Masquerade (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 2

  “I have lived here all my life except for college and training. I went to New York for a case a few years ago. A very noisy place.” He liked talking with her and getting to see little glimpses of her uncovered each time she spoke. He could see her compassionate personality. He enjoyed her soft, silky voice. It came out in low tones.

  He was about to ask her if she had any family. She was a mystery to him, maybe that was part of the attraction. He wasn’t sure he liked feeling so much emotion. Before he could say anything they heard a car drive down the driveway.

  “I wonder who that is.” He frowned. His family were usually the only ones who ever visited, but they normally called first.

  She stood up. “I’ll go check for you. Maybe a worried friend.”

  He shook his head. He didn’t have any close friends besides his partner Blake. “My colleagues have all called and know I’m recovering. Make sure you look out the peephole.”

  She rolled her eyes and went to answer the ringing doorbell. A few seconds later he heard the voice of Patsy Henderson and he groaned. What the hell was she doing here? He never invited her to his house. That was his main rule. This was his sanctuary.

  “I’m his girlfriend,” Jackson heard Patsy tell Samantha in a high-pitched snobby voice. He heard her heels clicking on his hardwood floors. “And who are you?”

  “I’m his nurse,” Jackson heard Samantha answer. A few minutes later Patsy was practically crawling on him. He pushed her off of him quickly. Her perfume was heavy and he started coughing. Why had he never noticed how clingy she was? Because he never spent much time with her besides having sex. She wore a tight blue dress that seemed better suited for the night life. It was cut low and showed off her heavy gold necklace.

  “My poor darling. I had no idea you had been shot. Why didn’t you call me in California?” She pouted. Jackson could see how fake it was. He rolled his eyes, but Patsy ignored his sullen glare and ran her fingers through his hair. He dated Patsy occasionally, but they were not in a committed relationship. She was a divorcée who used her ex-husband’s money to travel. They were occasional lovers and he had no desire to spend any time with her.

  “Because we don’t have that kind of relationship,” he said loudly so Samantha could hear him clearly. Her blue eyes were shining with hurt and he felt like a heel. He was just as surprised to see Patsy show up out of the blue. He was angry and soon she would get an earful.

  Patsy sat in the chair Samantha had vacated. “We’re lovers, darling. Just because we don’t live in each other’s back pockets doesn’t mean I don’t care about you. I would have rushed back from California sooner if I had known. I had to find out through gossip you were hurt and needed me.”

  Samantha picked up the dishes and left the bedroom quietly, giving him a disappointed look. Damn Patsy and her rotten timing. He gave Patsy a good glare, letting her know right away he was not happy about her barging in here uninvited. Seems he had been wrong about her carefree attitude when it came to him.

  Chapter 2

  “Are you sure about this, Sam?” Daniella asked. Samantha nodded at one of the other nurses she worked with. Daniella had been a good friend since Samantha started working in the clinic.

  “It’s an easy last-time visit with Doc’s nephew,” Samantha told her, trying to sound casual about it. Daniella was very curious. If she picked up any hurt in Samantha’s voice she would want to know what was going on. She would drag it out of her and right now she was trying not to even think of Jackson. “My car has been making funny noises, so I don’t want to chance it. Doc knows his nephew is fine now. He just wanted one last visit before he signed the work papers for him.”

  She didn’t want to face Jackson again. Not after last week. Finding out he had a girlfriend he never even mentioned hurt her feelings and reminded her why men were bad news. Patsy had been rude and snobby, giving her dirty looks. Jackson had looked irritated with his girlfriend’s visit, but Samantha had hightailed it out of there feeling foolish. It had been a good wake-up call. She had found herself attracted to Jackson Rutherford. Hadn’t she learned her lesson? Men were never honest.

  Daniella picked up the black bag filled with medical supplies. “Okay. It will be nice to get out of the office for a bit. The sun is warming things up nicely. We should plan a hiking weekend soon.”

  “For sure. Thanks for covering for me.” Samantha picked up the charts ready to call some patients into the rooms. She planned on keeping busy for the rest of the afternoon. Work was safe. Men were not.

  Thoughts of Nathan, her last boyfriend, popped into her head. She had met him when she had gone into her bank. He worked there and had literally bumped into her. He had apologized and offered to take her out to lunch. She had been wary at first, but eventually she relaxed her guard and allowed herself to believe in Nathan. He had sworn he was ready to settle down and take the relationship seriously. She had allowed herself to believe in him. Seven months later she found out his late nights at the office consisted of sleeping with his secretary. She had broken things off and vowed to stay alone. It was just not worth the heartache.

  A few hours later when Daniella came back Samantha took her lunch break. She resisted the urge to ask Daniella how Jackson was doing. Forgetting Jackson was the best thing to do.

  She bought herself a sandwich and headed down the block for the small town park. The sun was shining bright today and would feel good on her skin. She sat on a bench glad to feel the cool breeze on her face. Many people had the same idea. She saw a few joggers and some people just causally strolling down the paved trails. The park was pretty and green. After a cold winter people took any opportunity to enjoy a sunny day. Soon tourists would be coming to visit the town’s many activities and well-known hiking trails. It got slightly more crowded but she didn’t mind.

  When she was done eating she felt her cell phone buzz. It was an unlisted number and she wasn’t sure she should answer it. She had changed her number since breaking up with Nathan. Besides why would he call her after two months of no contact?

  “Hello?” she answered, feeling cautious.

  “Samantha Keller?” an unrecognizable male voice asked.

  “Yes,” she confirmed, relieved it wasn’t Nathan on the other end. She would have hung up right away. She had no desire to listen to his many excuses of why he had cheated on her. He had and that was all that mattered to her.

  “My name is Detective Williams. I was wondering if you could answer some questions about your boyfriend Nathan Cooper?”

  “We broke up weeks ago, Detective. It was not a friendly parting and I haven’t spoken to him since.” She was taken aback by the question. She wondered what Nathan had done. She could not imagine him breaking any laws. He was very much a rule-follower kind of person.

  “I see. According to his boss at the bank he was under the impression you two were still together.” The detective sighed, sounding tired.

  “Nathan is a very private person. He told me he didn’t get along with many people at the bank.” She wondered if anything Nathan told her had been the truth. He told her they had all been jealous of him. “Then again I found out too late he lied to me, too. Can I ask what he has done?”

  “He is accused of falsifying records to embezzle money,” the detective stated. “He hasn’t been to work in two days. You were listed as his girlfriend. He has no family in Colorado. I was hoping you knew his whereabouts.”

  “Have you tried talking to his secretary Valerie Watkins? I broke up with him when I found out he was sleeping with Valerie on the side.” She hated thinking of how foolish she had been with Nathan. She had believed that because he had a decent job as a loan officer in a bank and he acted like he cared about her so much that they would have a happy life. She had been so wrong and so disappointed.

  The detective was surprised by that news. Samantha heard paper shuffling in the background. “Hmm. Seems Miss Watkins called in and quit three days ago. A day before he disappears,” he said. “That
is too much of a coincidence. Thanks for the help, Miss Keller. Sorry to bother you.”

  “No problem, Detective. Hope you find him. His boss Mr. Jenkins is a nice family man.”

  She hung up the phone and put it back in her pocket. The joy of being outside in the sun was forgotten. She wanted Nathan to be a permanent memory once and for all. She had been fooled by his suave lines and handsome, sophisticated looks. He wined and dined her, treating her like a special princess. She thought she hit the jackpot with him until she found out about his affair. When she confronted him things had turned ugly quickly. He had slapped her and that had shocked her. He had never displayed any signs of violence until that night. They had never even had a major argument before that night. Samantha had truly been scared but had not allowed it to show. Nathan’s true colors had not been so nice and pretty. She pushed all the horrible memories out of her head. She would be a basket case all over again if she opened her mind to the memories. If her grandmother was here she would know just what to say to comfort her. Her grandmother had been a strong and wise woman. Samantha missed her every day but never more than now.

  She stood up and walked back to the office feeling depressed. Her chest was heavy with so many emptions that it hurt to breathe. Why couldn’t the past just disappear?

  * * * *

  Jackson was never so happy to be back to work. He still felt some soreness and limped a little. His uncle assured him in time that would disappear. The more he moved around the better he would feel. Even if it was just desk duty he was glad to be out of his house before he lost his mind from boredom. He missed Samantha more than he thought he would. He had been so disappointed when a different nurse showed up for his last appointment. He had an apology all planned out. He set the record straight with Patsy and if she was smart she would leave him the hell alone. Patsy confessed she badgered his mother for his address, telling her she was his girlfriend. He had also called his mom to let her know she had been fooled by Patsy. His mother had been relieved. She thought Patsy was dressed too provocative for a grocery run.

  “I was afraid her boobs were going to bust out of her top, son.” His mom had looked horrified and embarrassed. Jackson wondered what his mother would say if she knew Patsy’s ex-husband had paid for those boobs. Patsy loved showing them off. But he wouldn’t be seeing her again, not after the long lecture he gave her.

  “Glad to have you back, buddy,” Blake Miller, his partner, said putting a cup of coffee in front of him. Blake’s light brown hair was slicked back away from his face. Jackson and Blake had gone through training together and had become good friends. “You must be getting old, Jackson. There was a time you would have jumped up high and missed the bullet all together.”

  Jackson laughed and took a sip of the hot liquid. He winced and set the cup down. “The coffee hasn’t improved any. This shit might send me into relapse.”

  Blake laughed, taking no offense. He sat at his desk across from Jackson. Jackson struggled to put his mind back on the job only, like before. “So what has been going on since I’ve been gone?”

  Blake handed him some files. The office was busy and noisy, but Jackson relished all the activity. He was tired of the quietness of his home for the first time since he bought it years ago. “This is all the stuff you left me to handle all alone. The captain partnered me with Ray Anderson. You owe me for that shit, buddy. I was tempted to shoot my foot so I could lie around eating junk food all day. Did you get into any soap operas?”

  Jackson chuckled at his partner’s words. Ray Anderson was a know-it-all and difficult to work with. “Well, I’m back now, all rested and energized. As for the soap operas, do you think the captain will let me watch them in his office?”

  Blake laughed and threw a wadded paper at him. “Get to work, slacker.”

  Jackson laughed and opened the first file. Putting his mind on work was just what he needed to forget about a cute blonde nurse who stayed stuck in his mind. Getting back into his routine would ease his conflicting thoughts.

  Chapter 3

  Samantha entered the small neighborhood bar with Daniella and Nancy, another nurse she worked with and occasionally hung out with. Samantha wasn’t the bar type but it had been a hell of a week. She needed this outing just to have fun and let loose. That recent phone call with the detective had messed with her mind. She just wanted to forget all about Nathan. Who would have thought Nathan would be accused of theft. On top of that she found her thoughts drifting toward Jackson. Like she needed another headache involving a man. No thanks.

  “Come on.” Nancy grabbed her arm and dragged her in the doorway. The music was loud on top of the laughing and talking. The place was crowded. “You look hot in that outfit.”

  Samantha looked down at the tight purple dress Nancy had loaned her. It felt tight and short. Nancy had even done her makeup for her and insisted she leave her long hair loose.

  “Yeah, it’s Friday. Time to forget the week and let loose.” Daniella laughed. “Maybe we’ll all find some nice-looking men to flirt with.”

  Samantha followed them to the bar and ordered a beer. She didn’t drink very much, but she did need to let some tension loose.

  She looked around and almost spit out her beer when she spotted Jackson Rutherford playing pool with another tall blond man. She stole a few glances. Jackson was looking at the colored balls on the table and had not noticed her. She was glad about that. Both men wore jeans and long-sleeved shirts, but they had an aura of being in charge about them. She had a private moment to observe Jackson. He was just plain mouthwatering. His hair was still long, but she liked it that way and hoped he didn’t cut it. He has a girlfriend who might not agree with you, she reminded herself.

  She turned to Daniella before Jackson could see her. She had no desire to be polite to him or his snobby, rude girlfriend. What rotten luck. There were several bars in this town. Why did they have to go to the same one?

  “So what happened to Roy?” Samantha asked, trying to forget all about Jackson. She was surprised Daniella’s boyfriend wasn’t tagging along. He always seemed to show up anywhere Daniella was at. Samantha got the feeling he was always checking up on her, but Daniella thought it was sweet of him. Maybe Samantha just felt weary because of her own experiences. She kept quiet about her feelings. Daniella was an adult after all.

  “I wised up and kicked him to the curb.” Daniella sipped on a beer, talking about her boyfriend, trying to sound cheerful. Samantha could see she was upset but trying to hide it. “I found a few text messages from Francine, his former girlfriend, he forgot to erase. I suspected he was seeing her behind my back. He denied it, but I had that gut feeling. Why can’t men stay faithful once they win you?”

  “No attention span,” Nancy chimed in. She was holding a margarita in her hand. Her blonde hair was short and curly. She had a cheery smile on her face. “You can do so much better, Daniella. Roy was an arrogant ass. Let Francine put up with his shit.”

  Daniella swayed her hips to the music. She agreed with a smile and a nod of her head. “I plan on forgetting about him, especially after a few beers.”

  Daniella grabbed Samantha and Nancy’s hand and dragged the protesting girls to the middle of the dance floor. Samantha gave in and started swaying to the beat. Before Nathan she had lived a normal life. She had to stop letting the past stop her from living life to the fullest. It felt good, so she smiled at her two friends. She felt the bass shaking the wooden floor. She let the music soothe her and mellow her mood out. “This is just what I needed.”

  Nancy put her thumb up and continued to dance.

  * * * *

  Jackson aimed for the solid-colored ball on the pool table but missed his shot. His mind was not on the game he was playing. Usually he played much better and could whip Blake’s butt with his eyes closed.

  “You’re off your game, Rutherford,” Hank Martinez teased. Hank worked with them. “I thought you got your leg shot, not your arm.”

  Jackson put up his midd
le finger, making Hank and Blake laugh. He had spotted Samantha’s blonde head as soon as she hit the dance floor. He recognized the brunette nurse she was dancing with. She was the one who had showed up for his last visit earlier in the week. She had spent the whole time flirting with him. He had been cranky and rude until she had left. He liked the way Samantha’s purple dress hugged her hips and nicely rounded ass but he didn’t like the way it made other men stare at her with lust. He had never been territorial or jealous before. He had no right to feel that way about Samantha but he did. Thoughts of her were embedded in his mind no matter how many hours he put in at the office. He wanted to see her and here she was. Was that fate?

  Jackson set the pool stick down and told his friends he was getting another beer. He needed to cheer up before Blake and Hank started with the teasing.

  Luck was really with him tonight. Samantha was leaning against the bar. He walked right up to her. Her pretty blue eyes stared right into his. He felt the connection as it were tangible. He took a close-up look at her short purple dress. What a different look from the nurse’s outfit. His eyes wandered up and down her body. Her breasts were full and her hips were rounded perfectly. He wanted to pull her dress upward so no other men could look at her. He wasn’t sure how to start a conversation with her. His usual pick-up lines seemed crass right now.

  “Jackson. How are you feeling?” she asked casually, but he saw her eyes checking him out, too. He almost smiled but he did not want to make it obvious he noticed her eyes wandering over him from head to toe. His body sure reacted to her traveling blue eyes.

  He rubbed his thighs and her eyes wandered down to his jeans. He felt his cock come to life in two seconds flat. “Getting back into the groove of things. I missed you on my last visit. I was hoping to talk with you some more.”