Secret Agent Groom (The Bridal Circle #2)

by Andrea Edwards

  What was with her today? she scolded herself. You’d think she was the one who had been mugged. Kneeling on the floor, she opened the cage and reached in for the kitten. Bonnie backed away from her hand, but Heather got her out and cuddled the kitten up by her chest.

  “I just take her out,” she said. “And pet her until she purrs and talk to her softly so that she sees she doesn’t have to be afraid of me.”

  “Sounds easy.”

  “Want to try?” Heather asked. “Here, sit down and I’ll give her to you.”

  “No,” Alex said. His voice was sharp.

  She stopped, surprised at his tone. “No?”

  “No to the sitting down.” He had softened his tone, as he came over and took Bonnie from Heather’s hands. “Not no to the kitten.”

  He held the kitten to his chest and petted her softly, breathing soft little words of reassurance into her fur. He’d scarcely begun before Bonnie was purring loud enough to be heard the next block over.

  And the more he stroked the kitten, the more Heather’s stomach tightened. The more she tasted worry and fear. What was wrong with her? Heather asked herself. Just watching him with the little animal shook her heart and almost made her tremble. Heather had to look away. And then reality—and sanity—returned.

  “What do you mean ‘no to the sitting down’?” she asked.

  He looked up from petting Bonnie. “Just what I said. I’m not sitting down. I’m on a standing-up strike.”

  What was he talking about? “Why?”

  “Because you won’t answer my question,” he said. “Every time I ask you why you rescued me, you avoid answering.”

  This was nuts. She got to her feet and took Bonnie back, giving her a hug and kiss before putting the kitten back in the cage. No need to take out her irritation with Alex on a little innocent kitten.

  “I didn’t answer because I thought it was obvious.”

  “So humor me.”

  “You needed help, so I gave it.” She knew she sounded curt, but didn’t care as she pulled open the bedroom door, holding it for him to leave the room. “What’s the big mystery?”

  He walked out slowly and she winced. She was the world’s worst nurse, letting her own worries distract her. She hurried up next to him and took his arm. “I really would like you to sit down now,” she said. “I’ll pour us some iced tea... no, the caffeine might be bad for you. And so would alcohol. Maybe some ice water.”

  “Most people wouldn’t, you know,” he said.

  “Wouldn’t what?” He didn’t look pale. or sound weak, but that didn’t mean anything,. “Wouldn’t have stopped? Of course they would have. Would you rather sit in the kitchen? It’s nice and cool in there.”

  She led him into the kitchen and he sat down, though she wasn’t sure he was aware of it. His face was creased with a frown and his eyes seemed not to be seeing the daisy print wallpaper that he was staring at.

  “Most people don’t give a damn about anyone else and would never put themselves in danger for someone.”

  “How did you ever get so cynical?” She took two glasses from the cabinet—ones with big letters of the alphabet dancing all over the sides—and filled then with ice and water and handed him a glass.

  “My kids gave them to me as a Christmas present last year,” she informed him.

  “Your kids?”

  “My class. I teach kindergarten.”

  “Of course.” He seemed to shake himself. “I was just wondering why you weren’t married with a houseful of kids to take care of and got confused.”

  She froze, just staring at him. “You’re hallucinating. Oh lord, what do I do now?”

  But he just started to laugh, and that alarmed her even more. Hallucinations. Hallucinations. What did one do for hallucinations? Starve a cold, feed a fever. Rest, ice and elevate for a sprain. Floss every day. Why hadn’t she paid better attention during all those first-aid courses?

  “Are you dizzy?” she cried as she rushed around the table. “How many fingers am I holding up?”

  “I’m fine. Really. No need to panic.”

  “Panic? Don’t tell me not to panic,” she said as she reached out to feel his forehead. “I clobbered a mugger today. I’m allowed to panic when someone’s going to collapse in my kitchen.”

  But as she got to his side, he was standing up and her silly feet took her right smack into him. His arms folded around her as if they always did so, and then he was holding her up.

  “I’m not going to collapse,” he told her softly.

  “I think I might.”

  Her legs didn’t seem to want to hold her, or else they had turned to cooked spaghetti and weren’t able to. His arms were so strong and it was so nice to have someone else doing the supporting. But this was Alex! Even so, her head lay against his chest and her eyes closed.

  “You’ve had quite a day,” he said, his breath tickling the hair on the top of her head.

  “I hit somebody.” She shivered and burrowed deeper into his arms. His hold tightened. “And I thought you were going to get killed.”

  “You were very brave.”

  He was just saying that to be nice. She knew this wouldn’t count as her brave deed; she’d been too scared. “I almost fainted about ten times,” she admitted. “I wasn’t really checking the potency of the smelling salts.”

  “You should have let me drive.”

  “You had reason to be hurt. I was just being my usual chicken self.”

  “Would you stop putting yourself down?” he said.

  She looked up just as he was bending down and it happened. Somehow he was kissing her. Or was she kissing him? Whatever it was, whoever was doing what to whomever, it shouldn’t be happening! Her stomach tensed, but then his lips were so soft, so soothing, so scrumptious that she couldn’t resist. She’d never had a kiss like this before, never had one that made her feel so alive and precious and desirable. She raised herself up on her tiptoes just slightly so that she could better feel those magical lips against hers.

  As she raised herself up, his arms tightened around her and the warm, wondrous, absolutely terrifying feeling spread from her lips to cover her whole body. Her knees felt treacherously weak and wobbly and her head felt light. She thought briefly about getting out her smelling salts, but this was a different feeling. One she liked and didn’t want to chase away. One she—

  Alex was letting go of her and the world was coming back. She felt unsettled, as if she’d just stepped off an upside-down roller coaster. What in the world was she doing?

  She took a step back, unable to look clearly at him. This was not her brave deed. This was insanity.

  “I think I’d better go,” he said.

  “But what about dinner?” Heather asked.

  She looked so lost and helpless, like that kitten she’d caught, that Alex felt like a complete heel. He was suddenly the mugger and she was the muggee. What was the matter with him? Why had he gone ahead and kissed her? Why had he even come into her house? He should have known better.

  Why had she ever stumbled onto that scene today? If she hadn’t, then none of this would have happened. He didn’t need this kind of complication right now. Hell, not just right now, he didn’t need it ever.

  “I think I should go home and lie down,” he said and edged toward the back door. “I’ll feel better there.”

  “Are you sure you should be alone?” she asked.

  The knife went in deeper and twisted. This wasn’t her fault. It was his. He had kissed her. He had gotten her out of that street scene. He had dropped that stupid paper in her kitchen last night that had given her the address. Now it was his job to let her down easy—but to minimize his future involvement. It was time for a well-placed lie.

  “Uh, I won’t be alone,” he said.

  “Oh?” Then her face turned bright red and her eyes took on a hurt look that would have broken his heart if he’d let it. “Oh.”

  Damn. He couldn’t do it. “No, no, that’s not wha
t I meant.” Though it was exactly what he’d intended. “I mean that I won’t be alone because some students are supposed to drop by. I’m heading the athletic tutoring program this year and some of my student tutors are coming by.”

  “Oh. I see.”

  The red in her face had paled to just a rosy glow. A tempting, tantalizing glow that—

  He definitely needed to get out of here and now. “Well, thanks for everything,” he said, making his way closer to the door. “I imagine I’ll see you around.”

  “Don’t let your students keep you up too late,” she said. “You need your rest.”

  He nodded reluctantly. “Yeah. You too. You had a trying day, too.”

  “It was kind of exciting,” she said. “Now that it’s all over, I mean.”

  Geez, that was all he needed. “Just don’t go to liking that kind of excitement too much,” he snapped. “That was really a pretty tame mugger.”

  “And you might not always be there to pick up the gun,” she added.

  “That, too.” The idea worried him and the knowledge that it did worried him even more. “Well, I’d really better go.”

  He got outside, but the evening air wasn’t sharp and cool enough to clear his thoughts. Why, he had no idea. And didn’t want to know either.

  He hurried across the yard to his own house, unlocked his door, and went inside, pausing only then to breathe a sigh of relief in the cool conditioned air.

  “Have a nice dinner?” Casio asked.

  Alex’s blood froze and it seemed like centuries before he was able to breathe. “What the hell are you doing in here?”

  How had he let his guard down like that? He should have sensed Casio before he opened the door. Regardless of his security system, he should have known someone was here. It was his job to know.

  His mind had just been so muddled because of Heather that he wasn’t thinking clearly or reacting properly. This time it was only his supervisor who had surprised him. Next time it could be someone dangerous. Still further reason that he had to keep Heather out of his life.

  “What am I doing here? I’m your supervisor and I’m supposed to keep an eye on you,” Casio replied. “Remember?”

  Alex let the fire go from his blood and relaxed. Just another day at the office and he and Casio were going to discuss how things went. No big deal. Unless he made it so.

  “Yeah, right.” Alex walked across the room to his sofa and flopped down on it. “It’s just been a long day and I’m a little tired. Need to catch a couple of Zs.”

  “How did it go inside?” Casio asked.

  “Great. Just great. I lost big and got approached by a backer willing to finance my run of luck.”

  “and?”

  Alex frowned. “And I need to finalize things tomorrow. I got... uh... sidetracked and didn’t get it finished.” How much did Casio know? And how much did Alex have to confess?

  “You mean when you got rescued?” Casio asked.

  Damn. Alex had known he would have to explain but he had somehow hoped he’d have time to come up with a sensible explanation. Time when he didn’t have to look at the smirk on Casio’s face. “Yeah. When I got rescued.”

  “So, what’s with her?” Casio asked. “She’s your neighbor, right? A cute little thing.”

  Cute little thing? Alex’s first reaction was to come out swinging. Who the hell did Casio think he was talking about? But that was crazy and Alex knew it. There was nothing between him and Heather. They were neighbors who barely knew each other. No reason for him to get defensive.

  “Yeah,” Alex said. “She saw me and thought needed help.”

  “Fitz said she swings a mighty purse,” Casio said.

  Alex shrugged. “Yeah. He’s okay, isn’t he? I thought he was just playing it up.”

  “He’s fine. But what’s going on with you and the neighbor?”

  Alex got up from the sofa, suddenly unable to sit still. “What’s going on with us? Nothing. She just happened to be driving by and saw Fitz and me and jumped to the wrong conclusion. I hope it didn’t screw things up too much.” He started into the kitchen, then stopped. “Want something to drink?”

  “Nah.” Casio got to his feet and followed Alex into the kitchen though. “Actually the woman was a real bonus.”

  Alex paused, his hand on the refrigerator door and his breath suddenly stuck in his throat. “What do you mean?”

  “You two made a great picture today. It made you look like someone who’s hanging on by his fingernails.”

  “I was doing okay in that regard on my own,” Alex said.

  “Yeah, you were doing fine. But when you add this little sweetie pie coming along to rescue you, it really iced it. She looked really, really concerned. Anybody watching would know it wasn’t a setup.”

  “It was an accident,” Alex said sharply and yanked open the refrigerator door. “And it won’t happen again.”

  “If they did any checking on you, they’d figure she was your girlfriend.”

  Alex snatched a can of soda from the fridge and slammed the door shut. “She’s not—”

  “We need to let them keep thinking that,” Casio said. “Even if they should come out and take a look for themselves.”

  Alex could not believe what Casio was saying. “Things could get dangerous. It’s a bad idea to have a civilian involved.”

  “She’s not really involved,” Casio said. “She’s more like—” he shrugged “—window dressing.”

  Alex didn’t like where this was going. Not at all. “Windows get broken,” he pointed out.

  “It’s not like we’re going to actively involve her,” Casio said. “But if she wants to rescue you and fuss over you, so be it. There’s probably more danger in her crossing the street than in getting peripherally involved in this.”

  There was danger and there was danger. Alex didn’t want Heather involved in this thing in any way. Not at all. He didn’t want to have to watch out for her. Or worry that someone going after him might get her by mistake. Or...

  Or what? That he’d get caught in that soft smile of hers?

  Nope. That was one thing that would never happen. Never.

  Chapter Five

  Heather was relieved when Alex left. Okay, so there was an awful ache in the region of her heart, but it was just because she’d screwed up another chance to be brave. Just as her reaction to Alex’s kiss had been because of all the stress of tangling with a mugger. Alex Waterstone was the last man on earth she wanted to kiss her. And if her crazy heart was screaming she was a liar, it only went to show how terribly stressful the day had been.

  Heather much preferred her quiet life to the uproar that accompanied Alex everywhere. She didn’t like uproar. She didn’t need uproar. To be honest, uproar scared her. She kept telling herself that all evening until she went to bed.

  She got up the next morning as soon as it was light and started chores. It was too early for any sane person to be up, so she went outside in her pajamas—these had teddy bears on them—and started filling the two birdbaths in her backyard. After that, she set the hose to watering the dogwood that shaded the near birdbath and walked back toward the house.

  And saw him.

  Alex was coming around the side of his house in his running clothes, looking like something out of her favorite dream. Those long muscled legs, his arms so strong, and those lips that had tasted better than she ever could have imagined.

  And here she was in her pajamas again! She felt her whole body go hot, and then numb. Not that her pajamas were the slightest bit revealing. They were just a no-nonsense set of cotton shirt and shorts. No lacy peekaboo holes or fluttery thin straps that men found attractive. Even so, that same knot appeared in the pit of her stomach. No, her fear of him certainly didn’t have anything to do with the past or his actions now, as her neighbor. It was all inside her, her reaction to him. She knew she should run, but her feet wouldn’t move. This was her chance to win Toto’s dare.

  “Hi,” she calle
d out. “You’re up early.”

  He looked surprised to see her. “So are you.”

  His voice sounded tight. Maybe he hadn’t slept well. Maybe some injury had been—

  “Are you all right?” she asked quickly. “No ill effects from yesterday?”

  “Depends on what you mean by ill effects,” he said. “No aches and pains.”

  He was trying for a joke, she knew, so she laughed. He didn’t seem to have it in him to join her, though. Now that she looked closer, his eyes looked tired, too, and there were little worry wrinkles around his mouth. What if—

  No! She was not going to worry about him! That wasn’t part of Toto’s challenge. She just had to be brave and that’s what she was doing. Just in case though, she backed away a step or two.

  “Well, I hope your ‘no aches and pains’ don’t keep you from having a good run,” she said brightly. “I really admire anyone with the discipline to jog regularly. I keep thinking I should, but I probably couldn’t get halfway down the block without having an asthma attack.”

  “I didn’t know you had asthma,” he said. “Getting tangled up with a mugger yesterday was probably the worst thing for you.”

  She just made a face, not liking the fact that she’d trapped herself in the corner like that. “It wasn’t a problem, really. I haven’t had too many attacks lately.” Like none in the past ten years. “It was worse when I was a kid.”

  He frowned, and she felt a tingle all the way down to her toes. Was his reaction concern?

  “But it could come back,” he said, sounding half angry for some reason. “Any kind of stress could trigger another attack.”

  “Oh, I doubt it,” she said. She didn’t know what was going on, but tried to make light of it all. “Besides, I don’t have time for an asthma attack just now. School starts next week and I still have a lot of costumes to finish for the festival.”

  “You’re making your Oz costume?”

  “Mine?” She just laughed. He really didn’t know her, did he? Somehow it released her from his spell. “Gracious, I don’t dress up myself. I make costumes for other people. I’m making a Glinda the Good Witch costume for Karin Spencer. You remember her, don’t you? She’s going to be one of the grand marshalls this year.”