Page 3 of Deadly Protector
She frowned as she picked up her backpack, slid it on. She wasn’t going to bother getting dressed. Her bathing suit and rash guard had already dried and she wanted to get whatever this was over with and then get the heck out of here. “Oh, right… I thought you were, ah…” She trailed off, not wanting to call out that he’d been in prison.
His jaw clenched again. “I just got out of prison,” he finally said.
The back of her neck prickled as he watched her, but she raised her eyebrows, hoping she looked impatient and not scared. Because…why was he here? It was clear that it was to talk to her, not to go to the beach. So this wasn’t a coincidence. Dread curled in her middle as that knowledge settled inside her. There was no reason for him to have searched her out. “Look, can I help you?”
“Why didn’t you respond to my letters?”
“Letters?” She clutched the bag to her chest, her heart beating wildly. Years ago he’d sent some letters but she’d tossed them all. He’d gone to jail because of some scam or B and E thing, she wasn’t sure. It had nothing to do with her or her husband. She’d heard he’d gotten out briefly, but had ended up getting tossed right back in after a violent bar fight or something. Maybe a robbery?
She hadn’t thought of him in years—he was part of her husband’s past and she didn’t like to think about how stupid she’d been to marry Lucas. Didn’t like to think about that part of her life at all. Not when she’d built something wonderful after him.
“Don’t act like you didn’t get them.”
“Look, I have no idea—”
“Zamira, hey!” Zac, the annoying twenty-three-year-old who’d asked her out a couple times, jogged over in his board shorts, sporting a perfect tan. He was harmless and earnest and she was so grateful he’d chosen now to show up.
She smiled brightly. “Zac, hey!”
He looked a little shocked at her reception and his grin grew. Oh crap, she’d have to deal with his crush soon, but not at the moment.
Kurt looked as if he wanted to say more, but turned and stalked away through the sand. The band in her chest eased a fraction when he reached the long-planked walkway and headed toward the parking lot. But not totally. Because she didn’t think this was over.
“I’m surprised you’re here on a Friday.” Zac’s smile was easy, his expression open, and if she’d been the same age as him, she might have considered going out with him.
But she was the mom of teenagers and in a totally different phase of life. “My schedule opened up so I got some good water time.” She glanced back at the horizon. “You might have to pack up early if that storm moves in.” So far it was just gloomy out there but they both knew how quickly that could change.
“Yeah, probably… You want to grab a drink? We could head over to Coconuts.” He chin-nodded at one of the beach places about a hundred yards down the strip, that was really just a hut with a bar. It catered to the college crowd with cheap beer and liquor. The little umbrellas in the coconut-shaped mugs didn’t hide the fact that everything there was guaranteed to give you a headache the next morning.
“I’m done for the day, heading home. But ah, would you mind walking me to my car?” She glanced over at the walkway, didn’t see Kurt anymore. But he could be waiting for her. She didn’t understand why he was here but everything about his appearance unnerved her. He was a big guy who’d been in jail for a violent crime. She’d be crazy not to be cautious of his sudden appearance.
“Oh yeah, of course not. Was that guy hassling you?” He frowned, looking over at the parking lot.
“Kind of. And if you see him around, don’t approach him. He’s dangerous.”
Zac straightened and she realized that had likely been the wrong thing to say. “Did he threaten you? You want me to call the cops?”
“No, no. I just meant that if you saw him loitering around, don’t approach him or anything. He…” She shoved out a sigh, annoyed at herself for the mouth diarrhea. But now she needed to explain more. “Look, he was friends with my husband a long time ago. I have no idea why he showed up but he made me feel uneasy. And I know he was in prison for a while, so just steer clear of him if you see him hanging around here. Okay?”
“You’re married?”
She bit back a sigh. That was his takeaway from what she’d said? “No. I was, a long time ago.” Felt like a lifetime ago, and in some ways it was. She wasn’t that same naive girl anymore.
“Couldn’t have been that long ago.” He eyed her with pure male interest then, his gaze sweeping over her bathing-suit-clad self from head to toe. Clearly it didn’t matter that her long-sleeved rash guard covered everything.
And, okay, it was nice to have a hot guy check her out, but no. Just noooo. “I was eighteen and way too young to get married. I’m thirty-two now, Zac. And I know it’s not a terribly huge age difference between us, but I’m not interested in dating right now. Okay?” He hadn’t asked her out—this time. But he had before, and she knew where this was going.
He gave her that same affable grin she was certain had charmed many women out of their clothes and into his bed. “Yeah, no worries. Can’t blame a guy for trying.” He picked up her small cooler and board and fell in step with her as they headed to the walkway. “And I’ll steer clear of the guy if I see him, promise.”
“Thank you.” She didn’t see Kurt in the parking lot, but there were a lot of cars. He could be hiding in any one of them.
That knowledge set her on edge so she hurried as she packed up her things and left the parking lot. Normally after a day at the beach she was relaxed and rejuvenated. There was something about the scent of salt water—the feel of its traces still on her skin before she washed it off and lotioned up—that was soothing. She’d grown up spending most weekends on South Beach with her friends or sisters and now she took her kids often. It was part of her.
But now, she wanted to be anywhere but here. And…she couldn’t help but wonder how he’d known she’d be here at all.
