“Below-stairs. Luke will grab him for you.”
His brother groaned as he dropped his duffel on the couch. “I will?”
“Yes. Liam’s downstairs checking inventory with Malcolm. Tell him we have a guest, one Lydia Sands, and bring Nico.” He would see how this mysterious woman responded to his nephew, because if she wasn’t a caregiver, he’d soon know.
Luke sent him a good-natured grin as he took off. “I’m onto it, only, bro, you’re not to interrogate the girl while I’m gone. I see that look in your eyes.”
“Just watch where you’re walking.” At thirty-two, he’d kept his family and countless others safe, and Ben had dropped her off. Which meant protection was required in some order, whether she was a client or not.
Leaning toward her, he met her gaze head on. “Okay, it’s you and me. Now, tell me who you truly are.”
* * * *
Lydia needed a sound, realistic plan because Tyler was on form as he’d always been, and she’d clearly stirred some kind of memory. From the first second, she’d sensed it, which was why she’d said they’d gone out.
“We went out for dinner. If you feel you know me, it’s from then. Ben told me about your memory loss. We went out around the same time.” That should put him off questioning her further.
“Are you saying”—he arched a brow—“we dated?”
“No. It was just one meal. We didn’t see each other again.”
“How’d we meet?” He crossed his arms.
Okay, maybe he would question her further. “Ben introduced us.” And he had, but not the way she’d said. “I can’t wait to meet Nico.” Where was Luke?
“I’m sure you can’t. How’d this dinner I can’t remember go?” He came closer and touched a finger to her chin then slowly tracked it along her jaw.
“The food was nice.” She swayed and almost brushed noses with him.
“Nice?”
Looking deep into his eyes, she wanted more, just as she had a year ago. “That’s about it.”
“That’s not an answer.”
Footsteps pounded up the stairwell, and she stepped back as a man’s deep chuckle and a child’s delighted squeal traveled to her. Luke raced around the corner carrying a squirming boy over his shoulders. “I told you I’d catch you, Nico. No Whitehall is faster than me.”
“Nah-ah, Uncle Tyler’s the fastest. He told me he’s quicker than Superman.”
“I doubt it.” Luke winked at Tyler as he lowered Nico to his feet. “Superman can dodge bullets. Your Uncle Tyler hasn’t nailed that essential ability yet.”
Tyler laughed. “Hey, it was impossible to dodge three at once.” He looked at her. “Ignore Luke. I got shot a year ago on duty, and now it makes a good joke.”
“Ben told me about the shooting.” Unbelievable. “Why do they joke about it?”
“It’s the best way to ease the stress. I lost some memory from the time of the assignment, but the outcome was all good. I’ve been able to reconnect with my brothers and join Liam, Dylan and Luke at Whitehall Shipping. That wouldn’t have happened otherwise.”
Did he just say the outcome was all good? She tapped her ears. “I’m sorry, your memory loss must be worse than you thought if you consider being shot at as good.”
“Yeah, that’s not quite what I meant.” With a grin, he glanced at his nephew. “Lydia, meet Nico.”
She lowered to Nico’s level and held out her hand. She was here for him. “Hey, Nico. I love your super-yacht.”
The boy with black curls beamed. “Daddy said you were coming.”
Tyler cleared his throat. “Nico, after a girl offers you her hand to shake, you never miss the opportunity to get a kiss on the cheek in too.”
“Okay.” Nico put his tiny hand in hers, and smacked his lips to her cheek.
She laughed. She’d missed being around children. “I’m so glad to be here.”
“We’re going on holiday, a big holiday.” He peered over his shoulder as another man strode around the corner. This had to be Liam, so visually similar to his brothers. He had Tyler’s sky-blue eyes, although Liam’s dark hair was clipped short, as Tyler’s used to be. Dressed in a white business shirt unbuttoned at the neck and navy dress pants, Liam crossed to her.
“Daddy, we’re going on a holiday because ships are in my blood. That’s what you said, but teeny-tiny ships, ’cause my blood’s only little, right?”
Liam squeezed his son’s shoulder. “That’s kind of what I said, minus the teeny-tiny ships actually being in your blood.” With a smile, he extended his hand to her. “Sorry about the late welcome. Luke told me to hurry since Tyler would have begun his interrogation. I hadn’t yet had the chance to tell him you’d be traveling with us. Ben only called last night.”
“It’s nice to meet you, and thanks for agreeing to take me on board.” She was here, and now she’d make the most of it. “Whatever you need from me, I’m here to help.”
“Great. I appreciate that.”
Tyler caught her arm, and drew her back to him. “Nico is almost five and he’ll start school after we return. Your professional abilities will only be required until the end of this trip. Nothing beyond. Does that arrangement suit?”
“Of course. That sounds perfect.” It would be impossible to have more.
With a hand at the small of her back, Tyler guided her toward the internal stairwell, and collected her bag along the way. They walked downstairs.
“Below deck are the staterooms and staff quarters, and upstairs on the third floor are Liam and Nico’s suites.”
“Okay.” She peeked at him.
“There’s a pool and spa on the top floor, and you’ll be given a full tour as soon as you’re settled.” At the bottom of the stairs, Tyler stilled. “This dinner you say we enjoyed. I want you to know, I wish I recalled it.”
“I understand about the memory loss.” Okay, enough of the non-dinner. “Oh, nice decor down here.”
It truly was. Halogen lights showcased vivid blue underwater ocean scenes adorning the length of the passageway. Caramel-cream walls and plush carpet of the same color became the sandy base for all the blue.
“Thanks.” Tyler moved her along. “The crew’s cabins are double-bunked, but as you’re the only female on board, you’ll have one to yourself.”
He directed her inside a small, efficient room with two bunks bolted to a blue wall. White furnishings and a built-in set of drawers completed the room.
“This is nice.” She grinned, for she would love the area simply because it was all hers and totally Ben-free.
“There’s a bathroom, but it connects with the cabin next door. There’s a lock on each side, although the other room’s empty.”
Inside the compact area, she shuffled around the shower cubicle, toilet and tidy vanity, all in basic white. No frills, but she didn’t need any. She met his gaze as he leaned against the doorjamb. “It’s perfect.”
“You seem happy.” He frowned. “You appeared apprehensive to start with.”
“I was nervous.” She squeezed past him and returned to her room. “First day on the job and all.”
She twirled in the center of her cabin. Ben was right. She needed this break.
Taken by the round portal window, she skipped toward it and peered outside. Another super-yacht of similar size to The Idle Dream came into berth, the name Star Gazer emblazoned along its side.
“It’s one of ours.” Tyler edged in behind her, so close.
Unable to stop, she leaned back and came up against him. Oh wow. His solid presence was like a safety blanket of warmth she’d never forget. She wanted to tip her head back, rest it on his shoulder and tell him everything, to extinguish the lie she’d told and lay out their past. Only that would never happen. Knocking that idea out of her head, she straightened. “Does Whitehall Shipping have a big fleet?”
“Twelve ships in total, but The Idle Dream was my mother’s baby. It’s reserved for family holidays each year. She passed away two
years ago, and my father four. I don’t usually speak of them, but—” He slid his fingers through her long hair. “Are you sure we didn’t have more than a single date? I feel a level of comfort I can’t explain.”
Her thoughts swirled to the past, to those last moments she’d had with him a year ago. He’d been dressed all in black, shirt and jeans, and her heart had fluttered in her chest. They’d become so close over the ten days they’d been together, but now he was leaving. Tyler had dropped his bag in the trunk of his car and sauntered toward her.
She’d moved in his direction, and Jay had raced past and wrapped his arms around his legs. Tyler had hunkered down and hugged the boy. “I’m sorry buddy, but the rules are the rules. I can only do a ten-day rotation, but Brigs is here to look after you and Lee now.”
Jay’s jaw had quivered. “Could you push me on the swing one last time?”
“Sure.” Tyler was such a sucker for Jay.
“But after Lee does.” Jay shot a mischievous look her way.
Yeah, Jay would draw Tyler’s departure out, and she understood why. Jeffrey Lawntree, his busy politician father, paid him so little attention. Tyler was a breath of fresh air for Jay, and had never left their side since his arrival. Jay loved that. She did too.
She led Jay to the old oak tree where his grandfather had knotted a tire over a high, sturdy branch.
Jay wriggled into the tire and dangled his legs over the rim, ready to go. He giggled, barely sitting still. “Go, Lee, push.” Lee was his nickname for her, one she adored. Even Tyler had adopted it. Only the two of them had ever done that. So special.
Pulling both Jay and the tire, she backed up and let go when she was certain the tire would swing nice and high as Jay liked.
“It’s wet, Lee,” Jay yelled and laughed as he flew.
She clapped a hand against her mouth as water sloshed inside the rim. Oh no. She’d forgotten to check it first. It had rained the night before and she should have tipped it out.
“There’s water in Poppa’s tire and my bottom’s getting wet.” Jay sailed through the air, giggles exploding from him as his red shorts stained darker.
She laughed at his silly grin. “I’m so sorry.”
“I can’t believe you forgot.” Tyler’s blue eyes sparkled as he beckoned her to him. “Come and say goodbye to me.”
Such husky words she couldn’t ignore. “Are you finally off the clock?”
“Yes, but you’re still a client.”
“And a bodyguard doesn’t get physical with his client?”
“It goes against the rules, Lee. It obscures our point of view.”
“Rules are meant to be—” At a heavy scraping to her right, she turned. What the…
A man in green and brown camouflage gear and scraggly black hair trailing out from under his black balaclava scaled the high slatted perimeter fence. Beady black eyes sunken within yellow skin, the gaze of Johnny Taita’s murderer, drilled into her. The killer from the high profile hit-and-run she’d witnessed was back. Oh hell. No way.
“Lydia.” Tyler gripped her arms, dragged her back from her terrifying memories.
“I’m okay.”
“Where’d you go?”
She rubbed his warm hands. Tyler was here. He was alive. He had survived.
“What took you away from me?”
“Um, bad memories. It happens sometimes. Don’t you ever have those?” How could he not remember the horror of that day? It haunted her and would never leave.
“Life is too short for that sort of thing.” He caressed her back. “There’s something about you. You said the dinner was nice, but how did our date end?”
“Ah, it ended badly. You never called.” She stepped back, only she bumped into the bunks. Then he followed her, and boxed her in. “What are you doing?”
“Go out with me again.”
Go out with him for real? Could she do that?
She’d never had the chance back then, and now she was in The Program, one she wasn’t leaving anytime soon. But he wasn’t her bodyguard anymore. Well, not officially, and not that she would ever tell him.
“Say yes.”
She looked into his eyes, and his heat radiated to every inch of her. Oh, she was in trouble. “I’ve moved on. Haven’t you?”
Lies though. It was all she could offer him, no matter his answer.
“No. I have a feeling I’ve been waiting for you.”
Her pulse tripped over itself, her heartbeat hammering out of control.
Impossible.
Copyright: Highlander’s Castle
Copyright © 2014, Joanne Wadsworth
Edited by Penny Barber
Cover Art by Joanne Wadsworth
First electronic publication: February 2014
Joanne Wadsworth
http://www.joannewadsworth.com
eBooks are not transferable. All Rights Reserved. This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
AUTHOR’S NOTE:
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental. The author does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for third-party websites or their content.
Published in the United States of America
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