Various States of Undress (14 page)

“Jake?”

“Yeah.”

She frowned at him. “What’s going on? You’ve been grumpy all morning.”

“I’m just pissed at myself,” he admitted.

“Why? Because of my conversation with Virginia? That wasn’t your fault.”

“No. Because I kissed you out in broad daylight. And there’s a chance that Regina wasn’t the only one who busted us yesterday.” He gazed at her. “There are security cameras all over this property.”

Carolina’s eyes went round and she covered her mouth with her bare hand. “I forgot about that.”

“Yeah,” Jake repeated, this time in a flat voice. “Obviously, so did I, and I’m sorry.”

She shook her head. “You don’t need to apologize.”

“Yes, I do. Even if nothing incriminating was recorded, I should be apologizing to you. For—”

“For what? I thought we agreed that giving in to each other wasn’t going to be a problem.”

He gave a harsh laugh. “I always knew it would be a problem, but I agree that sleeping together was . . . inevitable.”

She pushed back the knit hat that had half-fallen over her eyes and stared at him. “Oh, now that’s really romantic.”

Romantic?
No, of course it wasn’t. He couldn’t afford to be romantic. It was too dangerous.

“When we’re back in DC, there won’t be any romance in the way I treat you when I’m on duty. I can barely look at you without wanting to take you in my arms and it’s going to be close to impossible pretending like nothing happened. The best thing I can do for both of us is ask to be reassigned to one of your sisters.”

Carolina flinched, but held his gaze.

He opened his mouth to say something else, but shook his head instead. Pulling off his gloves, he sat down on the stool in front of the security console and scanned the monitors in front of him until he located the security camera program and opened it. When he found the files from the cameras pointed at the clearing, he narrowed the time frame to yesterday afternoon and began to watch. Carolina didn’t say a word.

He ought to apologize for the way he’d said that, but he’d only told her the truth. If he didn’t ask for reassignment, he was a complete fool. He had to shield her. And he had to focus right now.

All of the video showed nothing but swirling snow, and the footage of them in the clearing was grainy at best. It was obvious that he had grabbed her and held her for a moment, but he could have been doing nothing more than protecting her from the wind. He should have been protecting her from
himself
, but instead, he’d given in to temptation—and now? He didn’t know how to stop. Plus every time he kissed her, his resolve to keep their connection to each other purely physical slipped a notch.

He sighed, shaking his head, visualizing her shredded dignity when all of this was over—not to mention the train wreck of his career that was sure to become a reality.

“Get over it, Jake.” Carolina said suddenly. She stepped up behind him and rested her chin on his shoulder. “I thought you said you didn’t want to waste our time together by worrying.”

He was silent for a moment, then closed the security footage with a couple of clicks. “I was being selfish when I said that. I didn’t want reality intruding on . . . us. I’m sorry for being so harsh.”

“It’s okay. I don’t want it intruding either.” She kissed his cheek, lingering. “We still have some time.”

He inhaled her fresh scent and closed his eyes. “It’s going to intrude, though.” And now, not only was he guilt-ridden about what had happened, he was even more worried about what surely would happen. So much for living in the moment.

She kissed him again and then drew back, her hands running across his shoulders. “I know. Starting pretty much right now, in fact.”

He turned warily.

“Regina will get your life story out of you—fair warning.” She smiled. “And I, for one, can’t wait to hear it.”

Like hell. The one thing Jake
could
control was what came out of his mouth. Well—at least he used to be able to. Until Carolina Fulton came along.

“Honey, I’m a closed book.” He grinned at her.

“We’ll see. Now come on. It’s hotter than the fires of hell in here.”

Jake raised an eyebrow. “It’s freezing in here.”

“Not with you around.” She licked her bottom lip—a habit that drove him crazy—and smiled at him when he groaned.

“I’m not going to throw you on that cot in the corner, no matter how badly I want to,” he said in a strangled voice.

“Aww. But it looks so cozy.”

Jake stood up and grabbed her elbow. “Time for lunch.”

He pushed her out the door, locked it, and then guided her through the drifts to Regina’s front door. It swung open before he had a chance to knock.

“You’re late.” The older woman fixed her piercing gaze on him.

“I was working,” Jake shot back tersely. He matched her glare.

After a moment, she grinned and stepped back from the doorway. “I think I might like you. I’m not completely sure yet, but I think I might.”

He ushered Carolina in front of him. “Thanks, Regina. I think.”

Stepping into the warm room, Jake quickly took in the vaulted ceiling and the curving staircase, similar to the one in the Fultons’ cabin, which led to an open sleeping loft. The main room—really the only room in the cabin—was a burst of color with neon throw pillows on bright sofas and cherry-red kitchen appliances. A pile of photography books sat on one corner of the Mexican-tile counter. He watched as Carolina made a beeline for them.

“Regina, I want to look at these, if you don’t mind.” Carolina took the first one from the stack and began to flip through it.

Regina laughed and wiped her hands on a tea towel hanging from the stove handle. “If I minded, they wouldn’t be sitting there. Read the chapter on light manipulation in black and white digital images first. It’s fascinating.”

“I thought you hated digital photography.” Carolina glanced up. “At least—when I was a kid, you said nothing would ever replace 35-millimeter film.”

“Nothing will, but that was ages ago. I’ve gotten with the times. Don’t even have a dark room anymore. I use a printing company in Jackson for my photos.”

Carolina flipped the book shut. “You’re kidding.”

“Nope.”

“But then, where . . .” Carolina turned and darted up the stairs.

“You’re in for a surprise,” Regina called after her.

Jake followed Carolina, trying to ignore the sway of her hips, but he couldn’t ignore the annoyed look she threw over her shoulder.

“What are you doing?” she whispered. “I’m in no danger here and you’re going to insult her by pretending that I am.”

Jake didn’t answer. What was he supposed to say? Admit that every time she was out of his sight, the bottom dropped out of his stomach? And that feeling only partly came from being tasked to protect her? She’d think he was crazy if he told her the truth—that when she was in another room for even ten minutes, he started to miss her.

When they reached the loft, he scanned the area, noting the neatly made bed and single nightstand. In the corner of the room, there was a closed door. An earthy, almost moldy scent reached his nostrils. “Hang on,” he muttered, brushing past her.

She sighed.

When he opened the door, his eyes bugged out. The long rectangular room in front of him was steamy, warm and completely full of plants. Some were tropical—varieties of hibiscus and lilies—completely familiar to him, and some he had no idea what they were. One plant, half-hidden behind a small palm tree, looked a bit suspicious.

Carolina must have seen it too, because she grabbed his arm. “Is that . . . marijuana?”

“I don’t know, but this place is amazing.” He inhaled the air. “It’s like stepping into my childhood back yard.” He walked forward and looked around the space noting the bullet-proof glass in a wall of windows at the far end. The glass, installed no doubt when the entire property was overhauled for presidential security, probably insulated the room enough for her to be able to grow things.

Behind him, he heard labored breathing and Regina appeared in the doorway, smiling proudly.

“It’s something, isn’t it?” The older woman nudged him forward. “Take a look around.”

As Jake walked up and down the two narrow aisles in the room, Regina rattled off a lot of scientific names and he nodded, not really listening. All he knew was that if he closed his eyes, he could almost hear the waves of the ocean in his head.

Carolina’s voice broke into his thoughts. “Jake’s from Florida, Regina. And I have to thank you for showing us this room . . . this is the most relaxed I’ve seen him, ever.”

“It’s not a room. It’s a greenhouse,” Regina corrected. She raised an eyebrow at Jake. “Florida, huh? What part?”

“Miami.” Jake bent to inhale the sweet scent of a peace lily.

“You grew up there? Go to college there?”

“I grew up there, yeah. But I went to college in Texas.”

Regina nodded. “Athlete?”

“Yeah, baseball.” Jake touched a frond of another palm tree. There had been one just like this outside the small two-bedroom house he’d shared with his mother. Suddenly, he missed her.

“My mom wanted me to stay in-state, but I had a full ride to UT.”

“What did you major in?”

“Criminal justice.”

“Were you in the military?”

He shook his head. “I was a cop for a few years.”

Regina peered at him. “I know you can’t become an agent until the age of twenty-one but a cop? That’s unusual, isn’t it? I thought most agents had a military background.”

“A lot do.” He glanced at her, waiting for her to say something else. “You seem to know a lot already, but is there anything else you want to know about the Secret Service?” He tried to keep the aggravation out of his voice, and mostly succeeded.

“You mean something that
isn’t
on the government web site? I doubt you’d tell me,” Regina countered in a wry tone.

He smiled. “You’re right about that.”

“He doesn’t even tell me, so don’t feel bad,” Carolina commented. She made a move toward the door and Jake walked to stand in front of it. It was instinct. He didn’t even bother to shrug when she frowned at him.

“Jake’s dad was in the Secret Service,” Carolina said next, as if that explained everything there was to know about him.

He half-expected Regina to make some type of comment in agreement, but instead she shook her head at Carolina.

“I doubt that matters much. They never would have taken him if he hadn’t been able to pass the entrance exams and do the job.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“I know you didn’t,” Regina cut her off. “But your man here is one in a million, literally. Just look at him.”

Both women stared at him appraisingly, and Jake gave an uncomfortable laugh. “Lunch ready yet?”

“It’s chicken soup. Been ready for a while.” Regina picked up a spray bottle and walked around aimlessly, squirting at plants. “What are you going to do when you’re out of a government job, Jake?”

He stiffened. “What do you mean?”

What have you heard?
was what he really wanted to ask, but he wasn’t about to ask that. Besides, she couldn’t have learned anything damning that he wouldn’t have been made aware of immediately. She was just yanking his chain. Why, though, he had no clue.

“Well, as fit as you are right now, that muscled chest can’t last forever. What’s your passion besides guarding the lovely Carolina Fulton?” She continued to spritz plants, but didn’t look at him.

Jake realized suddenly that he had to satisfy this woman’s curiosity or she’d never let him off the hook. Carolina had been right. Regina was somehow managing to dig his life story right out of him. Damn it—she would be a good interrogator.

“My passion is . . . living in the moment.” He gave her his most charming smile.

She didn’t buy it. “Let me ask you something.” Narrowing her eyes, she turned to Carolina and pointed first at her and then at Jake. “Actually, let me ask you
both
the same question.”

“Uh oh.” Carolina rolled her eyes. “A hypothetical question, I hope?”

Regina ignored her. “If what you’re doing for a living right now—in your case, Carolina, what you’re training to do for a living—was suddenly taken away . . . vanished . . . and you had to pick yourself up and choose a new career, what would it be?”

Carolina glanced at him and he met her eyes, knowing what she was thinking. He nodded slightly, answering her silent question. Yes. Regina’s question was eerily similar to the discussion about her future he and Carolina had a few days ago. Too similar. He frowned. Had Carolina put Regina up to this? He asked his own silent question and her eyes narrowed. Guess she hadn’t.

“Well?” Regina prodded.

Jake shrugged. “I’d do security, probably. Hire myself out for big events, stuff like that.”

“I’d . . . choose a different type of graduate program, I guess.” Carolina gave the older woman a quick smile. “So about lunch—”

“My question wasn’t hypothetical,” Regina interrupted. “And both of your answers are pathetic. Try again, or no soup for you.” She crossed her arms and waited.

Carolina let out a nervous laugh. “What’s your point, Regina?”

“Never mind that.” Regina turned her stare on Jake.

He looked into her eyes—like twin neon blue laser beams bent on world domination. A shiver went up his spine. “Fine. I’m hungry, so I’ll tell the truth. I wouldn’t have minded being a baseball coach. Worked my way up until I got to the majors.” He paused. “Is that a satisfactory answer?”

Regina laughed. “Almost. But instead of “wouldn’t have minded” you ought to be thinking about “how to accomplish” and then you’re on the right track.” She tapped a finger on her chin. “You’re not really interested in protecting people for a living, are you?”

Jake nodded automatically. “Of course. Why else would I devote my life to . . .”

He trailed off as a panicked, smothering sensation surged through him.
Devote his life.
To what, exactly? The satisfaction of knowing he was serving a higher purpose? Being noble, brave, and unfailingly precise? There was nothing wrong with that. It was
admirable
to aspire to that kind of life. So why wasn’t he happy doing his job unless he was with Carolina?