Guarding His Body

by A. C. Arthur

  Bree smiled, so completely unaware that he’d noticed so much about her. “I thought you were the playboy the papers said you were.”

  “And now?” He wasn’t surprised that he needed desperately to know what she thought of him now.

  “Now I know that you’re a good man. You’re fiercely loyal to your family and your work. And you do care about other people’s feelings and opinions of you despite how hard you try to appear otherwise. You don’t deserve all the negativity that surrounds you.”

  Renny grinned. “Then how about you write an exposé on that and sell it to all the tabloids?”

  “I’ll do better than that.” Scooting closer to him, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I plan to show the papers and the rest of Greenwich that the elusive playboy billionaire heartbreaker can be tamed.”

  Settling his hands around her waist, he let himself be drawn even closer, tracing his lips along the line of her jaw. “Oh, he can?”

  “Mmm-hmm,” she moaned. “And I possess just the right amount of femininity and military training to do it.”

  His lips were on her neck as she arched back farther, his thumbs swiping over her nipples. At his touch she grew wet, anticipation quickly building.

  “I don’t know which part of you excites me more.” His kisses turned into gentle nips of his teeth, his palms now splaying possessively over her breasts. “The woman or the soldier.”

  Tired of the intrusion of the shirt, he pulled it quickly over her head, his mouth immediately seeking her puckered nipples.

  “Mmm. I think you like them both.” She held his head firmly in place as his tongue and teeth catered to her expertly.

  “It’s you, Sabrina.” He left a trail of hot kisses as he made his way back up her neck and to her lips. “Each part makes you who you are and you are the woman I want.” His tongue dipped deeply into her mouth, coaxing hers to respond in kind. “You are the woman I love.”

  Chapter 13

  The next morning Bree had just walked into the kitchen where Lynn and Renny sat at the table, staring at a large vase of roses. Without a word, she walked over and snatched the card from the bouquet.

  We will be together soon, my love.

  Renny, who had moved to stand behind her, reading over her shoulder, yelled.

  “If I ignore him he’ll go away,” she said slowly, only half believing her own words.

  “He’s not going away, Sabrina! And he thinks you’re still going to be with him.” He spun around until he faced her. She turned away. He stepped in front of her. “Is he right? Are you planning on going back to him? Is that why you won’t tell me about him?” he yelled.

  Her whole body shook. He was angry and his reaction to the flowers angered her. Biting her bottom lip for control, Bree leveled her gaze to his. “There’s nothing to tell.”

  Renny forcibly pushed away from her. “So you keep saying.”

  He stormed out of the kitchen with Lynn quickly moving out of his way.

  Bree dropped her head into her hands and sighed.

  “You’re not being fair, Bree.”

  “Lynn, I just don’t want to talk about it.” And that was the truth. She didn’t want to have to tell anyone how stupid she was or how that stupidity had cost her something dear to her. She didn’t want their pity, nor did she wish to endure the embarrassment again.

  Lynn folded her arms and moved closer. “Well, that’s just too damned bad, isn’t it?”

  Bree’s head shot up at her sister’s angry tone.

  “It’s not just about you anymore. It’s time for you to grow up, Bree.”

  “What? All these years I’ve been trying to grow up and you and the rest of the family have told me to slow down. Now it’s finally time for me to grow up?”

  “That’s right. That’s exactly what I said. All your life you’ve complained about how people treated you and how everybody perceived you. But did you ever stop to think how you were treating the people who loved you? The people who were only looking out for your best interests?” Lynn paused. “No. You didn’t.”

  Lynn dragged her fingers through her hair. “We tend to take your selfishness with a grain of salt and keep loving you because we’re family. But that man that you just brushed off, he’s not going to take it, Bree.” Her voice softened. “You’re going to lose him if you continue to keep him at arm’s length. He loves you, Bree.”

  She didn’t like what she was hearing mainly because it rang too true. Bree rose, paced the kitchen slowly, trying to grasp a rational solution. Lynn always had her back, always. Until now. “It doesn’t matter anymore, so why should I have to relive it all again?”

  Lynn touched her sister’s shoulder. “Because this time you don’t have to relive it alone. He’s trying to be here for you, to protect you. Just like we’ve been trying to do all your life.”

  Bree whirled around a little too fast and felt unsteady on her feet. “I don’t need protection.”

  Lynn put both hands on her shoulders just as she wobbled. “You sure about that?”

  As he drove throughout the city with no real destination, Renny’s mind whirled. He’d already called Sam and told him about the flowers. Now more than ever he was determined to find Harold Richmond. He was ready to lay it all on the line for Sabrina, but the effort would be futile as long as that man was in the picture.

  He wasn’t sure of Sabrina’s feelings for him because she hadn’t told him. No matter how many times he confessed his love to her last night she hadn’t reciprocated. Could she still be in love with this other guy? No, that was impossible. There was no way she could give herself so completely to him and love another. She just wasn’t like that.

  His cell phone rang, snatching his mind momentarily away from Sabrina. “Speak,” he answered gruffly.

  “I was just wondering.” Rico spoke slowly, not bothering to say hello. “You never take a woman to your condo and you rarely introduce them to the family.”

  Renny sighed. The last thing he wanted to deal with right now was his reputation with other women. “And?”

  “So how did Larice know where you lived? How did she get your cell phone number that you change every six months? Assuming she was the one who called you about Adriana being stranded.”

  Reluctantly Renny began to listen to his brother’s ramblings.

  “And while news of the gallery opening was public, weren’t invitations sent at the absolute last minute?” Rico continued.

  “To a confidential list of people,” Renny finished the thought. “So how did she know Blount was invited and that she could come with him?”

  “Exactly,” Rico answered.

  “An insider,” Renny stated glumly.

  “Right again. The question is who?”

  Renny had driven to the gallery. Not real sure of his reasoning, only knowing that he had to do something to keep his mind off Sabrina or he’d go insane. Rico had just given him that something.

  Putting the car in Park, he let his head fall against the headrest and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I don’t want to think about this right now.”

  For the first time since this conversation began, Rico really listened to the sound of his brother’s voice. “Where are you? Is everything okay?”

  “I’m at the gallery and everything’s just peachy.”

  “Yeah, your sunny disposition is glowing right through the phone,” Rico answered sarcastically. “Now cut the BS, is Bree all right?”

  Tearing his hand from his face, he slammed an open palm on the steering wheel. “She’s just fine. I’m the one going crazy.”

  Rico chuckled. “Women’ll do that to you.”

  “How do you know? I don’t recall meeting many of your girlfriends, either.”

  “That’s because I’m the discreet one in the family.”

  “Whatever. Listen, I’m going to check on some things here and then I’ll probably head back to Lynn’s by dinner. I’ll think about this and give you a call later.”

 
He disconnected the phone and was about to walk through the door when he remembered a call he had retrieved from his office voice mail this morning. Quickly he dialed another number. It was answered on the first ring. “Yeah, it’s me,” he said slowly. “Contact Duel Couriers and tell them you work for me. Check all the deliveries made this morning, then meet me at the gallery. I’ll explain when you get here.”

  Yolanda was on the phone at the front desk, but upon seeing him enter she hung up. “I didn’t know whether to expect you or not.”

  Her tone was clipped and as he walked closer he noticed the dark circles beneath her eyes.

  “I wanted to check on things. When I phoned yesterday you said we had some orders.”

  Looking away from her, he reached for the inventory book lying on the desk.

  Yolanda took a step away from him.

  Out of the side of his eye he watched her. She seemed jittery, nervous as if she was hiding something. “Did you fill all the orders?” he asked absently. While there were six orders in the books, he already knew they’d been shipped as the courier had left a message on his office line earlier this morning confirming it.

  Yolanda ran her fingers through her hair. “Yes, I did. How’s Sabrina?”

  Renny straightened and looked at her, Rico’s words rumbling through his head. “She’s resting. How are you? With all that happened the other night, I didn’t get a chance to ask.”

  “I’m fine.” She walked around him until she now stood on the other side of the desk. “Just fine.”

  He nodded. “Good.”

  She wrung her hands until he thought she’d rub her skin completely off. He made a big production of going through messages and flipping through the mail before returning his gaze to her. “I’d like to go over the guest list for the opening.” Her hands froze. “We should probably send some sort of thank-you, don’t you think?”

  “Uh, yeah. A thank-you card would be good. It would show we care and extend the offer for them to come back.”

  Her voice sounded almost normal except for the high pitch. Renny knew enough to now be suspicious.

  “Great. Get the list and meet me in my office in five minutes.” He walked away before she had the chance to speak. He had planned to look at the list only to find out which newspaper Blount was affiliated with so he could ensure the man’s termination. But Yolanda’s weird behavior raised other questions.

  He unlocked the door to his office and stepped inside, immediately flocked by memories of Sabrina lying on the floor. Some of his things were still askew and he bypassed them to take a seat behind his desk. Propping his elbows on the blotter, he let his head fall into his hands as he thought of the way he’d stormed out of the house this morning.

  He was an idiot. She’d been through so much already because of him. How could he simply yell and walk out on her? He should have tried harder with her. Questioning her about Harold Richmond was difficult for him, so he could only imagine how it made her feel.

  “I can get a cleaning crew to come in,” Yolanda said as she picked up papers that had been knocked to the floor.

  “No. Leave it.” Raising his head, he saw her look of confusion. “Where’s the list?”

  She crossed to the desk and handed him the papers. He pretended to scan them and then on a hunch asked, “There was a Larice Taylor Summerfield here, but I don’t see her name on the list. Is she a friend of yours?”

  Yolanda hesitated. “I, um, I’ve never heard of her.”

  “Really? Have you ever heard of Roland Summerfield?” She blinked. Renny thought he saw a moment of recognition.

  “No. I have not.”

  He rubbed his chin. “That’s strange.” He flipped through the papers.

  “Wh-what’s strange?” she stuttered.

  “I distinctly remember seeing the name L. Taylor on the delivery log. Did she order something at the party?”

  Yolanda shrugged. “Not from me.” Then she raised an elegantly arched brow and with a smirk added, “Perhaps Sabrina took the order.”

  “Perhaps.” Lifting the phone from its cradle, he thrust it toward her. “Why don’t you give her a call to see if she received it?”

  “I’m sure she did. We’ve been using the best courier around.”

  “I know, but I’d just like to double-check.”

  Yolanda shifted in the chair, her legs uncrossing, then crossing again. “She’s probably not even at home at this time of day.”

  “Really? You think so. You must know her schedule pretty well.”

  She paused, then angled her head until shiny platinum curls slid off one shoulder. Folding her hands neatly in her lap, she replied, “I told you I don’t know her.”

  “Then tell me why you sent an invitation to her and Terrence Blount to attend the opening.” With a flick of his wrist Renny let the papers slip from his hand. “Tell me how she knew where my office was and how she got in here. You don’t have a key, but it doesn’t matter since the lock was picked. Maybe you could answer those questions for me.”

  The air fairly crackled with tension as they stared each other down. Yolanda chuckled. Deciding to give up the pretense, she flashed Renny a million-watt smile. “Maybe you can tell me why you brought her here?” she countered.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Don’t play dumb, Renny. It really doesn’t suit you. Silhouette was our baby, our dream. We were going to be so great together. Then your family friend appeared.”

  “You’re talking about Sabrina?”

  “Yes, your precious Sabrina. The one you let harass me and then had the nerve to tell me to learn to get along with.”

  Like neat little blocks things began to fall into place. “You felt threatened by Sabrina, too.” It was his turn to laugh then. Yolanda’s smile disappeared. “This is amazing. What did you and Larice plan to do?”

  Her fingers clenched the handles of the chair as she tried like hell to resist throwing something at him. How dare he be so smug? How dare he laugh at her? After all she’d done for him, all she’d done for them both! “Larice.” She said the woman’s name through gritted teeth. “She was pitiful. After everything you’d done to her she still wanted you. I told her she could have you. I don’t beg for any man.” She pinned him with a cold glare. “But I wanted my place at Silhouette. I worked too damned hard for this for Sabrina to come in and push me out of the way. Instead, I knew the only answer was to get rid of her.”

  Although inside he simmered with rage, Renny still looked at Yolanda with only a smirk. “Because she knocked you down?”

  Her eyes closed until they were mere slits, and then she lifted her chin. “No, because she interfered. She didn’t belong here, didn’t belong near you. So you dressed her up the other night, she’s still a frump and not good enough to run in our circles. Frankly, I’m glad Larice got a piece of her. I only wish she and that fool Terrence would have been bold enough to finish the job.”

  In a flash Renny was around the desk, grabbing her up by her wrists. “You better be damned glad they didn’t finish the job!”

  “Oh, yeah?” Yolanda tossed her head back so that her hair was down her back, defiance etched in every pore of her face. “And why is that? Because you now fancy yourself in love with her?” Then she laughed, a cruel cackling sound that had Renny tossing her to the floor.

  “Oh, how the mighty playboy has fallen. Who would ever have guessed a little spit of a woman could bring you down when the best have tried?”

  He moved away from her then, unable to trust that he’d adhere to his father’s training to not hit a female. “It would be in your best interest to keep your mouth shut.”

  Yolanda stayed on the floor, her skirt twisted so that it bared her long legs. “And why is that, Mr. Bennett?”

  “Because anything you say or do from this point on may be held against you in a court of law.” Trent came through the open door, gun drawn.

  Bree sat in a lounge chair on Lynn’s back porch. Lynn had gone to work and Jerem
y was at the sitter’s. It had taken almost an hour for her to convince Lynn that she’d be all right by herself.

  Her mind drifted between memories of North Carolina and Renny’s whispers of love. Lynn was right. It was past time she stopped thinking about herself. She loved Renny and she recognized the differences between the two men. She had no idea what Harold was up to, but figured Renny had a right to know what happened between them. She’d asked about his past relationships and he’d told her. She owed him the same in return.

  He’d been gone most of the day and she was worrying herself sick about his safety. Roland Summerfield was still on the loose, so the Bennetts were still in danger. Sam had called an hour ago to say that he’d just left Renny and that he was perfectly all right. Still, she’d feel better when she could see that for herself.

  The sun was just setting as her lids grew heavy. There was a light breeze, but she’d brought a throw and now huddled beneath its warmth. In a moment she’d go inside and start dinner for her and Lynn and for Renny, if he returned.

  “You shouldn’t be out here by yourself.”

  She started at his voice, then relaxed with the sight of him back in one piece.

  “Sorry.” He took the seat next to her. “How’re you feeling?” He’d had a day of revelations, but prayed that it didn’t show.

  “I’m good.” She made a big production out of smoothing the blanket down, then decided to give up the pretense. “I’m better now that you’re back. I was worried about you.”

  He nodded. “I was worried about you.”

  “About this morning…” she began.

  Renny shook his head. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

  She looked at him quizzically. He wanted to know what happened, but he’d let her keep the secret if that’s what she wanted. Lynn would be pleased. She was so right about Renny.

  “No. It’s time I was honest with you.”

  He sat back in the chair, allowing her the time and space she needed. What she was about to do wasn’t easy for her.