The scene from her apartment flashed into his mind. Dont shut that! I like it open. And again he found himself wondering whether her desire for the open window was induced by preference or need.
Ill take this one, she finally decided, after looking at the three selections. The one shed chosen was across the hall from his, and faced the ocean. But he had a feeling it was the porch roof right below the window, rather than the spectacular view it afforded, that had decided her.
He didnt comment on her choice, merely set her suitcase down near the closet. Then he turned to face her, hands tucked into his pockets. Theres an adjoining bath, and I called ahead, had the kitchen fully stocked. Sleep as late as you want. Ill see you in the morning. Well have a big breakfast.
A small smile flickered across her mouth. Its already morning, and I rarely eat breakfast.
He was striding to the door. Youll need your strength tomorrow. Im going to start showing you some self-defense tactics. Do you know how to shoot a gun?
At her silence he glanced back, saw her jaw hanging open. No. Why would you want to do that?
He reached the door, rested a hand on the jamb. So youll feel safe, Amber. While she was still regarding him from rounded eyes, he gently closed the door behind him, but didnt walk away. Not yet. He waited. One minute. Two. Then he heard her footsteps, a pause, the slight scrape of wood against wood.
Shed opened the window.
From the position of the sun in the sky, Sara concluded that shed slept far later than normal. She rarely had the opportunity to sleep late, and even more rarely, the inclination. Sleep meant dreaming, and her dreams had never made for restful nights.
As she showered and dressed, she considered the surreal sequence of events that had brought her here. Nick had managed their escape with ruthless efficiency. With her elbow in one hand and her suitcase in the other, hed walked her out the front door of her apartment building, right up to the cruiser parked at the curb. Hed informed the officer inside that he planned to take Sara home with him, even inviting him to contact Chatfield about the idea. Nick had given him his address, then guided Sara to the car hed parked illegally on the other side of the street.
Back at his family home, he had gently coerced her to eat a light dinner, and to speak with his grandmother again. Although it was obvious that Celeste was curious about her sudden reappearance, this time with Nick, she made no mention of it.
Then, following a timeline known only to himself, hed risen, kissed his grandmothers cheek and guided Sara out the back, across the grounds. When shed seen the chopper on the pad waiting for them, the whole scene had taken on a James Bondish aura.
Mansions. Helicopters. Private jets. Beach homes. Shed lived in dozens of states over the last few years, donned as many identities. But her lifestyle had remained constant. With no friends or family to help her, no education, and credentials that wouldnt stand up to scrutiny, she worked minimum-wage jobs, staying in clean but cramped apartments. It was no surprise to her that money could make a great many things possible. But it did surprise her that Nick Doucet would use his to help her.
Toweling her hair with one hand now, she walked to the window. The sun turned the water a shattering blue that hurt the eyes even as it beckoned the body. She cupped a hand to shield her gaze and watched as a figure swam up to shore, then rose out of the ocean.
Nick. Her blood pumped warm and molten. He strode naked out of the water, like a mythical god rising from the waves. With his hair slicked back and that glorious body gilded by the sun, every bone, sinew and muscle was highlighted in sensuous detail.
Her mouth went abruptly dry. The day in the rain-stormyesterday?shed guessed at the power in his lean hard body, but nothing in her experience would have led her to imagine the reality. She was unused to such imaginings, in any case.
At that moment he looked up, and their gazes met for an instant. An echo of the electricity that had flowed between them the day before flickered to life. Dismayed by the intensity of her reaction, she stepped away, strangely shaken. She was almost convinced that she had nothing to fear from the man.
But she was no longer certain she could make the same claim about herself.
When Nick offered her another Belgian waffle, she pushed her plate out of reach. No, thanks. I usually work through breakfast, remember?
Were going to have to change your eating habits. You need to build muscle.
His casual assessment of her needs annoyed her. I prefer my weak useless build, thanks.
His dark eyes met hers. For an instant, she was reminded of the look theyd exchanged earlier when hed caught her watching him come out of the ocean. When shed admired his build. To hide her response at the memory, she reached for her orange juice.
I was serious last night, Amber. For your own peace of mind you need to learn to defend yourself. Im not suggesting it will help in every situation, but having some skills in that regard will make you feel more secure.
I can manage on my own.
Really? He matched her challenging tone. Howd you sleep last night?
Her hand faltered, very slightly, in the act of setting down her glass. Fine, why?
His smile was faint. Liar. But that will change. Youll be tired enough from our daily workouts to get a decent nights rest. Sleep is important to overall health, too.
She was starting to get a really bad feeling about all this. What did you have in mind?
The wariness in her voice seemed to amuse him. Nothing too diabolical. Daily running. Conditioning. Self-defense tactics. Have you been following any sort of fitness regime?
It was all she could do not to laugh. No, Ive been kept rather busy working for a living. And staying alive.
Imperturbably, he wiped his mouth with his napkin and rose. Put on a pair of tennis shoes and meet me outside. He left the room, seemingly unaware of her glare. She really shouldnt be surprised that he was a man used to issuing orders. But shed never been particularly fond of following someone elses directives. The time was nearing for Nick Doucet to find that out for himself.
An hour later she was bent over, hands resting on her knees, breath sawing in and out of tortured lungs. She hated running, always had. Wasnt this why shed failed gym in ninth grade? Well, that, and the fact shed skipped the class most weeks. Even then development of a healthy lifestyle had been the least of her worries.
She heard footsteps approaching, then a pair of hard masculine legs filled her vision. Refusing to look up, she willed her breathing to even out.
Not bad for the first time. Well try again after supper, see if you can push it a little farther.
Without changing position, she slowly raised her head. You have got to be kidding. Didnt he realize that shed felt like dropping ten minutes ago? It had taken sheer stubborn pride to get her this far, and she knew darn well they hadnt been jogging for more than twenty minutes.
Cmon. You can walk back.
Crawling was more her speed at this point, but it seemed she had more pride than sense. She straightened, turned back toward his house. Look, she said, when she could speak without wheezing. I appreciate the thought youve put into this.