9. Chapter 9
nine
Over Paris, France
“ W e’ll descend for landing in a few minutes,” Captain Spiro informed Lina. “The ground team is standing by. We’ll go straight to a private hangar once we touch down.”
“Excellent. Thank you, Captain,” she replied and thanked the co-pilot as well.
Lina left the cockpit and approached her charges. Dr. And Mrs. Bisset looked tired. Though the seats were comfortable, the older couple couldn’t have slept well. It must be the mix of worry and time difference. It was the middle of the night on the East Coast, but it would be five-thirty in the morning when they landed in Paris.
From the security perspective, arriving this early was perfect. Less traffic, less issue. She didn’t and couldn’t feel bad for the measures she’d taken to protect Curtis and his parents. But she realized this couldn’t be easy for the older couple.
“You’ll be able to rest better once we arrive at your daughter’s,” Lina was compelled to say. “Our team in Paris has made sure that all is secure.”
Mrs. Bisset managed a smile, while Dr. Bisset said, “We appreciate that, Miss. Cheung.”
“Lina, please,” she reminded.
“Lina.” The professor nodded. “Then it’s Henry and Susan.”
Lina nodded, then asked them to buckle up before taking her own seat up front. She closed her eyes and took advantage of the descent to get centered before having to stay alert during the ride. She’d only gotten a couple of hours of sleep during the flight. Not because she’d had to stay awake, but because of Curtis and his words.
“ You ’ re something else, Lina Cheung ,” he’d said while making a study of her with those beautiful, deep caramel eyes. He’d also sported that sexy half-smirk of his that got all of his girl fans in a frenzy every time. She would never admit it out loud, but it made her lower region clench, too.
What did he mean by something else?
It means nothing.
She had to remember who Curtis was. He was the guy who had constantly flirted with anyone with a vagina during the Canis Major tours—even the fifty-something lady who coordinated their meals. It was just who he was—a flirt. He’d charmed more than a few panties off groupies, she knew that for a fact. She couldn’t fault him for it. He was single, and the women were willing.
Knowing that about Curtis, Lina had never taken his flirtation seriously. In fact, she believed he saw her as a challenge because she never reciprocated or even responded to his efforts. Not because he didn’t have any effect on her, but because he did. Oh man, he did.
At first, his flirtatious nature had annoyed her because he’d used those cheesy pickup lines. But she’d quickly realized he’d done that on purpose to make her laugh, because the lines had gotten worse each time. And Curtis Bisset didn’t need pickup lines to get a girl. He simply had to look at them in that special way of his that seemed casual at first, but when paired with the slow-forming appreciative smile on his lips, made any girl’s heart palpitate.
Her heart had drummed faster when he’d given her that look earlier. And Lina didn’t get heart flutters from many men. She’d seen too much of what horrible things men—and to be fair, also women—were capable of doing. But for some fucking reason, a glance from this frivolous rock star was enough to make her blood hum through her veins.
That was probably because deep down she knew there was more to Curtis than what met the eye. She’d learned despite his nonchalant attitude and periodic carelessness, she could trust him. Until this day—as far as she knew—he still kept the real story of how they’d met just between them. Technically, Tim Cavendish had introduced them when she’d flown in to replace him as the lead of the security team. But she had run into Curtis much earlier and under much more embarrassing circumstances.
Lina chuckled as she recalled it.
“What are you giggling about?” Curtis’ voice startled her.
Her eyes blinked opened and her lips curled, annoyed. How the hell did he sneak up on me?
“I don’t giggle,” she deadpanned.
He sat on the opposite chair and buckled in. “You were amused about something.”
Lina just eyed him levelly. She found keeping her expression in RBF—resting bitch face—mode was the only way for her to focus on Curtis without drooling over him.
“Come on. I could use a laugh. Life has been so intense this past month, I feel I’m going crazy,” he pled.
Lina’s feature softened. After witnessing a murder, being questioned by the police and the prosecutor, and now being wanted by a deranged mama bear who had just lost her cub, Curtis hadn’t had the easiest time.
“If you must know, I was just thinking about how we met,” she said.
The smile on his lips was immediate. “Really? I don’t remember you finding it funny, though.”
“Because it wasn’t funny. Not for me.”
He chuckled. “It was pretty funny from my perspective.”
“You weren’t the one humiliated.”
“Why did you feel humiliated? It was just me. And I thought it was cute.”
“Cute?” Lina’s eyes rounded in disbelief.
“Yeah. It was.” He shrugged. “There was nothing to be embarrassed about. Though that was the only time I’ve ever seen you flustered.”
“Well, I never intended anyone to witness what happened. I slipped into that dark room convinced it was empty.”
“Now, knowing how good you are at what you do, I’m surprised you didn’t clear the room before…y’know,” He winked. “You must’ve been desperate.”
Lina felt her face warm again, remembering the exact moment.
“You could’ve used that to blackmail me, but you never told anyone. Why?” she asked.
“I like knowing you’re human, like the rest of us.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I don’t think you know what an intimidating woman you are, Lina.” Curtis looked her in the eye. “Most of the guys on the tour wanted to get into your pants, but they were too afraid you’d kick their asses. They called you ‘the Untouchable.’”
Lina’s jaw almost dropped, but she quickly recovered. “Not sure that was a compliment.”
“They’re pussies, scared of a strong woman.”
“But not you?” Lina questioned
“You don’t frighten me,” he answered. “You fascinate me.”
Paris, France
The thirty-something-minute drive from Le Bourget Airport to Callie’s home in the center of Paris was a breeze at six o’clock in the morning. The sun wasn’t even up and the city was barely stirring, but Callie, Brandon, and Popo welcomed them with bright eyes.
Callie enveloped Curtis in a tight hug. “Glad you finally made it!” She then shook him. “What the hell did you get yourself into?”
“I didn’t do anything!” Curtis fell into his childhood reflexive response when something bad happened.
“When we were children, you definitely did something,” Brandon, his buddy and now brother-in-law, retorted. They bro-hugged. “For once, you did nothing, but still got yourself in trouble.”
“Leave him alone,” His grandmother, whom they called Popo, interceded. “Come down here,” she told Curtis. At six-four, he towered over his tiny Chinese grandmother. Obediently, he bent down to kiss and hug her.
Callie’s greetings to their parents were a tad stiff, but she gracefully ushered everyone into her house. Curtis was grateful Popo and Brandon were there to help ease the family reunion. Though they had patched things up somewhat, his parents’ and sister’s relationship would take time to rebuild.
The security detail stayed in their cars, watching discreetly. Lina was about to duck out when they were all piling into the house.
“Where are you going?” Curtis asked her.
Lina stopped and turned back to him. “I need to confer with my team.”
“Can you come in for a minute?” he asked. “I’d like you to meet my sister.”
She stared at him blankly for a few seconds before answering. “Maybe later. I need to make sure there aren’t any fresh developments that I need to know about. You and your family are safe here for now. Why don’t you go be with them and have some proper rest? I’ll touch base with you later.”
Disappointed by her answer, Curtis gave a quick nod. “You need some rest, too.”
“I’m used to this.”
“I know you are,” he said. “Doesn’t mean you should run on fumes. When you’re done, come in, have some food. Knowing my grandmother, she’s probably cooked enough for a battalion.”
Finally, a small smile emerged on her face. “I can smell it. It reminds me of home.”
It was the first time Curtis ever heard Lina mention anything about her personal life. Though it was barely a hint, he bit on it. “Where is home?”
“My parents are in the Bay Area.”
“Just your parents?”
“My dad’s family, too. But my mom’s family’s mostly still in Hong Kong.”
“My grandparents came from Shanghai,” Curtis shared. “Popo’s food might not be what you’re used to, but it’s always delicious.”
“Smells delicious,” Lina said. “I must try some later.”
Curtis was satisfied with that promise, but he wasn’t ready to let her go. “Hey, about earlier—” He’d told her she fascinated him as they’d landed. She’d stared at him with those sharp eyes but was saved from making a response by the captain announcing it was safe to open the door. She’d jumped straight into action. She got their immigration specially processed and put them in the car within fifteen minutes. Being jammed in a car with his parents wasn’t the right place to continue their conversation.
“Why don’t you join your family, Curtis?” Lina suggested, putting a stop to his intentions.
He was about to protest, but she added, “The team’s waiting.”
“Right.”
“Go on inside. It’s cold,” she urged.
Curtis was a little peeved at her dismissal, but he let her usher him inside like a child. He thought he’d made some progress in loosening her up around him. But each time he stepped closer to her, she pulled back and drew a new line between them.
Why do I even try? he questioned himself.
When they’d been touring, he’d always tried to make her laugh, and over time, he’d succeeded. But she’d never given him an opening for more than just that. She’d always been friendly but professional. He’d always been drawn to Lina. Even after a couple of years of having no contact with her, he immediately reacted to her as soon as he’d seen her. But maybe that wasn’t the case for her.
I ’ m just a client to her. Someone to protect from his own idiocy.