Tell It Like It Is

by Stanalei Fletcher

  ****

  Shelby buried trembling hands inside the folds of the blanket. She didn’t want Kane to see how badly his nearness affected her. The last thing she needed was for him to doubt her ability to protect his aunt. She’d gone to great lengths this morning to prove she had what it took to provide personal protection. She wasn’t going to destroy it all in a moment of bad judgment by surrendering to his masculine charms.

  Once the items were tucked back into the closet, like her emotions should be, she couldn’t delay going downstairs any longer. Twice now, she’d almost let Kane kiss her. That was unacceptable. She was on assignment. This wasn’t the time to indulge in a personal interlude, no matter how tempting. She shook her head to clear that thought.

  Truth was, Kane had found a way through her defenses. The fact that it was Kane bothered her too. He was related to the client. Northstar frowned on personal involvement with clients. Squaring her shoulders, she clamped down the turmoil churning in her stomach, and pushed away the unwelcome fascination.

  Her responsibility was downstairs. Shelby was certain Kane was as good a bodyguard as she was, but protecting Rosalee was her assignment. The one thing she prided herself on was doing her job—flawlessly.

  As she reached the bottom step, she noticed Kane had rearranged most of the furniture. He sat cross-legged in the center of the floor, putting together a small artificial Christmas tree. A lock of hair had fallen over his forehead, giving him an unexpected boyish look. The pitch in her stomach at the captivating sight caught her off guard.

  “Ah, Shelby.” Rosalee glanced up as she entered the living room. “Are you all right? Did you hurt yourself?”

  Refusing to look at him, Shelby still felt Kane’s gaze. “I’m fine. Just a little stiff from this morning’s workout.” She added that to hide her wounded pride.

  Kane bent his head back to his task, but not before she saw a smirk cross his face.

  She stiffened. He could at least have the grace to hide his amusement. But two could play that game. After all, he’d been the one who’d fallen for her trick on the mat.

  “I hope that’s all, dear.” Rosalee glared at her nephew, then she turned back to Shelby. “Why don’t you come here and help me with these things.” The author burrowed into the Christmas box. She pulled out a battered shoebox and handed it to Shelby.

  When Shelby opened the box, small trinkets, jingle bells, and a garland winked back at her. She took out the bells and jiggled them up and down. The cheerful ringing made her smile. The kids back at the children’s home would love these.

  Rosalee sighed. “Such a merry sound.”

  “They’re fun.” Shelby grinned. “Where did you get them?”

  Rosalee scrunched her forehead. “I think Mr. Mansfield gave them to Mother sometime before she passed.”

  Such a sweet gesture from the ornery billionaire spoke of the closeness between the families. She smiled at Rosalee and shook the bells once more. Oscar raced into the room, yapping at the sound.

  “Shush.” Rosalee bent to pet the dog. “They’re not for you.”

  Shelby quieted the bells. The yappy dog looked disappointed and wandered over to sniff at the Christmas items scattered on the floor.

  “What do you want me to do with this stuff?” She nodded at the box in her hands.

  “Oh just hang things here and there.” Rosalee waved her arms about the room. “I think some hooks are still in the walls from last year.”

  Shelby spotted small hooks placed strategically along the walls and could see where the garland would wrap around the entire room. She unraveled a length of silver and red garland and headed to one corner.

  “Oh! Wait.” Rosalee scurried over. “If you start at that end.” She pointed to a hook in the corner. “It should drape just right, and end over there above that door.” She indicated the doorway leading into the downstairs hall. “Don’t you think that will look nice, Nelson?”

  Kane had finished connecting all the pieces of the tree and glanced up. “Uh, sure.”

  Rosalee turned back to Shelby with a wide smile. “I’ll leave you to it.”

  Shelby glanced at Kane, then back to Rosalee, and shrugged. “Okay.” She went along the wall, taking care to droop the garland the same length between each hook. She scooted the box along with her foot to keep it from dragging, afraid the dog would take chase. She turned the corner, and then reached down to untangle the end from the leafy decoration that would reach the hook in the center of the doorway.

  Rosalee glanced over at Shelby. “Wonderful!” She nudged Kane with her toe. “Don’t you think that’s perfect?”

  Kane looked up, again. His gaze landed on Shelby rather than the decoration. Even in the waning light of the snowy afternoon, she saw his eyes darken. Something she didn’t dare name flared inside her. How was she going to keep her emotions under control when he looked at her like that?

  “Wait right there.” Rosalee held up a palm. “I want a picture.”

  Shelby pulled her gaze away from Kane. “Oh, I don’t think…”

  “Nelson!”

  Kane’s head jerked to look at his aunt. “What?”

  “Go stand over there with Shelby. I want a picture of both of you.”

  He frowned. “Why don’t you wait until all the decorations are up?”

  Rosalee scowled. Even Shelby didn’t want to disagree with the author when she got that look.

  Kane took a deep breath and raised his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay.”

  Rosalee beamed as he stood and crossed the room. She produced a small digital camera from her sweater pocket and held it up.

  He stood in the doorway on one side while Shelby stayed on the other side. Heat simmered between them and he wasn’t even touching her. She couldn’t recall being as sensitive to anyone as she was with Kane.

  “Now look this way and smile,” Rosalee instructed.

  Shelby forced the corners of her lips upward.

  “Oh dear.” Rosalee lowered her camera and motioned with her hands. “Could you scoot closer together? I want this to be perfect.”

  Kane slid sideways and Shelby stiffened. His arm brushed her shoulder, and heat licked that side of her body. She pleaded with her eyes for Rosalee to hurry up and take the picture.

  Rosalee brought the camera up to her eye. “That’s much better.” She paused. “Are you ready? One. Two…” She lowered the camera again. “Well! Will you look at that?”

  Shelby frowned. “What?”

  Kane’s eyes narrowed. “What?” Suspicion dripped from the question.

  Rosalee pointed to a spot just above their heads.

  In unison, they both looked up.

  Kane moaned.

  Shelby felt a flare ignite and burn all the way down her spine. She’d been so preoccupied with hanging Rosalee’s decorations that she hadn’t realized exactly what type of decoration dangled at the end of the garland.

  Mistletoe. Artificial mistletoe. But mistletoe nonetheless.

  “Aunt Rosalee…” Kane protested.

  “Ah, ah.” Rosalee waggled a finger at him. “You know what that means.”

  Shelby’s mouth popped open in surprise. “You can’t be serious!”

  Kane turned to her. “She is. And she’ll nag until she gets her way.” His hand dropped to her shoulder, preventing Shelby from bolting. “It’s just a kiss.”

  It wasn’t just a kiss. It was Kane. His lips. On hers. What if he…what if she…

  Before she could finish the thought, his mouth covered hers. Warm and firm. Molten goo seeped into every part of her body until she didn’t think her legs would hold her upright.

  When his lips left hers, Shelby was shaken to her core. She had no idea what to do about the desire that burned in his eyes like a yule flame.

  “Don’t think for a moment that’s all there is.” His heated whisper brushed across her cheeks. She knew Rosalee hadn’t heard.

  A strobe flashed, and Shelby snapped out of the moment. She
wanted nothing more than to flee from the room and hide her embarrassment.

  Kane gave his aunt an amused look. “Got enough pictures?”

  Rosalee gave a satisfied smile. “Perfect.” She leaned over to scratch the dog behind the ears. “Wasn’t that just perfect, Oscar?”

  Shelby wrenched free of Kane’s hold, but before she could step out of his embrace, a loud pop sounded through the living room.

  The lower section of the huge picture window spidered from impact. An instant later, a louder crash came from the fireplace mantel. Shelby looked over at the bullet hole that punctured Rosalee’s portrait. If the author hadn’t bent over at that instant to pet Oscar, she would have been the one with the bullet in her skull.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Shards of glass from the shattered picture frame clinked as they fell to the cabin’s living room floor. Miraculously the safety glass held the large front window in place. Shelby thought nothing of her own safety as she bolted across the room, wrapped her arms around Rosalee, and tugged her body prone and out of sight from the window. “Can you crawl to the kitchen doorway?” She spoke close to Rosalee’s ear.

  Rosalee’s eyes were wide with confusion and fear. She started trembling, but nodded and pushed to her hands and knees. Shelby sidled alongside, blocking her from view of the outside. She glanced around. “Kane! Where are you? Are you hurt?”

  “I’m fine,” came his reply. “Get my aunt out of here.”

  Shelby spotted Kane near the corner by the front door. He’d grabbed a shotgun and moved toward the side of the room to draw the curtains.

  Outside, snow swirled. Flakes pelted the broken window. Even though it had only been a few moments, the temperature in the cozy living room started to drop as wind whistled through the hole left by the bullet.

  Who was out there? Shelby didn’t understand how they’d been found. Or how someone could even see well enough through the snowstorm to shoot at them, unless they used a special scope. For now, that didn’t matter. What mattered was getting Rosalee to safety and securing the house.

  Shelby urged Rosalee toward the hallway. She spared a glance at the mistletoe dangling from the archway. That kiss—that moment—was a lifetime ago. A moment when she’d let her guard down and her charge had nearly been killed. She’d never forgive herself for that lapse of duty.

  It was illogical, but she couldn’t help feeling that if she hadn’t been lip locked with Kane, she could have prevented Rosalee from being endangered. She’d been distracted, thinking only of herself. That was unacceptable and would never happen again.

  “Shelby, are you and Aunt Rosalee safe?” Kane called.

  “Yes.” She moved Rosalee into the hallway. A wall stood between them and the picture window now. The only way to get at them was through the front door, or the back door in the mudroom. Shelby had checked both doors earlier to ensure they were locked.

  “Take Aunt Rosalee upstairs where it’s warmer,” Kane shouted. “I’m going to secure the first floor. I don’t want either of you down here until I’m done.”

  “Roger that,” Shelby called back. She wrapped an arm around Rosalee’s shoulders and pulled her close. “Come with me.”

  Rosalee stood, trembling all over. Together they climbed the back stairs with the little dog following at their feet. Once they reached the top landing, she settled the author against the wall and instructed her to stay put until she’d checked the rooms.

  It took a full two minutes to clear the bedrooms and bathrooms, closing the curtains in Rosalee’s room and dragging the wardrobe in front of the window. That would have to do for now. No one could enter the second floor through that window without a ladder. The wardrobe would make a lot of noise if someone tried to move it, buying time for an escape. Not to mention, it blocked the view from anyone shooting at them.

  Shelby returned to the hallway and found Rosalee sitting on the floor with the dog next to her. Her legs were curled into her body and she had wrapped her arms around her knees. The posture was one of a frightened child and looked particularly heart-wrenching on a woman of Rosalee’s age.

  Shelby knelt beside her. “It’s okay. The room is safe.” She grasped Rosalee’s hand and helped her stand. The woman continued to shiver.

  When they reached the bedroom, Shelby settled the older woman in the wingback chair and found a blanket. She tucked it around the quivering author to prevent shock. If they had to leave quickly, it would help if she could move on her own. With nothing more to do but wait until Kane gave the all clear, Shelby picked up Rosalee’s hands and rubbed them until the cold began to ease and her shaking lessened.

  “I could have been killed.” Rosalee spoke for the first time since the shooting. Her voice was low, but strong.

  “I know.” Guilt tightened Shelby’s chest and acid burned in her throat. “It’s my fault. I wasn’t doing my job. I shouldn’t have left your side.”

  Rosalee waved a dismissive hand. “As much as I’m glad you’re here, I don’t want you attached to my hip.”

  Shelby smiled at Rosalee’s attempt at humor and knew she’d be okay. Her tough, cantankerous nature made the author determined to survive. “I’m afraid you’re stuck with me now.”

  “What if Nelson needs help?”

  “He’s a trained FBI agent. I’m sure he’ll be fine. If he needs me, he’ll call out.”

  At that moment, Kane poked his head through his aunt’s door. “How is she?”

  Shelby glanced over at him. “I think she’ll be okay.”

  “I’ve called South Tahoe PD. With the storm, it’ll take a few minutes before they get here. Do you think you can handle being on your own for a little while longer?”

  “Where are you going, young man?” Rosalee tried to stand.

  He took a step into the room and held up a palm. “Stay with Shelby. I need to guard that window until the police arrive.”

  Shelby nodded at the shotgun in his hand. “Have you got another one of those?” She hated guns, but whoever was out there had already proven a willingness to kill from a distance. In this instance, her retractable baton wasn’t sufficient to mitigate the threat.

  Kane lifted an enquiring eyebrow. “Can you shoot?”

  “I’m qualified.” She’d aced all her qualification tests at Northstar, but now wasn’t the time to go into why she didn’t like to pack a gun. “This is usually all I carry.” She indicated the retractable baton snapped to her belt.

  Kane crossed the room and laid the single-barrel 12-gauge shotgun on the bedside table. “I have another in my room.”

  Shelby picked it up and pointed the barrel at the floor. It was heavier than she expected, but the balance was good. She cracked the barrel and saw the cartridge. “Any more rounds?” She glanced at Kane.

  “Here.” He dug a couple of cartridges out of his pocket and handed them to her.

  “Thanks.” Shelby tucked them in her front pocket.

  He jerked his head toward the doorway. “Over here.”

  Shelby glanced at Rosalee who looked between the two of them with open curiosity. “I’ll be right back,” she assured the author. “I’m not leaving the room.” Keeping the gun draped over her forearm, she followed Kane to the door.

  He stopped short of pulling her into the hall.

  “What is it?” She hoped he didn’t have more bad news. There was no way she was leaving Rosalee unattended.

  Kane kept his voice low. “This was too close.”

  Shelby raised an eyebrow. “You think?” She scooted farther into the hallway to keep from being overheard. “We need to leave. Now.”

  “We’ll have to wait for the police. Once they’ve cleared the area, we’ll make a plan.” Kane swallowed. “I thought we’d be safe here. I can’t believe someone found us.”

  Shelby resisted the urge to console him with a touch. “You couldn’t have known.”

  He scowled. “Aunt Rosalee nearly took a bullet.”

  She shifted the shotgun slightly to keep
it balanced on her arm. “I’m her bodyguard. I should be on top of every contingency. No matter how safe the environment seems, I shouldn’t have let down my guard.” She looked him in the eyes. “And neither should you.”

  He stared back into the room at his aunt. “I won’t. Not again.”

  “Good.”

  “I’m counting on you to take care of her, while the police and I check out the property.”

  She tried not worry about his safety. He had to stay alive for Rosalee’s sake. “What if whoever is out there starts taking potshots at you? Let the authorities do it.”

  “I am the authorities. I can’t sit here and wait. I need to make sure it’s safe. You know that.” He fished the keys to the SUV out of his pocket and placed them in her hand. “Look. If something happens to me, I want you and Aunt Rosalee out of here as fast as you can.”

  She hesitated, glancing down at the keys uncertainly. Only yesterday, she’d been willing to leave Kane behind, but not now. “We need to stick together.”

  “Your primary objective is to protect my aunt,” he reminded her.

  Nodding, she stuffed the keys in her pocket. “Fine.” She glanced at the motion sensor in the corner of the hallway. There were several more throughout the house. “Set the alarm for perimeter security before you go outside. That will allow us to move around without setting off the klaxons, but it will also detect an intrusion.” She paused and gave a small smile. “You’d better shout when you come back in, or I’ll shoot you.”

  Kane smiled back. “You’d probably enjoy that.”

  “More than you know,” she lied.

  Kane gave her another smile, one that sent Shelby’s stomach tumbling. Sirens cried as they drew near the cabin. “Don’t leave her.” He turned for the stairs.

  “I won’t,” Shelby said, but he was already gone. The sirens stopped. Shelby waited a moment and heard the beep when Kane punched in the alarm code. Seconds later, the front door closed. Those few seconds gave her time to school her features before returning to Rosalee.