Chapter Four
The call from Nick Vanetta put Lindsey off balance. She hadn’t expected the deep voice with the unmistakable Texas drawl, a voice that tantalized even in a business-like tone. A voice that sent unexpected feathery shivers down her spine.
When Nick asked if he could see her right away, she almost said no. She still had reservations about bringing someone into her life this way. She wavered between panic and anger every time she thought of the situation but figured maybe Nick Vanetta could at least bring some professional perspective to this whole thing. And Quinn had scared her enough that she couldn’t just blow off whoever was doing this. Swallowing her reservations, she told him to come on over.
If his voice had caught her off guard, his appearance when Brianna ushered him in startled her even more. Lindsey had heard women say they were struck dumb by a man’s looks, but it had never happened to her. Certainly the men she’d known, the ones she’d been with, had been appealing and interesting, but none of them stunned her with their sexuality of dark good looks.
Thick dark hair, worn just a little long, framed a face so roughly masculine it made her catch her breath. Whiskey-brown eyes gazed at her with piercing intensity from beneath thick, black lashes. His warm, olive skin was clean-shaven, but the hint of darkness along his jaw line was a sign that before evening he’d need a razor again.
A custom linen dress shirt, well-tailored sports coat, and silk slacks hung perfectly on the hard muscled shape of his tall, broad-shouldered, football player’s body. Despite his size, he made her think of a jaguar stalking through the jungle. The word powerful flashed across her mind. There was controlled authority in his body, and his presence literally filled the room. She sensed that beneath the extremely civilized exterior he presented, he could be a very dangerous man who quite literally took her breath away.
Damn! This man was sex on a stick, and she’d stayed away from that stick for a very long time. Heat surged through her body, firing her pulse into an erratic rhythm. Her beasts felt heavy, her nipples tingled, and her panties became suddenly damp. She wanted to squeeze her thighs together to still the throbbing in her sex.
Nick Vanetta should come wearing a sign that said Beware.
Damn!
She took a deep breath and, forcing a calmness she didn’t feel, she rose and held out her hand to him. When he took it, a sudden wave of electricity crackled between them. If she hadn’t seen the sudden flare of heat in his eyes, she might have thought he was unaffected. Uh oh.
She exhaled slowly, mentally pulled herself together, and retrieved her hand.
Thank god Nick was the disciplined professional, all business. He sat in the chair she indicated, his eyes focused on her, and crossed his legs, one ankle resting on the opposite knee.
Lindsey pushed her glasses up on her nose and gathered her scattered wits. “I appreciate you coming, Mr. Vanetta, but I was under the impression Guardian no longer did individual security work.”
Nick shrugged, a graceful masculine movement of muscles. “Quinn is a very good friend. He’d do the same for me. “
“I assume he’s told you everything?” she asked.
“Yes, but if you wouldn’t mind, maybe you could hit the highlights again for me.”
She blew out her breath in exasperation. “I’m probably making something out of nothing. And I’m not all that anxious to put my life in someone else’s control. Still, I’d like to find whoever this is and kick the sh—uh, stuffing out of him.”
She saw Nick smother a grin. But then his face sobered, and he listened carefully while she told her story again, asking only the occasional question.
As she talked, he made notes in a narrow leather folder he’d pulled from his breast pocket, interrupting now and then to ask a question. Quinn said he was the best. If she had to hire someone, that’s what she wanted.
“So what do you think?” she asked finally.
“I think I’ve seen too many cases like this to tell you it’s nothing. If we’re lucky, that’s exactly how it will turn out. But stalkers, and make no mistake, this is definitely a stalking situation, are unstable and unpredictable. And dangerous.”
She wet her bottom lip with her tongue. “Are you deliberately trying to scare me?”
His smile disappeared. “I’m trying to give you my professional assessment. The police can only do so much. With no real clues, they’re pretty much helpless until a real crime is committed. By that time, it will be too late to help you.”
Lindsey fidgeted with a pencil on her desk. “What do you suggest?”
“We’ve had cases like this before,” he told her. He went on to outline the precautions she could take for her safety. “But those won’t be enough. And they certainly won’t do anything to catch whoever is doing this.”
Lindsey gritted her teeth. “So basically what you’re telling me is, some maniac has taken control of my life and there’s nothing I can do about it.” She was flipping the pencil back and forth now, so hard the slightest snap would break it. She hated this whole thing.
Nick watched her through narrowed eyes. “That’s not what I’m saying at all. What we’re going to do is take some steps to bring that control back into our hands. Your hands.”
“Exactly how do we do that?” she wanted to know.
“To begin with,” he told her, “I want to install a top of the line alarm system in your office. The fact that there’s no guard on duty in the lobby during the day makes me nervous.”
“Does that include my apartment, too?” she asked.
“Absolutely. I’ll need the address.”
“It’s the same as this one, and it’s right next door to the office.” She almost laughed at the way he stared at her. “They’re connected by a single door.”
He stared at her. “You live in an office building?”
“Just occasionally. I have a ranch in Cibolo, not far from Quinn and Kate. But my hours are often irregular and it’s not always convenient for me to make the drive during the week. Having a place right next to the office also means if I get the urge, I can get up and work in the middle of the night without having to cart files and supplies around.”
He shook his head. “It’s absurd as well as dangerous for you to live in a building with nobody in it at night except you.”
“And the odd workaholic,” she reminded him. “That’s why they have a guard downstairs after six, so they can keep track of comings and goings.”
A muscled ticked in Nick’s jaw line. “Whatever we agree to, you still need the alarm, and what we use is the best available anywhere.”
Lindsey worried her bottom lip a moment, flipping the pencil again. He was right about the alarm. Even without this stalker, she needed some kind of protection better than what the building supplied.
She dipped her head once. “Fine. I can’t argue about that.”
He blew out a soft breath. “We’ll set up the alarm in both places, but the master panel will be in your office. I also plan to get a copy of the reports you filed and check out the pictures.” He looked up at her with those piercing eyes. “I’m assuming you’re agreeing to hire Guardian to handle this for you.”
“I think Quinn would wring my neck if I don’t.” Her mouth relaxed into a semblance of a smile. “He’s a very protective surrogate big brother. Neither of us has any family to speak of so we kind of formed our own.” She wet her lips again. “And I appreciate you taking this on.”
“No problem. But I should tell you beforehand that we don’t come cheap.”
“Cost isn’t a problem, Mr. Vanetta.” Lindsey tamped down a flare of irritation. “I make a very comfortable living as an architect. If that’s not enough assurance for you, my parents left me a trust fund that will handle just about anything you can bill.”
“Hold it.” He held up a hand. “I wasn’t being insulting here. I just like to let prospective clients know what finances are involved. That’s all. We do it with everyone. And as with other clients, I just like to make sure you know my services come with a fancy price tag.”
“Your services?” He was doing this himself? The long-missing throbbing between her thighs collided with panic at the thought of having him so involved in her life.
I can’t think about sex. I’m not sure I even know what it is anymore. But certainly not with Nick Vanetta. The damn danger sign is flashing big and bright.
He nodded. “Quinn is a very good friend. This isn’t something I’m comfortable turning over to one of my men. And the alarm is only the beginning.”
She finally tossed the pencil down, feeling her life spinning out of control. “What does that mean?”
“I want to scope out every facet of this building, check your friends, your acquaintances, and your clients. And keep an eye on you at the same time.”
Lindsey sighed. This whole thing was going way beyond what she’d expected. If someone wanted to mess up her life, they were doing a damn good job of it. “Is there some way you can question these people without having to give them all the gory details?”
A muscle twitched in his cheek “We’re very discreet, I assure you. We’ve never had a complaint from a client yet.”
“I’m sorry.” She rubbed her forehead. She was certainly handling this all wrong. “That didn’t come out right. This whole business has just unnerved me.”
He nodded. “Understandable.”
She picked up the pencil again, realized she probably looked like she was losing it so she stuck it in a holder. “So will you be the one running around with the questionnaire or trailing my body around?”
“I’ll be assigning someone else to do the interviews, but I promise you they handle everything very discreetly. We’re not novices.” His gaze raked over her. “Unless you’d rather have someone else here with you and I can do the interviews”
“No, not at all.” Her face heated up. The last thing she wanted to do was insult him. Quinn was right about this man. He definitely knew what he was doing.
“Then let’s get started.” He unfolded the mouth-watering length of him from the chair. “By the way, what did you tell your secretary about why we were meeting?”
“That I was consulting a security firm. Why? She’s certainly aware of what’s happening.” Lindsey frowned. “Surely you don’t think she or Mark, my draftsman, could be involved, do you? They’re the ones who told me to call the police in the first place. And urged me to get protection.”
Nick shook his head. “That doesn’t necessarily mean anything, except that one of them could be a good actor. Come on. You can give me the guided tour.”
She came around the desk and moved ahead of him, inhaling his way too sexy aftershave as she passed him.
Yes, Lindsey. Go bananas for this man.
But six long months had passed since her last attempt at a relationship—if that was what one could call it. She just hadn’t realized how susceptible she was to someone. No, not someone. Nick Vanetta. She didn’t know whether to thank Quinn or kill him.
In the reception area, she introduced him to Brianna, then led him to the workroom where he met Mark. He spent a few minutes with each, and she was impressed with the way he turned a casual conversation into a Q and A without the other person realizing it. When they were finished with the office, she unlocked the connecting door to her apartment and he followed her inside.
While she’d chosen vibrant colors for her office, exotic patterns and things to stimulate the mind, she’d used pale earth tones in her apartment to create a place of retreat. If Nick noticed the contrast, he gave no indication, just examined every inch of the place in the same methodical manner he’d used in her office. She also showed him the apartment’s back exit, so she could leave without having to enter the office at all.
When she turned from the door to go back into the living room, he was standing so close she nearly bumped into him. That same sizzle crackled between them again. His eyes blazed into hers, and her throat was suddenly desert dry.
This is just so damn stupid.
For a moment, neither of them moved. Finally, with a supreme effort of will, she managed to sidestep slightly around him and head back toward her office. She hurried to her place behind her desk, determined to put some space between them.
“So what’s our next move, Mr. Vanetta?” She lowered herself into her chair.
“You know, it would be a lot easier if you called me Nick.” His mouth turned up in a lethally sexy grin. “And don’t be offended if I call you Lindsey.”
“That’s not a problem.” She gave him a weak smile. “My friends do.”
“We’re going to be seeing a lot of each other, so let’s drop the formality, if you can live with that.”
“Of course.” Oh, God. Trouble.”
He smiled back at her. “Good. I hope we’ll be friends. It makes spending so much time together a lot easier.”
Spending time together. Right. Maybe he’d turn out to have some really bad habits that drove her crazy.
Nick pulled out his cell phone and hit a number on speed dial, speaking so softly she could barely hear his words. Finally, he disconnected the call.
“A crew will be here shortly to start on the alarm system,” he told her. “I’d like—”
He was interrupted by the buzz of the intercom on her desk.
Lindsey picked up her phone. “I’m here.”
“I have the list of estimates you wanted on the Randolph changes. I know you’re tied up, but you said you wanted these ASAP. What should I do with them?”
“Just bring the folder in and leave it with me. I’ll get to it shortly.”
“You go ahead with your work,” Nick told her. “I have some calls to make while I wait for the crew to get here. Which should be very soon.”
Brianna came in, gave Nick a hot onceover, and handed a folder to Lindsey. Then she headed back to her desk, but she left the office door open.
Lindsey frowned. What was that all about? The woman knew to keep the door closed when she had someone in here. She’d have to ask her about it later.
Nick sat on the couch, making phone calls and speaking in very low tones, while she went to work on the estimates. It took all her efforts at concentration to focus on her work and not him.
She was partway through the documents when the corridor door opened and two men came in. Five-ten, muscular but not intimidatingly so, dark hair clipped short, they could have been clones of each other. They carried identical aluminum cases.
“Mr. Vanetta’s expecting us,” one of them said to Bri.
Nick rose from the couch and went to meet them.
“Come on in here, guys. I’ll show you where to get started.”
Lindsey tried to ignore them and focus again on the list Bri had given her. But after she’d gone over the same item several times, she finally gave up and slid it back into the folder. She tried studying some sketches but that didn’t work, either. Somehow, even when he wasn’t in the same room, Nick distracted her. He walked the two men through the office and apartment, talking to them as he went. That same low, quiet voice, deep and thick like warm honey sliding over a plate was like an undertone humming in her brain.
She looked up when he walked back into her office.
“The guys will go ahead and get started.” Nick stood in front of her desk. “One more thing. I’m changing the locks on all your doors so they can only be accessed with key cards. Just you, Brianna, Mark, and I will have them. And Guardian will have a master key card.”
“The building management frowns on not having access to all the offices,” she told him. “In case of emergency.”
“I’ll take care of the management. That’s part of what you’re paying me for. Chuck and Allen here will be working around you. Just ignore them. I have to run back to the office. While I’m gone, try to keep working as if this is a normal day. I’ll be back in about an hour with a contract for you to sign, and we’ll go to lunch.”
“Lunch?” She stared at him. “I usually have a sandwich sent in or grab something from the apartment.”
“I need to go over the contract with you,” he explained, “and I don’t want anything going on here to distract you.”
“Oh.”
The expression in his eyes was serious, even though there was still heat simmering there. Or did she just imagine it?
“Lindsey.” His voice was low and patient. “Right now there’s someone out there who thinks he or she is running your life. When I said we were going to change that, I meant we were going to pass that control to me. I know what to do. You don’t. You’re going to pay a hefty price for my services, and I want to be sure you understand how thoroughly we’re going to protect you.”
She wasn’t sure at the moment who was making her more insecure—the stalker or the bodyguard.
“All right, then. I’d better get to work”
“Good.” He flashed a brief but still lethal smile. “I’ll see you in an hour.”
As soon as he left, she collapsed back into her chair. There were so many feelings boiling inside her she wasn’t sure she knew what to do with them. After her last disaster, she had sworn off men, but of course, she hadn’t expected someone like Nick Vanetta to walk into her life. She didn’t know whether to thank Quinn or kill him.
She was still sitting in her chair, immobilized by her thoughts, when Brianna buzzed her. “What’s with the hunk? Is he for real from a security agency?” She lowered her voice. “He can guard my body any time.”
Lindsey sighed. She hoped she didn’t have to give Brianna the lecture about professional behavior. “Come on in, and I’ll explain in more detail.”
Brianna’s eyes were snapping with curiosity when she pulled up a chair. “Okay, give.”
“You told me I needed protection,” Lindsey said in a careful voice, “so I’m getting some. I ran all this by a very close friend who used to be a prosecutor, and he set up this appointment. The owners of Guardian Security are friends of his and top notch in their field.”
Bri frowned. “Do you really think you need to go to such extremes?”
Lindsey studied the other woman. “Didn’t you tell me I needed to take this seriously?”
“Well, yes, but…”
“But what? I’m doing it.”
“Doing it how? Don’t you think I should know?”
Quinn had cautioned her about sharing too many details with her staff. Just to be on the safe side. But Lindsey had no doubts about either Brianna or Mark.
“For one thing, I’m putting in a security system. After the episodes with the photos and the way they were left here, I agreed it would be a good idea. Mr. Vanetta will make other suggestions as he assesses the situation. His primary focus will be my safety.”
“Uh-huh.” Brianna grinned. “That’s why he looks at you like he’d like to devour you, right?”
“Bri, that’s absurd.” She made her voice as firm as possible, even as her pulse ratcheted up at every pulse point. “He does no such thing. And the fact that he’s good-looking has no effect on the arrangement at all. Would you rather I look for someone who’s ugly? I just want whoever will do the best job.”
“Uh-huh,” Bri repeated. “We’ll see.
Too bad she was a great assistant and totally dependable, or Lindsey might have told her to mind her own business. But over the time they’d worked together, the formality of the arrangement had become blurred so she held her tongue. What made it worse was the way the whole situation irritated her. Why in hell had someone picked her to torment this way?
“This is business, Brianna, just like I said. Nothing more. So don’t read something into it that isn’t there.” She sighed. “I’ll go over the Randolph papers again and get them back to you.”
The moment Brianna walked back to her own desk, Lindsey began furiously scribbling notes on a yellow pad. Damn Quinn anyway. Why couldn’t he have sent her someone middle-aged and fat?