Always & Forever

by Chantel Rhondeau

  “Maybe you’ll feel better after your massage?”

  “Massage?”

  He smiled. “I scheduled you an appointment down at the spa. Full body massage and two other treatments of your choice. Your appointment starts in a half hour, so you really need to put on some clothes—as much as I hate to cover up your beautiful skin.”

  A spa treatment? He’s so thoughtful. Lilly had rarely indulged in that kind of thing. Before she came into her inheritance, she never had access to much money, and Daddy wouldn’t have agreed to send her to do something so frivolous. Once she got together with Charles...well, she couldn’t risk revealing bruises she worked so hard to conceal.

  “I have an errand to run,” he continued. “I’ll be gone a few hours. When I get back, I have a full day planned.”

  “That sounds wonderful.”

  “It does?” He sounded surprised. “You’re not mad that I’m taking so much control?”

  Lilly shrugged, not blaming him for being worried when she thought about her actions over the past week. “A girl does enjoy being courted.”

  Zach hugged her and smiled. “This is going to be a great day.” He moved to the dresser and grabbed some clothes.

  Lilly selected a tank top and jeans for herself, excited by the prospect of the spa staff pampering her. And it was all because of Zach’s thoughtfulness.

  Everything he said and did sounded as if he believed they were in a relationship. Lilly would take that as a good sign. Maybe it meant he would want to continue with it. She had until January to chase happiness.

  Chapter Twenty

  Zach paced across the room as he waited for Lilly to return. He had finished his errands a half hour earlier and expected Lilly to be waiting for him. He told the staff to keep an eye on her. She was safe in the hotel. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to check. Zach rushed to the phone to call the spa. Before he could press a button, the door to the suite opened.

  Lilly breezed into the room. “Just let me slip into my dress, big boy,” she said with a wink. “I’ll be right out.”

  Zach sighed with appreciation as he watched her retreat into the bedroom. She must have been to the beauty parlor. Her hair swept away from her face, held against the back of her head with a crystal barrette. Curls tumbled down her back in soft layers. A hint of strawberry caressed his senses when she sauntered past him.

  Zach sat down and looked at the packages he obtained. Either gift might tip Lilly to the pissed side of the equation. The cane he’d ordered yesterday turned out as good as Zach imagined. It was custom made to Lilly’s exact measurements. Zach’s coconspirator was a helpful sales clerk who copied Lilly’s information and handed it to Zach when Lilly was busy in the dressing room. The cane maker assured him with those numbers he would create something that would fit Lilly like an extra limb.

  As soon as he spotted the shop, Zach knew he needed to purchase one of the handmade walking sticks. It was beautiful, just like his lovely little temptress. Zach paid the man double—incentive for him to work through the night and produce the cane first thing this morning.

  As much as the cane might anger her, the other package was the one he worried about most. Zach would insist she carry it, whether she wanted to or not. He wasn’t about to let her go around without any protection when Charles might be after her. Even if it wasn’t Charles, someone was stalking Lilly. As much as he tried to hide it, the stalker had succeeded in frightening Zach too.

  Lilly cleared her throat, drawing Zach’s attention to the bedroom door. She draped herself against the frame. The lacy cocktail dress fit her like a second skin, and the choker collar emphasized her slender neck.

  The edges of her scarred leg peaked under the skirt when she moved. He knew she was self-conscious about the way her thigh looked, but to him it was a part of her, as attractive as the rest. He didn’t dare say that. It was the sort of comment sure to inflame her fiery personality.

  Damn, but she was stunning.

  She grinned. “I like the suit.”

  Zach crossed the room and kissed her. His breath caught in his throat as he looked at her. How lucky could a guy get? He’d finally broken through Lilly’s defenses, and the reward was to be with her.

  Lilly’s hair shimmered. The smell of strawberries came from it, and Zach sniffed appreciatively before forcing himself to back away. It would be a shame if he tumbled her to the ground right here and messed her hair up before they even left the room. “You look gorgeous.”

  “You’re sure about the dress? If the wind blows...”

  The uncertainty in her voice caught at his heart. She was so strong in so many ways, but when it came to her self-image, Lilly was the most fragile person Zach ever met.

  “Please trust me on this one. You don’t need to worry about that.” He looked into her eyes, willing her to believe him. “You are the most beautiful person I’ve ever known.”

  “Oh, Zach.” She blushed, but the corners of her mouth turned up. “Thank you.”

  “Did you enjoy your morning?”

  “Oh my gosh! Did I ever. You have to get yourself an appointment before we leave. It’s terrific.”

  Zach caught her hand in his and led her over to the couch. “Maybe tomorrow we could go for a couple’s massage.”

  “I thought we were staying in the room all day tomorrow?”

  He grinned. She was so eager to be with him. He brought her hand to his mouth, turning it to kiss the soft skin around her wrist. “We’ll need a break at some point.”

  She chuckled, which did interesting things to the tight-fitting bodice of her dress. “You present a valid point.”

  “I got you something.” Zach nodded toward the packages. “I hope you don’t find it too presumptuous.”

  “More gifts? You’ve given me so much already. It makes me feel like our relationship is one-sided.” She looked deep into his eyes and shook her head. “You don’t need to buy me.”

  He leaned in to her, nibbled at her ear and whispered, “You gave me something nice last night.”

  “Yeah, big boy?” She swatted him away from her with a mischievous smile. “The way I remember it, I received a lot in return.”

  Zach felt the heat rush to his own cheeks. He loved that nickname. “I promise I’ll try to stop buying you things after this.”

  “You’ll try?” She frowned, but Zach could see the smile underneath her stern exterior, waiting to break free.

  He shrugged. “I never claimed to be perfect.”

  “Fine, you win.” She stuck her tongue out at him. “What’s in the boxes?”

  Zach handed her the package containing the cane. Lilly ripped into the silver paper like a kid at Christmas. She opened the box and reached inside, pulling on it until the entire thing was free. Slowly, she rubbed the glossy white pine handle and moved her fingers down to outline the tiny flowers. She examined each pastel butterfly carefully.

  “It’s tailored exactly for your height and arm length and guaranteed to be a perfect fit,” he said.

  “It’s exquisite,” she breathed. Her eyes shined with emotion.

  “Like the woman it was made for.”

  She lunged across the space between them and pressed herself into him, clutching him fiercely. There was no art in her embrace.

  He put his arms around her slender frame, confused by her reaction. He expected anger. If it didn’t go the way of anger, he hoped for sexy appreciation.

  Lilly sniffed. Zach felt a tear fall against his neck.

  She leaned back and wiped her eyes. “This is the most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you.”

  His heart broke a little for her when he realized she really meant that. Sure, Zach had spent some horrible years with a gold-digging wench who didn’t love him, but his family was always there for him. He never had to question how much they loved him. If he could only convince her to allow it, Zach would make sure Lilly never spent another day of her life without feeling loved and appreciated.

 
; “Now for the gift I don’t think you’ll like quite as much,” he said, breaking the mood as he handed her the plain brown box. “Be careful when you open that.”

  Lilly placed it in her lap and eased the flap of the box up. She looked at the object before flicking her gaze back to him. “What is this?”

  He reached across her to pull the palm-sized device out of the box. “A stun gun.”

  “A stun gun? Why?” She looked at him through wide eyes. “Where did you even get it?”

  “I have a friend here who collects them. When I told him about your situation, he said to give this to you. He has a lot of other models if you want something different.”

  Lilly shook her head. “Is this even legal?”

  “Sure.” It was legal most places, anyway. If she ever had a reason to use it, Zach didn’t really give a shit about whether it was legal or not. He’d pay whatever fine he had to if this device saved Lilly from Charles.

  She tilted her head sideways and bit her lip. “You’re worried too, aren’t you? Despite what you said earlier.”

  He sighed. “Yes. Will you please put it in your purse? I’d feel a lot better if I knew you had some form of protection if he ever comes after you.”

  She nodded and took the stun gun back from him. “Show me how to use it and let’s get going. You’ve promised me a real date, big boy.”

  ***

  A stretch limousine awaited them in front of the hotel. A driver opened the door, and Zach handed Lilly into the seat.

  She set her new cane carefully next to her and turned to watch Zach as he sat down. Her joy bubbled over, and she laughed as she stretched her legs out beside him. “So, where are we going?”

  Zach ran his hand along her jaw line and leaned in for a kiss. “It’s a surprise, but I think you’ll like the way we get there.”

  “This limo is nice,” she agreed. It was so much more comfortable than a small car, her leg tucked up under her and constantly feeling the twinge of pain from her thigh.

  Zach steepled his fingers together in front of him, obscuring his crooked grin. “There’s more.”

  He was certainly being mysterious. Lilly leaned against him and watched out the window as the car traversed its way through the busy streets. Trees filled the windows no matter which direction she looked. It was actually quite a beautiful city in that regard.

  The limo pulled into a parking lot sooner than Lilly would have imagined, and the driver opened the door. Zach helped her up, and she stepped onto a red carpet that led to a helicopter.

  Her mouth dropped open. Lilly tightened her grip on Zach’s arm. “Are we going on that?”

  “Just a quick tour,” he said. “Is that okay?”

  Her heart skittered in her chest a moment. She’d always been afraid of heights. At the same time, thoughts of a helicopter ride exhilarated her. She could handle it. “It’ll be wonderful.” She followed him down the carpeted path.

  The beautiful butterfly cane really did seem to be an extra part of her body, and she glided right along. She’d never realized how the fit of her old walking stick wasn’t quite right, just off enough to make using it slightly cumbersome. Trust Zach to be considerate enough to think of a gift such as this. The warm feeling his thoughtfulness created still hadn’t left her.

  Lilly scrambled into the back of the chopper as best she could. She worried she might give the men a show of her lacy panties, but Zach stepped up behind her to block the limo driver’s view.

  He climbed in beside her and handed her a headset. “It’s going to be very noisy in a minute,” he explained. “We’ll need these to talk.”

  She nodded and put it on, trying hard not to squish her hair down. Her nerves kicked up a notch as the engine whined and the propeller turned. She clutched Zach’s hand, afraid her heart would pound right out of her chest.

  Zach pumped his free fist in the air as the craft left the ground. “This is awesome.”

  Lilly’s stomach sank to her knees, and she tried not to be sick. Flying in a helicopter felt nothing like an airplane, but Zach sounded like a child on his first pony ride, and his happiness was contagious.

  The pilot cruised around town, dodging in between the taller buildings and then flying high above the traffic. Lilly tried to trust in the skill of the pilot. Surely, he wouldn’t crash into anything, and she would safely live to see another day.

  They raced above the freeway and turned to follow along an enormous river.

  “That’s the Columbia,” Zach explained, pointing below them. “See all the barges?”

  Lilly peeked down and tried not to think about how high up they were. “Kind of different from your family’s line of boats.”

  “Yeah,” he agreed. “But I always felt partial to the tugboats. Such strong little things.”

  He pointed them out and Lilly saw the smaller crafts, apparently propelling the large barges through the water.

  She snuggled against Zach’s side, her nervousness subsiding with the contact of his body against hers. Zach would never plan anything that would hurt her. The view was quite beautiful, once she allowed herself enjoy it.

  The pilot eventually turned back toward the city, and soon they flew over acres and acres of roses.

  “Look, Zach. The Portland Rose Gardens.” Lilly plucked at the sleeve of his suit. “I’ve always wanted to go there.”

  “Have you really?” he asked with a magnanimous smile. “I’ll remember that for the future.”

  The helicopter returned to the limousine. The landing was slightly less terrifying than she feared it would be. They thanked the pilot and returned to the car.

  “Did you enjoy yourself?” Zach asked.

  Lilly laughed and kissed him. “I have to admit, I was scared at first, but I really liked it.”

  “Good,” he said. “I hope you’re hungry. I’ve planned us a little picnic.”

  “Outside?” It would be so much easier for Charles to spy on them if they picnicked. She thought they would be going to a restaurant.

  He raised an eyebrow. “Where else do people have picnics?”

  “It’s just that I’m nervous. You know, about who might watch us.”

  “I told you, I’m not letting fear rule us. You’ve got your stun gun, and I’ve got my muscle.” He flexed his free arm in a strong man’s pose.

  Lilly laughed. “My hero.”

  “Doesn’t the damsel in distress always kiss the hero when they’re finally together?” He raised an eyebrow.

  “Easy, big boy.” She smiled at him. She couldn’t remember feeling this happy or playful for a very long time. “We’ll have to see how the rest of the date goes.”

  “Oh, trust me. I’ll get lots of kisses for this date.”

  The car pulled to a stop, and Zach helped her out of it.

  Lilly looked around, stunned at where they were. “The Rose Garden? Really?” She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him until they were both breathless.

  He laughed. “Can’t tell you how happy it made me when you were interested in it.”

  “I know this might seem an obvious choice, but roses are my favorite flower.” She strolled along with him as he led her up a path. “Is that too boring?”

  He shook his head. “When you see how many different roses there are, baby, you won’t feel like you’re boring. The trick is, we need to find your favorite one.”

  He led her off the path to a shady area. A man in a white jacket awaited their arrival. “We have to eat out here,” Zach explained, “but then we’ll find your favorite bud.”

  Lilly stepped over the bench with Zach’s help and sat at the picnic table. “This is great.”

  “Once we find your flower they have a band playing down at the amphitheater.” The server handed them each a glass of juice and Zach took a sip. “I thought we could do some dancing. I also made reservations at my favorite restaurant for tonight. They serve almost everything tableside and have live music.” He paused and swallowed hard. “Does that so
und okay?”

  Lilly grinned behind her own glass. She didn’t blame him for being so hesitant, considering her usual behavior, but this really was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for her. “I think I agree with you. The hero in this little scenario is bound to get more kisses.”

  Zach took her face in both hands, kissing her softly. “Excellent.”

  “Excuse me, sir,” the waiter said. “Someone asked me to give this to you.”

  Zach accepted a white envelope from the man, and Lilly’s insides twisted. Only one person would be interested in tracking them down.

  Zach gripped her hand in his, but his eyes scanned the crowd of people entering and exiting the garden. He opened the envelope, reading a piece of paper.

  “What is it?” Lilly asked.

  Zach hesitated before passing her the paper.

  The same block letters as the note from the night before stared at her: ENJOY YOUR DATE, ASSHOLE. IT’S THE LAST TIME YOU’LL BE WITH HER. SHE’S MINE!

  Lilly dropped the letter to the table and gripped Zach’s arm. “We have to leave. He’s watching us.”

  Zach shook his head. “Let him watch. I told you, he’s trying to control us, and I won’t allow it.” He turned to the waiter. “How long ago did this arrive and what did the person look like?”

  “It arrived seconds before you, sir. A little boy gave it to me and said it was for you.”

  Zach’s arm trembled slightly against Lilly’s.

  “Should we call the police again?” she asked.

  “No. We should continue our date.” Zach folded the letter and placed it in his pocket. “We’ll worry about this later.”

  “You can’t be serious? He’s watching us. We should leave.”

  “You said you wanted to be with me.”

  Lilly nodded. “I do. It’s just—”

  “Then let’s show him he can’t shake us. Forget about Charles, enjoy your day with me.” His lips found hers and Lilly leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his waist. “He’s trying to drive us apart so he can get to you, and I’m not letting that happen.”