The Texas Bodyguard’s Proposal

by Karen Rose Smith

  She so wanted him to deny her conclusions. She so wanted him to pull her into his arms in the middle of the lobby. But Rafe wouldn’t do that even if he did care. He was a private man, always cool, calm and collected. Public displays would never be comfortable for him. She imagined that picture of the two of them kissing. It was a lot more upsetting to him than he wanted to admit. If that went public—

  “All my clients are important to me.” His voice had an even-tempered calm that annoyed her.

  “Once in a while, Rafe, I just wish you’d stop being diplomatic and let the lid come off.”

  His lips twitched up in amusement. “That would entertain you?”

  “That would enlighten me. If it happened, then I’d know what you were really feeling.”

  “What I’m feeling doesn’t matter, Gabby.”

  “It does to anyone who cares about you.”

  Her heart pounded three times before he asked, “Do you care?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  They were two people in the middle of a sumptuous lobby with ceramic tile floor, leather furniture, copper chandeliers. Yet she felt as if they were alone in the center of a huge ocean.

  He dispelled her fanciful imaginings. “Where’s your luggage?”

  She looked around, trying to get her bearings. She pointed to a bellman standing beside a weekender case on wheels. “Right there. How about yours?”

  “My duffel bag’s already in the car. It’s parked in the front row. Do you want to walk to it or do you want me to drive under the portico?”

  He was asking her if she wanted to be an ordinary person or if she wanted to have the star treatment. She wished they were beyond this. She wished—

  She wished Rafe would let his lid blow with her. She wished he’d tell her if he cared or if he didn’t. “I’ll walk,” she said, then headed for the door. She knew Rafe would follow her.

  After all, that was his job.

  Was she being a fool?

  Gabby went straight to her bedroom when she and Rafe returned to the suite after her interview. He went to his.

  They hadn’t had much to say to each other since their conversation in the spa lobby. The winds of conflict had blown them back and forth from the very personal to the impersonal. All the while, Rafe had been stoic and she couldn’t catch a hint of what he was feeling.

  She quickly changed from her jacketed sundress and high heels to her favorite kaftan, a swirl of color that always made her feel happy.

  Well, almost always. She and Eleanor and Katie had had such a good time, such a relaxed time. Even when they’d spoken about the men in their lives, they’d done it with some perspective.

  But Gabby didn’t have any perspective now. Barefoot, ready to just flop on her bed and listen to music, she knew she had to talk to Rafe about her schedule tomorrow.

  She exited her bedroom and saw he wasn’t in the living room, nor in the kitchen. Going to the adjoining room door, she slipped through. The door on his side was open. She tapped lightly and then went in. After all, the door was open.

  At first, she just stood very still and stared. She’d seen Rafe’s chest bare before, but she hadn’t seen—the rest of him. He was standing by the dresser absolutely naked, fishing in one of the drawers for something. He might not have heard her, but now he sensed her presence. He drew himself up straight. All of his wonderful physical qualities seemed to register at once—the sharp line of his jaw, the black hair arrowing down the middle of his chest, trailing lower and lower. His hips were slim, his legs were long, his thighs muscled. And he was—magnificent. Absolutely magnificent.

  “I’m sure there’s some kind of line to cover a situation like this, but I’m not sure what it is at the moment,” he said wryly.

  She knew she really should leave. Instead, she walked toward him and didn’t stop until she was standing in front of him.

  “Why aren’t you running in the other direction?” he asked her.

  “Why aren’t you?”

  “That answer’s obvious. I’m not dressed.” He smiled, but it was forced.

  “You could easily grab something.”

  “Gabby, you should leave.” His smile dropped away.

  His voice had grown a little huskier and she could see why. He was becoming aroused. The seriousness of her being in Rafe’s room like this hit her. This wasn’t a game. She didn’t just want an affair. She didn’t want Rafe thinking she did. Suddenly, she didn’t feel like the confident woman she pretended to be. Her insecurities came bubbling up.

  She backed away from him. “I’m sorry I barged in,” she murmured and turned to go.

  As Gabby left Rafe’s room, she heard a drawer open and shut. She heard Rafe swear. She’d just stepped into the little hall between their rooms when he caught up to her. He was wearing boxer shorts, a drawstring at the waist. But that really didn’t change the way her body was tingling, the way her awareness of him invaded every particle of her being.

  “I don’t know what to do about you.” The look in his eyes was as conflicted as his voice.

  She didn’t know what to say. She didn’t know if his remark was good or bad. She didn’t know if it meant he felt something or he didn’t. Turmoil must have shown in her eyes.

  His voice turned very gentle as he took her face between his hands. “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t want you to think I react this way to all my bodyguards.”

  “You told me there was no one serious before Kutras.”

  “I’d never slept with a man before Miko.”

  Rafe swore, ran his thumbs slowly over her lips and then confessed, “I’m not sure I should resist this anymore.”

  This chemistry? This attraction? This feeling? Before she could ask, Rafe brought her closer to him and bent his head. Their kiss started slow and tender. Rafe nibbled at the corners of her mouth, then sealed his lips to hers. But the almost chaste pressure gave way as the heat of their bodies escalated…as she pressed closer to him and he pressed closer to her. She opened her lips and invited him into her mouth. He accepted her invitation and took the opportunity to explore everything he hadn’t before. This kiss was different from the others. It was the portal to more than a kiss. It was the portal to a physical adventure with Rafe.

  He broke away, braced a hand on either side of her on the wall and took in a deep breath. “Is this what you want, Gabby? Is this what you really want?”

  “I do,” she whispered, feeling as if she were making more of an emotional commitment than a physical one.

  He leaned into her, kissed her again as if to make sure, then he tore away once more to ask, “Your bedroom or mine?”

  “Yours is closer.”

  He led her to his bed and kept his arm around her while he swiped back the covers. It was as if he thought she’d run away. She wasn’t running anywhere but toward him.

  As he kissed her this time, he scrunched her kaftan in his hands until he lifted it up to her knees, then her thighs, then her waist. His lips clung to hers before he pulled away and shifted the kaftan over her head.

  Her hair was mussed and she raised her hand to smooth it, but he shook his head. “Don’t. I like it that way.”

  She stood there, in violet lacy panties and bra, feeling more self-conscious than she’d ever felt at any shoot. Heat was creeping into her cheeks.

  Rafe enveloped her in his arms. “You’re almost too beautiful to touch.”

  She braced her hands on his chest. “I won’t break, Rafe. Honest. But I am worried that…that I can’t please you.”

  His gaze was searching and he realized that she was being sincere. “This isn’t about pleasing me, Gabby. This is about both of us giving pleasure and taking it. If you’re scared about anything—”

  “I’m never scared when I’m with you.”

  Her words seemed to release all the desire he’d been locking away. He unhooked her bra and tossed it onto the nightstand. Then he skimmed her panties down her legs. But he didn’t stop there. He
knelt before her, placed his hands on her hips and kissed her navel. She’d never experienced anything like the sensations that rushed through her. Especially when he kissed lower.

  “Rafe. What are you doing?”

  “Getting you ready.”

  He got her ready, all right. By the time he was done kissing and teasing and touching, she could hardly catch her breath. Then something happened she never expected. His tongue tantalized just the right spot. Sparklers ignited all through her body. She tingled and shook and held on to Rafe’s shoulders so she wouldn’t fall.

  He swept her into his arms while her body was still trembling and laid her on the bed. Then he climbed in beside her, held her close and murmured against her cheek, “Just let me know when you’re ready for more.”

  “That must have been an orgasm,” she finally said in awe.

  He leaned slightly away. “You never had one of those before?”

  She shook her head. “Never.”

  Rafe smiled at her. There was satisfaction in his smile that said he was glad he was the one who had given her the gift. Now she wanted to give him a gift.

  For a few moments her fingers played in his chest hair. But then she moved her hand down his body. She tugged at the drawstring at his waist and he skimmed his boxers down his legs. When she touched him he closed his eyes.

  She bent her cheek to him, and he sucked in a breath. “Gabby, you don’t have to.”

  “I want to.” She wanted to love him in every way there was to love a man. She’d never known this kind of intimacy before, and she wanted it with Rafe.

  Suddenly, Rafe moved like lightning and she lay on her back.

  “Are you on birth control?” he murmured.

  She nodded.

  He levered himself on his arms above her. “I want to be inside you.”

  She wanted him inside of her and to show him that, she raised her knees. He probed her entrance without pushing in.

  “Don’t treat me like I’m going to break, Rafe. I want to feel your passion.”

  His first thrust was smooth and measured, but then hunger and need took over. She held on to him, clawed his shoulders, welcomed the building excitement like a woman who had never been loved in this way before. She felt her connection to Rafe grow, their bond become stronger. Each thrill that ran through her body pushed her to a new sensual height. Her first orgasm had been unexpected and pleasurable. But now, when Rafe reached between them, she felt as if he’d found the essence of who she was. She spun, collecting colors like a diamond. Reflections of happiness and joy, awe and pleasure rainbowed around her. She cried Rafe’s name, letting herself go, letting her spirit fly to meet his. Rafe answered her call, groaned his release, shuddered and collapsed on top of her. She held him, shaken by what had just happened between them.

  A few minutes later he rolled to his side, one arm around her.

  “That was wonderful,” she breathed. As she said the words, reality settled in and hit her hard.

  She knew Rafe had fought against his attraction to her. And now he might regret what had happened. “I just want you to know, I don’t expect anything from you. I mean, I’ll be leaving soon. You’ll be going back to your regular routine. So…I don’t want you to worry about what I’m feeling or anything like that. I’m cool with this. It happened and it was wonderful, but I know we have separate lives.”

  Rafe put his finger over her lips. “Gabby, stop. Don’t dissect what happened. You’re rebounding from a relationship. I never expected to be attracted to someone the way I’m attracted to you.” He propped up on an elbow. “But we probably shouldn’t let this happen again. If we do, it will be that much harder to say goodbye.”

  And she knew they had to say goodbye. She had her life, he had his.

  “I should go back to my room,” she murmured, tears burning in the back of her eyes.

  “You don’t have to hurry.”

  Yes, she did. The longer she stayed, the harder it would be to leave.

  As Rafe had said, the harder it would be to say goodbye.

  Chapter Twelve

  One moment Gabby thought she was in heaven, the next…She looked at Rafe and saw his regrets.

  Unfortunately she didn’t have appointments this morning. Wouldn’t you know it? So she and Rafe were cooped up in the suite.

  At least he was staying in his room, working, though part of her missed him so much she wanted to cry. It was an emotional missing, something she’d never felt before—like a part of her was somewhere else.

  She focused on her e-mails, answering one to her mother and another to a friend in London.

  When the phone in the room buzzed, she absently picked it up. It was the front desk. “Ms. McCord, we have a package for you.”

  “Is it large or small?” she asked automatically.

  “Small. Would you like someone to bring it up?”

  “Yes, that would be great. Thank you.”

  She wasn’t going to bother Rafe with this. Maybe he hadn’t even heard the phone. His room had a separate line.

  Someone rapped on the door and Gabby went to it, checking the peephole. She recognized the bellman who had been handling most of her packages and mail. She’d grabbed a bill from her purse and now, when he handed her a small gift bag, she tipped him. “Thanks, Roger. I really appreciate this.”

  “No problem, Ms. McCord. If you need anything else just let me know.”

  She’d already given Roger an autograph on one of the hotel brochures and he’d been deeply appreciative.

  “My wife said she saw your interview on TV. She said to tell you you were great, as usual.”

  “Thank you. I had a friendly interviewer, so it was easy.”

  “You have a good day, now, Ms. McCord.”

  “I will.” She shut the door and returned with the gift bag to the living room. This reminded her of when Rafe had given her the little birdcage. Could this be from him, too?

  She recognized the shiny black bag with the gold “L.” Larsen’s Jewelers, one of McCord’s rivals. Rafe wouldn’t have gone to a rival jewelry store. She suddenly wondered if she should open it, not knowing who had sent it. But the small box was wrapped in silver, with a silver ribbon. It looked harmless enough. There was no card on the outside. Maybe she’d find one inside.

  She undid the ribbon and took off the lid. On the black velvet lining inside the box she found a tanzanite and diamond tennis bracelet. She blinked. There had to be at least five or six carats of stones on the bracelet. The card was tucked into one corner of the velvet. She took it from its miniature envelope and froze.

  Gabby, I want you back. M.K.

  Gabby heard Rafe’s footsteps in the hallway that led into the living room. Briefly she thought of hiding the present and bag under the sofa cushion. But what was the point? She was going to send the bracelet back. She supposed she could have Roger do it. Then Rafe wouldn’t have to know.

  But then there Rafe was, towering over her, looking down at the present in her lap. “I’m supposed to answer the door,” he said gruffly.

  “It was Roger. I knew it would be okay.”

  “Gabby, sometimes the most natural-looking circumstances seem okay but aren’t.”

  “I don’t want to fight.”

  He was silent for a few moments, then he rubbed his hand across his forehead. “Neither do I. Do I have to ask who it’s from?” He could see the bracelet on the black velvet, the absolute beauty of it. It didn’t take a jeweler to know it was an expensive piece.

  “Probably not.” She handed Rafe the card that had come with it.

  The lines around his eyes grew deeper as he frowned. “He thinks he can buy you back. Can he?”

  A pain pierced her heart. “Did you mean that as an insult? Didn’t you learn anything about me last night?”

  “I think we’d better leave last night out of this.”

  “You want to forget about it?” Hadn’t making love meant anything to him? Was she the only one with her heart on the
line?

  “I can’t forget about it any more than you can. But we have to. And I wasn’t insulting you. I just meant that some women can be wooed with gifts. It’s obviously meant as an apology. He thinks you might be willing to forgive him. Do you want to resume your relationship?”

  She was in love with Rafe. She didn’t want to be with anyone else. Yet how could she tell him that when he so obviously wanted to just get his time with her over with and move on? “I don’t want to be with Miko. I want to be with a man who wants one woman for the rest of his life.”

  Their gazes locked and held and she wouldn’t look away. She wanted him to pull her into his arms and kiss her and make love to her again, telling her he wanted her, too, and somehow they’d work something out. But he wasn’t reaching for her and he wasn’t saying anything.

  Rafe’s cell phone suddenly buzzed. They both jumped. With a scowl he took it from his belt and checked the number. Then he put it to his ear, listened for a few moments and said, “I’ll tell her,” and closed the phone.

  “What will you tell me? Was it Blake?”

  “Yes, it was. He wants you to come to the mansion this evening. The family is gathering again.”

  “Did he say why?”

  “You know Blake. He can be a man of few words.”

  “Like you.”

  He ignored the jab. “It’s a family meeting. He said Eleanor wanted it. He didn’t sound too happy. I guess you’ll find out what it’s all about when you get there.”

  “Are you supposed to come, too?”

  “I’ll be waiting for you to bring you home. It’s not until seven.”

  “I guess it might take that long to get hold of everybody.”

  “What would you like to do today? And don’t say shopping,” he warned her.

  She had to smile. “What are my choices?” She would like to see his mom again, but he might not want her getting involved that way, either.

  “We could take a ride out of town and sneak you into a Saturday afternoon rodeo, if we do you up right.”