Topaz Heat (Christian Romance) (The Jewel Series) Read online

  While she was gone, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, seeking some inner steadiness. Why was she here? She quickly returned and gently set a plastic bag filled with ice across his shoulders, then perched herself on the couch that angled with the chair so that she faced him.

  “You never answered my question,” he said, staring at her with those brown eyes that always made her feel uncomfortable. “What are you doing here?”

  “They’re painting my brownstone today and tomorrow. My furniture is under sheets in the middle of the rooms. Robin didn’t mention you were going to be here.” She looked down at her shoes. “I’m really sorry, Derrick.”

  “I guess I forgot to tell her where I was staying. I thought Tony might’ve let her know.” He reached behind him and shifted the bag of ice. “Didn’t you see my car? You’d have had to park next to it in the parking garage.”

  “I walked.”

  His eyes narrowed. “From where?”

  She gestured at her pastel pink pants, the matching top, and the white jacket with the pastel slashes of color. “Hello? From the hospital.”

  “Are you out of your mind?” She opened her mouth to argue with him, but he cut her off. “That’s easily four or five blocks. Downtown. On a Friday night.”

  “It’s not like the streets were deserted, Derrick.”

  “What possessed you to walk?”

  She bared her teeth. “It might have something to do with the fact that my car wouldn’t start.”

  “Why didn’t you call someone?”

  She’d had enough. She felt sorry that she’d whacked him with her umbrella, but the truth was she really couldn’t stand the man and never really had enjoyed his presence. “I’ve been an adult for a long time, Derrick, and I don’t answer to anyone, most especially you. If you’ll excuse me, I’ve had a really long day and I’m going to bed.”

  “Sarah …”

  She stood. “No. I’m done. Good night.”

  As she brushed by him, his hand came out of nowhere and grabbed her forearm. She froze, stared down at him, waiting. “I apologize,” he offered with his most velvet voice.

  “I’m not going to fall for the smooth charm, Derrick. Now let me go. I’m tired.”

  His jaw clenched as he released her. When he heard the click of her bedroom door shutting, he ripped the ice pack off his back and threw it across the room. He turned and carefully leaned backward until his back touched the chair. Then he closed his eyes and sighed.

  Six years later. Six years and he was still completely in love with her.

  He’d hoped it had been a crush, kind of like what he had for Robin, even a touch for Maxine. The sisters had charmed him the second he laid eyes on them, and he loved them for their beauty and their love of life. But it was more – much more – with Sarah.

  And she couldn’t stand him.

  She would never look at him and see anything but the teenager in the ripped leather jacket with the “I dare you” scowl. He’d changed, though, in every way he possibly could. He had cleaned his clothes, cleaned his act, found Christ and followed God. Like his water baptism cleansed his soul and made him a new person, he shed his past and created a new person. It didn’t matter. She still looked down her perky little befreckled nose at him.

  He rubbed his face with his hands and surged to his feet. He thought about her traipsing through the heart of the city alone at this hour with only a purse and an umbrella and thought about all the terrible things that could have been waiting for her during that five block walk. He whispered a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s protection over her in those early morning hours, and retired to his own bedroom, sorry that their reunion had not gone well at all.

  Any secret, unacknowledged hope he had of winning her over with a smoothly executed reunion meeting was now shed forever.

  SARAH got out of the shower, still angry. Seething, really. She ripped a towel off its holder and wrapped up in it, unlocking the bathroom door and walking into her old bedroom.

  No one could make her as angry as Derrick DiNunzio. After almost any contact with him, she found herself grinding her teeth in frustration or anger, though she had absolutely no idea why.

  At first she thought it was because of the neighborhood he came from, because of the past he carried with him. But Tony had a similar background, and she loved the man. So she knew it wasn’t that.

  For a while, she thought it was the way he stared at her with those eyes; a lazy, sultry stare that made her think of steamy southern summers. It was a look that peeled away her glasses and shook out her hair and blanketed her with warmth. That look made her uncomfortable until she wanted to just squirm. But he didn’t always look at her like that; it was actually rare that she caught him doing it.

  She thought maybe it was because he was using Tony as his step up from the street life. He had housing, clothes, food, education, all because someone else was paying for it. But then, so did she, even if the someone else were her parents and her sister, then her sister’s husband. That would have been rather hypocritical, if accepting generosity born of love made her angry with him. And, she had to admit, he wasn’t ungrateful. He worked hard – harder than anyone she’d ever known.

  She finally settled on the fact that she just plain didn’t like him. She was allowed to simply not like someone, even a brother in Christ. Right? And after six years, if the sight of him still made her teeth clench in anger, then obviously that must be what it was about.

  Sarah threw a long shirt over her head, glad she still kept some clothes here, and ripped the covers of the bed down. She listened, but couldn’t hear anything coming from the main room. Silly to even listen. The apartment was built so well that it would be hard to hear even the stereo with the door shut.

  But he was out there, and she knew it. He was right out there with his jet black hair and his chocolate eyes and his colorful tattoos and his perfectly muscled chest and washboard stomach. And really! Why not put a shirt on for goodness sakes?

  With a frustrated sigh she flipped off the light and crawled into bed. Her eyes burned and twitched. Her head spun with exhaustion but her brain simply would not shut down. Worry for her car, worry for her dad, sorrow at the relationship with her mother, and anger at Derrick all swirled in her thoughts.

  She finally rolled out of bed and found herself on her knees, elbows in the mattress, praying to God in the same position she used when she was just a little girl.

  AT four-thirty in the morning, Sarah gave up trying to fall asleep. She slipped out of bed and dug through the dressers, finally locating a pair of running shoes and some shorts. A sweatshirt from her college days was on the top shelf of her closet, and she was just able to spring high enough to snag the sleeve and pull it down. She slipped it over the night shirt she wore and opened her bedroom door.

  The apartment was dark, quiet. She guessed that Derrick was in one of the bedrooms.

  Normally, she spent Saturdays on a long bike ride, but she didn’t have a bike here, so she settled for a jog.

  She tried to do different forms of exercise all week. She had aerobics classes she frequented once or twice a week, she had her bike, and she loved to run. Then there were the days she ended up at Maxine’s house, working out with Barry, learning more about muscle toning in an afternoon than she could have over the course of a month in a gym. She enjoyed keeping fit, enjoyed taking care of her body, and it gave her the energy and strength she needed most days for her job or her father.

  The tug on her heart when she thought about her dad was a common occurrence now, and barely made her pause as she leaned against the back of the couch to stretch her legs. He didn’t even know her. Three days ago, he didn’t know anything. It was getting worse, and all her training meant nothing, because she couldn’t help him. He was the love of her life and there was nothing she could do to help him.

  Sarah was barely civil with her mother these days. Not only had she snuck around and had her father placed in a home, mom never went to
see him. As far as her mother was concerned, he was already dead. It wasn’t easy, talking to a man you’ve loved most of your life, having him either stare at you blankly or ask your name. She knew that from experience. And last month when she finally convinced her mom to go visit him, even Sarah knew it had been a really bad day. He was in a rage and finally had to be sedated. But if she would have just gone more often, she would have known that it was just a bad day, and every once in a while, there was maybe a flicker of recognition in his eyes. Sarah believed that. She had to believe that.

  She finished stretching and rubbed her face with her hands. She must be more tired than she thought to be thinking about this right now. Normally she was able to push it into the farthest corners of her mind.

  Huffing out a breath, she pulled a band from her pocket and did her best to secure her hair back, while she waited for the elevator. Maybe she’d call her mom today and see if she would go with her this time.

  Deciding that’s what she’d do, she stepped into the elevator and raised her arms to stretch her lower back.

  THERE were times when Sarah had no idea she was tense until exercise loosened her up. She felt really good by the time she got back to the apartment. Her legs felt weak – rubbery. Her face was flushed. Her soaking wet hair stuck to her skin. She felt fantastic.

  As she stepped down into the living room, she peeled the sweatshirt over her head and froze. Derrick was on the floor in front of the couch, doing push-ups. She yanked the sweatshirt back down.

  He hadn’t shaved, and he looked dark, dangerous, all the class and charm hidden for now. He wore a sweatshirt that had the sleeves cut off at the shoulder and a pair of spandex shorts, showing his long legs, well defined with muscle, covered with fine dark hair. His arms were lean and strong, the muscles bulged as he pushed himself up and down, and she noticed another tattoo on the top of one arm at the base of his shoulder, a rough homemade tattoo that looked like someone had carved his initials and just smeared them with ink. His other arm sported an elaborate eagle that went from his shoulder almost to his elbow.

  She realized he wasn’t moving anymore. He was still in the push-up position, supported by his arms, and staring up at her. He didn’t move or speak, just stared at her with those eyes, trapping her. A bead of sweat trickling down his forehead seemed to break the spell he put on her, and she tore her eyes away and ran to her room.

  CHAPTER 4

  SARAH dialed the phone while she dug through the pantry looking for an extra container of rice milk. No one else in the family drank it but her, and she knew she had extras from the last time she stayed here.

  She located it on the back corner of the top shelf as the phone on the other end was answered. “Mary, this is Sarah. Is Dennis still there?” She dragged a step-stool into the pantry while she listened to the recorded message give the benefits of Community Hospital over any others. She was teetering on the top step when the voice was interrupted. “Dr. Benson.”

  “Hi, Dennis.”

  “Sarah. What’s wrong?”

  “My car is in the parking garage there. It wouldn’t start last night.” Just when she thought she would fall over, she was able to grab the carton and step back down.

  “I see. Why?”

  She left the pantry and cradled the phone to her ear with her shoulder while she pulled the plastic tab on the top of the carton. “I don’t know. It was completely dead. No lights or buzzers or anything.”

  “Have you contacted a mechanic?”

  The tab was stuck, so she pulled harder. It ripped off, but the container remained unopened. “No, I didn’t call a mechanic. I’m calling my boyfriend.”

  She moved to the butcher block counter and grabbed a small knife out of the holder. “What is it exactly that you think I should do about it?”

  Her hand made a fist around the knife and she stabbed it into the top of the carton, sending milk flying everywhere. “Ugh!”

  “Excuse me?”

  “Nothing. I just spilled some milk.” She ripped open a drawer and whipped out a dish towel. “Listen. Never mind. Do you get off at seven?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay, well have a good rest this morning.”

  “I will. Thank you.” The telephone clicked in her ear, and she stared at it before hitting the button to disconnect it.

  “Problem?”

  She whirled around and spotted Derrick leaning against the kitchen door. He’d showered, shaved, and changed into slacks and a button down shirt. He was back to looking like a back page ad in GQ, and she felt her balance around him return. “No. No problem.”

  “Your boyfriend helped, then?”

  Her smile made her face feel like it was going to crack. “Absolutely. He recommended a good mechanic,” she said, lying through her teeth.

  Derrick raised an eyebrow. “For a dead battery?”

  “A dead battery?”

  “You said no lights or buzzers. Did the engine make any sound when you tried the ignition?”

  Her eyebrows came together in a frown. “The first time. Very weakly.”

  “And this boyfriend recommended a mechanic?”

  The frown remained in place. “Like you would recommend something different?”

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “Yes, sweetheart, as a matter of fact I would. But I am – what’s the word – competent.”

  “I’m not your sweetheart.”

  His chin gestured at the phone. “No, you’re right. You’re his sweetheart. I apologize.”

  “I’m not anyone’s sweetheart.”

  He smiled. “Ah, that’s too bad.”

  Sarah closed her eyes and rubbed between them. “Derrick.” Her voice sounded tired to her own ears.

  “Okay, sorry. I couldn’t help it.” He straightened and came all the way into the room. “Yes, I would recommend something different. I would suggest going to an auto parts store, purchasing a battery, and installing it.”

  Very carefully, because she felt like throwing it across the room, she picked up the milk and poured it over her cereal. “Thank you. As soon as I finish eating, I’ll call Tony or Barry and ask one of them to help me.”

  “No need. I’ll take care of it.” He spotted the mug sitting beside the teapot and poured the rich brew into it before setting it in front of her and getting his own cup.

  “I don’t want to get in the way of your plans for the day.”

  He added a little bit of honey to his tea and took a sip. “I have no concrete plans.”

  Well, why not? She was desperate, after all. She had to be at work at seven that night and needed her car so that she could go to her mom’s and sleep. She certainly wasn’t going to stay here another night. “If you’re sure.”

  SARAH watched Derrick wield the tools with confidence as he replaced the alternator under her hood with a new one. They had already made two trips to the auto parts store, and she fervently hoped it would be the last. He drove like the gates of hell were opening behind him. She didn’t think she could stomach riding with him for another trip.

  “How did you learn so much about cars, anyway?” she asked. “I’m pretty sure BU doesn’t offer mechanics courses.”

  “I stole enough of them in my desperate youth,” he answered, trying to sound like he was kidding. He’d changed into worn jeans and a black T-shirt, and when he turned his head to grin at her from under the car, her heart did a little flip-flop. She rationalized once more that she really needed to get some sleep today.

  “Stole what? Cars?” She glared at him. “You’re serious.”

  His face sobered before he went back to fiddling with whatever it was he was fiddling with under the hood. “Hunger and survival can drive people to do a lot of regrettable things. Thankfully, we have salvation by grace or I’d be in some real trouble.”

  “They have programs for families in need, Derrick. Crime isn’t the answer.”

  “Sure they do,” he said, straightening and wiping his hands on a towel, “if you�
�re legal.”

  “You’re saying you’re an illegal alien?”

  “No. I was born here. But my father never bothered to marry my mother, just carted her here when his tour in Italy was over and then left her when the Air Force sent him somewhere else, so she never was legal.”

  His logic didn’t make sense to her. “Still, once you were old enough to legally drive, you were old enough to get a job, right?”

  His eyes were blank when they looked at her. “Once you’re in, sweetheart, you’re in. And there isn’t a thing you can do about it until someone bigger and stronger than them gets you out. Tony is way bigger and way stronger.”

  “Well, Derrick. All this time I thought you were once just a petty thief. I didn’t realize you had graduated to grand theft auto. Still, there are all sorts of things ...”

  She broke off when he stepped forward and laid his index finger over her lips, effectively silencing her. He moved fast, faster than she could imagine, and his touch for such violent speed was incongruously gentle. His movement literally shocked her into silence.

  He stood close enough to her that the toes of their shoes touched. Her vision became his chocolate brown eyes. Through clenched teeth, he spoke, “Listen to me, you spoiled little brat. There’s a whole world out there you don’t remember or understand. As far as I’m concerned, you’re from the little blue house with the white picket fence and you don’t know anything about anything beyond that or Tony’s penthouse and private jet. If you ever want to know, without spouting one of your little self-important ignorant lectures, come talk to me like a person. Until then, kindly consider the subject closed.”

  She glared at him, laying her hand on his wrist until he removed his finger from her lips. With a tone that rang self-righteously even in her own ears, she pronounced, “I know a lot more than you could ever understand.”

  “Right,” he sneered sarcastically, his tone telling her just how judged he felt.