| Brian stayed for a full week. That first morning after a leisurely breakfast, he made some calls, being cryptic to all but his family as to his whereabouts. They spent the first two days just walking the beach. Anyone seeing them could tell how in tune they were with each other. They strolled hand in hand for hours. And during this time Colby shared with Brian all her hurts, frustrations and longings. It was like she relived all her sessions with Laura all over again. But she was determined not to hold anything back from him. She was coming to him with a lot of baggage and Colby wanted to be honest with Brian about everything. And as she spoke, the tears came as well. Talking about the baby wrenched her heart all over again and Brian held her as she mourned his loss again. And as she cried tears fell on his cheeks too for the child she had longed to hold, love and see grow. But in the midst of all the sadness, they expressed their love for each other with a passion that Colby thought she would never experience again. She had been right in her observations about him. Brian was like Rob in his gentleness, compassion, loyalty and in the way he loved her. She felt so cherished as he held her after their lovemaking. And as wonderful as their physical response to each other was, Colby knew their coming together was a joining of their souls as their bodies moved in rhythm with each other. Two hearts joined by a love so powerful nothing or no one could separate them, or so they thought. Because while Colby and Brian spent an idyllic week on Hilton Head Island, back in Lexington the wheels were grinding to find a way to throw a cog in their newfound love. Barbara and Catherine along with Brian’s parents were the only ones who knew of the couple’s whereabouts. Barbara’s loose tongue to Brian regarding where Colby was staying was held in check now. She kept their confidence knowing they both needed this time alone. Both she and Catherine were thrilled that Colby had finally admitted her true feelings and Barbara was almost a bit jealous at the thought of the two of them alone in that big house with only the sun, moon and surf for company. She had heard from Colby the same morning Brian called his parents. Barbara could tell by the tone of Colby’s voice that she had done the right thing in calling Brian and urging him to join her in South Carolina. There was a breathlessness about her while they spoke and at times Barbara had to repeat herself because Colby seemed distracted. It was only when Brian took the phone and told her Colby would call her later she realized their love had gone beyond verbal declarations. She grinned as she hung up the phone and then laughed out loud. Things were looking up and maybe, just maybe, Colby’s year would end on a happy note. Yet all the while Colby’s friends were delighted with the turn of events in her life, William stewed and plunged head long into the business. His usual demeanor took on an even deeper edge and his temper flared easily. Even Garrett noticed the change in him and tried to keep clear of his office as much as possible. Catherine was still in the town home and no matter what William said or did, she held her ground. He couldn’t understand her. Why after all these years would she leave him now? Surely she had to see that what he had done regarding their grandson, he had done for the family. And he would do it all again. Catherine knew he was hurting over the death of young Robert, but she couldn’t and wouldn’t help him. She had her own grief to deal with and deep down she knew he was still plotting against Colby. For the girl’s sake Catherine would use William as necessary to stay informed. He was subtle in his queries about Colby and Catherine dodged the questions like a pro. Garrett even got into the act, but he didn’t have his father’s finesse and Catherine picked up on his veiled attempts. Colby and Brian were not going to suffer at their hands any more. Catherine would stake her life on it. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Brian rolled on his side pulling Colby with him, their bodies still joined and a thin coat of sweat covered them. Their breathing was still a bit labored as he brushed his lips across hers. Sunlight streamed through the patio door window and Colby could feel its warmth as it cast its light across their sheet covered bodies. She nestled against Brian luxuriating in the feel of his arms around her. Her body still tingled from where his hands had caressed her and she knew she would never tire of his touch. She moved against him and Brian let out a groan. “You keep that up and I’ll want you again,” he said as he moved inside her causing her to whimper at the feelings it produced. “That wouldn’t be so bad,” Colby smirked as she cuddled closer to him drinking in the smell of his warm body. “Would you like to spend the day here?” He tilted her chin and kissed her nose. “It’s a thought, but it’s going to be a beautiful day again. Now if it were raining.” She smiled at him. He laughed at her insinuation and he thought he would love nothing more than spending a rainy day making love to her. She traced lazy circles on his chest, her mood becoming quiet. “Hey, what’s going through that head of yours?” She slowly looked up. “Would you really have left the other day?” She looked backed down and continued to trace her finger on his firm torso. “Yes.” Her head shot up at his answer. “I wasn’t going to force the issue, Colby. I love you and I wanted you but you had to come to me on your own not because someone said you should.” Her hand stopped caressing. “I would have just given you more time. But I knew I would be miserable if you decided to never see me again. I won’t deny my life was a living hell these last eight weeks. You were so close, yet so far away.” That look of despair was on his face again. “I’m sorry.” She touched his cheek and kissed him. “The doctor told me you might push me away. I was just not expecting total rejection. I know the baby wasn’t mine, but I was looking forward to,” Brian stopped. He saw the sadness creep into her eyes. “Hey,” his thumb brushed her cheek. “No more. It’s in the past. Let’s not look back on what might have been. I love you so much. Here and now are what matter.” Her eyes glistened and Brian kissed her cheeks. He slipped from her body and he leaned up on his elbow. She felt such emptiness at his withdrawal and regret for all those lost weeks. She shut her eyes as tears rolled down her cheeks. “Colby,” he took her chin and made her look at him. “We’ve been given a chance at happiness now. We can’t forget the past eight weeks, we never will. But we can make something new together. This is our beginning. We each bring our past into this relationship. It makes us who we are. But we don’t have to let it determine where we will go from now on.” His expression was tender and the love reflected in his eyes made her warm with desire for him. “It sounds so easy, but Brian so much has happened. It almost seems too hard.” “Only if you want it to be.” He took her in his arms, her breasts brushing against him stirred his desire. “All I’m saying is that our experiences have shaped us, but they don’t have to rule our lives. We can learn from them and then move forward.” The tears had stopped and Colby went to speak, but Brian put his finger to her lips. “I love you. We will take each day, one at a time and build on it. I’ll be here to help you, but more importantly, I will love you and stand by you.” His finger lingered on her mouth and Colby let our a sigh. She felt his erection swell against her and her loins became wet with anticipation. Brian leaned down and kissed her full on the mouth letting his tongue tease her lips before seeking entry. Colby pressed her body closer, her hips moving against his. That was all it took. Brian pushed her back on the bed and thrust deeply into her, causing Colby to gasp at his urgency. He moved inside her hard and fast, as low guttural sounds came from the back of his throat. His pace quicken and Colby arched into him as he continued to slam into her harder and harder, each time brushing against her, bringing her to the edge and then back again. Their climaxes came together both of them calling out the other’s name as their bodies were covered in sweat. “I love you,” Colby panted as Brian lowered himself on her, not wanting the feeling to end. “I love you too.” He echoed, dropping light kisses on her shoulders. “It will be okay, baby, I promise.” She nodded. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ “Yes, I understand. I don’t care about the cost. I want the best, that’s why I called you.” William leaned back in his chair and stared out the window. The day was bleak and it looked like snow. He turned back to his desk and jotted some figures down on the pad in front of him. “That’s fine. Just send me your best man. I want the job done right this time. You have my number. I’ll await word from you.” William hung up the phone. He was frustrated. He couldn’t shake off this need to keep control. He had not seen Colby since the day of the accident. After that first night he never went back to the hospital and even though he was at the funeral and graveside he kept his distance knowing that his presence was unsolicited and not welcome. Colby had disappeared and he was determined to locate her. Ironically, Littrell was not in Lexington either. He had inquired all over town and came up with nothing. Hence the need for someone trained. He had a couple of leads that he would give the investigator. He wasn’t leaving anything to chance this time. His family had proved incapable of providing any help before and he wanted it done right this time. There was a fortune at stake and it was not going to line the pockets of her or anyone she decided to take up with. He tapped the pencil on the blotter, his mind going a million miles a minute as his thoughts raced through it. None of this would have happened if Rob hadn’t taken that trip in February. He would never listen to him though, always doing it his own way. He could have sent a subordinate to check out those factories, but Rob felt the need to be the one to deal with each prospect himself. He missed him more than anyone knew not even Catherine. Oh, he had shown the right amount of grief at the time, but inwardly he was still mourning his son’s death. He had such high hopes for his grandchild, Rob’s son. He would have taken him under his wing and taught him all about the business so that one day he could sit in this chair and run the company. But fate had dealt them a hard blow. Garrett would inherit it all now and probably run it into the ground. He was too hard-nosed in his business dealings. Garrett didn’t know how to woo the client. He was all force. He spent his money on women and liquor and William knew that once he was gone it wouldn’t take long for Spencer Manufacturing to slip and eventually close its doors. He was getting too old for all this nonsense. He had hoped at this stage of his life his two sons would have had a firm hold on the company and he and Catherine would have traveled and enjoyed their golden years. Catherine, he still had no idea how to deal with her. The house was like a tomb without her there and no amount of cajoling on his part would bring her back. She just couldn’t understand his reasoning behind his actions. Didn’t she realize that her life would never have been what it was if he hadn’t worked so hard all these years. He had done it all for her and this was how she repaid him. The intercom buzzed. His four o’clock appointment was here. William told Miss Jones to send them in. He made a few notes on some leads he could give the investigator and closed the folder and placed it in the bottom drawer of his desk. He was not good at waiting but that was all he could do at the moment. The door open and he rose from his chair to greet his next victim of prey. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Brian held her close as they moved slowly around the dance floor. The music washed over them and Colby felt like she was floating on a cloud as their bodies moved in time with the music. It was their last night and she didn’t want it to end. They both knew they couldn’t stay at the beach forever and that morning as they sat drinking their coffee on the back steps Colby noticed how quiet Brian was as they watched the tide lap at the shore. When he told her that he needed to leave and get back to Lexington, she half expected it. They had spent a whole week together, more than she had every imagined and as much as she wanted to stay, it was time for her to go back as well. The week had been perfect. Each day and night better than the one before and if she stayed she just knew it would not be the same. She was scared to go back. They were safe here and no one really knew them. It was like living in a dream world, a world she didn’t want to end. They would leave in the morning and when he saw the sadness in her eyes, Brian decided that they needed to spend their last night doing something special. He suggested dinner and dancing at the finest restaurant the island had to offer. The thought of sitting at a candlelit table for two, and dancing in Brian’s arms was wonderful and she suggested a couple of places that would be perfect. They were so lost in the moment when suddenly she realized she hadn’t packed anything appropriate to wear for such an elegant evening. Brian agreed that neither did he but surely they could find something in town. So after breakfast they headed to town and found two exclusive shops and were each outfitted for the evening. Colby found the perfect dress and treated herself to all the delicate undergarments as well. As she turned to leave the shop Brian entered with his own garment bag and shopping bag and they both let out a laugh. After leaving their purchases in the car, they ate lunch on the dock enjoying their last afternoon. Neither one spoke about what would await them in Lexington, hoping that their silence would forestall the inevitable. Brian pulled her closer in his arms as he hummed the song in her ear, every now and again singing the words softly to her. Their bodies molded together and she could feel the swell of his manhood against her as they glided around the floor. They had shared a delightful dinner and a fine bottle of wine. The evening had been perfect and Colby didn’t want it to end. She clung to him and at one point he pulled back searching her face. “Hey, what’s wrong?” His hand brushed her cheek as they continued to move to the music. “I guess just a bit melancholy being our last night and all.” She smiled and he kissed her lightly. “The night’s not over yet,” he grinned at her. “Come on let’s go. I can just as easily dance with you in the living room at the house as I can here and then,” he whispered in her ear. Colby grinned and laughed softly. She gathered her purse and jacket and they left. They drove back in silence, Colby’s heart racing in her chest as Brian took her hand in his. They were barely inside the door when he took her in his arms. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The man drove along the shore road and parked in the lot near the group of shops. He paused to check out the town. He imagined that at the height of the summer this place was crowded with sunbathers and golfers. Now, early November, just the year round residents and some occasional weekend tourists frequented this upscale community. He poked around a bit, subtly asking a few questions of the people. No one seemed to recognize the people in the photos and after about an hour or so he found a small café and went inside for some lunch. He sat quietly at a corner table taking in the local color and listening to the idle chatter of the regulars. He ate his lunch and paid the check and continued his quest along the line of quaint shops on the boardwalk. He was about ready to give up when he came to a taxi stand at the end of the strip. It was worth a try so he showed the pictures to the dispatcher who just shook his head. He called out the couple of drivers sitting in the back and one of them recognized the man in the photo. He told him how he had picked him up at the airport and took him to a house in one of the private sectors on the island. He got his log and wrote down the address. The man thanked him and left. Well this was a stroke of luck. He pulled up at the house. It looked deserted. He parked the car and poked around the outside a bit. It looked all closed up and he wondered if the cab driver had been wrong somehow. He was about ready to leave when a man came out next door. “There’s no one there now.” He older man said as he came down the walk. “But there was?” The man asked. “Yes, but they left this morning, early.” “They?” The man seemed willing to talk so he pursued a bit further. “Yes. They seemed so much in love. She was very quiet and sad when she first arrived. Spent most of her time just walking the beach. Thought I saw her crying some too on a couple of occasions. But then about a week ago the young man arrived and she seemed happier with him here. They strolled the beach quite a bit, walking hand and hand and I thought I saw them in town a few times too.” He turned to go back in the house. “Did you get a good look at the young man?” He fished in his pocket for the picture and showed it to the man. “Can’t rightly say,” as he put his glasses on. “Could be him. I was never that close you understand. Hair color is right and he wasn’t much taller than her that’s for sure.” He looked at the man wondering why he was asking so many questions. “Are they friends of yours?” “Actually someone I know said they were here and I should stop by. You said they left this morning.” The man nodded. “Any idea where they might have gone?” The man shook his head. “Nope, they just packed up and left.” He turned backed towards his house. “Well thanks for the information.” The old man nodded. “Have a nice day.” He disappeared into the house. The man got in his car and pulled away. So much for this lead, I wonder where they were going. He punched in the number on his phone. “Anderson, here. They’re gone. Left this morning. I’m on my way back unless you have another lead.” He waited for a reply. “I would say they are headed back to Lexington, so I’ll call you when I get there.” He hung up. It was mid afternoon and no way he could catch them. He put the car on cruise control and settled back for the long drive. |