Secret Caress

by Victoria Pinder

  Pilar let her hands fall to the side, but she held up one finger. “I understand, but there is no place safer to wait that out than here. Peter and I must return now. His tutors are waiting for him.”

  Peter walked over and waved. “Glad you found your daughter, Andrea.”

  “Thank you, sweetie,” Andrea said to him, unsure if it was okay to hug the boy in thanks or not.

  She walked back into the living area, and Todd jumped to his feet. They both headed toward the coffee and met over the carafe. Andrea reached in front of him and poured for both of them.

  “You and Pilar seemed to be in an intense conversation,” Todd said.

  If he knew her thoughts, where did that leave them? Part of her just wanted to throw caution to the wind, and Pilar made her believe it was possible.

  She handed him his coffee. “We were talking about you and me mostly.”

  Todd added the sugar to both their cups without asking, though from the two scoops in hers, she knew he’d studied her this morning. “And what were you both saying?”

  She lowered her cup and looked up at him, as if he were the pillar of the earth that she could depend upon. “Pilar reminded me that I shouldn’t say no to you because I’m afraid of what might happen to Camila.”

  He placed one hand over his heart. “I would never hurt Camila. If I did something wrong, tell me.”

  “You haven’t at all.” She reached out and hugged him. Her body wanted more than the hug, but her daughter was in same room, so she stilled. “I’ve been on my own for so long, protecting her, I forgot there are good men like you out in the world.”

  His gaze narrowed. “What does that mean, Andrea?”

  Her insides were electrified as she dared to hope. For once, it was her chance to live happily ever after, so she lifted her chin. “It means we’ll take you up on your offer to stay.”

  Todd took her coffee, placed it on the counter with his, hugged her, and twirled her around. Andrea laughed. She was never this excited.

  As Todd put her down, he called out behind him. “Did you hear that, Camila?”

  Camila trudged in, picked up one of the cakes without asking, and stuffed her face. “No. What’s going on, Mother?”

  It was time they were all happy. She held Todd’s hand. “Do you want to stay here, Camila?”

  Her eyes widened, and she smiled and jumped up and down. “Here? Do I get to keep my room?”

  “Absolutely,” Todd said.

  Andrea added with a laugh, “Yes.”

  Camila squealed and her jumps were so high, she acted like she could hit the ceiling though she was only three feet tall.

  Andrea laughed. “That confirms it. We’ll stay.”

  Todd’s gaze grew warmer, and he squeezed her hand. Andrea felt a jolt of desire rush through her as Todd lifted her hand and kissed it.

  “And Ms. Mira here will ensure you’re safe while I show your mom something,” Todd said to Camila.

  “Okay,” Camila said, taking a few cakes and heading into the living room. She turned on the television.

  Andrea might have scolded her, but her daughter hadn’t had a regular TV to watch other than a random one in a hotel somewhere. She didn’t say a word and walked with Todd up a separate staircase.

  As they made it to the top step, she asked, “Where are we going?”

  He walked her down the hall to a room that was almost exactly the same distance as her daughter’s room in the other wing of the house, and he flung open a door. “I want to show you where I was thinking for your art room.”

  She’d call this room the yellow room from the light lemon colors of the bedspread and curtains and the bright light of the sun. This would be a beautiful studio.

  She ignored the beat in her heart as she said, “You don’t have to do all that for me.”

  He brushed his hand through her hair and touched her face. “I want to make you happy.”

  Her body ached for him as her eyes fluttered closed. “You already do. Is there something I can do for you?”

  He let her go, which caused her to peek at him while he walked to the open windows that gave her a view of the city and the blue water, and then crossed his arms. “Actually, yes. I need to go to my brother’s party for an hour, tops, to talk to Dan Marshall. I’d like for you to come with me.”

  A party? At his brother’s? Part of her never wanted to cross the street. She took a deep breath, lowered her eyes, and said, “But I was serving last night.”

  He shrugged, and the distance between them felt like it grew. “No one will remember, and if anyone says something, we just won’t talk to them ever again.”

  If she said no, she was saying no to the life that he wanted to share with her. She took a few steps forward, as if she were crossing a bridge, and then nodded. “Okay, if you need to go.”

  He took both her hands in his, and excitement was like fireworks that went off inside her veins. “Five minutes. It’s a question on a portfolio investment he recommended. I just want to be sure about it and it’s easier to talk in person.”

  “I can handle ten minutes if you need it.”

  “Perfect. So you’ll need to get dressed up,” he said. “I’ll have something ordered for you.”

  She gently bit her lower lip and gave him a smile. She then unbuttoned her top button and began to take off the jewelry. “Whoever picked out this outfit was great.”

  His eyes widened as she continued to unbutton her blouse. “What are you doing?”

  She worked on the gold buttons of her white pants and tugged them down as she pointed with the top of her head. “Todd, before the bed gets moved out, we can use it.”

  Todd’s smile turned flirtatious. “Andrea, are you sure?”

  On this, there was no doubt. She was his. “I want to celebrate with you.”

  And then he kissed her. This time, it was possessive and powerful, and she was hooked. Todd Morgan could have anything he liked.

  Chapter 5

  The makeup artist and hair dresser spent hours making her look fabulous. Andrea hadn’t looked this beautiful at her quinceañera.

  Her stomach fluttered as she put on a beaded turquoise, knee-length, glittery dress that had see-through sleeves that tied together, showing her upper arm if someone looked close enough. The dress fit like a glove and seemed to be made for her despite her curves.

  If this was how the women in his world lived, part of her wanted to stay just for the benefits. But that was silly. She’d never use a man for his money and hoped no one thought that of her because of Todd.

  Her spine stiffened at the thought, but she didn’t say anything. She checked herself in the mirror and left her suite.

  She popped her head into Camila’s room and waved at her daughter, who was reading a book with the nanny who supervised royal children at her last job and whose qualifications made her an amazing choice since she spoke ten languages. But most important, Camila had warmed right up to her.

  Satisfied, Andrea turned to go find Todd, and she ignored the spike in her heart rate and walked down the stairs, holding the bannister.

  As she turned the square corner, she saw Todd in another blue button-down shirt and black pants. For a second, he didn’t move, but then he jolted across the way and offered his arm. “You look amazing.”

  She shook her head but felt a delightful stillness in her soul, liking being near to him. “I feel like a fraud going right back to your brother’s.”

  He kissed her hand and kept her at his side. “Don’t be. If he treats you bad, you, Camila, and I will move to my place in Bel-Air or move anywhere you want to.”

  Her eyes widened. California had been on her list of places to go, but reports of crime made her go east instead of west. However, even she knew Bel-Air was one of the nicer areas. They headed out the door, and Todd waved at his security guard, Miguel, as they passed.

  She waited for his attention before saying, “You have a home in California?”

  They crossed t
he small street and headed to the mansion across from his.

  “I usually spend half a year there,” he said.

  Her heart raced as she saw Pilar directing the caterers inside the servants’ entrance. Last night, she’d used that entrance, but now Todd had her going to the white double doors in the circular driveway.

  Unlike his warm house, Mitch Morgan’s house felt like a museum, though he had three children running around it.

  She tried not to notice the Ming vases, which were original, near the sides of both doors as Todd walked her in the line. She ignored how her mind raced and asked, “And what do you do in California?”

  Todd waved at some guests and kissed her hand again as they headed into the main part of the house.

  One of the caterers grimaced at Andrea as she held out the wine offering. Andrea shook her head to the offer, but Todd took two and gave her one.

  “Same thing I do here. I usually just check the accountants are handling everything properly and go to the Morgan board meetings four times a year, which usually last about an hour. Other than that, indulge in whatever I fancy.”

  His actions mattered more than any day job he might have, and he’d treated her and her daughter as important. She swallowed some of the wine, hoping the taste would dull the adrenaline in her system. “So you’re usually free throughout the day?”

  He pointed to a man in a pink shirt and white pants. “I could take you anywhere you wanted to go. Let me go talk to Dan. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  She dropped her hand, and he quickly kissed her. Her arms tightened around his shoulders, and she wished she could stay in his embrace, without being here.

  He ended the kiss and winked at her. She nodded, and he walked across the tiled floor to talk to the man alone.

  Andrea pivoted and stared at the crowd. A group of men all blatantly stared at her chest and hips, but she ignored them. A group of older women were dressed in diamonds and all sat together in a circle. Another group of women, in their thirties and forties, also sat together, clearly not talking to anyone else. And a third set of women were all young and showing off more skin than they should.

  Andrea didn’t fit in with any of them.

  She quickly glanced at the older men who were all laughing in the distance but crossed them off her list too.

  She wandered aimlessly through the crowd until a voice that made her insides quake coughed. She turned around as Mitch Morgan said, “So you’re the waitress my brother was smitten with.”

  “Excuse me?” she asked and ignored how her body cringed near him.

  He held out his hand to shake hers. “Mitch Morgan, your new boyfriend’s older brother.”

  The last thing she wanted was to shake, but she did. Her entire body felt instantly sweaty and gross until he let her go. “Andrea Garcia, sir, and your brother was my hero last night.”

  He stared over her shoulder and Andrea turned. They both stared at Todd, who was clearly deep in his conversation with Dan Marshall.

  Mitch whispered into her ear, “Hero is an interesting way to put it. I wish I noticed you first.”

  Her skin crawled. Yuck. She turned and smelled the same cologne on Mitch, but somehow he made the scent seem sour. She stepped away. “I served you a few drinks last night.”

  His hand groped her butt as he pulled her closer. “That’s not what I mean.”

  Eww. If he was anyone else, she’d have swatted him away, but for now, she spun out of his grope and covered her breasts.

  “You know you’re nowhere near good enough for my brother,” he said.

  A woman her age walked over and kissed his cheek. “Darling, it’s not your concern who your brother dates.”

  Mitch frowned at her. “Fiona, don’t call me that in public. You are not my wife.”

  If Fiona was smart, she’d run too. However, the kind woman smiled at her and said, “Still, leave Andrea alone. Your brother seems happy.”

  And she knew her name? How? Andrea lowered her hands and met the kind woman’s gaze. She owed her for getting her out of the awkward situation fast.

  Fiona then backed away, taking Mitch’s hand.

  He pulled away from the woman for a second and whispered to Andrea, “Andrea, you and I could have gotten along very well.”

  Goose bumps grew on her arms and her entire body chilled. She shook her head and wished she were somewhere else where she could punch him in the nose. But all she said sounded weak, even to her, but it was something. “Mr. Morgan, this isn’t appropriate.”

  A smaller hand tugged at her arm. She turned and saw the preteen, Peter Morgan, whose eyes were wide. He was with two younger children, all impeccably dressed. They must be his brother and sister.

  “Andrea, may I speak with you?” Peter asked.

  She stepped away from Mitch Morgan, leaving him far behind as she followed his children. “Yes, Mr. Morgan, of course.”

  “Come,” Peter said, taking her hand and almost pulling her.

  The other children ran in front and pointed toward Todd’s house.

  Andrea’s spine stiffened. Her daughter was across the street in his home. “Where are we going?”

  Peter pointed in the same direction as his brother and sister. “Go home, Ms. Andrea.”

  “Why?” she asked, but her heart already raced in panic.

  He didn’t blink and the boy’s face seemed frightened when he pointed. “Look.”

  A white van was parked in Todd’s driveway. It looked like the one from last night.

  Her daughter was inside the house. She dropped her wineglass, not caring that the glass shattered, and her high-heeled shoes dug into the dirt as she ran. “Oh my goodness.”

  She pounded the shoes so hard on the run that they fell off somewhere in the street. She didn’t care.

  As she made it to the open front door, she found Miguel knocked out.

  Her baby. This was all her fault. She rushed in the door, and the house felt violated.

  “Camila, where are you?” she shouted.

  “Mama!” her daughter screamed. She was near her bedroom still.

  Without thinking of her own safety, Andrea rushed up the stairs as fast as she could. She swung open the door. The man with the gun finished tying up the nanny and placing tape over her mouth.

  Andrea wanted to help, but she grabbed her daughter and took a step toward the door, keeping Camila behind her. The man turned toward her, and she screamed, “Stay away from my daughter.”

  “You didn’t pay us,” the man said, slapping her across the face before throwing her down violently.

  Her daughter inched toward the door, but the man reached for her. She used her legs and jumped back. “No. I won’t let you do this.”

  “Mama!” Camila screamed as the man punched her in the face, knocking her down, again.

  The world seemed dark and spun in circles, and her daughter’s cries called out through the air. She tried to trip the man. “You’re not going to win. This is madness.”

  He stepped over her feeble attempt, but then another voice called out behind her and made her heart leap with hope.

  “Let them go,” Todd said.

  She turned and saw Camila run into his arms, clutching his neck tight.

  The evil man stepped closer and took out a hand gun. “You think you can stop me?”

  “Absolutely,” Todd said and behind him, someone fired.

  Andrea’s entire world crumbled as she wondered if her daughter was okay. She swallowed and stood despite how her temples pounded.

  The loud bang of a man’s body fell.

  For one second, Andrea imagined Todd was dead, but once the smoke cleared, she saw the kidnapper was down.

  Todd held out his hand for her, and she then noticed the police officers behind him.

  One of the officers rushed past her and headed toward the nanny to free her.

  Without thinking, Andrea threw her arms around Todd’s neck and hugged him and Camila both. “Todd!”
/>   Her family was okay.

  Her knees felt like they gave out, though, and Todd caught her. Camila hugged them both, not letting go until Todd carried her to the next room and laid her on the bed.

  Camila crawled in beside her and held her hand as she asked, “Is she okay, Todd?”

  Todd winced as he examined Andrea’s face, and, from his expression, she assumed she looked horrible. Todd’s nearness made her feel safe, though.

  “She’ll be okay,” he said to her daughter. “We’ll need something cold for that eye though.”

  Andrea had never had a black eye before. She hadn’t expected the sting. In the movies, she always assumed the eyes were numb to pain, but that explained the pounding in her head.

  Todd examined her legs and arms as he said to her daughter, “Camila, call on the phone for ice. Dial 2. Your mom is going to be black and blue, but otherwise, she’s going to be okay.”

  “Thank you for saving me, too,” Camila said and jumped off the bed.

  Andrea couldn’t see her daughter, but she heard her on the phone. Truthfully, she wasn’t quite awake, but she wasn’t asleep. She held Todd’s hand tighter and willed herself to start moving and get up.

  A few minutes later, she sat.

  He sat on the edge of the bed and took a deep breath. “You stopped him.”

  “I was weak.” Andrea pointed to her face and then startled when she realized she’d had blood coming out of her nose. She hadn’t even felt it, but Todd had the tissues with her dried blood.

  “No, you’re not weak,” Todd said and then lowered his voice so only she could hear him. “The police arrested him. You and Camila are safe now.”

  Her mind began to clear. She twisted her legs to get off the bed as her thoughts all swirled and her heart raced again. “We weren’t even safe enough in your own home.”

  Todd stood and looked down at her. “Miguel is getting the report for how this happened.”

  Andrea stood as well, though she wobbled on her feet. “I wasn’t here to protect Camila, because I…”

  Her voice trailed off as the pulse in her veins interfered with her thoughts, completely crystalizing them.

  Todd quickly said, “You saved her, Andrea.”