Her Surprise Protector Page 7

  When I dropped her off, I had already decided what to do. Like a gentleman, I would walk her to her door, tell her once more that I had fun and kiss her goodnight…because the time wasn’t right for anything more, not yet. I still wanted to take things slow. Everything felt different with Elena.

  This girl was different from the rest, and I was willing to wait for her…and for myself.

  Chapter Eight

  Elena

  The sound of Riker’s tires faded into the distance, and I shut and locked the door before the noise disappeared entirely. I double-checked the back door too, but I didn’t feel the need to go around to every window as I had during the time before Riker had put a security detail on my house.

  I knew the van with the Sunset Security logo was hidden out of sight somewhere nearby, and that someone sat inside watching the feed from the cameras set up outside the house. Locks might not stop Oscar forever, but they would slow him down more than long enough for the security guard to step in.

  Even so, I kinda wished I wasn’t locked up inside alone. And…I could have done it. I could have invited Riker in just minutes ago when he brought me home, followed me to the door, and kissed me goodnight. It would have been so easy, just a word or two.

  But I wasn’t like that. I didn’t have sex on the first date - at least not anymore. I had done that with Oscar, and it had been a mistake. Oscar and I had both been busy, and our schedules had conflicted. That meant we spent a lot of time texting back and forth, but not enough getting to know each other in person.

  So far, I had only enjoyed one date with Riker, and all I had was an idea of the man he was. To get more than that, to solidify that idea into knowing, I needed to spend more time with him.

  Besides, Riker hadn’t made a move. That had been what really strengthened my resolve and made me say something to the effect of “goodnight, thanks for the good time, but it ends here, and I’ll see you soon.”

  Riker was a man who knew what he wanted and went after it. If he wanted to be intimate tonight, he would have told me with body language and probably blunt words as well. Something held him back too, and that was all the encouragement I needed to take this budding relationship slowly.

  If you didn’t want to be alone, you could have told Payton you would pick up Bree tonight, I reminded myself. Obviously, I knew Bree wouldn’t stop Oscar, a burglar or anyone else who might want to enter my home uninvited, but when I had my little girl with me to protect, I felt as strong as a lioness. It was when I sat in silence, home alone, that nervousness took ahold, and every little sound felt strange and foreign.

  Hopefully, this new security thing would mean I didn’t need to be a lioness. Still, if things came down to it, I would do whatever was needed to keep Bree safe. I was pretty sure I had an old baseball bat in the closet…

  I didn’t really need more wine, but I poured myself some anyway. The buzz from the bottle Riker, and I had shared over dinner had worn off, leaving me with far too many errant thoughts. One more glass would help me sleep, so I could get up bright and early in the morning to go get Bree.

  Part of me wondered if Riker was busy tomorrow. He said he had Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays off, but I hesitated to ask. I didn’t want to push too hard. We hadn’t known each other long, and I was sure he had lots of friends in the Hamptons – some of those friends had canceled on him tonight, making our date this evening possible. I had to remember to thank them one day if I ever found out who they were.

  I took two long sips of wine. I needed to get to that not thinking thing faster. Wow, it was weird without Bree here with me. It hadn’t felt strange when I was housesitting, alone in that mansion. Maybe that was because I knew Bree didn’t belong there. My daughter belonged at home with me.

  The buzz was back, and I gave a shrug but turned it into a little shimmy of my shoulders to settle more comfortably into the couch. I giggled, feeling silly for shrugging when no one else was here to see me. Strange as it felt, I couldn’t remember the last time my house had been this quiet. Then, suddenly, I realized a golden opportunity had presented itself. I could write a few lines of poetry, now, without interruptions or distractions.

  I turned on some soft, instrumental music and fetched my notebook – not the one I always had handy in case I was suddenly inspired. It was my more…official one. This notebook held all my finished poems. So, when I wrote in here, I thought long and hard before writing down anything, because I always used my pen. I had much of a new poem composed in my head already. All that was left to do was surf my brain waves, pull the words together, and carefully write them down. I wanted to finish it tonight, but the wine had an effect beyond helping me focus those wandering thoughts. I yawned widely and almost giggled at the high-pitched squeak that escaped my throat partway through.

  I went through my evening ritual of getting ready for bed in a flash, then turned off the lights and lay down. Normally, I loved my queen-sized bed, but it felt too big tonight, somehow. Like it was missing something. Or someone.

  Blankets tangled in my legs as I sprawled out, taking up as much space on the bed as possible. There. Now it was a perfect size, nothing was missing, and I could sleep.

  I got up, feeling fully sober and a little guilty about omitting the truth when asking Payton to watch Bree, so I found my phone and gave her a call. “Hey,” I said, taking another sip of my orange juice while leaning back in my lawn chair, watching the early morning sun glisten on the waves. “If you bring Bree home before noon, I’ll make you and Michael lunch. And I’ll tell you about my date.”

  Payton was more than willing to go along with the idea, so I took my time finishing the juice before I went inside to make that lunch I had promised.

  “Hm,” was Payton’s close-lipped reaction when she saw the large bowl of Greek yogurt chicken salad, loaves of bread for sandwiches and drinks set out on the table in a magnificent array.

  “What? You eat everything and anything,” I pointed out, hoping I hadn’t managed to find the one dish Payton didn’t like.

  “Oh no, this all looks great. Too great. Like you’re trying too hard for some reason?”

  I grabbed a couple of small plates to make lunches for Bree and Michael. “You caught me… Have some of the salad before I tell you, and you start judging me.”

  Payton made a sandwich and munched it while I started to tell her all about my date…with Riker.

  “That rich guy who-” She started.

  “Yes, that rich guy who. But hold on, let me finish.” The Greek salad captivated Payton’s usually very active mouth long enough for me to divulge the details, then I started on my sandwich while she processed what I had told her.

  “I’m definitely surprised,” she said, dabbing at her mouth with a napkin. “I mean…he was horrible to you. And…well,” she added hastily before continuing, “but Oscar was horrible to you too, and still is.”

  “Riker’s not like that,” I insisted. “He happened to be jogging by the house when Oscar was…bothering me, and he chased him off. Then he offered me private security at no charge. I mean, I don’t know him all that well yet, but I think there was something more going on with him when he snapped at me about Chauncey. You know, stressed out or something.”

  “Huh. That is kind of nice. The private security, I mean. I’m guessing that’s when he asked you out? Did he at least take you on a nice date?”

  “It was an amazing evening, and he can actually use his words to talk intelligently, and…well, I kind of wish I’d invited him inside last night,” I admitted, my heart racing at the memory of bulging arms under my hands, strong, confident lips and feeling something suspicious against my thigh when he kissed me at the door.

  “Earth to Elena.” Startled, I glanced at Payton, who was covering her mouth with one hand like she was operating a radio. “Calling my horny best friend.”

  “Oh, hush.” Since it was true, I didn’t bother denying it, instead choosing to take a long draft of ice water. “I should’ve i
nvited him inside.”

  “I would have.” Payton hopped up, took a magazine from Michael and put it on a high shelf he couldn’t reach before joining me on the couch again. “But that doesn’t mean you should have. Remember all those times you told me you thought that you took things too fast with Oscar?” I nodded. “And you never stepped back to think about who he was as a person?”

  “That’s exactly why I didn’t have sex with Riker,” I agreed, surprised by my own words. “I wanted to make sure he deserved to be in our lives before I slept with him.” I glanced over at Bree, showing Michael her toy pots and pans.

  “Then, you made the right choice. If he’s really into you and not just a rich son of a-”

  “Not in front of the kids, Payton.”

  “Sorry. A rich, stuck-up snob. If he isn’t one of those, he’s willing to wait until you’re comfortable.”

  “It’s kind of funny, actually. Like funny in the coincidence way,” I amended. “I could, uh…tell he wanted me, but he didn’t try to make a move when he walked me to my door. We were on the same wavelength, I guess.”

  “Or he’s playing you,” Payton said bluntly. “I told you all along that Oscar wasn’t a good guy and you kind of just ignored me. I get why,” she said, holding up her hand, forestalling my interruption, “but he wouldn’t have made a good father for Bree by any stretch of the imagination. I’m just saying that your choice in men hasn’t been much better than mine. Please be careful with Riker, okay? That’s all I’m asking.”

  “I am,” I promised. “If not for myself, I’m being careful for Bree’s sake. Whoever I let into my life affects her too. I know that.”

  “Good.” Payton gave me a hug. “And you’ve always got me, you know? Although if you feel I’m having a negative impact on Bree’s life with my swearing, I can leave.”

  “No, of course not,” I giggled. “But you do need to watch your mouth.”

  “I’m tryinggg,” she said plaintively. “It’s hard. My mom didn’t watch her words around me.”

  “Which is why you swear so much,” I pointed out.

  “Yeah, yeah. Anyway, I think a few dates with Riker is a good thing and that it’ll get you out of the house more. Also, if it scores you private security, I say date him as long as necessary to get Oscar out of your life for good.”

  My throat tightened, and I set my water down without taking a sip. “Oh God, do you think he thinks that’s why I said yes to a date?”

  Payton rolled her eyes. “No, no…he’s hot and rich. If anything, he’ll think you want to date him because of that. He’s a billionaire. I’m sure he’s used to people hanging onto his every word in hopes he’ll throw them a very expensive bone. Just be you and let him be him and see what happens.”

  I had to take Payton’s words and cling to them during the following weeks. Sometimes, I felt attractive, funny and interesting, and I could look at myself in the mirror and think. Yeah, makes sense that Riker would want me. Other times, my hair was a mess, my mind was frazzled, Bree was screaming, and I couldn’t understand what Riker could possibly see in me.

  Riker had called after Payton went home that Saturday afternoon. We chatted for a few minutes then he got around to the reason for his call. “Hey, I had a great time on our date yesterday, and I would love to do it again next weekend. If you’re free, of course.”

  “I am free, and I’m pretty sure Payton can take Bree again next weekend,” I had added, honestly just thrilled that he called. Every time we parted, the fear that it would be the last time I saw him always wormed its way into my mind.

  “You’re welcome to bring her along too, you know,” Riker told me. “But I understand if you don’t want her getting to know just anyone. I’m sure it’s not good for kids… Well, you know, for different people to be constantly in and out of their lives.”

  “It’s usually not,” I confirmed after I recovered from what Riker had done to my heart just by being thoughtful. “I would like to wait a little longer to do that, if it’s okay with you.”

  “No problem. So see you next weekend? I already have something fun in mind for us to do.”

  “Well, that’s just too bad because I have something in mind too, and it’s my turn to choose,” I explained.

  Riker’s abrupt, loud laugh made me shift the phone a little further from my ear. “Okay, then. You can choose. What are we doing?”

  “I changed my mind. You can choose,” I teased.

  It was like Riker was making a point to let me decide what our next date would look like, instead of him always being in control. I chuckled to myself. He would have to get used to letting someone else call the shots at least sometimes if he intended to keep dating me. After a few exchanges back and forth about who would decide, Riker finally insisted it was my turn.

  “Okay, okay… Let’s go to the beach and play volleyball. I know it’s not the most glamorous date, but I’m starting to look like a ghost. I need some vitamin D, and I haven’t had an excuse to go in a while. Will you be my excuse?” I wished Riker and I were talking in person, so I could flutter my lashes and give him my best “pretty please.”

  “Only if you’ll be mine too. It’s a date,” Riker promised. “Saturday? We can work out the details later. I have to run. Literally. My buddy is here, we’re jogging together.”

  I giggled. “I wouldn’t want to keep you. Have fun, and I’ll talk to you later.”

  Later came, we talked some more… then later that week came, and we hashed out our beachy details. Then, finally, Saturday came and brought Riker to my house – shirtless Riker.

  “We aren’t going to the beach here, you know,” I pointed out to hide a gulp when I opened my door to answer his knock and was greeted by a six-pack of very defined abs.

  “Uh… yeah, I figured we’d be heading for the park.” His eyes stared me down, trying to burn a hole through the thin, blue cover-up that only partially hid my black two-piece.

  When I took off the cover-up to play volleyball at the beach with another couple, Riker missed the ball on the first serve because he was staring at my ass. I grinned cheekily at him. “Not good at sports?” I asked innocently. Riker didn’t miss another ball that game.

  Our beach date ended in a round of margaritas and another long, intellectual conversation. I didn’t know why, but I had never expected Riker to be so…smart. That was a silly non-expectation because heading up a company like Sunset Security had to take an impressive amount of business sense, passion and hard work as well as intelligence. Stereotypes surrounded men with money, and I had believed most of them before I met this exceptional billionaire.

  “Hey Riker,” I began during a lull in the conversation. It might have been a little forward of me, but I wanted to sate my curiosity. After the way Riker had treated me on the beach, I felt I deserved to know. “That day on the beach when Chauncey – the dog,” I clarified. “When Chauncey came over to you, he was trying to take something you were holding, right?”

  Even with a margarita and a half in him, Riker didn’t receive the question well. “Yeah.” He twisted his glass in a slow circle. “An engagement ring.”

  “Oh.” Since I had already dredged up bad memories, I thought I might as well make this the only and last time I brought this up and push a little harder. “Who was it for. I mean, what was her name?”

  “My ex-fiancée, Hallie. Turns out she was only my fiancée… for my money.” One long sip brought that half margarita down to a fourth.

  “Do you miss her?” I asked quietly. I knew all too well what it felt like to hate someone and miss them at the same time.

  “Sometimes, when I sit at home by myself for too long. Never when I’m with you, though.”

  His knee bumped my leg under the table, trapping the fingers of the hand he rested there between us briefly. I reached down and slipped my fingers into his. We moved on to other, less weighted topics, but neither of us moved our hands.

  The conversation lasted until the margaritas wore off,
then Riker took me home. Again, I thought about inviting him inside, and again, I didn’t, and he didn’t ask. We had already agreed on another date for the next weekend, so the feeling that this would be the last time I saw him had become a non-issue. If he could wait, I could wait, and I would just enjoy getting to know a man who was a lot more than he seemed

  Next weekend found us wearing very different clothes than the one before. We set off early Saturday morning with our hiking boots and comfortable clothes, backpacks in the back of the car. “It’ll be great to use this hiking gear again,” I said, already incredibly pleased with this date idea of Riker’s. “It’s been so long since I’ve had a chance to go. Or found a good hiking buddy.”

  “Well, uh…” It wasn’t like Riker to be hesitant, and I immediately glared at him suspiciously. “I want to take you on a scenic hike to see a waterfall. But it’s on the mainland, and it’s quite a drive to get there. I know you need to be back early this evening to pick up Bree.”

  “Okay?” I asked, unsure as to where this was going. The Hamptons weren’t known for their mountainous terrain; in fact, it was quite the opposite. Marshes, dunes and beaches comprised most of the Hamptons’ popular hiking trails. And they were picturesque, but not steep or difficult.

  “So, I chartered a helicopter to drop us off on the mainland. There’s a large hill on a client’s property with a waterfall on the west side. So, we can hike up to it quickly and eat lunch before we hike down. I have special permission to go on the property, since we have their security contract.”

  I stared. His eyes didn’t leave the road. “So we’re not going to the trailhead right now, we’re going-”

  “To the helicopter, yeah.”

  Riker might have been a billionaire, but so far, most of our dates had been normal - your standard date. Sure, the restaurant we had eaten at had been expensive, and he had insisted on paying for everything so far. But for the most part, when I spent time with Riker, I forgot that he wasn’t just anybody. This still wasn’t lavish – no one could really make a hike lavish – but…really? A helicopter, just because he wanted me to see a waterfall, and we didn’t have time to drive there and back?