Up Close and Personal

by Kathryn Freeman

  ‘Okay, no problem.’

  What about spontaneity, though? What about meeting a woman he fancied and asking her out for a drink? Like he’d been seconds away from doing with Kat. He wasn’t a womaniser, but he wasn’t a monk, either.

  She indicated and turned into a side street before speaking again. ‘I can almost see your mind working.’

  God, he hoped not. ‘Yes?’

  ‘We’re discreet. If you want to … date, we won’t cramp your style.’

  He shook his head, amused despite himself. ‘You assume I have style.’

  ‘Are you kidding? A man can’t look like you and not have style.’

  ***

  The moment the words were out of her mouth, Kat kicked herself. She really needed to employ that filter. The poor guy already had an overly keen fan on his hands. The last thing he needed was his bodyguard, the one hired to protect him from the fan, fangirling all over him.

  At times it was hard not to be a fan, though. Like when he’d returned to the dressing room wearing the tightest of T-shirts, amply showcasing the famous Edwards physique. So yes, her mind had done a little wandering when he’d mentioned having a shower.

  ‘When I saw you again this morning,’ his quietly spoken words broke through her smutty thoughts, ‘it’s fair to say I’d harboured hopes that you’d let me show you my … style.’

  ‘Oh?’ she squawked, totally blindsided, which made him laugh.

  ‘Not so quick with the chat now, I see.’

  ‘I, umm, the hotel is just ahead.’ Out of the corner of her eye she saw the laughter on his face at her glaring change of subject, but she ignored it. Just like she’d have to ignore his comment. He’s a job, Parker. Get that into your damn head. ‘I took your bags up earlier when I checked you in.’ That was better. Nice and professional. ‘You should have everything you need.’

  ‘Thanks.’

  She didn’t dare look or speak to him again, so it was in silence that she parked the Jeep and escorted him up to his private floor.

  After doing another cursory check of his room – she’d done a proper check earlier when she’d dropped his things – she waved him in. ‘Mark will be here in a few minutes to introduce himself. He just needs to ask you a few questions and we’ll be out of your hair. But if you want to go out—’

  ‘Call you. I know the drill.’ He slipped off his jacket and laid it neatly over the back of the sofa before undoing the cuffs of his shirt and rolling them up. It was almost surreal watching him. As if she had a front-row spot at a 3D film. She’d never met an actor so captivating in the flesh.

  ‘What sort of questions?’ His voice brought her out of her daydream. She must have looked blank because he added, ‘You said Mark needed to ask a few questions?’

  ‘Yes, just to see if you have any ideas about who could be behind the stalking.’ As she spoke, Zac moved to stand behind the sofa, his hands resting on the back. His eyes fixed on a spot over her left shoulder.

  ‘If I did, don’t you think I’d have mentioned it to Jerry Collier earlier?’

  Kat couldn’t explain why she thought it, but her gut said he was hiding something from her. ‘Any smart, sensible guy would have done so, yes.’

  Now she had his full attention. And to give him his due, the gaze that locked with hers didn’t waver. Then again, he was an actor. ‘As I’m both sensible and smart, we can assume I’m as much in the dark about who’s doing this to me as you are. So, what questions does Mark want answers to?’

  ‘Whether you can remember anyone who might have given you cause to think they could turn psycho on you. In particular any women you’ve met and maybe had a drink with. Dated.’ She paused. ‘Have slept with or are sleeping with.’

  He let out a muted oath before turning towards the window, leaving her with a view of his ramrod straight back.

  Bugger. She should have waited for Mark. Clearly she had the tact of a charging rhino. ‘Look, I know this is difficult, but any information you can provide us will help the police track this person down.’

  ‘How far back do I need to go?’

  She could understand his annoyance. This time yesterday he’d been an actor whose movements were followed by the press. Now he was an actor followed by the press, a stalker and a bodyguard. He must feel his privacy had been violated enough already today.

  Yet her sympathy was tempered by the belief he wasn’t being totally open with her. ‘The notes started a few months ago, so I would say six months is enough. For now.’ She could feel the tension pinging across the room. ‘If it helps, you can talk to Mark alone. I don’t need to know.’

  Finally, he turned, slipping his hands into his pockets. ‘You think discussing my love life with a complete stranger will help?’ His eloquent eyes looked so wounded, and guilt pricked.

  ‘I don’t know.’

  With a sigh, he went to sit on the sofa. ‘Can we just get it over with now?’

  ‘Sure. Whatever you want.’

  ‘I want for this to be over.’ He drew in a breath and let it out slowly. ‘Sorry. I just …’ He dragged a hand through his hair. ‘It’s been a long day.’

  ‘Tomorrow will be easier. And the day after that, if they’ve not caught Lipstick yet, you probably won’t even notice I’m around.’

  His eyes met and held hers. ‘I very much doubt that.’

  The dip in his voice, coupled with the way his gaze didn’t leave hers, sent her pulse skittering. Crap, was he flirting with her again? Or did he mean he couldn’t fail to notice her because she was such a pain in the arse intrusion on his life?

  It had to be the latter. She needed it to be. ‘So, those names.’

  ‘Yes.’ With another deep expulsion of breath, he took out his phone and began to scroll, presumably through his contacts. ‘I dated Chloe Patterson for a while. It ended six months ago. Amicably, I thought.’ He glanced briefly at her. ‘I’ll ping the contact through to you.’

  ‘Thanks.’ God, this was stickier than a vat of treacle. ‘Any others?’

  ‘There have been a couple of ladies I’ve … had a drink with since.’ She felt her phone beep twice. ‘I’ve sent you the contacts.’ He paused, eyes on his phone and not on her. ‘There was one other, Hannah, but I don’t have her number. I met her at a party. She was waitressing. My manager will have the details of it if you feel the need to track her down.’

  Oh boy, the tacky one-night stand. She didn’t know who was more embarrassed, him for having to admit to it, or her for having to ask about it. ‘Anyone you’re seeing currently?’

  He gave her a hard stare. ‘No.’

  His annoyance was palpable. Then again, she had just asked him if he was sleeping with someone, despite knowing he’d been flirting with her. ‘Have you any reason to think someone you know might be the stalker?’

  ‘For Christ’s sake.’ He leapt to his feet. ‘I don’t treat women like shit.’

  It was the first time she’d heard him sound anything other than polite. ‘I’m not suggesting you do.’

  ‘No?’

  ‘No,’ she asserted. ‘I’m trying to do my job. The police will want to know, and we figured you’d find it easier discussing it now, than at the police station.’

  Once again, he ran a hand through his hair, walking a few strides away before turning. ‘Sorry. It’s just this is very … awkward.’

  ‘Tell me about it,’ she said on a sigh. ‘It’s why I’d planned to leave it to Mark to handle.’

  ‘Oh?’ Some of the tension on his face eased. ‘I didn’t have you down as a coward.’

  ‘I’m not, but I am a mouthy ex-soldier. Delicacy and diplomacy don’t come naturally.’

  ‘And they do to Mark?’

  The thought made her laugh. ‘You’ve got me there. He’s also ex-army and worse than I am.’ Zac had been forced to admit things he hadn’t wanted to. Perhaps it was time she did the same. ‘Look, the truth is, for you and me to work, we need to develop a rapport. I didn’t want to risk ruining
any hope of that by asking these questions.’

  The sharp buzz of the doorbell interrupted any answer he may have planned. ‘That’ll be Mark.’ She walked to the door and as she checked through the peep hole, Zac spoke again.

  ‘For the record. There’s already a rapport. And this hasn’t dented it.’

  Relief and something else, something unwanted, fluttered through her as she opened the door to let her boss in.

  The guy who strode purposefully into the room was tall and wide and … well, the phrase ‘built like a brick shithouse’ could have been coined for him. Her former CO when they were in the army, Mark had helped her through one of the toughest times in her life, so she knew, first hand, he was far less scary than he appeared. Of course, it also meant he’d seen her at her worst, which was proving to be a tough obstacle to overcome.

  In four strides, he crossed the room towards Zac. ‘Mark Evans.’ He stuck out his hand. ‘Good to meet you.’

  ‘Zac Edwards. And nothing personal, but I’d rather not be meeting you.’

  Mark gave Zac a brief smile. ‘Not the first time I’ve heard that.’ He motioned towards the sofa and armchair. ‘Shall we sit?’

  Kat cleared her throat. ‘I’ll leave you both to it. Mark, I’ve got the information we needed.’ His eyes flared with surprise, but she ignored his unspoken question and turned to Zac. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow. Message me with the time you want picking up, or if you need to go out for any reason.’

  ‘Sure. And Kat,’ those eyes met hers. ‘Thanks.’

  What on earth was he thanking her for – poking round his house, hounding him for details of his sex life? Still, she smiled, relieved there was no hard feeling. ‘No problem.’ He made a movement to stand – no doubt to walk her to the door, because he seemed to have impeccable manners – so she signalled for him stay where he was. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll see myself out.’

  Though his body settled back into the sofa, she felt his eyes remain on her as she opened the door.

  She also felt a tingle resonate throughout her body as it reacted to his gaze.

  Chapter 6

  It was Friday morning. Four days since Zac had met Kat in the lift, decided he wanted to ask her out, then found out she was going to be his bodyguard. Four days of not driving his own car. Of living in a hotel. Of being quizzed about his friends, his acquaintances. His sex life.

  Four evenings spent stuck in his hotel room feeling frustrated because he couldn’t go for a run, or down to the bar for a drink. Not without disturbing Kat.

  And he still didn’t know who was stalking him, so he still didn’t know how much danger he was really in.

  ‘I’m out tonight,’ he reminded Kat as they walked into the underground car park together.

  ‘Umm.’ Her eyes scanned the concrete underbelly of the hotel, and Zac belatedly realised it was the wrong time to ask her anything. He was slowly learning she could switch off and on at will, and anywhere in the open, like a car park, she was as focused as a laser beam. It was reassuring, though he’d be far more reassured when they told him who the stalker actually was.

  Or would he? A cold shiver ran down his spine as his thoughts hurtled towards that worse-case scenario, before he yanked them back.

  Once they were in the Jeep and heading down the road, Kat finally responded to his earlier comment. ‘It’ll be Mark on duty tonight.’

  A surprising lump of disappointment settled in his gut. ‘Hot date?’

  Her laughter vibrated around the Jeep; it was that facet of her that he was starting to appreciate. Her vibrancy, her zest for life. ‘Not unless you count going to the cinema with my fourteen-year-old niece as a date.’

  ‘Is this the same niece who lives with you?’

  She flicked him a glance. ‘So you do listen to some of the stuff I say.’

  He listened to everything, every word, because the banter with Kat, the repartee during their car journeys, was fast becoming the highlight of his day. ‘You must be going to the cinema with Debs then, she of the one-syllable answers.’

  She pursed her lips and shrugged, clearly doing an impression of a typical teenager. ‘Sure.’

  ‘I can see why you chose the cinema.’

  ‘Exactly. The thing is, when she’s not being monosyllabic, she’s actually funny, sassy and off the scale smart. I know I’m biased, but she’s the most amazing young person, she really is.’ Pride and affection wound through her voice. ‘She just needs more confidence. Mandy, my sister, her mum, she’s tried hard but between work and battling her addictions, it’s been tough.’

  ‘And the dad?’

  Kat snorted. ‘That waste of space didn’t hang around when he found out Mandy was pregnant. Oh no. He disappeared faster than a … damn it, I can’t think of anything witty.’

  ‘England’s chances of regaining the Ashes?’

  She gave him a wide-eyed look. ‘Oh God, please don’t tell me you’re a cricket fan.’ Before he could reply, she was answering her own question. ‘Of course you are. The posh background.’ She waved down at his tailored trousers. ‘The natty dressing. The way you do everything slowly, patiently, never in a rush. You’re bound to love cricket.’

  ‘Fast isn’t always better.’

  She rolled her eyes at his double entendre. ‘Only a cricket lover would say that. Fast is exciting, thrilling. Adrenalin pumping. Lewis Hamilton, sweeping through Maggots, into Becketts and then haring onto the Hangar Straight. That’s sport. Not five days of men standing around in a field wearing white trousers.’

  ‘You’ve made your point,’ he said dryly, trying not to feel too entertained. His journeys to the studio were going to be infinitely duller when he no longer needed a bodyguard. ‘Have you always lived with your sister?’

  ‘I’ve always shared a house with her, yes. When I was in the army I was away a lot so she and Debs would get used to me not being there, and then have to readjust.’ Her eyes flicked between the rear-view mirror and the road ahead. ‘It’s not always been plain sailing, but we’re a unit. Having shitty parents brought us closer together probably, so we have something to thank them for, at least. What about you? Have you any siblings?’

  He forced himself not to react. Giving himself a moment, he picked up three Starburst wrappers and screwed them into a ball. ‘A brother and a sister, yes. We’re not close.’ Because he didn’t want to give her any chance to question him further, he changed the subject onto something he did want to talk about. ‘You laughed when I asked if you had a hot date. Are you dating anyone?’

  For the first time since he’d known her, Kat didn’t reply straight away. She’d openly spoken about her family, her job, her life as a soldier. Not, it seems, about her love life. ‘Aren’t you supposed to be learning your lines?’

  He looked down at his forgotten script. Funny how his rule of reading through ten times had slipped since she’d started driving him to the studio. ‘It’s a fair question,’ he reminded her. ‘You grilled me on my romantic history.’ Even now, he cringed at the memory of that conversation. He wasn’t a guy who usually went for the quick and easy. He preferred to do the choosing and the chasing, because that way he knew if he was successful, he was wanted for himself, and not the fame that came with him. He’d succumbed to the overtures of the bold, busty Hannah, though. And the embarrassment, the shame of that sleazy encounter had burned through him when he’d spoken to Kat about it. He’d not even dared to look at her, fearing what he’d see on her face. Womanising actor who deserved to be stalked.

  ‘No,’ Kat said heavily. ‘I’m not dating anyone.’

  ‘Why not?’

  Suddenly the car swerved as Kat pulled out to overtake the slow van in front of them.

  ‘Whoa.’ He grabbed onto the handle above the door to steady himself.

  She glanced sideways. ‘You’re looking a little pale over there.’

  ‘I’m trying to persuade my breakfast to remain in my stomach.’ When he was certain there were no more overtaking manoeuv
res ahead, he began to breathe again. ‘Rather an extreme way to avoid the question.’

  ‘I’m not avoiding anything. Just making sure nobody is following us.’

  ‘And now we’ve ascertained there is no evil plot to kidnap me … Why aren’t you dating anyone?’

  ‘Because nobody has asked.’

  He angled his head to look at her and found she was staring ahead, an amused expression on her face. ‘And if someone were to ask?’

  ‘It would depend on the someone.’

  It was on the tip of his tongue to ask, If that someone was me, but it was too obvious. He’d already made his attraction clear, and she’d not taken the bait. Pushing any further would embarrass them both. Worse, if she knocked him back, it would make their current situation intolerable.

  ‘Well I hope, when you find the someone to say yes to, he shares your love of …’ he indicated towards the inevitable carnage in the centre console of the Jeep. ‘Mess.’

  She laughed, as he’d hoped she would. ‘Being messy is right up there on my list of attributes for the perfect man.’

  He decided not to ask what the other attributes were. No doubt they included loving motorsport, not being an uptight, cagey bastard, and not being in the public eye.

  ***

  Kat glanced at her watch, and then at Debs who was sat on her bed, fingers flying over her phone.

  ‘You realise the film started five minutes ago.’

  Her niece’s eyes didn’t stray from the screen. ‘You said that already.’

  ‘No, five minutes ago I said the film was about to start. You said to give you two minutes.’

  ‘Oh my God, just chill.’

  Kat leant against the wall. ‘I don’t mind being late. It’s my default position. But I’m not going to pay full price to see half a film, so if you’d rather stay here messaging your friends, that’s cool with me. I’ll go and get myself a beer.’

  Debs huffed but stood up, squeezing her phone into the pocket of a pair of jeans so tight, Kat wondered how she could breathe. ‘Whatever. Let’s go.’