Kelli
This was the third time in just a little over a week that Kelli had company. First, her father’s hired goon broke down her door. Then he sent another bodyguard to replace him. Now this. When Kelli peeked through the peep hole, she was certain she must’ve been seeing things. No way was the gorgeous guy at her door really who she thought he might be. But after opening the door, she nearly swallowed her gum.
Stunned didn’t even begin to describe what Kelli felt as she stood there, staring into those eyes. She watched as Isaiah stepped back to double-check the address of her house and then glance down at his phone again. He shook his head, his expression as confused as her own.
“I, uh . . .” he said, turning back to his car, then brought his attention to her again. “I’m looking for a Raquel?”
She nodded, still not completely convinced she wasn’t dreaming this. It did stand to reason she might be dreaming of the one man she still hadn’t been able to forget. “I’ll call you back,” she said into the headset and hung up. “That’s me,” she said, aware her voice sounded shaky.
He peered at her now. “You’re Raquel?”
Nodding again, she took in everything about him: those beautiful luscious lips—lips she’d never forget—and the thick lashes that draped over his eyes as he glanced down at his phone and then back up at her again.
His piercing eyes darkened suddenly. “You’re Raquel . . . Stimpson?”
Hearing him say that name made her mouth drop open. This couldn’t be happening. No way. How? He was a firefighter in San Diego. Kelli shook her head, and that seemed to ease his hard expression.
“Does she—?”
“No, I mean”—she shook her head, a little more adamantly—“I am Raquel, but I’m not.”
Not surprising, he seemed even more lost. So she opened the screen door, glancing around to see if there was anyone else out there with him. “Why are you here?”
“I was sent by R. Royalty Security firm. I’m here for—”
“Oh my God,” she gasped as what she’d begun to think sunk in. “My father hired you?”
He stared at her with the same disbelief she was feeling but nodded. Kelli shook her head, motioning for him to come in. Pausing the game on the television, she dropped the controller she’d been holding but kept the headset on. She then rushed to get her phone. “I just got rid of the last guy they sent. But you . . .” She continued to shake her head, even as she hit speed dial. “You’re a firefighter, not a bodyguard.”
She saw him frown just as her dad’s voicemail recording started. “I need to talk to you as soon as possible. Why are you still sending men to guard me? Call me.”
Hitting the end button, she pulled the nerdy headset off then glanced up at Isaiah’s piercing eyes. Instantly, she felt the need to take a deep breath.
Isaiah continued to peer at her with an almost disgusted expression. “So you lied about your name too?”
“No,” she said then felt her brows pinch. “What do you mean ‘too?’ I never lied to you about anything.”
“You lied when Nathan introduced us, and you pretended we’d never met before.”
“You did too,” she countered, lifting her chin.
“Because it would’ve been too awkward to explain to my brother in front of everyone how I knew his girl.”
“So that makes it okay for you to lie but not for me? It was awkward for me too.”
“Why?” he asked, his eyes going even darker. “I had no idea what was going on, but according to what you claimed later, you weren’t dating him. So it shouldn’t have been awkward for you.”
“I wasn’t dating him, and up until he introduced me as his girl, I actually considered telling him the truth.” Isaiah’s unimpressed expression had her adding something quickly. “Maybe not everything, but at the very least that I’d met you before—only after that it just didn’t feel right."
Her eyes were distracted by his lips as he pressed them together then licked them. But then he spoke again, and once again she was caught in his intense eyes. “You lied to my brother about owning that salon.”
Her shoulders slumped and she let her head fall back. She was still completely confused. Why was Isaiah Romero, the guy she was still moping about having let slip through her fingers even after all this time, standing there glaring at her, hundreds of miles away from where she’d lost him?
“My name is Raquel, and I do own both salons back in California.”
She exhaled loudly then sat down on her sofa, motioning for him to take a seat anywhere, but he didn’t. He stood there just inside her front door as if he were still debating whether he should stay or go.
Before he could leave without giving her a chance to explain at least this, she persisted. “My employees were instructed to tell anyone that might come asking about me that I was just an employee and I moved away and didn’t leave a forwarding address. My last name is the only thing I have to lie about now. It really is Santana. I just had to change it in order for my dad to set me up with a fake ID so I couldn’t be tracked down. It’s also why I’ve been stuck out here in Mayberry for months.”
To her surprise, she saw humor flitter in his eyes as he leaned against the doorway. Of course, he’d think her predicament was funny. He’d thought her a liar all this time. No telling what else he thought of her, given how she’d slept with him the first night she met him then went out with his brother just weeks later. He never had seemed quite convinced she hadn’t slept with Nathan either.
“I don’t understand why they’d send you here?”
“I left the fire department last year,” he said simply then pulled out his phone and began tapping it. “But don’t worry. We’ll get this straightened out and get someone else out here for you.” He chuckled humorlessly as he brought the phone to his ear with a frown. “Believe it or not, this would’ve been my first assignment. Now it’ll be the second one cancelled in the same day.”
Feeling her mouth fall open again, she quickly closed it. How in the world had this happened? Of all the men who could’ve ended up assigned to watch over her, the very last one she’d ever expect was here. Although, clearly, it wasn’t something he was going to even consider now. Before she could ponder that any further, her own phone ringing broke her out of her daze.
“Dad,” she said as soon as she answered. “Why didn’t you tell me you were sending someone else?”
She motioned to Isaiah, who was already speaking with someone too, that she’d be right back and walked off toward her bedroom.
“You wanna keep working at that damn dairy farm and strolling around leisurely in town like there aren’t men out there actively searching for you; then you better believe I’m having you guarded. And if you fire this guy, I’m sending Gordo back the moment I get word you did. I can’t be dealing with private security firms for this anymore. Every change they make, I have to sign a whole new contract. I don’t have time for that shit with everything I have going on.”
“How long am I supposed to hide here? Until you no longer have enemies? Because we both know that’s never gonna happen.”
“I’ve been in this business for years, Raquel. This is just one snag, and we’re working on getting it unraveled. It shouldn’t be more than a few more weeks. I’ll keep you posted. Now are you gonna cooperate and let this guy keep an eye on you or do I need to send Gordo again?”
Feeling the knot at her throat, Kelli was already nodding. “Don’t send Gordo,” she whispered.
“Thank you!” he said, sounding a little too satisfied. “Just sit tight. This will be over before you know it, and you’ll be back in La Jolla in no time.”
Once off the phone she walked back to the front room, dreading having to explain all this to Isaiah. But mostly she dreaded the fact that, unless Isaiah could work it out so they could switch guards for her without her father having to redo the contract, she may be spending weeks maybe months with Gordo. The man was as ruthless as he was reckless and his father’s most feared goon. Just as he’d broken down her door when she hadn’t opened it fast enough the day he showed up here, he was relentless when it came to doing his job. Not to mention he was huge. A blood-curdling scream in the middle of the town’s silent night would have a better chance of going unnoticed than Gordo walking through town with her.
Yet she wasn’t sure which would be worse: having to spend weeks maybe months with Gordo or Isaiah? Could she handle spending weeks alone with the only man she’d ever loved? A man who even after all this time she hadn’t been able to clear from her mind and heart? Someone who was making it crystal clear even now that he had zero interest in so much as a business relationship with her?
Despite all that, a tiny place in her heart had always held on to the hope that it was only because of his loyalty to his brother. He’d never said he didn’t feel for her, only that he couldn’t. The miniscule chance still existed that maybe someday she’d have a shot with Isaiah again. Not only would she never forget he admitted he just couldn’t, she’d seen something in his eyes that last night they’d spoken. Felt something in the way he gazed into her eyes when they’d said their final good-byes.
Kelli stepped into the front room, and Isaiah glanced at her even as he still spoke on his phone. It jolted the memory of the very first time she’d laid eyes on him. She’d never seen such a beautiful man in her life. That smile . . . Those eyes were so perfect she’d felt shallow for needing to catch her breath. She’d been certain he’d be full of himself—that she’d hate him as much as her eyes loved him.
And then he’d spoken to her.
His voice had been as perfect as his features. She’d felt that same incredible ease he’d made her feel when a guy like him should’ve had her barely able to breathe, let alone speak so freely. She’d been instantly drawn to him.
Kelli had been certain she’d seen the last of Isaiah. Now here she stood staring at him silently from across the room. It had to mean something, right? She couldn’t waste such a rare opportunity to try and regain what she’d believed in her heart she’d lost forever.
Neither said a word, yet unlike that first weekend when their silence never once felt uncomfortable, it nearly suffocated her now. He’d just hung up, and it was obvious in his face things hadn’t gone as smoothly as he’d hoped.
“Your father made it clear if they had to re-sign any more contracts for this arrangement he’d just terminate his contract with my cousin’s firm altogether.”
She nodded. “Yeah, he just told me the same thing. He’ll send the guy he originally sent out before I demanded he not send one of his guys. They’re too hardcore and would no doubt stand out in this sleepy little town.”
“So he is sending someone else out?” He was already tapping something on his phone’s screen, ignoring the fact that she’d just said she didn’t want any of her dad’s guys watching her. “Good to know because I can’t stay, but as long as someone else is coming, then I can let my cousin know I’m out for sure.” He brought the phone to his ear again. “I only told him to hold off making any calls because I thought this meant you’d be left without any security.”
For an anxious moment, she almost asked if he might consider staying but then thought better of it. She’d already left him with a pathetic impression before leaving La Jolla.
“Hey, Moe, her dad’s sending someone else out. She won’t be alone for long.” He was quiet for a moment then frowned. “And why is that?” His jaw clenched; then he scowled at her. “How soon can your dad have someone out here to relieve me? I can’t leave you without security until he does. It’s in the damn contract.”
As much as her heart yearned for another chance with this man, she was done swallowing her pride. It was one thing to have done it back then when she’d had no choice. There was no reason for doing so now.
Her phone was already at her ear. “I’ll call him right now.” She walked away and into her bedroom, infuriated that after just minutes of being around him she was already choked up, but she refused to show it. “Dad,” she said as soon as he answered and lowered her voice. “Is there anyone else but Gordo you can send out here ASAP.”
“What? Why? I thought we were done with this. Why can’t you just cooperate and—?”
“It’s nothing like that,” she said quickly, trying to swallow back the emotion. Jesus, she thought she was over this! “I just happen to know this guy. He says he’s not comfortable with this. Neither am I. It’s incredibly awkward. Can you just please, please send someone else?”
She heard her father grunt then ask her to give him a second. Kelli leaned over to get another peek at Isaiah in the front room. He was pacing slowly from one end of the room to the other. He turned sideways, giving her a nice view of his perfectly chiseled profile, the one she’d stared at more than once while he’d slept soundly. It only made the ache in her heart that much more intense.
“Two days,” her dad said suddenly. “Soonest I can have someone out there is two days.”
Kelli gasped. “Two days?”
“Yeah, these things take time, Raquel. I don’t understand—”
“Okay, send Gordo then,” she said, feeling completely panicked. “I don’t even care anymore. Send anyone.”
“Gordo’s not available until then either.”
“What?” Kelli glanced out the door again as her stomach plummeted. “You don’t have anyone?”
“No, not until then and I don’t want you alone, Raquel. That’s final.” She heard him inhale then exhale. “Look, honey, I know this hasn’t been easy for you, and I gotta say I’ve been a little surprised you’ve been so patient about it, but I promise you this is almost over. I’ll get someone out there in two days. I’ll even make sure it’s not Gordo. After that, it’ll only be a little longer.”
Feeling completely defeated, Kelli had no choice but to agree and hung up. She took a deep breath before walking back into the front room. “Two days,” she said with a wince.
“Two days?” Isaiah repeated, as if she’d just given him a life sentence with her here. “Why two days?”
As much as his aversion to being there with her hurt, it was beginning to piss her off. She lifted a brow in an attempt to match the annoyance on his face. “He doesn’t have anyone available until then.”
She crossed her arms in front of her in an effort to mask with anger the hurt of knowing how unwilling he was to spend even two days around her now.
“Fuck,” he muttered as he tapped his phone again.
“You know what?” she said, glad for the irritation that softened the ache his rejection of her made her feel. “Why don’t I just fire you? Is that why the other guy was able to leave before someone relieved him? Because I fired him as opposed to you requesting to be replaced? If that’s the case, then I’ll fire you, and you can leave now, since staying here is going to be such a sacrifice for you.”
“Good thinking.” He pointed a finger at her and then brought the phone to his ear. “Her dad can’t get anyone out here for another two days. I’m not staying here that long. But if she fires me, I can leave, right? Isn’t that why Iggy got to leave before I got here?”
What had begun to look like a smug expression morphed into the same sour one he’d worn before she suggested firing him.
“You’re kidding me? But she’s firing me! You can ask her yourself.” He practically thrust the phone at her. “Tell him you don’t want me here.”
She took the phone with a glare. “I don’t want him here,” she said through her teeth.
“Yeah, but he requested to be taken off the assignment first,” the guy on the other end said. “I can’t take the liability of something happening to you between now and two days from now when your dad gets someone out there, especially since you’ve already talked to your dad and he knows what’s going on. He’d have every right to sue my ass.”
“I’ll talk to my dad and make sure that doesn’t happen.”
“Unless he’s willing to sign a release form or he can get someone out there sooner, my guy’s gotta stay there.” To her surprise, she heard him chuckle then add, “My guy’s not so bad.”
Kelli rolled her eyes then turned and met Isaiah’s still too annoyed eyes. “Your guy’s the one that started bitching about not wanting to be here. I’m just firing him and don’t want him here anymore because he’s being an asshole now.”
Something beeped and she glanced down at the screen. Isaiah had another call coming in from Valerie. She shoved the phone at him. “You have another call coming in.”
Their eyes met, and for a millisecond, her breath caught because of what she still saw in his. But the moment was over as quick as it started. Isaiah glanced down at the screen and tapped it, sending it to voicemail, but didn’t take the phone from her.
“I’ll call her back. You just get this straight so I can get the fuck out of here.”
“You see,” she said, bringing the phone back to her ear as anger overwhelmed her, despite the dazed moment she’d just had. “You think I want your guy here with that attitude?”
“Whoa. Yeah, what’s that about? Let me talk to him.”
She thrust the phone into Isaiah’s hand. “He wants to talk to you,” she said, walking away because she didn’t want him to notice what his blatant abhorrence for her was doing to her.
“She called me an asshole. This is what I’m talking about.”
“Oh, no, you don’t!” She spun around to glare at him. “I was being perfectly civil to you, until you started being rude.”
Isaiah ignored her, rolling his eyes as he brought his hand to his forehead and paced. “How am I supposed to watch her from a hotel room anyway? You heard her. She doesn’t want me here, which means I’m not sleeping here tonight. So what difference does it make if I stay on the assignment or leave?”
He groaned, cursing some more under his breath before walking the phone over to her again. “He wants to talk to you again.”
She took the phone from him and brought it to her ear. “Yes?”
“Listen. Can’t you two just call a truce for the next couple of days? Make it easier on yourselves? Per the contract, your dad’s paying for someone to watch you day and night. Isaiah can’t leave. If your dad’s willing to sign another contract or release, I can get him out of your hair, maybe even send someone else in his place, but until then, he has to stay.”
“Fine,” she said, feeling beyond annoyed, not to mention completely humiliated about Isaiah’s utter refusal to be around her. “I’m not the one that started this argument in the first place. If he can sacrifice two days here without acting like a whiny little bitch, then I’ll allow him to stay here. But if he keeps being rude, then I want him out.”
She thought she heard the guy chuckle again. Then he cleared his throat. “Thank you,” he said, sounding all business again. “Can I talk to him again please?”
Handing the phone to Isaiah, she saw how he glared at her now too. Two days couldn’t come fast enough. Despite what a jerk he was being, her heart could barely take the torment it was being put through now and he’d just gotten there. Being around him two days would be the end of her.