“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” She nodded. “Believe me, I know where the term ‘helicopter parents’ comes from—my mom and dad seemed to buzz around from the time I could count until…well, now.”
“I knew they kinda hovered when you were younger, but now? Aren’t you being a bit overly dramatic?”
“Well, technically, they’d hovered up until three weeks ago, when I finally put my foot down.”
Three weeks ago. When she’d announced she was leaving the family’s accounting business and taking the job with the e-zine. Somehow, Blake could only applaud Zandra for taking a huge leap of faith in herself.
“Good for you for going after your dreams.” He held his water bottle out in a toast. “Here’s to making them come true.”
Chapter Fifteen
That’s exactly what Zandra was doing, wasn’t it? Making her dreams come true.
So why did the thought of spending this time with Blake seem like so much more than that? Her body tingled in all the right places and then some, hyperaware of every look, every touch, every word he said like he’d hung the moon. Great. She was apparently living the consequences of having kissed him.
But she still had a job to do.
She stared at the snow-capped Swiss Alps in the distance. “The thing is, it’s completely unfair, the way they’d set up different rules for me and Jackson. It’s irritating, the way he got to do what he wanted while they pretty much micromanaged my life.”
She chewed thoughtfully as light bounced off of the lake, and she leaned forward, mesmerized by the way it played over the relative stillness of the water. Maybe she could frame it well enough from where she was sitting. She’d removed her backpack when they’d sat down for lunch, the bag secured between them, one arm looped around a strap in much the same way Blake had done with his backpack.
If she angled herself to the left, she just might— “Hey,” she said as Blake grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him. She stared into his eyes, and her heart stumbled. “You have gold flecks.” She swallowed. “Mixed in with the brown.”
“What?” He sounded as breathless as she felt, her awareness honed to his touch, electric tingles spiking through her from the point where skin met skin.
“Your eyes. They’re beautiful.”
He threw her a lopsided grin. “Isn’t that my line?”
“I didn’t realize that it was gender-specific.”
He released her and slowly pulled back, creating space between them, space her body objected to. “I just didn’t want you to fall in.”
She blinked. There it was. Someone else thinking she couldn’t take care of herself. Zandra huffed out a breath and sat upright, even as her heart hammered and the heat from his arm seared her beneath her shirt. “You know, it’s not like a girl can’t take care of herself.”
“Consider it my version of self-preservation. You’re right about this, by the way. It’s very tasty,” he said, biting into his sandwich again.
“Self-preservation?”
“Yeah.” He swallowed then smiled. “I don’t want to have to dive in after you if you fall in.”
She sniffed in mock hurt. “I wouldn’t fall in, and even if I did, I promise I can take care of myself.”
“Uh-huh. As proven by the hearse that brought us to the photo shoot.”
“Will you let that drop already?” She grinned. “I got over it. It took a little while, but I finally did. Besides, riding in a hearse before my time was a small price to pay to get where I want to go.”
He tore off a piece of bread and tossed it at a pair of swans then quickly tossed another to the one who didn’t get it. “My mom says stuff like that, too, whenever she’s got a paper to write or has a lab to finish up that she’s not feeling too good about. She says that it’s a small price to pay for her to get to be a doctor one day.”
“A doctor, huh? I think that’s cool.” Why hadn’t Blake been on her radar before? Oh, sure, she’d noticed him, had thought he was cute, even, but now she found herself intensely interested in all things Blake. She blinked at the realization. Yeah, he was cute. So what? She had enough self-control to not let it get out of hand. Maybe.
“Yeah. She started a couple of years ago. Believe me, it hasn’t been easy. A lot of her life hasn’t been easy.”
Blake wasn’t the kind of guy to just spill his guts. That he would willingly do so… Something important was happening here.
“She sounds pretty special.” What else could one say to something so…intimately shared?
“After my grandfather died, my sister and I used to trade off making meals because Mom had to sometimes work late and barely had enough time to come home and change before heading off to her next job. Only, Lily was so bad at it, I finally gave up teaching her what I knew and just took over making dinner myself.”
So that’s how he’d learned how to cook. “Judging from last night’s frittata, you’ve had a lot of practice in the kitchen.”
“I used to watch the cooking channel. There was a chef who had a show about the science behind the food. Let’s just say it gave me enough of the basics to be able to throw some sort of a meal together with whatever my mom had available.”
He cocked his head to one side. “I took care of Lily because she was too young to take care of herself. And, really, how fair was it to expect a ten-year-old to make dinner? She could barely handle a knife properly.”
Well, that was one way of looking at it.
Blake tore off another piece of his sandwich and tossed it at a stray cat that had wandered as close as it dared. The animal snatched it and promptly ran off.
“Do you always take care of everyone?”
He stared off into the distance and seemed to consider that for a moment. “Maybe. I don’t know. Never really thought about it.”
But, of course, he did take care of everyone around him. She’d seen first hand how he’d helped the old lady at the train station, at the way he’d continuously, annoyingly, looked after Zandra, and now, it didn’t surprise her that he’d throw a piece of his food to stray animals.
Really, the more she thought about it, there were layers to Blake Monroe that she wanted to peel back and explore.
But if she were a smart woman—and she was—she’d leave things alone, take her photographs for the e-zine, then beat feet back to Seattle as quickly as she could.
At least, that was the plan. Now all she had to do was execute it.
…
Blake glanced around the limousine, Zandra seated next to him with her arm looped through the backpack beside her. She apparently heeded his instructions, not letting her guard down even in an enclosed vehicle. Didn’t take long for her to create a habit, which he supposed was a good thing, even if it did seem a little weird at the moment.
He settled in and grinned. “Nice ride.”
Across from them, Stefan Meier shrugged and handed Zandra a glass of champagne. “Helps me get around.”
It wasn’t a surprise the guy was chill. All through the NATO Special Forces classes they’d taught together through the years, Stefan took his job seriously but never took himself too seriously. It was enough to gain the admiration and respect of the soldiers, including Blake.
Stefan reached for a decanter. “You still drink that God-awful bourbon, Blake?”
“Why? You got some in this fancy Barbie-car?” he asked, smirking at his friend. “’Cause it looks like married life has softened you up over the years.”
Stefan snorted and handed him a glass. “You’re just mad because I’m smarter than you, better looking, and luckier.”
“Luckier?” Zandra asked, her head tilted to one side.
“Yeah. Lucky enough to have met an incredible woman.” Stefan sighed.
Shit. The guy was soft, all right. What kind of a guy mooned over a woman like she was heaven
on Earth? Especially one who’d pulled him from a brilliant career at NATO?
Zandra’s smile reached across the small space and made him wish for one moment that they had the limo to themselves. “That’s really sweet. She’s obviously very special.”
“Oh, she is. Thanks to her, I have all this.” He spread his arms wide.
“There you go, downplaying the situation again,” Blake said. He knew the time and energy that Stefan had put into starting and building his business over the last five years.
“It’s true,” Stefan insisted. “If not for her, I wouldn’t have left NATO and started my own cyber security firm. I am so thankful that I even met her.”
“Then I guess all this is thanks to me, seeing as how I helped with that introduction.” He winked and took a sip of the bourbon, enjoying the slow burn that came with it. “Although maybe I’m the one who should’ve met Anna first.”
Stefan chuckled. “That, my friend, is what you get when you play wing-man and also why you are godfather to the twins.”
Now that was something Blake could get behind.
Stefan turned his attention to Zandra. “Tell me, how did you get mixed up with this guy? He’s an asshole.”
“Tell me something I don’t know,” Zandra teased, jabbing Blake in the ribs with her elbow. “I got stuck with him.”
“You sure it isn’t the other way around?” Blake asked mildly. Truth be told, it was kinda cool that Zandra got along with his buddy so well. Not every woman did. Then again, it wasn’t like he typically introduced a woman to his friends, either. Things usually got dicey, and he hated the drama that came when a woman mistook meeting his friends as a sign they were now officially a couple.
Only this time, he had to admit that the thought wasn’t quite so bad.
“Hey,” she said with a smile in her eyes. “You’re the one who hopped a plane and flew over of your own free will. Don’t be blaming me for that.”
Stefan chuckled. “See? Already she makes you a better man. She makes you own your shit.”
As they laughed together, Blake’s gaze slid across the seat toward Zandra. She’d fared pretty well, given the time zone difference. Not that he’d cornered the market on getting by on little sleep. It wasn’t any big deal for him, the military saw to it that he could function on what sleep he could get.
But Zandra? Despite the time zone change, the travel, and all the work she’d put in today, she chatted with Stefan like she kept that kind of schedule all the time. “Your children sound adorable.” She smiled and tipped her champagne flute in Stefan’s direction. “What an amazing family you have.”
“I owe my wife for that, too.” He blew out a breath and smiled.
Yeah, the guy was toast, all right. Smothered with honey. It was sickly sweet disgusting. That’d never be Blake. He was far too practical for that.
“Oh?” Zandra leaned forward. “How come?”
That was the thing with Zandra, wasn’t it? She liked people, was truly interested in them, and made friends wherever she went. Too bad she didn’t work for the State Department. She’d make a damned good diplomat.
“It was because of Anna that I’ve learned to slow down and see the joy in everyday experiences.” He shrugged. “Some say she’d tamed me.” He looked pointedly at Blake. “I say she saved my life.”
Toast. And there was no saving him.
“Tell me that’s not true. If we were alone, I’d remind you of some of the shit you’d pulled,” Blake said mildly.
Stefan shrugged. “Doesn’t matter what I did before, only where I’m going now.”
The guy had a point. He’d left NATO, developed a freaking software app, and now ran his own company. “Judging from the limo, I’d say you’re going places.”
“And Anna and the boys are with me all the way. That, my friend, is what success is all about.”
Only if a guy had that luxury. Not that a family wasn’t in Blake’s plans, but it was way down the list of things he needed to accomplish. He squashed down the pang to his chest. Way down. Third floor basement down.
He shifted in his seat. “I’m glad you’re happy.”
“As you pointed out, you had a hand in it. And now, by picking you up and delivering you to Zurich, my debt is on its way to being repaid.” Stefan glanced at his watch. “It’s unfortunate there isn’t enough time for you to meet Anna and the twins,” he said to Zandra. “But the children are sick. It is why they cannot come with me to Florence tomorrow.”
Blake watched as Stefan and Zandra chatted on about Italian food and places to visit like they were old friends. What would it be like for the four of them to get together one day? Stefan and Anna, Blake and Zandra?
Blake and Zandra.
He had to admit, it had a nice ring to it.
Chapter Sixteen
Late afternoon light glinted off a window at a distant castle. They’d gotten back later than they’d expected last night, so Zandra was glad today’s shoot hadn’t started until mid-afternoon, with the hotel grounds a short train ride from Stuttgart. Definite plus.
She sat in the front row of VIPs and stared through her camera lens at the woman who swept past on the runway before them, dressed in a gown made from flattened soda cans in a swirl of white and red, and with the beverage’s familiar name prominently displayed like a metal breast plate on a female knight. She furiously snapped shot after shot, her shortened tripod in front of her.
Camera in hand, she pulled back, stared at the image on the screen, and worried her lower lip. It looked fine, but no telling what it’d really look like until she saw it on her laptop later tonight. She fought back the mass of nerves that rumbled her stomach.
Breathe. She had to remember to breathe. She was a good photographer. Good enough that Flights and Sights had faith in her ability to pull off this assignment, even one where the angle wasn’t ideal and the lighting even less so. She’d compensated where she could and would have to depend on a photo app to clean up the rest.
She flicked her gaze back onto the stage. The fashion show hadn’t sounded like anything special when she was first told about it, but now she was glad she was here. An annual event, it was open to designers in the towns surrounding Castle Lichtenstein, and the hotel’s garden boasted a huge crowd, each of whom had paid several Euros for a seat. There was a fairly good bet that there’d be more visitors once Zandra’s piece was published. At least, she hoped so.
Excitement bubbled up inside her, almost completely overriding her nervousness over the photos she’d taken. She could do this. She could affect what happened in a small part of the world just by publishing a few photos. She could change things, change lives. And it felt damned good.
She smiled as the crowd erupted in a round of applause when the designers stepped onto the stage one last time. “That’s a wrap,” she said.
“Recycling at its best,” Blake said as he stood and stretched.
“Are you being snide?” She removed her camera from the tripod and studied the settings. It was time for what she did best—random shots.
“Not at all. I’m amazed what can be done with flip flops and magazine covers and pop can tabs.”
“It’s kind of like a live version of Project Runway,” she said, snapping a few photos of the crowd.
“Project Runway? I’ll have to Google that.”
“You’ve never heard of Project Runway? It’s a show that features up-and-coming designers who have to produce clothing given a set of parameters,” she said. “For instance, on one episode, a designer made a formal gown entirely out of ribbons.”
“Sounds…fascinating…”
His face remained neutral, and she rolled her eyes. “I didn’t say the show was for everyone.”
“No, no, you didn’t. Which is a good thing because I’m betting I’d be bored to tears.”
“Oh, come on.�
� She nudged him with her elbow. “You have to admit there were lots of creative stuff showcased today.” She grinned. “Like the pop can tabs. Who knew they’d make great jewelry pieces?”
He shaded his eyes from the afternoon sun, and when he turned to her, she saw curiosity stamped in them. “Yeah, but I wonder how many women would prefer it to something that comes out of a Tiffany box.”
“You might be surprised. If it came from the heart, I’m betting a lot of women would think it very romantic. Besides, recycled stuff is cool.”
“I suppose you think it’s the mark of our generation, recycling stuff.”
“I think it’s responsible of us. We shed light on the amount of garbage humanity generates. And when that garbage can be made into something else? Well, that’s really cool. Look at the talent, the ingenuity just in this part of the world. This might be an annual, local event, but who’s to say it can’t catch on and grow into something worldwide one day?”
“You’re really into the worldwide thing.”
“I like thinking big.” It was one of her markers to being successful. She reached for her camera bag. “Who wouldn’t?”
“Why?”
That was a curious question, one that made Zandra stop, her hand on the zipper tab as she considered her answer. “Well, I care about people, their cultures, their traditions…I guess what binds people together is what matters to me, and I think most of us want to take care of the planet as best we can, even to the extent of turning our trash into art. It might even inspire others to create something beautiful.”
“Inspiring beauty.” There was something in the way he said the words that made her pause once more.
God, he was all sorts of yummy with his sunglasses propped on his head and a T-shirt pulled over broad shoulders and tight abs. And then there was the way he looked at her…a lopsided, playful grin that seemed way more inviting than it probably really was.
She mentally shook her head and took the backpack Blake handed over. “Huh. I’ve never really thought about it before, but I suppose it’s why I love photography so much.”
Seduced by the Soldier Page 9