fishing today?” she asked brightly.

He relaxed. “Maybe later. Ever been scuba diving?”

“No, just snorkeling. Is it the same principle?”

“Somewhat.” His top concern was for her safety, and maybe the more she was with him, the more she’d stay out of harm’s way. Maybe, too, she’d finally tell him what her trouble was. He’d get her what help she needed. “I could teach you.”

She smiled. “That would be wonderful.” Then she frowned. “Would I have to buy equipment?”

“No. I have an extra tank and mask.”

“Then when’s my first lesson?”

“This afternoon?”

“Good.”

He agreed. It would keep her under cover,
very
under cover. With him.

The first lesson was a disappointment from Judith’s point of view. She spent more time sitting on a boulder listening to Paul spout procedures
and safety than she did with the tank on. She didn’t even get her feet wet. Literally. It kept her occupied, though it didn’t keep her worries at bay.

She had expected someone to search for her. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have run south with only cash in her pocket. Still, to have them come so close to her so soon …

If they found her, the pressure would start and it would be nonstop until she cracked. She’d crack fast too. Hadn’t she always?

She tamped down the anxiety as she walked with Paul from the beach and her first lesson. The last place she wanted to go was her trailer—her lonely trailer. Her trailer, which anyone could sneak into and say Gotcha! She didn’t want to go back yet. Maybe not ever. Sunset Cove had an appeal she couldn’t ignore. It had a man living in it she couldn’t ignore.

As he escorted her back to her trailer, she walked beside him, liking the way their strides matched. The urge to tell him her problems was becoming more and more overwhelming. But how could she? She couldn’t and not be ashamed of herself. He was being so kind. She didn’t deserve his patience. She didn’t.

“I’ll bring up one of my dogs to chain outside your trailer tonight,” he said. “Gringo’s noisier than most. He’ll do.”

Judith couldn’t imagine which was worse.
The man looking for her, or Paul’s nasty dog. “One question. How am I supposed to go out?”

He chuckled. “That’s a problem. But you’ve got your portable friend. You’ll manage.”

“I guess. Thanks. I appreciate your concern—”

“Is this where you’re going to tell me to butt out?”

She blinked. “No. I was just saying I really appreciate your concern.”

“Oh. You’re welcome.” He was silent for a moment. “I may have to dance around one thing, but I’m not dancing around another. About that kiss …”

She grew wary. “What about it?”

“We seem to be doing what we say we won’t.”

“I don’t think we should make more of it than it was,” she said. She had enough to deal with, without her growing attraction to him. She fell into his arms every time he crooked his little finger. Even now she wished he would be outside her trailer tonight rather than his dog. She could just open her door and invite him in.…

She realized she was doing just what she’d told him not to, making far more of a kiss than she ought. Now, that really meant trouble for her.

“I think we may be beyond making less of it,” he said, drawing her wandering attention. “I want you. I’m not going to lie about it.”

Judith felt as if a champion prizefighter had punched her. Her mind reeled from the direct attack, and her legs were all rubbery. “Paul …”

He stopped her, turning her to face him squarely. “Don’t lie to me, Judith.”

The other night he’d wanted her to lie. She closed her mouth, knowing she’d get in trouble no matter what she did.

He smiled. “That’s an answer in itself.”

“I thought you didn’t want involvement.”

“Hell, I don’t know what I want. Except you.” He tightened his jaw. “I’m not sure what the hell I’m fighting. It’s physical. You know it and I know it. We’re adults. We can handle the emotional issues between us.”

She was shocked and outraged. “Are you suggesting we have an affair?”

His gaze raked up and down her body. “Are you suggesting we can avoid it?”

She felt shredded and diced and laid out bare for all to see. “I—I’ve never had an affair.”

He gaped at her. “You’re a virgin?”

“No!” Now she felt even more outraged and shredded. “I’ve had boyfriends … in college and all.”

He grinned knowingly at her. “Then you’ve had affairs.”

“God, you make them sound tawdry.” She groaned. “What I meant was, I’ve never gone out
and … slept with a man just to satisfy an urge.”

That she’d never found a man attractive enough to act on sex alone was another matter. Actually, her few male “friends” hadn’t set the world on fire for her. She’d had a good friendship with each and had drifted into intimacy because they had wanted more. None of the relationships had been very successful. None of the men had turned her into knots the way Paul did.

But to have a blatant affair! She couldn’t handle it. And he was so blithe about the whole thing. That bothered her. Would he just turn off the emotions and get into bed with her, then say thanks before going his separate way?

“ ‘Satisfy an urge’?” Paul repeated. He laughed out loud. “Good God, woman. You never do or say what I expect.”

His amusement fired her. “And you are a … a …”

“A man?”

“An uncaring one!” she snapped.

“Me?”

He looked positively bewildered. Judith felt oddly in control.

“Yes, you,” she said. “I can’t have an affair and then turn it off like a faucet. I don’t know how you can. Maybe it’s a man thing, I don’t know. So thanks for the offer, but no thanks.”

She stalked off.

Paul caught up. “Look, I didn’t mean to insult
you. I guess I’m rusty at approaching a woman. I was married for eight years, and since then I haven’t been interested.”

She didn’t want to find it flattering that she was the first since his divorce. She didn’t want to, but she did. Still, that didn’t make it right.

“I’ve learned to stop fighting certain things that can’t be fought,” he continued. “I don’t know where this could go, Judith, but I do know I want to explore it.”

“I don’t see how it can go anywhere.” So many factors were involved that she couldn’t even begin to explain to him.

His jaw tightened, as if he were making a decision he didn’t like. “I know you’re in trouble, and you’ve got enough to deal with without me pressuring you on a personal level. But I’m here for you.”

She swallowed hard. He was so sweet like this—and so different from what she expected under his prickly exterior. It was all she could do
not
to fall into his arms.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

He took her arm and they started walking again toward her trailer. She wished she could fill the silence with easy chatter, but it was impossible. He’d laid out a road before her that beckoned with tremendous appeal. She wanted so much to give in, but knew she’d never come out the other end the same. She had to resist it if she
wanted to survive emotionally. She was half in love with him already.

Heaven help her, she thought. She was.