Wanted by Her Lost Love (Pregnancy & Passion #2)(19)

“I think you should go now,” she said even as she reached for the phone.

Jarrod lunged across the bed, knocking the phone from her hand. She was so stunned by the sudden attack that for a moment she didn’t—couldn’t—defend herself.

He shoved her down on the bed, his hands moving roughly over her body, pushing at her shirt, pulling at her pants. She drew her knee up, trying to catch him in the groin, but he dodged and then rolled her underneath him.

She cried out in pain at the rough mauling. She was furious and terrified. He fully intended to rape her in Ryan’s bed. Had he lost his mind? Ryan would kill him for this.

His hands moved over her skin with bruising force. Knowing if she wasn’t able to fight him off that he’d assault her in her own home, she began struggling with renewed force.

She finally managed to land a blow between his legs, which had him doubling over, clutching at himself. She rolled, falling to the floor, her hands desperately grabbing at her clothing.

She got to her feet, her hand clutching her bruised throat. “He’ll kill you for this,” she gasped. “How did you think you’d get away with it? My God, you’re his brother! You bastard.”

She started for the door, her only thought to get to Ryan, but Jarrod’s words gave her pause.

“He’ll never believe you.”

“You’re insane,” she choked out even as she ran for the door.

But Jarrod had been right. Ryan hadn’t believed her. Jarrod had called his brother from Ryan’s own apartment before she could arrive at Ryan’s office. He’d given Ryan his own accounting of what happened, and the genius of his story was that he told Ryan exactly what Kelly would tell him. Only Jarrod told Ryan that Kelly had been the instigator and that when Jarrod told her he was going to tell Ryan that Kelly had cheated on him, Kelly concocted a smug story that Jarrod had assaulted her.

Jarrod played his part to the hilt. That he was the victim of Kelly’s lies and manipulations. So when Kelly ran to Ryan’s office and related the exact story that Jarrod warned Ryan she would tell, Ryan had been coldly furious.

He’d written her that damn check and he’d thrown her out of his life.

Kelly lay in her bed, numbed by the painful memories. And now, here on this island, she was supposed to forget the past. Put it behind her. Move forward and pick up where she and Ryan had left off.

Forgetting that she’d been horribly betrayed by people she trusted.

When Ryan knocked softly at her door, she roused herself from the weight of her thoughts, cursing that it was already morning and she’d done little better than catnap.

She struggled out of bed and hauled her robe around her body then staggered to the door to open it.

Ryan stood outside, dressed in slacks and a dress shirt. He had impending business written all over him.

“I’ve left breakfast on the bar for you. I have to run out to the construction site for a few hours. Will you be all right alone?”

She nodded, relieved that she wouldn’t immediately have to face him. She needed time to regain her composure. Time to mentally reconstruct her defenses.

“Yes, of course. When will you be back?”

He checked his watch. “It’s eight now. I shouldn’t be later than noon. We can have lunch in the hotel restaurant and then go for a walk on the beach if you like. Take it easy while I’m gone. I’ll worry if I know you’re on the beach by yourself.”

She rolled her eyes. “I think I’m capable of leaving the hotel room alone.”

“I know you are,” he said quietly. “I just worry and I’d prefer to be with you.”

There wasn’t much she could say to that, so she nodded. “I’ll see you at lunch.”

He lifted his hand in a wave and then walked away. For a moment she stared after him and then she closed the door, leaning against it.

Day one of attempting to forget the past and forge ahead.

“How’s that working out for you?” she muttered as she traipsed into the bathroom.

Though she had every intention of at least taking in the portion of the beach right outside the patio of her suite, she still wanted a long, hot bath. Even if it meant she’d still have to shower when she came in with sand in all her nooks and crannies.

After drawing a tub full of steaming water, she sank up to her ears and sighed in complete bliss. She hadn’t made the water too hot, and she wouldn’t stay long. Then she’d go bake in the sun for a bit.

After twenty minutes, regretfully, she toed the lever for the drain and then hauled herself out of the tub. Her stomach growled and she hurriedly went through the motions of dressing and putting on enough makeup to look presentable in public.

She devoured the bagel, the cinnamon roll and the fruit Ryan had left for her. She ate every crumb and licked her fingers, feeling like a pig, but a very satisfied pig. It had been a while since she’d had a hearty appetite and it had been weeks since anything had actually tasted good to her.

After downing an entire glass of juice, she smacked her lips in pleasure and went in search of a beach towel she could spread out on the sand.

She’d seen umbrellas dotting the private section of the beach reserved for the hotel guests and she planned to make good use of one while she waited for Ryan to return.

After months of being on her feet for hours on end, working a thankless job for paltry wages, a day lounging on the beach sounded about as decadent as it got. She was going to enjoy every minute.