Executive Protection

by Jennifer Morey

  Leaving the entry, Lucy passed a pair of open white French doors to a dining room on her right. Across from there was another set of French doors, those opening to a smaller sitting area, a place to get away from the noise. On the other side of the wall from the dining room was the kitchen, overlooking the living room. Dark granite countertops and white cabinets looked rich and clean, and the double-door, stainless-steel refrigerator could feed an army. An island lined with stools separated the kitchen from the living room, and a round, casual dining table sat at the end of the kitchen before the wall of windows it shared with the living room.

  Sophie skipped into the living room and dropped her stuffed animal and tote bag. Dolls spilled out, and she busily fell into imaginative play. No doubt, this was the biggest dollhouse she’d ever seen. It certainly was for Lucy—this had to be a dream.

  Lucy put down the bags on the kitchen island counter with Thad and began to unload groceries. There were no stores here, only beach houses, sand and ocean. They’d stopped in Corolla on the way.

  Thad turned on the oven and put French fries on a cooking sheet while Lucy put a container of mac ’n’ cheese in the microwave.

  “I’ll grill our burgers,” Thad said.

  This had such a domesticated feel. She followed him to the balcony door, drawn by the view. The sun was setting, giving the ocean’s surface an orange sheen. Thad started the giant steel grill on the balcony. Stairs led down to the pool. There was also a hot tub.

  Going to the railing, she rested her hands there and leaned over to see the back of the house. There were windows on every side, but panels of them filled the back on all levels. A wooden railed path led to the beach, breaking waves rolling up onto sand in the distance. The beach was wide and went on for as far as the eye could see.

  Catching Thad watching her, having paused in his task of putting burgers on the grill, Lucy turned and went back into the house to cut tomatoes, cheese, onions and lettuce. The look in Thad’s eyes stayed with her. He seemed relaxed, even with Sophie here.

  The television played in the living room and Lucy realized Sophie had turned it on. She’d had to become more independent since her mother died.

  She finished preparing Sophie’s dinner and put the plate on the kitchen island.

  “Sophie.”

  “Yes!” Sophie bounded into the kitchen and clumsily climbed up onto the stool. She had a spoon in hand and stirred the steaming macaroni and cheese. It was too hot to eat.

  Lucy resumed getting the burgers ready. They’d bought coleslaw and potato salad to keep it simple.

  “Lucy?” Sophie queried in her high-pitched voice.

  “Yes?”

  “Do I have to go back to Rosanna’s house?”

  That was a loaded question. Lucy stopped what she was doing and faced Sophie. “No, honey, you don’t.”

  Her head tilted to one side as that news confused her. “Am I going to live with you now?”

  “For a while, yes.” The question singed Lucy, piercing through her core.

  Sophie’s head tilted again, more confusion gripping her. “For how long?”

  “I don’t know. We have to work it through the State.”

  “What’s the State?”

  “The people who sent you to Rosanna’s house.”

  Instead of confusion, dislike pinched her mouth and saddened her sweet brown eyes. “I don’t like those people.”

  “They’re trying to help you.”

  “I don’t like them.”

  Moving around the island, Lucy put her hand on the girl’s head, smoothing her unruly hair. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure everything turns out okay.” She wasn’t sure how she’d do that, but she’d do all she could.

  “Why can’t I live with you all the time?” Sophie asked.

  Choked up over her helplessness and indecision over what to do about Sophie, Lucy couldn’t answer.

  “Don’t you want me?”

  Oh, that stung. “It’s not that, Sophie.” What could she say to avoid hurting her? Her young mind wouldn’t understand.

  “Why doesn’t anyone want me?”

  “It isn’t that anyone doesn’t want you.”

  “My mommy left. Rosanna doesn’t want me. And now you.”

  Lucy swiveled Sophie’s stool so that she faced her and took her hands. “Okay, listen to me, Sophie. Your mother didn’t leave you. She died. And Rosanna...” She looked down, uncertain of how much to tell her. Not one who believed in lying to children, she went with the truth. “Rosanna died, too. She was in an accident the night we picked you up from the fishing house.”

  The news troubled Sophie, but she couldn’t process so much terrible information all at once. She hadn’t known Rosanna the way she’d known her mother. “Like my mommy?”

  “Yes, like your mommy.”

  “Well...” Consternation and more confusion marred her face. “Then I better not live with you.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because you’ll die, too.”

  Lucy gathered the girl into a hug. “No, I won’t. I’m not going to die. You’re safe now, I promise. We’re all safe.”

  Sophie clung to Lucy, in need of love and attention. Lucy would give her all she had this weekend and for however long she had with her.

  Thad came inside just then and paused on his way to the counter, carrying a plate of cooked burgers. He was all man standing there and probably feeling awkward over interrupting what was obviously a tender moment between woman and child, two things he struggled with most. “Everything okay in here?”

  “Yeah.” Lucy ruffled Sophie’s hair. “Just a little girl talk.”

  Lucy swiveled the stool back toward the counter. “Finish your meal. We’re here to have fun. Forget all the rest.”

  Sophie lifted her spoon and dug into the macaroni and cheese. Lucy couldn’t tell if all the death that surrounded her still bothered her. Her mother’s death would stay with her for the rest of her life. Rosanna’s she may not understand. She may think about it for a while but Lucy was confident that it would pass, and as soon as she got somewhere stable, as soon as someone adopted her, she’d flourish.

  She and Thad made their plates and sat at the island as Sophie finished and jumped off the stool to go back to playing with her dolls.

  Thad was quiet after seeing her with Sophie and he kept glancing over at her.

  “What do you think will happen to her?” he asked in a low enough voice that Sophie wouldn’t hear over the television.

  “She’ll be put in another foster home.”

  “How long will that take?”

  “I don’t know that, either.”

  He studied the girl. “I wish there was something we could do.”

  “I suppose we’re doing all we can,” she said.

  When he met her eyes, she could tell he struggled the way she did.

  Thad turned back to his plate but didn’t resume eating. He’d already finished most of his food. Talk of what to do with Sophie had ruined his appetite. Why? Lucy wondered. Because he’d considered the possibilities? And if he had, it had probably scared him.

  Lucy decided to spare him. And herself. She got the feeling he was beginning to test waters—with her. Something in him sought to find out if Lucy had what it took to make it all the way. Something strong enough to bypass his beliefs about marriage. Even if he never married in his life, long-term commitment was difficult for him. Was he contemplating whether Lucy would make a good candidate, or was worth a try?

  Chapter 14

  When Thad heard Sophie’s cries, he threw the covers off of him and picked up the jeans he’d worn yesterday. He put them on as he stumbled toward the door. There were two master bedrooms on the third level, one on each end of the house, and two smaller rooms
between. Sophie was in the one closest to Lucy. When he reached the room, he saw that Lucy was already there, comforting the girl.

  The nightmares were becoming a regular occurrence. He went to sit on the other side of the queen-size bed.

  “A green-eyed man came to get her,” Lucy said as she held a crying Sophie. Sophie was still under the covers, her arms looped over Lucy’s neck and Lucy leaning toward her to hold her close, rubbing her back and looking solemnly at Thad.

  “She had the same dream the last time.” He felt helpless while everything in him urged for some action that would make it all better for the girl. “We’ll get her counseling. Help her get past this.”

  Lucy realized along with him that he spoke as if Sophie would be in both of their lives...indefinitely.

  His determination to rescue the girl as though she were his own daughter instilled a bolt of panic in him. What was he thinking? None of this was a sure thing. Lucy. Sophie. Especially Sophie. The two of them together spelled family. And family he did not do without sharing a single last name. Sharing a last name meant forever. And he’d never have forever with any woman. That would take a miracle, and Thad didn’t believe in miracles. He believed in reality, and reality was a lot harsher than that.

  He stood up. “You’ve got this covered.”

  Sophie pushed back from Lucy, her crying subsiding for a moment. “Where are you going?”

  Thad froze, looking down at Sophie’s teary face, her eyes beseeching him, needing not only Lucy but him, as well.

  “Nowhere,” he heard himself say.

  He saw Lucy’s adoring smile over the child’s connection to him.

  “You have to chase the green-eyed man away,” Sophie said. “Lucy said he’d be no match for you and that you’d chase him away.”

  Thad lifted his brow. “Lucy is telling stories again.”

  “It’s true,” Sophie insisted. “You can scare him away.”

  “Okay. I’ll go scare him away.” Indulging them both, he began his search in the room, spending extra time in the closet and under the bed.

  “He’s not in here.” He went to the window and made a show of searching through the darkness. “Don’t see him...wait a minute. What’s that?” He looked back to a wide-eyed Sophie and a delighted Lucy. “I think I see him.”

  Sophie clung tighter to Lucy. “Go get him! Go chase him away!”

  “You two stay here so I know you’re safe.” Thad opened the balcony door and ran down the stairs, glad no one was around to see him. There, he waited out of sight, timing his absence in his head. This had to be believable. A few minutes later, he ran back up the stairs and into Sophie’s bedroom, slightly winded from sprinting up all those steps.

  Sophie huddled with Lucy, still on the bed, frightened and expectant.

  “I caught him,” Thad proclaimed, feeling as if he was in one of Lucy’s made-up stories. “I told him if he ever came back he’d have to go through me to get to you.” He moved closer. “You were right. He was afraid of me. He’s gone and he’s never coming back.”

  Sophie looked at Lucy for confirmation.

  “You heard him. The green-eyed man is gone. For good.” She tapped the girl’s nose with her forefinger.

  Sophie relaxed and giggled.

  “Let’s read something and then you need to get some sleep.” Lucy found a book and reclined on the bed beside Sophie.

  Thad locked the balcony doors and then leaned against the frame. He watched Lucy read to the girl and listened to her animated voice. All the while he struggled with letting go of what swelled in his heart. Forever. With the two of them...

  Sophie’s eyes drooped and then closed. In less than a half hour, she was sound asleep. Seeing the child enveloped in so much peace, knowing he had a lot to do with that, Thad felt something shift in him. His resistance weakened. Lucy gently pulled the covers up to her chin and then turned off the bedside lamp, leaving only the night-light.

  Thad went with her to the door, leaving it open as they left.

  In the hall, Lucy turned to him. “You’re good at that.”

  “At what?” He shouldn’t even ask. She’d start in on him again.

  “She’ll never have another nightmare again, thanks to you.” She leaned against the hallway wall, too dreamy for his comfort zone, but sexy as hell. This time without a robe, she wore that silky nightgown. The strings tying the bodice were loosened and teased him with half of her breasts exposed. He could see the shadow of her nipples and thighs through the thin material. The nightgown came to just above her knees.

  He felt himself react, the tightening down low, the quickening of his pulse. Awareness of her sensuality engulfed him. With resistance vanishing, temptation took its place. What would it be like to forget reality for one night?

  Lucy noticed the change in him. Her appreciative smile faded and a darker pleasure took over. Her eyes grew hungry.

  Drawn to her, he crossed the hall. Her hands slid up his chest as he swooped down to kiss her. Bracing his hands on the wall, he kissed her softly at first, exploring her and loving how her breathing deepened. Her mouth fit his deliciously.

  Was this what kissing the mother of his child would be like? He enjoyed the fantasy. It was okay as long as it remained a fantasy.

  Lucy ran her tongue along his mouth. He opened for her and they caressed each other that way for a while. Fiery heat coursed through him, reaching every wicked nerve ending in him. She arched her body toward him. Her hips pressed against his growing hardness.

  Kissing her harder, he ran his hands down her body, one over her breast the other down to her rear.

  “That nightgown is driving me crazy,” he rasped.

  “You’re driving me crazy.” She sought his mouth again.

  He kissed her while he kneaded her breast, feeling the nipple go stiff.

  “Sophie,” Lucy whispered.

  Though the child slept, waking her to this wouldn’t be the best example to make.

  He moved back, and she took his hand, leading him into her room. It was nearly identical to his, only having a different color scheme. Lucy had chosen the blue hues and he took the one with green.

  “Are you sure about this?” He shut the door. Even if she wasn’t, he might have to convince her. This was one fantasy he didn’t want to miss.

  “Yes.” She backed into the spacious room, walls painted a soft yellow and offset by white trim. Every room had a balcony door. Lucy had left the blinds open, and moonlight streamed in. She hadn’t turned on a light when she’d gone running for Sophie.

  Her gaze roamed all over his body, down to where his erection strained his jeans, all over his upper torso and back to his face.

  “Are you?” she asked.

  Her body in that nightgown beckoned. “Yes.”

  She lifted the silky thing off her and dropped it to the floor. Completely naked, her dark, thick hair tumbling over her shoulders, she was a vision. Her breasts jutted, firm and free. A sinewy line divided her ribs and abdomen. She shaved her private area so that only a strip remained. Light from the window outlined her trim thighs, starting at the apex of her sex.

  Thad removed his jeans and boxers. His erection was almost painful. He couldn’t remember ever being this hard before. Maybe when he was a teenager.

  As he stepped toward her, she waited. She wanted more foreplay. Standing close, he angled his head to kiss her while he touched her breasts. When that wasn’t enough, he trailed kisses down her neck, over her collarbone and down to first one and then the other nipple.

  She held his head, her fingers buried in his hair, sounds of pleasure whispering from her. She was holding back so that Sophie didn’t hear them. That she had to hold back heated him immeasurably. What would she sound like if she let go?

  He kissed her lips again, his hands on
her rear, pulling her to him. She groaned into his mouth.

  Then she broke free, stepping back. Turning, she moved like a cat on all fours onto the bed, presenting her rear and enticing him further. She sat on the sheets, waiting for him.

  He crawled over her, kissing her as she still sat. Heat radiated between them. With one hand on his chest, she touched him with her other, curling her fingers around him and softly rubbing.

  “Oh,” she breathed.

  He was so hard.

  Thad kissed her with more purpose, guiding her down onto the mattress. He shoved pillows out of the way, fanning her hair across the white sheets. The sight of her was so erotic he nearly penetrated her right then. But this fantasy had to last.

  He treated her to more kissing, then moved out of her reach, down to her feet. He kissed the tops of them and made his way up her calf, spreading her legs as he moved past her knees.

  She gripped his hair as he satisfied curiosity and ran his tongue along the landing strip she kept so neatly trimmed. Reaching sweeter center, he brought her to a shivering brink and yielded to her tugs on his hair. Kissing her belly, tickling her belly button, he treated her breasts to more before lying on top of her and taking her mouth.

  Her hands went from his hair down his back and to his rear, where they stayed as he began to probe for her warm wetness. He pushed into her, slow and steady, rising up from a long kiss to look into green eyes that shone in the moonlight. As he moved back and forth at the same pace, a deep rightness settled in his soul, gripping him and intensifying the explosive ecstasy they made together.

  Lucy stretched her arms above her head, her fingers touching the grand wooden headboard. She was a million-dollar painting and the headboard was her frame.

  “More,” she breathed. “I want more.”

  She wanted more. Thad pushed into her with more force, thrusting over and over. A strangled sound burst from her. He clamped his mouth over hers and moved faster.

  A long groan vibrated into his mouth. He kept his eyes open to watch her. She lifted her knees and now it was him who groaned. Unbelievably, they peaked at the same time, each quieting the celebration that broke free in audible release.