Quest (Shifter Island Book 4) Read online

  “Don’t be angry,” she said, and sat up cross-legged in the middle of the bed. “It’s—we should talk, all right?”

  “We’re meant to be together, Allison. Do you feel that?”

  Four years ago, she definitely had. She’d been deeply, hopelessly in love with this man, the sweet and devoted lover who’d brought her little bouquets of flowers on the spur of the moment, or a single chocolate chip cookie, or a cluster of balloons.

  No matter what she was doing—whether she was in class, or washing the dishes, or running to join Julie at the gym—she’d thought of him almost nonstop. In her imagination, she’d put together a very detailed future that involved him: her handsome husband, the man who thought she’d hung the moon.

  But her practical side had won out. The side that was determined to follow her mother’s footsteps into a successful career, the side that wanted more than a home, a husband, a cluster of kids.

  More than a life of farming.

  That part of her thought she should ask him to leave now, before either one of them felt any more heartbreak.

  But the part that had felt a surge of joy at the sight of him wanted very much for him to stay.

  No… needed him to stay.

  “Let’s order something to eat,” she said in a coaxing tone, hoping he’d forget about the future in favor of enjoying what they had right now. That much, she could do: stay with him for a little while. Enjoy right now. This moment.

  He hesitated.

  “That pizza place we liked is still there,” she told him. “Think you can still polish off a large all by yourself? With the works?”

  “You’re hungry.”

  “I’m starved. And after we eat, we can—”

  “Yes,” Luca said abruptly. “I agree. I think we should do that.”

  Seven

  She woke to find Luca contentedly asleep beside her, as loose-limbed and placid as a child, his breath whispering against the pillow.

  The room was almost fully dark—she’d drawn the heavy drapes to avoid providing a free show for the guests in the hotel’s other wing—which drew her attention almost completely to him. How very warm he was, in spite of that still overzealous air conditioner.

  She wanted to curl up close to him, to soak some of that heat into her own body, but she didn’t want to disturb him. His being here, as relaxed as if they’d been a couple for every minute of the last four years, seemed so right, so perfect—too perfect to interrupt.

  Right now, the regrets they’d both been feeling didn’t seem to matter.

  Everything outside the room seemed quiet; she couldn’t hear anyone out in the hall, or water running, or the sound of a TV. That nudged her toward feeling that she and Luca were alone in the world, that they’d somehow escaped to some other place that was as close to paradise as she’d ever been.

  Slowly, she slipped back into sleep.

  The smell of flowers and the brush of a warm breeze roused her. For a minute she resisted opening her eyes.

  Then she heard his voice. “Allison.”

  She sat up shaking her head, trying to blink the last traces of sleep out of her eyes—but being able to see made her more confused, not less.

  Somehow, she and Luca were outdoors, sitting on a grassy hillside overlooking the ocean. The sun was high in the sky, its light making the water glint and sparkle. There was nothing out there: no boats, no sign of life. Just a vast expanse of water.

  “This is my favorite place,” Luca said softly.

  She turned to him, too baffled to try to figure out how in the world they’d gotten here.

  He was naked. They both were.

  Smiling, he moved to sit close beside her, then picked up her hand and laced his fingers with hers. He seemed completely unconcerned that they were naked, that someone might see them—that they might actually be breaking the law by being out here like this.

  The sunlight made his brown eyes look very golden as he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it.

  “Luca—” she murmured.

  “I knew,” he said. “All along, I knew. Now I’m sure. If we’ve found the dream world together, it has to be true.”

  “You’re… sure of what?”

  He was aroused, she noticed. Ready to take her. Gently, he lowered her back onto the grass, moved her legs apart and smoothly slipped inside her. That felt so right that she circled her legs around him and grasped his shoulders to urge him in farther, deeper.

  So warm…

  “I knew, Allison,” he whispered. “I knew all along.”

  His thrusting was rapid at first, then slowed down until it was almost leisurely, as if he was glad to take his time. Then, in the blink of an eye, he had rolled onto his back on the ground and moved her so that she was straddling him, that massive cock pressed deep up inside her.

  There was something sly in his expression, something that promised a wonderful reward if she’d take over.

  She gripped him tightly, and he rolled back his head and groaned.

  She had always loved that—that sometimes he would let her take complete control, that he would just lie there quietly and let her do whatever she liked. Of course it had been his decision to turn the reins over to her, but once she had them in hand—once she had him in hand—he made no move to control anything. He seemed to want nothing more than to lie there and watch her take him.

  There was something very alluring about such a strong man lying back that way, to watch her, adore her.

  Something very alluring about this man.

  “I knew too,” she whispered. “I always knew, too.”

  She woke again to the sound of her phone, buzzing and vibrating against the hard surface of the night table on her side of the bed. It took her a moment to collect herself enough to reach for it and bring it toward her face.

  “Someone is calling you at this time of night?” Luca murmured.

  Julie.

  Allison considered not answering, but something told her that Julie had already called a number of times, and had sent a very long string of texts, even though Allison had texted her after that first lovemaking session with Luca to say she didn’t feel well and couldn’t join the female half of the wedding party for dinner.

  They’d see each other tomorrow, Allison had promised.

  But Julie… what? Was disappointed? Concerned? Weepy and wanted to talk? Was she in bed with Matt, calling Allison at two o’clock in the morning?

  Had she and Matt broken up?

  Wow, Al. Way to go right off the deep end.

  Shaking her head, she pressed the key to accept the call and said quietly into the phone, “Kinda late, Jules.”

  “What kind of sick?” Julie’s voice came back.

  “What?”

  “Stomach sick? Cramps? Migraine?”

  Allison glanced over at the clock. It seemed ridiculously bright, as did the screen of her phone. “I’ll be fine tomorrow,” she sighed. “It’s two eighteen in the morning, Jules. Why aren’t you asleep?”

  “I’m worried about you.”

  Luca wasn’t touching her, but he was close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating off his body, and she longed to snuggle against him and drift back to sleep. The room—other than that stupid clock—had been comfortingly dark before the phone rang. It wasn’t her home, and this wasn’t her cozy pillowtop bed, but with Luca there she’d been sleeping soundly. Having wonderful, sexy dreams.

  “I’m fine,” she said firmly.

  “You’re not alone, are you?” There was no doubt in Julie’s voice. Not a morsel. When Allison didn’t answer her, she pressed, “You’re not sick,” and giggled a little, then said, “Okay, then. Okay.”

  “Jules…”

  “Good for you,” Julie said.

  “I’m going back to sleep now, Jules.”

  “You do that.”

  “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Dinner,” Julie said firmly. “With me and Matt. No ducking out this time. No mat
ter what you’re doing.” She paused, interrupted by someone else’s voice. “Bring him,” she said when the other person had stopped talking. “Seven o’clock at Maggie Mae’s. No excuses.”

  And she hung up.

  Allison turned the phone off and returned it to the night table, then squirmed underneath the covers until she was curled up against Luca’s reliable warmth.

  “That was a strange conversation,” Luca observed.

  “Yeah,” she agreed. “It was. And I think it might get worse.”

  Eight

  “Oh my GOD,” Julie said.

  She was silent for ten or fifteen seconds, her eyes and her mouth both popped wide open. She seemed to have lost track of the fact that they were standing in a very busy area, that other people were trying to come and go. She was blocking both the path to the restrooms and the restaurant’s front door—which was an impressive feat for someone as petite as she was.

  “Jules,” Matt said.

  He tried to tug her out of the way, but she was as immovable as a statue, focused entirely on Allison and Luca.

  Her mouth moved, but no more words came out.

  “Julie,” Matt said.

  The last 24 hours had been the best Allison could remember since… well, since four years ago. She and Luca had made good use of the bed, the shower, and even the floor, after Allison had thrown a blanket down on top of what she was sure was a less than spotlessly clean carpet.

  That had turned into a game of hide-and-seek involving the blanket. Which had turned into a game of “You can’t catch me!”

  Now, they were out in the world again, at a simple local restaurant that had been one of her favorites during college. It was casual enough—and inexpensive enough—that she’d thought Luca might not mind coming.

  He’d said he didn’t, that he would enjoy seeing Julie again, but the look in his eyes now said he might have changed his mind.

  “This isn’t good,” Luca murmured close to Allison’s ear.

  No kidding.

  Even during their college days, Julie had never been this… this verklempt. She was prone to talking a little too much (and too loudly) after she’d had a couple of drinks, but she’d always managed to remain aware of where she was and what was happening around her.

  Now, she was even worse than she’d been at the bridal shop. Trembling. Twitchy. And completely uninterested in her fiancé and the people who were trying desperately to reach the rest rooms.

  It was the wedding, Allison supposed. Nerves. Hormones. Lack of sleep. By Saturday, Julie might well be a complete basket case.

  Heck, she was a basket case now.

  Luca tightened his grip on Allison’s hand and tugged her along as he moved closer to the hostess station. There, he told the hostess, “There are four of us. It would be very good if we could sit down. Our friend isn’t—”

  “Nerves,” Allison said. “She’s very nervous.”

  That didn’t really explain much of anything, but the hostess seemed eager to clear the clog of people out of the lobby before anyone’s temper could flare. This wasn’t a rowdy roadside bar; it was a nice, quiet restaurant, someplace that didn’t see a lot of brawling going on.

  Maybe there wouldn’t be a brawl; maybe Julie would simply burst into tears again, but Allison wasn’t anxious to see that happen either. She was hugely grateful when the hostess scooped up four menus and headed into the dining room.

  “Follow me,” she said over her shoulder.

  She seated them at a round table in the corner, out of the way of anyone who might be trying to go anywhere. Julie’s eyes were locked on Luca the whole time, which, by the time they had reached the table, had started to make Matt frown a little. He had to steer Julie into a chair, then made sure that Luca was sitting on the opposite side of the table, out of Julie’s reach.

  Allison had seen more than one woman fall under Luca’s spell, even when he was focused entirely on her. People sometimes thought sure he was an actor, or a model, someone they’d seen in a magazine or on TV, and they occasionally went as far as trying to sneak a selfie with him—but Julie had never acted like this before, as if she was back in middle school and Luca was teen idol Flavor of the Month.

  It made Allison want to leave, to claim Luca entirely for herself once more.

  “So,” Matt said after the four of them had been left alone with their menus. “You guys found each other again, huh?”

  “We did,” Luca confirmed.

  Matt reached over, took Julie’s hand, and squeezed it. His grip was tight enough that it made Julie flinch. “Romantic,” he said mildly. “But lemme ask you something. What about Ernie?”

  Luca raised an eyebrow. “Ernie?”

  A server came by with glasses of water and a basket of rolls. He was clearly ready to ask for their drink orders, then he got an eyeful of Matt’s expression. “I’ll give you guys a minute,” he muttered, then scurried away.

  “My cousin,” Matt said.

  His cousin…?

  Oh, Allison thought. The best man. The guy who was supposed to be her companion for Julie and Matt’s wedding. The guy she’d fleetingly thought about maneuvering into bed.

  Luca turned and peered at her, even though she hadn’t said anything.

  “We could…” Allison said. “Um…”

  She’d told Luca only that Julie was getting married, and that she would be the maid of honor. She hadn’t mentioned Ernie, mostly because she’d forgotten about him entirely.

  Now, Ernie was… important.

  And Luca and Matt, who weren’t strangers to each other, both seemed royally annoyed, as if someone had said or done something insulting. As if they were in competition for something. Luca’s nostrils were flared wide, and he was leaning forward a little in his chair.

  “Guys?” Allison said. “Maybe we should order.”

  She tried her best to remember if there’d been any bad blood between Matt and Luca four years ago, if there had ever been a disagreement of some kind, but she remembered only a single game of touch football in the park that had gotten a little overly competitive. Really, the two of them had spent very little time together. Matt was always with Julie, and Luca with Allison.

  They had no reason to dislike each other. Did they?

  “You didn’t answer the question,” Matt said to no one in particular. “What about Ernie?”

  “You’re being stupid,” Julie muttered.

  For a second, Allison thought that Matt’s eyebrows would shoot right off the top of his head.

  “Who is Ernie?” Luca asked her.

  An hour ago, Allison thought, they’d been together in the shower, enjoying the warm spray running down their bodies, exploring each other with lips and fingers. Luca had helped her wash her hair, something that always made her feel especially pampered and loved.

  “Ernie’s my date,” she blurted. “For the wedding. Sort of. He’s the best man. He’s not married. It’s a thing. We’ll sit together. Dance together. Everybody else is sort of matched up with somebody, and we’re not. So, we’ll—it’s just a thing. For the day. It wasn’t an issue.”

  “My cousin isn’t an issue,” Matt said loudly.

  Luca looked baffled—and no less annoyed. With her heart pattering against her ribs, Allison pushed the basket of rolls in his direction. He liked fresh bread, she remembered. And butter.

  Somehow, everyone had lost their mind over this wedding.

  She thought about saying that she’d follow through as planned: sit with Ernie, dance with Ernie, pose for pictures with Ernie. He was nice enough. He seemed sweet, polite, funny.

  But it was almost an entire day… without Luca.

  Without Luca.

  “Excuse me for a minute,” she said.

  Before anyone could stop her, she had slipped out of her chair and was zooming toward the rest room.

  Julie found her there a couple of minutes later. By that time, Allison was standing in front of the row of sinks, staring at her reflect
ion in the mirror. It had taken her that much time to calm down, to start to put things into perspective again—to feel like she was part of the real world.

  “Sorry,” Julie murmured, not quite looking at Allison.

  Allison shook her head. “I don’t know what happened out there. Everyone’s pretty wound up.”

  “Yeah.”

  Trying to take deep breaths, Allison turned around and leaned against the edge of the counter. “I went over to our old house,” she said in a wobbling voice. “Just to see if everything looked the same. And he was standing there on the sidewalk, looking up at my old window. I thought I was imagining things.”

  She thought Julie would repeat what she’d said at the bridal salon, that Luca was perfect, that the two of them were perfect together. Or maybe she’d remind Allison of how hot Luca was. That had been one of her favorite topics of conversation, any time Matt wasn’t around.

  Instead, she said, “It’s huge.”

  “What is?”

  “This whole marriage thing. I keep bouncing back and forth, from thrilled to terrified.”

  “That’s natural. I guess.”

  Julie buried her face in her hands and began to rub her eyes with her fingertips, a maneuver Allison was sure would smudge her eye makeup beyond all repair. Then Julie stopped and lowered her hands so she could stare at her fingers.

  Maybe she’d realized that her makeup was in serious jeopardy.

  “I kept thinking it was all going so smoothly,” she sighed. “Except for the dresses. You know?”

  “Well… sure,” Allison said.

  “Otherwise it’s been, like, smooth sailing. My parents are happy. Everybody’s happy.”

  “But?”

  “We’re so nervous. Me and Matt. We’re just a wreck.”

  Allison wasn’t sure how to promise her that everything would turn out fine—both the wedding day and the marriage. She’d never been married, had never even come close. And she knew a fair number of people whose weddings had gone off flawlessly, but the marriages had turned into a train wreck.