"I just wanted to make sure you got out of that thing. The zipper could have rusted shut."
She crossed her arms and hugged the ruined dress around herself. "You have been doing a lot of dressing and undressing of me today."
"Yeah, well." He ran a hand through his hair and took a few backward steps toward the door to her suite. "The cameras are on, so you might want to go in the bathroom and put a robe on. I'll wait for you to come out then head to my room."
Elizabeth was too tired to argue and wanted to get out of the clothes she had been wearing all night. She went in the bathroom and stripped out of all of her clothes, and tucked herself in her blue terry bathrobe. She would take a shower after she saw Callum out. She was sure he was just a tired as she was.
Callum stood looking out the window with his hands in his pockets. He turned when she walked back into the room.
"Well, I guess I'll go." He did not move from where he stood.
She walked across the room toward him, and stopped a few inches in front of him. The muscles on the side of Callum's now bone bulged. He took a step closer. She could feel the heat of his breath on her face.
"I guess you better." She said in a whisper.
The phone rang breaking the growing tension in the room. They both went on alert. The phone only rang at this hour of the morning for emergencies. Elizabeth looked at him for reassurance and picked-up the house phone that sat a small desk in the corner of the room.
"Hello." She answered. Elizabeth heard the wariness in her own voice.
"Your Highness, this is Maya. I am so sorry to call you so late, but you did not come back to the ball and there are a few things I needed to discuss with you about tomorrow. I asked the guards to call me when you came in."
Elizabeth covered the mouth piece of the phone with her hand and told Callum it was Maya. She saw his face relax.
She removed her hand. "Sure, Maya. No problem. What are the plans for the ceremony tomorrow."
"I left an agenda on the coffee table and amended it to add the engagement announcement. The King . . ."
"My WHAT!" Elizabeth exclaimed. Callum was by her side in an instant. Elizabeth held up her hand asking him to wait before he went all bodyguard and crap.
Maya's voice wavered as she spoke. "I'm sorry. I thought you knew. Watson said you had finally accepted his offer."
"No, I did not accept anything. I told him I was not ready. Did he tell you this in person? At the ball? Tell me exactly what happened."
"Your Highness, I am so, so sorry. I did not know."
Elizabeth calmed herself. It was not her secretary's fault. She would save her outrage and anger for Watson. "I know you didn't, Maya. It's not your fault. Just tell me what happened."
Maya hesitated.
"It's okay. I'm not mad at you."
"It was toward the end of the ball. He came up to me and asked me where you were. I told him I didn't know. He said you must have retired for the evening and that you we tired since it was such an emotional night for the both of you. That is what he said you accepted his proposal. He said that you wanted to make an announcement after the signing ceremony so the country could have two things to celebrate."
Elizabeth took a deep breath. She thought of what she was doing with Callum when Watson said these things to Maya. She glanced over at Callum who still hovered over her with his brows furrowed and an intense look on his face. She could not understand what Watson was thinking. Had she given him any cause of thinking that she accepted his proposal? Elizabeth replayed the evening in her mind and remembered being very clear about needed more time.
"Maya, listen to me. I did not accept Watson's proposal."
Callum shifted next her like a caged animal that was ready for battle. She put her hand on his arm to still him.
"Who else knows about this so-called engagement announcement?" Elizabeth asked Maya.
Maya hesitated, which told Elizabeth that the word had already spread. "Well, I had to coordinate with the rest of the royal family's secretaries because we needed to choreograph the announcement and work it into the ceremony."
"Okay, Maya, listen to me. Call everyone who you think might know and tell them it was a mistake. There will be no announcement. Then called Watson's house and get him here first thing tomorrow morning. I want to see him in my office at eight o'clock. And, let's just hope the press did not get wind of this."
Maya continued to apologize until Elizabeth cut her off and told her to begin making calls. When she hung up, she turned to Callum. He looked as if he was grinding his teeth to nubs. His fists were balled and ready for a fight.
"Can you believe that? I don't know what got into Watson."
"I don't like it."
Callum had Elizabeth repeat everything Maya said word-for-word. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Elizabeth listened as Callum repeated everything to his team.
"Yeah, get someone out to his house now. I want to talk to him."
"No, you can't do that. You will cause an international incident." She insisted. The last thing anyone needed was for the press to get a picture of American soldiers dragging the Corranian equivalent of JFK out of his house in the middle of the night.
"I don't care what I cause." Callum turned and looked at her. "That man has a screw loose at the very least. And the worst is something that would be worth me pulling prince charming out of bed for."
"Do you think he is connected to Argent?"
"I intend to find out."
"At the very least, have our security being him in. The last thing I need is to explain the press why an American military team dragged by false-fiancée out of bed in the wee hours of the morning. We all have enough on our plates without the press in the middle of this as well."
Callum waited a moment before he spoke back into the phone.
"Sam, get Edward to coordinate with the Prince and Corranian security. Question Watson at his house so we don't cause an international incident."
Callum looked down at Elizabeth with raised eyebrows as if checking to see if she approved. She nodded her head please that he adjusted his approach. He shifted his attention back to the phone call.
"But if that man resists for one moment or if looks like he is thinking about resisting, I want him zip-tied and at the Embassy."
Elizabeth shook her head and Callum gave her a half-cocked smile.
"Yeah. Okay. Keep your analyst on a deep drive. I want to know what he is so desperate to marry the Princess. Drugs. Gambling. There must be something. Right. Call me as soon as you have something."
Callum disconnected the call.
"So, it has to be drugs or gambling. Not that he is so love-struck with me that he is desperate to be with me. You really know how to make a woman feel special." Elizabeth teased.
Callum stood there dumbfounded for a moment. Elizabeth felt badly for teasing him. They were both tired and neither of their brains were working on full power.
"I'm teasing. Since I'm up, I'm going to take a shower. You're welcome to stay or go. It's up to you."
She did not wait for him to answer. Elizabeth headed in to her closet and gathered her silk pajamas that her maid laid out for her then went into the bathroom. Looking back later, she would not understand why she did it, but she did not shut the bathroom door completely, but left it open a crack. The terry slipped down to the floor and Elizabeth stepped into the hot shower.
Her muscles immediately relaxed as the hot water pelted her body. She closed her eyes and titled her face toward the shower nozzle. Her hands pushed her hair off of her face. She let her mind go blank. She did not think about Argent or Watson or weddings or her crown. She tried to push Callum out of her mind, but the memory of his hands on her, his body pressing against her were too potent to dismiss.
She heard the door to her shower open and close. Her heart skipped a beat. She had hoped he would come. His hands snaked around her waist and his lips landed in the area between her neck and her shoulders
. She leaned back against him.
His hands reached up and played with her breasts and nipples and the water fell down around them. She titled her head so his lips had full access to her neck where he sucked and kissed and made her toes curl.
"Now, I believe you were saying something about me knowing how to make a woman feel special." His lips nibbled with her ear lobe as he whispered in her ear.
She turned around in his arms so she could face him. "You have always made me feel special, Callum Evans, right up to the time when you say good-bye."
His hands came up and cupped each side of her face so she had no choice but to look into the molten steel eyes.
How could he make her understand?
"I left because you were special, Elli. No one has ever meant more to me than you."
"I know. I just wish things could be different."
"So do I. But we have right here and right now. A moment is all I can offer you. All I can guarantee."
"Then let’s make it worth it."
Callum saw the hungry look in Elizabeth's amber eyes. He would make this moment one they would both remember. The orangey was about pent up passion that had to be released before they both exploded. This would be about creating a memory. A moment they could both look back on and smile. For the first time, they were together with no secrets or lies between them.
He bent his head slowly until his lips touched hers. Their mouths met and twisted and met again. Callum pulled back an inch and saw the passion that clouded her eyes. Her full lips red from his kisses. He felt a wave of masculine pride.
"Wipe that smirk off your face and kiss me again, Major."
Callum felt his smile grow in to a full grin. It had been a long time since he left his cheeks lift in such as way.
"Yes, Your Highness." He gave a low sexy laugh.
And, he did as she commanded. His hands snaked behind her head and he bent down to meet her lips again. He moved back down to her neck and lapped up the warm water as he progressed to her collarbone. His hands found her breasts and were soon replaced by his lips as he sucked on her nipple and kneaded her breasts.
He continued his exploration of her body, appreciating every curve and undulation his hands and lips met until finally he reached her core. Her finger-tips massaged his scalp and he worshipped at her womanhood. How had he lived without this woman in his life for so long? How was he going to leave her again?
He pushed the dark thoughts from his mind and concentrated on make sure she never doubted again exactly how special she was. When her body began to quake and her moans deepened, he increased the pressure until she screamed out her release. He drank his way up her body until his lips met hers again.
Elizabeth snaked her arms around his neck and pressed his body against hers.
"Stay with me tonight, Callum. Please. I just want one more night with you, and then we can say good-bye."
He raked his eyes over her face then kissed her deeply. "I'll stay as long as I can."
The idea that Watson tried to manipulate her did not sit well with him. Callum did not care if Watson was linked to Argent or if he was just a megalomaniac hell bent on marring the next in line for the throne, he sure as hell was not going to let someone try to strong arm Elizabeth. His fists looked forward to making sure Watson knew exactly that. But he could stay with her until Sam called. Cal was already stationed in the palace ready to take over the guard duties while he took care of Watson. Until then, he would take care of Elizabeth.
He took his time soaping her body and nearly lost control as he returned the favor. After washing their hair in between more kisses and touches, they stepped out of the shower. He wrapped a towel around his waist and kissed her. He grabbed his phone that he left on the sink counter.
"Sam, anything on Watson?"
"Nothing yet, Mac. The Prince and Edward insisted that we stand-down until morning."
"What?" Callum could not believe they were second guessing him.
Sam cleared his throat. "Um, yeah, the Prince was pretty upset. Said it was just a misunderstanding and that he would get to the bottom of it himself. Edward thought that you might be letting your emotions be getting the better of you. They are going to deal with it in the morning."
"Edward thinks I'm jealous?"
Sam did not answer.
Callum could not believe it. His clenched his teeth and squeezed the phone in his palm. Ten years in the field, and Edward thought he was making tactical decisions with his dick. He watched Elizabeth towel dry her hair and twist it into a lose bun at the nape of her neck. She smiled at him when she caught him looking at her though the mirror. His body reacted immediately. Maybe they were right. Callum closed his eyes and tried not to be disappointed in himself.
"Tell Edward I want to talk to him first thing in the morning." Callum ground out the words.
"Oh, he knows. He told me to tell you to be at his office by eight. He also said to stop beating yourself up, do what you need to do, and be in his office at oh eight hundred. He added that you should do it in that order."
Callum cursed underneath his breath.
"Callum, you there?"
"Yeah, I'm here, Sam. I just hate being a freakin' open book."
Sam chuckled. "Mac, you are about the furthest thing from an open book. More like an uncrackable encryption wrapped in a cipher and hidden underground. There are only about three of us on this planet that might be able to take a somewhat educated guess about what you might do. And, unfortunately for you, Edward is one of them."
"And the other two." Callum asked. He hated feeling human and vulnerable.
"I'd probably get in the ballpark at least. And, I'm hoping you have the other one somewhere in your line of site."
Callum eyed Elizabeth as she spread some kind of cream on her face. His heart contracted as if something gave it a squeeze. He felt a little sick and turned his back to the mirror and Elizabeth.
"Whatever. Call me if anything, and I mean anything comes up. I doubt it will be a surprise to anyone, but I'll say it anyway, I'm going to be with the Princess until I hear from you."
Sam gave another little chuckle that sounded like nails on sandpaper to Callum. "Roger that. Anything else?"
"Yeah, kill the cameras."
Callum did not wait for Sam to respond before he disconnected his phone.
"Do you want some tea? I have a kettle in the other room. Or I have something stronger if you want that." Elizabeth had put on her terry robe again, but Callum noticed the belt was not as tightly knotted as it had been before.
Callum though about what he might be doing in a couple of hours. "Just some water. I'm still thirsty."
Elizabeth looked over her shoulder at him. His knees went weak with the heat in her eyes.
Chapter 15
She put her head on Callum's shoulder as he rested on his back and stared up at the painted ceiling as they stretched out underneath the covers of her bed. He rested his head on one arm while his other hand mindlessly played with her hair. They had made love again and took time to cherish each other as if they both understood this was likely the last time they would be together like this. The early morning sunlight peaked through the drawn curtains and made cracks of light in the shadows. She traced circles with the tips of her finger-tips on his chest.
His olive skin was tan from the sun which highlighted the puckered white scars across his right forearm and followed around to his back. One scare in particular concerned her above all the others. A small circle, no larger than a thumbnail rested like a colorless tattoo two finger-widths from his collarbone. A similar scar lay directly below it. She knew it was a bullet wound, but never mentioned it or questioned it. There was so much she did not know about this man.
"I can hear your mind churning, Elli. Close your eyes and sleep for a while."
"How do I know you won't just leave. I'll wake up and you will be gone." She bit her lip and hoped she was not scaring him away by sharing her fears. Elizabeth had no idea what th
is night meant to him, but she knew that it had meant a lot to her. But she needed something other than sex. She needed him to open up a little. Who was this man that she loved four years ago and, if she was not careful, could love again? Was it possible for her to feel more deeply for him than she had four years ago?
He waited long enough to answer that her pulse quickened. Her finger stopped mid-circle.
"I promise I will say good-bye." His voice was horse when he spoke. Elizabeth did not know if it was from exhaustion or emotion or a combination of both.
She hated pressing the issue, but all of her old feelings about him were rekindled. The good and the bad.
"Do you mean this morning or when you leave for good?" She needed to know so she could prepare. When he did not answer, she turned and rested her rested her chin on his chest and looked up at his face.
"I'm serious, Callum. You could just leave this palace, this country, and never come back. You could disappear again and I would live my life looking over my shoulder wondering when or if you might show up in some boring luncheon or be standing in a crowd somewhere. I didn't know better four years ago, but I do now, and I'm not sure I could live like that."
A wave of emotions crossed his face before he answered. His voice ruff and soft. "I promise I will say good-bye."
She gave him a weak smile before she turned her head around to rest on his chest again. She heard car doors slam and echoes of voices in the hallway. The palace was coming to life.
"Tell me something about your life? Something people don't know." Her voice was thick with emotion. She wanted something from him. Something he did not give easily. A gift of himself would be more precious than any diamond or gold. It would be a memory that she could open like a locket when she wanted to be close to him.
When he did not answer, she moved off of his shoulder and propped herself up on her elbow. Her head rested in the palm of her hand as she gazed down at him. He shifted his head to look at her.
Princess Bodyguard Page 17
