Chapter Three
Colton
She wasn’t holding my hand. Not really. It was more like her hand was brushing against mine as she slept.
I’ wasn’t sure what had me extending my stay in this room.
I’d meant to come and apologize, but then I’d pushed my way in and been compelled to keep helping her.
I had told myself that the sooner all of these things happened, the sooner she would be out of my hair. But now that felt like a lie.
Maybe because I knew that not only did the woman wear a variety of highlighter-tone underwear, but she liked to match the tops to the bottoms. At least based on the panties that had been peeking out of her half-packed bag.
I was never going to get that visual out of my mind. And before I’d been able to mentally recover from that little mind melt, the woman had been sitting on the edge of her bed, pale, shaking, and making my entire body thrum with misplaced adrenaline.
Because what if I had been the one to make her feel sick again? I had been a royal asshole.
And now she was sleeping, her hand against mine, her body curled towards me as if she had not a worry in the entire world.
And Jesus H. Christ, it gave me time to really inspect her.
From the tiny freckles that stood out against her pale cheeks to the slight skin tone difference behind her ear.
That made me smile, the fact that this woman used some of those fake tan things.
I didn’t give a second thought to if women were tan or not, but somehow knowing that little hidden secret about her made my belly feel tight.
Or maybe it’ was the way that her lips were parted, her breath slowly warming my hand, as she continued to sleep right against me.
I should scold her when she woke up. Tell her that it’ was never safe to fall asleep in a man’s house—a stranger’s house. Even if it was just me. Because she was too beautiful, too soft, her body too trusting of my intentions.
It was a damn good thing she’d ended up here, I guessed. I would make sure she got some sleep, pack up her array of beautiful fucking underthings that I would certainly never see against her naked skin, and then get her back to her normal life.
That was best for everyone.
Slowly, I stood, extracting my hand with a quick and steadied myself before taking several quick steps backwards out of the room and carefully closing the door behind me. Victory warmed my skin when Gia remained asleep and quiet in the room.
I turned, still attempting to be quiet, when a high, soft voice nearly sent me to heaven fifty years too early.
“Is Gia alright?”
“Holy shi—! Sera, you can’t sneak up on people like me!” I pressed a hand against my chest, staring down at my daughter as she stood in the middle of the hallway, a blanket acting as a cape and an empty bowl in her hands.
She raised her bright brows and gave me a long look. “Sorry, Dad.”
Why was I swearing over the fact that my daughter had just seen me coming out of her nanny’s room? It’ wasn’t like anything had happened. Even as I thought that, I remembered the way her body had felt under my palms, even in that small moment that I’d lifted her. She’d felt so good there.
Fuck. I blinked down at Sera, who continued to watch me quizzically. “It’s fine. She’s fine. What do you need? More food?”
My daughter raised one shoulder. “Maybe in a bit. I was just wondering if you wanted to watch a movie with me.”
I pressed a hand to her back, ushering her away from Gia’s room. “I’d love that. Let’s go find something.”
Every step I took tugged at my chest, though, and I barely resisted looking back at the now-closed door. That woman… What was it about her that seemed to have burrowed deep the moment I’d met her?
First, she’d sparked my temper and, now, something far more dangerous. My fucking heart.
Sera only lasted until dinner before she started to crash again. This time I insisted that she get off the sofa and go climb into her own bed. She went willingly after I promised that if she woke up feeling better, I would give her a full breakfast, complete with my famous pancakes, in the morning.
Right around the time I was leaving Sera’s room after reading her latest chapter book with her, I noticed the space under Gia’s door was lit again.
I stopped in front of it, hesitating with my fist raised.
I knew her laundry was done. I’d gotten it out and folded it an hour earlier while Gia had munched on some toast and bananas for dinner.
But now that it was time for her to leave, I was suddenly a lot less excited about letting her go.
I’d judged her all wrong, and after all the stories I’d heard today, I knew that I’d been completely wrong about her experience as a nanny.
She’d been a lovely companion to my daughter, even in the worst-case scenario.
But there was only so much I could do to undo my attitude from earlier.
And when the door opened a short time later, I kept my face entirely neutral as I watched her wheel her suitcase into the front room.
“Feeling better?”
Gia smiled at me, her face still tight. “Yes, thank you. I’m sorry I slept so long.”
“It’s all right. You clearly needed the rest.”
She nodded and then rocked back on her sneakered feet.
I cleared my throat, unsure of what to do now that we were here. “Gia, I—”
“I’ll plan on calling Sera whenever she is feeling better. We can talk then.”
I felt the dismissal in her words, and as I slowly nodded, she was already moving past me to the door and opening it wide. The spring weather was cool tonight, the dark clouds of a passing storm lurking above the tree canopy. “Are you sure you know how to get where you’re headed?”
“Yeah, no problem at all.” Gia held up her phone. “It’ll get me there.”
I opened the door, standing to the side and letting her walk through it. I moved to follow her out, but she surprised me by holding up a hand.
“I’ll get it. No offense, but I think we’ve reached a good spot. Maybe we should just stay on that one, yeah?”
I offered her a small smile. “Sure.”
Gia’s pretty face broke out into a real smile then, and she ducked her chin as she turned and made her way down the small path.
Her sedan, which I had barely noticed before, was parked to one side.
I watched as she opened the back driver’s-side door, preparing to load the suitcase.
But then I couldn’t stop myself. I ran out barefoot, my hands covering hers against the side of the bag as she gasped in surprise.
“Wouldn’t want to upset your stomach again,” I said smoothly, loading the bag carefully in.
Gia blinked at me rapidly, and then her head fell to her shoulder, a sweet, sincere smile pulling at those pretty pink lips.
“Thank you, Mr. Marlatt.”
I stepped back. “It’s Colton. And promise me, if you ever need anything, you call me.”
She blinked at me, clearly surprised, and I wanted to punch myself that I’d made this woman doubt my sincerity.
“I mean it.”
“Okay,” she said quietly. “Thank you, Colton.” With a flash of gold jewelry, she extended her hand to me. I took it immediately, letting my thumb steal a caress across the back of her hand as I did. Soft. So damn soft.
“Goodbye, Gia,” I said gruffly, dropping her hand and stepping back from her car.
I watched as the sedan backed away, turning to make its way back down to the main street.
And something kept me there, watching long after her taillights disappeared and my feet began to go numb from the cold. Something like regret making my mouth taste bitter.
After checking in with my greenhorn partner, Xander Grady, who was the only son and nephew of the two founders of my workplace, Lock and Key Security, I sat down by the television with two fingers of Scotch and a head full of trash.
I could rush over to meet Xander with our most recent client, but there was no need.
They were only a day out from their site and had run into no issues.
Instead of stressing about them, I quickly dialed the main line for Lachlan Grady, my long-time best friend and the “‘Lock”‘ in Lock and Key Security.
Lachlan’s phone rang and rang until finally it ticked me over to voicemail.
“Hey, Lock. I’m not sure you’re checking these while you’re on assignment, but I’m back home at the cabin. Sera’s nanny got sick, and I came home to help manage. Don’t worry. Your kid is handling it like a champ. Call me when you can, asshole. I’ve got questions.”
I punched the end button and was just standing to make my way to bed when the phone lit up again. This time with an unknown number.
I answered, assuming it would be Lock. “Took you long enough.”
“What?” The feminine voice on the other end was shaky. “Colton?”
My spine snapped straight. “Gia?”
“Colton, I’m sorry to call, but there’s something or someone…”
“What is it, baby?” I don’t mean for the endearment to pop out. It just did naturally, slipping out of my mouth as I moved back toward the door.
“When I got home, my front door had spray paint all over it, and there’ was a note. It says…”
My second phone was already in my hand, unlocked and ready to dial Lock and Key security or, if necessary, the police.
“What does it say?”
“It says they’ll make me pay.”
“Okay, here’s what you’re going to do. Give me your address.
Then you’re going to go back to your car, you’re going to get in, bring the note with you, and come straight back here to the cabin.
One of my guys is close by, I’ll have him fall in and follow you back.
Don’t stop, and don’t stress. It’ll be one of my people. Do you understand me?”
I could hear her breathing, the crunch of gravel. She was following my directions, which made only the smallest improvement to my anxiety. “Gia,” I growled. “Don’t make me come and get you, baby. I need to hear you get into the car.”
“I’m in.”
“‘Okay, good. Do you need me to stay on the line with you?”
Silence—only the quick, sharp intakes of her breath sounding down the line.
“Gia, how far away are you?”