Answers For Julie (Book Nine In the Bodyguards of L.A. County Series)

by Cate Beauman

  “I agree,” Neve said, squeezing her hands in front of her, a nervous gesture he’d seen Julie do numerous times.

  He sipped the sweetened drink again. “The answers are here.”

  “Yes. I’m planning to hire a private investigator now that I know I’ve found Alyson.”

  “I’m planning on doing some digging of my own. I’m former FBI.”

  “Oh, I didn’t realize. Then you’re already familiar with Alyson’s case.”

  “I worked counterterrorism, not on the abductions team, but I’m well-briefed. Agent Tillis sent me the files while Jules and I were still in Washington.”

  Neve nodded again. “That’s good to know.”

  “I’m taking her away for the day—probably for the night—give her a chance to clear her head.”

  “You’re in love with her.”

  He said nothing, holding her gaze despite his surprise that Neve could see so easily what he’d worked hard to deny. “Your son needs to back off—all the way off. Julie’s already going through hell. She doesn’t need to deal with his bullshit on top of everything else. She doesn’t deserve anything he’s been dishing out.”

  “I’ve already talked to him, but I will again today.”

  “We’ll be back tomorrow.” He grabbed the plate and started toward the stairs, wanting to get to Julie before she woke up and thought about packing.

  “Her eyes light up when she talks about you,” Neve said to his back.

  He paused, looking at Julie’s mother over his shoulder.

  “She’s been gone longer than she was here, but I’ve always loved her. It makes it a little easier knowing she was happy. That she had you.”

  He nodded. “I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Good. She needs you.”

  He wanted to make this right for Neve as much as he did Julie. She didn’t deserve what she’d gotten either. “Let me go talk to her.”

  “Thank you, Chase.”

  He walked up the steps and slowly opened Julie’s door, relieved to see her right where he left her. She hadn’t moved since he went downstairs. Bringing the tea and toast with him, he set them on the side table and crawled back under the covers, snuggling up next to her.

  She stirred. “You’re cold,” she mumbled, burrowing farther into her pillow, not bothering to open her eyes.

  “I was foraging and pillaging for you,” he said against her neck.

  She turned her head. “What did you forage and pillage?”

  He reached over, grabbing the mug.

  She sniffed. “Gram’s tea. Aww.” Smiling, she sat up, keeping the sheet pressed to her breasts with one arm. She sipped, her sleepy eyes softening as they held his. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  She sipped again. “It tastes just like hers.”

  “Maybe you’re not the only one who learned a recipe or two.”

  She kissed him. “It’s perfect.” She pressed her lips to his again, as they studied each other, measuring.

  “Regrets this morning?” He held his breath, waiting for her answer.

  “No.”

  He nodded, putting the last of his doubts away. They had the next few days, and he was going to make damn sure they enjoyed them.

  “At least not about us.”

  “Yesterday sucked for you.”

  She tucked her hair behind her ear. “It was a little rough.”

  “So let’s get out of here.”

  “We need to book flights first. If you’ve talked to your boss…” Her eyes met his then she looked away. “Are you—are you going back to Los Angeles or coming to Washington?”

  “I’m hoping neither.”

  She frowned.

  “I think we should stay here.”

  “I don’t.” She set down her mug and started pulling the covers back.

  “Wait.” He grabbed her arm. “Hear me out,” he added, recognizing the stubborn glint in her eyes.

  “I don’t think I want to.”

  “Hear me out anyway.”

  She sighed.

  “I have a couple days off. Let’s get out of Boston. Let’s go skiing.”

  Her frown returned. “Skiing?”

  “Yeah. Why not?”

  “I haven’t been on skis since that day-trip our sophomore year.”

  “We had a damn good time.”

  “And we were fifteen.”

  “A day on the slopes will be great.” He pulled her back against him, loving the feel of her breasts against his forearms. “We could have dinner after and stay in one of those little cabins or some insanely expensive hotel suite.”

  “I don’t know…”

  “You know you want to.” He snagged her ear in an old gesture that he’d forgotten until he did it.

  Seconds passed, and she sighed again. “All right.”

  “Excellent choice.” He kissed her neck. “If you want to go home tomorrow, we will. But let’s give it one more day. No talk of Alyson or Neve or Noah. Starting now.”

  She looked over her shoulder into his eyes. “Okay.”

  ~~~~

  “This is so nice.” Julie smiled, floating on the raft in the resort’s indoor pool.

  “Mmm,” Chase said, drifting at her side with his eyes closed.

  Julie closed hers too, savoring the feeling of her fingers laced with his while the gentle current in the water moved them about in the warm space. The day had been perfect—a full afternoon of skiing and now swimming. This was exactly what she’d needed.

  “We should probably start thinking about dinner,” Chase suggested.

  “What are you in the mood for?”

  He turned his head, meeting her eyes, and she grinned, understanding where his mind had gone.

  “I mean to eat.”

  He lifted his eyebrow.

  She laughed as her stomach tingled with rushes of desire. “What restaurant would you like to dine in tonight, Chase?”

  He smiled. “Well, when you put it that way…”

  She gave him a playful swat.

  “Do you want to do the fine-dining deal or that pub place?”

  “The pub place,” she answered without hesitation. “I want normal food that I don’t have to get dressed up to eat or struggle through strained conversation—”

  Chase rolled off his float before she could finish her thought, pulling her with him.

  Gasping, she plunged beneath the liquid depths and surfaced, coughing. “What are you doing?”

  “You were forgetting the rules. Today you’re only thinking about fun—and me, which are pretty much the same thing.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

  She grinned, wrapping her arms around the back of his neck. Today the old Chase was back—the weary look in his eyes was gone, and he smiled freely. “My apologies.”

  He pressed his slippery lips to hers in the quiet of the surprisingly empty pool. “You’re forgiven.” He kissed her again, deeper this time.

  Her pulse kicked up to pounding as she eased away, swallowing and staring into his eyes, then pulled him back for more. Tongues collided and her hands wandered to his waist as his moved over her butt.

  “We should go,” he said against her mouth. “I’m hungry, Jules. Really hungry.”

  She nodded, noting the edgy glint of desire in his gaze.

  They got out, neither of them bothering to towel off as they bundled into their resort robes. He took her hand and pulled her with him into the elevator where an older couple rode up several floors with them. Electricity charged the air as Chase played his thumb along the inside of her palm, tickling as his gray eyes held her captive, secretly promising her more.

  The elevator dinged open on the fifth floor, and he pulled her with him again, still slightly limping after he’d tweaked his knee on the slopes.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to get that checked out?” She asked almost breathlessly, high on anticipation.

  “I just need to baby it and it’ll be fine.” He
stopped in front of their door, swiped the key, and yanked her inside with him when the light blinked green. He pressed her against the door, fusing his mouth to hers, and lifted her.

  “The bed,” she groaned, fighting with his robe, wrapping her legs around his waist.

  He shook his head as he pinned her in place, laving his tongue along her neck, while he freed himself from his dripping swim trunks. “Right here.” He slid her bikini bottoms to the side and thrust himself inside.

  She whimpered, clutching his shoulders with the stunning rush of pleasure.

  “Right here, Jules,” he grit out, gripping her hips, ramming himself deeper.

  Her tongue tangled with his in a frenzy as she built to flashpoint, throbbing. Sucking in a staggering breath, she moaned, long and quiet.

  Chase snagged her lip between his teeth, nipped at her chin, staring into her eyes as her fingers clutched in his hair with the next wave of heat. “Again,” she gasped and let her head sag against the wood as she went over for the second time.

  He rammed himself harder and she nibbled his ear, her breathing growing ragged as torrents of his hot breath puffed out against her neck.

  “I’m going to come, Jules.”

  “Wait,” she panted out. “Wait for me.”

  Gripping her hips tighter, he arrowed himself deeper and she whimpered, flying high yet again as he jerked, groaning with his last wild thrust.

  “Oh, wow.” She dropped her head on his shoulder. “Wow.”

  He chuckled breathlessly.

  “God, Chase.” She looked at him. “I don’t know if I’m going to be able to stand.”

  “We can just go to bed.”

  “Tempting. Very tempting, but I’m hungry.” And… confused. Was that the right word? She stroked the nape of his neck as she tried to figure it out. She didn’t know this Chase—the steamy sex god who could make her do what her other two partners never had been able to. Twice they’d been together, and it had been slow and sweet. Then there was this.

  “So let’s shower up and go eat.”

  She nodded and dropped her legs.

  His brow furrowed slightly. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.”

  He touched her arm. “Did I hurt you?”

  “No.” She shook her head. “No. That definitely didn’t hurt.”

  “So what is it?”

  “I don’t know.”

  His phone started ringing.

  “Go ahead and get that. I’ll shower.”

  He held her gaze as the phone rang again.

  “I’m fine. Really.” She sent him a reassuring smile and walked into the bathroom, closing the door. She looked at herself in the mirror—her lips puffy, her skin blotchy from the volcanic heat of their loving.

  She took off her robe and the bathing suit she and Chase hadn’t gotten around to and turned on the water, stepping in as soon as the temperature was right. She washed her hair quickly and soaped up, keeping her ear to the door. Chase planned to join her, and she wasn’t sure she wanted company right now.

  Why was sex with Chase bothering her? Wasn’t this what she’d wanted for the last decade? They’d made out several times the summer he kissed her and changed things. Chase was her first kiss, the first boy to touch her, to take her virginity, and she didn’t regret any of it. But sex as adults, with all of the complications, was different. Like everything else. And she needed something to stay the same.

  This wasn’t the fairytale she’d dreamt up in her head so long ago. Never did her fantasies have her and Chase rekindling their romance while they tried to figure out if she was the kidnapped child of Neve and Jay Porter. But being with him again was what she’d wanted—and still did, but it was an adjustment as much as it was comfortingly familiar. Sighing, she shut off the water, troubled that she wasn’t sure. Chase was the only sure thing she had in her life right now.

  Toweling off, she twisted her wet hair on top of her head and applied a quick brush of powder foundation, blusher, and a few swipes of mascara. She stepped into the bedroom as Chase hung up. “Is everything okay?”

  “Yeah. That was Ethan. I have a three o’clock meeting in Boston on Friday.”

  “Oh.” It didn’t look like he would be going back with her to Washington.

  “Jules, what’s up?”

  She shrugged. “I’m not sure exactly.”

  “Are you putting on the brakes?”

  “No.” She sighed. “I don’t think so.”

  “Let me shower and we’ll go downstairs. We’ll talk at dinner.”

  Food and a sex talk. Interesting. “All right.”

  “Give me five minutes.” He limped into the bathroom and closed the door.

  She sat on the side of the bed, no longer sure about anything anymore.

  Chapter Twenty-six

  Chase sent Julie a smile as the waiter set their meals in front of them. For the last half hour, they’d passed the time with small talk while he tried to read her. Something was definitely bothering her. Although they’d spent a decade apart, he found it surprising to realize there were parts of Julie he didn’t fully understand anymore.

  “This looks great,” she said of her soup and side salad.

  “Definitely.” He cut into the roasted pork tenderloin and scalloped potatoes on his plate.

  She sampled her seafood chowder. “Mmm. Amazing. What about yours?”

  He took a bite, enjoying the melding of rosemary and thyme with the tender meat. “Very good.” He ate more, watching Julie dig in, and lingered over his meal, biding his time until she finished the majority of her creamy soup as the uncomfortable silence stretched out between them. She set down her spoon, and he saw his opening. “What’s going on, Jules?”

  She met his gaze. “We’re eating.”

  “You know that’s not what I’m talking about.”

  Sighing, she pulled her napkin from her lap and put it on the table. “I don’t know.”

  “You were fine before we got out of the pool.” Before he’d practically eaten her alive.

  “It’s just—we’re different. On that level.”

  “I made you uncomfortable?”

  “Nope.” She let loose a small laugh. “I definitely wouldn’t call—” She looked around at the other diners and leaned in, lowering her voice. “I wouldn’t call mind-blowing sex against the door uncomfortable.”

  He pushed his plate out of the way and took her hand. “So what would you call it?”

  “Not the same as it used to be.”

  He expelled a long breath, finally cluing in to their issue. “Jules, it’s not going to be the same. We’re never going to be eighteen and inexperienced again.”

  She fiddled with his fingers. “I know.”

  “If I was too rough—”

  She shook her head. “You were perfect. It’s me. I just don’t know how to keep up with all of the changes—everything that’s going on in Boston, then you and me. Not too long ago you hated me, Chase—”

  “I didn’t hate you.”

  Her eyebrow winged up.

  “I thought I did. I was seriously angry and hurt. I loved you, Jules, and you told another man you would marry him.”

  Her eyes filled with regret. “If I could take it back…”

  “That’s the thing. You can’t.” He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. “It’s over. Ten years over. We’re not the same people we were back then. It’s never going to be like it was.”

  She nodded, sighing quietly as she looked down at her half-eaten salad.

  As he stared at the gorgeous woman sitting across from him—a decade older, a decade more perfect—he didn’t want it to be the way it was. He wanted to show her that right now was exactly where they were supposed to be. “I don’t want to go back. I want to move forward.”

  She shook her head again, looking at him. “There is no forward for us.”

  “There’s now. We have now, Jules. We’ll deal with tomorrow when it gets here.” His phone vibrated a
gainst his side, and he looked at the number he didn’t recognize. “Give me one second. Let me see who this is.” He picked up. “Hello?”

  “Yes, hello. This is Anthony Dubois. I’m returning your call.”

  He sat farther up in his chair. “Mr. Dubois, thank you for calling me back.”

  Julie’s gaze sharpened on his.

  “I’m not sure I understand what you’re looking for, Mr. Rider.”

  “I’m looking for information about Dawn Summerman.”

  “You said that, but I was unclear as to why.”

  “I’m an acquaintance of Neve Porter’s. I’m looking into a few leads in the Alyson Porter abduction.”

  “What does Dawn Summerman have to do with that?”

  “That’s what I’m hoping to find out. I’m not the press, Mr. Dubois. I’m former FBI trying to help out a friend.” The friend whose eyes were weary as they looked into his.

  “I could meet with you tomorrow.”

  “That would be great. What time works for you?”

  “How about one?”

  “Perfect. I’ll see you then.”

  “Bye.

  “Bye.” He hung up and shoved his phone away. “Anthony Dubois wants to meet with us at one.”

  “I’m not meeting with him. I’ll be on my way back to Washington.” She pushed back from the table.

  He snagged her wrist, noting the stubborn glint had returned to her pretty hazel eyes. “If you want the answers, you’ll stay.”

  “I don’t want them anymore.” She pulled away from him and stood. “I don’t need them.” She walked off.

  “Jules. Wait.” But she disappeared around the corner. “Damn it.” He raised his hand, catching his waiter’s attention. “I need to settle up and have a bottle of wine delivered to my suite.”

  “Of course, Mr. Rider. I can arrange that for you. Let me get you the wine list.”

  “No.” He handed over a fifty. “Go ahead and keep that and pick something nice—red. Charge everything to my room.”

  “Yes, Mr. Rider.”

  He stood and left the restaurant, watching Julie step into one of the elevators far down the hall with several other guests. So much for their relaxing night away. He picked up his pace, determined to get their evening back on track, annoyed by the dull ache in his knee slowing him down. He stepped into the next available car and went to their room, walking in while Julie stood by the glow of the gas fire.