Always & Forever Read online

  Lilly banished the image from her head. It wasn’t as if she even wanted kids. She’d make a dreadful mother. She knew nothing about children.

  Maybe Savannah calling her ‘Aunt Lilly’ and the feel of the young girl’s arms wrapped around her neck brought up these thoughts. Maybe it was the wonder of playing dollies and provoking gales of laughter from the child.

  Whatever the reason, last night, once her heart stopped racing and she had room for any thought besides the feel of Zach’s hands on her body, a different image kept her up for a long time. Lilly spent the night picturing what his children would look like, what their children would look like.

  The screen door banged shut, drawing her attention. Zach strode across the lawn toward her.

  “I was out back and didn’t hear you pull up,” he called.

  Lilly’s breath caught in her throat as she watched him approach. He had on a black cotton T-shirt that clung to his muscled frame. Tight-fitting Levi’s finished off the look, and Lilly worried she might drool. She couldn’t wait to follow him into the house. If anything, he looked even sexier in plain clothes than he had in a tuxedo or the dress shirt and slacks he usually wore.

  She opened the trunk and picked up the grocery bags with salad fixings. “Could you please grab the little cooler for me?”

  Zach brushed past her, sliding his fingertips along her forearm as he went. “I’ll grab anything you want me to,” he said in the same husky voice he’d used on the phone.

  Too bad this night wouldn’t end with them in the hot tub, but she couldn’t take that step. Last night’s searing kiss had put to rest all thoughts of keeping her secret. Zach had to know the truth. It would be difficult to maintain the deception until Saturday.

  Zach lifted up the small cooler and closed the trunk, turning to lead the way into the house. “Kitchen’s on the right,” he said as she made her way painfully up the stairs onto the porch. “We can drop the stuff off there. Then, I’ll give you the grand tour and show you where the grill is.”

  She walked to the kitchen and set her groceries down. Zach’s arms flexed slightly when he lifted the cooler up on the other counter, captivating all of Lilly’s attention.

  She'd really have to watch herself tonight and not let her attraction to him distract her. She couldn’t allow things to progress further until he heard her story. After that, things would be up to him, but Lilly didn’t hold out hope for the future.

  “I prepared everything this morning except the salad.” She struggled to keep her mind on a safe topic. “We need to get the grill going. Is it gas or charcoal?”

  Zach speared his fingers through his already-messy hair. “Sorry. I’ve never looked.”

  She laughed. “I forgot. You’re hopeless about anything dealing with cooking. Lead on.”

  He grabbed her arm and made a flourishing gesture with his other hand. “This is the kitchen.” He pointed to a little alcove filled with windows. “That’s the dining room.”

  He hurried her off the tiled floor and onto the carpeted front room. “This is the living room. I think I covered everything you need to know.”

  She laughed. “Very comprehensive tour, Mr. Woodbridge. Have you considered a job as a museum curator? I’m sure you’d be fantastic.”

  “Well, Ms. Price, as every good tour guide knows, the public only wants to see things that are interesting.” He led her to the door at the back of the living room. “Wouldn’t you rather see where we’ll spend our time tonight?”

  “I certainly would. Bring on the interesting!”

  He grinned and opened the door.

  Lilly stopped abruptly. “Zach, this isn’t your deck.”

  A huge bed dominated the room. Lilly looked quickly away. It was too easy to imagine how it would look, sheets rumpled after a night of passion.

  “Are you sure, Ms. Price?” Zach turned around in a circle. “Hmmm, perhaps I took a wrong turn somewhere.”

  “Stop teasing me.” She glared up at him and tried to calm her jangled nerves. “What are we doing in here?”

  Zach sighed. “See that sliding door over there?”

  Lilly followed his finger with her eyes and nodded.

  “That’s where the deck is.” He grinned at her. “You’re safe with me. I won’t try to seduce you...at least, not unless you want me to.”

  Lilly swatted his shoulder and pushed past him. She didn’t look at the bed as she rushed past it to the deck beyond.

  The lake sparkled in the evening sun and a cool breeze blew off the water, ruffling her hair. A few boats cruised through the depths, the faint whine of their engines reaching shore. Tall trees outlined either side of the deck, which cut off any potential for a neighbor to spy on them. The deck had a secluded, intimate feeling.

  A table sat in the center and Lilly walked toward it, noting the unlit candles and the vase containing a single red rose. Silver-rimed China plates sat next to cloth napkins and crystal glasses. An uncorked bottle of red Bordeaux rested near the rose, a label she knew to be quite expensive. Soft classical music emitted through a stereo system, and white twinkling lights ran along the edges of the deck and through the trees.

  “This is beautiful.” She looked over her shoulder and gave him an approving smile.

  He walked up behind her and put his arms around her, resting them lightly on her waist. “Suitably romantic?”

  “Very romantic.” She leaned back into him for a moment, thrilled with the nearness of him. The heat of his arms seduced her the same way his voice did, drowning out her fear. She pulled away, clutching the fraying strands of her resolve to keep him at a distance.

  Lilly spotted the infamous hot tub across the deck and blushed as she recalled Zach’s comments about not wearing swimsuits. It would be best to avoid that area of the deck, especially since the temptation to hop in overwhelmed her.

  A large grill sat near the house. She walked over and inspected it, relieved to see it was gas and she wouldn’t have to run back out for charcoal. She turned on the propane and ignited the burners.

  “I’m sure glad you know how to do that,” Zach said.

  Lilly shook her head and went back into the house, rushing through the bedroom. Traipsing back and forth past his bed all night would really test her willpower.

  She focused on him once they were in the kitchen, safely out of the bedroom. “You really don’t even know how to grill steak or hamburgers?”

  Zach hitched his hip against the countertop. “Call me cooking impaired. The microwave is my friend.”

  “You do know that one can take cooking lessons, right?” She dug through the cooler and pulled out packages of seasoned potatoes she’d put together that morning. “They also have these great inventions you might have heard of...cookbooks.”

  “Nah, I have you to cook for me now.” He winked. “I’ll clean the dishes.”

  “It’s time you learned to work for your dinner.” She thrust the foil-wrapped packets into his hands. “Put these on the grill and close the lid. I’ll start on the salad.”

  “Yes, beautiful master of the kitchen.” He shifted the potatoes to one side and caught her hand with his free one, kissing the back of it. “Your wish is my command.”

  Lilly bit her lower lip and watched him walk from the room. How could she make it through this night? Although she wanted to confide in Zach, she held little hope he would understand or forgive her. She finally found a man who might be worthy of love, and he would hate her before long.

  She sniffled and tried to hold back the tears. It was too much to handle. Lilly couldn’t continue lying to him. She had to tell him tonight.

  ***

  Zach loaded the last plate into the dishwasher and looked over to where Lilly wiped off the counter. Maybe now she would tell him what bothered her. As they finished the meal, Lilly had become more subdued and less flirtatious. She hardly talked at all while they cleaned up. The romantic ambience he spent so much time on had been a complete waste.

  “That w
as a terrific meal.” He swung the door closed on the dishwasher. “We should make this a regular thing. What should we have tomorrow?”

  Lilly turned to face him, her eyes troubled. “We have to talk.”

  Disappointment roiled through Zach’s belly. No good conversation ever started with those words.

  She folded her arms. The knuckles of her fingers turned white as she clutched her slender biceps. “I have a secret.” Her voice was soft, but she stared steadily into Zach’s eyes. “I told you I wasn’t suitable as a date, but you wouldn’t listen. I hope you won’t hate me.”

  Zach pushed away from the counter and enfolded her in his arms. She struggled for a minute, trying to push him away as he trapped her between his body and the counter. He sensed her panic and backed up a little, but refused to release her. She stopped fighting and laid her head against his chest. Shudders rippled through her body, and she sobbed softly into his shirt.

  He placed a finger under her chin and forced her to look at him. Mascara tracked down her cheeks and her eyes were red. She looked terrified, and Zach felt a fierce need to protect her. He kissed her forehead softly. “Whatever it is, Lilly, it can’t be that bad. I could never hate you.”

  “My name isn’t Lilly.”

  She pushed against him again and Zach stumbled back, arms dropping to his sides. Bridget’s words flashed through his mind. He’d convinced himself that Bridget was confused. Convinced himself Lilly wouldn’t lie about who she was. But suddenly, everything made sense.

  “You’re Katherine, aren’t you?” His voice sounded oddly flat in his own ears, as if his brain hadn’t decided what to do with this information. “You are the woman who killed her fiancé.”

  “That’s what the press reported,” she agreed, her tone calmer.

  He stared at her, trying to read the truth. Her red hair clung tight against her head, displaying her high cheekbones. Calmness shone from eyes now free of tears. Her small frame vibrated with tension, but Zach couldn’t help but think of how soft she felt in his arms last night. How perfectly she fit against his body. How much he’d wanted to spend the night in her bed.

  Really must stop thinking about that, he told himself as his pulse quickened. Come on man, get a grip. You’re fantasizing about sex with a psychopath.

  He couldn’t believe that. If she killed that man, she must’ve had a good reason. Lilly wasn’t a psychopath. Zach supposed it was possible she had totally fooled him, but he hadn’t lied before when he told Lilly he felt like he’d known her forever. Something about her called to him deeply. Something that said Lilly was trustworthy.

  Well, Katherine was trustworthy.

  “Shit!” Zach punched the cupboard above her head as hard as he could. The brutal, unexpected reaction surprised him as the wood splintered beneath his fist, and his knuckles throbbed in pain.

  Fear shone from Lilly’s startled eyes and she cowered away from him. Oh God, she thought he aimed for her. How could she believe that? Regardless of his anger, he had to remove the fear from her eyes.

  “I didn’t mean to scare you, Lil—uh, Katherine. I would never hit you, no matter what happened.”

  She turned away from him, scrubbing at the mascara on her cheeks. “Are you interested in my side, or would it be better if I just left?”

  “Sure, Katherine.” Zach brushed past her, walking into the living room. He flung himself down in the corner of the tan sectional. “Tell me your story.”

  “Please call me Lilly.” She perched on the other corner of the couch. “Katherine died in New York as far as I’m concerned.”

  “So, tell me what happened.”

  Lilly looked at the coffee table and rocked her body back and forth. “I met Charles Danner at a party. I thought he was the perfect man. My father certainly seemed pleased with the match. You see, Charles had social contacts and a lot of useful investment advice.” She sighed. “He maintained his perfect façade right up until I used a large portion of my trust fund to buy my dream house and move him in with me.”

  “Trust fund? So you have a similar background to mine. No wonder I thought you seemed so at ease when we first met.” Zach rubbed his temples. “What changed in your perfect dream life?”

  Lilly rose from her chair and slowly limped around the room. She ran her hand along the top of the television and paused to stare at the artwork. Zach noticed she didn’t look into any of the mirrors or at him, but made steady circles while she talked.

  “Charles seemed perfect. I thought he was perfect. No money to speak of, but his good manners and great stock tips were enough to ease any concerns Dad might have about that.” She took a deep, shuddering breath. “The first time he hit me, I should have kicked him out. I wanted someone to love me so badly. I fooled myself into believing him when he swore it would never happen again.”

  That bastard. No wonder she flinches when I touch her.

  “Charles always had excuses for his behavior in the beginning. If only I didn’t irritate him, things would be better...he would be better. It wasn’t long before I believed I deserved a slap for delaying him ten minutes. It became commonplace for him to punch me in the stomach for the littlest provocation—dust on a shelf, dinner being late, not having his favorite liquor available.” She shrugged and tears glittered in her eyes. “After a while, I understood how I deserved it. It was my fault he hurt me. I should have been better, so he didn’t get angry.”

  She stopped talking. Her eyes closed and she bit her lip, breathing deeply. Her story pulled at his heart and Zach wanted to comfort her, but Lilly was obviously an accomplished liar. She’d been lying since they met and might be lying now.

  “One day, about four months after we moved in together, Charles got home three hours late. The dinner I’d spent all day preparing was ruined. It was the first time he punched me in the face.” She put her hand up to her cheek, as though remembering the blow. “That’s when I realized it didn’t matter how many times he apologized, he’d never change.”

  Zach clenched his teeth together and popped his knuckles. What kind of worthless piece of shit thought it was okay to strike a woman?

  “I realized then I couldn’t marry him. I’d never really loved him. I just wanted someone to love me.” She raised a trembling hand to wipe away some tears. “I tried to leave one night. I didn’t even care that it was my house. I had to get away.” She stopped again and took a few deep breaths. “He caught me and flew into a rage. He beat me so badly, I was hospitalized for a week. I told people I fell down the stairs.”

  Her voice broke as she choked back a sob. “I don’t think anyone believed me, but Charles said he would kill me if I ever told what really happened. If I left him, he said he would kill my father and hunt me down to make me regret leaving.” She shrugged, appearing more helpless than Zach had seen anyone look. “Once I started thinking for myself again, instead of listening to his abusive lies, I realized he wanted my money.”

  Zach’s rage turned cold at those words. Money seemed to be a large motivation for marriage among his and Lilly’s social set.

  “I gave him access to some of my bank accounts and put him into my will,” she continued, “seeing that as the only way to save my father. It seemed to satisfy Charles, and he quit talking about marriage, concentrating instead on my father’s business venture. After that, he ignored me unless I had done something wrong that warranted a beating. I threw myself into hosting parties for my father’s associates so I could be out of the house as much as possible. He never tried anything with witnesses around.”

  She finished another circuit of the room and sat down on the couch, closer to Zach this time, but still not looking at him.

  “Why the hell didn’t your father ever call him out?” Zach asked when he got himself under control enough to speak.

  “Oh, Zach,” she breathed, finally meeting his eyes. “A happy family that loves each other is something you are so very lucky to have.”

  “I’m aware that not everyone has a great
family, but he’s your father.” Zach punched the couch in frustration, but could have smacked himself when Lilly cringed in fear. “Didn’t he ever wonder where your bruises came from?”

  She sighed and settled further into the couch. “Daddy had a lot of deals going on where Charles was a key player. Everyone else gossiped about me behind my back.” She shrugged. “Daddy pretended nothing was wrong. He assured me that Charles was the perfect addition to the family.”

  “He put Charles above you for money?” Someone should’ve taken her father out, too.

  She snorted. “For all the good the advice did him. Charles stole all of the money out of the investment pools shortly before his murder. I was able to pay a lot of it back and save my father from a scandal, but it took almost everything I had.”

  “Lilly, I’m not trying to be insensitive here, but why did you even worry about your father?” He caught her eyes with his and shook his head. His blood boiled at the man’s callous treatment of his own daughter. Regardless of her faults, she deserved better than that. “He obviously didn’t take good care of you.”

  “I knew I could start over, make a life for myself somewhere else. Daddy would never make it.” She shook her head. “I didn’t do it all for Daddy, though. Charles was a master of selling dreams and preying on weaknesses. He talked many elderly people into investing their life savings.” Tears welled up beneath her lashes. “I couldn’t leave those people with nothing.”

  Zach’s stomach turned. “That’s a wonderful thing you did, but Charles was a disgusting asshole.”

  “Yes,” she agreed, “he was. I gave almost everything else to my father. Money doesn’t matter much to me, one way or another. I was just happy Charles wouldn’t be able to hurt me again.”

  Some people in life are so horrible, no one mourns them. In Zach’s mind, Charles Danner was one of those men. He could envision Lilly hiring someone to kill him. Hell, the man deserved it. Provided, of course, Lilly told the truth. That was the clincher. How could he tell this wasn’t another lie?

  “What happened to the money Charles stole?” he asked.