The Stranger (14 page)

“So Arthur is you father?” Summer said.

Jer’s smile wavered. “Was.”

“Oh.” Summer looked to me. “I’m so sorry.”

“But before we get to that,” Jer said. “Arthur and Alice became inseparable. Together with Benjamin, they cemented the Erickson fortune and diversified the company. Unfortunately, Benjamin didn’t have much luck in the love department. He favored gold diggers, married three times, and had ten children. The oldest of these is Alexander. He’s Seth’s age. Have you heard about Alex?”

Summer flashed me a curious look. “Only a little.”

“Let’s not talk about Alex in my house,” I said, drawing the line.

“Okay,” Jer said, “Mum on Alex, who’s a son of a bitch. Take four: the year’s 2001. Arthur, Alice, and Benjamin are in a meeting at the E&E’s headquarters at the World Trade Center in New York. The date is September eleventh.”

“Oh, God.” Summer reached for my hand and squeezed it. “The three of them?”

I clung to her fingers and nodded. “The three of them.”

Summer’s mouth twisted into a sad grimace.

“Precocious Seth was twenty-one and already in his third year at MIT,” Jer said. “My grandmother, Astrid, took on the company’s guardianship, until Seth graduated. She remained as the chairman of the board, but as specified in the brothers’ joint will, Seth took over as CEO of E&E and has been at it ever since. He’s grown the conglomerate into a global giant.”

Summer squeezed my hand again. “That’s a lot of responsibility.”

“So there you have it,” Jer said. “The tale of the Ericksons in a nutshell.”

It wasn’t an easy tale to swallow, but if Summer kept holding my hand, I was game to hear about our ancestors all the way back to the dawn of mankind. Unfortunately, she got up from the table. On the upside, she returned carrying a delicious-looking apple pie.

“So,” she said, cutting out a generous piece and parking the plateful before me. “This Alex cousin of yours is giving you guys trouble?”

“He’s giving Seth problems,” Jer said. “He took over as interim CEO when Seth went to Afghanistan. I guess he liked his stint at the top, because now he wants to be in charge. Since he can’t persuade the board to elect him, he’s tried all kinds of tricks.”

“Really, Jer?” I said between bites. “Is that what we’re going to talk about over the best pie I’ve ever had?”

“Glad you like it,” Summer said, licking the sweet apple filling dripping from her fork.

The sight of her pink tongue swirling over the syrup and sliding over stainless steel had me doubling over the table. I had to suppress a groan when my dick throbbed. Christ, she was killing me, and she didn’t even know it.

“Please, Jeremy, go on.” She put down the lucky fork. “It’s a fascinating story.”

“See?” Jer poked my arm. “She thinks
I’m
fascinating.”

“Nothing wrong with your self-esteem,” I muttered, trying to put a lid on my overactive dick.
Focus on something else.
Eating maybe
. I pressed my fork on the china and gathered the last crumbs of pie from my plate. Summer sneaked in another slice onto my plate. The conspiratorial grin she flashed me had my heart doing somersaults and completely sabotaged my self-control efforts.

“Alex wants the power,” Jer said. “To get it, he’s promised his brothers and sisters a lot more dividends each year, money Seth sets aside for research and development, which accounts for the company’s explosive growth. Alex also thinks that the company should be broken up and sold in pieces to generate cash for the voracious side of the family.”

“Let’s not talk about this anymore,” I said. “It puts me in a bad mood.”

“Okay, then.” Jer put his fork down and pushed his plate aside. “Don’t shoot the messenger, but I’ve been asked to remind you. The benefit is the week after next. You better not disappoint.”

I’d hoped to avoid the affair altogether. “I’m really busy. I’ve got to finish the negotiations with the governor for the construction of the new highway and I need to inspect the North Slope field operations.”

“No excuses, bro,” Jer said. “You need to show up. You weren’t there last year or the year before. The cousins have hardly seen you lately. People don’t remember what you look like.”

“The company’s earnings are up,” I said. “I get business done.”

“Of course you get business done.” Jer picked up the wine bottle and began to refill our glasses. “You’re a damn workaholic. But it’s not about the amount of work you’re putting in, or the profits. It’s about appearances. You need to address the rumors.”

“What rumors?” Summer gathered the dirty dishes and started to get up.

“Sit,” I said. “You cook, I clean.”

“Fair enough.” She set the dishes aside and stayed in her chair. “You mentioned rumors?”

“He knows what I’m talking about.” Jer set the wine down. “People say he’s a hermit. They think he’s antisocial. You need to be seen.”

“Sounds like wise advice.” Summer toyed with her wineglass. “A little sucking up goes a long way with family and friends. Alex might be an ass, but what about the rest? And wouldn’t this get-together be the perfect time to talk to them about your ideas for the company?”

“Now see?” Jer lifted his glass in the air. “She gets it.”

I sipped on my wine. “I’ll think about it. Okay?”

“Wait, I’ve got a great idea,” Jer said. “Why don’t you come to the benefit with us?”

“Me?” Summer’s hand landed on her chest. “Oh, no. I’ll be long gone by then.”

Shit.

“In that case,” Jer said. “Why don’t you come stay with us at the big house for a few days? There are plenty of rooms over there. We can work on the lodging project together and you won’t have to bother Seth in the least.”

I repressed the urge to pummel my own brother. “She’s not bothering me.”

“It’s a great idea,” Jer said, ignoring me. “If you come and stay at the big house, you’ll have everything you need and Seth will have to ditch his hermit status and come over and visit.”

“Jer?” This time my voice hinted a warning. “She’s fine. I want her to stay here.”

Summer’s brow furrowed. “If I’m bothering you...”

“Now see what you’ve done?” My brother had single-handedly undone my earlier work. “You keep going and she’ll end up sleeping under the bridge for fear of inconveniencing the bears in their dens. Summer’s fine here, she’s staying with me and that’s final.”

After Jer left, Summer settled down on the chaise with her laptop. The girl had grit. She stayed up late until she finished her redesign and sent it off to her boss and clients. But even as she worked, she seemed uneasy. I caught her stealing looks at me several times. I was beginning to understand how her mind operated. She was used to taking care of everyone around her and, right now, that included me.

When the time came to go to bed, she was jumpy as hell.

“Seth?” she said, after I came out of an ice-cold shower, decently dressed in sweats and a T-shirt. “I think I should sleep on the couch.”

“Why?” I said, toweling my hair. “Do you find my bed uncomfortable?”

“No, your bed is actually very comfortable, which is why I think you should sleep in it and let me sleep on the couch.”

“No can do.”

“Why not?”

“Look around you,” I said. “What do you see?”

She examined our surroundings. “Kitchen, living room, fireplace?”

“I see drawers full of sharp weapons, tripping hazards galore, doors, jagged glass, and fire dangers. You on that couch? I don’t think so. I want you in the bedroom, behind locked doors, with that brawny door chain engaged, sleeping without worries and safe in bed.”

“But...” She grappled for words. “What about you?”

“What about me?”

“That couch doesn’t work well for you.”

“You may be right about that.” My heart revved up. “What do you suggest we do?”

“Maybe I should’ve gone to a hotel, or to the big house, like Jeremy suggested.”

“Too late,” I said. “I’ll be fine.”

“But you’re not fine,” she said, getting to her feet. “Jeremy said you ache when you don’t sleep in your bed and you get cranky when you don’t sleep well.”

“Did he now?” I hung the towel over my shoulder. “Don’t believe everything Jer says. I travel on business all the time and I do fine.”

“But I do worry,” she said. “I want you to sleep in your bed.”

Talk about an opportunity I wasn’t going to waste. My best hope was that I’d read Summer right. It was either takeoff or crash and burn, nothing in between. What the hell. I pulled on the collective and pushed on the cyclic. I was going a hundred percent for takeoff.

“Summer,” I said, “the only way I can see me sleeping in my bed tonight is if you’re in it next to me. But by the look on your face, I don’t think you like that idea?”

“Um...” She hesitated. “I didn’t say that.”

“So what are you saying?” Hope teased me like the smile tickling my lips. “Summer Silva, did you just ask me to sleep with you?”

“No!” she said and then, “I mean, no, not in that way.”

“Yeah, I got
that
message loud and clear.”

“Oh, it’s not that, it’s just that... What if...you know...” She tripped over the words. “What if I tried to seduce you again?”

“Is that what has you all worried?” Relief. She wasn’t rejecting me, not yet anyway. “I made you a couple of promises and I intend to keep them. If you get up, this time around I know what to do. I’d guide you back to bed like the doctor suggested. The question is: Are you willing to trust me?”

“Um...” Her eyes did a hit and run. “I don’t know...it sounds...risky.”

“And you’re completely risk-adverse.” It was a statement not a question.

“I must not be completely risk-adverse.” She stared at her tightly clasped hands then back at me. “I’m here, am I not?”

“Excellent point.” I stepped up to her, cupped her chin, and tilted her face until her eyes met mine. “Perhaps we could minimize the risks.”

“H-how?”

“I think we’d be better off accepting what’s happening here.”

“And that is...?”

“That I want to kiss you.” I hit the point of no return. “And that you want me to kiss you.”

Her voice was a hoarse whisper. “It’s not true.”

“It’s true and you know it.” I ran my thumb over the soft expanse of her cheek. “So I propose that I kiss you now and get it out of the way. One kiss. Then we go to sleep and I mean just that, sleep, together, on my bed.” I held my breath. “What do you think? Is it too much to ask?”

She opened her mouth and closed it. A storm brewed in her eyes. She wasn’t sure. I knew it was a long shot, but I wasn’t one to hold back for fear of failure. Her nostrils widened, taking in my scent as if sniffing for danger. The seconds ticked by, minutes, hours, centuries. And then...surprise. She nodded ever so slightly.

I didn’t wait for her to change her mind. I kissed her, a connection that my body celebrated with fireworks. I put my arms around her waist and tasted her lips, her tongue, her breath. Glory. My body resonated with the memories of our night together.

I kissed her, as I’d wanted to do for two days, and the kiss confirmed that the connection that tugged on my senses was real. I held her face between my hands and kissed her some more until we were both out of breath and I hovered at the edge of no return. I made a huge effort to climb out of a very steep drop before I screwed everything up.

“Christ,” I rasped when I finally managed to tear my lips from hers.

Her breath came in short gasps, her eyes sparkled and her face flushed as if she had overexerted herself.

“Hell, I could kiss you all night.” I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before letting go. “But this little taste of you is going to last me ’til morning.” Body screaming in protest, I took a step back. “Now go in there, get in bed, and don’t be scared. Okay? I’ll be along shortly.”

Her lips wavered, then a new smile birthed in her eyes and spread to her face, a mischievous grin that turned those luscious lips up at the corners and warned of all kinds of trouble.

She leaned into my space and, approaching me slowly, delivered her own kiss to my lips. The kiss was like an arctic wallop, but scalding; like a blow to the senses, but soft. Her tongue swiped a little taste of me. I gasped when she cut me off without warning, leaving me reeling, rock hard and without a trace of oxygen flowing to my lungs.

“Erickson?” she said before she sauntered off. “I don’t think you understand.”

“Understand what?”

She halted at the threshold and looked over her shoulder.

“I’m not scared of you anymore,” she said. “I’m scared of
me
when I’m with you.”

Chapter Ten

Four days later, I opened my eyes and there he was, the very man I’d been dreaming about, propped up on the pillows next to me, sharing his bed with me, illuminating dawn with the gold in his eyes. He was already dressed in dark slacks and a striped shirt, a marked departure from his usual informal attire.

“Going somewhere?” I said.

“Hey, there. Morning, beautiful.” Seth set his tablet aside, turned on his side and, propping his head on his hand, smiled. “Got to go into the office today.”

My smile faltered. He wasn’t going to be around. I hid my disappointment and asked him the question I’d asked him first thing every day since I’d been staying with him.

“Did I?”

“Nope.” The tips of his fingers trailed over my cheeks. “No dream chasing to report. Been waiting all night. Can I?”

I nodded. I loved that he always asked me before he leaned over and kissed me, a touch of lips that lingered just long enough to awaken the rest of my body. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the moment, the feel of his mouth against mine and his hand, immensely strong but also incredibly gentle as he ran his fingers through my hair.

A dream, this had to be a powerful dream. For the last few days, this had become our private routine, a show of trust, for both of us. But it was also a harsh test for my body. It was as if he were daring me with his self-control, tempting me like the devil himself. And me? I was having lots of trouble keeping my she-devil in check.

My body melted against his. My heart drummed against his heart. My fingers ran over his shirt, craving the skin beneath the fabric. I knew what he wanted, what his body needed, but I couldn’t, wouldn’t. I pressed myself against him, teasing my senses, testing him, knowing he wouldn’t budge and neither would I, even if I secretly wished he’d forget about his promise and find a way to defeat all my objections.

“Trial by fire.” He quit my mouth and got up from the bed with a groan. “You’re tough, girl. But I’m tough too. I was just waiting for you to get up before I left. I’ve got meetings in Anchorage all morning. As for you, you should get some exercise, make sure our routine keeps working.”

Our
routine. It had a lovely ring to it, didn’t it? Seth was right. It was working. I hadn’t sleepwalked at all since that first night. Talk about a shift.

I sat up on the bed, reached for my laptop and clicked on my email to check for news of Tammy sightings, watching Seth behind lidded eyes, as he moved about the room. I admired his body’s elegant stride and the way in which his slacks hugged his hips and cradled his ass. God and his freaking saints, help me. He’d seduced me, completely and absolutely bowled me over, had me panting after him like a smitten fool. No way around it. But even though I longed to give in, I couldn’t. I’d come to Alaska to find my sister. I wasn’t suited for this place. I had a life, responsibilities, four thousand miles away.

On the other hand, a girl could get used to the view, and I wasn’t talking about the landscape that dazzled my eyes when Seth threw open the curtains.

I scrolled through my emails. My heart skipped when I saw that I had a response to one of my inquiries about Tammy. My fingers froze on the keyboard. What if I found Tammy today? What then? No more Seth. No more sleeping in his bed. My good mood plummeted. These days every gain was a loss and my emotions felt completely bipolar. I forced myself to read through the email.

“Somebody has information about Tammy in a place called Cooper Landing,” I called out to Seth, who was knotting his tie in front of the mirror. “I’m going to drive over there. I may not be back in time for dinner.”

“Kenai?” Seth marched into the bedroom and, adjusting his tie, scanned the email over my shoulder. “How do you plan to get there?”

“Car rental,” I said. “Time to venture back on the road.”

“I don’t like it,” he said, looking through his drawers. “That guy could be out there, waiting for you.”

“Not about me, remember?” I said. “How many times do I have to tell you?”

“I’ll be satisfied when we find the SOB and he tells us it was a mistake in his own words.” He pulled out a leather-edged sweater from the dresser. “Kenai is pretty far from here. Why don’t you come with me? I can give you a ride after my meetings. It’ll be a hell of a lot quicker and it won’t involve punctured brakes or you, car-skating all over Alaska.”

As he pulled the tan sweater over his head, I found myself imagining that instead of putting it on, he was undressing for me.

Seth fixed his yellow eyes on me. “Summer?”

Crap. I got myself under semi-control.

“Sooner or later I have to deal with the roads,” I said. “Besides, I’ve already imposed on you enough and I don’t have any fair way of reciprocating your help.”

“Reciprocating, eh?” He chuckled, a sound so sexy it curled my toes. “That’s a big word. Well, if you really want to ‘reciprocate,’ let’s make a barter. I give you a ride to Kenai and you come with me to the benefit next Thursday. Tit for tat.”

Me? Go out with Seth? To a party? In my current state of permanent lust, it sounded like a sure formula for disaster. “I thought you didn’t want to go to the benefit.”

“On selected occasions, I’ve been known to listen to good advice.” He fit his foot into a fine leather chukka boot. “I’ll go, but only if you come with me.”

Talk about pressure. His invitation hovered really close to emotional blackmail. I wavered. I had to find Tammy and Hector continued to pressure me to return to Miami. But I’d also learned from Jeremy that it was important for Seth to be at the benefit. And that knowledge seemed to overtake all of my other reservations.

“Okay,” I said. “If I’m still around next week, I’ll go with you.”

“Deal.” He tightened his laces. “Can you be ready to leave in half an hour?”

“Sure.” I set the laptop on the night table, threw the covers aside and rose from the bed.

It was only as I made my way to the bathroom that I realized what Seth had done. He’d gotten himself a date. With me. Note to self: people with tons of smarts and extraordinary grit managed sneak attacks under the radar with impressive cool.

I halted by the threshold. “Smooth, Erickson,” I said. “Very smooth.”

“Yeah.” He grinned. “I thought so myself.”

* * *

The roar of the helicopter announced the beginning of our newest journey. It touched down on a square landing pad not forty feet from the house. I knew nothing about helicopters, but this had to be the most striking machine I’d ever laid eyes on. The fuselage was a work of art and the modern, sleek lines of the metallic-gray aircraft bedazzled my eyes.

I swallowed a gulp of fear.

“What’s wrong?” Seth said.

“Have I told you?” I stared at the magnificent contraption. “I’m afraid of flying.”

“Now you tell me,” he said. “Have you flown in a helicopter before?”

I perched my fist on my hip. “Are you mistaking me for Kim Kardashian again?”

He laughed. “You’re going to like flying with me.”

He took my hand and together we approached the helicopter, buffeted by the rotors’ gusty wind. Seth opened the door. I braced my foot on the boarding step, climbed on the flight deck and sat down on the left front seat. Seth strapped me in, shut the door, and strode around the helicopter before he took the pilot’s place in the cockpit.

“Thanks,” Seth yelled over the roar before he shut the door.

The man waved and made his way to the E&E truck that came up the driveway to pick him up. Seth put on his helmet and strapped on a kneepad with a tablet. He went through his checklist, tested the instrument panel, checked the radar, and programmed the route into the computer. He handed me a headset and motioned for me to put it on.

“Ready?” His voice came crisp and clear over the com.

“As ready as I’m going to be.” I sunk my fingernails into my seat.

He placed his feet on the pedals, held the stick between his legs with his right hand, and gripped the throttle mounted on the lever with his left. The roar of the helicopter increased as it lifted from the ground. It hovered in place for a moment, shuddered slightly and then moved forward through the air, gaining speed and altitude. Eyes hidden beneath his aviator sunglasses, Seth flashed me a reassuring smile, transitioning us into full flight.

The knot in my stomach eased as we gained altitude. I took in the cabin’s plush interior, which reminded me of a high-end luxury yacht, complete with lots of leather, polished woods, and an exceptional-looking instrument panel. A quick glance revealed that the rear cabin was even more luxurious, outfitted with a two-toned bench and a couple of plush bucket seats. This wasn’t so bad. Slowly, I let go of my seat.

“What kind of helicopter is this?” I asked.

“There isn’t another one like it,” he said. “The basic bones are an adaptation of a Sikorsky S-70C Firehawk, which is the commercial version of the Black Hawk. Are you familiar with the Black Hawk?”

“Familiar? No, but I’ve seen it in movies.”

“This is a cutting-edge version of it, upgraded for high performance and customized to my specs.”

“Very nice,” I said. “Is this what you fly for the National Guard too?”

“Close enough,” he said. “I fly the Sikorsky HH-60 Pave Hawk for the Guard, which is also a Black Hawk, but adapted for insertion, recovery, search and rescue.”

“Impressive, Erickson,” I said. “Where are your guns?”

“No need for guns on this one.” He smiled. “The battles I fight these days involve mostly salvos across the desk.”

“This must have cost you a pretty penny.”

“It was pricey, but I saved some bucks by partnering up with the company to produce it as a prototype. They’re hoping to market the concept to companies in the private sector.”

“Smart bear,” I said. “It must be a coup for E&E to own this piece of equipment.”

“It’s not E&E’s helicopter,” he said rather forcefully. “It’s
my
private aircraft.”

“Oops,” I said. “Why do I feel like I just stepped on your sore tail?”

“I paid for my Firehawk. I run the company like a business, not like a piggy bank for a bunch of rich kids.”

“I take it this is a touchy subject?” I said. “Let me guess: Cousin Alex?”

“I don’t care if he wants to buy a Ferrari collection,” he said. “As long as he pays for it, he can do whatever the hell he wants. I hold myself to the same standard. But enough about Alex. Look out your window.”

The day was sunny and clear. The magnificent mountains flanked us on both sides, summits frosted with shimmering white. Vast swatches of uninterrupted forest flowed in every direction. The sound rippled beneath us, a smooth, blue carpet. Seth banked the helicopter. Three points sliced the water like knives.

“Oh, my God!” I squealed. “Are those...?”

“Orcas,” Seth said. “We’ve got several pods that patrol the sound.”

“They’re spectacular,” I said. “This is amazing!”

“And look at three o’clock.” He circled over the mouth of a river. “That’s a brown bear, fishing for salmon. Grizzlies, they call them in the lower forty-eight.”

“It’s like the Discovery Channel.” I pressed my nose to the glass. “No, it’s even better than the Discovery Channel!”

His laughter flowed over the coms, quiet, crisp, and rich. “Look closely as we fly over that little lake. There’s an old moose that hangs out on the east shore.”

“There it is!” I squealed. “Do you see it?”

“Every time I do this commute,” Seth said. “The wildlife is just one of the reasons I love Alaska.”

On a day like today, I could understand the attraction. I could feel the place seeping into my veins, awakening my numbed senses to the myriad details that dazzled and thrilled. The landscape’s expansive proportions defied imagination. Sitting next to Seth, with the helicopter roaring beneath my seat and Alaska at my feet, I felt like a queen on my throne.

I glanced at him and recognized him for the extraordinary being he was. Up here, he was in harmony with his environment, part machine, part wildlife, free to soar. The helicopter was like an extension of him, connecting mind and machine by his body’s subtle movements. It was obvious: he loved to fly. He belonged in the sky just as much as he belonged to Alaska.

He gripped the stick lightly, as if persuading the aircraft to dance with him. And suddenly I wanted to yield to his touch, to be the stick in his hand, to soar like the helicopter at the whim of his body, to fly him to places only I could take him.

“What?” he said, when he caught me looking.

“Nothing,” I gnawed on my lips. “If you’d told me two weeks ago that I’d be in Alaska, flying in a helicopter, seeing bears, moose, and killer whales in the wild, I might have laughed in your face.”

“And now?”

I smiled. “I’m glad I came.”