Rescued, page 5
part #1 of Holt Agency, Book One Series
True to her word, she didn’t evade him again. And in exchange, true to his word, he kept himself out of sight so that no one realized she had a protection detail following her around.
Tavis thought he did a pretty good job pretending to be a student. He carried around a backpack, dressed casually, and spent a lot of time on his laptop when she was in class. It worked out perfectly. He was able to dig deeper into each of her previous bodyguards, helping the main office figure out where every one of them was and what they were doing now.
He also scoured the internet behind her back to find more details about her Houdini act from the night before she’d left. He still suspected that night hadn’t gone exactly smoothly. Every time the subject came up, she hedged, changed the subject, and didn’t meet his gaze.
Maybe she was embarrassed for drinking too much and partying too hard. No reason to be. There was nothing wrong with having fun with her friends. Hell, he’d be a hypocrite to criticize her for overindulging. Who hadn’t done so, especially in their twenties?
All he’d found so far were pics on two of her friends’ social media platforms and one single credit card charge. She must have picked up that particular tab while someone else handled the others. Also not suspicious. Each woman would have bought a round.
Tavis was uncomfortable with the fact that no one could track down the location or any details about the particular bodyguard who’d been fired. At least they now knew his name. Steve Lacoste. Where the hell was the man now? He couldn’t have simply vanished.
When they returned to the apartment Friday afternoon, Colette was quiet. Too quiet.
“Everything okay?” he asked once they were safely inside, not wanting to pressure her in the car.
“Mmm hmm,” she responded without looking at him. “Just tired.” She took the stairs two at a time and disappeared into her room.
Tavis didn’t like it. The two of them had gradually thawed to each other over the past week. Colette hadn’t been combative or tried to evade him a single time. He also didn’t think anyone from her department had picked up on the fact that she had security following her around. If they had, she hadn’t said a word.
He made dinner alone and then rapped on her door with his knuckles. “Colette? I cooked. You want to come out and eat?”
“Uh, sure. Give me a minute. I’ll be down.” Her voice was raised enough for him to hear her.
Five minutes later she met him in the kitchen, still not looking at him.
“Talk to me,” he encouraged. “Something’s obviously bothering you. Is it about me? Did someone figure out you have protection?”
She shook her head. “No. Everything’s fine.” She stabbed into a vegetable from the stir-fry he’d made and stuffed it into her mouth.
“Everything is clearly not fine.” He still hadn’t taken a bite. He leaned back in his chair to stare at her.
She finally glanced up at him. “No big deal, okay? Can you just let it go? It’s personal.”
He held her gaze, uncertain he liked this plan. Personal? As in she started her period or something? He definitely didn’t need to hear the details about that if it were the case. Nor did he know her well enough to be aware of her mood swings. So, he’d leave it alone for now. “Okay.”
When they finished eating, she insisted on cleaning the kitchen and then bolted to shut herself in her room again.
It was a long weekend. Colette had changed. Her mood remained sullen and withdrawn. By Monday, he wanted to shake the information out of her, but refrained. At least she gradually came back into herself throughout the week.
“How about if we go to Sipi Falls this weekend?” he suggested on Wednesday. “I’ve heard the hiking and waterfalls are amazing.”
She actually perked up at that suggestion. “Sounds like fun. Let’s do it.”
“I’ll make reservations. I’ve heard the Sipi Falls Lodge is beautiful. Glamping, I think you’d call it. Fancy cabins that are rather rustic but gorgeous with amazing views.”
She smiled. “Perfect.”
Colette’s classes ended early on Fridays, so they arrived at the falls before dark.
“My God, this is fantastic,” she said as she twisted around to take in the views while he checked in. It didn’t take long before a porter showed them to their individual cabin and left them to get settled before dinner.
Colette didn’t stop smiling as she looked around, taking in the interior before stepping out onto the patio to enjoy the view of the waterfalls.
Tavis met her out there, hoping this return to her much more enjoyable mood might be permanent. “I hope you don’t mind sharing the cabin with me. I don’t think it would be safe to leave you alone and get my own. There’re two beds at least.”
She glanced over at him. “It’s fine.” Her gaze returned to the view. “Can you believe this? How do they arrange these cabins so that each of them has a perfect view of the falls?”
“It is spectacular,” he said, unable to keep from smiling. He took a moment to absorb the view of the waterfalls, but then settled his gaze on her. She was lighter today. Content. Her face was softer, not so drawn in frustration. Maybe if he arranged more trips like this to see the sights in Uganda, she would relax some. Maybe her work in the lab during the week was simply taxing and stressful.
After a delicious dinner and sampling a few regional beers in the lodge, they went to bed. Tavis did everything he could to keep things from being awkward. They had to share the bathroom, and he wasn’t about to budge on getting separate rooms. Luckily, she didn’t question him.
“They don’t have mosquito nets here,” she pointed out. “I guess the altitude is too high for mosquitoes.”
“Yes. That’s my understanding. There are several tourist locations around Uganda, some higher than others. If you want to do a bit of traveling around the country while you’re here, I’ll look into a trip to the other side of Uganda we can take during your fall break. Maybe a few days of safari? We could also see gorillas if you want.”
“That would be wonderful. Do you mind making arrangements?”
“Not at all.” He was more than happy to. After spending almost a month in this country, he’d learned more about the most important tourist attractions. He was certainly being paid handsomely enough to afford several side trips. Might as well enjoy everything Uganda had to offer while protecting his grad student.
The morning started with breakfast set up on picnic tables outside the lodge before Tavis secured walking sticks, bottles of water, and directions. They headed up the path to the top of the waterfalls.
Colette was in far better shape than he’d expected for someone who seemed to spend all of her time buried in a science lab. He let her hike in front of him to set the pace, but she rarely slowed down except to take in the views, and there were a lot of spectacular stops along the way to take pictures.
Spending the day with Colette was no hardship either. She was a pleasure. No, she was more than that. Tavis had to remind himself over and over that this wasn’t a date. She wasn’t his girlfriend like everyone at the lodge assumed. He was being paid to protect her.
It was hard to remember every time he reached out to take her hand to help her up a slippery slope or steadied her with a hand on her back. It was even harder when she made him lean in close for a selfie at various scenic locations.
He offered to take pictures of her alone with the waterfalls in the background, and sometimes she accepted, but more often than not, she reached out her arm and snapped a shot of the two of them together.
After a late lunch and then a nap, they went with a guide to a sunset hike where they were granted a full panoramic view of the area for miles. By the time they sat down for dinner back at the lodge that night, Tavis knew he was in deep trouble.
He was falling hard for this woman. His attraction was undeniable and growing by the day. Even though he didn’t mention it, judging by the flush that frequently covered her cheeks and the way she smiled at him, she felt the same way.
They moved over to sit in front of the fireplace in the lodge after dinner, sipping a glass of wine and staring at the flames. “Tell me about your childhood,” he prompted.
Colette glanced at him and then turned back to the fire. “Wish I could say it was typical, but that would be a lie. As the only child of a prominent lawyer and politician always climbing the ladder of success, I was raised to be the perfect lady.” She winced.
“What does the perfect lady look like?”
“Arm candy.”
“Yikes.” He cringed. It was hard to picture Colette fitting that mold. And based on what she’d told him, she didn’t. Not even close.
She shot him a grin. “Remember I told you the stork delivered me to the wrong house.”
He chuckled. What he wanted to do was grab her hand. Run his finger over her knuckles. Lift it to his lips and kiss her palm. Instead, he held her gaze.
After several seconds, she looked away and drew in a breath. “Anyway, I went to private schools. Took piano lessons. Horseback riding. Golf.”
He curled up his nose. “Golf? You?”
“‘Never know when you might need to impress a man with your golf skills,’” she said in a deep voice, apparently imitating her father.
“Do you play now?”
“God, no. It’s awful. I hope I never have to touch a golf club again. Do you play?” She shot him a glance.
“Never tried it a single time. Doesn’t interest me either.”
“What about you?” she asked, changing the subject. “Tell me about your childhood.”
“Well, I grew up in Virginia. Also an only child. My parents were older. They have since passed away. They didn’t have the funds to afford college for me, so I joined the Navy, mostly because several of my friends enlisted out of high school. But I had high aspirations and worked my ass off to make the SEAL team.”
“And you left the SEALs recently. You didn’t tell me why,” she pointed out.
“Yeah. Long story. I’ll give you the cliff notes. I was captured in an attack with most of my team and spent three months in captivity in Ethiopia before being rescued.”
She turned to more fully face him, grabbing his arm. “Oh, my God. That’s awful.”
He shrugged. “We all escaped relatively unscathed, but we formed a deep bond from the experience, were all medically discharged, and started our own company. That’s when the Holt Agency came into being. I love my job. Wouldn’t change it for the world.”
“And that job does not entail protecting seemingly wild debutantes who don’t fit the mold.”
He reached for her hand that was gripping his wrist, turned his palm over, and threaded their fingers together. Huge step. Crossing every line known to mankind. He couldn’t stop himself. “No,” he murmured. “But I’m not sorry I’m here.”
“Me neither,” she whispered in response.
He gave her hand a squeeze and stood. “Come on. Let’s get some sleep. Tomorrow we’re visiting a coffee plantation before we head back to Kampala.”
She rose, not releasing his fingers.
His heart was pounding as he led her back to their cabin, and as soon as they were inside, he dropped her hand to shut and lock the door. When he turned around, he found she hadn’t moved an inch. She was right in front of him.
Neither of them had turned on the lights, but there was enough illumination coming through the windows from the moon.
She tentatively set her palms on his chest and tipped her head back.
Tavis set his hands on her waist, his fingers spanning her lower back. He shouldn’t do this. The line was blurring further by the second. “Colette…”
“I swear I’ve never seriously hit on a single bodyguard before,” she declared. “There have been a few I flirted with, but only to infuriate my father. I was never serious. I never actually took things farther with them. I never actually felt a connection with any of them before.”
He pulled her closer and set his forehead against hers. “You’re not making my job easy here, Colette.”
“I know,” she whispered. “I’ve been trying to ignore my attraction. I know it’s unprofessional and inappropriate and ten other things, but it’s still there. All the time. Why can’t you be rude or withdrawn or quiet or something?” she joked.
He chuckled. “Because it’s mutual. But this is dangerous territory. We should take a step back. If we don’t, things will get complicated.”
“I know.”
That wasn’t what he wanted. He wanted to spin her around, press her against the wall, and kiss the sense out of her. He wanted to smooth his hands around to her front, slide them upward, and cup her breasts. He wanted to make her moan. He wanted to reach between her legs and cup her pussy until her knees grew wobbly.
He squeezed his eyes closed and gritted his teeth for a moment.
“You’re not going to kiss me, are you?” she asked softly.
“No.”
She drew in a breath and turned around.
The last thing he wanted was to hurt her feelings though. It was a fine line. So, he reached out, slid his hands around her waist, and hauled her back against his front. Holding her tight, his arms beneath her breasts, he lowered his lips to her ear. “I want to kiss you more than I want to take my next breath, Colette,” he growled. “Do not misunderstand. But I’m not going to. Not tonight. Okay?”
She gasped and nodded slightly. “Yes.” Her voice was breathy. Her chest was heaving.
He released her and stepped back, hoping she hadn’t noticed how hard his cock was. “Get ready for bed.” He rounded to her front, cupped her cheek, and kissed her temple. It was all he would allow himself.
He had little doubt things between them were about to move to a new level, but he didn’t want to rush it. They both needed to think hard about what they were doing first.
Tavis was certain her father would lose his shit if he knew that his daughter’s bodyguard wanted to get her naked and make her scream his name.
Colette used the bathroom first and slid into her bed while he entered to brush his teeth.
He came to her side and set a hand on her shoulder before heading for his own bed. “You okay?”
“Yes.” She grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze, releasing him just as quickly.
It took a while to fall asleep, but he eventually talked his cock into standing down and let sleep take him under.
Chapter 7
Luckily, the tension between them wasn’t unmanageable the next day, and they had an amazing time learning about every aspect involved in the process of making coffee from the plant to the mug.
Tavis fired more questions at Colette on the drive back to her apartment, learning more about her with every answer. He’d already known she was brilliant and studious, but apparently that extended way back. She’d been a voracious reader as a child and won a spelling bee in the third grade. She’d also been on the robotics team in middle school and played the violin in high school.
Colette was incredibly well-rounded and had enjoyed every imaginable perk that came with a wealthy upbringing. She’d even giggled as she’d described her ballet and gymnastics days—which apparently hadn’t gone so well in her opinion. Tavis wished he could see videos of her as a child in her costumes, twirling around the floor with her apparent two left feet.
It was dark when he pulled up to the apartment, and he immediately knew something was wrong. He grabbed her hand to keep her from opening her car door. “Don’t move. Stay here.”
Tavis popped the glove compartment and palmed his weapon before exiting the SUV.
“Tavis…” Colette murmured.
He glanced at her.
“Be careful.”
He nodded and held the gun close as he approached the front door. It stood ajar, and when he entered the apartment, he groaned. The place was ransacked. “Dammit,” he muttered, lifting his gun.
There wasn’t a sound coming from anywhere, so he felt confident whoever had broken in had done so earlier, but he moved from room to room downstairs and upstairs to confirm before returning to the car.
“They’re gone, aren’t they?” Colette asked when he opened her door.
“Yeah.” He grabbed their bags from the back of the SUV and followed her inside. “I need to make some calls,” he informed her. “Can you see if anything is missing?”
“Yes.” She stood rooted for a moment, running her hands through her hair. “Jesus. What a mess. Do you think they were looking for something?”
“I was going to ask you that. Do you have anything here worth stealing?”
“No. Nothing. You saw how I travel. Light. The most valuable things I own are in my head or a cloud. I didn’t even leave my computer here.”
“Jewelry?” He opened his phone as he asked.
She shook her head. “No.” She held out her hands. “I’m pretty minimal. I only brought these few rings and a couple pairs of earrings. Nothing real. No diamonds.”
He reached for her hand and gripped it. “Go check around, okay?”
She drew in a ragged breath and nodded. “Jesus,” she muttered again as she headed past the kitchen. Pots and pans and plates and every imaginable thing were strewn out all over the room.
Tavis placed his call.
Seconds later, a male voice answered, “Ajax here.”
“Hey. It’s Tavis. Our apartment got ransacked while we were away for the weekend.”
“Fuck,” he muttered. “Any clues?”
“No. We just got here, but it looks like they were either looking for something or simply wanted to make a point. I don’t like it.”
“Stay on her.”
Tavis sighed. “Yeah, she’s not going to like me hovering closer, but I will be from now on.”
“You think you need to move to another location?” Ajax asked.
“Not sure what good it will do. Anyone who wanted could follow us home from her classes.”
