Back at Colin’s house, Alexa still floated on an emotional high, replaying the concert in her head. The magic in the air! The beautiful, crooning love songs lilting from Colin’s perfect tenor! The memories still trembled along her heart strings, thrilling her. It seemed like Colin’s soul came through in his music. His voice was strong, yet tender.
She sighed, chin in her hand, and stared at her blank computer screen. Alexa wanted to write down all of her impressions while they were still fresh. So she would do it—and censor nary a one. She could edit out her star-struck awe later.
Alexa typed like crazy for three hours. By the end of that time, her neck ached and her watch said two o’clock. If she didn’t suspect most of her ravings were silly tripe, her book would be ten pages closer to completion.
When she stretched, Alexa realized that she still wore her evening clothes. Heels and all. With a grimace, she kicked them off. Until now, she hadn’t noticed how the straps dug into her ankles.
Alexa was afraid to look at what she had written. Probably it was all silly fluff. But since it was out of her system, now she could write the concrete details of the concert. Like who was backstage, the mood of the crowd, the size of the stadium; things like that.
She needed a cup of tea. Then she could settle down and have a good work session. Colin wouldn’t be available tomorrow morning, so she could sleep in a little, and then get back to work on the albums.
Pleased with the good start she had made—possible fluff and all—Alexa slipped down the narrow staircase in her nyloned feet. She knew the kitchen was this way, since Jamison had brought her upstairs that first night through the bowels of the house. Not through the grand front entrance, of course.
Voices filtered up the stairs from the kitchen and she halted, surprised she wasn’t the only one awake.
“Alexa’s hot,” Mart said. “And smart. Colin’s got himself a live one this time.”
Alexa’s cheeks warmed. They were talking about her. She felt both embarrassed and uncomfortable. She didn’t think of herself as beautiful, although many others had told her so. Colin—and Jamison—included. Although the latter, hardly in a complimentary way.
Jamison said, “‘Hot’ means trouble. Colin had better watch out.”
“Awful hot under the collar, bud,” Mart said. “She’s got you worked up.”
“She’s trouble,” Jamison said darkly.
“But beautiful. Admit it, man.”
“Yes, she’s beautiful, but…”
At that moment, Alexa tumbled off the bottom stair. She had been leaning too far forward, straining to hear their conversation. She didn’t even know why it enthralled her so.
Embarrassed to be caught eavesdropping, she sailed immediately into the room. Mart sat at the table, sipping a soft drink. Cheeks hot with chagrin, she glared at Jamison, who leaned against the nearest counter.
“You’re doomed to disappointment if you’re attracted to me,” she told him. Of course, she knew he wasn’t, but as usual with him, her foolish tongue sped ahead of her better sense.
Jamison took a quick breath and glanced at the ceiling, as if questioning God why he had to be tortured by the likes of her. “Nothing better to do than eavesdrop?”
“I came for tea. I didn’t expect to find you here discussing me behind my back.” With that verbal shot, she glided to the sink like a regal princess. Luckily, she saw a mug hanging on the rack so she didn’t have to fumble through a cupboard.
Then Alexa realized that Mart might take her comments personally, too. Dismay arose. Quickly, she struggled to find tactful words to patch things up with Mart. With a bang, they came—in her sister’s voice in her head.
“Although I appreciate you saying nice things about me.” She twinkled a smile at Mart, who grinned back. She ignored Jamison altogether, ran water in a cup, and then deposited it in the microwave.
“For the record,” Jamison’s voice held a rough edge now, “just because I said you’re beautiful doesn’t mean I’m attracted to you. First, I’d have to be attracted to Amazons. And I’m not.”
With narrowed eyes, she surveyed the man across the room. “No, of course not. Which I’m extremely grateful for, by the way. I’d hate to hurt your fragile ego.” More retaliatory words came, which she knew her tactful sister would not approve of, but they rolled out anyway. “Small men like you have to find tiny, weak women you can dominate. That’s the only way you can convince yourself that you’re terribly big and strong and powerful. And when I say small I don’t mean short.” She lifted her eyebrows for emphasis.
“Ouch, man,” Mart said from the table. He covered a smile by lifting the glass to his lips.
Jamison’s dark eyes gleamed; controlled, as she was beginning to suspect he always was, but furious. He said nothing, though, and just watched her. She began to feel uncomfortable. Had she said too much? Of course she had. In fact, she had been horribly rude! Why couldn’t she control her tongue with Jamison?
But he had just insulted her!
Thankfully, the microwave buzzed, so she turned and pulled out her sizzling hot mug. Now, if only she knew where they kept the tea…
She opened the cupboards nearest her, but found nothing but dishware. She still felt Jamison’s gaze prickling into her, and she felt uncomfortable and self-conscious. Further testiness bubbled in her, but she struggled to suppress it. That rude man. He brought out the worst in her, and she didn’t like it. Not at all. If she was smart, she wouldn’t say another word to him.
Where was the tea? Exasperated and embarrassed, she sent a prayer heavenward. Please help me, God! And she meant for more than help finding the tea. Swallowing her pride, she turned to Mart. “Do you know where the tea is?”
“Don’t drink the stuff.” He flicked a finger toward his friend. “Jamison does, though.”
Alexa would sooner drink plain scalding water than ask that particular man for any favors. But would she appear intimidated by his stare if she didn’t speak to him? How could he gain the upper hand by saying nothing at all? Frustrated, she turned her gaze to him. Never in her life had she met a more profoundly annoying man. “Where would the tea be?” she inquired, icing her tone with sugar.
By way of an answer, he moved toward her. Her uncomfortable feeling rose. Why couldn’t he just tell her?
She wouldn’t move, though. He wouldn’t scare her off. He came very close. Only a foot away now. His wavy black hair came to her eye level. She rued the fact that she had left her heels upstairs. Then he’d be at chin level!
Now he went on tiptoe, facing her, and disconcertingly, his dark gaze came level with hers. Up close, a potent virility radiated from him, and her skin prickled. The desire to retreat overwhelmed her. She smelled the clean scent of soap and a spicy aftershave. He was leaning toward her! What was he doing?
Alexa’s eyes widened in alarm, and she gasped in a quick breath. Then she realized he had opened a cupboard overhead and plucked down a box from the top shelf.
“Tea, princess.”
She snatched it from him, accidentally grazing his rough fingers. A shock went through her at the contact. Fueled by hate—no, she couldn’t hate him. That wouldn’t be right. Strong dislike, then. That was it. “Thank you,” she said through her teeth. “You are so kind.”
“At your service.” She didn’t miss the sarcastic tone. Or the fact he had just called her “princess.” He really thought she was haughty and high and mighty. He had inquired if she had thought she was royalty in the car at the airport. And then, when she had inadvertently let it slip in his hearing that she felt like she was living in a fairy tale…well, he must have connected all of the dots. Hence, his not so flattering coronation of her as “princess.”
She ignored him as he moved away, and focused completely upon fixing her tea—and keeping her mouth shut. She had made enough inflammatory remarks for one night. She really did need to call her sister for tips on tact. And she needed to pray for help, too.
The two men mu
ttered behind her, and when she had finished concocting her tea, she discovered only Mart remained in the room.
She smiled at him. “Goodnight, Mart. I had a wonderful time at the concert.”
An odd light sparkled in his eyes. “Me, too.” He hesitated. “Alexa, don’t chew up my buddy and spit him out. He’s a good guy, with a heart as big as Texas.”
“I have yet to see that side of him. But I’ll try to control myself,” she agreed. “Sometimes my mouth runs away with me. I hope I haven’t made you into an enemy, too.”
“Naw.” With a grin, the blond-haired giant leaned back in his chair. “I think you’re going to make this tour interesting.”
“I hope you mean that in a good way.”
“We’ll see.” The chair dropped to the floor again. “We’ll see.”
Chapter Three
Wednesday morning Alexa awoke early, like she normally did at home, and decided it was time to resume her exercise program, and her daily devotional, too. Usually, she ran the stairs in her apartment complex and did a few other exercises inside her living room, as she didn’t have time to go to a gym. And now, since she would spend the next six weeks slaving over her computer, she figured she had better get some exercise.
So Alexa crept through the quiet house at 5:30 a.m., ran up and down the stairs to the kitchen, and then retired to her room to complete her workout. Luckily, she encountered no one. Afterward, she spent time reading the Bible, which she sorely needed to do. Her behavior lately—especially with Jamison—left much to be desired. Afterward, she enjoyed a chat over tea and toast with Mrs. Stroud in the kitchen. The housekeeper was a warm and cheerful woman, and Alexa liked her very much.
Alexa spent the rest of the day poring through the neatly labeled photo albums. Colin had been a cute little boy with white blond hair. Little surprise there. What did surprise her were the numerous pictures of him with dirt on his face, multiple bandages, and even a cast at age ten. Evidently, he had been quite the adventurer. She made careful note of the questions to ask Colin when she saw him next.
It wasn’t at dinner that night. Mrs. Stroud informed her that Colin was out with friends. Alexa asked to eat in the kitchen with the rest of the staff, since she didn’t want to eat alone at the long table, like Mrs. Stroud had originally intended.
That meant she ate with Jamison and Mart. Thankfully, Jamison said little, and disappeared soon.
Before bed, she called Beth for the first time. With the eight hour time difference, it was two o’clock in the afternoon in California.
“I saw you on TV this morning!” Beth immediately squealed.
“You what?” Alexa gasped.
“Haven’t you seen yourself on the telly?”
“I don’t have time to watch TV. What do you mean? What did you see?”
“On the morning news show they mentioned Colin’s tour. Anyway, they showed a clip of Colin near his black limo, and there you were beside him!”
Alexa couldn’t say anything for a minute, for she was so shocked. Then, “I hope you recorded it.”
“I didn’t know you’d be on it, silly. But I’m recording the entertainment shows tonight, just in case they show it.”
Alexa still couldn’t believe it. “Did they mention my name, too?”
“Yes. They said you’re his newest lady love.”
Alexa giggled. “That’s ridiculous. You know how they like to make things up.”
“So how is my famous sister doing? What’s London like?”
“Fabulous.” Alexa sighed, and quickly brought her sister up to date. She left out the squabbles with Jamison, however. They weren’t worth mentioning. “And Colin is so sweet. He doesn’t seem like a star at all. He’s funny, self-deprecating, and down to earth.”
“Sounds like you’re in love.”
Alexa heard the criticism in her sister’s voice. “You sound like Scrooge, Beth.” She was hurt, and also experienced a little prick to her fairy tale bubble. Thankfully, it didn’t pop. “Aren’t you happy for me?”
“Of course I am. But everything I’ve read about Colin says he’s a player. Be careful, Alexa.”
“I’m almost thirty, Beth.”
“Yes, but you’re not exactly wise to the ways of the world, are you? Don’t forget what happened with Paul. You haven’t let yourself get close to a man since college. I’m afraid you’re ripe for a big fall. And Colin seems perfect, doesn’t he? Handsome, charming…does he meet all of your criteria, Alexa?”
“So far, every one,” she admitted.
A silence elapsed. “Be careful.”
“I will.” The conversation turned to other matters, and then they said goodbye. It had been good to talk to her sister, but truthfully, Alexa hadn’t liked her warnings about Colin.
Was Colin a player? Or was he the sweet, genuine man she had begun to know? Until she found out, Alexa would be careful. Beth’s warning had been unnecessary, however. Alexa already knew that learning to trust a man enough to give him her heart again would be difficult. She could not bear another broken heart.
The next few days flew by. Alexa took a black cab to the Underground—or the “tube,” as Londoners called it—on Thursday morning. Finally, a clear, blue sky day. Perfect for sightseeing. The tube confused her for a few minutes, until she realized that trains ran at different levels. She read the signs, and then rode the steep escalator down to the level she needed, and rode the tube into the heart of London. There, she found the red, double-decker bus hop-on hop-off tour to sightsee London.
Alexa made it to Buckingham Palace minutes before eleven-thirty in the morning and managed to spy the changing of the guard, and next visited Piccadilly Circus and took a picture, along with the other tourists, of the statue dubbed “Eros.” She was amused to learn that “Eros” was not supposed to be the god of love at all, but rather the “Angel of Christian Charity.” Afterward, she walked to Trafalgar Square.
For lunch, she stopped and had a sandwich with a “rocket,” which she was surprised to learn meant a green salad with dressing. She spent some time trying to find a public restroom—surprisingly difficult to find—and then hopped a bus to see Westminster Abbey, and rode by Hyde Park. Then she just rode the bus, seeing as much as she could see. The time galloped by too fast. She wanted to take the river tour, but it would take two hours. No time to shop for souvenirs for Annie and Timmy, either. Maybe she could return later in the week and shop at Selfridges before leaving for Paris.
The book took every scrap of time from late Thursday afternoon on, for she had to finish wading through the six photo albums Colin’s mother had neatly compiled. So many pictures! So many potential stories for the book.
Alexa had already written pages of notes and possible questions for Colin, but she hadn’t seen him since the concert. He was never home, not even for meals. Thursday night she ran across him just before he left the house.
“Colin!” she called after him.
He looked harried. “I’m off now, love.”
“We need to make an appointment to discuss the book.”
“Talk to Eve, then—wait. I gave her a few days holiday. How about this—we’ll have lunch on Sunday.” With a cheery wave, he disappeared through the door.
Alexa frowned. Not promising at all.
At least Jamison stayed out of her hair. Every time she spied his black clad form, he kept to the background, a quiet, unassuming presence. His silent pretence didn’t fool her for one second, however. She knew very well that underneath it all simmered raw, carefully controlled aggression. Jamison kept a watchful eye on everyone in the house, including her. And he strolled the outside perimeter, too.
Friday morning, while running the stairs in the early peace of the morning, she almost barreled into him. Alexa was on her way up, and Jamison on his way down.
Black flashed in the corner of her eye, and when Jamison flipped sideways, pressing his back to the wall, she staggered in the other direction. Hi
s sleeve brushed her bare arm and she glared at him, breathing hard. “Can’t you watch where you’re going?” Once again, her tongue ran without thinking, and she felt a sting of remorse. What was wrong with her? If she couldn’t watch her tongue, how would they ever get along?
His black gaze swept down her body, clad in a large T-shirt and tight lycra pants. She had pulled her hair into a pony tail, and Alexa knew perspiration glistened on her face. But the bodyguard chose to comment on none of those things.
“So, you do own normal shoes.”
“Heels are normal,” she corrected him. “Tennis shoes are for exercising.”
His eyes looked hard. “Do you often run through the house before anyone’s awake?”
Alexa gasped at his not so subtle accusation. “I’m not running through the house, in case you’re blind. I’m running the stairs. For exercise,” she clarified.
“Stay out of Colin’s wing.”
Alexa glared. “I’m not a stalker! Or is that what you think?”
“Stay on your side of the house. I’ll be watching to make sure you do.”
“Fine. Waste your time. I’m not running again until next Monday. Five-thirty, in case you want to synchronize watches.” She bared her teeth in a fake smile and sprinted to her room. That insufferable man! Fury and indignation fueled the rest of her workout.
After that encounter, Alexa felt Jamison’s eyes upon her on more than one occasion. No doubt he was still suspicious of her, and would report any unauthorized behavior to Colin.
He was entirely too distrustful, but why? Of course, that was his job. But he had disliked her on sight. Why? Had he overheard her comment about short men back in New York, and taken umbrage with that? Alexa frowned. Well, whatever. She just wanted to steer clear of Mr. Sunshine.
Alexa’s fingers flew over the keyboard on Saturday morning. Only two days left in London. She had woken up at five o’clock this morning so she could finish work early today. It was overcast outside, but she wanted to spend this afternoon shopping for souvenirs for her family. Hopefully, it wouldn’t rain.
Her Reluctant Bodyguard Page 5