by Weaver, Lisa
“Hey sis,” he answered sleepily. “What’s up? Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine, Luke. Sorry to phone so late, but I’ve just come from dinner with Rafe Dimitriou, and I thought I’d better fill you in on the charming business proposal he offered me.”
“The man shuts you out of his life and then pops back in without any warning to present some offhanded overture? Is he out of his mind?” he growled. “Where’s he staying? It’s time I had a chat with him.”
Lauren winced at her brother’s snarl, knowing he would like what she was about to tell him even less. “I appreciate the thought, and you know I love you to pieces for it, but I’ve already taken care of it. Anyhow, that’s not the best part. Rafe now owns Intrepid Explorations. He’s promising your head will roll if I don’t agree to help him.”
“What is he demanding? Or should I even ask?”
“A marriage of convenience,” she relayed matter-of-factly. “He needs a wife so he can bid for a magazine he’s set his sights on. He wants me to fill the role.”
Luke’s roar only escalated with that little tidbit. “Unbelievable! You’ve told him what he can do with his offer, right? He may own a few publishing groups, but that doesn’t mean he has the entire industry in a choke hold. Even if he decides to follow through with his threat, I can easily establish a different cover.”
“I know, and it gave me great pleasure to shoot him down. I wish you weren’t caught in the middle of this, though. Intrepid is a good fit for you.”
“Don’t worry about it. You were right to refuse him. Are you sure you won’t let me pay him a visit?”
Lauren chuckled. “I love how you always come charging to my rescue, but I can stand on my own two feet.”
“And you’re very good at it. Charging to the rescue is what big brothers are for, so humor me, okay? I expect you to let me know if that idiot bothers you again.”
“Thanks, Luke. I love you.”
“Love you too, sis. Now get some sleep.”
It wasn’t a tough directive to obey. Exhausted from the emotional roller coaster she’d been on since Friday night, she was dead to the world when her head hit the pillow.
The chiming of her phone the next morning woke her, sending her heart jolting. Rafe, she determined, calling for her decision. It was showtime.
“The answer is still no,” she relayed, forgoing the standard greeting in her impatience to have him out of her life once and for all.
“Lauren?” a puzzled but familiar female voice queried.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, Liz,” Lauren apologized, realizing belatedly that her caller wasn’t Rafe. “I was expecting another call. What’s up?”
“I was wondering if I could stop by,” her boss requested. “Something urgent has come up, and I’d like to talk to you about it away from the office.”
“Of course.”
Fifteen minutes later Lauren opened her door to Liz’s knock.
“I come bearing gifts.” The beautiful blonde backbone of Sentinels smiled, handing her a still-warm bakery bag.
With an appreciative groan, Lauren breathed in the mouthwatering aroma of cinnamon and chocolate wafting from the bag. “Mmmmm. Something smells wonderfully decadent. Fortunately I can be convinced to be a bad girl with minimal arm twisting.”
“I thought maybe,” her boss grinned.
“Since you’re plying me with treats, I’m guessing what you have to tell me isn’t pretty.”
“I’m afraid the news I have to share is about a 9.9 on the devastation scale.”
“Piece of cake, then. I handled a 10.0 Friday night. I have a pot of coffee brewing, so between the caffeine and the sugar we’ll be set to take on anything the world can throw at us.”
“Stephanie filled me in on what happened at the benefit. It must have been quite a shock. How are you holding up?”
“I’m fine. I’ve seen the last of him now, I think.”
Liz fell uncharacteristically quiet, hesitating before handing her a thick manila folder.
Lauren flipped the folder open and froze when she saw the subject of the dossier. The face in the photo attached to the front page was all too familiar. Rafe. Suddenly the luscious cinnamon roll she’d been savoring held all the allure of a piece of cardboard. “You’ve got to be kidding,” she groaned.
“I wish I were.”
“I don’t understand,” she croaked, her throat tight with disbelief. “If Rafe thinks he requires protection, why doesn’t he simply employ his father’s security detail?”
“Rafe isn’t the one who enlisted Sentinels’ services. His father, Philip, did. Everything is detailed in the dossier. In a nutshell, there have been some threats made recently against the Dimitriou family, and Philip isn’t leaving anything to chance. He tried to talk Rafe into using the family security team, but he wouldn’t hear of it. Philip told me Rafe has refused to let anyone work a protection detail for him since his best friend died in the line of duty.”
Lauren took a sip of coffee as she contemplated the news. “I think the threats are real, Liz. I met with Rafe last night. When he drove me home, a car nearly forced us off the bridge. We assumed it was a drunk driver, but in light of what you’ve just told me, I don’t think it was an accident.”
“I believe the threats are valid, too. This assignment is going to be dicey. Rafe is astute and it’s just a matter of time before he picks up on the fact that we have him under surveillance. I’ll have to keep rotating his security detail so he doesn’t get suspicious. You won’t be assigned to him of course, but I thought you should be aware of what’s going on considering your history with him.”
Rotating operatives on a protection job was never a good thing, Lauren mused. Agents needed to be familiar with a client’s standard routine, but her fellow bodyguards would have a difficult time doing so if they were constantly changing shifts. She might despise Rafe, but she didn’t have a death wish for him.
“I want to be a part of his protection team, Liz. I can help, and from a position far closer than any of your other bodyguards.”
“You’re one of my best agents,” Liz affirmed. “I know you’re a consummate professional, but emotions are dangerous in our line of work. You’re far too close in this instance to be effective.”
“I disagree. Just how close I can get to Rafe could mean the difference between success and failure. Sentinels has a flawless reputation for keeping clients safe. You don’t want this assignment to be the one to mar our perfect track record, do you?”
Liz shook her head. “Okay, I’m listening. What are you suggesting?”
“Rafe presented me with a business proposition last night, one I refused. He wants to purchase Gracious Living magazine, but the owner is only negotiating with married parties. Rafe now controls Intrepid magazine, which makes him Luke’s new boss. He’s threatening Luke’s employment, promising to fire him if I don’t agree to a marriage of convenience.”
“So you’re telling me you want to go through with the deal?”
“Exactly. As Rafe’s wife, I can be with him the majority of the time, and I can keep you informed of his comings and goings when I can’t be. My presence on the inside will give the other agents assigned to him a greater tactical advantage.”
“I can’t say I’m crazy about the plan, but I don’t have a better one. Are you sure about this?”
No, she wasn’t. On the other hand, she didn’t want Rafe’s death on her conscience. “Absolutely.”
“All right, then. Michael is watching him now. He and the rest of the team assigned to the case are meeting in my office tomorrow morning at six. Why don’t you join us? We’ll come up with a game plan.”
“I’ll be there.”
“Since you’ve already declined Rafe’s proposal, how are you going to get him to put the offer back on the table?”
“He’s going to call me today to offer me one last chance to give him the ‘right answer.’ I’ll just pretend I had a change of heart.”
“You’re going to need a second cup of coffee, then.”
“Another cinnamon roll probably wouldn’t hurt either. Seriously, though, thanks for including me in the loop on this one. I appreciate it.”
“Don’t thank me until this is over. I’m still not convinced this is the wisest approach, but the team and I will have your back. I’ll leave the rest of the pastries with you in case you need to fall back on them later.” Liz smiled.
After seeing Liz out, Lauren went upstairs to change into her running gear. She needed to work off the calories from her breakfast indulgence, and there was nothing quite like an early-morning jog along the surf to clear the cobwebs from her brain.
The fresh salt air, the pounding of the waves, and the symphony of the seabirds melded into the perfect elixir to chase away the tension of the past few days as she made her way around the cove. A mile out, she turned around with a clearer head and a lighter heart.
She was running at full speed towards home when her peaceful interlude came to an abrupt end. A man was approaching on the sandy beach. He drew closer, and her breath caught in her throat as recognition dawned. Rafe.
He flagged her to a halt and she slowed her pace, breaking her rhythmic stride.
“This is twice you’ve shown up when I least expect it,” she accused, still breathing fast from the run. “You could have simply picked up the phone like you said you were going to.”
In her sports bra and running shorts, with her hair pulled back in a ponytail, and sweaty from her workout, she felt incongruous standing next to perfection personified. Rafe’s muscular frame was showcased in jeans and a black polo shirt. The dark stubble along his jaw complemented the look, making him appear every inch the dangerous warrior he was.
He removed his sunglasses and pinned her with a sardonic look. “I promised I’d give you an opportunity to see reason. Have you?”
Lauren met his eyes, determination gleaming in her gaze. “If I agree to your convoluted proposal, I’m going to need some assurances in writing, beginning with the understanding that our arrangement will be a strictly platonic one.”
Rafe bit back the retort that was on the tip of his tongue and paused to consider her terms. His competition was getting quite cozy with Fullerton. Either he convinced Lauren to agree to his marriage ultimatum by next Thursday, or he wouldn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of securing Gracious Living. He wanted the publication, and he did not intend to lose it to Milton Payne.
Lauren was gazing up at him now, her gorgeous green eyes brimming with defiance. Instead of focusing on the reason he was here, all he could think about was feasting on those full lips, kissing her senseless until they were both sated.
“Okay, we’ll play it your way,” he relented. “Shall we go back to your house to iron out the details?”
Though Lauren appeared a bit bemused at his easy capitulation, she grabbed hold of her mini-victory nonetheless. She nodded, heading towards home, and he fell into step beside her. They’d only gone a short distance when she folded to her knees with a moan.
“What’s wrong?” he demanded, dropping to her side.
“Charley horse,” she gasped through clenched teeth.
Gently encircling her leg with his hands, he began stroking the offending muscle in slow, soothing caresses.
“Better?” he queried after a few minutes, feeling the tension in the seized muscle ebb away beneath his fingertips.
“I’m fine now, thanks. I shouldn’t have stopped running so suddenly.”
The massage may have helped her, but it hadn’t done him any favors. Lauren was toned and muscular, with the long legs of a dancer. Remembering how those legs had felt wrapped around him as they’d made love, Rafe had to employ every ounce of his self-control not to take her in the sun-warmed sand.
Instead of relinquishing his hold on her leg, he continued to knead a pattern of light circles on her silky skin, alternating the pressure until she uttered another moan, this time one of pleasure, not pain.
And then he put those hands to far better use, slipping his fingers beneath her shorts and stroking boldly upwards.
“No, Rafe,” she protested with a shocked gasp.
“Oh yes, agapi mou. I know you haven’t forgotten how good it used to be between us. Tell me you don’t want me and I’ll stop,” he purred, continuing the sensual onslaught he’d begun.
“I don’t,” she groaned, clutching at his shirt to steady herself.
“Liar,” he breathed, his fingers trespassing into forbidden territory. “Your body betrays you. There’s passion in your voice when you call out my name. Passion in the way you look at me. Passion in the heat from your body. You can deny it all you want, but you know you can’t ignore this chemistry between us indefinitely. Why not give in to it? There’s no reason our agreement has to remain platonic.”
Lauren’s fingers wrapped around his wrist, and she pulled his hand away. “A physical relationship isn’t enough for me. I want someone who loves me. I thought you were that someone, but I was wrong. I’m not about to make the same mistake twice. I’ll go along with your plan, but only on my terms. The choice is up to you. Deal or no deal?”
“We have a deal,” he affirmed, confident she wouldn’t be able to resist him for long. “Just understand that I’m more than willing to modify the terms of our agreement anytime you want to renegotiate. Let me know when you change your mind.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“If you say so,” he murmured indolently. “There is one more thing you should know. One of the men bidding for Chuck Fullerton’s magazine is Milton Payne. He and his wife will be guests at the Fullertons’ estate while we’re there.”
“And this is important because?”
“Milton and I were business associates once upon a time, until he made the mistake of deceiving me. Now we’re rivals.” Rafe knew he should tell her everything, but he decided it would be prudent to save the rest of the sordid details for when he was certain Lauren would hold up her end of the deal. “We’ll be leading him to believe you’re my wife, so he’ll see you as fair game. I thought it best if you knew, up front, you’ll be a target.”
“Forewarned is forearmed? Gee. If I didn’t know better, I’d almost think you cared about me.”
He tipped his head, pinning her with an all-business glare. “What I care about is winning. That and integrity, a trait Milton Payne has proven he doesn’t possess. And you know, better than anyone, that I don’t tolerate deceitfulness.”
Yes. She knew. She was still living with the consequences of her supposed faux pas. And now she was about to deceive him for real. She hated the idea of having to lie to him, but sometimes deception was necessary.
Chapter Four
Watching the taillights on Rafe’s car disappear around the bend, Lauren launched into a cerebral happy dance. Her relief at his departure was tempered by the sobering realization that he would be back all too soon. At least the brief reprieve would give her a chance to regroup before she had to deal with him again.
And that would be at dinner. He’d only left because she’d agreed to meet with him tonight to finalize the plans for their wedding and their subsequent visit to the Fullertons’ estate.
It was evident from the way she’d handled this morning’s encounter with him . . . or not handled it, more aptly . . . that her defenses needed work. She needed to fortify the barrier she’d erected between him and her heart before he returned.
It shouldn’t be so difficult to remain unaffected by him, but it was. You’ll just have to try harder, she mentally chastised herself, picking up the phone to fill her brother in on the turn of events and her change in plans. He wouldn’t be happy about the new development, but he deserved a heads-up about what she was planning to do all the same.
Luke answered on the first ring. Since it was easier to jump right in, she chose to forgo the small talk and cut to the chase. “There’s something I have to tell you.”
“You’re t
oo late. I heard.” Luke’s grumble of displeasure made it clear he wasn’t at all thrilled with the news. “Liz called me in to the office to brief me on my new charge, and the subject came up. I can’t believe you’re even considering this. For the record, I think it’s a terrible idea. Your plan isn’t safe. Or sane.”
“I can’t argue the sane part, but as far as my safety goes, I’ll be as secure on this assignment as anyone else on our team would be. I may be petite, but do I have to remind you who made you cry uncle the last time we practiced takedown techniques?”
“It’s not your physical safety I’m concerned about. I know you can handle yourself. I’m worried Dimitriou’s going to get under your skin again. The bastard’s charming, and you’re going to be with him practically twenty-four/seven. I’m afraid the lines will get blurred.”
“That’s not going to happen, Luke. I was naïve where Rafe was concerned two years ago, but I know what he’s all about now. I can do this and keep my heart intact. I promise.”
“I think you’re underestimating your opponent. Dimitriou makes it his business to get what he wants.”
Rafe was not the type of man you underestimated. She knew what she was up against. There was no arguing that he always prevailed when he set his sights on something, but his tenaciousness wasn’t going to be a problem in this instance. He didn’t want her. He’d made his feelings—or rather lack of them—perfectly clear when he’d walked away from her in Greece. Mere days after he’d cast her aside, he’d replaced her. The tabloids had featured him with a seemingly endless stream of arm candy ever since.
“You’re confusing ‘want’ with ‘need.’ The only reason he sought me out is because he needs my help to secure a deal.”
“I hope you’re right. For his sake. If he messes with you again, I guarantee Liz is going to have more than one threat against Dimitriou to worry about.”
“I appreciate the thought, but you’re one of the good guys, remember? It’s your duty to protect, not to pulverize.” She decided it was time to turn the conversation to a different topic. “So what’s your new assignment?”
