“Not alone?” Lori asked, with a peculiar smile. “Sure Cass, you can use that room. And for the record, no one thinks you’re a kid. Especially someone.”
Grateful for the remark, but also uncomfortable with it, Cassie returned alone to her sanctuary of glass. If her time was no longer her own she would at least find peace in the clouds.
Three days passed quietly and for Cassie, they passed very slowly. In addition to learning Luther hadn’t been found, there was the fact that Rick hadn’t called again. An inaction noticed by three people. It would have been four had Kevin been present when the first Rick call had come in. But Kevin didn’t appear until the next evening. And he was awfully glad he did. From the moment he met Cassie, Kevin Williams was drawn to her like a magnet.
Kevin had a lot to offer a girl, too, as Lori pointed out. Besides looks that could stop traffic, he was smart and surprisingly old-fashioned. He’d escort both women to dinner and pull their chairs out at the dining table. And, according to Steve, the guy had more money than Fort Knox, which made him a good catch for the right woman. However, Cassie was not the right woman and she quickly made that clear to Steve and Lori.
By evening of the fifth day, their quiet was disturbed by the sound of an engine roaring up the driveway. Kevin had gone on assignment earlier that morning, so Steve knew it was someone unexpected.
After telling Lori to get Cassie out of sight, he opened the door just as Rick came barreling in. One look at Rick’s face and Steve knew something was wrong. He opened his mouth to speak, but soon found himself alone in the foyer watching Rick’s back disappear down the hall.
Rick moved directly to the small room off the library and found who he was looking for—Lori. Just as Steve had read Rick’s thoughts, so did Lori as he put his hands on her shoulders.
Though curious and scared, Lori and Cassie didn’t ask questions. Lori knew from experience not to ask and Cassie’s gut instinct told her to be quiet. Their silence was rewarded with heartache.
“Lori,” Rick’s voice cracked. “Sweetheart, your father’s had a heart attack.”
Steve had entered the room in time to hear “heart attack” and had Lori in his arms before she could react. “What happened?” he asked Rick carefully.
Still breathing hard, Rick cast a glare at Cassie. “Luther Carstairs happened,” he hissed. “Martin’s been working nonstop ever since he heard about this case. This damn, stupid case.” His eyes closed momentarily and reopened them to find Cassie’s eyes were now closed. Pulling his thoughts back to Lori, he stepped closer. “He’s in intensive care,
Lor. You have to hurry.”
With only a small nod to indicate she’d heard him, Lori ran out of the room. Steve started to follow, then stopped. “Will you take Lori to her father, Rick? Kevin isn’t here and I can’t leave.” He glanced at Cassie.
Understanding took hold and Cassie stepped forward. “I’ll be fine alone, please go to Mr. Harris and don’t worry about…”
“Absolutely not!” Rick snapped then lowered his voice. “I’m not leaving you alone.” He turned to Steve. “I know Kevin’s not here, that’s why I’m here. Take Lori now and I’ll be there as soon as I can. Just tell Martin…I…”
He dropped another glare on Cassie as Lori returned. She only stopped long enough to kiss Rick’s cheek before she and Steve rushed out of the room.
Cassie stood motionless. If Martin Harris died, it would be her fault and Rick apparently was thinking the same thing. He stared coldly at her until he muttered words that ripped her heart. “Why the hell did you come here?”
Agony and anger filled Cassie’s thoughts. She knew Rick was hurting, but she also knew he would have been the first one to talk her into turning Luther Carstairs over if she hadn’t done so on her own. And yet, even knowing and understanding both sides it still hurt that he regretted her ever coming forward. Unable to meet his gaze, she quietly left the room.
It was late when Rick made his way upstairs. He was exhausted and the only time he felt truly at peace in the house was when he could escape to the tower room of glass. His concern for Martin was constant, and yet his mind wouldn’t let go of the young woman he’d torn apart with his words. The same young woman he now found asleep in the tower room bed—his bed.
Surprised by her presence, Rick turned to leave when something beneath Cassie’s hand caught his eye. Carefully picking it up, he discovered a small frame with a picture of a slightly younger Cassie and a man who looked vaguely familiar. They stood in front of an airplane. The name CASSIOPEIA printed on the aircraft told Rick this must be Cassie’s father.
Staring at the picture, guilt swept over Rick. The possibility of never seeing Martin again suddenly made him aware that Cassie may have willingly given up the chance of ever seeing her own father again. She’d sacrificed everything and what had he done? Chastised her for having the courage to fight.
He felt sick. He wanted to run, but instead sat in the chair and tried to justify why he needed to be in the same room with her. Helplessly, he tried to keep control of his eyes as they stole glances at her bare shoulder peeking from under the sheet. And while still fighting the desire to touch the strands of hair draped across Cassie’s forehead, Rick mercifully fell asleep.
The moment Rick opened his eyes he felt Cassie’s upon him. He had no idea how long he’d been asleep or worse yet, how long she’d been awake and watching him.
“This is your room,” she stated softly. “Now I understand why Lori acted so funny when I asked if I could stay in here.”
“Yeah, I like this room,” Rick acknowledged. Small talk never worked well with him. He was about to stand when a tear running down Cassie’s cheek stopped him dead in his tracks. Maybe she needed one of those hugs he so desperately wanted. Shaking his thoughts free he leaned back. “You can stay here though, I’ll be leaving soon anyway.” His voice sounded strange to him. Did it to her? “Are you getting along with Kevin okay?”
Cassie nodded slightly. “He’s nice enough. And he thinks very highly of you. He told me you kept him from getting killed once or twice.”
Rick’s brow creased. “You two have been spending a lot of time together by the sound of it.”
“Not really.” Cassie shrugged. “He and I took a walk and he talked about you. I gathered you took a fresh kid under your wing just as Martin Harris once did with you.”
The look on Rick’s face would have been funny to Cassie had her situation not been so serious. His mouth had dropped and he looked like a little boy seeing a new bicycle. But his response was Rick through and through. “You have a lot of insight for one so young, Miss Dahlgren.”
“I’m not so young, Mr. Jarrett,” Cassie retorted with playful sarcasm. Just a bit of wit, she told herself. No, just a bit of stupidity.
Leaning forward, Rick rested his elbows on his knees and stared at her a moment. “Okay, maybe you’re not so young. But, you’re not so old as to know how it feels to have someone take you in and help you become a good and decent person. I was a mess when Martin found me, but he saw someone good deep inside me and brought him out.” He paused briefly then actually chuckled. When he looked back at Cassie, they both seemed ready to cry. “You want to know something funny? In all the years I’ve known Martin, he’s never once called me by my first name. It’s always been ‘Jarrett’ this or ‘Jarrett’ that. It was like he didn’t want to use Rick for fear of becoming too familiar or something.”
“Too familiar?” Cassie questioned then shook her head. “No, I don’t think that was it at all. I believe he wanted you to think of him as a friend and not just as a boss or father figure. A father wouldn’t call his son by his last name. So by calling you Jarrett, you were friends. I remember when he first sent me up to ‘Jarrett’ he had a smile on his face. It impressed me that a boss thought so highly of his employee. It was like he wanted you to want to like him for him. Does that make sense?”
Thinking she’d said too much because Rick’s face had once again
taken on a strange look, Cassie lowered her eyes. She couldn’t have known that he had just fallen completely and hopelessly in love with the little witness in front of him. Or that all he wanted in life lay only a few inches from his grasp. But Rick knew his feelings would never surface because he wouldn’t allow it. He’d seen too many relationships start to form in these situations and viewed them as accidents waiting to happen.
Very often the protected came to rely on the protector with disastrous results. One exception had been Steve and Lori, although in that particular case it had been the protectors who had fallen in love with each other. Maybe it was a way of dealing with the loneliness. Kevin was forever falling for the pretty faces he was assigned to keep safe, and while there was no doubt Rick had his share of pretty faces surrounding him he was too much the tough-as-nails professional to let it claim him.
Physical beauty aside, to Rick Jarrett, Cassandra Dahlgren wasn’t just a pretty face. Her willingness to put herself in danger proved she held the same respect for truth and honor as he strived for. He would miss her when this job was over. As he fought the emotions running wildly through him, the phone ringing silenced his thinking and his feelings.
“Yeah?” he answered urgently.
The call lasted less than a minute and when it ended, Rick stared at Cassie briefly before he leaned back and closed his eyes against the world. Then almost immediately he stood and moved to the window. Rocking back and forth on his heels he didn’t cry or smile. He didn’t confirm Martin’s death nor did he tell her Martin was alive. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t do anything.
Not sure what to think, Cassie moved to his side and gently put her hand on his arm. “Rick?”
Now Rick did react. Still staring out the window he placed his hand over Cassie’s. “Martin’s going to make it,” he gasped, holding her hand tightly.
“Oh, thank God,” Cassie whispered, bowing her head. “Will you tell Lori I’m happy for her and that I’m sorry for the pain I’ve caused by all this and—”
In a flash Rick had his hands on Cassie’s shoulders, squeezing softly. “This wasn’t your fault. You didn’t cause this.” She tried to back away, but he wouldn’t let her. Knowing she felt guilty and knowing he was the reason why, Rick couldn’t let her go just yet. “I’m sorry for what I said either that was, uh, to the contrary.” He moved his hands from her shoulders to the sides of her neck. The feel of her skin tingled beneath his fingers. He wanted more.
“But you said it yourself, I am the one who started all of this…” Cassie started to argue more, then quieted as the electricity of Rick’s fingers moving along her jawline sent waves of confusion and excitement through her.
“Shhh,” he soothed. He watched helplessly as his thumbs traced the outline of her lips, gliding gently over the mouth that he needed to feel on, in and over his. Not one to be a coward, Rick felt like one as he began lowering his head to accept what he hoped willingly waited for him. The softness and strength of this young woman, Cassandra called Cassie.
From a distance, an observer wouldn’t have noticed the couple moving forward into a kiss, but the moment a sound from downstairs distracted them, they felt as though they were pulled miles apart.
The distinct and very aggravating sound of a familiar voice floated up the stairs.
“Hey, anyone home?” Kevin shouted happily. “I’m back and I brought donuts!”
“Damn it!” Rick hissed, stepping backward, looking at Cassie’s surprised face. He was mad at Kevin for interrupting them, but more than that, he was mad at himself. He’d almost broken his own rule of never getting involved with the protected. And in the process he never heard the approach of the intruder who luckily turned out to be Kevin. “Some bodyguard I am. I didn’t even know he was in the house!”
“It’s all right.” Cassie tried to be calming.
“The hell it is,” Rick snapped, “Martin almost died! If anything happened to you now it would be for nothing!”
Not sure what that statement meant, Cassie also backed away a couple steps. “It’s Kevin, he knows what this house is and he knows how to get inside without detection. I’m sure you could do the same thing.” She batted her long lashes playfully. “Aren’t you adept at being deft?”
The realization of what he’d almost done not only to himself but to Cassie was too much for Rick. He didn’t smile at her attempt to calm him. Instead he scowled. “At least if Kevin’s back I can get the hell away from here.” The sound of the words hit Rick at the same time and he closed his eyes. “Hey, I didn’t mean…”
“I know what you meant,” Cassie said forcing her voice to be steady. “You want to be with your friend. That’s understandable. It’s where you should have been from the start. Please tell Lori I’m praying for her father’s quick recovery.” Waiting until Rick’s eyes were clearly focused on hers, Cassie shot him daggers. “Goodbye, Jarrett.”
Irritated by his own lack of control, Rick managed one word under his breath. “Touché.”
With only a slight nod, he then left Cassie alone in the room of clouds and broken dreams. A room she now wished she had never entered.
Chapter Three
The following week passed quietly—too quietly. Rick would call to check in with Kevin, and once when Cassie answered the phone, he asked polite questions before requesting to speak with Kevin. He briefly scolded her for answering the phone again, but other than that, his conversation had been all business.
In the time since Rick left, Cassie had tried to set her priorities in life. She knew her stay with these people would be temporary and yet when all of this was over, where would she go?
During the week, she’d kept to herself hoping to cope, but when thoughts of never seeing her father or another outside individual again finally caught up with Cassie, Kevin found her crying by the pool.
“Hey, what’s this?” Kevin asked kneeling beside her. “You can’t add water to the pool this way.” His dumb joke brought results and Cassie smiled. He pushed a little more. “You want to talk about it?”
Cassie shook her head. “There’s not much to say, Kev. I was thinking about Lori almost losing her father and it just made me think how much I miss mine.” Lifting her chin, she frowned at his expression. “What?”
Kevin gently touched her arm. “I’m afraid you’d make a terrible poker player, Cassie,” he said looking intently at her. “This isn’t about your father at all. It’s about Rick, isn’t it?”
Not bothering to deny Kevin’s statement, Cassie nodded. “Look at me,” she said disgustedly. “I haven’t cried this much since I was sixteen years old and that was only because Dad grounded me for trying to borrow something without permission.”
“Grounded you?” Kevin asked with exaggerated curiosity. “What’d you try to borrow?”
“A helicopter,” Cassie answered sheepishly.
When she didn’t laugh, Kevin realized she was serious. “A helicopter? You tried to borrow a helicopter? Man oh man, Cassandra, I’m glad you weren’t attracted to me.”
“Don’t say that,” Cassie said, no longer smiling. She understood Kevin’s intentions and was grateful. He was a nice guy, this Kevin Williams, and she certainly wouldn’t take out her troubles on him again. “I think you’re wonderful.”
“You’re pretty wonderful yourself, little miss.” Kevin’s smile had also faded. “And I’ll tell you a secret. Getting romantically involved under these conditions really is dangerous. You think it’s real and yet when the assignment ends you find out it’s not. And it hurts.” Taking both of her hands, he pulled Cassie to her feet. “Come on, let’s forget about Rick and everyone I’ve ever thought I was in love with and go swimming.”
“I can’t,” she protested. “I don’t have a swimming suit.”
“Not a problem,” he assured. “I’m sure there’s something around here you can use.”
* * * * *
Another week passed, but it had been much nicer now that Cassie and Kevin were able
to talk freely. He knew how she felt toward him and more importantly how she felt toward Rick, so he relaxed when around her.
When evening came so did unexpected company. Kevin and Cassie were in the front parlor when they heard an approaching engine. As a precaution, Kevin was leading Cassie into hiding when the door opened and Steve walked in.
“Hi, people,” he said lightly.
As if he were a longtime friend, Cassie ran to hug him. “Oh hi, how’s Martin? And where’s Lori? Why are you here? And where’s—”
“Hold on,” Steve said, holding up his hands. “Any more questions and we’ll make you a detective. Martin’s much better and Lori’s with Rick.” He looked at Kevin. “You know, of course, you leave tomorrow?” The other man nodded and Steve returned his attention to Cassie. “Kevin’s got another assignment coming up, so—”
“Rick sent you to do his dirty work,” Cassie finished sourly.
“I don’t consider you dirty work,” Steve laughed.
Still frowning, Cassie huffed, “That’s not the point. You should be with Lori, she needs you and if that self-centered jerk thinks he can—”
“Cassandra called Cassie,” a smooth, rich voice glided across the room.
Cassie turned to find the voice’s owner leaning in the doorway wearing his trademark smirk and holding Martin by the arm. Lori stood on the other side of Martin next to a tall man with red hair and wire-rimmed glasses.
Surprised and happy at seeing Martin, Cassie rushed to greet him, but stopped when Rick stepped in front of her.
“Easy, girl,” he said holding up his hands. “Martin’s much better, but I don’t think he’s ready for a bear hug just yet. Come here, I want you to meet someone. Cassandra Dahlgren, this is, Dr. Rufus Muldoon, who for obvious reasons we call Doc.”
My ShadowMy Love Page 3
