Behind Your Back - Cameron Chelsea M. - Страница 26

Cash follows me.

“What’s up with you lately? You seem perpetually pissed off.” I pop the top of a cold one and glare at him.

“I’m not. And even if I was, I think having this stalker problem entitles me to that.” He puts his hands up in the air like he’s surrendering.

“Fine, fine. I know you’re armed. And I get it. You just seem different lately. I’m just trying to figure out why.” The concern in his expression makes me feel like a dick. There are so few people who care about me and I shouldn’t be acting like an asshole to even one of them.

“I’m sorry. I just feel like there’s a lot going on and I guess I’m not dealing with it that well.” I don’t want to admit this, because not that long ago I’d been bored. Wishing something would happen.

Be careful what you wish for.

Baz arrives next, followed by Track and then Row and Hardy.

“Okay, so we’ve got a stalker on our hands,” I say as everyone sits down.

“Fun, fun,” Cash says, rubbing his hands together. The intensity from minutes before is gone and he’s back to his upbeat self.

“Yeah, for those of you who didn’t get the night shift,” Baz says, pouting a little bit.

“Hey, this is what you signed up for. The job never stops. There are no vacations. You don’t get to sit on a beach in fucking Cancun whenever you’re stressed. This job is your life.” I don’t mean to sound so harsh. I don’t know what’s come over me.

There’s a beat of silence as I finish my little rant. Then Cash clears his throat and starts giving out assignments. I just sip my beer and shut my face.

I really need to get my shit together.

Fourteen

I decide on the Brioni again because Saige never saw it the first time. Track is driving me and everyone else is working surveillance. Cash will actually be going with me so in case anything goes down, there will be two of us. He’s donned a black tux with a black shirt and black tie. It makes him look both intense and intimidating. He’s put away his smile for the evening.

“How’s my serious face?” he asks as we get in our separate cars. I’ve got the Ferrari and he’s taking one of the extra BMWs.

“Believable. Can you wear it all night?”

“This isn’t my first rodeo,” he says with a grin before getting into the driver’s side. He gives me a thumbs up and I head out first, with him follow close, but not too close.

Something almost… flutters in my stomach and I realize I’m nervous. What the fuck? I haven’t been nervous to pick up Saige before. Why is tonight different?

I shake my head at myself and wish I had a little nip of something to take the edge off.

I pull up to her place and send her a text. She sweeps down the front steps and I hurry out of the car to get the door for her.

This time her dress is gold and slinky, clinging to her in all the right places. Her hair loops in big curls down her back. Her eyes are smoky as usual, and her lips are red. She’s stunningly perfect.

“Look at you. I would have invited you to one of these things sooner if I knew you looked this good in a tux.” She walks around me, as if she’s admiring the merchandise. And then she reaches out and squeezes my ass.

“Mmmm. Yes. I like this very much. Men don’t seem to understand the power a well-cut suit can have.” She gets me again and my dick goes hard instantly.

“If you keep doing that we’re never going to make it to the damn event.”

She laughs softly and steps back around to face me. God she’s beautiful.

“I wouldn’t mind,” she says, her tone flirtatious. “But I think my father wouldn’t be very happy.” I already know Mr. Beaumont will be there because Cash hacked the country club database and got the guest list. At least I’m not wholly unprepared. Still, I would have liked to wait a while before meeting him, but it would have happened sooner or later.

I help her in the car and go to get in the driver’s side.

“Are you nervous about meeting my father?” she asks as I pull away from the curb.

“Are you kidding? Of course.” I’d decided it would be best not to reveal that I already know him. Not until I see if he wants Saige to know that we’ve already met. This whole situation is delicate and I have to be careful. One rip and everything is destroyed.

“You look stunning, Saige,” I say to shift her attention.

“Thank you. You look very nice yourself, as I said before.”

“I just have one question.”

She turns in her seat to face me, a little bit of a smile on her face.

“And that is?”

“Where’s the zipper? It would be a shame to destroy such a pretty dress when I take it off you later.”

She laughs and then lifts one of her arms.

“The zipper is right here,” she says, dragging her finger down her side.

“Good to know.”

She leans back in her seat.

“Radio?” I ask. It’s a twenty-minute drive to the country club.

“Sure. But no country.” She shudders.

“Agreed.” I put on the classic rock station and wait for her reaction.

“Nice,” she says, bobbing her head along with the music.

This girl is amazing.

I really can’t think thoughts like that. I focus my attention back on the road, looking back in the rearview. There are tons of cars behind me and I know one is Cash.

“I thought of you the other day,” she says over the music. I turn it down a little so I can hear her better.

“Why?”

“I’m taking a history of photography class and we just did a unit on nature photography and of course Ansel Adams came up. Made me think of the picture in your office.” I hate how much I like that she thinks of me when she’s in class. If I’m honest, I like it way too much. Much more than is healthy.

She’s a mark. Nothing more. Just a means to an end.

I wish she wasn’t so fucking lovely. Things would be so much easier. And it’s not just the way she looks, although that certainly helps. It’s her voice and the way she laughs and her passion about art. She’s interesting.

I need to shut this train of thought the fuck down right now.

I grit my teeth and focus on the damn road.

Another night, another valet parking my car. But this time, I get to hold the door open and give a beautiful woman my arm.

“Thank you, kind sir,” she says, shaking her hair so it falls over her shoulder again.

“You’re very welcome, lovely lady.” She takes the compliment in stride as we walk toward the front of the building. It reminds me of an old plantation house. As if any moment Scarlett O’Hara is going to come dashing out the front in an enormous skirt.

More excess, more opulence. But I don’t find it as offensive as I usually do. Might have to do with the woman on my arm.

“Ready?” I say.

“Absolutely,” she says and we walk up the wide sweeping steps to the entrance. The doors are open and the strains of a string quartet greet us. Along with a server holding a tray of fragile champagne flutes. You’d think they would change it up every now and then. Maybe do shots or something, but no. It’s always the same.

I reach for two and hand one to Saige. She thanks me and we make our way into the room.

“See that guy over there?” she says, leaning up to speak softly in my ear, her breath warm against my skin.

“Yes,” I say back.

“He has a foot fetish and hires women to let him worship and lick their feet.” I turn and stare at her and she gives me a little smile.

“How do you know that?”

“These events are like small towns. Everyone knows everything about everyone else.” She does have a point. I know a lot of things about some of the people in this room. Especially her.

“Oh, there’s my dad. We should go say hello.” This time she leads the way, towing me along with her. I steel myself and then see Cash across the room at the bar. He’s getting a drink. Probably something with whiskey. Cash only drinks hard liquor when he’s out at something like this.