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Chapter 24: PART TWO
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Sunstroke Chapter 25: PART TWO
"Trey?" Art's voice cut into his reverie."What?" He gave himself a mental shake. "Oh, vacation. I don't know. I can't seem to work up the enthusiasm.""Well, give it some thought, okay? We're just a little concerned for you." He paused. "You know we're all happy to take up the slack to give you whatever time you need."He ground his teeth. "Worried I'll fall down on the job? Am I not pulling my weight?"Art had the good grace to look a little embarrassed. "Not at all. You more than pull your share around here. Hell, just taking Bridger off everyone's hands ought to earn you a bonus. But-" He paused."But you're worried about my state of mind. Is it because Laura's making no secret of the fact that she's seeing someone while I'm not? Is that it?" He had deliberately not ventured out into places where he might run into her. Even after a year, seeing her with another man would be the pits."Trey, we all know this is a painful thing to go through. The partners all want you to know w
Sunstroke Chapter 26: PART TWO
Instead of heading home to his high rise condo, he decided to try a new bar he'd heard people raving about. It had a fireplace, which today would be a big plus for him. He could enjoy its warmth, have a drink and lick his wounds once and for all. Because, truth be told, it ate at him that Laura seemed to have her life under control and had moved on without so much as a ripple, while he beat himself up every day over what he could have done differently."Nothing," Art Finnergan had told him. "Don't get upset with me, but from what I hear, everyone's surprised that it lasted as long as it did."Trey had stared at him. "But people are just getting to know me. I haven't lived in Newport for almost twenty years.""True. But your ex-wife has been back a lot since you first lived here and she took up residence nearly a year ago. She's a partner in a business here that puts her in contact with half of Newport. People have had a chance to assess her and get to know her."Trey wasn't sure i
Sunstroke Chapter 27: PART TWO
Robin had just finished breakfast when there was a knock on the door of the villa where she was staying. She checked through the peephole as she'd been instructed and relaxed when she saw Seth Guillory from McBain Security standing there. Her first thought was he had something to tell her she didn't want to hear."Good morning." She wet her lips. "Not bad news, I hope."She lived in fear of the killers slipping out of sight and somehow tracking her down. But Seth shook his head and smiled. "Not at all. Jonas called with some information for you, and both Gabe Rossi and my boss, Luke McCain texted me to make sure I checked up on you. Again, they apologize for being away but it couldn't be helped. I told them I had things under control.""I don't want to cause a problem for anyone, or be an inconvenience." She was usually the one in control so adjusting to this threw her off her game."You aren't."She waved a hand at the interior. "I'm pretty sure this place wasn't just sitting h
Sunstroke Chapter 28: PART TWO
Trey hadn't known what to expect when they landed in Fort Myers. He'd traveled all over the world but somehow the southeastern tip of the United States hadn't made it into his itinerary. As cold as it had been in Newport, it was that warm in Fort Myers. The sun bathed everything in a warm golden light and even the trees and shrubbery seemed greener. The McAuliffes, couple he'd flown with, had chatted with him about the town of Mimosa Key and its attractions."We're staying in Naples, this time," Trish McAuliffe told him, "but we've been to the Casa Blanca several times and love it. If you like tacos there's a great little place that's mostly frequented by local residents called South of the Border."Davis chuckled. "Or SOB, as the locals say. But their tacos are the best around. There's no sign or anything so you may have to ask someone where it is." Shortly after they landed the McAuliffes were picked up by friends and they wished him a happy vacation He wished one for himself,
Sunstroke Chapter 29: PART TWO
After two days of hiding in the villa, Robin was ready to move beyond the confines of its walls. After all, the place was gorgeous, with every amenity one could think of. She read the brochure left in the villa and was amazed to learn it boasted a restaurant that was referred to as "an epicurean's delight." And the picture of the casual outdoor dining was too tempting to pass up. As long as she was here, she reasoned, she might as well enjoy what it had to offer.Her life was in a mess and she had no idea what her future held. She had no job to go back to, since Jonas had told her the FBI closed up Forrester Associates. Beyond her two friends who with her made up the Flirty Thirties she didn't really have a strong circle of friends. Too much time spent working too long and too hard. She didn't even own property, preferring to rent and leave the maintenance to others. The rest of her life-her future-was a blank page yet to be written on. So no, there would be no romance for Robin Han
Sunstroke Chapter 30: PART TWO
The man. Right. Robin didn't even know what the hell his name was.Now she was really hungry and she'd have to go back to the restaurant so she could eat. She could always order service to the villa, but this morning she'd promised herself she'd get out of here. She stepped into the shower to wash off the remains of her disaster. After drying herself off, she pulled on a pair of pale blue shorts and a navy T-shirt that was just loose enough for her to feel comfortable in it. Sarah, her personal shopper, had done well with the wardrobe.The only makeup she applied was a light dusting of blush and a soft rose lipstick. Who was she dressing for, anyway? As she made her way back to the restaurant, she prayed the man, whoever he was, would be someplace else. Anyplace else. With luck he'd already had breakfast and would be off doing something. Anything. She didn't care what as long as she didn't have to see him.But luck apparently was in short supply for her today. When she reached the d
Sunstroke Chapter 31: PART TWO
"You'll keep me in the loop?" she persisted."Absolutely. Now go have one of those fancy tropical drinks. It'll make you feel so much better.""A drink?" She chuffed a laugh. "Jonas, it's ten o'clock in the morning.""Okay, then make it a Bloody Mary. Or a mimosa.""I'll think about it."She disconnected the phone and stood there a minute, just holding the phone, pulling herself together. She needed to have her game face on before she returned to the table.Obviously a man of manners, Trey rose as she returned to the table and waited for her to be seated before sitting down again. He gave her a quizzical look."Everything okay?""Yes. Absolutely. Just some ...problems a friend is having. She needed to ask me a couple of questions.""Doesn't she know you're on vacation?" He tilted his head. "You are on vacation, right?""Oh, of course. Yes." She picked up her coffee and took a sip, thankful that her hand didn't shake. "It was just...a personal problem. We're very close so I li
Sunstroke Chapter 32: PART TWO
Trey smiled at the woman sitting on the bench next to him, realizing that for the first time in days his brain and his body weren't tied up in knots and he hadn't given a thought to Laura, her boy toy, his situation or the shock of the divorce. It was the first time in his life he could remember having coffee dumped on him turn into a pleasurable experience.Robin Hanna was a complete opposite of Laura. His wife-ex-wife, idiot- was slender, and tall, with black hair that she wore cut short. Robin, on the other hand, was maybe five foot five, with a nicely rounded body that her shorts and T-shirt accented very well. Her shimmering blonde hair hung just to her shoulders, and bangs highlighted clear hazel eyes, thick eyelashes and a sculpted face. She had a laugh that was musical in its sound.He wasn't looking for a hookup. He wasn't even sure he'd know how to handle one any more. And he definitely wasn't interested in the Barefoot Bay motto: "Kick off your shoes and fall in love." But
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Sunstroke Chapter 41: PART TWO
Robin thought springtime in Bozeman, Montana was possibly one of the best seasons ever. The air was fresh and crisp without being too cool. The sun warmed you as a gentle breeze played across your face. And everything was so right and clear. Robin Hanna sat in a coffee shop in downtown Bozeman waiting for Trey to finish his morning at the Gallatin County Courthouse. When everything came down about the Russians and the FBI needed a safe place for her until the trial was over, Trey insisted on taking her home to Bozeman and hiding her from the world there."They'll never think of looking for her there," he'd assured Jonas Faulkner. As soon as they got the final all clear from Jonas she promised they'd move forward with their wedding plans. As Robin pointed out, neither of them was getting any younger and they didn't want to waste a minute more being single. They for sure had no doubts about their feelings for each other. Now she was anxious to tell him about the call she'd gotten
Sunstroke Chapter 40: PART TWO
Trey thought about getting quietly drunk. He had to admit it seemed like a damn good idea. Too bad it wasn't his style. He hadn't done it when Laura served him with divorce papers and he wasn't planning to do it now. What he was going to do, instead, was call Zack Elliott, see how soon the man could fly him out of here, pack his stuff and check out. He should have known better than to come to a place like this. Zack had meant well giving him the brochure, but this was for couples. Apparently he was destined not to be part of one. He had just put his suitcase on the luggage stand to pack it and was searching for Zack's number on his phone when there was a knock on the door. He ignored it at first. There was no one here he wanted to talk to. At least, not any more. But the knocking persisted until, at last, in anger, he stalked over to the door."Go away, Robin," he growled, as he yanked open the door. Only it wasn't Robin standing there but the guy from McBain Security. Seth Somebody
Sunstroke Chapter 39: PART TWO
"Oh, Seth." Beside her Trey tensed. "What's up?""Can I see you for just a moment, please?" He looked at Trey. "Could you excuse us, please?"Trey nodded but stood there, frowning, as Seth tugged her out of the lobby into a little hallway. "What's up? Seth, this is just not a good time for me, as you can see." He itched his voice low. "What's up is that Jonas has been trying to call you for more than an hour. Where were you? He's about to have a fit worried about you.""Oh, sorry. We went for a hot air balloon ride." She forced a smile. "Trey arranged it. Why?""Jonas has been trying to call you and losing his mind because you weren't answering. He said you always answer his calls. You know him. If something is out of sync he gets paranoid.""Oh, he does? Just who the hell is Jonas and why does he have to talk to you right now?"Neither of them had heard Trey come around the corner until he spoke. When Robin looked at him she could see he was seething with anger and something
Sunstroke Chapter 38: PART TWO
A balloon! OMG!She never would have thought this was what Trey had in mind. Her stomach flopped up into her throat and back again. Good thing she didn't scare easily, she thought.A woman Robin guessed was somewhere in her thirties stood by the balloon, tending to its tether while a crew checked the sandbags holding it in place and steadied it. As they came closer she smiled and waved at them."Hi." She shook Trey's hand. "Glad you made it.""Are you kidding? I've always wanted to go up in one of these things. Zoe, this is Robin Hanna. Robin, meet Zoe Tamarin Bradley."Robin just stared. "Is this your balloon?"Zoe nodded. "My baby.""And you drive it? Or pilot it? Or whatever it is you do to a balloon.""I do, and I love it. Well, we've got clear skies and a pleasant breeze so let's get to it, shall we?"As soon as Zoe and one of her crew had climbed into the gondola, Trey swept Robin up in his arms and lifted her into it, then followed her. Zoe stood at the controls, waitin
Sunstroke Chapter 37: PART TWO
Trey would love to have moved all his stuff into the villa with Robin. It would make things so much easier. But his brain put up a roadblock when he thought of it. Not a good idea, he finally told himself. He knew nothing about her except she hadn't tried to steal his money, making love with her was off the charts, and she was easy and fun to be with. For the first time in a very long time he felt like a young forty-eight, maybe looking forward to the next chapter of his life instead of looking backwards and living with the pain. Who said life began at forty? For him he might be saying it began at forty-eight. How was it possible they had met less than forty-eight hours earlier? Or that despite the lingering pain of Laura's betrayal and his vow never to become involved with another woman, little by little he was losing his heart to Robin Hanna. In point of fact, at the moment the only thing he could find to complain about was her friend who picked the most inopportune times to call
Sunstroke Chapter 36: PART TWO
The shrill sound of her cell phone woke Robin. At some point during the night she had fetched it from her purse and put it where she could reach it, just in case. Now, as she blinked against the bright sunlight pouring in through the sliding glass doors, she wished she'd buried it instead. Throwing her arm over her eyes to shield them she picked up the phone and looked at the readout.Damn!Jonas!A tiny shaft of fear stroked through her, as it always did with his calls. Bad news. That's what she always expected.Beside her Trey's big body shifted and he looped an arm casually around her waist, pulling her back to him. She could feel the thickness of his morning erection and the heat of his body where they were skin to skin."Just give me a second here," she murmured. Lifting the arm around her, she kissed his hand before placing it back on the bed. Then she slid out from between the covers, grabbed the phone and hurried into the bathroom. "Hi, Jonas. What's up?"She pitched her
Sunstroke Chapter 35: PART TWO
Trey thought if he'd ordered a perfect evening it couldn't have been better. The air was warm but not hot. The sky was clear, stars glistening against its velvet backdrop. The night air was filled with the rich scents of the luxurious foliage. Something out of a movie set, he thought, then wondered where all this imagery was coming from.He had never considered himself a romantic, something that Laura had teased him about, except maybe it hadn't all been teasing. He thought of all the little road signs along the way in their twenty years together. Road signs he had just missed because he wasn't expecting them and was unprepared, so he'd apparently just ignored them. When he'd married her, in his mind it was forever. He still felt the shock of discovering it wasn't in hers.And that's enough of that. You're supposed to be changing your outlook on life. Putting the past behind you. And damn, he sure hoped he could. He looked at the woman sitting across the table from him in Junon
Sunstroke Chapter 34: PART TWO
I can't let my guard down.Robin had been telling herself that from the moment she spilled coffee and water on Trey DeMarcus. She should never have agreed to have breakfast with him. And driving into Mimosa Key in that convertible and wandering around town like lovers on a date was a bigger mistake. There was some kind of electricity between them, invisible but still crackling in the air.Seth had told her to make an effort to enjoy herself while she was here and forget about the mess back in Boston. That was Jonas's problem and he and the FBI were keeping it well away from her. She didn't think he meant jump the bones of the first good looking, single man she met and take the edge off all that frustration building in her since she'd dumped her last relationship. How was it she was so bad at picking men? She must have warped radar that it only vibrated toward men who were already in a relationship-with themselves. Trey was so different it amazed her how taken with him she was. Alth
Sunstroke Chapter 33: PART TWO
He couldn't help letting his eyes roam over her figure, so appetizing in her shorts and T-shirt. She was the first woman who had really lit up his hormones in more than twenty years. Laura had been the one for him and he'd never even thought intimately about another woman. Did he admire appealing bodies? Sure, he wasn't dead. But always in an abstract way.So what was it about Robin Hanna with the nice breasts and delectable ass that was turning him on so much? Nice breasts? Delectable ass?He'd better put his libido in deep freeze or he'd be in big trouble.She chuckled. "Wait until you see me in a bathing suit before you hand out the compliments.""I look forward to it."Trey wanted to smack himself in the head. He was just looking for a companion to do things with, so he wasn't alone. He shouldn't hint at things that weren't going to happen.On the drive back to the resort, Robin leaned back in her seat, scarf wound around her head and sunglasses in place, the sun bathing he
