“Give it a day or two and they'll get bored,” I said.
“They brought up Ian.” There was a note of anger in her voice now. That was good. “My poor brother. He doesn't need a bigger target on his back.”
“You don't need any of this. I'm so sorry, Leighton,” I said.
She leaned her head against my chest, and I couldn't help but brush a hand over her red curls. The quiet of the stairwell suddenly grew warmer and I squeezed my eyes shut.
Dammit!
I couldn't do it. I couldn't separate my job from how I felt about Leighton.
“I was afraid.”
The words were muffled, but I was able to understand them.
“Me too,” I admitted. “I can't let anything happen to you.”
She looked up at me, eyes dark. “You did your job.”
I was tired of pretending. “I'm afraid it was more than that.”
Her eyes met mine, holding for a few seconds before I leaned down and took her mouth, letting my lips tell her more than I could ever say.
Chapter 20
Leighton
I'd never felt safer. Tucked away in the basement of a strange building, hiding from paparazzi...encircled by Haze's arms. A hidden nirvana all to ourselves. The damp mildew smell of the emergency stairwell and the chaos that had chased us there didn't matter. Only the feel of his arms, his lips.
The kiss obliterated all that had been said between us. The only sound that penetrated our connection was a faint buzzing. I barely noticed it at first, but then Haze pulled back and I realized it was my phone. I pulled it from my purse and read the message on the screen.
“The driver's just outside the fire door. There are three decoy cars in place, one already in motion and drawing a crowd,” I relayed the message to Haze.
He nodded and pulled me up the flight of stairs. The door to the outside was also set with an alarm in case of fire. With a few deft twists of his wrist, he disabled it and opened the door quietly.
“It's her!”
Paparazzi loitering at the mouth of the alley stubbed out their cigarettes and started running towards us. Haze opened the car door and we dove into the back. My driver slammed the car into reverse, and we flew backwards out of the alley. The screeching tires drew more curious looks, and as we drove away, I saw paparazzi running to all sorts of vehicles.
The first to catch up with us was a motorcycle who flashed countless pictures despite the tinted windows. I curled into Haze's arms, but couldn't look away. They photographed the reflective window as if they knew each flash chipped at my nerves and brought me closer to breaking.
“Ah, Mr. Welch, we have a problem,” the driver said suddenly.
Not only had we been chased all the way up the winding hill to my grandfather's mansion, there was a tight knot of paparazzi camped outside the wrought iron gates. It was too late to turn around and the crowd surged around the car. The driver shifted into park.
“I can't move the car without some sort of law suit,” he said, glancing at us in the rearview mirror.
Household staff ran down the manicured lawn and positioned themselves by the side gate. Their intention was clear, once the gate was unlocked, they would push back the crowd and let me through. But how were we supposed to make it the fifty feet across the driveway without being overtaken?
“Fuck this,” Haze said. “Let 'em try to sue me.”
He threw open the door and plowed over five photographers at once. The driver crawled over the seat and formed a barricade with the open car door. There was just enough room for me to slip under the driver's arm and follow the path Haze was forcibly clearing.
He disarmed photographers, spun reporters around, and pushed aside anyone daring to stay in his path. Soon they realized even the slightest move towards me brought his fast hands and hard body in their direction, leaving the paparazzi no choice but to back up. Cameras still flashed, but I was able to walk upright instead of run to the side gate.
Inside the gate, less than one hundred feet from the front door, and the worst appeared from behind a rhododendron. Five paparazzi, one still wearing his motorcycle helmet, rushed towards us despite the obvious trespassing violation. Their sudden appearance ripped a scream from my throat, and I saw something snap in Haze.
Within seconds, the five photographers laid prone on the grass, but Haze didn't stop moving. He swept me into his arms and ran to the front door, ignoring the new shouts. He kicked the door shut behind us, leaving the staff to escort the trespassers off the property.
Still, as seconds ticked into minutes and the silence between us grew, he kept me in his arms.
“Haze?” I kept my voice low. “Haze? You can put me down now.”
“No.” He buried his face in my hair, his voice broken. “No, I can't.”
I wrapped my arms around his neck and tucked my head against his shoulder. This was the same way he'd held me the night we first met, when I'd hit my head and almost drowned in a swimming pool. Haze kept saving me. No wonder I didn't want to be anywhere else but his arms.
Adrenaline still roared through my system, but the echo of his hammering heartbeat comforted me. He felt the same way I did. I lifted my head, the realization clear. I hadn't been wrong before. Haze cared for me. Deeply. But, for some reason, he was pretending not to, keeping his distance.
I didn't have to ask if he felt it too, because without a word, he pushed away from the front door and carried me to my bedroom. I pushed the door shut, but held onto him, never wanting to let him go. Inches apart, our eyes met, and there was nothing to say. I wanted him, more than I had ever wanted anyone or anything.
He let my feet down, but I kept my arms around his neck. “Please, don't leave me.”
His arms tightened around me and relief flooded through me.
“I won't. I can't. I can't let you out of my sight,” Haze said.
There were no more words either of us needed to hear. Our lips barely left each other as we fumbled with our clothes. The bed was too far away and we dropped to the floor, too desperate to get closer. We didn't bother taking things off, just moving them aside until he could thrust inside me. Skin slid against skin as he filled me and I locked my legs around his hips. We rocked against each other, breath and tongues tangled. It was hard and fast, no finesse or waiting. When the world shattered around us, we shuddered together, still wanting more, staying pressed together long after we drifted off. Together.
Chapter 21
Haze
I couldn't let her go. Even after my climax had taken apart every rational thought in my head, I still knew I couldn't let her go. I had no idea how long we laid tangled together on the floor, but finally, I stood and helped her to her feet. Her fingers threaded between mine and she led me to her bed.
When she sat down, I started to release her hand, but her grasp tightened and she pulled me to her. She pressed her lips against my stomach, just above my belly button and my cock twitched. It didn't matter that I'd had her not too long ago. I wanted her again.
This time when we gave in to our desire, it was on her soft feather duvet. That was good. I wanted to take my time. As I stretched out above her, I drew my hand along her creamy skin from her ankle to the top of her thigh, enjoying every inch of it. I slid my hand around her hip, fingers combing through the thin, red curls that covered her. She arched up, her moan turning into a cry as my hand delved into her warmth and I bent to meet her mouth. She was slick and wet as I pushed my finger inside her, swallowing the sounds she made as I stroked her. When I added a second finger, her arms wrapped around my neck, pulling me down to her.
“More,” she breathed in my ear. “I need more.”
This time I entered her slowly, feeling every hot pulse of her around me. She threw her head back and I kissed her throat, her moan of pleasure tickling my lips as I slipped deeper into her warmth. When I was fully sheathed inside her, her eyes opened, holding mine. I couldn't look away even as I drew back, and then thrust again.
&n
bsp; “Leighton,” I groaned her name.
Her nails dug into my shoulders, sending pain lancing through me, joining the pleasure, building it. I pulled her legs higher, pressing her knees back to her chest. She keened as I went deeper, hitting the end of her.
I froze. “Are you okay?”
She smiled up at me. “Harder. I won’t break.”
I swore, then did as she asked, driving into her harder than I had before. I saw the pressure building there, passion darkening her eyes until I was drowning in her oceanic gaze. Her hips rocked with my pushes and we moved together up and over another crest of pleasure so high that my world went white. All I knew was the feel of her body and the sound of her voice.
Even after I came down, I stayed inside her. I rolled onto my back, pulling her with me. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her against me until we both fell asleep.
When I woke hours later, we were still tangled together, our skin cool in the dark of evening. At some point, one of us had wrapped us in the covers, binding us even more tightly. The room was dark, leaving only the outline of her face, the curve of her body in the shadowed recesses beneath the blanket. But I knew every line of her face, every inch of her body.
A small sound in the hallway caught my attention and I closed my eyes, mentally swearing. Leighton's grandfather probably knew what happened, and that we'd returned home. He also knew that it was hours later and I hadn't surfaced to give him a report. He wasn't a stupid man. He had to know I followed Leighton into her bedroom, and, at the very least, had stayed to keep her safe.
I needed to go. But even suspecting that Devlin waited in the hallway, I paused to press my lips against hers. I couldn't be without her, but I couldn't stay with her now.
After I dressed in the dark, I had a wild, fleeting hope that I could sneak out of Leighton's room without being seen. Better yet, if no one was there, just this once, I would turn right back around, and gather her sweet body against mine again.
Fuck. I wanted her. Again. Still. I hadn't stopped wanting her. I couldn't sneak out on her again, but I had a job to do.
“It's about time,” Devlin said as I shut Leighton's bedroom door behind me.
The light was on too bright in the hallway and I squinted for a moment as my eyes adjusted. I had no way of knowing how long I'd been lost in his granddaughter's arms. My blood surged again, and I wondered if I'd ever get enough of her. Even Devlin's sharp stare couldn't quell my rising desire for Leighton. He was going to fire me, but it didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was that Leighton was safe at the moment, and as soon as I could, I'd wrap her in my arms again. I'd stay at her side for as long as she'd have me and protect her that way.
To my utter shock, he smiled. I stared at him, sure there was some joke I wasn't getting. A joke where I was the punchline.
“Trust me,” Devlin said wryly. “This is the best news I've gotten all day.”
“You approve?” If I hadn't known Devlin as well as I did, I might've thought he was fucking with me.
“You're the best possible match for her, Haze. Strong enough that she won't walk on you, strong enough to protect her from the danger we both know is out there.” He studied my face for a moment. “To be honest, Haze, I've worried about the sort of men Leighton's been attracted to. I'm not like a lot of wealthy patriarchs. I'm not looking for someone to be rich and have the right name. I want someone I can trust to watch out for her.”
I rubbed my chest, not used to the soaring feeling. It wasn't vertigo. It was joy, equally dizzy and disorienting. Devlin approved. He wasn't going to fire me. There was nothing to stop me from admitting that I wanted to be with her.
“We're a lot alike, Haze,” Devlin said, leaning against the wall. For once, he didn't look like the multi-millionaire businessman he was. “I worked my way up from nothing, and you've fought your way back from an injury that could have ruined you.” A shadow passed over his face. “The only thing I regret was not taking more time with the ones I loved.”
I glanced back at Leighton's bedroom door, the movement automatic, and Devlin chuckled, but it was a sad sound.
“Maybe if I'd spent more time enjoying my family, Leighton's mother wouldn't have turned out as spoiled as she was. Yes, she loved Leighton's father, but he was as equally spoiled. They loved their kids, don't get me wrong, but they were always looking for more. More of everything. More luxury.”
“Leighton won't find luxury with me, sir,” I said. My stomach was twisting now, some of my previous joy seeping away. I hadn't thought of that. We hadn't talked about money.
“Exactly.” He smiled again. “My daughter never learned to appreciate what she had. She always wanted more. I don't want that endless seeking for Leighton. I want her to be happy. I want her to appreciate what's right in front of her.”
“She doesn't exactly love when I point things out to her,” I said, new worries coming to my mind. “Leighton tends to push back when she thinks I'm nudging her in any kind of direction.”
He laughed, this time all amusement. “All you have to do is stand strong, and from what I saw today, that's exactly what you do best. Don't let her push you way. Don't let her spoiled habits turn you from her.”
I frowned. “I don't think we see her the same way.”
He nodded. “You're right,” he agreed, his expression sobering. “We don't. And that's what makes you perfect for her. You see her better than anyone does, better than me, better even than Ian. Better than she does herself.”
With that, Devlin turned and walked down the hallway.
“Don't you want me to report what happened today?” I asked.
“Tomorrow morning will be soon enough.”
In a few seconds, I was alone again in the hallway outside Leighton's room. Alone to make my own decision about where to go. Nothing was stopping me from heading down the back staircase and out to my guest cottage. Nothing except the irresistible draw of the woman in the room behind me.
With Devlin's blessing, I opened Leighton's bedroom door and slipped back inside. Stripping off my clothes again, I carefully climbed back under the blankets. The warmth of her body enveloped me and I pulled her to me, our bodies fitting so close to perfect that it felt like a dream. She murmured something as she pressed her face against my chest and I kissed the top of her head.
“Shh, it's all right. I'm here,” I whispered. “I've got you, and I'm not going anywhere.”
Chapter 22
Leighton
For once, the heavy weight keeping me in bed wasn't a hangover or fragmented memories from a bad night. Haze's arms were wrapped tight around me, and when I shifted, he tightened his grip, tucking me closer to his naked skin. I felt his cock start to harden against my backside, and my body answered with a gush of warmth.
Fuck.
If I didn't get out of bed soon, I doubted I'd ever leave my bedroom.
I slipped one arm free of the covers, and pulled myself over to the side of the bed, inching my way out of Haze's hot embrace. He snuffled in his sleep, but rolled onto his stomach as I escaped from the bed. I didn't dare look behind me as I made my way to my dresser. I knew if I saw his golden, muscular form, the throbbing heat between my legs would pull me back to him.
I gathered enough clothes and stepped into the bathroom, closing the door all but an inch. I cleaned up as best I could and pulled on my clothes, all the while keeping one eye on my bedroom. I held my breath as I crept past the bed again, heading for the hallway this time. I eased the door shut behind me, sure Haze's senses were on a hair trigger. When nothing happened as I closed the door, I exhaled and headed downstairs to the kitchen.
Was this how Haze felt when he'd left me asleep? I wondered.
I wasn't truly leaving him though. All I wanted to do was get a mug of hot coffee, and think about what happened, and there was no way I'd be able to have a clear thought with Haze's naked body splayed across my bed. I grabbed my coffee and headed out to the fresh, cool air of the garden.
The most powerful memory from the day before was the feeling of adrenaline pumping through my veins. At this point, it was tangled up in the sensation of lust that had quickly turned my gratitude and fear into passion. I thought it had only been that for him, a heat-of-the-moment sort of thing.
Except he said he couldn't let me go. Had he been telling the truth, or when he woke up, would last night just be another mistake?
The fact that he was still asleep in my bed had to mean something. Along with the blush-inducing memory of our second encounter. He could have tucked me into bed and left after he'd gotten what he wanted, but he'd pushed inside me again, taking me more slowly, more thoroughly. I didn't want to use the 'l' word, but that had been as close to making love as I'd ever felt. I could still feel the aftershocks of the orgasm I had.
I shook my head to clear it, and the first rational thought that came to mind was what the paparazzi would write if they knew what had happened. What would the fashion sites, media outlets, and entertainment headlines make of me falling for my ex-military bodyguard? If I'd read about an heiress running around with her hunky security guard, I would've laughed at her desperation.
Was that what people would think of me? That I was desperate? That I couldn't find a man of my own social status? What would Ricky say?
And that brought up the problem of Haze's scraped knuckles and the bruises on Ricky's eye and jaw. If it came out that I was sleeping with the man who'd beaten up my ex-boyfriend, things could get...problematic.
Then there was Paris. Who knew what she would do.
She was one who called the paparazzi and leaked the story about me and Haze in the first place. What sort of rage would overflow from her jealousy when she found out her trick had actually brought the two of us closer together?
Together.
That word sent my heart racing. I'd slept with other men, but I'd never been in a relationship with anyone except Ricky, and that was hardly a shining example of a healthy relationship. Did I even know how to be with Haze?