Hidden Threat (7 page)

The fact that Matthew Andersen was going to be there too had no bearing whatsoever.

Around six, she stopped at a pizzeria and feasted on a slice of brick oven pizza. It was heaven. Having gone so long without real pizza, her mouth was watering.

On her way out of the mall, she passed by a movie theater. There were people in line at the box office, as well as the concession stand, and she could smell the warm buttery popcorn calling to her. It wasn’t quite seven o’clock yet, and she hadn’t seen a movie in such a long time.

Changing direction, she made her way up to the ticket counter and picked the first movie that struck her fancy. Ticket in hand, she made her way to the concession stand. With a small popcorn and a large soda, Cali walked into the theater to watch her chosen flick. As the previews started, Cali got a weird feeling like she was being watched. She quickly looked around but didn’t see anyone, so she turned back to the screen and her movie.

***

Just over two hours later, she returned home and wandered up the stairs to her bedroom. The movie had been action packed with cars blowing up and bullets flying everywhere. The main character was charged with protecting the ambassador’s daughter from a group of terrorists. It was quite riveting and kept her on the edge of her seat.

About half way through the movie, Paul and Joan, the two main characters, were hiding out in a hotel room after a big gun fight. Paul was hurt. He’d been shot in the arm. It was nothing serious, just a flesh wound. The sexual tension between the couple had been building from the beginning of the movie and finally reached its peak. As she finished bandaging his wound, they embraced in a sensuous kiss.

The chemistry was unbelievable, the steamy scene building until they fell onto the bed. Cali kept replaying it in her head.

***

Cali laid out her new purchases and changed for bed. The movie left her keyed up, and it took her a while to fall asleep. Finally, she managed to drift off, her mind reliving the movie over again in her head, the bedroom scene fresh in her mind.

As she fell into sleep, she wasn’t seeing the actors anymore. Paul became Matthew and she became Joan. Her mind and her body sank into bliss as she imagined Matthew’s hands and lips doing to her what she’d seen on the screen.

She woke Saturday morning tangled in her sheets. As her eyes opened, she groaned remembering the dream. She’d had her own personal fantasy starring Matthew Andersen. Grabbing her pillow, she held it over her face and let out a frustrated scream.

***

Matthew pulled up to the Stanton house just after one-thirty. He was early, he knew. It had been impossible to sit around his house any longer. Normally he enjoyed his solitude. An avid reader, Matthew typically spent his downtime engrossed in the latest mystery novel.

Today was a different story. His mind had refused to concentrate on anything other than his upcoming afternoon with Cali Stanton. She’d starred in his dreams last night, as she had since the day he’d met her. The fact he was waking up primed and ready was not something he enjoyed, especially with no outlet for his frustration.

He normally spent thirty minutes each morning doing a variety of exercises not only to stay in shape but to stay focused. On Saturdays, he usually stepped up his game and increased his workout to an hour since time was not an issue. Today, with the prospect of being alone with the object of his current fantasies, he’d added an extra thirty minutes on top of that.

Cali must have been looking out for him. She was already out the door before he could turn off the car. As soon as he saw her in her blue jeans and light pink shirt, her hair pulled back in a ponytail swaying as she walked, he knew his efforts this morning were in vain.

Swallowing, he managed to look up and smile as she got in the car. “Hello,” she said, averting her eyes.

“Hi,” Matthew responded. “Ready to go?”

“Yes,” Cali said, keeping her eyes straight ahead.

Matthew shifted the car in gear and drove down the lane and out onto the highway. He glanced over at her sitting in the seat beside him. She was looking out the window, watching the houses fade into the distance as they sped out of town.

***

The moment Cali opened the car door and saw Matthew, she knew she was in trouble. His blue eyes met hers, and her fantasies from this morning came flooding back. To avoid any unnecessary interaction, she’d focused her attention on the passing scenery, hoping to avoid conversation for as long as possible.

The silence lasted for almost half an hour. Finally not able to stand the tension anymore, she asked, “Do you mind if I turn on some music?”

Her sudden question startled him. “No. Not at all.” She flipped the radio on and found a station playing eighties music. Not ideal but it would work. The car grew silent again with only the radio between them.

As the songs continued to play, she felt a wave of nostalgia for her adolescent years. Bon Jovi’s
Living on a Prayer
came on, and she began to sing to herself.

The soft sounds of humming and actual singing pulled Matthew out of the self-imposed trance he’d placed himself in since Cali entered his car. Looking over, his eyes watched her lips as she mouthed every word perfectly. Smiling, he teased, “I didn’t picture you as a hair band fan.”

She jumped a bit and then smiled back at him. “What can I say? Who doesn’t love
Living on a Prayer
?”

He laughed. “True, very true…So is it just Bon Jovi, or were you into all the other hair bands of the eighties, as well?”

She turned her body to face him. “I would have to say I was quite smitten with most of them. How about you? Where you a hair band fan?” she asked with a bit of teasing in her voice.

“Well as you said,
‘Who doesn’t love Living on a Prayer?’
” His smile was radiant. It took her breath away and drew her in at the same time. She wanted to see more of it. She needed to see more. “I was quite a fan of The Bangles, too. You know
Walk Like an Egyptian
.”

It was her turn to laugh. “Oh my, does that bring back memories.” He laughed too. They spent the rest of their drive trying to out do the other with their favorite songs from their youth.

Just before three, Matthew pulled into the Stanton driveway, laughing freely with Cali over shared adolescent experiences, the tension in the air that always hung around them having disappeared.

Getting out of the car, they smiled as they walked up to the house.

A man close to their age came through the back doors and met them in the hall.

“Cali! It’s so good to see you again.”

Cali smiled and they hugged each other tight. “Hi David. It’s great to see you again.” Stepping back she asked, “My dad keeping you busy?” 

He laughed. “Doesn’t he always?”

“Do you know where Alvin is?” Matthew asked in a clipped tone, cutting their reunion short.

“Oh, yeah. He’s down the hall in the master suite,” David answered before turning back to Cali. “It looks to be a pretty sweet set up. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many gadgets.”

Matthew gave a curt nod and marched down the hall where David indicated. As he walked away, Cali saw the stiff set of his shoulders and the purpose behind each step. What happened to the laid back laughing Matthew of a few minutes ago?

She turned her attention back to David; as he was still talking to her. The two had grown up together when she’d spent summers here as a kid. His dad had been the grounds keeper of the Stanton lake house for many years, and now he had taken over the position. Cali stayed and talked to David until she heard movement down the hall. Apparently, it was almost time for their meal. That was good. She was starving.

***

When Matthew arrived, he seemed normal enough, but when Cali entered the dining room, so did the tension. Alvin noticed it almost immediately. He knew something must have happened between the two of them, but he couldn’t imagine what. Matthew Andersen was one of the most professional men he knew and very easy to work with. Cali was his little girl, and well, he couldn’t even think she could have done something. It was a mystery, and by the end of dinner, he was no closer to solving it.

As Carolyn cleared their plates, Matthew excused himself to go make his rounds.

He didn’t spare one glace at Cali.

“So, sweetheart, how are you adjusting to life back in civilization?” 

Cali picked up her coffee and took a sip. “I wasn’t gone that long, Dad.” 

He laughed. “But I’m adjusting fine. Jessie’s been a big help. It’s great to have her around again.”

Alvin sighed. “Yes, she’s something isn’t she? I know I miss her cooking after two weeks of hospital food.”

Cali laughed. “I imagine so. Speaking of…how did you manage to get released so quickly?”

“I was done with that hospital nonsense. All I did was lay around killing time, and there’s no reason why I couldn’t do that here.”

“Very observant of you, Dad.” She smiled.

Speaking of observant, Alvin thought. “So how are things at the office? Matthew said the shipment arrived at its destination yesterday. You two taking care of things?” he asked watching for a reaction to Matthew’s name.

Cali took another sip of her coffee, her voice shaking slightly as she answered.

“Yes. Absolutely. As you said, Matthew is very good at his job.” She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

“Yes, quite,” he replied, draining the last bit of coffee. Alvin was even more curious as to what was going on than he was before.

***

Matthew and Cali said very little to each other as they slowly walked back to the car to go home. Reaching for her door, Cali paused and looked at him. His shoulders were still set in that now familiar rigid posture he’d adopted since they entered the house. Opening the car door and getting into her seat, she settled herself into the plush leather. This was going to be a long drive home.

For his part, Matthew tried to block out the woman sitting beside him and concentrate on the road. He knew he was letting his emotions rule his response, and although it unnerved him, he didn’t care. Something in him sparked when he saw her all chummy with, whom he later found out to be, the grounds keeper.

When David—Matthew gritted his teeth at the thought—wrapped his arms around Cali and pulled her against his body, I saw red.

He knew it was irrational. He had no claim on her. He couldn’t have a claim on her. But logic wasn’t doing him much good at this point.

He drove and watched the sunset, and as they drew closer to the city, he knew.

He was jealous—jealous that David, who Cali clearly had a history with, could openly show her affection, could be her friend and more, if she wanted, without any barriers between them.

It was too late to deny it anymore; He wanted Cali Stanton more than he’d wanted any other woman in his life. The problem was he couldn’t have her; nothing had changed. She was still his boss. He’d even heard her tell her father tonight that she had plans to go back to Africa after her dad was back on his feet.

A relationship between the two of them was out of the question.

He’d just have to stay away from her. Somehow. Staying away completely was impossible; he knew, but he would have to try because the closer he got to her, the stronger his feelings seemed to grow. As of now, Cali Stanton was not a part of his life.

It wasn’t until Sunday morning that Matthew realized he’d forgotten to call Martinez about an update on the video; yet another reason why he needed to stay away from Cali Stanton. She was messing with his head in more ways than one. Not about to bother his friend on his day off and given he wouldn’t be able to take any action on the information until Monday anyway, he sent an e-mail to himself as a reminder to call.

After making himself breakfast, he put on some relaxing music and did a little reading. Sunday was the only day he really allowed himself to unwind. He and his brother spent the day hanging out. Jason was due at one, and they were going to grill some burgers and watch the game.

Matthew spent a few minutes straightening up before his brother arrived ten minutes late, as usual, with a grocery sack full of food. Not that he didn’t love his brother, but the man was insane about food. “Did you buy out the whole store?” 

Jason laughed, “Of course not, little brother. I only got the essentials.” 

Apparently, the essentials included three different kinds of potato chips, potato salad, coleslaw, macaroni salad, cookies, and cheesecake. There were so many carbohydrates, but Jason obviously wasn’t worried. He finished unloading the last of his goodies and promptly took a huge bite out of one of the cookies.

Matthew just shook his head and laughed. Jason was, well, Jason. Grabbing a plate out of the cabinet, he began making hamburger patties. His brother put a few items in the refrigerator before going out to heat up the grill.

It wasn’t until Matthew completed assembling the hamburgers and Jason came back from the patio that Matthew remembered they needed to talk. Turning from the sink, he placed his hands in his pockets and faced his brother.

Jason popped a potato chip in his mouth before he realized Matthew was staring at him. “What?”

Matthew figured direct was the best approach. “You’re seeing Lisa Morgan.” 

Jason took a drink before answering his brother. “Yeah, I am.”

“And you didn’t mention it to me because?” he said, his voice tight.

Jason sighed and set the bottle down a little harder than necessary. “Because I knew how you’d react, that’s why.”

Matthew gave his brother a look that said he was waiting on a better explanation.

Instead of answering though, Jason grabbed the burgers and stalked out to the patio. Matthew followed.

When they reached the grill, Jason continued to ignore his brother.

Matthew wasn’t having it, and his brother’s evasion upset him royally. “Jason,” he said, trying to stay calm, “if you needed to get some action, then go to a club or something, but at work you need to keep it in your pants. I don’t have to tell you how dangerous it is. You’ve seen what can happen. We’ve got enough problems as it is without another complication. Whatever it is you’ve got going on with her, it needs to stop. Now.”