Cyd gave herself a once-over in the hotel room mirror, pleased with her choice to wear an elegant black floor-length gown and stylish black stilettos with only earrings for accessories. Her hair was pulled to the side with soft curls flowing over her right shoulder and pinned with a delicate Swarovski crystal clip. She took out her blueberry lipstick to retouch her original application when she heard the hotel door open.
“You look absolutely stunning,” Shawn said as he entered the room and walked straight toward her, pulling her into his embrace.
“And you look extremely sexy, Agent Miles,” she said as she gave him a quick peck on the lips, careful not to mess up her second application. Shawn had gotten a fresh haircut and trimmed his goatee, giving him a very clean-shaven look. It was hard not to want to sex the man senseless when he wore a classic black tuxedo and fashionable dress shoes, enhancing his natural sex appeal.
Shawn stepped back to admire the entire length of her outfit, his sea-blue eyes piercing through her and igniting the fire between her center. “I’m a lucky man,” he said as he pulled her back to him and planted a hard kiss on her lips. Within seconds, she forgot all about the fact that she was trying not to mess up her lipstick.
They’d been spending every waking minute together since they’d left Tennessee and although they hadn’t had a conversation about officially being in a relationship, it was a proved fact between their friends and family that they were definitely an item. It wasn’t in either of their characters to have an official conversation confirming their relationship since with them, words had never been necessary.
On occasion, they introduced one another as boyfriend and girlfriend, but Shawn hadn’t said the three magic words that Cyd longed to hear. Quite frankly, she worried that given his past, he was afraid to express his love to her for fear that something would happen to her. She honestly couldn’t blame him since that fact had unfortunately been proved true with his parents and TJ.
“Was everything okay while I was gone?” Shawn asked, although he’d only been away from the room for thirty minutes.
“Let’s see,” Cyd said as she curled her arms around his neck. “You have two guards at my door and every five minutes they knock to see if I’m okay. Don’t you think you’re going a little overboard with this 24/7 watch idea?”
“Absolutely not,” Shawn said as he placed sweet kisses along her collarbone. “There’s no such thing as too much protection.”
Cyd put her hands on her hips and gave him a look of disbelief. “Seriously!”
He didn’t say anything, but he crossed his arms over his chest and observed her stance. Crap, he always likes it when I stand this way.
“I need you to focus,” Cyd said as she took a few steps back from him. “Forget I asked the question. Let’s just head to the formal.”
“Um...no,” he said firmly. “You know how I get when you put your hands on your hips like that.” When her back hit the wall, she had nowhere else to go.
Just like that, she felt the sexual tension in the room rise to a higher level. She gazed into his eyes and realized he was at the point of no return. Shawn took another step closer to her and continued his original mission by placing wet kisses on her neck before his lips and tongue ventured to the top of her breasts.
“Shawn, we have to get to the ballroom for the formal,” she said again, more breathlessly than before. Her words only made him kiss her quicker and in more places. His hands bunched her gown in his fists before they walked up her thighs, one hand pushing her panties aside and landing on her essence. Her thigh lifted on its own accord, landing in the palm of his hand at the same time that he stuck one of his fingers from his free hand precisely in her core. There, he moved his finger in and out until she was wet to his satisfaction. Then he added another finger, playing with her clit at the same time.
“Shawn...” She moaned when she felt herself shiver at the sign that a strong orgasm was right around the corner. She gripped his neck tighter as he took his finger completely out before dipping back into her dripping-wet core. After a few more tweaks of his fingers, she released a forceful orgasm, crying into the ceiling as she did. Only then did she release her grip on his neck.
Shawn grabbed a piece of cloth out his pocket and dabbed her center clean. “Hmm, maybe I should take a quick shower,” she said when she noticed remnants of her juices on his hands.
“You don’t need one,” Shawn said as he licked his fingers clean. “Most of your juices are on my hand. Besides,” he continued. “I plan on finishing what I started after the formal and after I’m finished with you, you’ll definitely need a shower.”
“Point taken,” Cyd said as she sashayed to the bathroom to freshen up. After ten minutes of washing up and refreshing her makeup, they were finally ready to head to the formal. As they walked into the ballroom, Cyd admired the great work her and her team had done. The simple, yet classy, decorations definitely made a statement and Mr. Vallant had expressed his utmost gratitude for everything she and her team had accomplished on such short notice.
A lot of the attendees were still arriving, but her parents and partners had arrived early.
“Cydney, I’d like to officially introduce you to my partner, Micah Madden,” Shawn said as Micah extended his hand. Of course, Cyd already knew who he was, but she’d never been introduced to him properly.
“I’m going to survey the premises,” Shawn said as he kissed her cheek. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“Okay,” Cyd said as she resumed conversing with her family. Ten minutes into the conversation, she excused herself to check with the caterer. She’d only taken a few steps before she noticed Micah hot on her tail. She ignored him at first and continued toward the kitchen. After her conversation with the caterer, she walked over to Mr. Vallant and the executive team to make sure they knew their speaking order for the awards portion of the night.
“Did you need something?” she asked, although she had a pretty good idea why he was still following her. Micah just looked at her and offered a quick smile before his face turned stoic again.
“Seriously,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. “Even during tonight’s event, Shawn wants someone watching me at all times. I thought I only needed to be watched before and after the formal ceremony?”
“I’m just following orders,” Micah said, as if that answered everything.
“Sure you are,” Cyd said as she let out a frustrated breath. “Look, I still have to talk with a couple contributors who are presenting their success stories to the crowd in an hour. Can you do me a favor and actually say something when I approach them?”
“What do you want me to say?” Micah asked.
“I don’t know,” Cyd said as she wailed her arms. “I know you’re usually more lively than this, so how about you actually introduce yourself this time?”
“I can do that,” Micah said right before she met the next group.
“Hi, I’m Micah,” Micah said awkwardly as she approached everyone. Could he sound more monotone? Cyd thought as she shot him a look of irritation. She figured Shawn must have told him to act professional because she’d definitely seen Micah more relaxed. After she finished speaking with the group, she tracked down her sister, Imani, and brother-in-law, Daman.
“Daman, do you know Micah?”
“Uh, yes,” Daman said as if he could tell she was fishing for something.
“Great! I need you to tell him to back off.” Cyd watched Daman and Micah share a head nod before he answered her with a solid, “No!” Imani began laughing until Cyd shot her a death stare that made her stop laughing instantly.
Cyd glanced over at Micah, who was now wearing a smug look on his face. This is going to be a long night, she thought as she grabbed a glass of wine from one of the passing waiters.
* * *
“Malik, this
is Shawn. Have you found anything yet?” Shawn asked from inside a secure room down the hallway from the main hotel ballroom.
“Not yet,” Malik said on the other line. “I haven’t seen any red flags, but I’m still making it through the second list you gave me. So far everyone’s been clean.”
“Dang, okay,” Shawn said as he shook his head. Waiting for Malik to find something when there may be nothing left to find was truly an agonizing process. “Man, call me if anything changes.”
“I always do.”
Shawn hung up the phone and reminded a few of his security men to make sure they kept their eyes open. The FBI and P.D. were no longer involved in the case since they’d already resolved what they needed to solve or conclude in the resolution of the case. Truth be told, he didn’t think that either government team even cared about Cydney’s safety since so many people involved were already behind bars.
Shawn made his way down the hallway to the main ballroom. “Hey, Micah,” he said, tapping him on his shoulder. “We’re switching positions.”
Cydney turned at the sound of his voice and lifted one eyebrow. “If it isn’t Prince Charming here to relieve his loyal follower,” she said in a sarcastic voice. Evidently, she didn’t think she needed protection during the formal ceremony. Micah mouthed good luck before leaving the ballroom.
From the way she was glaring at him, he was going to need a whole lot of luck. She was an independent woman in every sense of the word, so he knew this was hard for her. “Well, rest assured that the way I plan on protecting you will be a helluva lot better than Micah,” he whispered, briefly kissing her behind her ear.
“Is that a promise?” she asked, softening the hard defense exterior she’d apparently built upon learning she wouldn’t go anywhere at the formal without an escort. “I missed you,” she said as she played with the collar of his shirt. Shawn was in the middle of his response when he noticed her looking past his shoulders at something that had gotten her attention.
He glanced over his shoulder and spotted Brittany Higgins walking into the event way past fashionably late.
“Don’t worry about her,” he said when he turned back to Cydney. “By now she’s probably heard that we’re dating.”
“Is that all we’re doing?” Cydney asked him questionably.
“No, that’s not all we’re doing,” Shawn answered, realizing that the sight of Brittany had made her uneasy. “You’re the only woman for me, Cydney.” He gently grabbed the bottom of her chin. “I can’t imagine being with anyone else.” Although he’d realized he loved and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her before they’d left the cabin, he didn’t feel like now was the best time to tell her.
“Do you mean that?” she asked as she searched his eyes for confirmation.
“Absolutely,” he said as he leaned down to give her a kiss, not caring that there were many onlookers and people from the media there to witness the moment. By the time they stopped kissing, he’d had his Cydney back. His. He loved the sound of that.
Mr. Vallant walked over after the kiss. “You know,” he said, slapping Shawn on the back. “I have a rule against people dating in my company. But I guess since you both are contract employees with tonight being your last day, I’ll make an exception.” The three of them shared a laugh.
“That was some kiss,” Kim Lathers said to Shawn and Cydney after Mr. Vallant left.
“Oh, man, that was hot,” said Verona, joining them, as well. “And, Cydney,” Verona said as she opened her purse and moved around a few things before pulling out a black bracelet. “Before I forget, I found this in the bathroom. Isn’t this yours?”
“Yes, it is, thank you,” Cydney exclaimed before studying the piece and sliding it back on her wrist. Shawn watched Cydney search the room, apparently searching for someone.
“I never did understand women and purses,” Shawn said to try to distract Cydney as he watched Verona struggle to stuff a few contents back into her clutch. Shawn knew who Cydney was searching for because he was trying to find the same person.
“Men don’t need to understand,” Cydney said as both women joined her in laughter. Once Cydney was engaged in a conversation with the women, Shawn finally spotted Brittany and detected that she wasn’t too happy with their open display of affection. She was at the bar with a drink in her hand, glaring at them from across the room.
“Did you see the look on Brittany’s face after y’all kissed?” Kim asked Cydney.
“Not really,” Cydney responded.
“Goodness,” Kim exclaimed. “She practically burned a hole straight through you guys,” she said to Shawn and Cydney as Verona nodded her head in agreement. Maybe I really shouldn’t have flirted back at her, Shawn thought, although he couldn’t change the past now. But he definitely knew he had to keep his eye on Brittany. She originally hadn’t been on his radar, but now that he thought about it, no one was ruled out.
“She makes me feel uncomfortable,” Cydney exclaimed after Kim and Verona left.
“Ignore her,” Shawn said as he led her to another corner of the room. He didn’t need Cydney concerning herself with Brittany, but as always, something definitely didn’t feel right to him. There was something in the air...something that was making him uncomfortable, too. He didn’t want to worry Cydney, but he felt like he was missing a very important detail of the puzzle. Although everyone thought he was paranoid, his gut had never steered him wrong. Time’s running out, Miles, he thought. With the event coming to a close, it was going to be even harder to figure out if there was anyone else after Cydney, but he knew he wouldn’t stop until his gut established that she was safe.
Chapter 19
“Thank you so much for everything,” Mr. Vallant said with appreciation as he extended his hand. The lines of stress that had frequented his forehead lately had not been present the entire night.
“You’re very welcome,” Cyd responded sincerely, returning his handshake. Mr. Vallant and a few of the last attendees walked out of the ballroom and expressed their gratitude for a great night. The final event of the appreciation tour had been a huge success and the awards ceremony to honor top contributors had been a great addition to the formal. With the exception of Brittany Higgins, who’d stormed out of the ballroom shortly after her and Shawn’s public kiss, everything had gone smoothly.
“Do you need help with anything?” Imani asked.
“I’m fine, sis,” Cyd replied as she gave her a hug. “I just need to make sure the hotel sales manager doesn’t need anything else from me.”
“Okay, we’ll be at the house,” Imani said as she motioned for her partners and Daman to follow her. Her parents had retired early and the rest of them were going to Imani and Daman’s estate for drinks to celebrate another successful event.
Cyd wrapped up the final details with the sales manager while the hotel staff continued to clean the ballroom.
“Are you ready to head out?” Shawn asked, with Micah close behind.
“Yes, I’m ready,” she said, holding her clutch and taking one last glance at the ballroom to make sure they didn’t leave anything behind.
Cyd was so relieved that the appreciation tour was officially over. It had been way more intense than she’d originally prepared for, but planning such a huge series of events was definitely great for her company.
When they reached the lobby, the wine and water she’d been drinking all night was finally catching up to her. She was so busy she’d been holding her bladder the entire night and that definitely wasn’t healthy. “Shawn, I have to go to the bathroom before we leave.”
“Um, okay. I’ll go with you?”
Cyd stopped short. “You mean you’ll wait here in the lobby while I go to the bathroom, right?”
“No, I mean I will wait in the bathroom with you. I just won’t go in the stall.” Goodness
, is he for real?
“Come on, Shawn. I’ve been real accommodating all night,” she said.
“Aha, yeah, right,” Micah chimed in with a laugh.
“Zip it,” she said to Micah, laughing along with him. “I promise to be quick and besides, how will you explain your presence to the women who go in and out of the bathroom?” She waved her hands around the lobby at all the women present to validate her point.
Shawn gave her an uneasy look before doing a 360 around the crowded lobby. Most of the attendees who’d left the formal had settled at the bar. “Okay, I won’t go in the bathroom, but I’m definitely waiting right outside the door.”
“Deal,” Cyd agreed as she headed to the bathroom to release her bladder.
“Hello,” she said to a woman who was exiting the bathroom.
“Hi,” the woman replied before leaving. There was one stall that was occupied, a couple that were a little unclean and another that would have to do. After Cyd washed her hands, she took out her lipstick to reapply a fresh coat just as the other occupied stall opened.
“Hey,” Cyd said to the familiar face that walked out of the stall.
“Hey yourself, princess,” said the other female in an icy voice right before Cyd felt the solid poke of something hard on her side. “If you try to scream or say anything, I’ll shoot you quicker than you can voice one word.”
Cyd looked at her through the mirror, her heart beating so fast that she was sure she would have a panic attack at any moment. Is she serious?
“Aw, does that look mean you’re confused as to why I’d want to hurt you?” the woman said as she yanked Cyd’s head backward by grabbing a fistful of hair. Cyd almost yelped at the sharp pain that shot through her neck at the forceful snatch, but she thought about the woman’s threatening words. “I’m here to finish the job that my partners clearly couldn’t finish. And mark my words, princess,” she said as she pushed the hard object even more into Cyd’s side. “I won’t mess up like they did.”
If Only for Tonight Page 16
