Holdin' On for a Hero

by Ciana Stone

  “Sure.”

  “Be careful, okay? I mean, it’s not like you to go off the deep end for a guy, no matter how fine he is. And to be honest, I’ve never seen you like this. You’re always the one who plays it so safe in the men department, never allowing yourself to be fooled or misled. This…well this time it’s like you threw caution to the wind on just a look. I’m not saying you’re wrong. Hell, you’re usually more right than any of us about people, but I just don’t want to see you set yourself up to get hurt.”

  Nikki knew Cat’s words came from caring and she didn’t take offense. She took Cat’s hand. “Thanks. I love you too. And I know I probably seem like some starry-eyed fool. I kind of feel that way to be honest. And maybe I’m setting myself up for an enormous fall, but Cat, I swear to you that when I looked in his eyes I felt something so strong it was physical. Nothing like that’s ever happened to me, but it’s like it’s something I know or recognize. I can’t explain it, but I know this guy is someone I was meant to meet.”

  “Sounds like our little scholar has been delving into too many medieval romances to me.”

  “I guess it does sound that way—especially coming from me.”

  “Well, maybe you’re right. Maybe he is Mr. Right. How the hell would I know? Damn, the first time I saw my Mr. Right I was scared shitless of him.”

  She and Nikki both laughed at the memory. Cat’s phone buzzed and she got up to answer it.

  “Sorry, next appointment’s here. Want to meet later for dinner?”

  “Not tonight, thanks. I need to get packed. Maybe this weekend?”

  “Sure. Let me know.”

  “Okay.” Nikki blew her a kiss. “Thanks for letting me bend your ear.”

  “Any time. Keep me posted on Mr. Wonderful.”

  “Will do. See ya!”

  Nikki left the office, glad to have been able to talk to Cat. Admitting her feelings about the handsome stranger relieved some of the anxious excitement. To her surprise, it had also made her evaluate what she was feeling a little more, and it was something of a shock for her to realize that for the first time in her life, she was completely spellbound by a man.

  It was both exhilarating and intimidating. She was scared that when she saw the man again, she’d realize she’d been wrong about him. That he wasn’t the man from her dreams. Then again, what if he was and he had no interest in her?

  For the first time, Nikki felt as if she was walking on foreign soil. She was always in control when it came to affairs of the heart. What was so different this time? And did she really want to find out?

  * * * * *

  Twenty-four hours after she’d accepted the job, Nikki arrived back at the Weston estate to pick up her gate card. Osgood Gaynor, the butler, had called and left her a message that she could pick it up any time. Eager to see if she would run into the handsome stranger again, she called and told Osgood she would come on over and pick up the card.

  Osgood greeted her at the door. “Ms. Morgan, good day.”

  “Hi, I thought I’d drop by and pick up that card.”

  “Yes, please follow me. Mr. Weston asked that I notify him when you arrived.”

  Osgood left her waiting in the library while he went to tell Mr. Weston she was there. Nikki looked at the massive bookcases, filled with expensive leather-bound editions on a wide variety of subjects.

  “Nikki, hello, my dear.”

  She turned at the sound of Richard Weston’s voice. “Hi, I hope I’m not bothering you. Mr. Gaynor said I could stop by and pick up a gate card.”

  “Yes, I have it right here.” Richard pulled what looked a lot like a credit card from his pocket.

  “Thanks.” Nikki looked at it. “So, I just swipe it through the thing at the gate?”

  “Yes. Tell me, when do you estimate you’ll be moving to the estate?”

  “I thought maybe tomorrow or Thursday.”

  “Excellent.”

  At that moment, Helen walked into the room. “Richard, have you seen—” She fell silent for a moment when she saw Nikki. “Ah, Ms. Morgan. I didn’t expect you.”

  “I came to pick up a gate card.”

  “Yes, of course.”

  “Something you wanted, darling?” Richard asked.

  Helen cut a look at Nikki before answering. “Actually, I wanted to know if you had seen Maxwell.”

  “No.”

  Helen blew out her breath in exasperation. “Honestly, sometimes that boy tries my patience to the very brink.”

  At that moment, Osgood appeared at the door. “Excuse me, Mrs. Weston. I’ve located Maxwell.”

  “Well it’s about time!”

  He disappeared for just a moment then reappeared in the doorway, holding onto someone’s arm. “Come, Maxwell, your mother wants to speak with you.”

  Nikki thought she was going to faint when instead of a young boy, her dream man stepped through the door.

  “Holy shit!” she breathed without thinking.

  Helen and Richard both whirled around to look at her. She didn’t even notice. All she could see was the man she’d been fantasizing about. His eyes met hers and she felt like someone who was free-falling through space.

  The whisper of sheets sliding across bare skin and a breath of cool air from the opened window had her tingling. Moonlight fell in shafts across the room, casting harsh contrasts between darkness and light.

  He stood at the foot of the bed, watching. She could not see his eyes. With his back to the window, he was silhouetted against the light. She extended one hand to him and he came to her, crawling onto the bed and stopping when he was poised above her.

  His eyes gleamed in the dim light. She reached up to run her hand along the side of his face and into his thick hair. Fisting the silken strands, she pulled his face down to hers. He came to her willingly, lowering himself down on her, supporting the weight of his upper body on his forearms.

  Her tongue flicked at his lips and they parted, allowing her to explore the sweet depths of his mouth. But only for a moment, then he assumed control, rolling over and taking her with him so that she lay on top him, her breasts pressed into the firm swell of his chest.

  His hands moved down her back, cupping and squeezing her rear, fingers questing into the cleft to caress her anus and move lower, teasing the lips of her sex.

  She shivered in delicious anticipation and pushed herself up, hands braced on either side of his shoulders.

  He captured one breast in hand and mouth, hand squeezing as his tongue traced the puckered areola, drawing a moan from her.

  Fantasy faded as Osgood pushed the man further into the room, breaking their eye contact. Nikki’s legs nearly gave out. She’d been moments from climax. But thoughts of herself vanished at the sight of emotions dancing across Maxwell’s face. It was like watching an emotional kaleidoscope.

  “Maxwell, get in here and sit down this instant,” Richard barked.

  Nikki was surprised by the change that came over Maxwell when he looked at his parents. The swirling eddy of emotion vanished. It was like a carved, expressionless mask had been dropped over his face.

  “Please. “ Richard gestured for Nikki to sit as he ushered Helen to the divan.

  Nikki took her seat, keeping her eyes on Maxwell who remained rooted in place by the door.

  Richard looked over his shoulder. “I said now, Maxwell.”

  Maxwell started slowly across the room, his movements like those of a person who has to think about the act of walking. Nikki noted the movements and lack of facial expression, but also the emotion that blazed from his eyes. She wished she could read it. He stood in front of the divan, facing Nikki, with his back to his parents who were seated on the divan.

  “Maxwell, this is Nikki Morgan. Nikki, this is our son, Maxwell.”

  Nikki was still in shock. From the way Richard and Helen had talked, she’d expected to see a nine- or ten-year-old boy. The person standing in front of her definitely was not nine or ten, nor was he a boy. He was
a grown man. A very handsome, well-built, grown man who was easily in his mid-thirties. And the man she’d been dreaming of for the last year.

  Oh god. This is not good, not good at all. Get a grip. Come on. Okay, he’s not what you thought. But you can deal with it. Remember, he’s not normal. He’s not a beautiful, well-built normal man, he’s a kid trapped in that gorgeous body. He’s not the man you dream about. He’s…oh god, he saw the way I looked at him.

  Trying to compose herself, she looked up at Maxwell. It was a big mistake. His eyes were like wells of emotion. She immediately fell into those endless wells and could do nothing but submit to captivity. At length he released her from his gaze to move his eyes over her. Freed for the moment, she did likewise, studying him. His face was like a living screen on which emotions danced in rapid-fire abandon. What was it she saw? Hurt, anger, confusion, nervousness?

  What’s wrong with you, Maxwell Weston? He didn’t look mentally handicapped, or slow. What exactly was his problem?

  As she looked back into his eyes, it happened again—a sensation that nearly overwhelmed her. She didn’t know what it was, but she did know it was coming from him, from his eyes.

  Abruptly, words she had spoken to Cat came back to haunt her, proclamations of how her dream man was the stranger she had met at the Westons’. No, it couldn’t be. She was not destined to have her heart held captive by a man who was emotionally and mentally little more than a child.

  Maxwell slowly extended his hand to her. She took it and tried to smile naturally. “Hi Maxwell, it’s nice to meet you.”

  The smile she received was so swift and unexpected that it was gone almost before it registered. Then the mask was back. Maxwell released her hand and moved stiffly to take a seat off to one side.

  Nikki looked from him to his parents. They were watching her. She looked back at Maxwell, whose eyes were locked on her. Nikki felt they were all waiting for her to say something and she had no idea what it was supposed to be. Forcing back the knot in her throat, she smiled at Maxwell. He didn’t return the smile but she saw a change in his eyes. It was almost a calculating look, as if he was weighing or judging her.

  Richard broke the silence. “We’ve invited Nikki to spend the summer here while your mother and I are in Europe.”

  Something in Maxwell’s eyes told Nikki he was surprised at the news. She felt the need to let him know that she didn’t want to be intrusive.

  “If that’s okay with you, that is,” she added quickly.

  Maxwell’s eyes seemed to change expressions but nothing registered on his face. Helen leaned forward, speaking to him as if he were either hard of hearing or stupid.

  “Nikki is going to be staying here to keep an eye on you, Maxwell. I want you to be on your best behavior and not test her patience. Do you understand?”

  Maxwell did not react in any way to his mother’s words, but Nikki thought his eyes seemed to convey resentment at the condescending tone. Then again, she could be wrong. Maybe she was projecting her feelings onto him. She wouldn’t want to be spoken to or treated in such a way, and maybe she just imagined she saw a look in his eyes that indicated he felt the same way. But surely, he had to be embarrassed? Then again, maybe not. If he needed a baby-sitter at his age, he couldn’t be normal.

  Richard stood and gestured to Maxwell. “You may go now.”

  “Yes, wait for me in the conservatory. I have some things to say to you, young man,” Helen added.

  Without looking at his parents, Maxwell got up and left the room. He stopped outside the door and looked back. No one paid attention except Nikki.

  Her heart went out to him. He looked so desperately unhappy and dispirited, like a dog that’s been kicked around all its life. Resentment welled up inside her. No one should be made to feel that way. She smiled at him and called out, “See you in a couple of days.”

  He did not respond but disappeared from view. Nikki looked back at his parents who were standing. Apparently, the meeting was over.

  “Well, I better go.”

  “Yes.” Helen moved toward the door. “Richard, if you’ll please show Ms. Morgan out?”

  As Helen sailed out of the door, Richard moved over beside Nikki, placing his hand in the small of her back as he ushered her through the house to the front door.

  She moved away from him and extended her hand. “Thank you, Mr. Weston.”

  “Please, no more thanks.” He smiled and took her hand in both of his. “I only hope the relationship will prove mutually beneficial and rewarding.”

  She disengaged her hand with an uncomfortable smile and walked outside. Once at her car, she looked back at the house. What the hell am I getting myself into?

  As she got in the car, she decided it really did not matter. For all the money they were paying, she could put up with just about anything. Or could she? What about Maxwell Weston, the man who until ten minutes ago had been her dream guy come to life?

  She groaned as an image of his face popped in her mind. She looked back at the house but did not see the face that watched her from a darkened window on the third floor.

  * * * * *

  Nikki started on Gaspar as soon as he took a seat across from her in the booth. “Why didn’t you tell me the truth about Maxwell Weston? I went there expecting to find a kid and instead I find a…” Her face reddened as she remembered her initial reaction to Maxwell, and the feeling that came over her when their eyes met.

  “You were saying?” Gaspar folded his hands in his lap and regarded her.

  “You set me up!”

  “Then you refused the job?”

  She looked down at the tabletop, furious at him for lying to her and ashamed to admit that she had jumped at the offer.

  “No, I took it.”

  “Ah.” Gaspar nodded.

  “But not for the reason you think!” She leaned forward and glared at him. “I think you’re full of shit about the Westons but they’re offering too much for me to turn it down.”

  “Yes, of course,” Gaspar agreed.

  Nikki glared more fiercely at him. He endured it for several seconds before he smiled. “I take it the real problem is Maxwell.”

  Immediately she averted her eyes. She had not been able to get over the tempting sensation that claimed her when she looked into Maxwell Weston’s eyes. She flopped back in the booth. “You should have been honest with me.”

  “As you are being with me now?”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Why don’t you tell me?”

  There was no way she was about to admit to Gaspar that her dreams had suddenly sprung to life and now she wanted to change them, forget them or deny the feelings they inspired. It was not at all what she’d wished for or imagined. If this was fate then it was indeed cruel.

  She jumped up and went to the counter to get two cups of coffee. She returned to the booth and sat down. “Look, I already told you. I need the money. In case Christian didn’t tell you, I’m not exactly what you’d call affluent. I can’t afford to pass up a thousand a week and fifteen grand at the end of the summer.”

  “If you make it the entire summer,” Gaspar said.

  “That’s an odd statement.”

  “It’s an odd position. But back to our original conversation. I sense something happened during your interview aside from surprise at Maxwell’s age.”

  Nikki sampled the coffee and added more sugar before replying. “Something’s really strange about those people. Here they are with more money than most small countries, and they can’t find anyone to take care of their son? And it’s not like he’s a kid or even a young adult. He’s got to be—what, thirty-five or so? Come on, it doesn’t add up.”

  Gaspar shrugged. “Perhaps, but that is not my concern.”

  “Yeah, right, you only care about the Stones. I forgot. Which brings me to another point. What makes you think that even if there is one there I’d ever find it? Have you ever seen that place? It’d take months to search it a
nd that won’t be easy since they have god knows how many maids and servants milling around. Not to mention I wouldn’t know this damn thing if I found it.”

  “You’re absolutely right.”

  The last thing she expected was for Gaspar to agree with her. “What?”

  “I said you’re absolutely right. You would not know where to look, or what to look for. But there is someone there who can help you.”

  “Who?”

  “Simon.”

  “Who’s Simon?”

  “Simon Richard Weston. My patron and Richard Weston’s father.”

  “He lives there?”

  “Yes, on the third floor of the west wing.”

  “Well then why doesn’t he just look for the thing himself?”

  “He has been confined to a wheelchair for the last eight years. Richard manages the business affairs for the most part. Simon is what you might call a figurehead.”

  “This is starting to sound even crazier than it did before. If Richard Weston has a Stone or the housing device, and his father knows it, then why doesn’t he know where Richard has it? Aren’t they sort of like on the same team?”

  “Hardly. Simon had hoped that Richard would share his vision, but unfortunately Richard proved himself to be of a different philosophical bent than his father and so was never made privy to the society.”

  “Let me get this straight. The father, Simon, is part of this society you belong to and his son doesn’t know it?”

  “Correct.”

  “Then how did Richard get his hands on the Stone?”

  “An unfortunate accident.”

  Nikki exhaled loudly. “This is starting to sound like some cheap thriller.”

  Gaspar slid his untouched coffee cup aside to reach over and touch her hand as she clenched it around her own cup. She quickly moved her hand out of reach.

  “Nikki, believe me, I know how insane this seems, but it is all true. Simon is the only one who can identify the Stone or the housing device, but he cannot search for it himself, nor can he let Richard become aware of his actions.”