by Asha Daniels
He thought about her request. “You can help me bring in wood later. The boots will help with that.”
“Okay. I’ll be glad to help.” She swirled her orange juice. “Why you?”
“Why, what?”
“My father asked for you specifically. I overheard the phone call. He didn’t know I was listening, but I heard him make the call. He said in no uncertain terms that he would only hire Cutter Thomas and no one else.”
Cutter placed the information in the back of his mind. “I’ve been on details for Governors, ex-Presidents and certain celebrities. Perhaps your father truly does care about you after all.” The entire concept stuck in his craw. The only way Winston Rush could have known about his reputation was either talking with a former client or that he had a relationship of some sort with Jeff Gammon. Or the government. Was he a part of some horrific game? The dangling pieces were starting to smell.
“Hmmm… Well, as I mentioned before, my father must have the best.” She rolled her eyes and took a gulp of orange juice. “I just don’t know what I did. I guess I led him on, this asshole I mean.”
“You did nothing wrong, Jasmine. Nothing. Obsession is a sickness and one few can ever get over. They fixate on a person or a thing and they will find a way to get what they want, no matter the obstacles.”
“Which means he’s coming for me. Isn’t he? He’s going to kill me.”
There was no way of sugar coating the truth. “Possibly.” He pulled the gun from behind his back, carefully placing it on the table. “I can protect you with this as well as the other weapons that I brought with me, but only if you remain close.”
She stared at the gun for several seconds before nodding. “I get it now. I know you think I’m some worthless child who has no understanding of the danger we’re in, but I do. The truth is, I just haven’t cared, at least until now.”
“Why the change?” The words lingered in the air and he could tell she was stalling. Her body language remained tense, but he knew it had nothing to do with the threat at hand.
She had no understanding of what was happening between them.
“Because I can see a future rich with everything I’ve ever wanted in my life and nothing I believed I could have.”
* * *
Jasmine stood outside, shielding her eyes from the sun. The warmer temperatures meant the snow was melting. She was on edge for several reasons, including the fact she’d come as close to opening up to Cutter as she had to anyone in her life. He hadn’t said more than two words since breakfast, retreating into whatever shell he’d had securely placed around him for months, maybe years. There was no way of telling.
He’d checked the perimeter of the grounds as well as the woods before allowing her to come outside.
Thump! Thump!
The sound made her smile and she tipped her head, admiring his upper body strength. He was chopping wood, slamming the ax into the logs as if they were nothing. Yes, there was technique involved but his brawn had more to do with his frustration than his knowledge of the tool. Walking closer, her feet sunk into the snow. She was grateful for the boots.
The mountains were pristine, snow covered and glistening in the streaming rays. She’d forgotten how beautiful they could be. Even during touring with Danger, she hadn’t taken much time to appreciate any of the cities or towns along the way. Their schedule had been too tight, pushed due to the upcoming release of their second CD. Maybe that wasn’t going to happen. She admitted. Being out of contact for a day and a half had been the longest since joining the band.
Thump! Thump! Whoosh!
Stretching his back, Cutter tossed the ax behind his head, cradling it against his neck with both arms. He twisted back and forth.
“You look tired,” she said as she walked closer. “We have enough wood.”
“There’s a storm coming our way.”
She glanced up at the sky. “How do you know? It’s in the upper forties.”
For the first time, Cutter grinned and took another swing.
Thump!
Shaking her head, she realized the question was… “Don’t answer. Don’t you dare. When?”
“A couple of days. I just want to be prepared.”
Wham! Thump!
Walking closer, she waited until she could place her hand on his shoulder. “Thank you for protecting me.” When he stiffened, she pulled her hand away and turned around. “I’ll take some wood inside.” Crouching down, she gathered as many split logs as she could carry. She hadn’t realized he’d moved right behind her until she stood. Feeling his hot breath on her neck, she swallowed. She was shaking from simply being close to him, the electric charge between them.
“I meant what I said. I will die protecting you.”
“I know.” The crunch of the snow indicating he’d walked away, she held the wood close to her chest and trudged through the snow and into the house, placing the pile on the hearth. There had to be something that broke the ice, allowing them to at least talk about something other than the situation at hand.
Biting her lip, her mischievous side took over and as she walked outside, she hunkered down, rolling a ball of snow between her hands. He wasn’t paying any attention, merely swinging away. She rolled another ball, making certain both were packed tightly. Standing, she pulled back her arm, taking aim.
Whap!
The snowball hit him square in the back. Laughing, she danced in the snow, waiting for his reaction.
Cutter stopped and exhaled then looked over his shoulder. He remained where he was, peering through his dark sunglasses.
“Well? Not going to play?” Pitching the other ball, this one bapped him in the face. She giggled then pressed both hands over her mouth.
Sniffing, he looked around the area before easing the ax on top of the stack of wood. He walked toward her, taking very careful steps.
“Uh-oh. I guess I’m in trouble.” Jasmine jumped back then bent down, gathering another handful of snow. By the time she stood up, she was able to see a blur of white just seconds before the snowball pummeled into her neck. “Ouch!” She tossed another one and he ducked but continued to walk in her direction.
Cutter grabbed two handfuls and within seconds, pitched them in her direction.
Squealing, she dropped to the ground, avoiding another barrage as she created new balls, tossing one after the other. The last hit him in the face, knocking off his sunglasses. She wasn’t certain whether she’d pissed him off or not. “What’s wrong? Are you giving up, conceding that I’m the better snowball master?”
Every move methodical, he picked up the glasses and shoved them in his pocket before taking two long strides toward her. “You, my dear, will never be the master. You forget. I’m completely in charge. Of everything.” He stormed toward her, running when she tried to get away.
She laughed until he caught her, swinging her around.
“You’re such a bad girl. Jesus. And I thought the spankings had done you some good.” Cutter’s eyes twinkled in the dimming sun.
“They did. I’m very obedient.”
“You just think you are.”
Pummeling his chest, she laughed again, and a sizzling sensation rocketed through her entire body. She eased the palm of her hands up his chest, gripping his jacket. “Cutter.”
He let out a slow breath as he lowered his head. “I…”
“Shh,” she whispered and tipped her head.
Crushing her mouth, he thrust his arms around her, pulling her tightly into his hold. As he pushed his tongue past her lips, he grunted and entwined their tongues. The kiss became frantic, hungry and almost desperate.
She clung to him as she moaned, her legs trembling, her heart racing. Just being in his arms, his strong hold was surreal. The intimate moment forced time to stop and she fell into the kiss, exploring the dark recesses of his mouth. This was perfection. When he stiffened seconds later, she tried to hold on, to keep the excitement alive, but he pulled back, turning his head. “What’s
wrong?”
“We can’t. We just can’t do this. I’ll lose perspective,” he murmured and released her.
“No, you won’t. Cutter.”
“No!” He took a giant stride backward, holding out his hand as a barrier. “I have my rules.”
The goddamn rules. Frustration furrowed in her gut. There was no sense in pleading with him. He’d already made up his mind. “Okay. I’m sorry. I just…” She took a few steps away, shoving her hands into her pockets. “You don’t understand what you do to me. You allow the woman inside to be free. I want so many things, Cutter, but I want to share them with you. Can you understand that?”
He hesitated, his mouth twisting. “This can’t and won’t happen. I’m here to do a job. Nothing more.”
He had no way of knowing just how much the biting words hurt, crushing the budding flower that had opened because of his strength, even his adoration. “Fine.” As she headed back to the house, she fought the tears filling her eyes.
Whap!
Shock turned into another round of desire as the snowball hit her in the back.
“You’re one bad boy,” she managed.
“You started this,” he said as he shrugged.
The snowballs came fast and furious and she took off running, zigzagging as she tried to get away.
The man was precise with his throws and within seconds, she was sopping wet. As she bent down to grab another fistful, she slipped on the wet snow and went down hard, sliding down an embankment. A sharp pain flashed into her ankle and she began to tumble. “Shit!”
Within a few seconds, she was picking up speed, rolling down the hill, moving faster. And faster still. Everything went by in a blur, the blue sky, the green and brown of the forest but she could tell she was headed for a bank of trees with nothing to stop her momentum. “Cutter!” The sharp cry rung out, filtering above the trees.
She could hear the calls of the remaining birds, refusing to leave for the winter. Their caws seemed louder with each passing second. She continued to roll, hitting bumps and rocks until the wind was knocked out of her chest. There was no way to stop the roll.
Wham! Whoosh!
Suddenly, she was yanked to a halt, her face pitched into the snow.
“Jesus. Are you all right?” Cutter pulled her over onto her back, the move slow and easy. Peering down, he brushed snow out of her face. “Jasmine. Are you all right?”
Opening her eyes, she smiled and kicked out her feet. “I think so.” When she raised up, she could see what appeared to be a drop off point. “How in the hell did you get to me?”
“I managed. Okay? Let’s get you up.” Sliding his arms under her, he lifted as he stood.
“Wait. I can walk I’m fine.”
“Put your arm around me.” When she hesitated, he gave her a stern look. “Do as I say. You took a terrible fall. We need to make certain you’re okay.”
The gentleness of his voice, the imploring expression on his face was riveting. Such tender care for a man with hard edges. She slid her arm around his neck and cradled her head against his chest. She had no concept of how far she’d fallen, but she was content being in his arms. When he swung her around, she was able to see the expansive view. “Oh my God. The drop off.”
“Is severe. Yes.”
“I could have died.”
“You were heading for the trees. The impact would have kept you from going over the cliff.”
“Liar,” she whispered, a trickle of fear remaining. She was a fool with no idea of what they were facing. The overbearing concept shoved a lump in her throat. A single tear slipped past her lashes.
“Hey. You’re fine. I’m right here.” He was able to wipe away the tear, giving her a smile of confidence.
She clenched her eyes shut, unable to look him in the eyes. She’d always been able to take care of herself, no matter the circumstances. But now? There was no way.
Cutter trudged up the hill, taking long strides, almost falling twice. He was no more out of breath when they reached the top as when they were at the bottom. “We’re almost there.”
She couldn’t take her eyes off his chin, so angular, his nose what some would call aristocratic. His cheekbones were pronounced, chiseled like the rest of his body. She was thrown as to how close she felt to him at this moment. This was a different man than the morning or the night before. By the time they’d reached the top, clouds had begun to sweep across the sky. Strings of vibrant colors washed together, fuchsia and purple, tinged with tangerine. The wind had kicked up, swirling snow off the limbs of the trees and she was shivering, her fingers and toes numb. But Cutter had to be freezing, yet he refused to let her down.
“Let’s get you in the house. I’ll build a fire.” Cutter stopped and turned in a full circle.
Jasmine touched his face, rubbing her gloves across his reddened cheek. “Thank you. You saved my life.” Why was this man so special? Why did she crave him so desperately? Nothing made any sense. There was no rhyme or reason to the connection, but there was no denying what she felt. Only he held the key. He was in charge. He would allow or disallow it. And she knew he was horrified, afraid of letting go. What wretched experience had torn him apart? “Cutter.”
Cutter swallowed and shook his head. “Don’t.”
“Please.”
He looked down, a tic appearing in the corner of his mouth. “Anyway, you would have been fine.” After walking up the stairs, he eased her down, brushing snow off her coat. “Put some weight onto both feet.” He was suddenly unable to look at her.
She did as instructed and held out her arms. “See? I’m fine.” The moment she took a step, her body pitched forward, her ankle twisting. “Shit.”
“I’ve got you.” Cutter eased his arm around her waist, allowing her to hobble into the house. Easing her down on the couch, he pointed his index finger at her, touching her nose. “No more games, little miss. Let me get some more wood then we’ll take a look at that ankle of yours.”
“Yes, sir.”
He groaned and rolled his eyes.
After he walked outside, she yanked off her gloves and hat, tossing them away. What the hell did anything matter? He wasn’t going to allow her to get close. He wasn’t going to fall in love with her. Hell, he wasn’t even going to be her friend. Fine. Fucking fine. Slapping her hand on the couch, she allowed the old girl to pop back inside, just to seal the slight wound in her heart. She wasn’t good enough for anyone and perhaps never would be.
He didn’t look at her when he returned, merely went to work arranging the firewood. She was drawn to him in an unexpected way, yet she couldn’t find any words to soothe him. Or herself.
Cutter made a roaring fire then yanked off his coat and gloves. “Let me see what we’re dealing with.”
Jerking out of his hold, she moved to a sitting position, doing her best to untie the thick laces. “I’m fine. Just go do what you need to do. Protect me. Find the asshole. Make phone calls. Hell, I don’t know but just let me alone.”
“Why are you acting this way again? I don’t understand.”
“And neither do I. One minute you kiss me as if you longed to drink me in, feast on my very soul. The next, you push me away, making certain I know you could never care for me. Then, against all odds, you save my life. I can’t handle the bizarre dichotomy. I also can’t obey a man I don’t trust.”
He pulled back then nodded. “I understand.”
Mumbling under her breath, she managed to yank off one boot but the other hurt like hell. “Damn it!”
“Let me do it.”
“Fine.” She leaned back and refused to watch as he struggled to remove her boot, wincing when he tugged. “See, I’m fine.”
“Your ankle is swollen but I don’t think anything is broken. Hopefully, it’s not sprained. We need to make certain you can run at a moment’s notice.”
“A moment’s notice. Well, thank God, for no broken bones. Yep. When the boogeyman comes, at least I’ll be able to walk right
out of here. Then I’ll be out of your hair. You’ll never have to see me again.” The anger refused to be denied.
Cutter rubbed her ankle as he sighed. “Is that what you think?”
“You mean that you don’t want to bother with me? You’ve made certain I understand. I get it. No pleasure with business, but I thought there was a connection. I…” Snorting, she managed to stand. “Never mind. I won’t bother you. I’ll stay in my room or attached to your side or whatever you want, but I will leave you to yourself. But I will tell you this, Mr. Security Man. You’re going to end up very lonely. And…” He wasn’t even going to refute her nasty comment. “I’m getting something to drink. Then I’ll be up in my room. If that’s all right with you. If that allows me to obey the rules.”
He rose to his feet and grabbed her jacket, placing it over his.
Mr. Quiet had struck again. Holding her breath, she hobbled toward the kitchen. A quick glance at the clock and she was surprised that it was almost four. They’d spent several hours outside. She was freezing, her entire body chilled. She grabbed the open bottle of wine and a glass, the force of her pour sloshing long strings of merlot over the sides. The first gulp tasted fantastic. The second soothing. The whole bottle would taste even better.
She didn’t hear him, but she sensed the man, her disciplinarian, enter the room. Every part of her body was shuddering, her mind reeling. She craved this man above all others. Nothing made any sense in what was left of her rational mind.
“I was in love once in my life, even though she never knew. She had no idea that I’d adored her for months, watching her every move, enjoying the sound of her laughter. I savored every moment of her sweet gestures, the way her fingers curled around her hair when she was nervous. The way she placed her hand over her mouth when she laughed. I simply adored her. I wanted so many things for the two of us and could envision a life together. Hell, I’d even thought about kids. That was the most incredible time of my life.”