Guarding Him

by Kori David

  Five agents, plus Kei and Courtney, were dressed in black, standing together, each holding a white rose. Lindsay had been a beautiful pure spirit, and not one of them had a dry eye. Lindsay’s parents and brothers stood near her casket as if protecting her one last time. She’d been the only girl and the youngest, and her loss had traumatized the entire family. Once the service was complete, the team stood apart, stared at and wondered about by the other mourners. They were all fine with that. And when everyone else had gone, one by one, they laid their white roses on the casket by Lindsay’s high school graduation picture.

  “You know,” Nic said, “she used to tell me that she thought our unofficial name was the Kick-Ass Women’s Protection Agency.”

  Kei’s hand clenched into a fist. “I never heard that.”

  “She’d whisper it to me when I’d pass out assignments,” Courtney said. “I think she worried that you’d be mad about it.”

  Nic and the others watched Kei abruptly turn and walk away. Kei never cried, at least where anyone could see it. Hell, none of them were even sure she had the ability to cry at this point. But they all knew she was still angry about losing an agent. Losing Lindsay was a cruel blow to them all. She’d begged for Kei to hire her and, against her better judgment, Kei had. Nic blamed herself for getting Lindsay killed, but Kei blamed herself for hiring her in the first place and putting danger into her life. A sweet kid like Lindsay should have been teaching kids or been a nurse, anything but a bodyguard.

  Nic and Courtney said goodbye to the other agents and went back to the plane. Kei would be onboard already, and only the three of them were headed back to San Francisco. Everyone else was headed back to their assignments. They were rarely together anymore, as their varied services were in high demand. It had been nice to see everyone and catch up before the services, even if the occasion was shitty.

  The plane was in the air when Nic unbuckled and went to Kei, who sat alone in the very back. Her face was set in grim lines, and her eyes were closed, normally a sign to leave well enough alone, but Nic had something to say.

  “Just say it,” Kei muttered.

  “I don’t want to take any more assignments.”

  That got her attention. Almond-shaped eyes opened and regarded Nic impassively for a moment. “Are you quitting?”

  Nic shook her head and sat down across the narrow aisle. The chair swiveled to face her boss. The perks of a private jet. “I am not; however, I am proposing a job title change.”

  Kei nodded to continue, no trace of anything on her face. The woman could’ve been carved from stone for all the emotion she showed at times. It didn’t bother Nic, never had. Kei was a fair and shrewd businesswoman, and what Nic wanted to suggest would only benefit them both.

  “I’m in love with Ian. If he still feels the same after this week of breathing room, then I don’t want to continue in the same way as before. I want the chance to have a family, eventually, and I don’t want to lose what I may have due to all the travel and months apart.” Nic sighed and settled back into her seat. Kei still hadn’t said anything. She took a deep breath and tried to ignore the lump in her throat. “I don’t ever want to lose an agent again. Not like that. We all know the risks we take, but Lindsay didn’t, not really.”

  Kei’s eyes hardened. “Your point,” she said coldly.

  Nic knew the guilt was hard to swallow because she had the same feeling. “My point is that she should have been trained. The rest of us have particular skill sets and a level of aggression that suits the job, but she was a fresh-faced kid from Iowa. She was taught the bare basics in the Reserves, and none of us had the time to teach her more. You knew she wasn’t ready, so you kept her close in the office.” Nic wiped away the moisture that threatened to spill down her face before it could. “She was so damned eager, but we should have made the time to really train her, to teach her how to defend herself and how to do surveillance without letting anyone know she’s there. I should have made that time.”

  “This wasn’t your fault.”

  Nic looked Kei dead in the eyes. “Yes, it was. And it was your fault.” This time Kei flinched. It was imperceptible, but it was there. “So, I’m proposing a training position. There are five agents now, plus Courtney and yourself, but we aren’t going to be able to do this forever. We’re going to need new blood, new agents to fill in when—and if—we get married, pregnant, hurt, or even dead.”

  Kei leaned back in her seat, nodding slightly. “I’ve thought about bringing in new agents, but I haven’t found anyone yet.”

  “You don’t have time to find new talent and then train them, Kei. You know that’s what I did for the military. I would build a training program that included weapons training, hand-to-hand combat, investigation, and more lethal skills. New agents would have to pass every level of training to be able to work independently.”

  “You could train them to kill?” Kei asked, knowing that all five of her agents had taken lives before. It was no easy thing, especially for a woman—a giver of life. But that was one of the reasons she’d hired them.

  “It’s going to be up to you to bring me the women. You have a knack for finding the right ones. Which means they will have the strength to do what must be done if it comes to that. I’ll make sure they survive.”

  Kei rubbed her chin, her expression thoughtful. “I’ll want to see a detailed plan.”

  “Of course. The first floor of the warehouse is empty, so I’ll want to convert that into the training quarters.”

  “Don’t push me,” Kei said. With that, she closed her eyes again. Meeting over.

  Nic nodded to herself and stood up. Leaving Kei to her thoughts, she made her way toward the front of the plane. Courtney arched an eyebrow in question. Nic gave a brief nod. They shared a look of satisfaction, and then Courtney put her headphones back on and disappeared into her computer. Kei liked the idea, and she’d give the green light. Courtney was already done with schematics for the training floor, using Nic’s ideas and suggestions, including what the costs would be to add a soundproof firing range. It was coming together. The only thing Courtney didn’t know was that she was going to be put through training as well.

  Nic wasn’t taking any chances ever again with the lives of her friends.

  Now, it was time to see Ian. A thrill ran through her—time to face the music. One way or the other, she’d know what her life was going to look like in a matter of hours.

  * * *

  “How is the recovery going?” Nic asked.

  “Slow,” came the answer. It was a growl. Cody wasn’t a good patient under the best of circumstances.

  “You almost died, idiot. Of course, recovery is going to be slow.” Nic navigated her way through the ups and downs of the San Francisco streets as she talked to her friend.

  “I’m the chief of police, damn it. You can’t call me an idiot.”

  Nic laughed, a full, rich chortle that echoed through her earpiece. “Don’t pull that with me; we’ve known each other too long. I’m glad you’re well enough to try and be a tough guy.” She could hear the snort of amusement on his end. She could also hear another voice in the background. It sounded like Isobel Jamison.

  “Someone wants to talk to you, kiddo. Be careful; she’s mean.” There was a little commotion, and then Izzy’s voice came through the earpiece.

  “And where the hell have you been?”

  Nic smiled. “Hello, Izzy.”

  “Don’t hello me. You disappeared off the face of the earth and only left a note. For God’s sake, that was melodramatic.”

  “This isn’t high school, Iz. It wasn’t melodramatic; it was realistic. Time and distance were needed. If it makes you feel better, I’m headed to his house now.” Nic could hear the huffed breath on the other end. Ever the protective sister. “Are you taking good care of my friend?”

  That distracted her. “He’s bossy.”

  “I’ll bet you’re more than a match for him. I love you both, you know. I think yo
u will be an amazing couple.”

  The ice in Izzy’s voice melted at that point. “I never had any sisters, you know, so I know I’m being hard on you, but I’m counting on you to make this right.”

  “How is he?”

  “I don’t know. He hasn’t been at the office, and he’s not returning any of my phone calls right now. He changed the locks on the house, so I haven’t been able to check on him.” There was a long pause. “We got the contract.”

  “I never had any doubt,” Nic replied. “Did Miriam come out of her coma?”

  “Yes, she did. She decided that she was ready to be a full-time grandmother, so she put in her resignation. While it’s a pain to find someone like her, she deserves retirement after everything she’s been through.”

  “Hell, we all do,” Nic replied. “Well, I’m here. Time to beard the lion.”

  “Good luck. I’ve never had one, but I’ve always wanted a sister.”

  The call disconnected, and Nic took out the earpiece and stuffed her phone into her purse. Isobel was exactly the kind of sister that she wished she had. Someone who would challenge her and come over with take-out and alcohol when she was down instead of talking about the latest therapist she could see to work out her issues, like her own sister.

  The house looked the same, tall and expensive. There were lights on, so she thought—hoped—he was home. It was a bit past twilight, and she had a good feeling that Ian was in there. She couldn’t wait to see him again.

  Taking a deep breath, she got out of the car.

  The front door opened, and he stood there. Dressed in loose jeans and an old sweatshirt, he didn’t look like he belonged in a several million-dollar mansion. Of course, she was dressed the same—faded jeans with a hole in one knee. Her shirt hung off one shoulder, and her hair was messy. This was who she was. No make-up and no frills. Just a plain Jane girl.

  “You left.” It was a statement, not even an accusation.

  “Yes.”

  Ian leaned against the door frame and crossed his arms, his face serious, and his eyes intent on her face. She moved closer, so she could see his expression clearly in the light of the house. “You want to know why.”

  “Yes.”

  Nic smiled as he said it the same way she had. “Danger makes strange bedfellows. Intimacy that’s forced isn’t always true. Time and distance are usually the answer.”

  “What’s the question?”

  “Whether or not you still feel the way you did before I left.”

  Ian cocked his head and stared at her for a moment. “You’re worried that my feelings were a product of the job, and not real.”

  “Exactly.” Nic shrugged. “I’ve seen it happen before. It’s actually a hazard of the job.” She was prepared to wait since he hadn’t invited her in. It worried her that he kept her outside. It wasn’t a good sign. She began to resign herself to this being the last time she saw him. Gray eyes shining in the light, his chestnut hair loose and free of any product—he looked so good standing there with his arms crossed, his face the stuff of her dreams. And his body, that whipcord-strong body hidden under his casual clothes. She’d miss that body against hers. Nic wanted so much more than the frantic but fantastic moment they’d had in his gym.

  It was on the tip of her tongue to just turn and leave, throwing a quick “It’s been nice knowing ya” over her shoulder as the silence went on. He must have seen it on her face because he uncrossed his arms and took a step in her direction.

  “Come inside. I want to show you something.”

  Nic hesitated because Ian was giving nothing away. Not one micro-expression or piece of body language gave her any clue about what he might or might not feel. But she couldn’t walk away either. Not without knowing for sure.

  “Okay.”

  He stepped to the side to allow her inside.

  Nic moved forward and, while the smell of his cologne was subtle, it hit her right in the gut. Butterflies erupted in her stomach. She had a bout of nerves as she took a step inside. Maybe it was better to have a sit-down talk inside instead of having this discussion on the front steps.

  She passed the entryway and stepped into the formal living room and stopped dead in her tracks. The explosion of color took her breath away. Gone was the cold and immaculate front room. There was nothing formal about it. Bright works of art that didn’t match at all were on the walls where the tasteful watercolors had once lived. The modern and very formal furniture was gone, replaced by oversized chocolate-colored couches and loungers. Bright Chenille blankets and colorful throw pillows dotted the furniture. Live houseplants threw spots of green into a room that was completely transformed.

  “It’s not a mausoleum anymore,” she heard herself say. She turned with a questioning look. Ian once again leaned against the wall, this time with his hands shoved into his pockets. “It’s beautiful. You’ve been busy.”

  Nic smiled at him, and he frowned, still silent. That pulled a laugh out of her. “If you hate it, why did you change it?”

  Ian shook his head. “I don’t hate it.”

  Nic moved closer to him and could see him clench his hands into fists in his pockets. “Tell me why you changed all of this?” A small curl of hope was welling up inside, and she wanted to know for sure. Because when she looked around the living room, she could see herself there easily. She could imagine her and Ian curled up with books or schematics or watching TV together there because this was her taste in décor. In fact, it mirrored her little home in some ways.

  “You left me,” Ian said. The muscle in his jaw jumped, and his gray eyes were silvery in the inside light—proof of a temper lurking under his smooth façade. “You took your things and left me a damn note.” One hand came out of pocket and ran through his hair. “For a week.”

  “You needed time, Ian.” Nic almost reached out to him but kept her hands at her side. “Time to tell your parents and deal with any fallout from Evan’s treachery. You needed to focus on your presentation, which went off without a hitch, I hear. And you needed time away from me.”

  “Because I might not be in love with you, after all.” His voice was flat and hard.

  Nic flinched but looked him in the eyes. “Yes. Because of that.”

  “Do you love me?”

  It was raw and angry and out there. It had to come from her first this time because she’d hurt him. “Yes, Ian, I do. I am totally and completely in love with you.”

  She wasn’t sure what she expected, but the explosion of movement caught her off guard. Ian swept her up in his embrace before she had a chance to move. His lips were on hers, catching her gasp of surprise. That lasted a mere moment before her arms were twined around his head, fingers in his hair as her tongue began to duel with his.

  “Don’t ever fucking leave me again,” Ian growled before diving back toward her lips.

  Nic’s body was plastered against his, breast to chest, and her hips cuddled the erection pressing against her. This is where she’d been dreaming of being for an entire week. She pulled back slightly, “Does this mean you love me too?”

  Ian growled again, “Take off your clothes, and I’ll show you how much.”

  Nic grinned. “Deal.”

  * * *

  Ian was completely boneless an hour later. Nic lay on top of him on the new couch he’d had delivered. He was fine sleeping like this for the rest of his life. “I love you,” he whispered into her hair.

  Violet eyes lifted to his. “I love you too. So very much.”

  “When I can move again, I need to show you the rest of the house.”

  Nic propped her chin on her hands in the middle of his chest, stretching like a lithe cat as he ran his hands over her body. God, her skin felt like silk under his fingertips. He loved her slow smile as she felt his reaction to her stretch.

  “Three times is a charm?” she asked in a seductive whisper.

  Ian rolled them over, putting her beneath him. “I want you in a real bed, for once.” He reached for a r
ose-colored blanket and covered her beautiful breasts before he lost his resolve and took her on the couch again. Once he had a blanket wrapped around his own waist, he pulled Nic to her feet and kept her hand, towing her toward the stairs.

  “I want you to see the rest of the house.”

  Ian was proud of what he’d managed to get done while she’d been gone. He had no way of knowing when she’d come back to him, but he knew she would. A little birdy had told him when she was back in the city.

  The entire house was transformed. Each room was comfortable and looked lived in, with lots of color and live plants. He’d left the training room alone since Nic seemed to like that room already, plus he had his own fond memories of that room.

  She wandered in and out of the rooms, holding onto her blanket as she commented on the difference. “This feels like a home now,” she said. She kissed him and smiled. “It’s all very beautiful and must have cost you a small fortune to redo.”

  “You are worth every penny.”

  Her eyes widened a fraction. “You really did this for me?”

  Ian pulled her close and kissed her again. “I have to be here in the city for a while longer, and I want you to live with me. You weren’t shy about telling me what you thought of my very expensive interior decorator and what this house felt like before. So, I enlisted an ally to make sure you’d be happy here with me.”

  “Courtney.”

  Ian nodded. “The woman is a treasure. She sent me your likes and dislikes and photos of your apartment. You really do love your plants.”

  By that time, he’d led her up to his room. The only other room he hadn’t really changed because it was his space. But he’d added more plants and changed his dark bedspread to one that had a vibrant pattern that he could live with.

  He went to his dresser and opened the drawer. Pulling out the little velvet box he kept there, he came back to the lovely woman standing in nothing but a soft blanket in his home. Their home. He put the box into her hand and bent to scoop her up in his arms. Sitting on the bed with the woman he loved more than life, he kissed her neck and nibbled her jaw, working his way back to her lips.