Secret Temptation [The Callens 3] (Siren Publishing M?nage Everlasting) Read online

  Chapter Four

  Around noon, April heard a masculine voice downstairs and stilled. What was Randy doing in the living room? She’d been working on her homework when the piano music stilled.

  “April?” her mom called from below.

  “Coming.”

  She rushed into the bathroom to check her teeth and to make sure the apple she was eating hadn’t gotten stuck. She ran a brush through her hair then rushed to the top of the steps. She stilled.

  “You sure you didn’t put this here?” her mom asked Randy.

  “No, ma’am. I could never write that.”

  April tried to piece the conversation together but couldn’t figure out what her mom was referring to.

  “But you play, you said.”

  He cleared his throat. “As a kid.”

  This discussion was bizarre. She inched closer and peeked around the corner. Her mom held a piece of paper in her hands. “Then how did this get here?”

  “I couldn’t tell you.”

  April made more noise than necessary coming down the stairs to let them know she was there. One look at Randy and her pulse raced. He’d laced his arms behind his back, looking larger than life. She failed to erase the smile from her face.

  “Hey.” She looked first at her mom, and then at Randy.

  Mom held up a piece of sheet music. “Do you know where this came from?”

  She stepped closer. “No. I certainly didn’t put it there.” Her mom had tried to teach her to play the piano, but she was more interested in shopping and chatting with her friends than she was practicing scales. “Maybe you wrote it in your sleep.”

  “Not likely. I don’t sleepwalk. Your dad would have told if I did.” She pulled out another piece of sheet music. “See how the treble clefs are different? This new sheet isn’t even in my handwriting.”

  “Perhaps that’s how you write in your subconscious.”

  “Pooh. This does pick up where I’d left off, but I don’t compose unless I’m awake.”

  “Why don’t you play it and see what it’s like?”

  “I’ll show you I’m right.”

  This whole conversation was surreal. She wanted to know why Randy had come to see her and what he had to say, but her mom was distraught. April needed her mom to move on. It was a shame she was losing it at her young age.

  Her mom started with her part of the piece, and then went right into the newly written part. The music flowed and fit together beautifully. When she finished playing, her fingers stayed on the keys.

  She shook her head. “I don’t get it. This is the ending I always imagined.”

  “There you go, Mom. Mystery solved.” She faced Randy. “You wanted to see me?”

  His gaze remained on her mother. What was up with that? As if her words finally registered, he faced her.

  “Yeah, I came to tell you I needed to cancel your riding lesson for today.”

  She was okay with that. “Fine. I need the time to study anyway. This class I’m taking is already kicking my butt.”

  “Some other time, then.” He nodded to her mom and took off.

  She appreciated he told her that he couldn’t accommodate her today, but the way he kept looking at her mom was weird.

  Her mom was staring at the closed side door. “What are you thinking, Mom?”

  “Why wouldn’t he admit to writing this? It’s pure genius. I could never have figured out this ending.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Randy did this, I’m sure. He came in when I was in the kitchen. When I heard him say hello, I came out to greet him. I played this morning and this piece of sheet music wasn’t there. Why would he lie?”

  Poor Mom. “Randy mucks stalls and takes care of horses.”

  “Don’t you think he’s intelligent enough to know how to play the piano?”

  “If he were this talented, he’d be in a band, not at the Callen ranch.” She placed a hand on her mom’s shoulder. “I gotta study.”

  “Okay, dear.”

  Upstairs, April couldn’t get the haunted image of Randy from her mind. Was it possible he’d written the rest of her mother’s song? She shook her head. It was ridiculous at best. Brilliant musicians did not become cage fighters and end up working for minimum wage.

  Study.

  She tried to focus, but these problems were driving her crazy. She’d used Blake Danforth’s business card as her bookmark. She flipped it over and noticed he’d scrawled his cell number on the back. He had said to call anytime, but she didn’t want to take advantage of him because he happened to be Randy’s roommate. It wasn’t like her to impose. She’d figure this stuff out herself.

  As she leaned back on her bed, she wondered why Randy had cancelled their appointment, even though she couldn’t blame him. After yesterday’s fiasco, she wouldn’t want to ride with her either. Truth be told, she’d planned on cancelling with him. Her near-death experience shook her more than she was willing to admit. She was dumb to get so rattled, but after her big fall years ago, her fear of horses had become a bit irrational.

  By the time she actually finished her homework, it was time for dinner then class.

  Her mom hugged her good-bye. “Have fun in class.”

  Like that was going to happen? The only good that might come out was if she happened to run into Blake Danforth. She wanted to ask him about Randy and his penchant for denying any knowledge of music.

  During the drive to the University, she juggled the mystery of the music with her chemistry and physics questions she’d been struggling with. Once class began, she tried to follow everything Dr. Riley said. While he shifted the topic to something she understood, he promised they’d be going over the physics problems after the break. Darlene was being bad by passing her notes and whispering comments about one of the cuter guys in class.

  Normally, April would be just as fun-loving and share her opinion, but the whole horse incident, followed by the bizarre musical event, had thrown her off kilter. Finally, the teacher announced the ten-minute break.

  Darlene rushed out to the candy machine. How she stayed so skinny when she ate so many sweets amazed her. She’d already told Darlene that the guy she liked was Blake’s roommate. “I’m going to see if Dr. Danforth is in his office.”

  “Ooh, you like him?”

  “I told you, I’m trying to get the scoop on Randy.”

  “Uh-huh.” Darlene grabbed her arm and moved away from the vending machine. “If your Randy is half as hot as you say, can you imagine what it would be like to do both roommates at the same time?”

  “I’m not into that.”

  Darlene released her. “That’s bull. You said your sister and brother were in ménage relationships. You seem fine with that. Why not for you?”

  “When Randy grabbed me off that horse, having his hands on my body nearly made me catch on fire from the lust. I can’t imagine adding another hottie to the mix.”

  Darlene smiled. “I think you protest too much. Go find the doc and think about what I said.”

  She did need to talk with Blake, but she wouldn’t consider something like that.

  Liar.

  Blake’s light was on in his office. Didn’t the man ever go home? She knocked.

  “Come in.”

  She stepped in and his smile made her heart race. That was not good. She needed to focus on Randy.

  “Hey.” Her ability to carry on a one-word conversation amazed even her.

  “Hey yourself. What’s up?”

  She liked how casual he was and how he made eye contact, unlike his taciturn roommate. “I have a quick question.”

  “Shoot.”

  “Does Randy play the piano?”

  He leaned back in his chair and wrapped his hands behind his head. She loved that pose, so full of confidence and seduction.

  She told him the story of the sheet music.

  “What did Randy say?”

  “
You know he denied it. If he’d admitted writing it, I wouldn’t be here.”

  He chuckled and leaned forward. “I think you need another riding lesson and see if you can get him to confess. I bet if you used your sexual wiles, he’d cave.”

  Now she laughed. He was surely teasing her. Why did she feel so comfortable around Blake and not around Randy? Blake was easy and open whereas Randy was anything but.

  Darlene’s words came back to her about trying out both roommates at the same time. She’d never considered something like that before, but her sister sure seemed to like the double attention. April would have to think about the concept later.

  “I’ll consider your plan. Thanks for your help.”

  “Remember, if you need any help with your class, call me.”

  She smiled and hightailed it out of there before she lost her senses. He might be willing to help, but he also seemed interested in her. Hmm. Did he and Randy share?

  * * * *

  For the next week, April kept her head in her books. She’d often sit on the porch and study, hoping to catch a glimpse of Randy as he moved about the ranch, but she had no such luck. Finally, she decided to head into the barn just to see if he was okay. It wasn’t like him not to pass by the house.

  She didn’t spot Randy inside, but Gus was back and she gave him a hug. “So how’s the new man working out?” Maybe Randy had confided in the ranch hand.

  “Don’t see him much. Every morning, when I get here, the hay is stacked and the horses are fed and watered. I can’t complain. The man is pulling more than his share of the work.”

  “When you do run into him, do you talk?”

  “Nah, that one is the strong, silent type. Keeps his head down and does more than an honest day’s work. I’ve had help in the past, but this one is the best.”

  That was good to know. At first she thought Randy might be avoiding her, but he probably wasn’t aware she wanted to see him. She hadn’t come to ask him to take her out riding, so he’d probably forgotten all about her.

  When she was ready to ride again, she’d hunt him down for real. If she did get back on a horse, she’d be safe if Randy was around to save her.

  “Tell him I stopped by.”

  Gus smiled a toothless grin. “Don’t tell me you’re sweet on him?”

  “No. He’s teaching me to ride.”

  Gus’s eyes widened. “Good for you. I thought after your fall you’d never get back on a horse.”

  She didn’t either until Randy appeared. “I’m over it.”

  “Good to hear it.”

  Since she had a lot to do to get ready for the move, she went back to the house. Each day she spent an hour organizing and cleaning. She’d already located boxes and begun the grueling task of packing. She never realized how many clothes she had.

  One stack would go to Goodwill, and the other she’d take to her new house. Her mom had already given her an extra set of towels and two sets of sheets. Somehow, April thought she might want a king-size bed in case her prospects perked up. A twin bed was so limiting.

  Next week, she would move in and start her new life. Unfortunately, her move-in date was right before her midterm. She’d be a busy girl, that was for sure.

  After an early dinner, she hugged her mom good-bye. “We’re reviewing for the midterm tonight. Darlene and I will be at the library studying. Don’t wait up for me.”

  “Okay, dear.”

  It would be nice once she was on her own. She’d be able to come and go as she pleased and not worry if her mom was keeping vigil. During these last few weeks of not seeing Randy, a new plan formed, one that had possible exciting ramifications.

  Tonight was the midterm review. Dr. Riley did a nice job going over the material, but she was still a bit confused on some of the physics concepts. At break, she decided to make her move.

  Darlene walked out with her. “You’ve got that look in your eyes. What are you planning to do?”

  “If I have the courage to ask, I’ll let you know.”

  Her friend grinned. “Go for it, tiger.”

  Taking a deep inhale, April headed to Blake’s office. As if he stayed around just to see her, she knocked on his door. This time she didn’t wait for the invitation. She twisted the knob and went in.

  He was leaning over a stack of paper. He took off his glasses and looked up. She hadn’t realized he wore corrective lenses, but it made him appear very intelligent.

  “How’s it going?”

  No matter how many times she distracted him, he seemed happy to see her.

  “I really hate to bother you, but I have a midterm in two days. Do you think you might be free to help me?”

  “Sure. Anytime. When?”

  “Would tomorrow evening be okay? I have an event I have to go to during the day.”

  “Works for me. In fact, I’ll be in meetings most of the day. You could always come by my house. I only live about two miles from here.”

  So he did realize she was basically asking him out on a date. Good. “Super.”

  He took out another business card and wrote down his address. “How about seven?”

  As she took the card, she made sure to brush her fingers against his. Being obvious wasn’t her style, but then again, the decision to be with two men required drastic measures.

  Chapter Five

  April couldn’t believe she was going over to a man’s house that she didn’t know that well. If she’d been dating him for a while, it would have been a different matter. This was a first date and might not be the smartest move, but she’d rationalized that the University would have done a thorough background check on him or they wouldn’t have made him department chair. Besides, she was a good enough character judge to know that Blake Danforth was not only hot but honest. In fact, his sexiness was equaled only by his intelligence.

  When she’d noted his address, she’d been surprised he lived in such a posh neighborhood. Maybe the University paid better than she’d thought, or else Randy had sold his large estate and purchased this place. Either way, these two were doing something right. Her father’s advice to marry someone who wasn’t after her for money came to mind. These two might fit the bill.

  It was still light when she pulled up their drive. The brick home had a stately entrance, complete with two-story-tall, white columns bordering the front door. She’d expected something less traditional and more with a Western theme, but the house seemed to fit someone with a last name of Danforth.

  She rang the bell, and Blake immediately answered wearing shorts, loafers, and a button-down shirt. His legs were muscled and tan as if he spent a lot of time lifting weights and playing golf.

  “Come in.” He had a glass of wine in his hand.

  His attire and drink were a sure sign he considered this more of a date than a tutoring session, and that worked for her. She’d brought her book with her, as she needed help with the physics section for the test. After he helped her, they could get to the kissing part.

  She stepped inside, and the first thing she noticed was the grand piano in the corner. She could almost picture Randy sitting there with his long fingers racing over the ivory keys. Not wanting to linger on that piece of equipment, she studied the rest of the room. The leather and chrome living room furniture, all done in black, wasn’t what she expected. Against the stark, white walls were wildly colorful abstracts. While interesting, the style didn’t fit her image of what Blake would have in his house.

  “I like it.”

  “I hear it’s quite different from your parents’ home.”

  She chuckled. “Very. I don’t think they’ve changed the furniture since Dustin was born. He’s my oldest brother.”

  “So it’s comfortable and practical.”

  “Totally. No one ever gets yelled at for putting up his feet or not using a coaster. In fact, a lot of the chairs are covered with quilts because the seats are ripped and old. My folks had the kitchen redone recent
ly, but ask them to get a new sofa, and it would be like asking them to eat horse meat.”

  “I’d like to meet them sometime. They seem like down-to-earth folk.”

  “They are.” She headed for the piano and ran her hand over the highly polished cover. “You play?”

  “Some, but I’m not good yet. I’m taking lessons.”

  “Does Randy play for you?”

  “He doesn’t play.”

  Anymore.

  The few seconds of silence that followed were a bit awkward. She hefted her book. “Where do you want to sit?”

  He nodded. “I’ve cleared off the dining room table. You want a drink?” He waved his glass.

  “Not yet. Physics is hard enough without putting alcohol in the mix.” She sat and spread out her book, along with the stack of questions she’d prepared.

  For the next hour he patiently explained the material. He excelled at detailing the physics theories in such a way she understood. If she was being particularly dense, he’d try another tactic. The only problem she was having, besides trying to act smart when sitting next to a child genius, was concentrating with all the noise coming from down the hallway.

  She finally gave up. “What is that racket?”

  He laughed. “That’s something you’ll get used to. Randy works out for hours every night. He has a mini gym in one of the rooms. He’s got a bench press, a pull-up bar, a Roman chair, and a squat rack. It’s quite compact, but he says it serves his purpose.”

  He’d said he used to work out all the time, but he didn’t say he still did. Given his sculpted body, it now made sense. “He’s not fighting competitively anymore, is he?” Randy had said he’d quit, but she wondered if it was a lie.

  His eyes widened a bit. “No, but once you have a perfect body, you don’t want to lose it. Working out has been a way of life forever.” He elongated the last word.

  “You’ve known him long?”