Vegas Vacation (3 page)

She grinned. “That would never do. Besides, I want to call the hospital and ask about Raleigh.”

 

****

 

Tamlyn lay in the bath, the phone clasped to her ear, more than a little irritated with hospital bureaucracy. “Yes,
I
understand that. What
you
fail to understand is that Raleigh is my bodyguard. Therefore, he's my employee, and I need to know how he's doing.”

The tight and tired voice spoke again. “I'm sorry, Lady Bradshaw. Lord Bradshaw requested no information go to anyone apart from himself and the police, which I've done. Now if you don't mind, I have patients waiting.”

Tamlyn stared at the phone as it went dead. She climbed out of the bath, wrapped the long white toweling robe around her, and padded across the cold floor, back into the main room. “Sgt. Ames?” She injected a sense of urgency into her voice. She knocked on the open door. “Sgt. Ames?”

“I'll be right out.” His voice came from the other bathroom.

Tamlyn moved over to the fridge and opened it. Pulling out the carton of juice, she poured herself a glass and tossed in several ice cubes.

“What's wrong?”

Tamlyn turned as her new bodyguard rushed into the room. Obviously in haste to reach her, he wore only a fresh pair of jeans. His long hair dripped water down his chest.

Her gaze trailed up and down his lean, fit body, lingering on the burn scars on his abs and stomach.

A cough raised her eyes back to his face. “I'm sorry, Sergeant. Did you say something?”

“I asked what was wrong, but if you'd rather me do a twirl so you can stare at my back as well, I can.”

Tamlyn's face heated. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare. I phoned the hospital, and they won't tell me anything. Except that they sent a report to Dad and the police. So I figured as you're the police, I'd ask you to call.”

“And for this you drag me out of the shower?”

“I need to know.”

Sgt. Ames rolled his eyes. “I'll let you know soon as I do. How's that sound?”

“That's fine, thank you.” Tamlyn paused. “Can I ask you something?”

“Can I go put on some clothes first?”

His eyes lingered on her and Tamlyn pulled her own robe tighter.
Though honestly, I deserve that for ogling him first
. “I'll get dressed, too.”

“We'll eat downstairs in one of the restaurants. You can choose which one.”

Tamlyn stood there as he turned and headed back into the other bathroom, closing the door behind him.
His back's unscarred. I wonder what happened
. She shivered, not expecting the depth of reaction within her. For some reason she didn't fathom, this bloke had surely gotten to her.

 

****

 

Tamlyn sat at the corner table in the restaurant and looked over at her bodyguard. His white buttoned shirt and jacket hugged his body. Not that she needed to imagine what lay underneath it. She forced herself to focus on his face. He'd ordered chicken and plain vegetables for the both of them with soda for her, and iced tea for him. Not that she minded. She was hungry enough to eat anything. Except she wouldn't drink iced tea if they paid her—tea needed to be hot. Any other way of drinking it was just—weird.

Sgt. Ames smiled. “That's a pretty necklace you're wearing.”

She touched it automatically. “Thank you. My grandmother gave it to me for my birthday several years ago, just after I become a Christian.” She ran her fingers over it. “I never take it off. Going back to Raleigh, did you get the report yet?”

“Not yet.” He put his fork down and sipped his drink. “According to you and your father, Raleigh was fine when you left home. You both ate the same thing on the plane, which rules out the airline food.”

Tamlyn smothered the chicken with cranberry sauce. “It does?”

“If it was the food, half the passengers on the plane would be sick. There are no more cases like this anywhere. I checked.”

“There wouldn't be. Garth insisted we fly over on Dad's private jet. So, if not the plane or at home, when? Raleigh never lets me out of his sight, except when I'm in the bathroom.” She winked at him. “So I keep a whole selection of books in there and tend to vanish for several hours to read.”

Sgt. Ames grimaced. “Duly noted. Reminder to self—check the bathroom for books. And remove them.”

She chuckled. She did love his sense of humor.

“What about dinner last night?”

“I had pizza from room service. Raleigh wasn't hungry and went to bed early.”

“Hmmm. OK. What about breakfast this morning?”

She shook her head. “I had toast. Raleigh was sick all night.”

“Does he have any enemies? Is there anyone who'd want to hurt him?”

Tamlyn almost dropped her fork. “What, you think someone did this deliberately? I mean, he drives me nuts at times, but I don't want him hurt.”

“It's a possibility we have to consider, Lady Bradshaw.”

Tamlyn looked at him over her glass. “Sergeant, will you please stop with the Lady Bradshaw thing? I get enough of that at home from the servants. My name's Tamlyn.”

Sgt. Ames smiled, his eyes twinkling. “Sure, as long as you stop with the sergeant thing. I get enough of that at work.”

“You
are
working.” She paused. “And sergeant is your rank, right?”

He sucked in a deep breath. “Most cops my age have put in for promotion by now. I actually turned it down because I prefer working the streets to a desk job.”

“I can understand that—sitting around all day isn't my thing, either.” She looked at him pointedly.

“Tamlyn, you want to go sightseeing, right?”

Tamlyn nodded, ignoring the way her stomach flip-flopped as he said her name. “I didn't fly several thousand miles to Vegas to sit in a hotel room.”

“And I have orders to protect you. So, I propose a compromise. I'll be your guide as long as you don't fight me over the way I do things. If I say something isn't safe, or we can't do it, I'll have a very good reason for it.”

Tamlyn nodded. “And in return, I don't get Garth.”

“OK.”

She took a bite of her food. “Thank you, Martin. Speaking of having things covered, I couldn't help but notice your burns earlier. What happened?”

Martin looked uncomfortable. “I got caught in a fire fifteen months ago. We were on surveillance when something went down. I ran into the building, while Vance, my partner, called for backup. I could hear the gunfire as I ran up the stairs. I shouted a warning, and the gunman turned. He had explosives strapped to him. He smiled as he set them off. Everything went white. The blast threw me back down the corridor into a steel fire door. I couldn't breathe, move, or do anything other than sit and watch the wave of fire coming straight for me. I managed to get my arms over my face, but...”

Tamlyn put her fork down and put her hand over his. “It must have been awful.” She watched Martin struggle for a moment until he regained control.

“It wasn't easy. I spent ten months in rehab, getting skin grafts and learning to walk again. I leave this job in five weeks for medical reasons.”

Tamlyn held his gaze. “Oh? Surely you can't be too unfit for the job, or they'd never have had you back.”

“My reasons for leaving are my own.”

An awkward silence filled the gap across the table.
Touchy subject…OK…
“Fair enough. What will you do instead?”

“I don't know, but I'm sure God has something planned. He hasn't let me down so far and I'm sure He's not about to start now.”

She shuddered inside at the way he spoke of God as if He were a real person. Sure, she went to church, but God was for Sundays, emergencies and bargaining with. Not for every day, common or garden stuff.

He looked at her and then lowered his gaze to their hands. “I'd like to eat the rest of my meal before it gets cold.”

Tamlyn pulled back her hand. “Sorry.” She looked down at her own plate, picking at her food. “So, is there a Mrs. Ames?”

Martin shook his head. “No. My girlfriend didn't want to be ‘saddled' with my scars. She dumped me right after the fire.”

“Her loss.” She caught the look he shot her and shrugged. “I mean, if she's that shallow, then you're well shot of her. She obviously didn't love you.”

“Ha.” Martin pointed his finger over his drink at her. “That's what my father said.”

“There you go, then. If both of us think that way, then we must be right.” Tamlyn finished her meal and picked up her drink. “Can we start going around the Vegas monopoly board after we're finished?”

“Tomorrow would be better. You mentioned that before. How does that work?”

“You know it's all casinos rather than streets, right? So it's like visiting every street on the London board. Only you go visit the casinos and buy a chip from each one. My friend did it a few years ago.” Tamlyn glanced across the room and then put her hand over her face to shield it. “Can we go?”

“Go where? I said we'd leave the casinos ‘til morning.”

She shook her head and leaned in to whisper. “I want to go back up to the suite. Mr. Blue Suit from earlier is making eyes at me from across the room.”

Martin followed her gaze. “I'll go talk to him.”

Tamlyn shook her head and grabbed her bag. “No, you won't. Raleigh's idea of ‘having a word' would be to beat seven bells out of him. I don't want a fuss. Let's just get out of here.”

“I'll be right back.”

Tamlyn watched in dismay as Martin walked across the restaurant. Why couldn't he do as he was asked? He stumbled at Blue Suit's table and gripped it to regain his balance. She held her breath as the men exchanged a few words. Then she let out the breath she didn't realize she was holding as Martin continued to the bar where he requested something.

He leaned against it, his eyes constantly scanning the room and keeping contact with her, before he returned to their table, holding up the bottle of water. “Take this.”

“What do you think you were doing? I said
don't
talk to him.” She shoved the bottle into her bag.

“It was a “no fuss” casual conversation; get his name, things like that so I can check him out. Detective remember? Just because you're both from the same country doesn't give him the automatic right to try to pick you up.” Martin waited as she stood. “So, what have you got against being called Tammy?”

“My father calls me that. Makes me feel six.”

“OK. No calling you Tammy.” He gave her a mischievous grin. “Unless you act like you're six.”

Blue Suit got up and started to move over towards them.

She instinctively moved closer to Martin.

“Kiss me. He's coming over.”

Martin smirked. “What?”

“If you kiss me he might get the hint and go away.”

Tamlyn gasped as he slid a hand down her face, the slight touch sending her weak at the knees. Then his arm slid around her waist, his lips covered hers, and she closed her eyes. She parted her lips slightly, and he took it as an invitation to deepen the kiss. Blue Suit was forgotten as every nerve in her body came to life as a tsunami of fire rushed over her and she surrendered.

“Excuse me, you dropped your sunglasses.”

Tamlyn's face flamed as Martin thanked the man and then kissed her again.

Tamlyn stared at him, taking a deep breath as the man in the blue suit walked away. At some point she'd forgotten to breathe as she was distinctly lightheaded.

Martin smiled. “He's gone.”

She nodded, dazed at the strength of his kiss and the depth of the reaction he'd instilled in her.
I hope it isn't apparent he's the first man ever to kiss me
. “You did that on purpose.”

“I distinctly remember you asking me to kiss you.” Martin inclined his head. Again, he smirked.

She searched for words, flummoxed.

“Save it, you're welcome. Let's go.” He slid his hand into the small of her back, steering her towards the lifts.

She walked slowly, his light touch burning her. She could taste him on her lips and tongue. Was this normal? She couldn't ask. She didn't want to appear a total novice in front of him. Nor did she understand why his touch on her back drove her crazy, but couldn't ask that, either.

They reached the suite, and Martin opened the door. “Not like you to be this quiet. Are you that scared of strangers, or was it the kiss?”

He had to end it with a taunt.

“I'm tired. It's been a long day. I might go to bed.”

He nodded. “OK. Just so we're clear, use a bed in your suite, not somewhere else in the hotel.”

“'Night.” She went through the suite to her room. Shutting the door, she leaned against it, her fingers going to her lips. There was something about that man that drove her crazy…and not the normal sort of crazy that bodyguards instilled in her.

 

 

 

 

4

 

Tamlyn jerked out of a deep sleep as her phone rang. She reached out and grabbed it, her heart racing. “Hello?”

“Morning, Tammy.”

“Hello, Dad.” She glanced at the clock. “What's wrong? It's a little early for a chat.”

“It's eight thirty in the morning where you are, and that's not early.”

“Not for you, maybe, but it is for me.”

“Did you have a late night?”

“No, I had an early night. It was a long day with Raleigh being sick.”

The tone of her father's voice changed. “Yes, I rang the hospital. He's still no better. To be honest, I'm a bit perplexed. How come he got sick and you didn't?”

Tamlyn threw the covers back and stood, pulling up the straps of her vest top. “Maybe he ate something he's allergic to.”