by Nikki Larson
His behavior made Jaxton suddenly wary. It was probably nothing. But now Jaxton’s guard was up. And something about the officer looked vaguely familiar… “Sure,” he said, belying his feelings and motioning for the man to come inside.
Officer Raleigh’s head was twisting like an owl’s, taking in his surroundings. “Very nice,” he said. “I like the grays and whites together, with the splashes of color from the flowers.”
“Yeah,” Jaxton said as his vision clouded over. He stood facing the officer and grasped the back of a bar stool for balance. He looked at Officer Raleigh’s face, and saw nothing beyond that. And suddenly he knew where he’d seen him before. In his dreams.
Chapter 21
Jaxton had been on her mind all morning. She found herself daydreaming about him, musing about his sweet protectiveness towards her, salivating over his good looks. Funny how the mind was such a powerful thing. It could make you feel like you were right there with someone when you weren’t. She could practically smell his musk-scented Paco Rabanne vintage aftershave. With his old-fashioned preferences, he smelled like no one else. And his natural scent was to-die-for, too. So appealing. So manly. Not everyone smelled right to her, but Jaxton did.
And now she was making herself laugh from embarrassment.
“Where are you going?” her mom asked when Sylvia finally made her way downstairs.
“To Jaxton’s,” she said quickly grabbing her purse and cell phone and heading next door. There was a path forged between their houses now, from years of traipsing back and forth. A secret path, that only she and her brother and Jaxton knew about.
“I like him,” her mother called out happily.
“I know you do,” Sylvia called back with a laugh.
It was only a few minutes later when she was at his door. Strangely, the side gate was unlocked. She had a key with her, but she’d decided to check first to see if the gate was locked and secured. It wasn’t. She’d have to mention that to Jaxton later.
Stepping on the granite doorstep and ringing the doorbell which played a drawn-out lyrical tone, making it sound more like a grandfather clock, Sylvia waited for him to answer the door.
She could hear shuffling and two masculine voices before the door opened. She was surprised to see an officer standing there with Jaxton. But she shouldn’t have been. She remembered he said he’d report the stranger who’d been up to no good in his back yard.
“This is Sylvia,” Jaxton introduced her.
The officer nodded his greeting. “You are the one who saw the person in this gentleman’s back yard?”
Sylvia cast a glance at Jaxton and waited for his approval before she answered. “Yes, it was me. But I didn’t see him, really. Only a blur – a quick dark blur out of the corner of my eye, and then he was gone. Jaxton thought I’d seen a bird,” she ended with a guffaw.
By the look in Jaxton’s eyes she shouldn’t have mentioned that.
“It wasn’t a bird,” Jaxton stated firmly.
“No, I wouldn’t imagine it was,” Officer Raleigh said. “Not if you saw a figure of a man.” He scrunched up his face in disdain. “May I ask you a few questions?” he asked Sylvia.
Shrugging her shoulders, she agreed. “Sure.”
“Do you have any enemies, any people who might want to harm you?”
“Why does everybody keep asking me that?” she bemoaned.
Behind the officer’s head, she could see Jaxton’s eyes widen and his head shake a vigorous No. Wow, she wasn’t getting anything right today.
“She’s a Fangram sensation,” Jaxton offered helpfully.
Sylvia shot him a glance, right back at him. A glance that said he was doing no better than she was.
“Oh really?” the officer replied, and Sylvia thought she saw a smirk there on his face but she couldn’t be sure.
“Yes, a fitness guru,” Jaxton told him. “She does all these great exercise videos and yoga poses. She’s a real pro. Fans love her.”
“I’m sure they do,” Officer Raleigh agreed. He nodded approvingly. “I would imagine she would draw a great number of people with questionable intentions as well.”
Sylvia cringed underneath his sweeping gaze. It should be against the law for someone to look her up and down like that. Especially someone as unappealing as this man, she thought, looking at his unkempt hair and rough, pimple-pockmarked face. She shuddered. She couldn’t help it. He gave her the heebie-jeebies.
“I’d like to have a look around your property,” the officer said. “Do you mind if I go and have a look?” he recommended as he headed toward the back door.
“No, not at all,” Jaxton agreed, taking Sylvia’s hand and following Officer Raleigh as he exited out the French doors.
The weather was pleasant, just the perfect temperature, Sylvia noted as she took in the glorious surroundings. The pristine water below, the jagged rocks sticking out of the ocean and peeking up near the shoreline, the blue sky dotted with puffy clouds – it was all so picture-perfect, she had to sigh with wonder. The spectacular view never failed to impress her, though she saw it nearly every day.
“Where’s the camera?” the officer asked, though he seemed to have no problem exploring on his own. It bothered Sylvia how he just took charge and took over. Something was off about him – she was almost sure of it.
“I have five back here,” Jaxton told him. “One above, on the second-floor balcony,” he said, pointing it out. “One on the other side, near that window,” he said. “Two here, looking out on either side of the pool.” He turned to face the house. “And one here, on the side of the house near the dining room window.”
“I see,” the officer said as a scowl came across his face. He squinted at the nearest camera and shielded his eyes with his hand to protect himself from the glare of light reflecting off the windows. He checked around the bushes, the planters, and the pool area before coming up empty.
Once inside, the officer asked to see the surveillance footage before he left. “Quite unusual,” was his only comment.
“I’ll be keeping in touch,” he said afterwards, when he was at the front door ready to leave. “Let you know if we find anything. Any new leads and whatnot. I’ll send an officer to patrol your street during the night tonight and for a few days beyond. Keep you safe.”
Jaxton nodded his agreement and voiced his thanks and together he and Sylvia watched Officer Raleigh leave the property.
And all she could think of was that she didn’t believe a word that officer said.
Chapter 22
“Well, now what?” Jaxton asked her as he reached for her hand and led her back inside.
“I can think of a few things,” she replied.
“Oh, yeah?” he asked. He practically dragged her to the living room. Once there, he playfully yanked on her arm, making her fall into his arms. Holding her tightly, he crushed his lips onto hers.
The intensity of his response to her not-so-innocent suggestion caught her by surprise, if her gasp was any indication.
It delighted him that she was taken aback. He’d show her just how much he wanted her, he thought as he kissed her even more deeply. She tasted of raspberries and chocolate – her new favorite splurge. She’d been allowing herself to indulge once in a while on this organic candy they found together at White’s Grocery Store. He grasped her shoulders and touched his warm lips to her slender neck. Her scent was like gardenias and vanilla, a heady mixture, and Jaxton felt himself surrendering to his passion.
She was responding to him, kissing him back with such abandon that he could have taken her right there. But no, that wouldn’t be right, he had to remind himself. She wasn’t his to take. He had to take things slowly, stay in the right headspace. Calm down. Breathe.
“What?” she asked when he drew back.
“You’re just too good,” he responded huskily.
She cast him a glance of disappointment, but he would not let himself be persuaded.
“We need to wait,” he
told her, his voice catching in his throat. “It will be better if we wait.”
The hurt in her eyes was killing him.
“Look,” he said, trying to explain. “Of course I find you desirable. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted in a woman. Your sparkling blue eyes, your wavy brown hair, your perfect features – and that’s just the physical. I love you,” he said earnestly. “I love everything about you. I admire you as a person, as a career woman. You’re remarkable, the way you know how to work the system.”
Her mouth dropped open in response. “Work the system?” she echoed. “That sounds like I’m some sort of opportunist.” Her eyes narrowed into slits.
“Now, don’t be mad.” His heart fell at his own choice of words. “I didn’t mean it like that.” He nearly slipped right back into their usual routine of jabbing each other just for fun, but he wanted this moment to remain serious, important – meaningful. He swallowed hard and tried again to explain. “I meant it in the most flattering way. It’s great how you use the internet to your advantage. I mean, people love you. Not like I love you, but….” He was floundering, saying everything wrong.
When she placed a hand on his cheek, he nearly flinched, thinking she just might slap him.
But her smile was warm and sincere, and her eyes danced with delight. “Jaxton,” she said, her voice full of sweetness. “I know you have good intentions. Thank you for all the compliments. I didn’t mean to jump to conclusions. You just don’t always say things right.”
“You mean I put my foot in my mouth?” It hurt him to admit it.
“Yeah, you could say that,” she agreed happily. She tapped a finger on his nose.
Disgusted, he looked away from her gaze. “Great,” he groaned. This was not going at all like he had hoped.
“I know you were trying to be romantic,” she said. “And I appreciate that.” She searched his face, trying to get him to smile.
“But apparently I failed,” he said. Disappointment wafted up in his soul and stuck there like a popcorn kernel in his throat.
“Don’t you dare say that,” Sylvia scolded him. “You are everything I’ve ever wanted in a man, and I love you.”
“You what?” he asked, blinking in disbelief.
“I love you,” she said again, more strongly this time. “Jaxton Braun, My Sexy Billionaire, you are a dream come true. You are my knight in shining armor, my dream man.”
“Oh, so I’m a dream man now, am I?” He couldn’t stifle a laugh, couldn’t hold back the mocking tone of his words.
“You are,” she insisted. She playfully squeezed his bicep. “See this strength here? This raw, appealing power? I die for it….” Her eyes were full of fire and mischief, and her touch sent a shiver down his spine.
She dies for it. Ha! he scoffed to himself.
He wanted to resort right back to their familiar playful banter, to mock her – to make fun of himself, even, with all those compliments she was tossing around.
He wanted to tell her she was the romantic one, the one who knew the right words to say at the right time, in the right tone.
But there was no time for that.
And he’d only mess it all up.
So there was only one thing he could do at the moment, and that was take her into his arms once again and kiss her full on the lips.
Chapter 23
“There’s something I have to tell you.”
Jaxton’s words caught her by surprise. They were in the middle of a photo session so she could fulfill her to-do list of all the FanGram posts she’d wanted to complete. And they’d made good progress over the past week. She’d finished her lighthearted handstand-pose post, her meal plan featuring healthy salads, her inspirational word post (that was easy) and her ankle-weights workout video. All she had left was to have Jaxton help her with her yoga poses, which he was doing right now.
“Can it wait?” she said with a laugh. “I mean, we’re kind of in the middle of things here.”
“Sure,” he said, but she could tell something was truly bothering him. It was going to put a damper on the photo session.
“You’re messing with my mood,” Sylvia told him. “I’m supposed to be a smiling, happy, fitness guru to attract all the fans.” She was only half-kidding. She slid off of his feet and stood over him while he lay on the floor on his back. “I’m supposed to be a role model, full of life and positivity.”
“I know that. I’m sorry,” he apologized, getting to his feet. “Continue,” he offered. “What do you need me to do next?”
“Nothing,” she said. “The mood is lost.” She couldn’t help but scowl. But if something was bothering him, it was best they get it out in the open and deal with it now. “It’s fine,” she reassured him when she saw the disappointment in his eyes. She offered him a brilliant smile. If her fans deserved her best, Jaxton deserved it all the more.
“You sure?” he asked, glancing at her and walking towards the window.
Sylvia followed, standing beside him. The breeze was gently blowing the palm fronds in the wind. She always did love the view from the exercise room. It was up in the tower, the highest room in the house. She called it his Rapunzel room, and she was grateful he made it available to her so she could complete the FanGram posts she was so intent on finishing.
She moved to wrap her arms around him from behind and whisper in his ear: “I think I’m getting a little bit obsessive,” she apologized.
“About what?” he asked.
“About my FanGram business and completing all these posts,” she confided in him. “I’m sorry. I’ve been pushing us too hard. I’ve been too focused. I’ve forgotten what’s important. And what’s important is us.” She kissed him lightly on the cheek. Maybe then he’d forgive her.
“I like that about you, though,” Jaxton told her. “I love your ambition, your drive, your focus,” he said, turning around to face her. He placed a hand on her cheek and looked tenderly into her eyes. “That’s what I want to talk to you about,” he said.
“It is?” Now she was confused. She took his hand and led him to the chaise lounge in the corner of the room. “Okay,” she said, sitting and facing him. “Tell me what’s been bothering you.” She loved that he felt like he could talk to her about anything and everything at any time of the day. She shouldn’t have minded that he was interrupting their photo shoot.
“I’ve been having these dreams,” he confided in her.
“Dreams?” she asked.
“Yes, about you,” he replied.
“That’s a good thing,” she said lightly. “I have dreams about you, too.”
“No,” he corrected her. “Not like that. Disturbing dreams. Frightening dreams. Dreams about you getting in harm’s way.”
“Harm’s way?” she echoed. “You mean I am in danger?”
“Yes,” he told her. His eyes were intense, his face serious.
“Oh, come on now,” she said, reaching out to give his shoulder a shove. “Dreams don’t come true.”
“They do,” he countered. “Sometimes mine do.”
Her eyes narrowed. Surely he couldn’t be serious. “Really?” she asked, swallowing hard. “But that’s nonsense.” She searched his face, was drawn to his sculptured features and his manly five-o’clock shadow. “Isn’t it?”
“I don’t know, Sylvia,” Jaxton replied. “I just don’t know.” His face clouded over with fear and concern and his eyes stayed steady on hers. “That’s the problem. Sometimes my dreams come true and sometimes they don’t. So I pray about them to see which ones I am supposed to pay attention to and which ones are just… like you said, nonsense.”
Sylvia hated the way this conversation was going. It was just like Jaxton to put too much stock into what God might be saying, and what his dreams might mean. “I think they’re all nonsense,” she said as gently as she could muster. She reached out to touch Jaxton’s arm, to bring him back to reality. “They’re all just… dreams. Not real. You know….” She shrugged her shoulders
to make light of it all.
“But if the dream I’m having about you is real, you are in grave danger,” he told her.
Why did he have to word it like that? So serious. So ominous. “You’re scaring me,” she told him. “And I don’t like to be scared. I can’t live my life in fear, Jaxton.” She was pleading with him to understand her perspective. “Why would you even tell me something like that?” She stood and paced the room, then paused to stand by the window. The dark clouds building outside seemed to invade her heart, squelching all her good feelings, all of her joy.
“Because I don’t want you to get hurt,” he told her. He came to join her by the window and placed a protective hand on her shoulder. She could feel his hot breath on her face as he spoke. “I think it has to do with that guy who told you he was a TV producer. The one who gave you his business card. Or maybe those kidnappers. Remember them? When they tried to kidnap that little girl? Thank goodness we were there,” Jaxton told her. He grabbed her arms at the elbow and looked into her eyes. “You have to be careful, Sylvia. I know you have great ambitions and plans, but promise me you won’t have anything to do with that TV show. I don’t think it’s real. Or, if it is real, it’s still going to be trouble. I feel it in my bones.”
“You feel it in your bones,” she mocked him. “Oh, come on now, Jaxton. You are being ridiculous.” She pulled away from his restrictive grasp. “Maybe it’s Satan who is giving you these terrible dreams, whatever they are.” He hadn’t even told her what was in them, and now she didn’t care to know. “Maybe it’s Satan who wants me to give up my dreams and succumb to fear. He wants to paralyze me and keep me from flourishing, from achieving my dreams. Is that it?”
“I don’t know,” Jaxton answered, looking distressed. “I just care about you, that’s all.”
Sylvia watched his shoulders droop and it only infuriated her more.
“If you care about me, then just let me be!” she yelled as she ran out of the room, down the stairs, and out of the house.
