“Did I offer you a ride?”
She grabbed his arm and almost gasped. It was like trying to grip a column of marble. Muscles! “Yes, now let’s go. I don’t have time to waste.”
She jumped in the passenger seat, mildly surprised that he hadn’t argued to drive her the rest of the way to Chicago. Her luck was changing. An intriguing stranger had come to her rescue and he was headed to the same city. Kismet. She just hoped she’d be able to find her aunt. If something happened to her, Esme would be crushed. There had to be a reasonable explanation for why Lumi and Ethel weren’t answering their phones.
Suddenly she realized she was alone in the vehicle. The man hadn’t followed. Maybe he was a serial killer and he was plotting how to end her and dispose of the body. Was he the danger Femi foresaw in her ominous warning? When the door opened, she jumped with a gasp.
He held up his hands. “Hey, you’re the one who hitchhiked a ride. You can get out if you don’t feel safe. She got the first look at his face in the interior lights and she gasped again, this time from astonishment. He was the most handsome man she’d ever seen. Blond hair, blue eyes, strong jaw dusted with light blond, almost white stubble. He was incredible. She usually went for men with black hair like her, but this man was like a ray of sunshine in a dark world.
From the time she was a little girl, her aunt told her that her soulmate would be a man who was as solid as the earth and would replenish her soul after the loss of her parents. She also said that Esme would recognize him as soon as she met him.
I just did.
#
Ethan checked his watch. He still had a good two-hours on the road before he made it to the house where Noah was staying. Depending on where the woman needed to go, he should make it before breakfast. He glanced at his passenger and had to remind his lungs how to work. She literally took his breath.
“So, do you have a name, or do I just call you Gypsy?”
She spun to face him spitting fire. “Do not call me that. Don’t ever call me that. It’s offensive.”
Damn, he couldn’t win with this woman. “It is?”
She nodded firmly. “It’s a racial slur, used to justify the discrimination and persecution of Roma people, of which I am one.”
Sheesh. “I’m sorry.”
“Esmerelda.”
“Excuse me?”
“My name. Esmeralda Jovanovich, but you can call me Esme. And don’t get your panties in a twist, Thor. I’m used to people calling me a gypsy.”
He chuckled softly. Panties in a twist? Thor? “Nice to meet you Esme. My name’s Ethan Addison.” He checked for any traffic before he eased back on the highway.
“Shoot,” she said softly.
He glanced to see her plump bottom lip caught between her straight white teeth. “What’s wrong?”
“My aunt’s car. What do you think will happen to it?”
“I think it’ll be towed to a garage to be fixed and returned to you good as new.”
She gave an unladylike snort that had him grinning. “Yeah, like that’ll happen. Most likely it’ll be stripped for parts and my aunt will do the same to me. She loves that car.”
He raised a brow in challenge. “I guarantee what I said.”
“How can you do that? Do you have a magic wand stashed somewhere that you can wave around and make it do whatever you want?”
He almost made a crass joke about a certain wand that he wielded like magic, but she’d probably throw herself out of the moving vehicle, thinking he was a pervert. Instead he held up his cell. “I made a call.”
“That’s what took so long,” she muttered. With a sigh, she said, “Thank you. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it, and for agreeing to let me ride with you, too.”
He opened his mouth to ask if he had a choice but snapped it shut. He’d already offended her twice. One more strike and he was out. “You’re welcome.” He checked the mirrors and then passed a semi. “What’s with the Thor crack. Do you think I look like Chris Hemsworth or something?”
He could feel her eyes on him, and he fought the urge to flex—not that she’d be able to tell in the dark.
“Maybe a little. But you’re taller, more muscular and handsome.”
His palms started to sweat. She was killing him. He wanted to take the next off-ramp on two wheels and find the nearest motel, seedy or not. He didn’t care.
“I called you Thor because when I first saw you, you looked like a Viking warrior.”
Have mercy. She was good for his—rather large, according to Noah and Maggie—ego. “So, uh, is Chicago home?”
“No, my aunt’s there and I need to talk to her. I’m from Bloomington.”
His head snapped to her. “No way. Me, too.”
“Really? What do you do?”
“I work for a private security company.” He signaled and eased back into the right lane. “What about you?”
“My aunt and I own Celestial Dreams. She gives readings and I run the gift shop.”
Lightbulb moment. She was a fortune teller, hence the get-up. “Where do you need me to drop you off?”
She gave him the name of a casino and he entered it into his GPS. It was on the way, so it wouldn’t slow him down much. “Do you have a way to get home?” If she didn’t, he’d make arrangements for her.
“I’ll ride back with my aunt and her friend.” Her voice sounded troubled and he glanced over. “Is everything okay?”
“I haven’t been able to get in touch with them. That’s why I’m headed there.”
“Maybe they just got engrossed playing the slots.”
“No, they’re hardcore poker players. There was a tournament this weekend. My aunt’s something of a poker savant. But she always keeps her phone with her. That’s why I’m so worried. She chastises me if I forget mine and she can’t get in touch with me. Why are you going to Chicago?” she asked, making his head spin with her non-sequitur.
“To assist on a case.”
All too soon, he spotted the sign for the casino and turned into the lot. Esme dug into her purse. “I insist on paying you for gas.”
He placed his hand on her arm and then jerked it back. It felt like he touched a live wire. From the shocked gasp, she felt it too. “I, uh…” He’d completely lost his train of thought, only picking it up again when he spotted the dollar bill in her hand. Oh right, she wanted to pay him. “I insist that you don’t. I was going this way anyway. I should be paying you. You kept me from falling asleep.”
“Then thank you, Ethan. I’ll graciously accept the ride. And thank you for not being a serial killer.”
He chuckled. “You’re welcome.” He opened his door to get out.
Her eyes widened. “What are you doing?”
“Making sure you find your aunt. I wouldn’t be comfortable letting you go inside alone.” He hopped down and met her in front of the vehicle.
“No, you’ve done too much for me already. I’m not going to keep you from your job.”
He reached into his pocket and withdrew a business card. “Then take this. If you have any trouble or you can’t find her, give me a call.”
She accepted the card and studied it before glancing up at him. Green, like the purest emerald. Her eyes. They were mesmerizing. He could stare into them forever. It wasn’t until she made a vague gesture towards the casino that he realized he’d been doing just that.
“I need to find my aunt.” She backed away. “Thank you again, Ethan.”
“You’re welcome.” With a nod, she pivoted and headed to the building. He took two steps forward. “Esme?”
She stopped and spun around. “Yes?”
He had the irrational urge to beg her to stay with him. To get back in his Escalade and they’d drive to an island somewhere far away, never mind that you couldn’t drive to an island. Semantics. But his brother needed him. “Let me know when you find her.”
Her smile was wide. “I will.” With a wave, she turned and walked out of his life.
>
#
Ethan couldn’t let Esme go inside alone. He didn’t know her, wasn’t responsible for her safety. She might be married or have a serious boyfriend, but that didn’t change his feelings. If she couldn’t find her aunt, she’d need a way to get back to Bloomington. If something had happened to the woman, she’d be devastated. He couldn’t stand the thought of her hurting. He wanted to slay all her dragons, and wasn’t that just a kick in the pants?
He’d never had the urge to settle down. Even after so many of his coworkers were getting hitched, including his younger sister Maggie. He loved women and didn’t understand the urge to tie himself to one when there was a smorgasbord of beauties out there just waiting to be found. His childhood influenced some of the feelings, he was sure. Though his parents were faithful to each other—he assumed—many of the other adults in the various communes where they lived practiced free love. He’d lost his virginity to an older girl named Rainbow a year after Noah had done the same. Rainbow got around. She wore her long blond hair streaked with an array of colors and she had absolutely no inhibitions. Good times.
So maybe he did date more than his fair share of women. He wasn’t apologizing for his lifestyle. Noah tended to date women longer than Ethan, but his numbers were up there, too. During their Navy tenure, it was pretty much impossible to keep a girlfriend, even if some of his buddies tried. SEALs attracted women like moths to a flame, so there was never a shortage of available companionship. He’d kept the routine after he left the military. It was all he knew.
Ethan withdrew both his main gun and the backup strapped to one ankle and locked them in his SUV, along with the K-Bar knife from his other ankle. He hated losing the weapons, felt naked without them, but most likely the casino would have metal detectors and he didn’t want to get thrown in jail before he could explain. He waited until Esme disappeared inside before following. Indeed, there was a metal detector and he passed through onto the casino floor. Bells tinged and voices rang out, even at this hour of the morning. He glanced left, then right searching for any signs of the raven beauty, hoping she hadn’t taken the escalator to the top floors.
A flash from the corner of his eye had him turning to see the light reflecting off an array of bangles. Esme was throwing her arms around a woman. Apparently, she’d found her aunt. With one last look, he retreated from the floor and headed back to his vehicle. His phone chimed a text. He pulled it out and read: Found her. Thx again. OU1.
She did indeed owe him one and he planned on collecting just as soon as they wrapped up the case in Chicago. He texted back: Good. Safe travels home. He hit send and then added: And I plan on collecting, sending the message on its way before he could stop himself.
He added Esme’s number to his contact list and then assigned Santana’s version of Gypsy Woman as the ringtone. He hated that the title might offend her, but the lyrics were perfect: A lovely woman in motion, with hair as dark as night, her eyes like a cat in the dark, they hypnotize me with love. He wasn’t ready to call his feelings love, not even close, but as the song said, how she enchanted me.
Chapter Ten
Noah’s phone hummed, waking him instantly when he recognized the ringtone. He checked the clock beside the bed. Three-thirty in the morning. Leave it to Ethan to arrive before the crack of dawn.
It’d taken him forever to fall asleep, mostly because what he really wanted to do was sneak across the hall and slide into bed beside Peyton. Bad idea. Very bad. Not only was she his client, but she was Owen’s baby sister. Maybe if he repeated it often enough, he’d remember when he came face to face with her. Instead, when he gazed into her eyes, his mind blanked. The only thought was kissing her, feasting on her perfect pink lips. He knew it was a mistake to taste her because now he craved her like an addict. Maybe having his brother around would keep him on a leash.
After fumbling around for a pair of shorts, he grabbed a t-shirt, slid on running shoes and jogged downstairs.
“Everything okay?” Declan asked, poking his head out of his room.
“The other agent just arrived. I’m buzzing him in now.”
Noah unlocked the door and headed outside in the dark as Ethan parked next to Declan’s Jeep. He hopped out and stretched. He spotted Noah and opened his arms. “I’ve missed you, big brother.” He wrapped Noah in a crushing bear hug.
Noah punched him in the arm. “Cut it out. I saw you less than two days ago.”
Ethan shook his head in mock sadness. “Two days too long.”
“I take it you two are related?”
Noah glanced at Declan over his shoulder. “Declan Elliot, this is Ethan Addison, and yes, my brother.”
“You’re the one who saved Noah’s life?” Ethan yanked Declan’s outstretched hand and jerked him into a quick back-thumping hug. “Thanks, man. I owe you.”
“Damn, you’re a popular guy, Noah,” Declan mused.
He brushed the praise away, mainly because he didn’t want to tear up like a wimp. Both Ethan and Peyton had thanked Declan for saving him from a bullet.
They unloaded the gear Ethan brought with him and carried it inside the house. Peyton needed to be at the wedding in a few hours, so he sent them to get a couple more hours of shut-eye. He showed Ethan to a room at the top of the stairway, so he’d be the second defense if someone managed to sneak inside. He checked on Jamal, smiling to see him spread out on the bed, tangled in the sheets with his arms and legs akimbo. Next, he peeked in on Peyton. She was curled up under the blankets and it took great restraint to refrain from climbing beneath the covers and hugging her close. Yes, he wanted to make love to her. More than he’d ever wanted anything in his life. But he also just wanted to be close to her. To hold her, listen to her breathe. He was a step away from a stalker. With one last look, he closed the door and returned to his room.
#
Peyton woke up after a fitful night feeling like she hadn’t gotten any sleep. So many times, she almost crossed the hall to ask Noah to just hold her to keep the nightmares at bay, but she refrained. She didn’t want to seem weak in front of him. Plus, she didn’t know how he’d react. Now with dawn breaking and the wedding a few hours away, she wished she’d ignored the inner voice telling her not to go to him.
After showering and shampooing her hair, she blew it dry and found a clean t-shirt and yoga pants. She needed a shot of energy and caffeine was her goal. She wasn’t a coffee drinker, but a Diet Coke sounded wonderful.
Before she headed downstairs, she called Mrs. Benton to check on Aurora. Henry and Avery spent the night at the hospital with their daughter.
“She’s better,” Avery told her. “She’ll be released later in the morning. The doctor wants her to rest but she thinks she’ll be ready to resume practice tomorrow before school.”
Peyton assumed the hospitalization would be the end of the road. She didn’t think Aurora would be well enough to continue to swim. She also wondered if it was Aurora who was ready to resume training or if it was her parents’ idea. Nevertheless, she’d show up on Monday prepared to coach.
She jogged down the steps and after hopping off the last one, she rounded the corner and came to an abrupt stop. Three very large men were in the kitchen looking all sweaty and fit and incredible. Her mind told her there were three, but her eyes only saw one. Noah turned and spotted her, placing a bottle of water on the counter to approach her.
“Did you get any sleep?”
She had to focus on his face and not the biceps that were bulging from a recent workout and glistening with sweat. Hitching a shoulder, she said, “A couple of hours here and there.”
“Damn,” he murmured, running a thumb beneath her eyes. She probably had dark smudges from lack of sleep.
“Uh-uhm.”
Noah dropped his hand at the sound of someone purposefully clearing his throat. She glanced around him and gaped at the man standing behind him. It was as if she was looking at two Noahs.
“This is my brother, Ethan.”
“Twi
ns?”
Ethan looked aghast. “Please tell me you haven’t put your contacts in this morning or something. He’s way older than me.”
“Thirteen months,” Noah growled.
“See. Way older.” Ethan picked up her hand and kissed it. “It’s such a pleasure to meet you, Peyton Durant. That poster of you emerging from the water like Venus, well, I admit to having stared at it for many long hours. Of course, it was in Noah’s room—oof.”
Ethan doubled over when Noah socked him in the gut.
“Ignore him. He thinks he’s funny.”
Peyton smiled, charmed by the brothers. They might tease and joke with each other, but it was obvious they loved each other very much.
Ethan abruptly straightened and his face sobered. “Please don’t pretend to be all sweet and nice to me and then ditch me like a bad habit at the first opportunity.”
Peyton quirked a brow. “Bad experience with a girlfriend?”
“Yeah, but not mine. My last case. The woman was all kindness and smiles when she asked me to do her a favor and when I did, bam!” He slapped his hands together, making her jump back. “She took off like a fired rocket, leaving me in the dust looking like an idiot.”
“Oh, well, I’m sorry she did that to you. I promise I’ll try not to manipulate you, Ethan.”
“Thank you, Peyton. That’s all I’m asking.”
Jamal came bounding down the steps and screeched to a halt. He sniffed the air dramatically. “Do I smell bacon?”
Peyton checked out the empty stove. “No.”
He batted his lashes. “Can I?”
She laughed and hugged him close. “I should be able to manage bacon if there’s any in the fridge.”
“Woah,” Jamal said, his head bobbing between Noah and Ethan. “You two have to be brothers.”
“We are,” Noah confirmed.
“You look just alike. Are you twins?”
Golden Girl Page 12