She slipped in through her frontdoor and locked it behind her. Usually she took such pleasure in walking intoher small home. She'd finally made enough money to buy her own place and sheloved it. Sleek and modern, it was just her style, with open rooms, pale maplefloors and chrome accents. But tonight she didn't feel pleasure because itlooked nice. Tonight, she just felt relief at locking the door behind her andclosing out the world.
Taking a deep breath now she was inthe sanctuary of her home, she dropped her purse on the side table and went upthe stairs to her bedroom, leaving the lights blazing. In her bedroom, shekicked off her shoes and shimmied out of her jeans. In her T-shirt and panties,she walked into the adjoining bathroom. Slate tiles in warm shades of grey andtaupe covered the floor and walls. The huge spa tub occupied most of the space,with a separate shower enclosed in glass walls. Her own private retreat.
She was so wound up she knew she'dnever sleep. She'd only been sleeping a couple of hours a night for the lastfew weeks, and when she did sleep, nightmares jolted her awake. A bath wouldhelp relax her. Soon steam filled the room and she slipped into the blissful,warm embrace of the water, the muted rumble of the jets blocking out all othersound.
It wasn't the fine cuisine or eventhe Pale Ale that drew Trey back to Cactus Jack's the next night. Rather, itwas this strange, irrational belief he might see Marli.
He had no idea why she'd been there,sitting all by herself, checking out everyone in the place, even though shehated country music and didn't drink. She was such a mystery.
He liked a mystery, liked solvingpuzzles, finding answers.
She made him curious.
Once again he headed to the bar,liking the end seat where Marli had been last night so he could see the entireroom.
A different bartender was workingtonight. Trey ordered another Surf Coast Pale Ale. While he waited, he surveyedthe bar, much as Marli had last night.
No Marli. He glanced at his watch. Stillearly.
He watched people dancing and havingfun. It was amazing how alone you could feel in a crowded bar. Even more alonethan he felt at night sitting in his empty apartment. He nursed his beer,sweeping the room with his eyes.
For some reason--he had no ideawhy--he turned his head and there she was, looking right at him from the otherside of the L-shaped bar. Her gaze met his at that exact moment. Her eyeswidened in surprise.
He just looked at her, waiting.Would she come over? He resisted the urge to beckon her over. If she didn'tcome, he'd go over there. But not right away.
She was skittish and any hint of pushingon his part made her back off. He didn't want to scare her, so he waited,tapping his fingers on the bar.
She hesitated, then she slowly movedforward.
He smiled, looked down at his handsclasping the beer bottle and waited. When he sensed her next to him, he lookedup. "Hi."
"Hi." Her smile wastentative. "Um...anyone sitting here?" She gestured at the stoolbeside him. He shook his head.
She slid onto the stool.
"Back again to drink soda andlisten to bad music?"
Her lips curved in a hesitant smile."Yeah."
Trey looked for the bartender toorder her a drink. The bartender glanced their way, and Trey lifted a hand, butthe guy turned away. Trey frowned. Huh. No tip for him. But a momentlater the bartender arrived to take their order. Trey ordered another beer andglanced at Marli. "Diet Coke?"
"Yes, please."
When the bartender slid a largeglass across the bar to her, she sent him a quick smile of thanks.
"So you're still in town,"she said. "I thought you'd be on your way to San Francisco."
He shrugged. "It's nicehere."
"Yeah. Rocky Harbor's a nicetown."
"Maybe tonight you'll dancewith me," he suggested softly. "Since now I'm not so strange."
She smiled, but her eyes wereguarded. "Maybe," she said. "But you're still a stranger.Really."
"It's funny how I feel I knowyou, though."
She looked away from him, across thebar. "Yeah, I know."
He watched her breasts rise as shetook a deep breath. She wore jeans again, skinny jeans with a long, floaty,green top and round-toed flat shoes.
"Would you like something toeat?" Trey asked.
Her eyes came back to him, green andgold and sparkly. "Are you having another steak?"
"Nah. I ate already. Justwondered if you were hungry."
She considered that. "You know,I could eat."
Trey had a feeling he wasn't theonly one who'd been skipping meals lately. He grabbed a menu from a stack atthe end of the bar and handed her one.
"Would you share some nachoswith me?" she asked after a moment of perusing the menu.
"Sure." Again, he got thebartender's attention. The guy sidled up to him, barely looking at him, andTrey ordered the food.
With a grunt, the bartenderdisappeared. Trey shrugged. "Not very talkative, for a bartender," hecommented. "Did you work today?"
"I tried. I've had a hard timefocusing lately. But I have contracts, obligations..." She sighed."My heart's not in it right now, though."
"You know, it helps to talksometimes."
She eyed him. "Do you followyour own advice, pal?"
"Okay, you got me. Nevermind."
"You know, if I was going totalk to anyone, it might be you."
"Why is that?"
"I don't know." She tippedher head to one side. Her long curls swung down past one shoulder. "Yougive this impression of...security. Like you don't judge people."
"Are you afraid of beingjudged?"
Her eyes lowered. "Yes."
"Why, Marli?"
She still didn't look up. One fingertraced the condensation up and down the big glass she held. She bit her lip."I'm... I did something awful. In fact, I'm so...angry, disgusted andashamed of myself. I feel like a monster."
He stiffened. "God, no,"he protested. "I hardly know you, but I do know you're not amonster."
"I am. You'd hate
