Someone To Watch Over Me (14 page)

She glanced around and thought about the
living room with its view. This loft must’ve cost him some serious
money and appeared to be an odd choice to raise a child in.
However, if Emma is Christy Thomas's daughter, having a quiet,
secure, paparazzi-free location would be an absolute necessity.

She turned and started unpacking her
suitcase. The drawers on the dresser held Emma's clothes, so she
settled on taking the extra hangers in the closet and hanging as
much of her clothing as she could. Finally, she lifted the suitcase
off the bed and deposited it on the floor of the walk-in closet.
She'd fish her way through the rest of her clothes as she needed
them. She picked up the tote bag with her makeup and headed to the
bathroom. As she stacked the toiletries on the counter, she heard a
shower on the other side of the condo.

Morgan finished, returned to the bedroom,
stripped out of her dress and threw on her robe. A hot shower
should help her relax enough to get a good night's sleep.

After the shower, she slid into the teddy and
shorts. The steam from the shower caused the soft fabric to cling
to her damp skin. She opened the door to the bathroom slightly and
peered out. The loft was quiet, and the lights were out. She
scurried down the hall.

Once inside the bedroom, she flung the robe
on the dresser and proceeded to pull the comforter back. Suddenly
she froze. She wasn't alone, and as she turned she caught Shawn
standing at the doorway. She winced as she realized with the
stickiness of the silk on her skin he must’ve gotten quite a view
of her. She scrambled over, grabbed her robe and slid into it. Once
she had tied the sash, she looked up and crossed her arms across
her chest.

“Is there something you need?” Despite her
attempt to appear nonchalant, her voice sounded breathy and
nervous.

He broke his gaze and glanced down at the
floor. Shawn wore a pair of faded five-o-one jeans and his damp
hair was finger-combed away from his face.

“Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. I wanted to
find out what the schedule is for tomorrow.”

She slowly dropped her arms as she realized
he was uncomfortable too. “I planned to spend most of the day at
the store, but I need to go back to Copper Creek in the afternoon.
Also, I forgot to tell you this, but I’ll be spending the night
after the fundraiser at the resort. Things will end late, so it'll
be easier to take a room.”

Shawn nodded. “Do you have your room
booked?”

“I've booked a suite. My parents are supposed
to have the room on the other side. Do you want it?”

He paused and a tiny upturn to his lips
appeared as if he was amused by a private joke.

“Would your parents mind if they got
bumped?”

“Probably not, I'll make arrangements
tomorrow.”

“Thanks. Goodnight.” He turned and closed the
door behind him as he left.

Morgan exhaled and ran her hand through her
hair. What was that all about? Earlier he practically bolted out of
the room and appeared to be avoiding her, now he shows up without
warning. She waited a couple minutes and listened. Once she was
sure he wasn't returning she shed her robe and crawled in bed.

He walked into the store and Morgan looked
up from the display case at him but she couldn't make out his
face.

“Morgan, I’ve come for you” It was him! The
faceless man extended his hand for her.

She turned and darted out the back door
before he cleared the display cases. She slammed through the fire
door in the storage area and raced down the alley. She didn’t know
where to run to, all she knew was to run away from him. He followed
her. She could sense him catching up. Afraid to look over her
shoulder and slow down, she sprinted on. The pounding of his feet
on the asphalt behind her grew louder.

She pushed harder. Her heart pounded, and
her lungs burned as she tried to continue her flat out run.
Scrambling into the undeveloped desert at the edge of the shopping
center, she darted through the scrub and cactus. Her clothing
caught and was tugged and yanked by the vegetation. The wind kicked
up, and angry storm clouds darkened the sky with flashes of
lightning and the low growl of thunder. Morgan cast a glance over
her shoulder as he closed in and grabbed her.

“No, get away from me.” Morgan screamed as
she flailed her arms violently to toss him off.

Morgan awoke with a jolt. The beat of her
heart thudded in her ears, and she drew quick short breaths.
Suddenly a flicker of light appeared outside the bedroom window,
and within moments the rumble of thunder followed. She lay down on
the sheet, pulled the comforter up, and stared up at the ceiling.
Another lightning flash exploded, and the crash of thunder sounded
before the light faded. The window rattled violently, and she
squeezed her eyes shut in an effort to block out the storm.

After several minutes of listening to the
creak of the windows and the boom of thunder, Morgan slid out of
bed, put on her robe, and walked into the living room. The drapes
to the sliding door on the balcony weren't drawn, and she watched
the storm tear across the night sky.

“Morgan, are you all right?”

She jumped and then shoved her hands into the
terrycloth pockets in an effort to look relaxed. “I'm fine.” But
she wasn’t, the lie was obvious.

Shawn moved closer and stood next to her.

She turned away and stared at the glass door.
“I'm okay. I had a nightmare.” She peered over at him. A flicker of
lightning lit up his face. His blue eyes focused on her. Her first
thought was that he’d think she was a drama queen, but the worry
mirrored back at her from his eyes made her chest tighten.

“I'm sorry I woke you up. Go back to bed.
I'll be...” She stopped, unable to finish the sentence as her lips
trembled. She took a deep breath and pressed her lips tightly
together.
He must think I’m an idiot
. Morgan closed her eyes
in an effort to stop them from watering further. She wouldn't
cry.

Shawn stepped over to the end table and
turned on the lamp.

She crossed her arms and stared back at him
hoping to bluff her way through this with a show of strength. “I
dreamt of my stalker. He chased and caught me.” Shawn moved closer
and wrapped his arms around her, drawing her to him.

“Breathe.”

Morgan melted into him as she wrapped her
arms around his waist. She felt the steady rise and fall of his
chest. He reached down and pushed a tendril of hair off her face as
she gazed up at him.

Shawn's eyes darkened, and he slid his hand
under her chin and gently lifted it. He lowered his lips closer.
She closed her eyes and waited, but he didn't kiss her. He was so
close. She could feel his warm breath caressing her cheeks.

Please
, she silently prayed.

His lips softly touched hers. Morgan slid her
arms around his neck. The kiss deepened, and she felt his tongue
tease her lips. He pulled back and slowly his lips traveled across
her cheek and down her throat. Morgan sucked in a breath and held
it as she tilted her head, giving him greater access. He nuzzled
her and returned to her lips. This time the kiss was followed by an
almost imperceptible nibble on her lower lip. She pulled back and
opened her eyes. Shawn’s lips curled into a soft smile, and he
leaned in again for another kiss.

Morgan slid her hand from his neck and down
his chest where she paused. She swore she could feel the steady
thud of his heart. Her fingers traveled lower and he tensed,
released her, and pulled back out of her arms.

What had happened?

“I'm sorry,” Shawn said. His voice was low,
guttural and breathless.

Morgan paused. Did she hear him correctly?
She studied his face. His expression was a mixture of anticipation
and regret. Her lips tingled, and she took a step back.
He was
turning her down?
She threaded her hand through her hair and
swept it back from her face. “What?” She whispered.

“I can't do this Morgan. I’m sorry, I've
stepped over a line I shouldn't have.”

His flushed face and rapid breath meant he
was interested. Morgan resisted looking lower, but she’d bet he was
more than interested. “I don't understand…”

“Look, let’s chalk this one up to us getting
caught up in the moment.”

Morgan felt as if she'd been slapped.
Oh
my God. He still loves her.

She shoved her hands into the robe’s pockets.
“I'm sorry. I misunderstood. You said you weren't married, and I
assumed you were divorced. Had I known you two were still
together...” Morgan stopped, fearing to finish the sentence out
loud.

“I'm not divorced.”

She glanced up and took a deep breath. “Okay,
you're going to have to help me here. I'm a little confused. What
exactly is your status?”

He dropped his gaze, and his eyes traveled
the room. He looked everywhere but at her.

“Christy and I were never married. When the
job ended, we went our separate ways.”

“But you have a daughter,” Morgan said.

Shawn gave a short cynical laugh. “Yeah, we
do. I didn't know about the pregnancy until weeks later. I offered
to marry her, but getting married to her bodyguard would’ve ended
everything she worked for.”

He stopped talking and stared out the window.
The grief and regret in his voice was impossible to miss. Morgan
tamped down the urge to walk over and touch him.

“I fought for custody of my daughter, and we
came to an out-of-court arrangement. I'm not supposed to talk about
what happened. No interviews, no tell-all books, absolutely no
publicity. In exchange, I got a chance to start over and be with
Emma several times per year.”

Morgan listened in silence. Now the pieces
fit. The fleeting moments of warmth and the retreat to professional
detachment that always followed. He'd been hurt, and in no way
would he sign up for that kind of pain again.

“I don't know what to say. I'm sorry.”

Shawn shot a look at her. “Promise you won't
say anything about Christy and Emma. You can't go public, or there
will be hell to pay.”

His eyes held a mix of concern and firmness
which led her to believe that if she didn’t agree she’d see a side
of him she’d rather not know existed. “Okay?” he pressed.

“Absolutely, I won't say a word.”

He flashed a relieved smile. “Good.”

Morgan crooked a smile. “Good? That's all it
took? Whew! That was easy. What happens if I do a National Enquirer
interview? Do you have to kill me?”

Shawn smirked back. “That might be a problem.
I'm supposed to protect you.”

Morgan broke eye contact and stared at the
skyline outside the window. Her stalker, this unknown man, haunted
her like a ghost.

“See you tomorrow,” Shawn said.

Morgan continued to stare out the window.
“Good night.”

Shawn waited a few seconds as if he wasn’t
certain what to do next. Then without another word, he turned and
walked to his bedroom. As the distance between them grew, a chill
settled on her shoulders and seeped into her. The door to his
bedroom closed with a soft thump and a click as the latch
caught.

She brought her fingers to her lips. What
would happen when her stalker was caught? The thought that she and
Shawn would go their separate ways made her heart ache
. Dear
God, what have I gotten myself into now?

***

The lightning fingered across the night sky
and growls of thunder always followed. Even here, in the parking
lot, his car rocked gently as gusts of wind buffeted it. He glanced
at his wristwatch. Two hours had passed since he broke Morgan's
arcadia door. The police should’ve left and he guessed it would be
safe to drive back to her house. Right now, Morgan would be
fighting a losing battle to keep wind and sand out of her house.
“Serves her right,” he muttered. Morgan would have to learn if she
didn't do what he wanted, she'd pay the price.

He started the engine and eased his car out
of the parking lot. His fingers tapped nervously on the steering
wheel. More than anything, he’d like to push his vehicle a little
faster, but the last thing he needed right now was to get pulled
over for speeding. The police were on patrol, and tripping up on
the little stuff could bring his plans to a screeching halt.

Twenty minutes later, he turned down the
single lane road which led to the development where Morgan’s home
sat. The street appeared quiet and there was not a patrol car in
sight.
So far so good.
Her house appeared in the beams of
his car’s headlights and he turned his lights off and did a slow
drive-by.

The house was dark. He scanned the front yard
and peered at the windows in an effort to find some sign of life
inside. Where was she? The question ricocheted in his mind like a
stray bullet. “She has to be here,” he whispered.

He doubled back for a second look. “What the
hell?” he hissed.

Pressing the accelerator, he sped up, made a
right turn and headed for the dip in the road which crossed the
wash. He'd have to check this out on foot, but he must hurry.
Leaving the car by the road would attract the attention of anyone
who drove by. Still, he had to know if Morgan was there.

He pulled the car off to the side and turned
the engine off. He swung the door open and stepped into the sandy
soil. The hair on his arms tingled just before the sky crackled and
hissed above him, and a lightning bolt lit up the darkness. For a
few seconds, the desert looked as if someone had turned on a light
switch. A boom of thunder erupted before the light completely
faded. The concussion rolled through his chest like a bomb, and he
instinctively flinched from the noise.

As the thunder softened, he straightened and
considered what to do next. -His sensible side told to return to
the relative safety of the car and leave, but the other side, the
inner voice that knew his dreams, screamed at him to continue down
the sandy dry creek.