Sweetest Obsessions - Anthology

by Anthony, Jane

  He smiled and quirked an eyebrow at her teasingly. He’d been doing a lot of that lately. Was he like that with everyone or just with her? She hadn’t noticed him acting that way with Alexia.

  Mirroring his expression, she tried to feel indifferent about his attention, but failed. When he looked at her like that, it made her pulse race. She’d noticed that happening around him often, like on the beach during their jogs, but then she’d chalked that up to exercise. What was her excuse this time?

  Something about the way he looked at her, especially right now, made her feel like she was the only person in the room even though there was a gorgeous supermodel sitting across from him. The feeling wasn’t exactly unwelcome. In another setting and with another person, she could see how it might feel amazing to have a guy like Rex look at her like that. But in this situation, it was simply dangerous. She didn’t need to get involved with him and caring about how he looked at her was definitely more involved than she should be.

  She peered back at her notebook, not seeing the words. Her pulse skipped, and she breathed in through her nose and out through her mouth until she felt herself come back to calm. It was very unlike her to get caught off guard by anything, least of all her client.

  As she scanned the room again, she forced her eyes to bypass Rex’s table and ignore his questioning expression. She also ignored the loud laugh from Roxanna and the way she reached across the table to grasp Rex’s hand. Lacey paid no attention to the lusty twinkle in Roxanna’s eyes as she stroked her fingers along his upturned palm or the way her tongue licked her dark red lips like they were about to be kissed.

  No. Lacey didn’t see any of that.

  But she did feel the sting of tiny splinters of wood poking into her skin as the pencil in her fist snapped under the pressure of her grip.

  Rex couldn’t wait for his insufferable dinner date to end. Had Roxanna always been like this? Condescending about her peers, belittling the wait staff, laughing so fucking loud it was an embarrassment. Why had he ever thought going out with her tonight would be a good idea?

  Because she’s the right kind of person to be seen with when he needed good press. Was that enough of a reason to suffer through a long dinner with a woman he’d suddenly discovered he couldn’t stand?

  No. But it also didn’t give him a right to leave part way through dinner like he wanted. That would lead to speculation and rumors. He didn’t want to do that to Roxanna, even if she was acting like a complete asshole.

  As she tried to reach for his hand again for the hundredth time that night, he grabbed his wine glass instead, downing a hearty gulp. He glanced at Lacey and smiled slightly. When he looked at her, the annoyance of his evening lessened, Roxanna drifted away, and all he wanted to know was what Lacey was doing with that pencil and notebook. Was she sketching? Or writing? Maybe she was secretly a poet, writing verse after verse about her mysterious life as a hired guard. Or maybe she was a romantic, quietly penning a tale about two lovers who were meant to be together but couldn’t because of their stations in life.

  The urge to walk over and find out was almost too much to ignore. But he did. It wasn’t his business and he was supposed to be focusing only on Roxanna right now.

  The problem was that Lacey was in his peripheral vision. He didn’t even have to be looking directly at her to see her. And he’d been watching her all evening. She was the most captivating woman in the room, which was really saying something considering who his dinner companion was.

  But that was the thing. Roxanna was merely a companion. Someone to be seen with, but not someone he was even sure he liked as a human anymore. She’d been a good PR partner over the last couple of years, and he’d always enjoyed his evenings with her, until tonight, at least. Regardless, Roxanna always made putting up with the paparazzi more palatable. They were part of the problem that led directly to Rowan’s death, but they were also part of the reason Rex was so successful. They were a necessary evil.

  He couldn’t think about his brother tonight. Not when he was supposed to be enjoying an evening with Roxanna. Normally, it would be a romantic date, but he wasn’t feeling into it this time. Instead of wanting to continue the night for as long as possible to allow the paparazzi to get as many good photos as they could, all he wanted to do was leave. What used to feel like a good time and a job well done, now felt like a waste of time and nothing more than a business meeting. With another boisterous laugh about something he hadn’t even heard, Roxanna took the last bite of her dessert.

  About time.

  He caught the waiter’s eye and motioned for the check. Seconds later, it arrived at the table and he slipped his credit card into the slot without even looking at the total. It didn’t matter what the price was. It was the cost of doing business.

  “Ready to call it a night?” Roxanna asked, watching him. “I thought we might order a cognac like we did last time.”

  “Can’t tonight. I have an early meeting.” He hoped his smile looked apologetic.

  “Getting tired earlier in your old age? You’ve never called it a night at eleven before.”

  He shrugged. “I have a lot going on. But this was good. I think they probably got some great pictures tonight and hopefully we’ll find at least one of them online by morning.”

  The waiter returned with Rex’s receipt and he signed his name, then pocketed his wallet again. Without waiting another moment, he stood and grabbed Roxanna’s silky wrap, draping it around her shoulders as she stood.

  He signaled to Lacey that it was time to go and watched as she scrambled to grab her things while calling for his car. He should’ve given her a little warning, but he couldn’t sit with Roxanna any longer. The date had hopefully served its purpose and now he wanted to leave.

  Roxanna’s hand slipped into his as it had so many times over the years. Something that usually felt warm and comforting now felt limp and cold. If he could’ve dropped it without making a scene, he would’ve. Unfortunately, as they exited the front of the restaurant, the photographers snapped more pictures taking away that option.

  She reached up and whispered something in his ear that he couldn’t hear with the paparazzi calling out questions about their relationship status. Before he could ask her to repeat herself, she pressed her mouth to his and dipped her tongue inside. Startled, he pulled back on instinct. A catcall in the crowd stopped him from breaking away from her for longer than a breath. He kissed her again, this time acting as if he wanted to. It was no different than filming any other scene of his career. He had a job to do and a character to play.

  When he stepped back a moment later, he hoped his acting skills were up to par and that the look in his eyes was similar to one Roxanna was giving him. If it was, then they were golden. Normally, kissing her would’ve felt good, even great. But tonight, he may as well have been kissing anyone in Hollywood on a sound stage for all the emotion he felt inside.

  “My ride is here,” she said, getting his attention focused again.

  He placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her toward her waiting car. Saying another quick goodbye, she gave him one last lingering look before slipping into the back seat. He waited as the car pulled away, peering after her as if he was sad to see her go.

  Turning back to his own ride, his driver opened the door and Lacey scurried inside as if she couldn’t wait to get away from the photographers. He gave a final smile for the cameras before following her.

  Rex instantly felt himself relax as he leaned back into the plush leather seat. The stress of the dinner date that should’ve been fun melting away with the gentle rock of the car cruising down the highway toward home. He couldn’t wait to wash the night off in a hot shower, followed by a scotch by the fireplace, then bed.

  On any other night with Roxanna, he would’ve gone home with her or been wishing he had. Why didn’t he feel that way this time?

  Was it simply that the chemistry he’d always felt with her had finally fizzled? It wasn’t as if they actua
lly had anything in common other than being career driven. It was bound to happen sooner or later, but it still surprised him that it happened tonight. The last time they’d been together, a few months prior, he’d still been attracted to her.

  Whatever the reason, something had changed inside of him.

  His hand fell to his side and brushed against Lacey’s thigh. “Sorry,” he said quietly, moving his hand. Even after the momentary brush with her thigh, heat traveled through his fingers like a jolt of caffeine. He suddenly felt more awake than he had all night. There was more electricity coming from this glancing touch of Lacey’s thigh than there had been with Roxanna’s foot attempting to fondle his groin.

  “That’s okay,” she said, shifting slightly in her seat. “I’ll give you more room.”

  He stopped her movement away from him with a gentle squeeze on her knee. “You’re fine right where you are. I got lost in a thought and forgot I was sharing my space.”

  Lacey’s eyes met his in the low light. She looked more tired than he’d expected, and he was glad the new guard was starting tonight. She looked as if she could sleep for a week. “I’m sorry I kept you out so late when you’re clearly dead on your feet.”

  She straightened her back and widened her eyes. “I’m completely awake and ready to work as long as you need me. If you want to meet up with Roxanna somewhere, please go ahead. I assure you, I’m fully capable of working at one hundred percent under any circumstances, at any time.”

  “I only meant I can tell you could use a good night’s sleep. I wasn’t trying to imply you’re too tired to do your job.” Seeing Lacey get worked up and defensive made him want to wrap her in his arms and reassure her that she was doing a great job.

  Whoa.

  That was unexpected.

  Of course, he wanted to make sure that his staff was happy, but this feeling he had toward Lacey right now went above and beyond the norm. Not unlike how he’d felt the rest of the night while on his fabricated date. He’d been more interested in what hid in Lacey’s notebook, wondering how her meal had tasted, and if she’d minded sitting alone in a fancy restaurant, than he had been about anything concerning Roxanna.

  Interesting.

  She turned slightly in her seat to face him better. “I can keep up with whatever you need to do, so don’t ever change your plans or cater to my needs.” Her lips pressed into a straight line.

  “I didn’t. I wanted to go home. I was done hanging out with Roxanna.”

  Her lips pulled up at the corners as she relaxed. “Think you got enough good press tonight? That kiss must’ve helped secure a few headlines, right?”

  There wasn’t even a hint of disgust in her voice at his staged date. He couldn’t say the same for his own feelings. What had started out as another routine PR stunt, suddenly felt wrong even though it was a mutual arrangement. He was disgusted with himself.

  “I’m sure they had more than enough to work with.” He wanted to tell her that he hadn’t solicited that kiss. Nor had he wanted it. But he kept his mouth shut instead, not wanting to talk about his date any longer than absolutely necessary.

  “Good. I’m glad your night was successful,” she said with a quick smile, then turned to stare out the window, effectively ending their conversation.

  He wondered what Lacey’s lips would taste like if he were to lean over and kissed them right now. They wouldn’t taste like Roxanna’s perfectly painted dark red lips. Hers always tasted like makeup, not something he was fond of while filming and even less fond of in real life. How long had it been since he’d kissed someone who wasn’t completely made up every second?

  The urge to kiss Lacey was as strong as his desire to not do anything with Roxanna all night, and he suddenly realized why.

  Lacey had been on his mind since the second she’d walked into his house. And even if he had no intension of fooling around with her since she worked for him, he couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like. Knowing that she was watching his every move made the desire to be with anyone else simply disappear.

  He couldn’t get involved with Lacey, but he also wouldn’t get involved with anyone else while she was in his life. The situation didn’t entirely make sense, even to him, yet he couldn’t ignore how he felt—he was intrigued and captivated by her. And instead of wanting to date other women like Roxanna, he only wanted to spend time learning more about Lacey, even if it was only on a platonic level.

  Damn it. The last thing he needed in his life right now was another complication. But maybe she was a complication worth having.

  5

  Lacey perched on the edge of the couch, hovering over the papers littering her coffee table. Having a night guard watching the camera and scanning footage had worked out well so far. She received a quick report every morning, along with any additional information she requested research on, and at night she could deal with more pressing issues, like the reports that had come back from the lab.

  She scanned the pages again and sighed. This was not good news. The threatening letters Rex had received in the mail before hiring her had come back clean of any fingerprints. Not so much as a partial print on any of them or the one envelope Gabe kept. And not even a hint of DNA from saliva used to lick the stamp or seal the envelope. They’d used peel and stick varieties for both.

  That could only mean one thing—they weren’t dealing with an average angry fan or impulsive group. They were dealing with professionals who might have threatened someone before and seemed to know how not to get caught. They’d kept the mailings clean of anything traceable.

  This made her job much more difficult and serious.

  It was one thing dealing with a crazy fan going off the rails a little. This was another level of scary. This was someone, or a group of people, consciously calculating the results of their actions. They weren’t the type of people who would make a rash decision and act on impulse.

  No, the person, or people, threatening Rex wouldn’t let themselves be seen or heard until they acted in a carefully planned way.

  Lacey wasn’t afraid. She’d worked this kind of job before and knew what to look for. She wasn’t sure the same could be said for Rex. He certainly wouldn’t act more cautiously without knowing this new piece of information.

  The next day he was scheduled to appear at a press junket with five or six different entertainment outlets interviewing him. She’d expected it to be rather routine, but now, she wasn’t so sure they should take this, or any other event, lightly. Anything could happen. It was her job to make sure Rex was aware of the risks. He had to be prepared mentally, and in her experience, that took time.

  It was midnight, but the press junket wasn’t until the following afternoon. If Rex kept to his normal pattern, he’d be up late and sleep late. Now was her chance to discuss this with him.

  She pulled her door closed and strode across the hall to the other guest bedroom and knocked quickly before entering. Steven sat at a desk before a wall of screens. A quick scan of the images on the monitors told her all was well, and he would have some extra time for research tonight.

  “Everything good in here?” she asked.

  “Another quiet night,” he replied.

  “Good. I need you to double check who will be at the press thing tomorrow and see if you can dig up anything worrisome on any of them. Can you handle that for me?”

  “Sure thing, boss. Just the interviewers enough?” he asked, scribbling down a few quick notes on a sticky paper.

  “Interviewers, camera people, security. Anyone who will be involved with the event.”

  “Everything okay? You expecting trouble? I can catch a few hours of sleep in the morning and join you as back up.”

  She patted him on the shoulder before wandering back to the door. “Thanks. I appreciate that. For now, I just need the research. I’ll let you know if that changes.”

  “You got it.” He sat up straight, fingers pecking at the keyboard as she left.

  She knocked on Rex’
s door and squared her shoulders. She didn’t like bothering him so late at night, but it couldn’t be helped. Seconds ticked by as she waited impatiently, hoping he hadn’t already gone to bed.

  The door finally swung open and Rex stood on the other side looking wide awake.

  “Lacey,” he said, his voice hinting at his surprise and curiosity about her late-night visit. “What can I do for you?”

  Her mind went blank. Rex stood before her, bare-chested and messy-haired. It was as if he’d been styled to have that I-just-rolled-out-of-bed-after-the-best-sex-ever look and it really suited him. Damn. She’d seen his physique in movies, but on a small laptop screen was incredibly different than in the flesh a few feet away, close enough she could reach out and touch him.

  Not that she would. This was a business meeting, not a late-night booty call.

  The thought of being Rex’s booty call made heat bloom in her cheeks.

  Get it together.

  She forced her eyes to meet his. “We need to talk. Can I come in?”

  She didn’t have to glance down the hallway to know it was deserted, but that didn’t mean she wanted to have a private conversation out there either. The staff had all checked out clean, but she still didn’t feel right discussing anything about his security where others might overhear.

  “Of course.” He stepped back from the door and held it open for her to pass through then closed it, sealing them into the privacy of his room.

  The space was similar to hers, only much bigger with manlier furnishings. A fire roared in the fireplace giving the room a cozy feeling and a warm amber glow. The thought of settling down into the big couch in front of it hit her like a sedative, and she suddenly understood the appeal of having a fireplace in each room.

  “Want to sit?” He motioned to the couch.

  “No. Thank you. This won’t take long.” She stood with her hands clasped behind her back and her shoulders squared over her hips as if she were a soldier about to give a report to a superior officer. That wasn’t entirely untrue given that Rex was her boss. She didn’t want to be overly formal, but she was also there on important business.