Kissed by the Sun Read online

  “Whatever you do, Carlee, don’t, and I repeat, don’t bring up that kiss.” He shifted in his seat.

  She flopped back in the seat. “Fine.” She glanced out the window. “I won’t.”

  Ben got in and started the car. The engine roared to life.

  “But I won’t forget it,” she said, her voice soft. “Ever.”

  Chapter Nine

  The minute Carlee stepped foot in the old cottage, she felt as though she was home for the first time in her life. It was a gem of a place, sitting high on top of a hill. She craned her neck to see that a small wooden deck jutted out the side, wrapping around the back of the house.

  What a great ocean view!

  She couldn’t wait to get inside.

  Dan followed her in, carrying a box filled with food. He placed it on the kitchen table. While he went into another room to check something, she rummaged through the box, eager to see what they provided. There was milk, eggs, bread, a jar of peanut butter then she spied a familiar package.

  She pulled it out, a smile on her face.

  Dan walked back into the room.

  Carlee held up the package. “Where did you find these?”

  Two bright spots of color appeared on his high cheekbones. “Ben and I found them at that specialty market in town.”

  She placed the package on the table. Running her hand across it, she said. “They’re my favorite cookies.”

  He shoved his hands in his pockets. “Yeah, well, we remembered, that day we came to see you. You seemed to enjoy them.”

  That memory surfaced. She winced slightly, fingering the small bump that remained on her head. Carlee walked over to the windows, touched by their thoughtfulness, afraid her misting eyes would betray her. She glanced outside.

  The view was spectacular! The rolling crashing waves hit against the rocks, the gulls flew high above the sea.

  Dan walked over and drew her away from the windows.

  “Rule number one.” He turned her to face him, holding her shoulders between his hands. “Stay away from the windows. Rule number two: You don’t leave this house. Rule number three—”

  “Just how many rules are there?”

  “Rule number three,” he repeated. “Give me your cell phone.”

  She frowned. “Why?”

  He held out his hand, palm out, waggling his fingers. “Just give it to me.”

  She sighed, reaching in a pocket of her sweatshirt. “Here.” She gave it to him. “Happy?”

  “Ecstatic,” he replied, his voice laced with disdain. He hit a button, shutting it off. “It’s mine now.”

  “But what if I need to call someone, or—”

  “We don’t want you talking to anyone, got it?”

  “Not even you and Ben?” she asked, her voice snide.

  He didn’t miss a beat. “We should only be so lucky.”

  She rolled her eyes.

  “That’s why we got you the cookies. From the way you wolfed them down, we figured if you’re eating them, you can’t talk to us.”

  She stuck her tongue out.

  He angled his head, looking at her for quite some time.

  He took a step toward her.

  She didn’t back down. Her heart racing, she walked to him, the tips of her sneakers touching against the toes of his boots.

  “Why did you agree to watch over me?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

  “I didn’t. Neither did Ben.”

  “Right. You’re just following orders,” she quipped. “Ben already said that. Maybe you can give me the real answer.”

  “That is the real answer.”

  Her heart plummeted. It felt like a lead weight in her chest.

  “Then it’s a lousy one.” Her voice trembled.

  “It’s the only answer that you’re going to get.”

  He walked out of the kitchen.

  “Oh!” She lifted the package of cookies and tossed them at his retreating back, but her aim was off, and the package landed on the floor, the cookies crumbling into pieces.

  Dan just kept walking, but she heard him laugh.

  * * * *

  Later, she followed Ben down a hallway just outside the kitchen. He carried her bag. She hurried past him, and managed to dodge his long, wide steps. Blocking his way, she grabbed hold of her suitcase.

  “I’ll carry it.” She huffed. “Don’t bother.” She tugged, but he didn’t let go and walked past her.

  She ran to catch up with him. Stopping halfway down the hall, he placed her bag on the floor and opened a door to a room. He swept his hand inside the open doorway.

  “Your suite awaits, princess.”

  Carlee poked her head through the entrance. A quaint, charming room greeted her, simple yet, homey.

  “It’s the largest of the three bedrooms.”

  She smiled at Ben. “And you and Dan thought I should have it. That’s very sweet.”

  “That’s us,” he quipped. “Sweet.”

  She raised a brow, hoping for a haughty effect. “Am I to stay in my room like a good little girl for the duration of my confinement?”

  He angled his head. “That would be wonderful."

  Her face fell.

  “But as long as you follow the rules, you have the run of the house.”

  “Ah, yes.” She held up a finger. “The rules. Stay away from the windows, no going outside—”

  He folded his arms across his wide chest. Leaning against the doorframe, he said, “I see Dan’s already taken care of that.”

  “Quite well. Let me just tell you what I think of your rules.”

  “I can’t wait to hear.” He rolled his eyes.

  She lifted her chin. “Rules are meant to be broken.”

  He dropped his arms from his chest and scowled. “Not these. We're talking about your life here, Carlee.”

  Her blood pressure skyrocketed. “My life…” She aimed her thumb at her chest. “Was my own, until you two stepped back into it.”

  “Believe me,” he growled. “We’d gladly leap out of it, if we could.” His voice shook. “The last thing we need is to baby-sit a spoiled rich, brat like you.”

  Her eyes stung, but she held back her tears. “Is that what you and Dan really think I’ve become?”

  He shook his head. “No. It’s what we always knew you were.”

  “That’s not true!” she cried. “I hated every second with my family.” Her voice wobbled. “I never fit in.”

  He raised a brow. “You sure managed to wheedle your way back into their good graces.” He shook his head. “‘Ida’s Clone,’ that’s what you are.”

  “I’m not.” She balled a hand into a fist at her side. She took a step toward him. “If you always thought I was a spoiled rich girl, then why did you and Dan want to hang out with me at the reservation?”

  He didn’t answer.

  She laughed, the sound caustic. “You didn’t seem to mind kissing me all those years ago.”

  “That was a mistake, so we sent you away. We knew better then, and we know better now.”

  She raised a brow. “Oh, really?”

  He nodded. “Really.”

  She poked him in the chest. “Then why did Dan kiss me when I came to see Lieutenant McGee?”

  His eyes widened. “What do you mean Dan kissed you?”

  She gave him a cheeky grin. “Have you forgotten what a kiss is? It’s the act of joining one pair of lips to another, the idea being to incite lust.”

  “I know damn well what a kiss is! And you had no business kissing Dan. Christ almighty.” He ran a hand through his hair.

  “Did you ever consider that he kissed me? And not the other way around?”

  His face darkened. “Don’t think you can start trouble between me and Dan. It won’t work.” He slashed a hand through the air. “You’re still a spoiled-rotten kid.”

  “And you’re still singing the same tune. It’s getting rather boring.” She licked her lips. “Why don’t you ask Dan abo
ut that kiss?”

  She didn’t wait for him to answer, just reached for the door and slammed it in his face.

  “Open this door!” he banged against it. It rattled in the frame.

  “Go to hell!” She shouted back, tears filling her eyes. This time, they spilled onto her cheeks.

  She swiped them away with her fingers.

  She heard a muffled curse come from the other side of the doorway.

  Then she heard footsteps.

  She waited until they disappeared.

  Bracing her back against the door, she reached for the lock, turning it with a loud ‘click.’

  She did the same with her heart.

  * * * *

  Carlee spent the rest of the day and night in her room, but sleep eluded her. When she could finally drift off, she kept having dreams, the same ones, tossing and turning each time the images flashed through her mind.

  A shadowy figure loomed over her. She couldn’t see its face, but something about it seemed familiar. Then she’d feel it—that moment when she would slip into a black void. Frightened and alone, Carlee could never seem to escape the eerie figure. It followed her everywhere…

  She woke with a start, her eyes swollen and gritty. She glanced outside, watching the sun stream through the curtains. Padding toward the window, excitement built inside Carlee. What a breathtaking view!

  She remembered Dan and Ben’s first rule.

  “Fuck it,” she said aloud.

  She took a few more steps then stopped.

  “Oh, damn them anyway.” She brushed back the hair from her face.

  They were right—this wasn’t a game. This was her life, and someone was intent on taking it from her. She trembled at the thought. If she kept looking out the window all the time, no matter how wonderful the view, someone would see her…and know where the police hid her.

  She shuddered against the cold.

  A rattling noise made her jump. She turned when she felt warm air swirl around her feet. It traveled up her legs.

  She rubbed her arms. “Must be the heater,” she grumbled.

  She had to stop being such a scaredy-cat.

  The last thing we need is to baby-sit a spoiled rich, brat like you.

  “Screw you both,” she said aloud.

  Her shoulders slumped.

  Yeah, that would be nice, wouldn’t it? That would solve everything. It would end the burning desire she had for Ben…for Dan, too.

  However, it wouldn’t solve their differences.

  Right now, there was an enormous mountain of them. It lay smack between the three of them.

  She thought of how she goaded Ben yesterday, and the trouble she'd thought she could cause. It was only fair, after all they’ve been putting her through.

  She sighed. No, it wasn’t them—it was her. She opted to take the easy way out—to take the money her aunt offered in her will. Ida dangled it before Carlee like a carrot in front of a rabbit.

  Carlee took the bait.

  She had only herself to blame now for her circumstances.

  Ben was right. She always had her family’s money to fall back on, one way or another.

  This time, it got her in trouble.

  Maybe it always had…

  It suddenly dawned on her that Todd’s jealousy couldn’t possibly be new. He must have always felt it, and probably lived with it. Ida showered what appeared to be a lot of attention on Carlee when she was younger, it was just that Ida did it in her usual, gruff way.

  Todd had been aware of it.

  And it ate away at him now—fueled by his mother’s obvious disdain. She must have disliked him so much that she chose to cut him out of her will.

  But why?

  What had Todd done that was so awful?

  And why allow Carlee, who had no head for business, run the poultry farm?

  She dropped her head in her hands, scrunching her fingers through her hair, wondering if she’d ever find the answers.

  Walking over to the bed, she sat down and pulled on a pair of warm, wooly socks. She opened her bag and retrieved the few food items she had tossed in—one of them being organic green tea bags.

  Maybe a cup of her favorite tea would clear her head.

  And maybe…she’d apologize to Ben.

  No, damn it!

  She shook her head.

  Her shoulders slumped. What did they need to make amends for? Spouting the truth?

  She was spoiled. She had acted like a total brat, too.

  Yeah, well, they were no better. Acting like big, tough macho guys.

  Screw them.

  She marched out of her room heading down the hall, stopping when she heard Ben and Dan’s voices coming from one of the rooms.

  Leaning her ear against the door, she listened as they spoke.

  “You kissed her!” Ben’s voice shook. “Are you out of your damned mind?”

  A corner of her mouth lifted.

  “I know, I know, I’m an asshole.” Dan replied.

  She bit back a grin.

  “Remind me,” Ben replied, his voice surly. “Why we agreed to baby-sit her.”

  She lifted her chin. She was no baby, damn them.

  “Because we couldn’t argue with McGee? Because it would mean our jobs?”

  She heard the shuffle of feet.

  One of them was pacing back and forth.

  “Why do we always have to prove ourselves, Ben? We’ve been doing it our whole lives.”

  She swallowed, hard.

  “When you’re the only two Native American Indians on the Montauk police force, it comes with the territory.”

  “I want to be recognized as a good cop, and I want people to stop seeing me as an Indian first.”

  Ben laughed, the sound derisive. “So then we should cut our hair. Look more—white.”

  “Yeah right. That’ll just piss off Running Bear and the rest of the tribal elders.”

  There were a few moments of silence.

  “We’ll always be caught between two worlds—the Indian and the white. It’ll never change.”

  “Whatever we do,” Ben replied. “We have to remember: It’s hands-off Carlee.”

  Her eyes widened.

  “Christ! I’m so fucking turned on every time I see her.” Dan’s voice filled with frustration. “Then she opens her mouth, and I get so damned mad at her. And all that anger just turns into…lust.” His voice lowered. She strained to hear him. “Cooped up with her like this - how in hell are we going to stand it?”

  Ben sighed. “Our dream of sharing Carlee is finally here—within our reach—and life turns all ironic on us.”

  She clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle her cry.

  They wanted to share her?

  Holy shit.

  “Just remember—” Ben said.

  “Yeah, I know. Hands-off.” Dan sighed. “My dick’s so hard right now just thinking about her.”

  “Then think of something else.”

  Dan’s voice shook. “I’m trying.”

  She scooted down the hall, making her way toward the kitchen.

  She couldn’t help but smile.

  Chapter Ten

  Much to Carlee’s delight, the small cottage had a wonderful kitchen. She rummaged through the cabinets, searching for a pot to boil water in. She found a battered, aluminum teakettle in a cabinet near the stove.

  Her stomach rumbled. She glanced at the box filled with food that Dan brought in the day before. Searching through it, she decided that about the only thing she could eat was the peanut butter. She opened the fridge to see that either Ben or Dan must have placed the eggs and milk inside, to stay cold.

  However, there was nothing in the fridge that she could eat.

  She glanced back at the box on the table and noticed a loaf of bread.

  Okay, so she’d have toast and peanut butter.

  Her stomach rumbled again.

  Maybe she’d have one of those cookies!

  She remembered how she threw
the package of her favorite treats at Dan yesterday.

  Yeah, she was a brat. A spoiled, hungry brat.

  Grabbing the bread and jar of peanut butter, she walked over to the counter by the sink.

  There she noticed two more packages of her beloved cookies.

  Her eyes stung. Ben and Dan obviously replaced what she tossed in anger.

  Brat.

  Yeah, she owed them an apology. A big one.

  She turned the knob on the sink marked ‘cold’ and waited for the water to run from the faucet.

  Nothing happened.

  She turned the cold water off, then on, waiting again for it to start running.

  Nothing.

  Damn!

  She did it again. This time, she heard a rumbling noise, then…

  BANG!

  BANG!

  The ominous noise came from the pipes under the sink.

  Water spewed from the faucet—an endless deluge spurting in every direction.

  She screamed as the force of the water hit her square in the face, the rest of it soaking her shirt. Carlee tried to turn off the water, but no matter which way she twisted and turned the knob, it just kept coming. She slipped once, a cry of pain escaping her mouth. She fell flat on her ass in a pool of icy cold water that seeped through the kitchen and was now making its way down the hall.

  When she tried to rise, her wet flannel sweat pants weighed her down.

  She managed to get up, and that’s when she heard a shout.

  It sounded like Dan.

  Sliding a mass of wet hair from her eyes, she was greeted by the sight of Ben and Dan, guns drawn.

  Dan wore only boxers, which didn’t cover much, his long dark hair trailing over his broad shoulders and back.

  Ben had on a pair of jeans, and no shirt, his chest bare. Smears of shaving cream lined his lean, sculpted face. His wet hair was slicked back, as though he had just gotten out of the shower.

  “What the hell is going on?” Ben shouted, reaching for the faucet.

  Dan lowered his gun and waded through what seemed to be an inch of water. “Are you all right?” he asked.

  Ben shut the water off with one twist of his hand.

  “I was trying to do that.” Carlee said, her voice sheepish. “But the damn thing wouldn’t cooperate.” She stepped out of the water, her woolen socks heavy.