Lost & Found Read Free

ago.
    Krissa drove down a circular street lined with huge Mediterranean-style houses. Nate hadn’t been home since she and Derek had sold their cottage near the beach in Santa Barbara and moved to this Montecito mansion. Derek’s real estate business was apparently doing well—Nate was sure these houses were all easily worth two or three million.
    She pulled into a driveway, facing double garage doors. The white stucco house topped with red clay tiles stretched wide on either side of the garage and towered above them.
    “Here we are,” she announced.
    She led the way into the house, disarmed an alarm system, and Nate followed her into a cool and quiet foyer with a high ceiling. Gleaming hardwood floors stretched in front of them, to the left into the dining room and to the right into the living room. The delicious aroma of red wine and beef teased his sense of smell.
    He followed Krissa into a huge open space at the rear of the house, a family room and kitchen, bright and white, with light wood cupboards. A wall of windows stretched across the back of the house, revealing spectacular ocean views.
    “Wow.” He set his bags down. He lowered the glasses on his nose to get a better look at the stunning house, but despite the setting sun so much light flooded in he had to push them back up.
    Krissa smiled faintly. “We’re still working on it,” she said. “We just moved in six months ago.”
    “It’s awesome, Krissa.”
    “Thanks. I’ll show you your room.”
    She led the way upstairs, down a hall, past one, two…Christ, how many bedrooms? At least four. Maybe five. “Here you go.” She stood aside to let him enter the last room on the right. “Oh. Let me get the blinds.”
    She crossed the room, and lowered the room-darkening shades on the window, submerging them in darkness. She bent down on flicked on the lamp beside the bed. “Is that okay?”
    He nodded, slowly removed his glasses. His eyes were drawn to Krissa, standing there in a tiny pair of white shorts and pink tank top. She wrapped her arms around herself as if she was cold. Her glossy dark hair hung around her shoulders and down her back, and even in the soft light he could see the sparkle in her green eyes.
    “This is fine, Kris. I hope I’m not inconveniencing you.”
    “Of course not.” But he could tell she wasn’t being completely honest with him. Something was going on. “We’re happy to have you and I’m glad you called us. That’s what friends are for, right?”
    “Right.”
    “Are you hungry? I had dinner all ready, but…” Her throat moved as she swallowed.
    “I’m starving,” he lied. “And something smells really good.”
    “Beef bourguignon. It’s Derek’s favorite.” Her voice caught as she crossed the room. Nate still stood in the door, so he stepped inside to move out of her way. Their bodies brushed together. “Sorry.”
    She flicked her eyes at him, then away. “You can wash up if you like, your bathroom is right there.” She nodded at the door on one wall. “I’ll go get dinner. Come on down to the kitchen when you’re ready.”
    He watched her leave, long, sleek bare legs, her cute little ass moving under the white shorts. Whoa. He should not be looking at Derek’s wife like that. Strangely, he hadn’t looked at any woman like that for a long time.
    There had been women. He’d had sex. Mindless, physical release. He got horny, he found someone. It was never difficult. The only difficult part was making the women understand he wasn’t interested in anything more than a quick fuck.
    Why had Derek pulled a disappearing act? Krissa seemed so upset, although she was trying to hide it. You’d think if they’d gotten some kind of bad news Derek would want to be home with her. Or was there something else going on? Derek better not be screwing around on Krissa. He’d kick his ass if he was.
    He used the bathroom, didn’t bother to change out of the worn jeans he’d traveled in from Costa Rica, but did