her?”
He nodded. “For future reference, that’s almost always a bad move.”
“She wasn’t alone.”
“She wasn’t alone. And she was naked.” Stacy winced.
“So, that whole sad, sordid story was to say, no matter how bad you think your marriage was, it could have been worse.”
She managed a smile, although the humiliation shining in his dark eyes made her want to hunt down his ex-wife and show her how an Arkansas girl dealt with cheating, lying hussies. “Noted.”
“And now I need some air. What time do Vince and I meet with Carrie Rivers’s security team, again?”
“Three,” she answered, rising from her seat as he stood. “Would you like me to call Vince Russo for you?”
Harlan shook his head. “I’ll do it. Listen-be careful this afternoon while I’m gone. I can probably arrange for one of the CSI guys to cover you until I can get back.”
“I’m picking up Zachary from the stables at three, then working from home. I’ll be in view of your security folks the whole time.” She slanted a wry smile at him. “I promise I won’t wander off.”
He didn’t return the smile. “You need to take the threat seriously, Stacy.”
“I am,” she assured him, growing sober. “I still think Lila’s the main target, but people may try to get to her through me and my son. I get that.”
“Good. I don’t want to see anything happen to either one of you.” Harlan walked her to her office. “Let me know if you have any trouble with the hotel accommodations.”
“What are you going to do, yell at them until they fall in line?” she teased.
“I might,” he answered with a grin.
She smiled back. “I think I can handle it without any shouting.”
His expression softened, and he reached out one big hand and cupped her jaw, the touch tender and a little tentative. “Be careful,” he said, his voice gruff.
“I will,” she promised. It took every ounce of self-control she had not to turn her face into this touch.
The sound of footsteps around the corner made them both give a little start. Harlan dropped his hand to his side and backed away, letting her enter the office alone.
She closed the door behind her, something she didn’t normally do, because she was afraid if she didn’t close herself off to Harlan in some way, she’d end up following him outside and suggesting they get some air together.
She was still thinking about Harlan when she walked down to the stable to pick up Zachary after his riding lesson. Would it be so bad, really, to give in to the feelings she was fighting? Would it hurt anything to see where her attraction to Harlan-and his to her-could take them?
Anthony had crushed her heart, but Harlan wasn’t Anthony. The more she got to know him, the more obvious that fact became. Harlan seemed to be crazy about Zachary-he’d bought him a couple of horse books, for Pete’s sake. He asked about him all the time and he seemed to genuinely find pleasure in Zachary’s company.
But was that enough to build a relationship on? His being nice to her son?
Zachary had so many other problems he’d have to deal with in his life. Screwing him up just because she was feeling lonely and needy was a great way to win Worst Mother of the Year.
She’d do anything for Zachary, give up anything for him.
That was just how it had to be.
Trevor wasn’t around when she got there, but Cory was letting Zachary help him mix the feed for the horses when she walked into the big barn. She had to wait for Zachary to finish his task before he even acknowledged her presence.
“Did you have a good ride?” she asked as she walked him back to the guesthouse.
“Mommy, what’s a bitch?”
Her steps faltering, she turned to look at him. “What?”
“Get the bitch out of my way.” Zachary said the words in a gruff, mimicking voice. Then, in his regular voice, he asked, “Why is the bitch in his way?”
She crouched next to Zachary, alarmed. “Who said that?”
“The big man.”
“Cory?”
“No. The big man.” Zachary lifted his hand high over his head. “Why is the bitch in his way?”
“Zachary, that’s not a nice word to say. It’s a word that’s meant to insult women, and it’s a very mean thing to say.”
“Why?”
She rose and took his hand, tugging him with her. “It’s just not nice. It compares a woman to a dog.”
Zachary was quiet for a few seconds. Then he asked, “Why is it bad to be compared to dogs? I like dogs.”
“Dogs are great,” she agreed, “but they’re not women. I guess dogs might not appreciate being compared to people, either. Don’t you think?” She tried to keep her tone light, though a thousand scary questions ran through her mind, starting with the most obvious: How had Zachary gotten near a big stranger who wanted someone out of the way?
“Where did you meet the big man?” she asked him, feeling a little flutter of relief when she spotted Rob Sanchez manning the checkpoint twenty yards from the guesthouse. He smiled at her and greeted Zachary with a handshake.
“Everything okay, Stacy?” Rob asked, making her wonder just how disturbed she looked.
“Yes, thank you, Rob.” She tugged Zachary’s hand when it became apparent he was thinking about lingering to pester Rob.
When they were safely inside the house, she sent Zachary to wash up in the bathroom and dialed Harlan’s cell phone number.
He answered on the second ring, his voice low. “Can I get back to you? We’re just finishing up with Carrie Rivers’s security crew-”
“No, I don’t think it can wait.” She quickly told him what Zachary had said. “Am I crazy to feel a little freaked out by this? Someone he doesn’t know-maybe someone we don’t know-was talking about getting someone out of the way.”
“No, you’re not crazy,” he said firmly. “Sit tight-I’m on my way.”
HARLAN UNLOCKED THE FRONT DOOR of the guesthouse, glad to see Stacy had taken precautions. He found her pacing in front of the sofa, her expression full of anxiety.
“Where’s Zachary?” he asked.
“In his room playing,” she said, moving forward to meet him in the middle of the living room. When he held out his arms, she stepped into his embrace, pressing her cheek against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, loving the feel of her body pressed to his in a way that had nothing to do with sex and everything to do with an overwhelming sense of completion.
She felt right in his arms. She fit.
“It’s going to be okay,” he murmured, and prayed he was right.
She gazed up at him, clearly wanting to believe. “I should have stayed at the stables and asked a few questions, but all I could think of was getting Zachary back home.”
“Absolutely the right thing to do.” He gently eased away from her, lifting his hands to cradle her face in his palms. “I need to go talk to Cory-you said Zachary went riding with Trevor Lewis, right?”
She nodded.
He didn’t want to leave her, but he had a job to do. With Rob Sanchez outside and Stacy doing a great impression of a mother grizzly on the inside, Zachary should be safe enough until he got back. “Lock the door behind me. I’ll be back soon.”
“Be careful,” she said.
He touched her cheek lightly, then headed back outside.
“Is something wrong?” Sanchez asked as Harlan passed him.
“I hope not,” Harlan replied.
But he couldn’t shake the sense that a whole lot of trouble was coming their way, and fast.
