Crazy For You (9 page)

Her eyes widened. “You’ve got to be kidding.”

“I wish I were.”

“That’s too coincidental.”

“You’re not telling me anything new.”

She pushed away from the table and picked up her empty plate. As she walked past him to the sink, he couldn’t keep his attention off her.

Suddenly, his appetite changed and the pizza no longer interested him. What interested him more was
holding and kissing her to his
heart’s—
and hopefully hers—delight.

As she rinsed her plate at the sink, he pushed away from the table and moved to her, stopping mere inches in back of her.
Kendra
’s body stilled, as did her breathing. He touched her wavy, brown hair, st
roking his hand down the length.

“I
like your hair this way,
” he
said softly. “It was pretty at the party you were at the other day, but I like it better when it’s hanging over your shoulders and down your back.” He caressed her arm.

She shivered. “Eli, I...we...we shouldn’t do this.”

“Do what? We’re not doing anything.” He slid his hand from her back and ar
ound her waist, pulling her
against him.

“No
t yet
, but if you keep this up,
you
know
I’ll be in your arms very
soon.”

He found her fingers with his other hand and linked them. “And the idea doesn’t tempt you?” He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles.

“It’s not that.”

“Then what is it?”

“This is wrong,” she answered deeply.

He kiss
ed
the curve of her neck
and she
melted against him.
“Holding you like this doesn’t
feel wrong to me.”

“You’re missing the point.”

“No, I don’t think so,” he muttered as he kissed her hair. “I wanted to do this to you last night.”

“Me, too.”

“You’re perfect in my arms.”
He brushed his lips over her earlobe.

A cute little gasp came from her throat and she let her head fall back to rest on his shoulder.

“I think you feel wonderful, too.” She snuggled
closer to him.

“Kendra, I want to be with you as much as I can before I have to leave.”

She swung around in his arms
. “Are you really going to leave?”

“I have no other choice.”

“It’s not fair. In the little time I’ve known
you,
you have made me feel things I never thought I would feel. I know it’s crazy, but…I don’t want you to leave.”

She
kissed his mouth
, wrapping her arms around his neck as she held on tight.
As h
e met her demanding kiss
, his heart clenched with a feeling he had never experienced before. Although he knew he was falling in love with her, he cursed fate—and yes, even Cupid—for ruining his life.

* * * *

Kendra
lazily extended her arms over her head and smiled, knowing her grin stretched from ear-to-ear. With a sigh, she snuggled back into the mattress, pulling the blankets over her. Cupid had finally found her. Never had
Terrel
made her feel this
wonderful. Never had his kisses excited her so much and made her want to cuddle in his arms and stay there.

A giggle bubbled up from her throat. Eli definitely knew how to make her
happy..
.
and smile like an idiot.

She yawned and stretched a final time before climbing out of bed and padding to the bathroom to take a shower. Work had suffered because of her new houseguest, and she really needed to get back to her shop. George was probably livid by now.

When the hot water sprayed on her, she closed her eyes and relaxed to the pounding of the massage dial on the showerhead. Although she was eager to return to work, she knew Eli would be on her mind all day. How could he not? He’d
literally
left her breathless. Her fiancé had never done that.

Terrel
.

She sighed heavily and leaned her head against the wall. What was she going to do about
Terrel
? Over the past few months, her love for him had evaporated, but she’d refused to believe it was happening. Apparently, her heart had known she didn’t love him any longer. Then again, had she really been in love with him
at all
? She wouldn’t have been so willing to give her
heart
to another man any other way. She’d betrayed
Terrel’s
trust...yet he had been lying to her since she’d met him as well.

Now she had to find a way to tell him the wedding was off. Perhaps she should she wait. If Eli needed more information on
Terrel
, she might be the only way he could get it.

When an idea sprang to mind, she straightened and opened her eyes.
Terrel
might have something in his office that would be beneficial to Eli’s father’s case. Only she could get it for him. So far, Eli had proved he was the man telling the truth. Not
Terrel
. If Eli was also correct in thinking
Terrel
was corrupt, she couldn’t stand aside and not help. If Joshua Montgomery was the rightful heir to Montgomery Aisle, she had to do something to get him out of the mental hospital.

She hurried with her shower and quickly dressed in a pair of tan slacks and a coffee colored long-sleeved blouse. While buttoning up the front with one hand, she flipped through her day planner with the other. Had she written anything about
Terrel’s
agenda?

Cursing, she slammed the book closed. She hadn’t. She hurried over to the phone and called his secretary. After a short chat with Betty,
Kendra
grinned, her mind turning a million times over. She should sneak into his office while he’s at one of his meetings. Her heart hammered from the mere thought. She’d never done anything devious in her life. Could she actually do it?

She walked into the bathroom to style her hair. As she used the blow dryer, she mapped out the plan in her mind. She’d wait until Betty went to lunch—usually around noon. The first place
Kendra
would look in
Terrel’s
office would be his important files. He usually had them under lock and key, but she knew where he kept the extra keys.

She’d search for invoices and bills—something that showed he was paying the institution where Joshua stayed. Unfortunately, she didn’t know what institution Joshua was being held prisoner. She’d forgotten to ask Eli that minor detail. In fact, she hadn’t asked Eli a lot of things. Funny she’d taken his word so easily about being a future-man.

She laughed and turned off the blow dryer. Did she really believe he was from the future? Deep down inside she didn’t, yet how else would he know everything he’d proved to her yesterday? How else would he know the future if he hadn’t been there? She’d read her father’s time-travel book right after it was published. His book did make sense—if time travel were really possible.

She let out a frustrated breath and shook her head. Time-travel was too mind-boggling.

It only took her a few minutes to apply her make-up. Pulling a brush through her hair only took a moment, too. Once again, she didn’t do anything fancy to it.
Didn’t have time.
Then again, Eli
had told her last night he
liked it down.

Eli.

She
smiled again. There was no way she’d be able to take the giddiness out of her. For the next few days, she’d live life to the fullest, and if that meant enjoying
having a relationship with a man from the future…a very handsome and passionate man, no less,
then she’d do it. For several years now, she’d lived by her day planner. Everything she did had a perfect schedule. Now, she wanted to do things by the seat of her pants as if tomorrow were her last day.

Her smile gradually weakened. Within a few days, Eli would be gone. He’d go back to
his time
. A pain shot through her heart. It hadn’t taken him long to come into her heart.
Sad thing was
,
she didn’t think she could live without him now.

Lamont Walters had been Joshua and Adam Montgomery’s chauffeur—a man Eli had forgotten about until he was researching the Montgomery’s household staff before Adam died. Although Eli had hit a brick wall with finding the staff so far, he was exceedingly happy when he discovered Lamont Walters lived at a nursing home.

Before leaving
Kendra
’s apartment this morning, he noticed a mini-
voice
recorder, so grabbed it, just in case Lamont wouldn’t testify in court. Eli
knew
the old chauffeur
had some kind of information. Eli
just had to prove it.

He
waited in the lobby of the nursing home, tapping his fingers against the front desk’s counter. He hadn’t been in many nursing homes, but this was far the worst he’d been in. If
Terrel
or Lisa had paid the home to keep Lamont inside, wouldn’t it appear nicer than it was?

An older woman waddled to the front desk, wearing blue scrubs and white sensible shoes. He gave her his best smile, praying he’d be able to get in.

“Good morning. May I help you, sir?”

“Yes. I came to visit Lamont Walters.” He leaned his elbows on the desktop. “Lamont is my grandfather.”

Her eyes widened in shock. “He is? I didn’t think he had family.”

“I’ve been out of the state for a few years in the military,” E
li nodded.
When the nurse still gave him a skeptical look, he continued,
“I know grandpa is forget
ful
at times, but I assure you, he will know me. Tell him I’m...” He hesitated, wondering whether or not to give him Joshua’s name. He must. There was no other way. “Tell him I’m Joshua Montgomery’s son.”

“I’ll be right back. I don’t think he’ll approve. His health has been declining lately—as has his memory—and he’s not allowed to see people he doesn’t know.”

“I understand. Will you try anyway?”

“Yes. I’ll be right back.”

It had been five years...which means the nurses who were working back then were probably not still here. With any luck, the new nurses wouldn’t know that the poor man had been sent her
e
against his will.

It only took five minutes before the older woman returned. Worry etched her withered brow as she scratched her graying brown hair. “Well, Mr. Montgomery, I don’t know what has happened...but Lamont does wish to see you.”

Eli didn’t dare shout for joy just yet. “Thank the good Lord he remember
s
me.”

She smiled. “Yes, it’s a miracle. Follow me, please.”

He slipped his hand into the inside of his jacket and pressed the record button. Lamont had to know something. Eli was running out of options
…and running out
of days. Soon he’d have to go back. He didn’t know right now which one he’d miss more.
His freedom—or
Kendra
.

Then again, Kendra
was
freedom. He’d never felt so alive—or so free.

When Eli walked into the man’s room, the strong odor of urine struck him and nearly made him gag. These nurses were definitely not doing their job well.

Lamont sat in a chair facing the window. He turned his frail body to look upon Eli. The man’s bushy white eyebrows lifted slowly as awareness brightened his face. Not a word was said until after the nurse left, then Lamont gave him a toothless grin.

“I can’t believe my eyes.
I never dreamed you would escape your gilded cage at the asylum, Joshua.”

Eli nearly laughed out loud
to think t
he old man saw him as Joshua.

He rushed to the older man’s side, knelt and gripped his hand. “It’s good to see you, Lamont.
Most of Ad
am…um,
my father’s servants have died or moved out of the country.
I’m thrilled to see you’re still here.”

Lamont chuckled as tears filled his eyes. “
Terrel
and Lisa tried to dispose of me, but I’m a stubborn man and wouldn’t let them. I knew I’d eventually end up in a nursing home, so I convinced them to put me here early.”

“Smart man.”
Eli patted the man’s hand. “But I need your help now.
Terrel
and Lisa must be stopped. They are corrupt and they are running people’s lives. Good people are suffering because of them.”

“Tell me what you need, Joshua. I may be feeble, but I do have an alert mind...just don’t let the nurses know.”