Sweetest Obsessions - Anthology

by Anthony, Jane

  Or worse yet, tease them.

  Something about Rex got under her skin.

  She couldn’t resist speaking her mind around him, but she needed to learn how to, because she couldn’t let her own opinions interfere with her job. From now on what he did, or didn’t do, was none of her business. Nor was it her business whom he did it with.

  Her stomach dropped at the thought of having to watch his intimate dinner with a supermodel. He wouldn’t make his assistants follow him around on a date, would he? But she wasn’t just an assistant. As his bodyguard, she would go with him, no matter where it was.

  “Stop it,” she scolded. “He can eat dinner off a supermodel’s naked body if he wants to. It’s not my job to judge him. It’s my job to make sure no one pulls a gun on him while he does it.”

  Rex tied the laces of his sneakers tight, making sure they wouldn’t come undone during his five-mile jog along the beach. He was grabbing the leashes for his dogs from the front closet when Lacey wandered around the corner, some kind of shake in her hand. The straw was perched between her lips as she took a deep sip. It looked delicious.

  She looked pretty amazing too. He liked her new, more casual attire. She looked fit and healthy and like someone who took care of herself the same way he did.

  “What’re you doing?” she asked, suspicion suddenly making her facial expression stern.

  “Going for a jog on the beach. It’s our routine before dinner.” He snapped on the leashes to Bond and McClane’s collars as they jumped around. “Calm down guys. We’ll go in a minute. Sit.” He motioned the sit command and they instantly responded.

  “I wish you’d told me before I made my smoothie.” She took another sip. “Let me stick this in the fridge and grab my shoes. Give me a minute.”

  “It’s fine. Enjoy your drink and relax. We won’t be gone long.”

  “Nope. It’s my job. If you go, I go.”

  “We survived without you before. I’m sure my guys will do a good job protecting me, like always.” Both Rottweilers, Bond and McClane were big and impossible to miss. Although they were incredibly friendly dogs, their size intimidated most at first glance.

  “I’m here now and it’s my job to go where you go. Stay.” She disappeared around the corner into the kitchen before he could say more.

  He sighed and slumped against the wall. Instead of putting his ear buds in like usual, he tossed them back on the table. He wouldn’t need them today if Lacey was the chatty type. He hoped she was, despite normally enjoying his few minutes of peace during his jog.

  Jogging was one of his only chances to unwind and he enjoyed the solitude. But making small talk with Lacey was strangely appealing too. Of course, she might not be able to keep up or carry a conversation at his pace. Not everyone was used to running five miles a day on sand. It wasn’t as glamorous as it sounded.

  The dogs shifted anxiously as they waited impatiently for Lacey to return. After a few minutes, she came around the corner in an entirely new outfit—black yoga pants with lime green trim, a bright green tank that was slightly loose around her midsection but fit her like a second skin across the chest, and her hair pulled back into a neat ponytail. An armband held her phone and a quick glance at her sneakers told him this was not her first-time jogging. They were well used. She would keep up.

  Kneeling, she gave her laces a tug and tied them with an extra knot. As she did, the back of her tank slid up her waist revealing something metallic. If her shirt would move a bit more, he’d get a good look at it. But as it was, he couldn’t tell if it was a knife, or a gun, or simply a weirdly shaped fanny pack. He was still puzzling over what it was when she rose to her full height again.

  “Are you carrying a weapon?” he asked.

  “Of course. I’m working.”

  “Security in spandex, huh? Even when we’re getting hot and sweaty, you’re still carrying that thing?”

  “You still want to live if someone attempts to attack you?” she countered.

  “I thought you didn’t need anything more than your hands to take me down. I assumed that meant you could do the same to an assailant. Your credibility is quickly dissipating.”

  “I would always choose not to use my weapon when possible. However, my gun is quick and effective at diffusing a situation.”

  “Won’t it bounce around when you jog? Aren’t you worried about it accidentally discharging?”

  Lacey smirked. “I’m in complete control of my weapon. Accidental discharge has never been an issue for me. Has it been an issue for you?”

  “Ready?” he asked, giving the dogs the signal to move and ignoring Lacey’s comment.

  She followed him down to the beach where they did a quick series of stretches before starting off at a fairly quick pace along the sand. He didn’t go quite as fast as he normally would, but he also didn’t want to tire her out before he was ready to be done. If he had to have company, he still wanted to be able to complete his full workout.

  Rex soaked in the sounds around him—their shoes hitting the sand, the waves gently rolling in, birds roaming for dinner overhead, the dogs’ leashes clinking against their collars. All of it was music to his soul. This was how he took time to relax and recharge outside of his crazy movie star life.

  It was something he’d started with his brother when they’d first moved to Hollywood. He carried on with the tradition as a way to honor and remember Rowan. A way to remind Rex why he kept going, why he kept pushing harder. It was usually one of the few places he still felt close to Rowan.

  Today however, he felt Lacey’s close proximity, and no matter how hard he tried to ignore her, she was completely distracting. It was hard not to notice the bounce inside her tank top. The way she looked casual but was constantly scanning the area. For what, he wasn’t entirely sure. No one had ever bothered him on these jogs and he’d been doing them for years.

  Lacey’s breathing became audible beside him. “Need to slow down?” he asked.

  “No. I’m fine. But we can slow down if you need to.”

  “You’re breathing so loud, I thought maybe you were tired. Running like this isn’t for everyone, especially if you’re not used to it.”

  “Running like this is easy compared to what I can do. I’m breathing hard because I’m jogging, and I want my body to continue to have ample oxygen in my lungs, not because I’m winded or tired.”

  “I was keeping things easy for you, but if you think you can handle it, then I’d rather jog at my normal pace.”

  “Don’t change anything on my account. I’m here to accompany you, not hold you back. I can keep up.”

  Challenge accepted.

  Rex picked up speed with ease, finding his rhythm. He expected her to falter after a few minutes and was surprised when she didn’t. Her fitness level was much higher than he’d given her credit for.

  “Why are you pouty today?” she asked, between deep breaths.

  The toe of his sneaker caught behind him causing him to stumble a step or two. “I don’t pout.”

  “Could’ve fooled me. If me jogging with you is the problem, I can fall back and give you some space instead.”

  “If you don’t jog beside me, then why jog with me at all. That doesn’t make sense.” He hadn’t hired a crazy bodyguard, had he?

  “The point is I’m your security. If you go to work, I go to work with you. If you go for a jog, I go for a jog. It doesn’t mean I have to be by your side, which is clearly preferable to you at this point. I’ll fall back a few paces and give you a chance to be alone and think or whatever it is you do while jogging.” She slowed.

  Rex caught her hand before she disappeared behind him and pulled her forward. “It’s fine.”

  “Whatever you say, boss.”

  He glanced at her, unsure if she could actually protect him. “Are you really as tough as you make yourself sound?” She seemed so tiny, and yet not weak. She had the endurance of someone who worked out, but that didn’t mean she was tough. Could she rea
lly take out someone threatening him if he couldn’t take them out himself?

  “I hope you never have to see me in action, but yes.”

  The thought of her wrestling someone to the ground and pinning them…someone like him…was enough to take his mind to places where it shouldn’t be. Which was silly. Aside from being physically attractive, he knew very little about her. There was no way he should be thinking of her in any way other than professionally. He suddenly felt compelled to learn as much about her as he could.

  As they passed the pier, they came to a spot between two close breakers that were usually uninhabited since it wasn’t the nicest section of beach. Today was no different with not a single person around, exactly what he wanted.

  “I like to let the dogs play here before heading back. Do you mind hanging out for a bit?” he asked, unclipping the dogs. They ran into the water, splashing and barking.

  Rex and Lacey sunk down to the sand and peered out to the water, watching the dogs play. “I’m realizing that you know a lot about me, but I know very little about you, other than you’re a tough chick,” he said.

  “Thanks, I think.”

  “What do you do when you’re not busy protecting someone?”

  She shrugged. “I read. Murder mysteries mostly but I grab a romance every now and then. I exercise a lot, and I like to cook when I have the time and someone to cook for. What about you? I know about your movies, but that’s about it.”

  “I don’t get a lot of free time. Jogging is something I really enjoy doing, both to stay healthy and to get away from it all. I read, but mostly scripts. I watch movies to keep up on what everyone else has been working on.” He sighed. “Honestly, I don’t get much downtime.”

  “I know the feeling.”

  “What do you mean? Once I’m in for the day, you’re done.”

  She shook her head. “Nope. Still on the clock.”

  “Why? I’m home.” He hadn’t noticed her following him around the house. Sometimes he barely saw her outside of meetings with the real assistant.

  “Who do you think monitors all the cameras, screens the staff and visitors, researches and prepares for various venues, along with pretending to be an attentive assistant?”

  “You never sleep?” That couldn’t be healthy.

  “I sleep enough.” She sat up straighter and quickly added, “I’m not too tired to work. I’m used to these hours.”

  “Let’s hire someone for the night shift.” His schedule was busy, but he still got time to sleep and relax. She should get the same. “I’ll have Gabe find someone tomorrow unless you’d rather pick someone yourself.”

  “You don’t need to do that. I’m fine with things the way they are.”

  “I’m sure you are. I’m not suggesting we increase the security staff. I didn’t even want you here.” He held up his hand. “I didn’t mean that to sound so harsh.”

  “It’s okay. We’ve already discussed your hang-ups and I’m over it.”

  “My hang-ups?” He didn’t want a gigantic bodyguard hovering over him all the time. Was that really a hang up?

  She held his gaze.

  He clenched his jaw. Was she seriously trying to annoy him or simply teasing? Judging by the way her lips pulled up and her eyes twinkled in the setting sun, he guessed teasing. Relaxing, he shifted, nudging her shoulder with his.

  “My hang-ups aside, would you be better off with some nighttime help? Someone to monitor cameras, gather research on venues, whatever else you deem them worthy of doing?”

  “I’m fine on my own,” she rubbed her eyes as if talking about sleep made her tired. “But an extra hand at night would mean I could sleep for a normal stretch.”

  Now that he looked for it, he could see the tiredness around her eyes already, and it had only been a couple of days. It annoyed him that he hadn’t thought of her wellbeing sooner.

  “Then it’s decided. Will you pick someone, or do you want Gabe to? Or maybe you two can work that out together?”

  “Sure. I’ll help Gabe find someone. I have a few connections in the area who may be interested and available.”

  He smiled, feeling better about the situation. “Good. I’ll let Gabe know right away.” Rex felt as if he knew Lacey a little better now too. There was softness to her that came out when she relaxed. While she was simply sitting with him on the beach, watching the dogs play, and enjoying the golden sun setting over the ocean, it was as if the tough girl had vanished and this new soft side of Lacey appeared.

  He liked it.

  Peering down at her while the sunlight kissed her skin, he feared he might like her too.

  4

  Lacey sat with her back stiff against what should’ve been a very comfortable seat. It was plush and luxurious, and everything she’d expect from a restaurant as upscale as Merlot’s. But she couldn’t relax into the supple velvety material. If she did, she feared she might be tempted to let her eyes close for longer than a blink.

  She was glad she’d agreed to some nighttime help when Rex suggested it a few nights earlier. It wasn’t that she couldn’t do the job herself, but she certainly was finding his schedule more tiring than expected. Daily jogs on the beach, meetings out of the house, and dinners with studio execs or other actors were already enough. Add on to that the scheduled appearances that were starting next week as promotion for his new movie, and she’d hardly ever be off-duty. Piling nighttime duties on top of that would’ve been too much.

  Accompanying Rex on this date was already pushing the limits of her tolerance. How many other assistant duties would be needed after hours? Without her new nighttime employee, this would become impossible to continue and feel anything close to rested.

  She’d been down that road before, at her previous job, and it was partly to blame for why she’d been fired. It’s hard to be one hundred percent alert when running on only a few hours of sleep. She’d made the mistake of thinking that she could do it all and it had ended badly. Another bodyguard had taken the bullet that she’d been too exhausted to see coming. She’d never let anyone take a bullet for her again.

  Her new guy, Steven, was starting tonight once she got back to the house after this staged date with Rex ended. Tonight, she’d finally get to sleep for a solid eight hours. Her eyelids fluttered at the thought of uninterrupted rest.

  Until then, Lacey was stuck watching Roxanna’s foot creep up Rex’s thigh under a table that didn’t have long enough linens. Just as her foot was about to cross the threshold into R-rated, Rex adjusted his position in the chair effectively knocking her away and moving out of her reach.

  Lacey should’ve felt bad for the supermodel’s rejection, but she didn’t. Served her right for being so touchy-feely in the middle of a public restaurant when there were cameras pressed against the glass, snapping away. Of course, that’s exactly why she did it. This date wasn’t about caring for the other person or wanting to get to know them. It was a business arrangement, a publicity stunt.

  So romantic…

  She fought an eye-roll that would’ve felt so good, opting instead to survey the room once again. The few people who were dining at ten on a Wednesday night all looked content to mind their own business and didn’t seem to care that there were two celebrities in the middle of the room.

  Just another day in Hollywood.

  That wasn’t something she missed when she’d moved away after high school. She’d been removed from the Hollywood scene for so long, she’d forgotten what it was really like. Now that she was back, she couldn’t wait to leave again.

  She didn’t care about status or fashion. She didn’t care about movies or music or who had just been cheated on. It all seemed so trivial when compared with the people she was normally around—dignitaries trying to make a difference in the world by going into war zones to call for peace, human rights ambassadors fighting to keep women and children safe, and royalty with enough power to change the course of the world if they wanted.

  Roxanna’s biggest concern
was landing a job for the next runway show or swimsuit catalog. Still important in her world, but not exactly devastating to anyone else.

  That was the real problem with a lot of celebrities who lived here. It was as if they’d forgotten that the world beyond California existed. They’d forgotten that there were bigger problems to conquer than what to wear and who to be seen with.

  She took a deep breath and let her tension go. The tiredness was getting to her, making her unusually critical of others when normally she didn’t care what other people did or why. Her only focus should be the two people in the middle of the room who were doing their best to look like a real couple. If she didn’t know it was all an act, she might believe it herself.

  The waiter set down her appetizer. It was late and well past a normal dinner hour, but Rex had insisted she order something, so she did. She was glad she’d listened to him, since smelling the food made her stomach growl.

  She nibbled on a slice of toast covered in some kind of cheese spread. It was delicious, savory, and surprisingly satisfying. When she sipped her soda, the flavors mingled on her tongue and contradicted each other. Wine would be a better choice for the meal, but she was working and that meant no alcohol.

  Glancing around the room again, she jotted down notes about the people dining as well as the photographers she could see through the front glass. The likelihood that any of these people were the one making the threats to Rex was low, but she couldn’t be sure. Since this was still her first week, she was paying attention to everyone and everything, each detail meticulously noted. If there were any patterns with people or incidents, she’d find them before they became an issue to Rex’s safety.

  Just thinking of Rex brought her eyes up from her notebook to find him glancing her way. It wasn’t a secret to the restaurant staff that she was there as his assistant, but that didn’t mean he should be drawing attention to her either. If there was anyone in the room with bad intentions, then the less they noticed her, the better.