Unravel Me. Lynn Montagano

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      Rubbing my temples, I nodded. Working in the news enabled me to establish good contacts at the police department. I knew who to call if I decided to go down that road. Exhaustion creaked through my body.

      “I’m beat. Thanks for letting me stay here.”

      Stephanie circled the table and hugged me. Even though I had a flesh and blood sister, she was as close to me as Dayna. We could fight like cats and dogs or have disagreements but our bond remained unbreakable. I could always turn to her, no matter the circumstance.

      “The guest bedroom is all made up,” she said, squeezing me tight. “Seriously. You can stay here as long as you need.”

      That was as close to an apology as I was going to get for the time being.

      Once I snuggled under the blankets, I reached for my phone. I wanted to call Alastair but I didn’t want to worry him. He’d probably flip out and fly back here. His little quirk about always needing to know if I was safe was no joke. Telling him wasn’t an option until I knew all the facts. He didn’t need added pressure, especially with everything he was dealing with at work.

      And then there was Nathan. What am I going to do about him? Anxiety churned through my body. I tossed and turned forever before finally falling asleep.

      The next day was uncomfortable to say the least. I was jumpy and paranoid. I nearly suffered a panic attack in the afternoon walking to the bathroom at work when I heard footsteps behind me.

      “Hey, Lia.”

      I spun around, my heart beating a mile a minute. Katie Vitale, our morning show reporter, stood next to Edit Bay One. Her eyes widened at my blatant display of fear.

      “Didn’t mean to startle you. Sorry.”

      “It’s okay. My mind is just littered with a zillion things.”

      She grinned, tossing her strawberry-blonde hair over her left shoulder. “Ugh, I know the feeling. They’re having me cover the Malone trial starting tomorrow. I’d rather stay on the motel explosion.”

      “I think we’ve milked that one for all it’s worth.”

      “Well,” she huffed, “I guess. Hey, are you going to be around this weekend?”

      “Nope. I’ll be out of town.”

      Folding her arms, Katie sized me up with a shrewd glance. “Visiting the competition?”

      Her slightly sarcastic tone irked me. Not everyone at my station was dazzled by that fact I was dating our biggest rival’s newly minted CEO. A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. “I’m visiting my boyfriend, yes.”

      “Must be nice to get all this time off. I asked to use a vacation day next Monday so I could go to Panama City for the weekend. I was told I’m needed in the area just in case something new breaks in the motel story, which you so succinctly described as being ‘milked.’ Obviously, Bruce sees it differently. But you get to flitter off to Scotland. You have Singleton wrapped around your finger, don’t you?”

      Funny how a few snotty words from someone could turn me from being paranoid to exasperated in less than ten seconds. I clenched my fists in an effort to control whatever response was about to be unleashed.

      “I’m not taking any time off, not that it’s any of your business. I switched my schedule with Louise.”

      Giving me her best whatever stare, Katie turned on her heel and sauntered down the hallway. This wasn’t the first time she’d voiced her opinions on my love life. When I dated Nathan she’d made it clear I’d landed the biggest catch since Kate nabbed Will and I should marry him immediately. Sometimes working in a newsroom was like being in high school.

      I spent the remainder of the afternoon reordering stories in the rundown and editing scripts. Sydney and I chatted about her upcoming cookout bash at the lake house. She and her husband, Ray, have been throwing this late summer party for as long as I’d lived in Orlando. Aside from the massive fireworks display at Lake Eola on the Fourth of July, the Makeeda family soirée was the biggest event of the season.

      By the time I settled into the control room for the broadcast, I’d managed to push aside my annoyance over Katie and my trepidations over the photos.

      I decided to stay with Stephanie one more night and headed home on Thursday. Everything looked exactly as I’d left it. Pictures were still scattered across the living room floor. I shoved them back in the envelope and tossed it on the kitchen table.

      I peeked out the window. There were still another couple hours of good sunlight. A long, hard jog would be beneficial. I changed and drove out to Cranes Roost Park. Drowning out the world with music, I ran around the lake until my legs begged for mercy and the July humidity saturated my lungs. Running in this sweltering heat drained me but I loved the escape. At no other time did I feel more alive than when I ran. Once I arrived back home, I filled the tub and soaked my sore muscles. Exhausted, I collapsed into bed.

      * * *

      “Hello?” I mumbled into the pillow. I think the phone was at my ear. The ringing finally stopped. Squinting at the clock on my nightstand I learned it was barely five in the morning.

      “Did I wake you, kitten?”

      Blood sang through my veins as I heard Alastair’s velvety English accent through the phone. I smiled. “You’re five hours ahead of me. You know you did.”

      His low, throaty laugh curled my toes. I half expected to turn and see him lying next to me.

      “Sorry. I wanted to hear your voice. I don’t like waking up alone.”

      “I know the feeling,” I said, sliding my hand along the cool sheets where his body should have been. “Are you working from home today?”

      “No. The office. I’m in between meetings. I have about seven minutes to give you my undivided attention.”

      I laughed, stretching my legs. “Well, well Mr. CEO. A whole seven minutes? How do you plan to spend this time?”

      “Enjoying the sound of your voice,” he answered, lowering his tone. “I like hearing you first thing in the morning.”

      I closed my eyes, amazed at how quickly my heart was beating. Goose bumps rippled across my skin. The effect he had on me transcended an ocean and several time zones.

      “Are you trying to seduce me over the phone?”

      “Only if you want me to. Although I’d need more than,” he paused, “six minutes.”

      “I doubt that,” I muttered, kicking off the blankets. My internal body temperature was off the charts. Another one of his deep, sexy laughs quickened my pulse.

      “Patience, love.”

      “I’m barely awake. You’re a tease with a gorgeous accent who knows how to push my buttons. Thin ice, Holden, thin ice.”

      “I should wake you up early more often. Which buttons am I pushing, exactly?”

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