Then & Now

by Kimberly Lowe

  Her eyes widened with shock at his unexpected advance. As another blush crept onto her cheeks her eyes slanted into a seductive invite. Slipping his hand behind her neck he gently pulled her forward. He allowed her time to stop him, but when she moved forward he forgot where he was and covered her lips with his.

  She tasted like sweet coffee and something engaging. Something he had never tasted before. It caused him to want to deepen the kiss, to explore her mouth and to caress her tongue with his. Unfortunately the voice of the hostess seating another table had him reeling back to reality and where they were.

  An all night dinner was not the place to devour the mouth of a woman like Alethea. He backed away slowly, keeping her hand in his. Telling his body to calm down he threw a few large bills down onto the table. Leaving her hand in his, he escorted her to the door with the realization that he still had a mad crush on the woman who followed quietly with a shy grin playing recklessly on those appetizing lips.

  Thea nervously fished for her keys while Jace stood quietly beside her. She remembered that her porch light had blown out that morning and it was pitch black outside, which was making it difficult to find anything in her oversized bag. Murmuring an apology she gave her bag another shake.

  Without warning her front door flew open to her sister standing in the entry. Thea gave a small gasp to the sudden action completely surprised to see Mytrice standing in her home. “What are you doing here?” She asked watching her sister’s assessment as she looked over Jace.

  “Me? What are you doing home so late?” Mytrice asked never taking her eyes off of the man who stood next to Thea.

  Feeling the heat raising in her cheeks, for the millionth time that night, Thea turned to Jace. “Jace this is my sister, Mytrice. Mytrice this is Jace.”

  Giving him another look over, Mytrice almost completely dismissed him—which was easy for her seeing she was surrounded by hot men all the time—then folded her arms over her chest. “Does dad or mom know you’re out this late?”

  Giving the main home a quick glance over her shoulder, she shook her head like a child in trouble. Living in a house on the back lot of her parents’ property, had never really been a problem, until now. She half expected to see her father or one of her brothers coming running with gun in hand because a man brought her home at this hour.

  “No. But I’m an adult—”

  “Yeah, yeah. Don’t care.” Mytrice interrupted. “I have my own problems.” Leaving them at the door, her sister made a low whine like cry as she made her way towards the back of the house.

  “Umm…” She turned to Jace who had a questionable expression on his face. “Thank you again for tonight and for walking me to my door. I would invite you in but apparently my sister needs me.”

  “Is everything okay?” He asked gesturing towards the entrance where another pitiful whine echoed.

  “With Mytrice? Probably.” She laughed.

  “Thea!” Her sister cried again.

  Shaking his head in disgust Jace gave her an amused smile. “Can I call you tomorrow?”

  “Yes.” She answered a little too quickly. “I mean, yes that would be great.”

  He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss before Mytrice screamed for her again. “I will talk to you later.” He chuckled at her irritated glance at her home.

  “Okay.” She watched him walk down her short drive and get into his expensive looking car before she rushed into her house.

  If she had the guts she would slaughter her older sister. “Mytrice? What’s wrong? Why aren’t you at your condo? Are you ill?” Thea came to a halt when she found her sister’s bags strung across her living room. “Mytrice?”

  “This isn’t going to work.” Her sister cried from behind her. “I can’t live here! You don’t have enough room for all my stuff! Doesn’t anyone understand how bad this will destroy my social life?” Mytrice whimpered again.

  Confused Thea turned to face her older sister. “Why are you living here?”

  “My house was set on fire.”

  “What?!”

  Waving a dismissive hand her sister shrugged. “That guy you came home with was really cute. Where did you find something like that?”

  “We went to high school together.” Thea answered quickly eyeing each suitcase anxiously. “Mytrice, what did you mean when you said your house was set on fire?”

  With an annoyed sigh Mytrice fell back onto the couch. “Remember that guy I was seeing?”

  That guy was Thea’s ex-fiancé who left her two months before their wedding for the more attractive Eneas sister. Apparently that little tidbit was easily forgotten by her self-absorbed sister. Nodding anyway, she waited for her sister to continue.

  “Well, he found out about Cain and flipped out.” She explained sounding more annoyed then scared. “Which was completely obnoxious. Do you have any idea how annoying it is to work around someone’s childish behavior?”

  “Wait, who’s Cain?” Thea asked trying to keep up.

  “The Italian I’ve been seeing.” Her sister replied with another flippant wave. “Which was worth my condo. Amy Russo wasn’t kidding about Italian men being great in bed. Besides my condo was getting old. I needed something new.”

  “Wait, what?” Alethea chocked. Her sister’s condo was only a year old.

  “Oh, I can’t wait to see what kind of press I get out of this!” Mytrice praised with her eyes sparkling with her future.

  Shaking her head she glanced around her small living room. “So how long are you going to stay here?”

  “Just until I find a new place.” Mytrice yawned. “I need to get some sleep. You don’t mind if I sleep in your room. I have a photo shoot in the morning.”

  “What’s wrong with the guess room?”

  Her sister pouted out her bottom lip. “Thea, I can’t sleep on that bed. I need to look good for the shoot.” She whined and before Thea could say another word her sister smiled. “Thanks, Thea! You’re the best.”

  Folding her arms tightly over her chest she cursed softly. She knew fighting with her would get her nowhere. It never did.

  She took her time shutting off all the lights and locking all the doors. Making her way to the guest bedroom she thought about her night with Jace. Normally she was timid with men, but with Jace she found herself being comfortable and not afraid to show who she really was.

  Without turning on the light she crawled onto the queen-sized bed. Fully clothed, coat and all she stared at the ceiling until her eyelids grew too heavy to stay open. The last coherent thought was Jace and his dark eyes.

  Setting down to her computer, Thea began to review her lesson. Her nerves were rattled and her stress was peeking. She had to teach high school kids on Monday and her brain was trained solely on Jace Kamber.

  She could blame it on lack of sleep that her mind won’t concentrate, though she knew that would be a lie. Erotic dreams of her old high school friend kept her hot and bothered throughout the night. Never in her young adult life had a man affected her so greatly.

  A knock came at her front door, and she groaned out loud. It was probably one of her many family members who came to check on Mytrice. Her sister had managed to get the whole family informed about her condo before breakfast, which was pretty impressive, even for their family.

  Apparently the entire situation had been a complete surprise to her father and her mother. Mytrice hadn’t told either one of them about the fire that had nearly burnt her entire condo down. Which Thea found humorous. That condo coast their parents a fortune. So it was no surprise when her poor father flew into a panicked frenzy.

  She said nothing waiting for them to allow themselves in, which her family usually did by now. When no one entered, she realized it wasn’t anyone from her family at the door. She never had company besides family. Stopping just in front of the door, she reached for the baseball bat inside her umbrella case.

  “Alethea? It’s Jace.” His thick sexy voice slipped through the cracks and down her spi
ne. “Could you please open your door?”

  Releasing a breath that had been lodged somewhere between her lungs and throat, Thea opened the door. Another breath unexpectedly caught again at the sight of him.

  “Are you alright?” He asked, as he eyed the bat in her hand.

  “Yes. I just got a little spooked.” She explained setting the bat back into the case. “I wasn’t sure….My family usually just walks in so….I wasn’t sure.” She repeated quickly when she realized she had been rambling.

  All he did was nod while those beautiful eyes stayed trained on her.

  “Come in.” Thea offered feeling awkward.

  “Do you greet everyone who isn’t family with a baseball bat?” He asked with a slight tilt of his head.

  “No. It’s just that I didn’t get enough sleep last night and after what happen to my sister…I guess I’m seeing shadow’s.” She giggled nervously.

  “May I ask what happen with your sister?” He asked looking concerned.

  She almost forgot that he was the CEO of a major security team. “It’s nothing really. She just pissed off an ex and he set her home on fire.”

  “On fire?” His face became all business.

  “He was always childish.” Mytrice stated as she came out of the master bedroom, looking perfect as always.

  “Though childish, you’re house was set on fire. You shouldn’t wait to see what else has happen—”

  “Wait.” Mytrice stopped Jace with a wave of her hand. “And why should I care what you have to say?”

  Appalled at her sister’s behavior, Thea jumped in. “Jace is the CEO of Eagleridge Security. And you should care about what he says because he is probably the only one qualified enough—”

  “Eagleridge Security? Well, why didn’t you say something sooner?” Mytrice beamed with a sugary sweet smile. “Come in. I’ll get you some coffee. Why didn’t you tell me you were such good friends with the CEO of Eagleridge, Alethea?”

  “I…I…”

  “Stop stuttering and get your friend some coffee.” Her sister ordered as she directed Jace into the living room.

  “Can’t you make coffee?” Jace asked Mytrice with a raised brow.

  Her sister gave a flirty giggle. “Of course I can. It’s just that you and I need to talk.”

  Jace sent Thea a refuted look while Mytrice moved some of her bags out of the way.

  “It’s okay.” Thea smiled. “This is important. The sooner you can help her, the sooner I get my house back.”

  “Why can’t she live with your parents?” He asked with a disapproving glance in her sister’s direction.

  Gasping in horror, Mytrice covered her throat in a melodramatic response to his question. “Live with my parents? Do you have any idea what that would do to my career? It will be bad enough to live with my brainy sister.”

  Mytrice’s modeling career was pretty set. She had already been in several magazines and a music video. Now it seems to be the at most importance that no one finds out that she was living in the guest house of her parents property, because apparently if someone found out then her career would be over.

  So in retrospect Mytrice was going to make this hell for everyone.

  “Haven’t you considered how this will affect your sister?” His voice was deep and controlled while his dark eyes seemed to take on a challenging glare.

  Mytrice gave Thea a quick look. Utterly confused she turned back to Jace. “How can this possibly affect her? This has nothing to do with her.”

  “Wrong.” Jace’s intimidating tone boomed through her home almost shaking her walls, and startling her and her sister. “You have come into her home demanding her space without care. The audacity you have to come in here, when your parents have plenty of room, worried solely about your so-called career, when an obviously delusional person wants to harm you. They set your home on fire. Who knows what else their capable of?”

  Completely shocked, Thea blinked several times as she tried to take in everything he said. No one had ever stood up for her before. She was always the quiet one, the one who just went along with whatever to keep things easier. Even when there were times that she would have loved to have freaked out like her sister, she never did. She kept her cool and handled things with grace.

  Man, she hated that about herself. Though she justified it with the fact that homes function better with only one pain in the ass.

  But, now with him bearing down on her sister who was suddenly speechless, she couldn’t help the feeling that rapidly consumed her. It was as if he took all her emotions that she had ever felt in the last twenty-six years and screamed them for her.

  “I am not staying with my parents’.” Mytrice demanded as she folded her arms in front of her like some kind of four year old brat throwing a tantrum.

  “If you want Eagleridge Security, then you will do as I say.” He ordered, knowing that she wouldn’t back down from the name. “I will place you with a bodyguard.” He stated simply.

  Jace’s deep voice made her once comfortable home seem suddenly tiny. She had never thought her house small before, and yet with him inside it had seemed to shrink almost instantly. His intimidating size took up her entire entry way, as his presence took up all her awareness. Man, he was beautiful.

  Her sister’s eyes widened with excitement. “So is my guard going to be huge? I want a big guy, like the one Britney Spears used to have.”

  “Aren’t you exaggerating this a little?” Thea asked quietly. “You really think her ex will try to do something else?”

  He shook his head. “I’m not putting anything past him. Trust me. I have seen this enough to know.”

  She swallowed hard feeling disoriented. Her sister might be trying at times, but she was her sister. The thought of someone trying to harm her only sister made her insides quiver. Especially when that someone once declared their undying love.

  “I don’t mean to scare you.” He said softly as he took her chin between his thumb and forefinger. Tilting her face up to meet his, he whispered. “I deal with this on a daily biases, and it won’t go away. But don’t worry I will keep it from getting worse.”

  “Hel-lo! What about me?” Mytrice waved. “This guy is after me. So can we please get back to the guards?”

  Jace turned to face Mytrice head on. “Has it ever occurred to you that you are not the only person involved here?”

  “Well, I know you haven’t.” She scoffed eyeing Thea.

  It was a peculiarly wonderful feeling to have someone put her first. It was even stranger that her sister was the one put in second.

  “I will have my security team here within the hour.”

  “Within the hour?” Thea asked, glancing at the clock on the wall.

  “That’s not okay with you?” He asked tucking a lose strand of her hair behind her ear.

  “Of course, is okay.” Her sister beamed waving Thea off.

  Shaking her head Alethea tried to pull out of her sister’s ego-made web. “Yeah, I guess so.” Her school work would have to wait. Mytrice wasn’t going to shut up about this whole thing until it was taken care of.

  Eyeing her carefully Jace nodded. “Until then, Mytrice I want you to move in with your parents. It will give my man more room to work.” Before she had a chance to complain he added quickly. “You staying with your parents will cause major press. I don’t know if that’s something you want to deal with, but that’s—”

  “Really?” Mytrice asked excitedly. “You think this will great good press?”

  “Well, yes. At least it did with Christina Lima, it did. Our men couldn’t keep them away.”

  “Christina Lima? Victoria's Secrets top fashion model?” Her eyes grew wide with excitement. “I’ve got to pack and get everything to the main house. Wait! Before I do that I’ve got to talk to mom and make sure I get my room remodeled. I can’t stay in a room with pink hearts and ponies all over the walls.” Her sister rambled as she took off for the main house.

  Once she was gone
Jace turned to her with a wicked smile.

  “What you told her wasn’t true was it? You said it to get her out of my house.” Thea realized instantly.

  He shrugged. “Maybe.”

  “I guess I was that perceptible?”

  “A little.” He chuckled.

  “Well, thank you.” She smiled back, feeling a tiny quiver in the pit of her stomach.

  Pulling her into his arms, Jace whispered provocatively over her lips. “I couldn’t keep my mind off of you all night.”

  “Really?” She asked trying to get air into her lungs.

  He made one curt nod before he covered her mouth with his making the room suddenly disappear. Much like the dinner had the night before. The feel of his arms wrapping themselves around her caused the tamed vixen in her to spring free. She didn’t want the wild game he was playing with her mouth to end. Squeezing him tighter to her, Thea greedily rubbed her tongue against his and was rewarded with a deep male growl.

  “Now that’s more like it.” Leya’s approving voice slithered between them causing them both to back away from each other.

  “Oh, don’t stop because of me.” Leya teased while eyeing Jace. “Well, I never thought you had it in you, Thea. But I’m glad. You needed a good lay.”

  Utterly mortified, Thea quickly corrected her friend. “This isn’t what you think. Jace didn’t spend the night. He’s here on business.”

  “Hey, call it what you will. I’m the last person to judge you on this.” She giggled.

  “No, really.” Thea tried again, unable to look at Jace.

  Laughing wholeheartedly, Leya waved her hand between them. “Calm down. I heard about your sister. It was just nice to see that you’re taking full advantage of the situation.”

  Feeling the deep blush cover most of her face, Thea turned away from her much too forward friend. Jace’s unfathomable chuckle had her head snapping up to meet his gaze. She shot him a questionable look.

  He gave a playful shrug and then leaned in to whisper. “I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t hoping for such affection.” Kissing her cheek he stepped back. “If you will excuse me ladies I have some things I need to take care of.”