Wild About The Bodyguard (19 page)

Chase tried to
make light because bundling her close just wouldn’t do. He allowed
himself a cheeky grin. “Are you tailing my ass, Miss
Mayne?”

Obviously
remembering the line, her smile spread from ear to ear. “I wanted
to give you a house renovating gift. Something to remember me
by.”

While he
couldn’t do anything to stop his heart from crashing against his
ribs, for self-preservation’s sake, Chase kept his smile a few
degrees above cool.

“
Sounds good.
Got time to come in?”

“
I have
time.”

He led her
inside. “Want a coffee? A beer?”

“
I don’t
think so.”

He folded his
arms over his chest. “You need to be some place?”

“
I have to
get back to packing.”

“
Oh. Sure.
Actually I thought you’d be gone by now.” When she only shrugged,
he went on. “Did you contact Laycee’s friend in L.A. about a place
to stay?”

“
He has
room.”

Chase’s arms
tightened so much, he couldn’t draw a breath.
“That’s–great.”

They held each
other’s gazes for a long moment, before she moved to slip the bag
off her shoulder. “Anyway...that gift,” she said, drawing something
out and handing it over. “I know how much you loved your old one. I
know I could never replace it. But this one’s signed.”

Chase wanted
to rub his eyes to make sure he was seeing straight. After
verifying the autograph—
Buster
Posey’s!
—he slapped the new Giants cap on
his head. “Where’d you get it?”

She grinned.
“I have some hot connections.”

He took the
cap off to study it again and found that his throat was clogged.
Pressing his lips together, he nodded. “Thanks.”

She rubbed her
nose like it had prickled and then checked out the stained glass
panel on the worktable as Tessa had done a moment ago.

“
Hey, it’s
all finished.”

“
Pretty
much.” He tapped the one piece left to solder–the part that
read
Chase’s
.

“
When are you
fitting it in above the door?”

“
Soon.” She
angled her head to look at it a different way and then another. “I
know,” he said reading her mind. “There’s something about it that
doesn’t quite work.”

“
The colors
look great.”

Peppermint
green and crimson. “It’s not the colors.”

“
The crinkly
glass goes well with the clear stuff.”

He nodded,
frowned and then shrugged. “I’ll figure it out.”

She was
digging in her bag again. “Maybe I can help.”

She drew out a
piece of cut glass, roughly the same size but it looked like a
different word. When she handed it over, he held it up to the
light. For a minute, he didn’t understand.

He lowered
the glass. “This says
Our.
As in–”

“
Our
Place.” Keeping her gaze on the glass, Sammy
rubbed her temple. “I’m not sure it’ll fit with the other pieces.”
Her uncertain gaze found his. “I thought I might put it out there
and see.”

He let that
sink in and then sucked back a deep breath. “Our Place. You and me.
Us.
Here
.”

Chewing her
lip, she nodded.

“
What about
L.A.?” he asked.

“
I love the
stage,” she said. “Being a part of the entertainment scene. But the
truth is I’m not a great actress. I don’t think I hold a tune so
well, either.”

He kept a
straight face. “You have a terrific voice.”

“
I’ve thought
and thought and I’ve accepted it. I need to move on. I
have
moved on.” She
stepped closer. “Except where you’re concerned.”

His arms wound
around her as his heart began to thump higher in his chest. Lord
above, she felt so good.

“
Well, now,”
he said, “this is interesting.”

Her grin
turned cheeky. “I’m glad you think so.”

“
I’m going to
have to ask some questions.”

“
Okay.”

“
You want to
move in with me?”

“
I think it
could be fun.”

He pulled her
closer. “I
know
it would be. When?”

“
Whenever you
say.”

His tone
sobered. “What are you wanting from this?”

“
I don’t know
yet. I thought we could work it out together.”

When she
knotted a hand in the front of his shirt and dragged herself up, he
tightened his hold around her waist and lifted her off her feet
until his mouth covered hers...and, suddenly, absolutely everything
seemed right in the world.

When the kiss
broke, it took a long while for him to open his eyes. He wanted to
hold onto this feeling. He’d never known such relief. Never felt
this fan-freaking-
tastic
.

“
I have one
more question for you,” he said before tasting her lips
again.

“
Hang on.”
She roped her arms around his neck and sprang up enough to wrap her
legs around his hips. Anticipating the rest of the day, he adjusted
her sit and then pulled her in tight against his belt.

“
Okay,” she
said. “Shoot.”

“
Are you
looking for a job?”

“
As long as
it doesn’t involve vacuuming or cooking because I suck at
both.”

“
I have an
opening at the club.”

“
Book-keeping?”

“
I’m looking
for a forward thinking individual to help with promotion, public
relations and entertainment.”

Her face fell.
“Oh, Chase, I’m sorry but your club really isn’t my
scene.”

“
I think my
club could only benefit from an infusion of someone like you.” He
hitched her higher on his hips. “Why don’t you come to that party
and decide then? And maybe...later...”

She looked at
him harder. “Later, what?”

“
I was
thinking, I might start up another office.”

“
What kind?”
She must have read his eyes then because her jaw dropped.
“Not...you don’t mean...?”

“
How would
you feel about helping me bust a case or two?”

She seemed to
rein in her emotions. “This isn’t a sympathy vote for an out of
work wannabee thespian, is it?”

“
It’s a vote
of confidence from someone who thinks you’re incredibly talented.”
He tasted her lips. “Amazingly special.” The next taste lasted
longer. “Awesomely awesome.”

She laughed.
“You do great things for my ego, you know that?”

“
I want to do
great things for more than your ego. But first I’ll need an in
depth profile.” His eyes searched hers. “I want to learn everything
about you.”

She dragged
her fingers up through the back of his hair. “Let the interrogation
begin.”

“
Here they
come,” Chase told Sammy, slotting an arm around her back. “Finally
you’ll get to meet Hector Garfield.”

Tonight The
Don was pumping. In the main lounge, guests enjoyed music that
ranged from 50s classics to contemporary hits. A dance floor was
awash with a sea of slow-spinning lights, men and their partners
were mixing, and champagne was flowing non-stop. Chase filled out a
tuxedo in a way that would make James Bond pout. Every woman he
passed gave him a second, and then a third look. Sammy had chosen
an evening gown that made her feel every inch the princess...a
pearl-colored sheath with diamante halter neck straps. Chase had
told her that she had never looked more stunning.

She knew for a
fact she had never felt happier.

Now, watching
Hector Garfield and his wife approach, Sammy pulled up tall. She
wanted to thank this man for his help. She wanted to thank them
both.

Stopping
before them, Hector Garfield nodded a greeting. “This is my wife,
Barb,” he said. “After tonight, she’s a huge fan of yours,
Chase.”

Chase smiled
broadly. “Pleased to meet you, ma’am.”

“
Everyone
seems to be having a good time,” Mrs. Garfield said, casting a look
around the glittering crowd.

Chase
introduced his date. “This is Samantha Mayne. Sammy’s taking over
our public relations position. I mentioned that she’d be here
tonight.”

Chase had let
patrons know that Tessa Coleman had resigned. When he’d told Tessa
that Sammy was stepping into the role, she had graciously bowed out
early.

“
So, you’re
the young woman who tried to track me down in here that day,”
Garfield said good-humoredly.

“
I apologise
for that,” Sammy said.

Garfield
chuckled. “I give you full marks for creativity. I was glad to hear
from Chase that you solved the mystery surrounding the
disappearance of your heirloom ring.”

“
Thank you so
much for your help,” Sammy said, addressing both the Garfields.
“You made all the difference.”

Since finally
putting the past to rest, she and Ann had become closer than ever.
Sammy and Chase had even had dinner at “The Palace.” The guys got
along well, too; Rick was enthralled by Chase’s P.I.
stories.

Garfield
stepped aside and gestured at his wife. “Barb believes she has
something that will make an even bigger difference.”

From her
sequinned evening bag, Mrs. Garfield drew out a small box. Smiling
as she opened the lid, she offered Sammy the contents. “I
just
love
reunions,” Mrs. Garfield said.

Sammy’s heart
swelled and rose to her throat. She wanted to sweep that ruby and
pearl ring up so badly, her hands were trembling. But she couldn’t.
No matter how this had come about—although she’d had no prior
knowledge of the deceit—she and Ann had benefited from an insurance
claim. Now she also had in her possession the proceeds of the sale
to Mrs. Garfield.

“
This is so
generous, Mrs. Garfield,” Sammy began. “You can’t imagine how
grateful I am. But you need to know. Since I lost the ring ten
years ago, there’s been insurance money—”

Mrs. Garfield
interrupted. “What’s happened in between doesn’t alter the
fact...this, my dear, belongs to you.”

When Mrs.
Garfield found Sammy’s hand and slipped the ring on a finger, Sammy
could have cried. So many times she had imagined this moment.
Finally she had her precious ring back.

The Garfields
headed off to mingle while Chase threaded an arm though Sammy’s and
ushered her onto the dance floor. But as he bought her close and
moved her around in a tight, intimate circle, she couldn’t take her
eyes off the hand resting on his shoulder. She couldn’t stop
smiling.

“
The
Garfields have big hearts.”

Chase
murmured, “I only know you’ve stolen mine.”

She grinned.
“That’s good, because I need to tell you about my plan.”

“
Does it
involve solving a crime?”

“
It involves
a stage production.”

His lips
twitched. “With a pole.”

“
With
you
.”

He stopped
dancing. “I’m not your friend Jay. I don’t do the stage
thing.”

“
I want to
put on a detective spoof. It’ll be fun. We can sell tickets to
members and friends and raise money for charity.”

“
God help me,
I’ve created a monster,” he groaned over a slanted grin before
dancing her around again. “What is it they say in the
biz?”

“
All’s well
that ends well
.”

“
I can think
of a better line.” Among so many others on the dance floor, he
bundled her deliciously close. “How about
I’m insanely in love with you
.”

She sighed.
“You are?”

“
Actually,
your line is,
I’m in love with you, too,
you wonderful man
.”

She laughed.
“Madly. Completely.
Forever
.” She cupped his jaw.
“Sometimes I can’t believe I found you.”

When his head
dropped over hers, she melted into his kiss, embraced the
thrill...found that joy.

As his lips
left hers, he kept her close. “I know we’re the hosts, but I’d give
anything to slip away for a few minutes.”

When an idea
struck, she took his hand and headed off the dance
floor.

“
Where are
you taking me?” he asked as they wove though the crowd.

“
To the place
it all began. You can sing about bats out of hell and I can soap up
your snake.”

He stopped
dead before a smile stole across his face. “You are
wicked.”