Rose Maddock
WindSwept Narrows
Book Fifteen
Karen A. Nichols
Copyright 2011 by Karen A. Nichols
Smashwords Edition
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Chapter One
Rose Maddock knew it was taking a great deal out of her friend to accept the guard that had been assigned to her. She dropped to her knees, barely breathing and waved the two of them past, ignoring the laughter from Daphne, continuing on when Rose weakly waved a couple palms at her.
“You’re evil, woman!” Rose called loudly with the air her body was screaming to hold onto.
“Yeah, yeah…Vlad tells me that all the time,” she chuckled as she kept running.
Her behind rested on her heels, her head hanging as her body tried finding the air her mind swore to her was out there. Somewhere.
“Insane people run and enjoy it,” Rose breathed through a low growl.
“I’ve heard that.”
Rose lifted her head, reluctantly, one eye opening with even more reluctance. The voice was smooth and soft with a lilt to it that made her think of St. Patrick’s day coming up in a few days. He was perched on his heels in front of her, hands dangling between his knees and head tilted to the side. He wore a good pair of running shoes and simple, grey sweats, the sleeves on the hooded shirt shoved to his elbows. Nothing glittering, she noticed except the brightest pair of blue eyes she’d seen on a guy. Ever.
“Water?”
Rose stared at the half full bottle he pulled from behind him, offering it to her easily, one midnight colored brow arched patiently.
“I…no…probably…” Rose slowly forced her muscles to wake up, her abdomen protesting as she straightened, pulling a soft moan from her lips.
“I’m not concerned with germs,” he teased, flipping the lid up and offering the frosted bottle once more. Full lips parted when the grin slashed his face.
Rose took the bottle and gratefully drained half the contents.
“Thank you…really…”
“I think you might live,” he teased, accepting the bottle back.
“It was a lunatic idea to begin with…some insane distant nut memory of running when I was a kid…” she shook her head ruefully. “And Daphne…and you…you make it look so flippin’ easy, it’s…just wrong…barely survived two laps…”
“I should apologize,” he murmured, humor in his tone that had her eyes narrowing in her appraisal. “I’ve been running for a good many years. You?”
“Some idiot notion I had this morning,” she mumbled testily. “I think it’s passing. Just because you got these long legs, people think you should be able to gallop around like a…a pony on a track…”
“They should be horse whipped,” he agreed in the break.
“It’s my own fault,” she sighed. “Daphne isn’t keen on having a guard…so I thought if we were together, maybe the guard could take the morning hour break…but probably not…Vlad would have both our hides if something happened to her,” she stretched toward the grey skies above them when he stood up and extended his palm. “Thank you.”
“The blonde running at a very fast clip?” He nodded toward the distance.
“Daphne Paddington…except she was married recently…no matter…I hope her guard survives,” she chuckled, turning toward the back entrance to the lockers and indoor gym. “I’m sorry if I interrupted your run.”
“I had just about finished,” he lied smoothly, leaving off the curiosity that had him ending his morning ritual a little sooner. “Why does your friend require a guard?”
Rose sighed, one palm up and rubbing over her neck.
“Escaped stalker who didn’t like being rejected,” she said quietly. “It’s been a long month…I know it’s bothering her. She runs more when she’s stressed. Vlad, her husband, he’s not a runner at all. Me, I’m sticking to pools, rowing, weights and racquet ball.”
“Are you visiting the resort long?” He found himself asking as they entered the building.
“I’m not visiting at all. I work here,” she told him with a bright smile, glancing over at the midnight colored hair and the thin leather cord hanging down his back. It was tied snugly around strands that would cover his collar were it set free.
“Perhaps I can entice you to breakfast this morning?” He stopped outside the entrance to the female locker rooms, his wrist tipped up. “It’s barely six-fifteen.”
“I…alright…give me ten to shower and get dressed,” she said decisively, nodding when he extended his palm.
“Ryan Flannary. I’ll wait for you here…Miss…?”
“Rose Maddock. Alright, I’ll hurry,” she promised, slipping her fingers free and disappearing into the locker room.
Rose.
His smile was unconscious as he quickly went through a hot shower and preparations for the day ahead. The silver and deep blue tie hung open, fingers fastening the buttons down his vest as he stepped into the hall, blue eyes focusing sharply on the woman standing facing away from him. He hadn’t noticed her height until his eyes ran from the three inch wide heeled boots that stopped at her knees, picking up with faded blue jeans.
Slim fingers were sunk into the back pockets, hastily pulled free when she spun at the noise of the door closing behind him. A comfortably fit scoop tee shirt in coral displayed a little bit of bare shoulder, a smoky quartz crystal on a silver chain and fluffed and feathered hair in shades of bronze that never touched her shoulders.
Eyes the color of melted caramel and filled with both humor and intelligence met his with a smile. Her eyes had drawn him in from twelve feet away when he first peered into them. A small backpack hung over one shoulder, her stride easily matching his along the wide corridor.
“Seeing as how you helped me recover from a choice of questionable judgement on my part, I feel I owe you breakfast,” Rose told him easily. “The employee cafeteria does an outstanding spread.”
“Ahh…privileged to the inner workings…”
“No secrets to divulge, Ryan,” she assured him easily. “But much simpler and faster.”
Ryan Flannary couldn’t recall the last time he ate in a cafeteria and certainly never one quite like this one. He followed her through the fast moving line, choosing and filling a large cup of coffee, giving in to the urge to watch the animation on her face as she chatted with passing friends and swiped her card for the meal.
“You’re not here on a vacation, are you?” She asked when they settled into a quiet table in the far corner of the cafeteria.
“What gave me away?” He asked, watching her spr
ead cherry jam down the center of a slice of French toast and roll it before taking a bite, one finger held up as she chewed. He topped his with syrup and took a hungry forkful of the cinnamon and buttery toast.
“Not many tourists tour in three piece tailored suits,” she teased. “Does your company send you to lots of places? Interesting far away places?”
“I’ve been here and there,” he answered with a casual shrug. “It’s been part of the job that‘s about to end, I think.”
“Will you miss it? The travel, I mean.”
“Different times, different challenges. I think the next chapter will make up for all the travel,” Ryan answered, meeting the wide eyes that seemed amazingly easy for him to read. “I knew some Irish Maddock’s in Boston. Largest food distributors on the east coast.”
“A lot of space between here and Boston,” she said after a quiet minute. “Almost as far as you can get without swimming. I’m sure it’s a common enough name. I grew up some in Boston…it was a very long time ago.”
“Hmm…you do appear quite worn and ancient,” he teased, meeting the lowered eyes with a grin. “I grew up in Dublin…and I know that was too long ago to even speak about.”
“So we’ve established that we’re old and transplanted,” Rose nodded at the step forward. “Is that where you live? Where the company is you work for, I mean.”
“The closest I was to Ireland was London about five years ago. No, the company’s main office in Southern California. At least for a few more months. I’m here to complete negotiations on some property just north of here.”
“This is very different than California…climate wise, at least,” Rose commented. “Relocating is a big task…and a headache.”
“So I’m learning. Makes us crazy people enjoy a quiet morning run all the more. How is your friend?”
Rose sighed, her hands wrapped around the glass of almost gone juice.
“Annoyed. I know she’s frightened, but…we tend to work at hiding that kind of thing,” she said, draining the juice and glancing at the clock with a wince. “It’s been lovely, Ryan, but I have to go to work. I can show you the way out and catch the trolley to the health center.”
He drained the coffee and followed her lead, carrying their trays to the conveyor before striding down the wide corridor at her side.
“I’ve got a ton of meetings, but I thank you for the companionship and the meal, Rose. You said you enjoy a good game of racquetball? Perhaps this afternoon?” Ryan looked over, their eyes meeting as they walked through the wide doors and into the winds kicking up in the early morning. He watched the light and dark tones of bronze swept into the winds, traces of red glimmering when a flash of light caught her hair just right.
“About five? I’ll call and reserve a court for us,” she said, nodding and making a quick dash across the street when he agreed, her palm up with a wave as she swung onto the open trolley headed toward the health center.
“Corrupting my employees, Ryan?” Logan Sheffield had been striding into the main entrance of the huge hotel when he’d seen his friend in the distance, a black limo pulling alongside them.
“You know…” He began slowly, meeting the dark eyes in honest confusion. “If you had asked me that two hours ago, I would have gladly said you’d lost your mind.”
“Huh,” Logan dragged one palm over his goatee, his grin relaxed. “How goes your relocation?”
“A bloody pain in the ass, but well enough, given the massive changes,” he admitted with a shake of his head, pulling his mind away from the woman he’d spent the morning with. He looked at his watch and swore softly. “I’ll check in later, Logan.”
Chapter Two
Ryan Flannary stood in the entrance to the massive and well run gym beneath the new resort. As with most resorts, he rarely found people actually using the high dollar equipment. But seated in one of the rowing machines, stroking briskly and wearing a virtual reality set of goggles, was Rose Maddock. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest and watching her from the side.
She wore some kind of stretch lace holding her hair back, her shoulders and arms moving in strong unison as she sliced through what ever waterway was playing in her vision. And she was smiling, he realized, watching the small white teeth occasionally nibble on her lower lip. She had a full bow to her mouth that made his imagination run rampant, his gaze sweeping down to the muscles of her thighs tensing for each stroke she made.
And she did have very long legs, his male mind noted not for the first time. An overall interesting package, he mused, moving to stand as she slowed her strokes, her hand up and pulling the VR goggles from her face.
Ryan listened to her swear softly as she bent and unbuckled her feet, her wrist up with another mumbled oath. She swung her legs to the outside at the same time she caught sight of someone in the corner of her eye, her body swaying slightly when she launched herself to her feet without pausing.
“Whoa…” Rose closed her eyes, aware of the strong hands at her waist to keep her from buckling.
“A trifle too little blood in the wrong places,” Ryan glanced at his hands where they rested on the rise of her hips, her hands wrapped tightly around his forearms. “Breathe…”
“Yeah…I’m good,” she said, shaking her head and opening her eyes to see him backing up a step, a sports bag at his feet. He reached down and took both their bags in one hand. “Sorry…I thought I had the timer set on the machine.”
“No problem,” he led the way to the room with her name on the plaque. “Where were you? In the VR?”
“The Arctic,” she breathed with a brilliant smile at him. “Amazing crystal blue ice and white snow everywhere, gorgeous ice floes and even a few whales breaching now and again.”
Ryan found himself staring at her as she opened her pack, released her racquet and found a wrist guard she snapped into place. Why had he expected her to be cruising through the tropical islands?
“You continue to fascinate, Rose Maddock,” he commented softly, preparing himself and taking a stance at the line, the small blue ball bounced as he waited for her to join the line and nod for the game to begin.
Forty-five minutes later and both of them were leaning on their knees, inhaling deeply after three very active games. Rose slid to the floor and lay back, eyes closed but wearing a smile.
“You’re very good, Ryan, thank you and congratulations,” she breathed the words in the now silent room. She could still hear the pounding of the small ball against the racquet and walls around her and knew from experience it would resonate in her mind for most of the night when things became quiet.
“I barely got that final point, thank you,” he dropped to his heels, watching her hand sweep up and pulling the lace from her hair before dropping to the floor. “I’ve rarely had such a good opponent.”
“Same here…unless you belong to a club, it’s hard to find people with the time to play properly and fun. I don’t like playing with people who want to kill for a win,” she rolled to her stomach and pushed against the floor. “I am seriously in need of a shower.”
“Have dinner with me, Rose,” Ryan stood up, his palm extended to tug her gently to her feet.
“I’ve only my jeans and t-shirts, Ryan,” she had been thinking about him most of the day. It was impossible not to. When she allowed her mind to wander, she could see those blue eyes watching her, studying her.
“Fortunately, the restaurants in the hotel and casino cater to all clothing styles. I’ll take my things to my room and shower there and meet you in the lobby in fifteen?” He suggested, casually gathering his bag and standing by the door, grinning at the nod she offered. “Italian?”
“I’d positively love some pasta,” she told him, taking off at a light run to the ladies locker room. She looked into the mirror one last time, gave the feathery blond hair a rueful fluff and stuffed things into her pack to take home with her after their dinner. It was, she repeated to herself with a sigh as she walked the empty cor
ridors, impossible not to think about Ryan Flannary. He was too pretty, she mused, even or maybe especially because of the sweat on the court. The girl in her sighed. Masculine and pretty. Gallant and polite. Boggled her mind.
Rose had never studied the menu in the frosted glass outside the restaurant. She’d been there four months and hadn’t really had much interest over the inside of either the hotel or casino or the restaurants. She played in the arcade and loved the gym, but the more adult things…a part of her wondered why not, another part of didn’t care to waste energy wondering why not.
She turned to the side in time to see him striding across the expansive lobby and felt the girl in her sigh. He hadn’t tied back the freshly washed hair this time, short tendrils waving over in a casual side part while the length went a little past the collar of the button down shirt. He’d opted for casual, matching her in a pair of creased jeans and simple loafers.
Her hand came up to touch the strands resting on his collar. “This is business approved?”
“That,” he said with a laugh, taking her hand in his and leading her into the restaurant. “Is a whim that I’m indulging at the moment.”
“I like it,” she said firmly, lips pursed in a cute bow that she never paid attention to but held him mesmerized.
“Then it’s just become company policy,” he told her with a pirate grin, taking his eyes off her only long enough to request a quiet table for two.
“How did all your meetings go today? You don’t seem stressed by them,” Rose commented when they were alone, a menu laid out on the table in front of her and a glass of frosted water carried to her lips. “I’ve never been in here before…”
“How long have you worked here? And the meetings went as expected…I offer, they counter…we both simmer for a day,” he acknowledged with a half shrug, waiting while they gave their orders to the waitress.
WindSwept Narrows: #15 Rose Maddock Page 1