He clasps his hands on the arms of the chair and tried to give off an attitude of calm. “I think I’d do whatever I could to help get our country back on its feet.”
Lacey stepped forward and quietly spoke. “Your time is up.”
They briefly locked eyes. She tapped her pen twice on her clipboard, their signal that all was well. He tapped his fingers twice on the edge of the armrest, his way of saying that he was fine too. Rex was glad they’d decided on using subtle hand signals in advance, so they had a way to communicate silently. It was reassuring.
Rex watched Lacey call for the next interviewer while he dutifully nodded, smiled, and thanked the first journalist for her time. He liked seeing Lacey nearby. For some reason, she made him feel taken care of.
His other employees also cared about his work and making sure that everything went smoothly all the time, or that he had everything he needed to be successful. However, with Lacey, he felt there was more to it than that. It felt as if she were the only one who could do this job, the only one who could offer this level of protection. Even more than that, she made him feel like she actually cared about whether or not he got hurt on a personal level, and not simply because him getting hurt would mean losing a job, like it meant for all of his other employees.
When her gaze met his, he saw more in her eyes than a boss, employee relationship. He saw a woman who cared about him. He cared about her as well.
He felt the overwhelming urge to make sure that she was not only okay with her position but that she was enjoying it too. He wasn’t a jerk, but usually when it came to his employees, he didn’t care that much about whether or not they actually liked their jobs. He cared that they did them well. And he assumed that if they were unhappy, then they would take it upon themselves to find other work opportunities. He couldn’t focus on everyone else’s problems and his own at the same time.
With Lacey, that wasn’t the case. He felt compelled to make sure she was happy. He didn’t want her to seek other job opportunities elsewhere. He wanted her to stay.
The next journalist sat, and their fifteen minutes started. After he answered almost identical questions about the movie for the first ten minutes, this one moved on to other topics.
“How’s Roxanna? Things were looking pretty hot and heavy between you two recently. Can you tell us more about your relationship with her?” the interviewer asked. This guy seemed more interested in off-camera Roxanna action than Rex’s on-screen action flick.
Regardless of what Rex knew of Roxanna behind closed doors, he’d never dish about her, on-screen or off. To anyone. Ever. He might be a public figure, but his private life was private, and he gave other people the same courtesy. There was no reason anyone outside of him and Roxanna needed to know what was or wasn’t going on between them.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Lacey had stopped scanning the area and was focused on him, on his response to the question. Interesting. She seemed to care about him on a deeper level than simply as an employee. But he hadn’t thought she cared about him enough to be interested in his relationship with Roxanna. Maybe he’d been wrong.
He didn’t need to look directly at her to see her bite her bottom lip as she awaited his reply.
“Roxanna is a good friend of mine,” he said simply.
“It certainly looked like more than a friendly kiss on the lips the last time you two went out to dinner. As I recall, the kiss was deep and intimate.”
“Well, that was then, and this is now. While I’ve always enjoyed Roxanna’s company, we recently decided that we make better friends than lovers.”
As soon as the word left his mouth, he wished he could pull it back in. Calling Roxanna his lover was wrong. They’d hooked up a time or two in the very distant pass, but that was it. It hadn’t meant anything at the moment for either of them other than a source of stress-relief and entertainment, and it certainly meant even less now. He hadn’t dated her in any serious way, other than for mutual PR stunts, in more than a year. There had never been anything real between them and never would.
Worst of all was the look of—Disappointment? Sadness? Pain?—that crossed Lacey’s face the moment he’d referred to Roxanna as his lover. She’d stopped watching him, stopped watching the surrounding area, and was staring at her clipboard. He’d assumed by her body language and comments that she didn’t approve of his relationship with Roxanna as it was, but now to hear that he’d been intimate with her, clearly rubbed Lacey the wrong way.
It was as if a knife had suddenly plunged into his chest and twisted. He’d been the source of that look on her face and that realization stung him deeply. He hadn’t known Lacey long, but already he’d grown to care about her. It wasn’t as if he wanted a long-term serious relationship or anything, at least not at this point, but he definitely didn’t want to hurt her. He never wanted to see that expression on her face again.
“I’m sure there are many women out there tonight listening who are thrilled to hear you’re back on the market. Why don’t you tell them who your type is since we know it’s not Roxanna anymore?”
Rex couldn’t pull his eyes from Lacey while he answered the question. What was his type? “I thought I knew what my type was, but now I’m not so sure.”
“You mean you might be into someone other than a supermodel or starlet?” The interviewer sounded genuinely surprised.
“Those things were never a requirement for me. They were more a consequence of my situation. It’s not as if I meet a lot of regular people on set or at housewarming parties for actors. If the only people you surrounded yourself with were other journalists, it would be fair to assume there was a strong likelihood that one day you’d end up dating one, right?”
“I suppose that makes sense.”
“So, it’s fair to assume that if I’m always around actresses, models and other celebrities, that I’m bound to end up dating one or two of them eventually, correct?”
“I see your point.” The interviewer nodded thoughtfully. “If those people aren’t your type anymore, are you going to start surrounding yourself with other people, or are you going celibate?”
Rex laughed. “Celibate is not a word in my vocabulary.”
“Then I guess we have our answer. Non-celebrity women, game on.”
Rex’s gaze met Lacey’s as she gave the interviewer the wrap-it-up signal. He couldn’t help but notice that the pained look on her face had disappeared, replaced with something else he couldn’t pinpoint. Damn she was hard to read.
But a more interesting thought occurred to him. Why did he care so much what Lacey thought about his dating preferences? Why had he cared so much to see the look of pain and disappointment cross her face?
Was he concerned for his newest employee? Or was he hoping to cause some other reaction in her?
When she bit the end of her pencil, trapping it between her lightly glossed lips, he had his answer loud and clear. He wanted Lacey to look at him the way Roxanna pretended to.
Only he wanted Lacey’s feelings to be real.
6
Lacey relaxed into the seat as the limo pulled away from the luxury hotel where the press junket was held. It had been a longer day than she anticipated, but thankfully Steven’s extra research the night before hadn’t turned up anything suspicious on any of the people involved in today’s event. Even still, she’d been tense all day. Luckily, she’d been able to leave Alexia behind to finish up the remaining details, which worked out great for Lacey’s tired feet as well as her need to accompany Rex home safely.
“Was it as bad as you thought?” he asked, leaning his head back and rubbing his hands across his face as if he were as tired as she felt.
“Pretty much.” She chuckled. “But that’s okay. I’ve had worse assignments.”
“Like what?” His eyes were intense yet gentle. A look that really worked for him.
Lacey didn’t like to talk about her past assignments. It felt like a breach of privacy, even if she didn’t use n
ames or descriptions. But when Rex looked at her with that mix of playful curiosity and genuine interest in her life, then added that lopsided grin of his, she couldn’t stop herself from wanting to tell him everything. Something inside of her that normally stayed locked up tight slowly creaked open.
“One time I was left to guard the camels while my boss and the rest of the security team disappeared into a random tent in the middle of the desert for a secret meeting. Those camels were crucial to our return trip home and anything happening to them would’ve had dire effects on all of us. They were the most disgusting animals I’ve ever been around. I don’t know if all camels are like that or not, but I am not a fan. And they spit.”
He laughed. “Did a camel spit on you?”
A grin bloomed on her lips. “Yes, and sticky saliva dripped down my back and coated my pistol to the point I had to completely dismantle it for cleaning as soon as we got back to civilization. Of course, that was after I traveled back through the desert under a flaming hot sun for three hours while camel saliva mixed with sweat. I’ve never been so thankful for a shower.”
The sound of Rex’s laughter filling the limo made her join in. It felt surprisingly good to share a piece of her history with someone. It felt good to share it with him.
“I’m starving. Want to grab a bite somewhere?” he asked.
She thought of the fancy restaurant Rex had taken Roxanna to. If that was his usual dining preference, she was not dressed for it. Her grey slacks and crimson button up shirt looked put together and professional, but not worthy of a fancy restaurant. They weren’t that far from home—Rex’s home—so they could wait and eat there.
Her stomach growled. Then again, eating was good.
“I’m not exactly dressed for dinner out. I’d expected we’d head home after the press thing. If I’d known dinner was a possibility, I would’ve brought a change of clothes.”
“I wasn’t expecting to stop either, but I’m starving.”
As Rex rattled off a few cryptic instructions to the driver, she wished she knew the area better and made a mental note to do more research. He could be taking her to a swanky place along the coast or a hole in the wall. Being unprepared put her on edge. She fidgeted in her seat.
“Relax, Lacey.”
“I would be able to do that better if I knew where we were going. I don’t like straying from the plan.”
“Sometimes you have to go with the flow. Let down your guard.”
“That probably isn’t the best advice to give your bodyguard. Remember, I’m the one keeping you safe. It’s much easier to do that if I know where we’re going and what to expect.”
“Do you ever do anything spontaneous?”
“Spontaneity leads to recklessness. Being prepared is my job, it’s what keeps the people around me alive.”
A few turns and the limo pulled into a parking lot and stopped. The divider window slid down to reveal Edgar, the driver, with a notepad. “What can I get for you this evening, sir?”
“Anything you don’t eat?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Why? Are you ordering for me?” She wasn’t sure if she should feel cared for or manhandled. Men didn’t do things for her. She did things for herself.
“Yes, unless you have a strong objection.” He waited a moment. “Let’s get the usual times two.”
“I’ll be back shortly.” Edgar left the key in the ignition and climbed out of the car, closing the door behind him.
“Did he leave us in a running vehicle?” she asked, her attention immediately on alert to check their surroundings.
“He’ll be back in a minute. Relax, sugar.” Rex stretched out his legs, taking full advantage of the limo space.
“Stop telling me to relax.” She shimmied through the open divider window. As her fingers clicked the door locks, securing them inside, she let out her breath. Edgar needed a long talk about safety while driving Rex. “And don’t call me sugar.”
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“My job.” She didn’t mean to sound quite so harsh, but seriously, did he think her job ended randomly throughout the day? Did he not understand that protection was a twenty-four-hour gig?
Peering out the windows in the front of the limo, she couldn’t see where the driver had disappeared. On all sides, fast food restaurants lined the street. While they were in a busy part of town, this particular parking lot was mostly empty, which meant they could be in the perfect location for someone watching and waiting for an opportunity.
“Did we receive a new threat that I’m not aware of?” Rex asked.
“No, but the threats you have received are more than enough to be concerned about. Stopping in some abandoned parking lot is not the smartest idea.”
A pounding at the back of the limo sent her pulse racing. “Stay put!” she yelled before flinging open the driver’s side door and simultaneously drawing her pistol from the holster at the small of her back. She aimed toward the rear of the vehicle.
Edgar stumbled backward against the side of the limo. His hands went up as the bag he held fell. “Please don’t shoot me, Ms. Lacey.”
She sighed and lowered her weapon, clicking the safety back into place. “What the hell were you thinking, Edgar?”
“I was thinking Mr. Randall asked me to get him dinner.”
The window rolled down and Rex stuck his head out, an expression of pure amusement on his face. “Did our dinner get ruined when you dropped it?”
Edgar bent and retrieved the paper bag. “I don’t think so, sir. If it is, let me know and I’ll go back for another round.” He walked toward the open driver’s door, carefully avoiding Lacey’s watchful glare.
“Never leave Mr. Randall in an unlocked and running vehicle alone again. If you have to leave, lock the doors behind you and always carry the spare keys. Understood?” she asked with a tone as calm as she could manage.
“Yes, Ms. Lacey.” Edgar slid behind the wheel and closed the door.
Rolling her shoulders, she urged the tension to melt away. Everything was fine. Nothing happened. A little mistake was made, but all was well. This time.
She knew firsthand what trouble a little mistake could lead to.
She wouldn’t make a mistake that would lead to Rex getting hurt. If he wanted to think she was overly protective, that was fine. She’d continue to do her job to the best of her ability for as long as he kept her on staff. When she was gone and the threats to Rex were over, him and Edgar could go back to their usual carefree and reckless ways.
“You still joining me for dinner?” Rex asked, pushing open the door.
Dinner.
She’d been worried she wouldn’t be dressed right for the restaurant. Laughable. Why would he take her to the same kind of place he took Roxanna? No fancy dinner for her. It wasn’t as if they were pretending to date or that they needed to be seen in public together, so why had she thought he’d take her somewhere nice?
Fast food is fine. Great. Perfect. No worries about their working relationship crossing any lines. This was so much better than a long, rigid dinner out somewhere. This was relaxing, like Rex kept telling her she needed to do more of.
Once she settled back into her seat, Rex handed her a burger and an order of fries. With the food containers open in her lap, she dug in, holding the greasy yet delicious burger with both hands. Even though she felt too on edge to eat, her stomach thanked her for the food. It wasn’t the kind of meal she expected him to enjoy, but it was delicious.
“Your burger okay?” Rex asked. “I normally don’t take it upon myself to order dinner for my dates, but this place is really only known for their barbeque cheeseburgers.”
She paused with the burger halfway to her mouth. “Your date?”
If she wasn’t mistaken, his cheeks actually pinked. “I didn’t mean that we were on a date. Obviously, I wouldn’t date you.”
The bite of burger she’d taken was chewed to oblivion in her angry jaws while she decided how to respo
nd. He wasn’t her typical date either, but that didn’t mean he had to be rude about it. And sure, he was a movie star, and fucking gorgeous, but it wasn’t like she was a dog. Maybe she wasn’t a supermodel, but she was strong and fierce, and it was his loss if he didn’t want to date her.
Whoa! Calm down girl.
“Don’t worry. I wouldn’t date you either.” She swallowed then took a deep breath. “Not that it matters, but you’d be lucky to get a date with me, even if I’m not some model or superstar actress.”
Shut up. You’re better than this.
Why couldn’t she stop caring what he thought about her? Why did it bother her so much that a guy like Rex thought she wasn’t dating material when there was no way she’d date him even if he did ask?
Because he’s annoyingly good looking. And nice, most of the time. And built like a Viking.
Damn it. Stop.
“I didn’t… That came out wrong.” Rex sighed. “I wouldn’t date you because you’re my employee, that’s all. Not because you’re not hot enough or anything—you are. Very.” He gave her that look again. The one that made her pulse race and heat pool between her thighs.
Rex thinks I’m hot? When he normally dates supermodels?
Huh. That was unexpected. She’d seen the way he’d looked at her the other night in her pajamas, but she’d thought that was only because she’d been almost naked. She hadn’t thought he’d actually found her “hot.”
“It’s fine. I get it. No worries.” She dipped a few fries in ketchup and popped them into her mouth. It wasn’t every day her job included eating burgers and fries in the back of a limo with a gorgeous movie star who thought she was hot, so she may as well enjoy it.
When she’d finished her meal, she scrunched up the wrappers and stuffed them back in the bag. She’d give anything for a bottle of water.
“Champagne?” Rex asked, reaching into the compact minibar and pulling out a chilled bottle.
“I don’t drink on the job. I’ll take a water if you have one.”
“Looks like Edgar forgot to stock water.”
Sweetest Obsessions - Anthology Page 111