Chapter Fifty-Three
Jane waited until she was positive Teddy had gone to sleep for the night.
When his quiet breaths found an even cadence, she kissed his forehead and slipped out of his bedroom.
The main house was quiet as she crept down the hallway.
Both Gigi and Dax were home but retired to their quarters.
Part of her wondered why they didn’t tuck their little boy in, and part of Jane knew the sad answer.
Tucking him into bed never crossed their minds.
This time of day should’ve been her favorite part of the day. It usually was. Within minutes, she would be at her place, and Chance would knock on the door. They would fall into bed. The rest of the world would disappear. But right now, she wanted him to hug the world away.
“Why so glum, Mary Poppins?”
She jerked toward his voice and found Chance sitting in a chair, illuminated by the pool and moonlight. “I didn’t see you there.”
He pushed from the chair as though he were a century old. “Is everything okay?”
She walked to him, feeling like she could breathe better near him. “Nothing I haven’t mentioned before.”
He didn’t respond, instead taking her hand in his and leading her to her cottage. Warmth radiated from his hand, and while his touch could soothe her soul, she still needed to be wrapped in his arms.
They walked through her door. If it had been any night before, they would have jumped each other, tearing clothes off, and trying for a how-was-your-day conversation in fits and bursts until he slid into her body, killing off the remnants of a conversation that would be picked up again later.
Instead, she shut the door and curled into his chest. He didn’t reach for the lights or the hem of her shirt but rested his chin on top of her head and held her close.
“That’s exactly what I need right now,” she whispered.
“Rough day?”
Jane nodded. “Yeah.”
Chance pulled her toward the couch, and they tangled together in the dark.
“They don’t tell him good night.” Her voice broke, and her eyes threatened to water. “I don’t know why it’s bothering me so much tonight. But it is.”
He stroked the back of her head.
“He’s such a sweet kid.”
Chance nodded. “Seems like it.”
“It’s crazy to say he deserves better. He’ll never want for anything. He’s set for life. But it just seems so, so…”
“Heartbreaking.”
“Yes,” she cried. “And I don’t know how he can have both everything and nothing.”
“That’s easy.” Chance inched her from his chest and caught her eye. “The best things in life aren’t things.”
“I really wish I were Mary Poppins.” She snapped. “I could fix Teddy’s problems. Get rid of the camera crews and move his aunt into the mansion next-door.”
“That would be one hell of a good start.”
Face to face, they lay together, legs entangled, holding each other in a weighty silence.
She snuggled against him and drew patterns on his chest. The smallest amount of moonlight mixed with the blue light from the pool, filtering through her windows.
It cast a silvery glow over them. “Why were you sitting by yourself in the dark?”
Chance inhaled a long breath and let it out slowly. “Long day.”
She recalled his interaction with Gigi and grimaced. “What she said is still bothering you?”
He tensed. “You heard that?”
Jane nodded. “Sorry. She shouldn’t objectify you like that.”
“She shouldn’t objectify anyone like that.”
“Yeah.”
“Sex on a cracker,” he finally muttered. “Who says that?”
Jane snickered. “If you think about it, it’s kind of a weird thing to say.”
Chance snort-laughed. “Cheese on a cracker works. Sex on a cracker, not so much.”
She leaned closer as though she had a secret to tell. “I think she has a crush on my man.”
He tensed for a minute, then laughed and tweaked her side. “You heard a lot, huh?”
Jane giggled. “I don’t think it’s possible to ignore Gigi. She’s kind of loud and relentless.”
After he stole a kiss, he stopped tickling her side. “I don’t know if I’d call Gigi’s proposition a crush.”
“True. What do you call that rabid look that glints when a wolf circles a piece of fresh meat?”
He groaned. “I don’t know if anyone’s ever called me fresh meat before. Do you think she’s pretty?”
That caught Jane off-guard. Gigi certainly had all the attributes that could make a person pretty. But she wasn’t. “I don’t know. Do you?”
“Nah. She could be, but the looks dissolve the moment you meet her.” He shook his head. “You know what?”
“Hmm?”
“Gigi and Dax were made for each other. I’ve never met a more drama-filled couple in all my life.”
“Yup.”
“Ironic, considering they’re in insurance. They should be risk-averse, yet they seek out craziness and live for risks.”
“They are the crazies,” Jane pointed out. “Sometimes I wonder if they’ve lost touch with reality. Not like, they aren’t in touch with us common folk. But as if they aren’t mentally stable. As though the fame and adrenaline have permanently altered what they understand as right and wrong.”
After a long minute, Chance shrugged. “Upside: if they weren’t batshit crazy, I wouldn’t have met you—”
A noise came from the front door. Jane turned as the door swung open. Bright lights blinded her. Her surprised scream died as she comprehended the camera crew.
“Get out,” Chance barked. He flew off the couch and blocked their shots. “Turn it off. Get the hell out!”
“Where’s Jane?”
She recognized Lark’s voice and squinted toward the bright lights. “What?”
“Can you come over here,” Lark called.
“Turn the fucking cameras off!” Chance growled.
“Never mind. We got what we needed,” Lark called. “Forget you ever saw us.”
What did they need? Dread hardened in the pit of her stomach. They couldn’t use that footage in the documentary! Could they? It wasn’t as though they’d filmed anything intimate, but it had been private. This was their time, and they didn’t have to share it with the Thanes, Lark, or a camera crew.
Chance slammed the door closed, re-locking it. He turned and leaned against it, then scoffed. “Good thing we weren’t naked.”
Jane pressed a hand to her chest. “Naked or not, they can’t just walk in and film us.”
“I’m not sure what your contract says, but mine won’t allow it.”
She dragged her knees up to her chest, still wondering what shot they wanted. “I think Lark just set us up.”
A long, thoughtful minute crept by until Chance sat down next to her. “You’re right. But hell if I know why.” He grumbled and scrubbed his hands over his face. “I hate security work. And the mind games?” He shook his head. “No, thanks. I’ll leave those to the spooks.”
“Me too.”
He laughed. “Don’t worry about the Thanes. They’re crazy, but they’re not dangerous.”
She wished she could believe him.
“At least, as long as you don’t get on a plane to Syria again.”
Jane had to laugh. “It’s a plan.”
He said good night and locked the door behind him.
Jane tried to sleep, but the adrenaline rush remained in her system.
When she closed her eyes, she could still see the camera’s bright lights.
Sleep didn’t come, and as she lay alone in bed, worried and awake, staring at the ceiling, she fretted over what the next morning would bring.