Dude, she’s not into you.
The guy leaned closer, speaking into her ear. Remi’s smile faded, and Mason’s muscles flexed, his senses on high alert. Remi shook her head, and the guy’s grip on her tightened, his hand slipping closer to her ass. Remi’s eyes darted around the room, but Mason was already on the move, parting the dancing crowd like it was the Red Sea. He didn’t want to embarrass Remi, but in his experience there was only one way to deal with arrogant pricks who thought that because they had money, women were their due.
He leveled the prick with an iron-cold stare and said, “Unless you want to lose that hand, I suggest you remove it from Ms. Divine’s body.”
Remi’s eyes widened.
The prick scoffed, a nervous sound slipping through his thin lips.
Mason stepped closer, speaking through gritted teeth as he said, “Now.”
The guy took a step back, and Mason inserted himself between the man and Remi, leaving no room for mistaking how far he was willing to go to protect her.
The guy mumbled, “Asshole,” and walked away.
Mason drew Remi into his arms, and as he’d known she would, she draped her arms around his neck and fell into step, camera ready.
“What are you doing?” she hissed, somehow managing to keep a smile on her face while visually throwing daggers. She was like a sexy little snake, just wicked and fierce enough to get herself into trouble.
“I didn’t like the way he was getting handsy with you.”
“I can take care of myself, thank you very much.”
He ground his back teeth to keep from replying that maybe she could, but he wasn’t taking the chance that the prick got a handful of her first. Instead, he said, “Then I guess I misread the way your eyes were skating around the room, searching for a way out.”
She clamped her mouth closed, as she’d done earlier, and they finished the dance in a silent battle of wills. He tried not to think about how good she felt in his arms, or her breasts brushing against his chest. But mostly, he tried to figure out why having her safe in his arms felt a hell of a lot more perfect than any other woman ever had.
“You shouldn’t have cut in,” she said, a little less angry.
“Duly noted. We need a signal.”
She rolled her eyes, and he noticed the daggers had dissipated. “Like a safe word, Christian Grey?”
“You are a pistol, aren’t you, Princess?” Aw, hell. He hadn’t meant for Princess to slip out.
She pressed her lips together, eyes narrowing. “I’m not a princess.”
He didn’t bother to argue, focusing on the more important issue. “From now on, if someone makes you uncomfortable, scratch your neck, just below your ear, like this.”
He reached up and ran his nails lightly down her neck. Her eyes darkened, and at the same time they widened innocently. Damn. That was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.
“Like this?” she said sweetly as she reached up, tilting her head ever so slightly, and dragged her nails down her neck.
His eyes were riveted to hers, but in the next second they dropped to her tongue sweeping over her lower lip. Scratch his earlier thought. That was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen.
She rolled her lower lip between her teeth and said, “Was that right?”
“Perfect.”
“And then you’ll rescue me?” she asked softly, blinking guilelessly. “No matter what?”
The longing in her eyes hit him with the magnitude of an earthquake. She had him skating a dangerous line, and she’d done it as easily as taking candy from a baby.
He steeled himself against her seamless transition from charge to seductress, loosening his hold on her and putting space between them as he said, “No matter what. That’s my job.”
Her eyes narrowed lethally, washing away the veil of innocence. “I don’t need rescuing, Mr. Swift.” She stepped from his arms, nervously smoothing nonexistent wrinkles from her dress. “I have to be on set early tomorrow for a meeting. I’d like to say goodbye to my friends and call it a night.” She strode off the dance floor with an air of loftiness.
It seemed the princess had momentarily fallen off her throne. It was good to know she could climb right back on.
Remi wove through the crowd toward Willow and the rest of her friends, wondering what the hell had just happened. She could walk the red carpet without missing a step, mingle and charm high-powered media executives, and flawlessly carry out the role of any character. So why did one touch from her new bodyguard make her heart race? He was even bigger, broader, and harder up close, easily six three or six four. And those eyes . . . Holy moly, they made her stomach go all sorts of squirrelly. But that wasn’t the worst part. When he touched her, his hard gaze had softened, making the rest of her—the parts that hadn’t reacted to a man in ages—take notice.
She hoped her girlfriends hadn’t seen her fall from grace.
“Hey, cheeky girl,” Piper said. “What the heck was that?”
“It was . . .” She wasn’t about to admit that they’d witnessed her losing her mind over a man for the first time ever.
Before she could form a response, Piper said, “It was impressive as hell, that’s what it was. Mason sent that jerk packing. I like a man who knows how to take charge.”
Apparently so do I.
Remi had been pissed when Mason had stepped in as if she couldn’t take care of herself. But she’d been even angrier at the way her mind had turned to dust from his touch. She was used to bodyguards treating her like she was a fine diamond and keeping her locked away. But Mason hadn’t hesitated to pull her into his arms and dance with her, keeping the scene to a minimum. And what she was trying to convince herself hadn’t taken place had actually happened—he’d noticed the look in her eyes and he’d reacted to it. The same way he’d noticed when she hadn’t gone to the ladies’ room. She’d had to pee so bad before dinner, it had killed her not to have him escort her right away, but she had her pride. She’d waited a solid ten minutes before finally heading in that direction. And he’d been right there by her side, asking her if she was having a good time with her friends instead of trudging beside her like a wall of oppression.
“Aiden finally listened to you,” Bridgette said. “Mason will take good care of you.”
“I’d like to take good care of him,” Piper said under her breath, earning a glare from Bridgette.
Remi felt a stab of jealousy, which was utterly ridiculous. She must be exhausted, because she hadn’t been jealous a day in her life.
Well, that wasn’t exactly true.
When she’d first met Willow and her sisters, she’d been a little jealous of their charmed, small-town lifestyles. They had each other and parents who adored them and were still alive. But that jealousy was short-lived. As she’d come to know them and, in time, the rest of their friends and family, she loved them like family, and they returned that love in spades. She’d quickly learned that nobody’s life was what it seemed and that charmed was only the way their lives appeared at first glance. Bridgette had lost her first husband shortly after Louie was born, and Bodhi’s father had been killed in the line of duty when he was young. Zane’s family wasn’t always kind to him, and Aurelia’s mother had died during childbirth. Aurelia had been raised by her grandmother, Flossie McBride, a woman who had such a kind, generous heart, she’d embraced Remi as a surrogate granddaughter. Remi knew she was lucky to have had Aiden and to be welcomed so freely into the lives of so many warm and wonderful friends.
But even so, she’d never been jealous over a man—until just now when that unfamiliar clutch of the green monster gripped her.
“Do you like Mason more than you liked the last two bodyguards?” Willow asked.
“He talks to me. That’s a plus,” Remi said in a tone that was lighter than she felt. He hadn’t just spoken to her—he’d heard the things she hadn’t said. But the way he made her feel was confusing, so she tried to shrug it off and said, “Besides, it’s easier to
ditch one bodyguard than two.”
Her girlfriends exchanged a concerned look.
“What . . . ?” Remi asked.
“I can think of many things I’d like to do with Mason, but ditching him definitely isn’t one of them,” Piper said, eyeing him.
Remi stole a glance at Mason, who stood by the doors watching her like a hawk. Irritation—at herself and at him—pecked at her nerves. “That’s because he’s not holding your leash. I thought he was devastatingly hot when I first saw him, too, but that was before I realized Aiden had left him in charge of me like I’m a child.”
“Or like your life might be in danger,” Willow said thoughtfully, reminding Remi of the real reason Aiden had hired him.
Aurelia’s brow knitted. “It hasn’t been that long since someone broke into your house, and we’re worried about you.”
“I know you are.” Remi tried not to sound exasperated. “I understand everyone is worried. I’m not blowing off the possibility that some freak is still stalking me. But that was thousands of miles away from here. All I’m saying is that I don’t think I have to worry so much here. I haven’t seen anyone weird hanging around the set, and the ‘Men in Black’ didn’t seem concerned about anyone in particular.” They’d stuck to her like glue, but they had never ushered her away from a person as if they posed a threat, or stepped in the way Mason had. But she didn’t want to think about Mason’s bodyguarding abilities right now, because that led to her thinking about the way he’d made her hot all over when they’d danced. “I have to be on set early tomorrow, and Mason still needs to get settled in, so I’m going to take off.”
“Are we still on for a girls’ night Friday evening?” Willow asked, pulling Remi into a tight hug.
“Yes. Six o’clock at the fortress?” Remi joked. The three-story, six-bedroom stone-and-brick gated estate where she was staying was gorgeous, even if it felt like a prison and was too elaborate for her taste. She knew Aiden had her best interests at heart, ensuring there was a gym, a pool, and a hot tub, which she enjoyed almost every evening after a long day’s work.
After sharing enough hugs to fill up a little of her well, Remi headed for the burly bundle of hotness watching her cross the floor.
Mason squared his shoulders, looking more like a movie star than a bodyguard in his tuxedo. He stepped toward her and placed his hand on her lower back. “Excuse my hand, but your handsy dance partner has you in his scope again.”
She realized he hadn’t been just watching her. He’d been taking in everything around her. She glanced over her shoulder, and she got chills at the hungry look on the face of the man with whom she’d danced.
Mason’s hand pressed firmer against her back. “It’s okay. I’ve got you. I’ll help you learn how to spot those types of guys. We have a long drive. Do you want to use the facilities before we go?”
You’ll help me spot them? That was definitely not in his job description, but hey, she’d be happy to listen to his advice. “No, thanks. I’m fine. You?”
“I’m good, but thanks for your concern.”
“What are you, a camel?” she teased as he led her through the lobby, his all-seeing eyes scanning their surroundings.
“Catheters come in handy.”
“No way.” She saw the tease in his eyes and said, “Oh, you were kidding.”
“Was I?” He cocked a brow and reached for the door. He followed her into the brisk night air.
While he gave the valet his ticket, Remi walked to the far end of the steps, gazing out at the lights of the city. The thought she’d done such a good job of ignoring trickled in.
Aiden was leaving tomorrow.
As overprotective as he was, Remi was always a little anxious when he traveled. Not that she needed to keep tabs on him, but she’d breathe a little easier once he’d landed and checked in, safe and sound.
She focused on the beautiful lights of the city, working hard to force her worries away. She loved the city, and the sights and sounds at night usually calmed her, though she worked so often, she got to enjoy them only in snippets. New York was much more appealing to her than LA had ever been. When her parents were alive, they’d taken her to the city every year. They didn’t stay there, though. They stayed in their family’s rural cabin outside the city, because her parents liked the privacy. She had nothing but good memories from those trips—memories of the days before Aiden had given up much of his own life and stepped in to parent her. Even though he was much older, she had fond memories of a less serious brother, a brother who spent more time teasing and joking around than worrying.
The truth was, she’d not only lost her parents in the car accident, but she’d lost her brother, too, and had gained a man who walked a fine line between father figure and sibling. She often wondered if Aiden missed his old role as much as she did. She knew he didn’t see her as a burden on his life the way she saw herself, but she couldn’t help worrying that one day he would realize he did see her that way. She wanted him to be happy, and as she got older and understood more of what he’d given up, she realized his taking care of her had hindered his ability to find his own happiness. That weighed heavily on her, and it might even be part of why she fought so hard for her freedom.
She felt Mason’s presence before he said a word, and she steeled herself for a sharp command to get in the car, or a reprimand for walking too far away.
“Did you want to take a walk or something before we leave the city?” he asked.
She was sure she’d misheard him. “I’m sorry, what?”
“You were looking out at the street like you wanted to go somewhere.”
Surprised he’d noticed, she said, “I just love the lights, and I don’t get to see them very often.”
“Do we have to rush home? I know of a few places with great views.”
She couldn’t suppress her smile. “You wouldn’t mind? My previous bodyguards ushered me from cars to buildings like I would melt from outside elements.”
“That’s no way to live. I’m starting to understand why you’ve gone through four bodyguards in as many months. If you want to see the lights, let’s go see them.”
Finally, somebody understood her plea for normalcy, or at least claimed to. “You’re not worried about the stalker?”
“I would only be worried if I didn’t think I could protect you, and trust me, that’s not a problem.”
A bud of excitement bloomed inside her. Her life had become so closed off. Outside of work and occasionally seeing her girlfriends, she didn’t have much to look forward to. “I’d like that, thank you.”
“You’re not afraid of heights, are you?” Mason asked.
“No. Why?”
“Just making sure. Parking is a bear, but we’ll manage.”
“I’d rather walk, actually.”
He looked at her heels. “You’re okay walking in those for several blocks after being on your feet all night?”
She appreciated his unexpected thoughtfulness, but she didn’t want to appear anything less than capable, even if her feet were a little achy, so she said, “I can walk in my heels for days. Please don’t underestimate me. I’m just as tough as you are.”
He held his hands up in surrender, an amused smile softening his features, making him look younger than Remi’s guess of midthirties.
“My apologies,” he said. “I know of two great spots with incredible views.”
“I’d like to see the best view possible.”
“We can do that, but while I’m perfectly confident and comfortable taking you there, you might get spooked at the neighborhood.”
She crossed her arms and said, “Nothing spooks me except ornery bodyguards who don’t give me credit for being able to handle myself.”
“You sure about that?”
“Do I look sure about that?” she said confidently. “If you’re genuinely confident in your skills, you should be able to accompany me anywhere, and I should feel one hundred percent safe. Treat me like you would a
ny other regular person.”
The muscles in his jaw bunched. “All right, then, Fearless. The best view it is. Let me take care of the car.” He went to speak to the valet, and a minute later he was by her side, his hand pressing reassuringly and protectively on her lower back, guiding her down the sidewalk.
The sounds of cars and the din of people hustling along the sidewalk broke the silence as Mason navigated the city like he knew each street by heart. He directed Remi with a nudge on her lower back, or a nod of his head in the direction they were going. When she put her arms around herself to ward off the chilly air, he shrugged off his tuxedo jacket and helped her put it on, taking a moment to roll up the sleeves to her wrists.
Mason hadn’t said a word since they’d left the hotel. After a while, the streets became darker, less populated. She had a disconcerting thought that Mason could be the stalker and she’d fallen right into his hands. Her heart rate kicked up, and horrific visions of torture slammed into her. She glanced at Mason, noting that his watchful eyes continuously scanned their surroundings, and she realized he was completely focused on keeping her safe. Aiden’s penchant for worrying must be rubbing off on her.
“Here we are.” Mason stopped by an old apartment building. He must have noticed how hard she was breathing, because he studied her face and concern rose in his eyes. “Are you okay? Do you need a second to catch your breath?”
Before she could respond, a craggy voice called out from the shadows. “Mason? That you?”
“Yeah,” Mason said without turning his attention away from Remi. He stepped closer to her, and her heart tripped for a whole different reason. His masculine scent penetrated her fear. He placed his large hands comfortingly on her upper arms, looking deeply into her eyes. “You’re safe with me, Remi, but if you’re uncomfortable, we can go back.”
This is Love Page 3