by Nicole Vidal
“Fair enough. I’ll see you both tomorrow morning. Callie, it was a pleasure to meet you.”
“You too, Jake.”
I round the island and follow him to the door.
“Good luck, C.”
“Thanks. Please create a plan for at least one team member in Boston, Charlotte, and Atlanta, even more if she chooses to go to the anniversary ceremony. I’ll let you know definitively by Friday.”
I lock the door and bound back up the stairs. “Sorry about him.”
“That’s what best friends are for. Were you that bad to him about your sister and Norah?”
I hang my head. “I tortured and teased him every chance I got. I deserve whatever he dishes out. Don’t worry, he won’t bother you.”
“I’m not worried. I’m tougher than I look to everyone but you.”
I draw her back into my arms. “You’re the strongest woman I know.”
She sets her head against my chest, and I kiss the top of her head. “Do you want to go out today or stay in and relax?”
“That depends. What options are available on short notice?”
“We can go for a ride, either motorcycle or horseback, we can go into town, or we can hike. However, the last three we won’t necessarily be alone if that is one of your requirements.”
She taps her index finger on her lower lip. That’s hot! I don’t think I’ve ever seen her do that before. Then again, she has everything for her tour planned with meticulous precision. “Let’s go with a motorcycle ride. I would like to spend time with only you.”
“Sounds perfect. You’re going to need a lot more layers.”
She makes two fresh cups of coffee while I start on a quick breakfast. After we devour our egg sandwiches, we get ready for a ride. Once I’m confident she has enough layers, we head into the garage.
Chapter Nineteen
Calliope
I have purposefully limited my dating experience, not only due to my tragic personal history but also because I don’t trust easily or freely. Initially, I had no choice but to trust Connor as my bodyguard. Now, he knows more about me, the real me, than anyone even Madeleine. The speed at which it occurred baffles me. I would like to say there’s a logical reason, but there isn’t. I’m drawn to him even though he was sent to my door for a job.
We pull out of the garage after a brief safety lesson. This is the third time I’ve been a passenger on a motorcycle, but every other time pales in comparison. I’m not cold at all, especially with permission to plaster myself against his well-defined back. While that is amazing, the vibrations are driving me crazy as well.
I’m honestly not paying attention to the scenery. I revel in the fact that I have no plans, nothing specific to do, and it’s freeing. Awhile later, frankly I don’t know how long, Connor turns down a narrow lane. It’s clear that no one has been here in quite a while.
He pulls off to the side near a small shed and parks. We hop off and set our helmets on top of the seat.
“How are you doing?” He takes my hand in his. It feels so right.
“I’m great. I should be tired, but I’m not. What about you?”
“Me?”
“Yes, you.”
He tilts his eyes skyward.
“Who takes care of you?” My words are barely audible.
Connor levels his gaze with mine. “Me.”
I know he’s close with his family and Jake’s. He must mean daily. “That’s something we have in common, at least until very recently.”
“Meaning?”
I smile. In my mind, I run through all the small things he’s done for me that definitely aren’t in his job description, such as learning how I take my coffee, making sure I eat enough on set, and the chocolate cake. “You have been taking care of me since Orlando. Is that how Blackthorne operates?”
“No. You’re the first and only client I have ever been attracted to on a job.”
“Not buying that. I read the names of some of your previous clients in the proposal from Jake—supermodels, A-list movie actresses, and even a gold medalist gymnast.”
He smiles—a real, panty-melting smile. “Never before you.”
The definitive tone in his voice leads me to believe he’s telling the truth. Not that I thought he would lie. I wasn’t expecting that to be his answer. He leans forward, lifting me in his arms, and kisses me breathless. I could get used to the world falling away when he kisses me. He sets me back on the ground, intertwines our fingers, and leads me further down the gravel path.
“Where are we?”
At first Connor doesn’t answer me. We round a corner and step onto a narrow shoreline along a river, I guess.
“We’re near where I grew up. No one comes out here except my family or Jake’s.” He moves to a wooden box and pulls out a blanket, which he spreads on the grassy edge. I take a seat between his thighs facing the water. His arms settle around my waist, and he draws me even closer.
“What does a regular day look like for you when you aren’t on tour?” His question sends tingles down my side from his proximity to my ear.
“I handle any corporate business in the morning and then write for most of the afternoons. If I’m recording, I spend the day in the studio and then handle corporate business before bed. Generally, it means I have enough lyrics and music to set down. What about you?”
“If I’m on an assignment, I attend whatever event my client needs security for and then crash until the next event or fly home as soon as possible.”
“How frequent are your assignments? Never mind, you don’t have to answer.” I twist my neck to look up at him.
Connor turns me around in his arms. I bend my legs over his thighs, my butt on the blanket. “Two years ago, I had a discussion with Jake and requested that my assignments be less than a week away from home. We train our staff well. Most of them are younger and don’t have roots in this area.”
“Why did you take mine?”
“Given Bruce’s request and the fact that Blackthorne was your fourth security company, it was either me or Jake. Jake hasn’t been in the field since he first formed Blackthorne, except for protecting Norah last year. At the beginning, it was only him and me. Within the first six months, Christoph joined the company. I’m glad I didn’t fight Jake.”
I slide my hands up his chest to cup his face and press my lips to his. “I’m glad you didn’t fight him too.” We kiss for a long time before I scoot forward and set my head on his chest. So many emotions are flooding my brain right now. I have only relied on myself for the last twenty years. Being vulnerable is scary as hell. Yet somehow Connor makes it seem like together we could pull anything off. It’s mostly why I’m considering performing as myself in New York. I’m still working out if I need to equate Carys with Calliope Sutton. Is the wow factor necessary? Can I simply sing as me and have the organizers sign a nondisclosure agreement too? Not only do I feel safe with him and whomever else from Blackthorne he feels I need, but I’m not afraid to be me. I feel secure enough to share my personal life with him, and that’s new and exciting.
“Ready to head back?” Connor murmurs against my hair.
I nod and add a little space between us.
“Do you want to cook or order delivery?”
“Cook. I have enough delivery on tour.”
We walk back to his motorcycle and don our helmets. I’m not sure if I’m deep in thought or simply not paying attention, but the ride back seems shorter. After we wash up, I peruse the available ingredients while Connor throws in some laundry.
I select some chicken, sundried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, and fresh green beans and start chopping.
Connor returns from the laundry room.
“Did you pick the groceries?”
“Yes, why do you ask?”
“You eat well. It’s only an observation.”
“How can I help?” He washes his hands again.
“Can you halve the tomatoes and clip the ends of the green beans?”
He nods and takes my place chopping while I move on to the chicken.
“Where are your spices?”
“In the corner to the right of the stove. You can search for whatever you need here or anywhere else.” He stops chopping and looks over at me.
“Okay. Can I ask you a question?”
“Of course.”
“How do you plan on watching your sister’s favorite movie on Wednesday if you don’t have a television?”
He laughs. It’s genuine and hearty. “I’ll make sure to tell Thom, my interior designer, that he was right. I have a huge television. Thom insisted that it hide itself so it wouldn’t dwarf the entire living room.”
“Okay then.” I finish cooking and plate our food.
We sit side by side at the island and eat.
I lean into his arm. “I had a great time today.”
“Me too. Tomorrow we’re meeting with Maia and Norah at nine. Do you have a problem with dogs?”
“Okay. No, why?”
“Jake and Norah have two dogs, Tank and Sabre. Tank is Jake’s highly trained dog. Sabre is Norah’s that Jake gave her last year. He’s still making progress on his training.”
We finish eating and clean the dishes. It seems like we’ve been working together for a lot longer than a few weeks. When the washer ends, Connor changes the loads and returns to the kitchen. I’m attempting to stifle a yawn.
“Want to turn in?”
I nod. He bounds down the stairs and sets the alarm. Taking my hand, he leads me to his bedroom.
After getting ready for bed, I climb in beside Connor. “You aren’t ready to sleep yet, are you?”
“No, but you need to. I’m fine right here.”
I kiss him softly and settle next to him with my head in the crook of his arm with my hand flat on his chest. As much as I want to continue what happened earlier in the living room, I need sleep. The notion of his hands on my skin arouses me so much so that I squeeze my thighs together.
“You need rest more. We have plenty of time.” He leans down and presses a kiss to my head.
How does he do that? It’s the last thing I remember.
Chapter Twenty
Connor
As intensely as I’m attracted to Calliope, I’m not in any rush. Whether we’re together for the first time today, tomorrow, or next month, it’s fine with me. We met a few weeks ago, and although we have spent basically every waking moment together, it wasn’t the real her. True, I saw glimpses of Calliope, and what I saw I want more, so much more. I have never felt the need to protect anyone as fiercely as my urge to protect her. It’s disconcerting considering my profession. It’s also the sole reason I need backup going forward. Ideally, Jake will send Christoph with me. He’s the most senior team member, and he knows me personally. He won’t question too much about my relationship with Calliope, at least I don’t think so.
I glance down at her. She’s still sleeping peacefully. At some point during the night, she shifted onto her side, her leg over mine. I take the time to study the slope of her nose and curves of her face. Her skin is flawless save for a few scattered freckles on her nose.
“I feel you staring at me,” she murmurs against my chest.
“You’re stunning. I’m absolutely going to unabashedly stare at you while we’re alone.”
A pink hue creeps into her skin. Calliope shifts so she’s resting on her forearm on my chest. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Coffee?”
“It’s a must, especially if I’m meeting new people.”
“You meet new people every week. Why are you worried?”
“What if you’re friends and family don’t like me?”
My chest tightens, not only for her but for us. I’m not in this alone if she cares about their opinions of her. “They will love you. Plus, I’m easing you in slowly. I wouldn’t throw you in the center of a huge party. As far as I know, it will only be Maia, Norah, Jake, and maybe Christoph this morning. That means only two new people this morning.”
“How do you know that?”
“Callen is in New Zealand with a client, Nolan is on assignment in Maine, and Finn is in Texas. You’re amazing. You’ll be fast friends with Norah. She was an accountant and now runs a unique bookstore.”
“Will you take me there?”
“Anything you want, beautiful.”
“Coffee first, please.”
I roll out of bed and head into the kitchen to make coffee. I would love to drink this on my rooftop deck, but I want to reserve that for our date tomorrow night. I glance at the clock and realize we need to hurry or we’ll be late. That’s some additional ribbing I don’t want to deal with since it’s unnecessary.
With two fresh cups in hand, I return to my bedroom. Calliope is sitting against my headboard with a content smile on her face, the sheets piled on her thighs. “Calliope, we need to move.”
Her gaze shifts to the alarm clock. “Is it really that late already?” She grins.
“It is. Here.”
She accepts the cup and takes a heavy, soothing gulp. “Thanks. I only need ten minutes.”
“Okay.” I pull out fresh clothes and move across the hall to change. You would think it would be odd to leave my own bedroom to give her more privacy. Honestly, it didn’t feel weird, and I didn’t think twice. I head back into the kitchen to make more coffee to take with us.
As promised, she appears ready to go less than ten minutes later. It’s clear based on my reaction to her that I need to focus on everything other than her today. The ironic part is she isn’t wearing anything revealing. The hoodie she has on is open in the back but is long, tunic style and covers her ass. However, the elegant curve of her neck is exposed with her hair piled on top of her head. She’s… everything I ever wanted for myself.
“For the record, I was ready when you asked.”
I laugh, hand her a travel mug of coffee, and hustle her down to my truck. The ride to Jake’s is only about fifteen minutes. I pull in front of the house precisely two minutes early.
“Wow, this is beautiful. It’s like my place as far as the distance from other people.”
“Jake has… Jake and Norah have about 100 acres. Let’s get out, and I’ll point everything out to you.”
She reaches for her door.
I set my hand on her forearm. “I’ll get your door.”
Her head lowers slightly as she removes her hand, and a sexy sigh passes through her lips. I round the back of the car and open her door. Resisting the urge to guide her to the ground with my hands on her hips isn’t necessary. I bracket her hips and lower her to the ground. When I look down at her, she’s staring up at me. The look in her eyes screams kiss me. No reason for me to ignore her silent but loud plea, I brush my lips over hers while pinning her against the doorframe. The front door opening has me pulling away from her much sooner than I would like.
“Morning, Connor.” Norah, Tank, and Sabre are standing on the front porch.
“Morning. Norah, please meet Callie Sutton. Calliope, this is Norah Blackthorne, Jake’s wife.”
Calliope reaches her right hand out to Norah and lowers her left in front of Tank. “Pleasure to meet you.” After releasing Norah’s hand, she moves it in front of Sabre.
“You too. Freund,” Norah commands both dogs, and they circle around Calliope. Freund means friend in German. It’s the language Jake uses to train the dogs.
Calliope’s laugh surrounds me. It’s almost as glorious as her singing for herself.
“Jake is in the office. Maia is meeting us at the gym,” Norah informs me.
“Okay, we’ll be over in a little bit.”
Calliope’s eyes lift to me. She’s nervous.
“Norah, could you give us a minute?”
“Sure.”
I lead Calliope to the rear of my truck. “Why are you nervous?”
“You’re leaving?” Her voice cracks.
I slide my hand to the side of her face. “Y
ou are completely safe here. No one who has access to this property will hurt you. I promise. I’m going to talk with Jake about the rest of your tour and review the setup for New York and discuss options if you choose to do it.” Her nervousness doesn’t lessen. “Do you want me to walk you to the gym?”
She nods and turns her head to kiss the inside of my palm.
“Let’s go.” We step back around my truck. “Ready, Norah?”
“Yes.”
The three of us with Tank and Sabre on either side of Norah walk to the gym. When I reach for the door, Tank and Sabre sit off to the side. Norah steps inside, and Calliope follows.
“Yay! You’re here!” Maia shouts from the ring.
“Hi, Maia. She’s the only team member willing to spar with me. The others are afraid to hurt me and risk Jacob’s wrath,” Norah informs Calliope.
A small smile appears on Calliope’s face.
“Miss Sutton, pleased to meet you. I’m Maia.” Maia is the same as Calliope in height only. Maia has dark hair, almond skin, and intense brown eyes. She’s a combat veteran with a gift for intelligence gathering. She’ll be able to easily read that Calliope is nervous.
“Hi, Maia. Callie, please.”
“You got it! Get on up here. Let’s teach you some basics. Get out of here, Connor. Girls only.”
Calliope turns and nods so slightly I almost miss it.
I lean closer so only she can hear me. “I’m right across the driveway. I promise you’re safe here.”
Almost reluctantly, she follows Norah into the ring and joins Maia.
“Norah, I’ll take Tank and Sabre back to the house.”
“Thanks, Connor.” I watch the ladies a bit longer. I see Calliope relax with each passing minute. Now that she has seen Maia and knows she can handle herself; Calliope is gaining some confidence that it’s possible for her to protect herself despite her stature. I slip out the door and make my way to the office.
“Hey, Jake.”
“Morning. Everything okay? You’re late.”
I raise an eyebrow. It’s hard to tell if he’s joking or not this morning. “We were here on time, but Calliope was a bit more nervous than I anticipated. I walked her and Norah over to the gym and introduced her to Maia.”