by Desiree Holt
“I do. There’s a den downstairs here that I hardly ever use for anything.”
“I’ll need to look at it.” He turned to Kurt. “Then a visit to the stadium to take what I need from there, a meeting with the security team to let them know I’ll be working a lot from a remote location. And a visit to my place to pick up some clothes.”
Kurt rubbed his hands together. “Okay, then. Let’s get started.” He shifted his focus to Tyler. “You need to go with him. You can’t stay here by yourself.”
“What?” She was sure her eyebrows reached her hairline. “I’ll lock all the doors, set the alarm, and not answer the phone. Okay?”
“Not okay.”
“Your father’s right.” Rafe put his two cents in. “Show me the den and then we can leave. I’ll drive your father back to the stadium and take care of business there at the same time.”
Tyler looked down at herself. “I am not going out in public like this. Sloppy clothes and no makeup? Are you kidding?”
Her father opened his mouth to say something, but Rafe held up a hand. “All you need to throw on is a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. You have those, right?”
“Of course I do.”
“Stick on big sunglasses and a ball cap and no one will know you.” He smiled. “Besides, I like you without makeup.”
Oookay. No makeup. If he kept using that same hot tone of voice, she’d go without clothes, too.
Her father stood there, watching her intently and nodding his head.
“Fine.” She didn’t have the energy to fight both of them. “Jeans and tee. Ball cap. Got it. Let’s hit the den first.”
She left the two men looking at the room while she raced upstairs to change clothes. Making a quick decision, she pulled on the plainest pair of jeans she owned and a navy tee. From the back of her closet, she unearthed a Port Aransas ball cap from a wild weekend she’d gone on. Looking at herself in the mirror, she gave the image a nod of satisfaction. Better. Much better. She should have done this a long time ago.
I might really like you, Tyler Gillette.
Her father and Rafe were waiting in the foyer when she came down the stairs. Her father seemed to pay her no attention at all. Rafe’s glance took her in from head to toe and though he said nothing she could swear there was a tiny look of surprise in his eyes.
“Rafe says the den will work out just fine for him,” Kurt said. “One more thing. The scholarship benefit Saturday night.”
“I don’t have to go,” she told him quickly. “I don’t mind.”
“Yes, you do,” Kurt insisted. “We upped our donation this year, and we need to have a presence. One change, though. Chad can go on his own. Rafe will take you.”
“What?” She and Rafe uttered the word at the same time.
“No arguments.” Kurt already had his hand on the doorknob. “Rafe, you go every year anyway, right? It’s your friend Joe’s pet project. The Athletes Scholarship Fund.”
Rafe nodded. “Joe Reilly. Quarterback for the Coyotes when we won the state championships. He was a star in the NFL, too, for a long time until he injured his knee. He’s reached out to all of us who were on the team with him.”
“Then this should work out fine.”
“Sure. No problem.”
Tyler heard the resigned acceptance in Rafe’s voice. She took a small measure of delight in knowing that if she had to suffer, he did, too. Her cheeks heated as she recalled her outrageous behavior every year, a big fuck-you to both her father and Chad. This year people would see a new Tyler Gillette. She could never embarrass Rafe the way she’d dissed Chad. Maybe they’d be shocked, maybe they wouldn’t even like her, but at least she’d feel better about herself.
“I’ll get a message to Chad.” Kurt looked from one to the other. “So we’re good to go?”
She thought of giving him a snarky answer, her automatic response. Instead she clamped her lips shut and nodded her head. Nothing good comes easily, she reminded herself.
“Then let’s move it.” Rafe put his hand beneath her elbow, setting off those electrical impulses again. “I need to get going.”
She stopped, deciding to give him one last chance to beg out of this. “Rafe. If this is going to throw your schedule off too much—”
“It’s fine, Tyler. Let’s get going here or it won’t be.”
When they walked out to the car, she saw a car slowing down as it passed her place. Her muscles tightened until she saw it was Betsy. The woman sped up again but not before she gave the “Call me” signal. Yeah, right. That would be an interesting conversation.
“Friend of yours?” Rafe asked.
“Betsy Timmerman. My friend, the one who called earlier. She probably was going to stop in until she saw us leaving.”
“Does she know what’s happening?”
“Yes.” Tyler smoothed her damp hands down her jeans. “But she’s the only one. I didn’t, um, want to tell any of my other friends about this.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Why not?”
“Because what if they somehow got sucked into it? Besides…” She looked away.
“Besides what?” Rafe prompted.
She looked down at her hands. “I was…embarrassed about it.”
“Embarrassed?” The word cut through the air. “Because some weirdo wants to hurt you? I don’t get it.”
“It doesn’t matter. Just let it go. Please?”
“But—”
“Please.” How could she tell him the embarrassment came from the realization that her outrageous lifestyle was probably the cause of the whole thing? She was having enough trouble coming to terms with this sudden knowledge herself.
“You were right not to involve her, whatever the reason. You should distance yourself from her until we catch this guy.” He gave her a hard look. “I mean it, Tyler.”
“But why?” Not talk to Betsy? She’d lose her mind if she only had Rafe to talk to.
“Because she could be in danger, too.”
Tyler felt sick to her stomach. If only she could hide in a closet until this was all over.
Rafe stood there for a moment scanning the street up and down before unlocking his car and opening the passenger-side doors.
She insisted on riding in the back seat on the way to the team headquarters facility. Rafe and her father chatted away about the team, the upcoming game, the road trip just ending, everything except the elephant in the room. Until this idiot was caught, she and Rafe would be alone in her town house.
She thought of the old saying that something good always comes out of something bad. Even in the midst of this ugly situation, she had a something good in mind, involving her and Rafe naked in her bed. This might be her one and only chance to make it happen.
Chapter 7
At the team headquarters, Kurt climbed out of the car, waited until she exited, and then stood there staring at her for a long moment. He seemed to be searching for words. Finally, he just said, “Rafe will keep you safe.” Then he nodded once to Rafe and walked toward the facility. He had his cell phone out and clapped to his ear before he’d taken a dozen steps.
“He couldn’t get away fast enough.” Tyler just shook her head. She supposed she should be glad he’d reached out to her, but she’d give up a week of barhopping to know why now, after all this time.
“He’s a busy man,” Rafe reminded her. “It was his idea in the first place to come to your place and talk. I’d say that’s a major reach-out on his part.”
“And exactly how excited are you about having to move into my place for the foreseeable future?” She hoped he heard the sarcasm in her voice.
“I’m fine with it. The important thing is Kurt’s happy and you’re safe.”
Rafe stepped up the pace so she had to hurry to keep up with him. Of course, she’d run the other way if she could. Being here at the stadium made her uncomfortable. Glancing over at him, she saw a muscle twitch in his cheek. So he was
still not so happy about it, but he was going to do his damnedest to make it work. Well, she had plans for Mr. Rafe Ortiz, if she had the nerve to follow through on them. Big talk was easy. It was the follow through she needed the courage for.
She’d waited so long for this opportunity she didn’t want to screw it up. She’d have to be careful about how she did this. If she didn’t smack him first for his obnoxious remarks.
“I know you don’t want to be my babysitter, but—”
“I also don’t want you scared to death or harmed by some nut. I’ll do what’s necessary. Leave it at that.”
He opened the door to the building for her and waited for her to precede him into the lobby.
“Where’s your phone now?” he asked.
“In my jeans pocket.” She slipped it out and showed it to him.
“Two things.” He followed her into the elevator and pressed the button for the floor he wanted. “You don’t answer a call or text from anyone you don’t know and love. And you check every incoming before accepting it.”
“Yes, sir.” She saluted at the bill of her ball cap. “Whatever you say, sir.”
He gave her a hard look across the elevator car. “This is no laughing matter, Tyler.”
“Do I look like I’m laughing? I don’t need you to give me orders. I’m not stupid, Rafe. I’m not looking for some idiot to get hold of me for God-knows-what reason.”
“Good. Just making sure. When we get back to your house, I want you to help me make a list of anyone you think this might be.” He narrowed his gaze. “And, Tyler, I mean anyone. You never know what trips someone’s trigger.”
“I guess I don’t want to believe that anyone I know would do this to me. I mean, come on, Rafe.”
“Come on, Tyler,” he mimicked. Then his face sobered. “This is a personal crime. The sooner we nail down the person the sooner it will be over. End of discussion.”
The elevator doors opened, and as they stepped out into the wide corridor, she heard someone call her name.
“Tyler? Hey, hold up a minute.”
Ed Spinelli. Great. Just what she needed today. Not.
Rafe looked at the man through narrowed eyes. “What can we do for you?”
Tyler saw irritation tighten Ed’s features for a moment before he pulled out a smile. “Hey, man, no offense, but it’s Tyler I want to talk to.” He looked at her. “Don’t get to see you here at all. This a special occasion? Maybe we can have coffee.”
“Thanks, anyway,” Tyler said, “but no.”
Rafe cupped her elbow. “She’s busy right now. Excuse us, okay?”
“Us?” Ed’s voice followed them down the hall. “There something going on here I should know about? Write about?”
Tyler just waved a hand back at him and let Rafe guide her to his office.
“Another of your admirers?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Just a pest.”
“We’re putting pests on the list,” he reminded her. “I’ll want to know all about him and your contact with him.”
“Fine,” she grumped.
“I won’t be long.”
She plunked herself down in a chair in the corner of Rafe’s office, knees pulled up, and took her phone out of her jeans pocket again.
Rafe studied her for a long moment, his face inscrutable, then went to work gathering his stuff.
He was totally involved in what he was doing, and between phone calls and e-mails and gathering what he needed, he was fully occupied. Tyler settled down and set about answering texts from her friends while he pulled together whatever he needed to take with him. She was happy she didn’t have to make conversation, although she was surprised there wasn’t more traffic in and out.
“R u ever going to cl me bck?” From Betsy.
“Ys. Can’t tlk now.”
“What’s Mr Gorgeous doing at yr hse?”
“Tl u ltr.”
“U bttr. Lynn wants 2 know 2.”
Well, hell. So she’d discussed this with Lynn already? Of course she had. When they got back to the house and she had some privacy, she’d call them, although she had no idea what she’d tell them. Certainly not the truth. They’d be at her house and in her face as fast as they could drive, insisting she call the cops. Who she was sure, would just ignore the whole thing. They’d never catch the guy. He’d just bide his time until things died down. No, if anyone was going to take charge of it, Rafe was the lesser of two evils.
She’d like to explore more than a few evils with that man.
She was still answering texts when she heard a knock on the doorjamb and looked up to see Chad Sinclair.
“Hey, Rafe. Someone mentioned I’d find the princess in here.” He looked around. “Where did she go?”
“Right here, Chad.” She peered at him from beneath the ball cap. “What’s up?”
Chad gave her a wide-eyed look of disbelief. “Tyler? Is that you? What are you in costume for?”
She slammed her feet to the floor and sat up straight in the chair. “Yes, it’s me. What’s wrong? Do I look like an alien or something?”
“No, you look”—he gave her a searching look—”normal.”
She bounced up out of the chair and looked up at him, all six foot four of him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Rafe stopped what he was doing and held up his hand. “Okay, calm down, Tyler. I think Chad is just commenting on your, uh, new look. Complimenting it.”
“That’s right.” Chad gave her a huge grin, tiny dimples winking at the corners of his mouth and laugh lines crinkling at his slate-gray eyes. “I’ll feel like I’m going out with a brand-new woman.”
Tyler frowned. In all the time she’d known him, there had never been the least spark of chemistry between them. At least on her part. He was good-looking enough, with a thick head of dark blond hair and chiseled features. Although he hadn’t played football since college, he still had the big, muscular football players’ body, which he kept in great shape. He was funny and had always been unfailingly polite when he’d accompanied her to events at her father’s direction, no matter how outrageously she’d behaved.
But where just looking at Rafe made her pulse pound, her panties get damp, and her mouth get dry, she had zero reaction to Chad. Less than zero. She hated dancing with him because he held her just a little too close, pressed his body against hers a little too hard. She knew his game, just like her ex-husband’s. Hook up with Kurt Gillette’s daughter and feather his nest. She was positive deep down he despised both her and her lifestyle, but she knew some men would do anything to push themselves up that success ladder.
She focused her gaze on him, trying to read what was in his eyes. Was it possible he was the stalker? Would he go that far? Was he angry enough with her to do something like that? She shook herself out of her mental side trip as his words finally registered with her.
“Going out?” she asked.
“Going out?” Rafe repeated.
Chad shifted his gaze to Rafe then back to Tyler. “I called to remind you, remember? Big fundraiser event this Saturday night at the Conquistador Club. The Annual High School Athletes Scholarship Fundraiser.” He inclined his head toward Rafe. “It’s a pet project for one of the golden boy’s former teammates from Granite Falls.”
“I, um, won’t be going with you this year,” Tyler said. “You can make your own plans this time.”
“Excuse me?” He stared at her.
“Anyway,” she continued, “I believe the situation has changed. Didn’t anyone tell you?”
Chad frowned. “Yeah, I got some kind of crazy message that Kurt made arrangements for Rafe to take you Saturday night, but I’m sure that’s a mix-up. I can’t find Kurt to check with him. Then someone told me you were here in Rafe’s office.”
“I am.” She nodded. “And you got the message right.” She watched Chad carefully. He was obviously displeased. If he was the one stalking her—
>
No. He couldn’t be. Could he?
He frowned. “Are you sure? We’ve been going to these things together for a long time. It’s a habit I’ve gotten used to and look forward to.” He winked at her. “You know I am always your loyal and faithful escort.”
“You’re off the hook for the party this year,” Rafe said.
“And this way you can take a date of your own choosing,” Tyler pointed out, sat down again, and turned back to her phone. “You’ll have much more fun.”
“Tyler.” The smile was gone from his face and his tone of voice. “You don’t mean you’d rather go with Rafe than me. You hardly ever see him.”
“I told you. My father set it up. It’s his personal request.”
“Now why in the hell would he do that? Are you guys trying to put something over on me?” He looked at Rafe. “Why are you involved anyway? I know what you think about the princess here—”
Tyler glared at him. “Princess, Chad? I take it from your tone of voice that’s not a compliment.”
“Did I say—”
“Enough.” Rafe slammed his hand on his desk. “You can stop right there. It’s a done deal.” He tipped a corner of his mouth in a half smile. “It’s alright. You don’t need to be on duty, Chad. I’m fine taking her to the event.”
“Yeah?” A muscle twitched in his cheek. “I still can’t figure out why you would be taking her.” He stopped. “Wait a minute.” He looked from one to the other, irritation plain on his face. “Is there something going on here I don’t know about?”
“I’m not sure that’s any of your business,” Rafe answered, his voice filled with infinite patience. “Whatever is between Tyler and me is our business, not yours.”
“Really.” The word was laced with bitter sarcasm.
Tyler noticed that every bit of good humor had disappeared from Chad’s face.
“Come on, Chad.” She forced a smile. “You know you think I’m a pain in the ass. I’d think you’d be glad to get rid of me.”
“Maybe you don’t even need to go now,” Rafe interjected. “I mean if you don’t want to.”