Man from Half Moon Bay Read Free

sign?”
    “No.”
    “I’ve been expecting to hear any day that—”
    “He wants you back, Sara.”
    She froze in the act of spooning the coffee into the coffeemaker. “What did you say?”
    “He wants you to come home with me. He says to tell you things will be … different.”
    She resumed spooning the coffee. Her hands were shaking as she carefully put the scoop down on the counter. She didn’t dare pick up the glass coffee carafe yet. In a minute she would have herself fully under control, but she couldn’t risk it now. “Is this some kind of joke, Cam?”
    “I wish it was.” He made a face. “Because I feel awkward as hell doing this. This isn’t my kind of scene.”
    “Then why are you here?”
    “I love him,” Cam said simply. “Just as you do, Sara.”
    “I don’t—” She stopped and drew a deep breath. “Jordan doesn’t understand love. He knows about possession, but he has no conception of any other emotion.”
    “You don’t know him.”
    She whirled to face Cam, her eyes glittering with tears. “You’re right, I don’t know him. And he wouldn’t let me get to know him if I lived with him for another hundred years. Well, I opted out and I’m staying out. Sex was all Jordan was willing to give me.”
    “Perhaps he’s changed.”
    She laughed harshly. “Changed? Why should he change? He doesn’t need me. Jordan Bandor doesn’t really need any woman.”
    Cam frowned. “Don’t talk rot. I’ve never seen a man as obsessed with a woman as Jordan was with you.”
    “That doesn’t mean he loves me.” Her fingers clenched on the edge of the Formica counter. “Sex, Cam.”
    “Whatever it was, it was enough to keep you both walking around in a daze for nine months.” His voice lowered. “Was it so bad, Sara?”
    “Not at first.” She didn’t look at him. “But I couldn’t breathe. You saw the way it was. He
smothered
me. He wouldn’t let me out of his sight. I had to be Jordan Bandor’s woman and nothing else. I couldn’t live like that. In the end I would have ended up a spineless robot.”
    “Sara, he—”
    “No! I won’t be anyone’s possession. Don’t you remember that he was even jealous of
you
?”
    He nodded. “Jordan wasn’t shy about warning me off you. I even thought it was funny at the time. I should have known it wouldn’t be quite so amusing for you. I’m sorry, luv, I should have stuck around to make it easier for you.”
    “How could you? Jordan didn’t give me the chance even to see you after those first four months.”
    “Be fair, Sara. You’re speaking as if he kept you a prisoner at Half Moon. I didn’t see any locks on the doors.”
    “No, he didn’t lock me up.” Suddenly scarlet stung her cheeks and the muscles in her stomach knotted as she remembered the exact methods Jordan had used to keep her helplessly subjugated. No, she mustn’t remember any of the things they had done together. Jordan had no power over her body or emotions now. As long as she didn’t think of him she was in control. “You’re right, I could have left him at any time. It was my decision to stay.” She picked up the glass carafe of water and poured it into the coffeemaker without spilling a drop. It was a small victory, but it gave her the confidence to turn and say coolly, “And my decision to leave. I’m not going back to your brother, Cam.”
    He was silent for a moment. “I didn’t think you would, but I had to try.” He paused. “He went crazy when he found your note. I haven’t seenhim that upset since the day—” He broke off. “Men
can
change, you know.”
    “Not Jordan. He doesn’t bend and he doesn’t break. Do you think I didn’t try?”
    “You could try again.”
    She shook her head. “He’s too strong for me. Why do you think I waited to cut and run until he’d gone to Sydney on business? It was hard enough for me to leave then. Jordan has a way of maintaining a sense of presence even when he’s miles away.”
    “He