by Desiree Holt
But the real attraction was the food, which was always mouthwatering. People docked at Bayside Marina from all up and down the west coast of Florida just for a meal at the Driftwood.
As Sam had predicted, the weekday lunch crowd had diminished by the time they arrived, allowing them to snag a table out on the covered porch overlooking Bayside Marina. Funny, she hadn’t eaten here all that much when she’d lived here, but now whenever she was in town it was one of her favorite places.
He looked at her with those whiskey eyes that she was sure could see deep inside her. She used a trick she’d learned in the military, thinking of a black curtain wrapped around her so no one could see what she was thinking or feeling. She certainly needed it now. Letting him know he could still get to her after all these years made her too vulnerable.
“Well.” The corners of his mouth tipped up in a grin. “This is weird, right? You and me, sitting here, after all this time? You being my bodyguard and all. Who’d a thunk it.”
“We need to remember that’s all this is,” she told him in what she hoped was a matter-of-fact voice. “You’re a client; I’m your security detail.” Better to lay it all out on the table before this went any further.
“Care for a drink before lunch?” he asked. “Maybe a glass of wine?”
She shook her head. “Thanks, but I never drink when I’m working.”
“You don’t mind if I do?”
“No. Please. You probably need one after that story you told.”
When the waitress came she ordered ice water and he ordered a glass of the house white wine. He took a sip, set the glass down and looked across the table at her. Could he feel the sizzle in the air between them, or was it all her imagination?
“I’ll tell you the truth, Sam, I’m nervous as hell being with you.”
Well, that wasn’t what she’d expected. “What?”
“You heard me. Confession time, here.” He paused as if searching for the right words. “Not a day has gone by in all these years that I haven’t thought about you. It still bothers me the way I treated you.” He sighed and rubbed his cheek. “I was a jerk and an ass, and I don’t even have an excuse for it. If I could go back and do it all over again, I would.”
Her eyes widened. “You would?”
“I would, and that’s not a lie.” His eyes darkened with something that hinted at desire. “I don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t been such a self-involved ass. I’m still ashamed of the way I treated you. It’s bothered me all these years. You have every right to turn down this job and I wouldn’t blame you. Although I hope you don’t, because I’m thinking maybe fate is giving us another chance.”
The waitress arrived with menus, recited the specials, and told them she’d be back to get their orders.
“Please just let me say this.” Blake rested his elbows on the table and leaned forward. “I asked you to the Valentine’s Dance because I was very attracted to you and I wanted to go out with you, not to humiliate you. In my immature teenage stupidity, I didn’t stop to think that my equally immature friends would behave the way they did. I’ve waited a long time to say this to you. I’m sorry, Sam. More than you’ll ever know.”
Sam felt her mouth hanging open. Not on any day in all this time had she ever thought she’d hear those words. Maybe she’d hoped for a very curt Yeah, well, it’s water over the dam. History. Let’s move on. But a full-out apology? Never. Not ever.
“Sam?”
She blinked, realizing that for the second time she’d spaced out on him. She wet her lips and drew in a deep, settling breath.
“Tell me this isn’t just some line you’re feeding me so we can work together, because you don’t have to do that. I’m a professional, regardless of what my initial reaction was.”
He shook his head. “No line, Sam. And that’s God’s truth.”
“Your friends back then made it very clear it was bad form to take someone to the dance who wasn’t part of your crowd.” She gave an unladylike snort. “Your rather obnoxious crowd, I might add.”
His face reddened.
“I can only plead adolescent stupidity.” He reached across the table, took her hand in his and wrapped his fingers around it. “I was ignorant, childish, and rude. If I had it to do all over again, I’d just tell them to go to hell and ask you out again. I am more sorry about what I did afterward than I can tell you.”
She looked down at her hand in his. “Okay. So I may have blown it out of proportion in my mind, too.” Not.
He brushed his thumb back and forth across her knuckles. Just that simple touch made her nipples tingle and the pulse between her thighs set up a percussive rhythm. When he gave her hand a gentle squeeze, the warmth of his palm sent heat spiraling through her.
Control, she kept repeating in her head.
“I’ve spent way too much time regretting it.” His husky voice played havoc with her nerves. “When you walked into the office I thought, I have a chance to make this right. But—”
“But?” she urged.
“Okay, if I’m way off base, just tell me and we will pretend we never had this conversation.” He took another swallow of wine. “I can apologize all day, but here’s the deal. I’m still attracted to you. Big time. The chemistry that nearly blew up that night is still there.”
“You—”
He held up his free hand when she started to say something. “Not yet. Let me finish.” His thumb continued its soft stroking rhythm and every pulse-point in her body pounded in reaction. “I’d really like it if we could make a fresh start. Pretend none of that self-involved shit I did everyhappened. Like I said, we have chemistry, Sam. Don’t you want to find out if it takes us somewhere?”
For a very long moment her breath was trapped in her throat and Sam thought her heart had stopped beating. Start again?
“I don’t know. That was so long ago, and we’re different people now. Besides, the situation has changed, Blake.” She looked down at her hands for a long moment before lifting her gaze to him again. “You’re a client and we have a professional relationship.” She had to get that out there, because farfetched as it might be, if anything did happen she wanted him as willing to do it as she was.
“I respect that but it’s only a barrier if we want it to be.” Hunger and need swirled in his dark eyes.
“But that’s where I am right now. This chemistry might be nothing more than a memory. Can we just take things one day at a time? Focus on your problem and my part in this situation? If something happens, well, we can deal with it then.”
The crazy thought flitted through her mind that she might be the one to cross the line. That she might be the one to push it, just because he was so, so hot now and her lady parts were sending her urgent signals.
For a very long moment Blake didn’t say anything and she was almost afraid to breathe. What if he said no? What if he even demanded Avery replace her?
But then he smiled, a slow curve of those sensuous lips. “I can do that.” He wrapped his fingers around her hand, infusing her with a warmth that was almost erotic. “But that doesn’t mean if we want each other we have to ignore it.”
“I hear you, but—” She nibbled her bottom lip. “Can we just put it on the back burner while we deal with your problem?”
He nodded. “As long as you know it’s still at the top of my list. Sam, this electricity between us won’t disappear just because we tell it to. Sooner or later we’re going to test those waters. Just sayin’.”
“Thank you. I think.” She swallowed some of her ice water, which at the moment she badly needed, and sat back in her chair. Her body was hot and hungry and filled with need, and she absolutely had to get hold of herself. Especially since she saw the same thing reflected in Blake’s eyes. “So. Let’s talk business. That’s front and center, and why we’re here, after all.”
Th
ey paused while the waitress took their lunch orders. Then Sam pulled out her cell phone, called up her emails, and put the phone on the table.
“Avery sent the file to both my phone and tablet listing everything she briefed me on earlier. I’d like to get the details directly from you, though, on some of this. Then you can tell me what it takes to be a personal assistant.”
“Good thing I ordered a big lunch,” he teased.
They ate slowly, and as he talked Sam got a clear picture of the man he was now. She realized how far he’d come from the hot teenager and his cock of the walk attitude. Here was a man who’d grown into his own skin, who after a lot of hard work had achieved success. And just when he could finally enjoy it, some asshole was threatening to take it all away. Well, not on her watch. Her Vigilance agent self kicked in.
“I didn’t really think anything about it when the first note showed up,” he told her. “Writers—just about anyone in the public eye—get stuff like this all the time. You wouldn’t believe how many crazies there are out there.”
“I know Avery asked you this but just to satisfy me, is there anyone you have contact with who might be doing this?”
He shook his head. “None of my personal friends, but I’ve met so many people I’ve just had peripheral contact with. This could be any one of them.”
She studied his face. “What about your former PA? Avery’s notes said she quit without any warning.”
Blake started to answer but the waitress arrived with their food. When she left, he just shook his head.
“Avery asked me the same thing. Annemarie was with me for four years, from the lean times to the good. She had enough skills electronically to suit my needs but I can’t see her doing anything like this. Anyway, this is someone with mental problems and I can promise you, that’s not her.”
She thought about asking him what his real relationship with her was, but the tone of his voice when he answered her questions held no hint of sexual attraction, at least on his part. She was stunned at the feeling of relief that gave her. She really needed to watch herself here. She was conflicted. One minute she wanted to jump his bones, the other she wanted to put up an invisible wall between them.
Crazy much, Sam?
She had him take her though a typical day—travel, signings, ancillary activities. The hours he set aside to write. And what he did between, such as where he took his meals, what he did for relaxation. She made notes on her phone as he talked.
“This person could come from anyplace in your life,” she told him. “The more information I have, the easier it will be for me to be on the alert, to notice things and hopefully pinpoint the source. Also to play the part of a very efficient personal assistant.”
“Sure. It won’t be that difficult.” His laugh was rough with little humor. “I never thought my life would be turned upside down like this.”
Sam shrugged. “I don’t think any of us do. Unfortunately for you, it’s one of the hazards of celebrity.” She waited while the waitress cleared their plates and both refused coffee.
“I want a cup of French press from Fresh Roasted,” he told her.
She grinned. “Who doesn’t?”
“I want to—”
He was interrupted by the sound of a chime echoing from his pocket, signaling an incoming text.
“Sorry. I thought I’d put the phone on mute. This is my personal number so I need to get it.”
“No problem. Go ahead.” She wondered for a fleeting moment if he was connected with some woman. Then she gave herself a mental smack, reminding herself it was none of her business, regardless of their earlier conversation.
He pulled the phone out of his pocket, looked at the screen, and his face tightened in anger. He swiveled his head, looking everywhere on the porch. Then he stood up and tried to see through the big glass windows to the interior.
“Blake? What’s going on?” When he didn’t answer her she said, “Sit down and tell me what the problem is.”
He held the phone out to her. “Take a look.”
A message had popped up on the screen. “I know what you did.”
Then the phone chimed again. “You can change your number all you want, but you can’t get away from me.”
As she was reading it the chime sounded a third time and yet another text scrolled up.
“Bodyguards won’t help you.”
And just like that the little crackles of electricity they were both ignoring, the dance her hormones kept trying to do, flat out died. Samantha Quenel, girl with a crush, disappeared and was replaced by Sam Quenel, super bodyguard. Every nerve in her body went on full alert.
“Sit, please,” she repeated. “You’re doing exactly what he wants.”
“But—”
“Sit down, Blake.” She tried not to shout, but her words came out louder than she wanted. She swallowed and inhaled a slow breath.
“I can’t believe the fucker followed me here.” He sat with obvious reluctance. “I can feel him here. Jesus, Sam, I swear I can feel his eyes on me. That fucker is here someplace.”
“First of all, if he’s so tuned in to your schedule he hits all your tour stops, it’s a given he goes wherever you do. That means following you to Arrowhead Bay.”
“But—”
“That means he knows about your meeting at Vigilance, which is how he knows you have security now. Looking for him here isn’t going to help. It will just give him the satisfaction of knowing he got to you. Anyway, it’s possible he checked you out, then moved out of sight to send the text.”
Blake clenched his fists. “So he sat here, watching me? Watching us? Laughing his ass off?”
“I don’t think he’s doing much laughing, but yes, he probably watched you for a while.”
“He’s spying on me.” Every muscle in Blake’s face tightened. “Do you know how that feels?”
“I do. But again, he wants to get a reaction out of you. That’s the point of the whole thing. Of doing this out in public.”
“You think he’s hung around to watch every time he’s left me a note? Sent me a text?” His hand closed around his water glass so tightly she was afraid he’d crack it.
Sam nodded. “Whenever he could.”
“But I looked around every time and never saw anyone.” A muscle twitched in his cheek.
“Blake. Listen to me. You wouldn’t know if he—or she—was there anyway, unless it was someone you know.”
“Which makes it highly unlikely it’s Annemarie. Which it isn’t.”
“Unless she’s got someone doing this for her.” She pushed back from the table and stood. “Just sit tight for a minute.”
Tension radiated from his body. She was worried he might decide to stomp through the restaurant and ask everyone if he could see their cell phone. “Where are you going?”
“To the ladies’ room. I want to do a casual look around. I can get a better read on the crowd than you can.”
“But what if he’s watching you?”
“So? Women go to the restroom all the time. It’s a known fact. Just hang on, okay?”
On the way to the ladies’ room she casually looked around the room, searching for someone by himself—or herself—doing their best to look relaxed and at ease. But the few singles she spotted were either reading or sitting at the bar chatting with the bartender. Of course, that didn’t necessarily mean anything. She’d seen people blend into a place so innocuously that they were easy to overlook.
Right now, though, what they needed was to get back to Vigilance and check out Blake’s phone.
“Nothing made my senses tingle,” she told him when she was seated at the table again. “He could still be hanging around here, though. Just in case, signal very casually for the check.”
“We’re leaving?”
“We’re going back to Vigilance where
we have technical support. I want one of the guys to take a look at your phone and see if they can find anything. Those guys could track an angel in hell, I swear.”
“I’d like to find this asshole, drag him out in the street by his hair and beat the crap out of him.”
“I can’t say I blame you.” She sipped ice water while they waited for the check. “Arrowhead Bay is a small town, so you think it would be easy to find a stranger, someone who would stand out in a crowd.” She frowned. “Except—”
“Except for all the boat traffic we get,” he finished for her, “and then the snowbird influx. Not to mention people heading south who drive through here because they aren’t rushed and they find the interstate boring. This person could be any one of them.”
Blake rubbed his jaw.
“This is just one fucking mess,” he growled. “I find myself looking at everyone whenever I go anywhere wondering if this asshole is standing next to me silently laughing his ass off.”
“I won’t lie to you. Anything is possible. But that’s why you have me. So I can do the looking.” She watched as he signed the tab. “One more thing. I also want to pick up my car.”
He frowned. “Because?”
Sam laughed. “Maybe because I’m a big girl and like to have my own car with me.” Then she sobered. “Kidding aside, I have gizmos in mine that you don’t.”
As they walked to the parking lot, she continued to scan everyone around them, looking for any sign that someone was paying unusual attention to them. Everything looked normal, but she’d been doing this long enough to know that didn’t necessarily mean anything. The invisible antennae she’d developed in the military and then with Vigilance were vibrating at full strength. Whoever this bastard was, he or she wasn’t far away.
Another vehicle was parked blocking their view of Blake’s car, so it wasn’t until they got past it that everything amped up. The first thing they saw was the slashed tires.
