Echo

by Anne Conley

“The online program gives you daily goals, workout suggestions, and meal plans. I love it. It takes the guesswork out of everything.” Lacie picked at her salad and laughed. “I just have to do everything it says.”

  This was the most she’d talked to him since he’d started working with her yesterday. “What sort of workouts do you do?” He realized he was flexing his arm unconsciously when she couldn’t make eye contact, instead focusing on the bulging biceps he was parading like a caveman. Oh well. He found a stupid sense of satisfaction in it, but he stopped anyway.

  She licked her lips, dragging her eyes back to his face. “Uh, I do yoga in the evenings, runs in the mornings, I like to dance when I can.” She shrugged. “I live alone. When I get bored, I try to find something active to do.”

  Emily giggled into the back of her hand, and Simon watched, amused. Control snapping, she started guffawing, loud, boisterous laughter that turned her face red and made tears stream out of her eyes.

  “What?” Feeling like he’d seriously missed something, he was clueless as Lacie bit her own lip. But she most certainly wasn’t laughing.

  Between breaths, Emily said, “She wishes … Trent … Oh, God … I can’t stop!” Emily was laughing too hard to say it, but at the mention of Trent’s name, Simon remembered Lacie saying he would be there at girls’ night tomorrow.

  Turning back to Lacie, he raised a brow. “Trent is the boyfriend?”

  Trent could be a suspect if Simon had any information about him. He stifled the need to pull a notebook from his pocket and start taking notes. He’d just have to put them into his phone later.

  Lacie shrugged. “I guess. When it’s convenient for him. I’m honestly not sure how long it’s going to last.” She pressed her lips between her teeth in thought until the skin around them whitened. Simon found himself fascinated by the gesture, unable to take his eyes away. “I’m not sure why you would care. Sorry.” As Lacie dug back into her salad, Simon looked at the clock and realized lunch was almost over.

  “What does he do?”

  “Real estate. He’s really busy.” She was excusing him for whatever transgressions he’d made. Simon disliked the boyfriend already, and he hadn’t even met him.

  He chugged his drink. “Does he live nearby?” Pumping her for information before they went back into the lion’s den, he tried to sound nonchalant but was afraid he’d failed when her eyebrows rose.

  “No, he’s downtown in a condo somewhere.”

  Now he was surprised. “You’ve never been to his place? How long have you guys dated?”

  Emily had gotten herself under control and finished her lunch. “Why? You interested?”

  “Emily!” Lacie was scandalized.

  Simon needed to play this right. He wasn’t in it for the seduction factor. Never again. No matter how attractive she was. But if he wanted to protect her, he needed to earn her trust and not insult her.

  Making his voice as gentle as possible, he said, “No, just trying to understand. You’re attractive, I don’t need to be interested to see that. I’m just wondering why the boyfriend’s so distant, that’s all. I’m making conversation.” He opened his hands, palms up on the table, a gesture that inspired confidence in interrogations.

  “The bell’s about to ring.” Lacie was packing away her salad.

  Back to the wolves’ den …

  The afternoon passed quickly, with recess taking a lot of energy. Simon realized the kids liked basketball, even though they didn’t know any rules. But they liked trying to steal the ball from him and hopped and hollered when he made shots over their heads. He even felt a small measure of pride at the fact Lacie, Emily, and a few other teachers were obviously ogling him from the sidelines.

  The last part of the day was music time, and while Simon stood in the corner, wiping the sweat off his face after playing basketball against forty kindergarteners in June in Austin, Lacie pulled out a guitar.

  A woman of many talents.

  Eagerly, Simon and the kids watched her twist knobs while strumming the instrument to make sure it was in tune before settling it on her lap to play. And then the music started.

  And Simon forgot how to breathe.

  Lacie’s fingers were long and elegant as they strummed the guitar, and her enchanting voice lilted through the room, filling it with warmth. This was something he’d never experienced. Growing up, music wasn’t a big deal in his house, except at formal parties his parents threw. He’d gone straight into the force and never looked back, certainly not taking time to listen to guitar players who sang like fairies.

  Her long hair free today, Lacie held her head back as she smiled and sang the words to some song about the alphabet to the children, who were enraptured.

  “She’s good, isn’t she?” A whisper off to his right fell on his ear, startling him. Cursing himself mentally, Simon turned to Mr. Hill, who he’d allowed to sneak up on him.

  This was why he couldn’t get distracted. And he’d definitely been distracted.

  “Yes, she is.”

  Tugging on his arm, Mr. Hill got him outside the classroom, where they could speak privately.

  “It was a toss-up between children’s education and music for her, but I encouraged the education route. More stability.”

  “Yes, sir.” Simon was still embarrassed he’d been so intent on watching Lacie that he hadn’t noticed her father walk up on him. “I’m not making much progress at the moment, but I’m in place, so it’s only a matter of time. I have cameras set up, and an invitation to girls’ night, but she understandably has trust issues and hasn’t talked much to me yet.”

  “Good, I guess. I want some closure with this, but I know it’ll take time.”

  “What do you know about her boyfriend Trent?”

  Mr. Hill released a heavy sigh. “Not much. I haven’t met him, which I don’t like, but it would take a lot for me to like some man she’s involved with. He’d have to be damn near perfect but not too perfect. Perfect men are a front for something malevolent.” He grinned.

  “Spoken like a true father, sir.”

  “Well, just keep at it, and let me know what happens, okay?” They shook hands, and Mr. Hill left him to return to the classroom, where the kids were getting ready to go home.

  Lacie looked at him with questions in her eyes, but it was too chaotic to answer them, so Simon left it alone. Later, after the kids had gone home, Lacie was gathering her purse to leave and turned to Simon.

  “What did Dad want?”

  Prepared to lie, Simon answered, “He was checking to see how yesterday was.” Looking down at himself, he continued, “How long before I can walk out of here without looking like I peed myself?” He’d been helping a kid wash his hands, and the water had sprayed up onto his crotch.

  Lacie giggled, a sound Simon could listen to forever—if he would only be honest with himself—and he gave himself a mental high-five for successfully changing the subject.

  “I think you have a gift,” she replied as she slung her purse over her shoulder.

  “Can I walk you out to your car?” For her protection only, he told himself. It had nothing to do with the fact he wanted to spend more time with her, and he knew as soon as they got home, they’d be separated by a street and two wooden doors.

  But her eyes shuttered, the wall coming down. “I’m fine, thank you.”

  That was okay. Simon had sort of expected it. If this job went on very long, though, he’d have to figure out a way to get closer to her, be by her side like flypaper. She sashayed away, completely oblivious to the tantalizing sway of her hips or the way her skirt swished around her ankles, hinting at long legs Simon wanted to see.

  Flypaper wouldn’t be a hardship.

  Chapter Seven

  “Dad? Did you hire Simon Pierce to watch over me?” Lacie had seen her
father take Simon out in the hallway, even though she’d been trying not to watch Sweaty Simon. Sweaty Simon was even hotter than Regular Simon.

  She’d done her darnedest not to ogle the man, but he made it next to impossible. The way he had played with the kids at recess, so carefree and surprisingly in his element, he had every female teacher on the playground staring. She wasn’t sure if it was the activity aspect of it or the kids, but it was certainly fun to watch.

  Her dad’s voice seemed small in her ear. “You need someone who will protect you, Lace. So, yes, I hired his services. Be nice to him.”

  “I’m always nice, Dad, but I can’t believe you won’t let the police do their jobs.” She wanted to forget about all of this. Living with a constant threat of danger was exhausting, and now she had Simon as an ever-present reminder.

  “Because Simon’s company is good at what they do. They’ll work with the police and find out who’s doing all this to you, sugar.” He paused, and Lacie could imagine him drumming his fingers on his pants-leg. She smiled to herself. “How did you figure it out?”

  “You’ve never taken such an interest in a teacher’s aide before. I figured it was either that, or you were trying to set me up with him.”

  “Well, he’s got to be better than this Trent character …”

  “Daddy!” she squealed, turning into the twelve-year-old who couldn’t hold a conversation with her dad without getting embarrassed. “I like Trent!”

  “Well, I don’t. And I don’t think Simon does either. You be careful with him. Any man who can’t be bothered to meet his girl’s parents has some problems, in my book.”

  There are more problems than that. Lacie kept the words to herself though. She didn’t need to give her dad any more ammo against Trent. The fact he kept too busy to spend any time with her father was a huge red flag to Tom Hill. Lacie had to admit, she wasn’t happy about it either.

  “Just … let him in and allow him to do his job. Okay?”

  She sighed. “Okay, Daddy.” Hopefully, this whole mess would be over faster with Simon’s help.

  She felt guilty, as usual. That wasn’t a foreign feeling for her. As the child of a single parent, she’d seen first-hand all the things her father had sacrificed for her. He didn’t date—ever. That might have been because he’d loved her mother and had never gotten over her death. But there were several nights, after the lights were out, that Lacie heard her father’s quiet sobs from behind his bedroom door. She knew he was lonely and, out of some sense of duty to her, had never done anything to rectify that. The vacations they’d cheaped out on because there was only one income. All the summer school sessions Dad had taught to buy her things like a car, prom dress, college. He’d been both mother and father to her, and now he was trying to hire extra security to keep her safe. There was no telling how much he had to pay for that privilege, even if the district superintendent’s salary was large.

  Lacie gazed out the window at Simon’s house. The thing was, she thought he’d been asking all those questions because he was interested in her. In reality, it had been a professional interest, not personal. He didn’t want to work with kids. He didn’t want to know about her boyfriend status. He didn’t want to go to girls’ night.

  He had to.

  Not that she was all that interested in him besides his looks. Nope.

  Mired in a bog of guilt, Lacie turned off her lights and went to bed early. She was going to run tomorrow morning. A lot. Hopefully, that would clear her mind.

  Chapter Eight

  Simon woke up earlier than usual the next morning, hoping to catch Lacie on her morning run. He sat in the chair next to the window facing her house and watched for her. He really needed to have a word with her about her lack of curtains.

  On the table next to him sat the only decorative item he’d brought from home—a picture of Tanya. It went with him everywhere, except work, because he had a copy of the same picture there, nestled in the bottom drawer next to his scotch. It was a reminder of what could happen to him. Obviously, it didn’t happen to other people; he was just exceptional.

  Tanya had been an informant when he worked in the San Antonio PD. He’d unofficially put her under his protection and moved her into his house. Meanwhile, she fed him information for a bust he was working. He’d slept with her. Fell in love with her. The picture was taken in Corpus Christi when they’d gotten out of town for the day to forget about the bad guys he’d thought were after her. The bad guys turned out to be her fiancé and the man she was feeding information to about Simon.

  Corpus Christi was beautiful, and they’d been walking on the beach, hand in hand, when a stranger stopped them and offered to take the picture. While they were in Corpus, a raid had gone south, and four of Simon’s co-workers had been killed because of information Tonya had given the bad guys. That night, back at the hotel in bed, after making love, she had tried to stab him. He’d shot her.

  Simon printed and framed the picture as a reminder of what happened when he let his dick rule his life.

  It was an instant dick-wilt.

  That was why Simon lived his life the way he did. With the incessant need to control everything at the firm. To have nothing but meaningless sex with no emotion involved. To make stupid rules about sleeping with clients.

  As he looked across the street, Simon couldn’t help but admit he was strongly attracted to Lacie. There was something so fresh and clean about her. So innocent. Like she could wash away his sins, his past.

  But he wasn’t about to go there. He knew better.

  Besides, this too would pass. The sooner he could get this job done, the sooner he could go back to his own lonely existence, where people didn’t get hurt because he couldn’t keep his dick in his pants.

  When Lacie came out of her house, Simon grabbed his keys, ignoring the sudden hard-on at the sight of her long, lithe legs in the shortest pair of running shorts he’d ever seen. He had work to do.

  He was still ignoring the jiggle inside the workout bra, desperately trying to focus on the cars parked on the street as he jogged up next to her.

  “Mind if I join you? Perfect day for a run.” Purposely not looking at the way her ass moved in those shorts, he kept a pace ahead of her, watching his surroundings instead.

  “I talked to my dad last night,” she said matter-of-factly. He glanced over to see a look of pain cross her face before she schooled her features into a mask of indifference.

  “Oh?”

  “I know you’re working for him, so you don’t have to pretend you’re not. Just do your job, and I’ll go about living my life.”

  Her words came out sounding harsh, and he looked over at her again, noticing her breasts looked larger in the itty-bitty top she had on. The only adornment she wore was the StrongArm bracelet and her iPod strapped to her arm, earbuds in.

  Simon stopped her, planting his body in front of hers and his hands on her upper arms.

  “Hey, look. I’m sorry. It’s what he wanted. I didn’t mean to keep it a secret from you.” His body hummed with electricity at the touch, so he lowered his hands. “Honest. He set up the job, the house, all of it. Otherwise, I’d just be watching from the distance. I don’t like keeping secrets.”

  Lacie bit her lip, thinking. The plump piece of flesh between her teeth spoke of a vulnerability that hit Simon straight in his chest. He rubbed it absently. “Me neither,” she said finally. Brushing him aside, she continued jogging down the street. “So ask me what you need to know.”

  He caught up, again resisting the temptation to stare at her ass and legs by pacing himself a step ahead of her. “Well, let’s start with your drapes in your living room window,” he said with a grunt.

  They ran for three miles, then Simon went into his house and texted Evan to get him everything he could on Trent Dwyer, ASAP. He had to get somewhere fast on this
case, or he was in some serious trouble.

  Chapter Nine

  The next night, Trent picked Lacie up for girls’ night out. He wasn’t really invited but had made such a big deal about her going out alone that she let him come. She was trying to keep the peace, even though she knew their days as a couple were numbered. Lacie didn’t like confrontation and was hoping this relationship would die a slow, quiet death.

  Simon followed them in his Jeep after not having spoken more than ten words to her for the last two days. He ran with her in the mornings, worked with her all day, and then sat in the solitude of his house, for all she knew. She couldn’t even watch for him anymore, not since he’d made such a big deal about her curtains on her living room window. He obviously didn’t realize that was her only touch with the outside world since all this madness had started and she’d begun this self-imposed exile.

  Between the boyfriend who seemed like her brother and the bodyguard who looked like a wet dream, the one night a week Lacie dared to brave the public had become awkward.

  Frack.

  Aubrey was next to her at their high-top table talking about chakras to Emily, and Trent was on the other side of her looking bored to death. Simon sat across from her listening mildly to everything going on, but his eyes roamed the setting. Keeping watch, she supposed.

  “I’m telling you, sweetie, your chakras are fine. Now, Lacie is another story. Her chakras are so out of alignment, it’s not even funny. I’m surprised she’s not in physical pain.” Turning to Lacie, the spiky-haired redhead leaned in to speak to her. “But not nearly as severe as the new guy,” she said, pointedly looking at Simon.

  Lacie tittered behind her hand, not willing to talk about Simon. She reached for her drink with one hand and for Trent’s hand under the table with the other. Taking a sip of her cranberry and vodka, she found his hand and pulled it into her lap, holding it there, hoping for an anchor in this sea of discomfort.

  “Are you having a good week?” she asked Trent.