TouchofTopaz (3 page)

Topaz dearly loved her parents, but her childhood had been
less than conventional. They’d grown up with famous people dropping by, taking
trips to exotic locales and being on the road with her parents when they were
performing. It had been a wonderful, if unpredictable childhood. They’d never
known when their impetuous parents would whisk them away, never stopping to ask
their children if they’d actually wanted to go.

She wouldn’t trade her childhood for anything, but Topaz
craved stability and she’d made a life for herself that was predictable and
calm. And she liked it that way.

John was anything but calm. He made her feel hot and
uncomfortable in her own skin. She liked fine clothes and wine, and he was
jeans and beer. Nothing wrong with that, but their lifestyles didn’t mesh. Her
mother would say that it would add spice to her life, but she much preferred it
bland, thank you very much. Her childhood had had enough spice in it to last
her a lifetime.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her skin was
pale and there were dark circles under her eyes that no amount of makeup could
cover. She pulled a compact out of her purse and dabbed at her skin. She hadn’t
slept well these past two weeks and planned on sleeping for two days straight
when the trial was finally over.

She knew she couldn’t procrastinate any longer or John would
be barging into the ladies’ room. She dumped the compact back into her purse,
took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and walked out of the bathroom and
back to their table. Her timing was perfect, as the waitress had just arrived
with their meal.

Topaz slid into her chair, thanked the waitress and picked
up her spoon. The soup was warm and surprisingly good. She could feel John
watching her, but she concentrated on eating. The quicker they were done, the
quicker they could go back to the courthouse. She wanted this day over and
done. Then it would be a matter of waiting for the jury’s verdict.

John scrutinized Topaz as she ate her soup. She even did
that with style, her movements graceful and precise. She looked a little pale
and very tired. The circles under her eyes were getting darker with each
passing day. He knew she wasn’t sleeping, had heard her tossing and turning in
her bed at night while he’d slept in the room next to hers. He’d wanted to go
to her, take her into his arms, and make love to her until she was too tired to
stay awake.

But he couldn’t. Not until the job was done.

He’d spent months trying to forget Topaz Jewel, desperately
trying to get her out of his system. It hadn’t happened. If anything, her
absence in his life made him want her all the more. He was forty years old and
knew himself better than most and he knew that his attraction to Topaz wasn’t
going away anytime soon.

He also knew she wasn’t happy about being attracted to him.
A less-confident man might have slunk off to nurse his hurt pride. But he
wasn’t most men, and he was confident that, with time and effort, he could make
her see how good it could be between them. Wouldn’t be easy to do once his job
was done. She’d go back to her life and do her best to avoid him. Again.

He needed time. As he ate, he mulled over the plan he’d set
in motion several days ago. Topaz might be mad as hell at him at first, but he
was willing to take the chance.

John watched her sip her soup and was grateful she was
eating something. She’d lost weight over the past few weeks and she was already
slender to begin with. He wanted to take care of her, to shoulder some of her
burdens. It was frustrating as hell for him to watch her handle her business,
the trial and the media hoopla by herself. She was a strong woman, but he
wouldn’t be attracted to a weak one. He loved the way her mind worked, how she
always had an opinion on everything from politics to movies and all subjects in
between.

The silence between them wasn’t awkward, but comfortable. He
knew she was thinking about the trial. He was just glad she was eating and
didn’t want to say anything that might disrupt that. When she pushed away her
plate, which still had about three-quarters of her sandwich on it, he knew she
was done. He finished the last of his coffee. “Ready?”

“Yes.” She stood and picked up her coat. He held it for her
and she murmured her thanks as he slid it on. He paid the check and ushered her
back to the car.

With ideas still spinning in his head, he drove them back to
the courthouse, this time parking in a lot next door. He’d already scoped out
the back entrance. “It will soon be over,” he reminded her as he helped her out
of the car.

“I know.” She looked sad for a moment and he squeezed her
hand to reassure her. She might think differently now, but he wasn’t going
anywhere.

Chapter Three

Topaz closed her eyes and sank back into the headrest on the
car’s passenger side. It was finally over. The jury’s verdict had come in and
her sister’s stalker was going to be locked up for a long time. A weight she
hadn’t even known was there slid from her shoulders. Life could finally get
back to normal.

She turned her head and opened her eyes to gaze at John.
This was their last day together. Once he drove her home and dropped her off,
he would no longer be her bodyguard. Officially, he was finished with the job,
but he’d insisted on taking her back to New York.

John Knight always completed an assignment.

The bitterness in that last thought surprised her and she
realized she didn’t want to just be another job for him. She turned her head
away, sighed and stared out the window, watching the rugged landscape pass by.
Now she was just being stupid. She and John might have set the sheets on fire
that one afternoon last year, but there wasn’t much between them to sustain a
long-term relationship.

“That was a big sigh.”

His deep voice slid over her skin like a lover’s caress and
she shivered. Topaz pulled her coat more tightly around her. “It’s hard to
believe it’s finally over.” The long months of media coverage and speculation
would finally end. She gave it a week before the reporters and photographers
were on to another juicier story.

He was the most observant man she’d ever known and she
wasn’t surprised when he reached out and turned up the heater, angling the vent
so it blew toward her. He’d seen her shiver and had misinterpreted it, for
which she was supremely grateful. Better for him to think she was chilly than
turned-on by the sound of his voice.

“It’s been hard on all of you.” He gave her arm a gentle
squeeze. “Why don’t you try to get some rest? It’s a long drive.”

The sleepless nights were catching up with her and the heat
only added to her lethargy. Topaz closed her eyes and let the steady roll of
the tires on the pavement lull her. She yawned once, settled more comfortably
against the seat and drifted off.

John glanced over toward Topaz a few minutes later and was
satisfied she was asleep. He didn’t like the dark circles beneath her eyes and
worried about her overall health. Whether she knew it or not, she needed a few
days of rest and relaxation before she stepped back into the busy grind of her
normal life.

He grinned when he imagined her reaction to his plan. She
wasn’t going to like it. Not one bit. But she needed it. She’d pushed herself
hard these past weeks, trying to juggle a successful business and the hoopla
surrounding her family. She was one classy lady and he admired the hell out of
her.

She was also the most frustrating woman he’d ever met. He
knew that better than anyone, save maybe her sisters, and he could practically
see the walls she was rebuilding between them. She was getting ready to boot
him out of her life again. This time he wasn’t going. Not without a fight.

His fingers tightened around the wheel and he took a deep
breath. Immediately, he caught a whiff of her sweet scent. It was some light,
floral blend that he always associated with Topaz and it never failed to give
him a hard-on. It wasn’t perfume, but the lotion she used after she showered.

He’d spent many hours listening to the water running in her
bathroom and picturing her wet and naked in the shower. And he didn’t have to
stretch his imagination. He
knew
what she looked like with no clothes
on.

He cursed under his breath as his cock sprang to life as if
on cue. Only Topaz could do this to him. He was forty years old, for fuck’s
sake. His body didn’t do anything without his express permission these days.
But his dick didn’t listen to him one bit. Not when it came to the beauty
sleeping next to him.

Traffic was thick, but he maneuvered the vehicle easily,
making the unscheduled turnoff. Oh yeah, she was going to be spitting mad when
she woke up. His jaw tightened with determination. She’d have to get over it.
He deserved a chance to show her how good they could be together. They deserved
a chance.

John had no idea why she dated men she could easily keep at
a distance. He’d watched her flirt and smile at men, but she never let her
emotions become involved. She remained unruffled and always in control of the
situation.

Except for that one day last year, where she’d lost control
and given herself to him in one glorious afternoon of loving. It was the memory
of that fateful afternoon that gave him hope and assured him he was doing the
right thing.

He rubbed the back of his neck as he turned off onto a
secondary rural road. Traffic was almost nonexistent now and the distance
between towns grew. The forest seemed to reach out for them and the road
narrowed even more as he drove.

He could only hope she wouldn’t have him arrested when all
this was done. After all, it wasn’t every day that a bodyguard kidnapped his
client.

Topaz was jarred awake and it took her a few minutes to
remember she was in a car on her way home. They hit another bump and she opened
her eyes and peered out the window. She frowned as she looked at the
surrounding area. There were rolling hills and forests and a low mountain peak
in the distance.

“Where are we?” She rubbed her face, trying to fight off the
muzzy feeling that clung to her. Had they had to take some kind of detour?

John ignored her and wrestled with the steering wheel,
moving them along the rutted path.

Amusement pulled at her lips. Maybe he was lost and didn’t
want to admit it. Men were like that. But that didn’t make sense either. The
car was equipped with the latest in GPS technology.

“John?”

“We’re almost there.” He glanced at her and his stern
expression softened slightly. “How are you feeling?”

She ran her fingers through her short hair and rolled her
shoulders. “Good. I didn’t mean to sleep for so long.” The sun was sinking in
the sky and night would soon be upon them.

A small, rustic cabin came into view, the car headlights
reflecting off the weathered wood. A porch ran the length of the house and
there was a swing situated on the far end. It was quite charming, if you liked
that sort of thing. She was more of a city girl.

Or she was now. She’d grown up with hippie parents on a
large rural estate. She and her sisters had run wild in the surrounding woods.
Plus, her parents had loved camping and, when they were kids, the family had
often done so.

Shaking off the sense of nostalgia, she frowned when John
stopped in front of the cabin. “Where are we and why are we here?” What had
happened while she’d been sleeping?

He turned off the ignition, pulled out the key and pocketed
it. “We’re in upstate New York and this place belongs to me.” He opened the
door and slid out, stretching after the long drive. He closed the door and came
around to the passenger side.

Dusk was falling quickly and with the car lights off it was
getting harder to see. John pointed at her lock and she reluctantly opened her
door. “I don’t understand. Why are we stopping here? We should be on the road
home to the city.”

He scowled and a muscle in his jaw twitched. “We’re not
going to the city.”

Topaz pulled her wits around her, thankful for the brisk
breeze chilling her skin. It pushed the remnants of her long nap away and left
her more levelheaded. “Of course we are. I have to work in the morning.” She’d
been away for almost a week now and was eager to get back. Yes, she trusted
Susie, her assistant manager, to run the boutique. But she longed to get back
to what was familiar, what she knew.

He clasped her hand with his, tugged her out of the car and
toward the cabin. “No, we’re not.”

Topaz dug in her heels until he had no choice except to
stop. “What is going on? I want an answer and I want it now.” In her
experience, it was better to be firm when dealing with men. She shifted her
weight and one of her heels sank into the soft dirt. She stumbled slightly and
his arm came around her shoulders, catching her before she could fall.

“Careful. I don’t know how you walk in those things in the
city, but those shoes definitely weren’t made for the country.”

Before she realized his intent, he’d swept her off her feet
and into his arms. He strode toward the front porch of the cabin and up the two
steps to the door. He set her on her feet again, but kept one of her hands
gripped in his. She could feel the tension in his muscles, sense the underlying
unease surrounding him.

Now she was starting to get worried. What in the name of God
was he doing?

John pulled out his keys, fitted one of them in the lock and
opened the door. He pulled her inside and shut the door with a heavy
thunk
.
The air inside was fresh, not musty, as though someone had recently aired the
place out. The scent of pine-scented cleaner filled the room.

He released her briefly to turn on a switch. At least there
was electricity. For that, she was extremely grateful. The room was large, a
combination living area, kitchen and dining room all in one. The furniture was
overstuffed and looked well-worn but comfortable. There were no knickknacks or
personal items to soften the stark space. No pillows on the sofa and only a few
tattered paperbacks on the shelf. It was spartan and obviously male.

Topaz’s patience had run out. She crossed her arms over her
chest, drew herself up to her full height, using every inch of the three-inch
pumps she was wearing to make herself even more authoritative. “I want to know
what’s going on, and I want to know now.”

John stood before her in a pair of jeans that he’d obviously
had for a while. They fit him like a second skin and were slightly faded in the
knees and crotch area. Not that she was looking there. Of course, she wasn’t.

She pulled her gaze up toward his face. His leather jacket
creaked slightly when he moved, revealing a tight black T-shirt beneath. His
face was half in shadow and half in light, giving him a menacing look. She
swallowed and took a half step back before she stopped herself.

She was being silly now. This was John, the man she trusted
with her life.

Tension permeated the room until her nerves were stretched
to the max. They stared at one another, neither of them blinking. Topaz was
beginning to feel as though they were in a standoff of some kind, and she was
determined not to give an inch.

John was the kind of man who could overwhelm a woman if she
wasn’t careful. He wasn’t a bully, quite the opposite in fact. He’d be very
protective of a woman if he cared for her, but his dominant personality would
be hard for any woman to stand up to and he would gently but inexorably
steamroll her into doing whatever he wanted.

“Well?” She couldn’t stand the silence any longer. She
tapped the toe of her Christian Louboutin pumps against the wood floor and
glared at him.

He took another step toward her and this time she held her
ground. A smile played at the corners of his mouth. Topaz was suddenly
overheated as memories of his mouth sliding over her neck, teasing her breasts
and tasting between her thighs swamped her. This was no time for her to allow
those erotic memories to come to the fore.

He raised one hand and slid his fingers over her cheek and
she had to struggle not to close her eyes and simply sink into the gentle
caress. “It’s simple, really.” He dropped his hand back to his side and she
immediately missed his warmth.

Her hands tightened into fists to keep from smacking him.
The man was making her crazy with his cryptic answers. “What’s simple?”

“I’ve kidnapped you.”

At first she didn’t think she’d heard him properly. She
shook her head at him, certain she was mistaken. “You what?”

He put his hands on his hips and widened his stance, which
made him appear even larger. “You heard me. I kidnapped you.”

“You can’t do that.” It was ludicrous. Absurd. He was a
professional bodyguard for heaven’s sake.

“I already have.” He raked his fingers through his short
hair and let out a large sigh. “Look, you’re tired and you need a few days
rest.”

“I can do that at home.” She glanced around the cabin.
“Probably better there than here.”

His eyes narrowed, and if his jaw clenched any tighter she
was afraid he might damage his teeth. “I know it’s not what you’re used to.”

It struck her that she’d hurt his feelings. That he thought
she was rejecting the cabin because it was rustic.

“Don’t be an idiot, John. It’s got nothing to do with the
cabin. It’s lovely and has a rustic charm. But I have to get home.” It was
sweet of him to want to give her a few days away. Really it was. But she didn’t
have the time for it.

She ignored the pang of regret that gripped her and carried
on. “We need to get back on the road.” She glanced at her watch. It would be
late by the time they reached the city so she would cut herself some slack in
the morning and go into work late.

“No.” His one-word reply brought her internal plans to a
screeching halt.

“What do you mean, no? If you don’t want to drive, just give
me the keys and I will.” She held out her hand, but he ignored it.

“No, I’m not taking you back to the city tonight.” He
clasped her shoulders and pulled her toward him. She placed her hands on his
chest to keep some distance between them.

“I don’t understand, John. Why not? Your job is finished and
it’s time for both of us to get on with our lives.” She swallowed hard at the
thought of never seeing him again.

The weeks they’d spent together had passed so quickly.
Having a full-time bodyguard should have been an ordeal, but having John around
hadn’t bothered her half as much as she’d thought it would. He’d slid
seamlessly into her life until he seemed a part of it.