He'd bet his silver Jag that underneath those nondescript casual clothes, Addy wore some skimpy pieces of lace and silk. Nick imagined her wearing emerald green bikini panties and matching bra, both the color of her incredible eyes.
Suddenly Nick noticed that Addy was deep in conversation with a slender dark-haired man in a three-piece business suit. Nick didn't like the way the man looked at Addy, as if he had some type of claim on her. And he hated the way Addy smiled and then laughed at something the guy said. She'd never smiled at him that way, and he realized that he wanted to hear her laugh—with him, and not another man. While Nick stood back watching and brooding, the delivery boy approached Addy. 'I'm looking for Addy McConnell.'
'I'm Addy McConnell.'
The boy handed Addy the huge green vase of red roses. 'These are for you, ma'am.'
Addy accepted the floral gift. Nick noted the surprised look on her face. Obviously it wasn't her birthday or any other special occasion. She turned toward her office, motioning for her companion to follow. Nick took several tentative steps forward, stopping just outside her open office door.
She set the flowers on her desk, then removed the attached card. Her smile widened. Her green eyes brightened. Nick wanted to know who'd sent the flowers that gave Addy such pleasure.
He marched into her office. 'Morning.' He looked directly at Addy, then shifted his gaze first to the flowers and then to the man standing beside her. 'Just checking in. If you have a few minutes, we need to talk.'
'All right. Come on in, Nick, and have a seat.' Addy sensed Nick's displeasure, but couldn't quite figure out what was bothering him. Did he feel as awkward about Saturday night as she did? Neither of them had spoken about the incident in front of the mirror. All day yesterday they had walked on eggshells around each other. 'I'd like you to meet Jim Hester, a friend of mine who just happens to be one of M.A.C.'s top engineers. Jim, this is Nick Romero, the man Daddy's hired as my personal bodyguard.'
What was it with her? Nick wondered. Did she have a thing for engineers, or just engineers who worked for her father? And who was this guy, really, in whom Addy had confided about the attempted kidnapping? 'Hester.' Nodding to the other man, Nick held out his hand.
Jim Hester shook hands with a firm, forceful grip that surprised Nick. The guy looked like a typical desk jockey with his pale complexion, thinning brown hair and slender build. 'I'm certainly glad to know that Addy's in such good hands, Mr. Romero. She's a special lady and we wouldn't want anything to happen to her. Tiffany and I are both very fond of her.'
'Tiffany?' Nick asked
'My daughter. She's one of the three-year-olds taking a juice break right now. So, if you two will excuse me, I'll go join her while y'all talk business.' Jim headed for the door, then stopped and turned around. 'You never did say who sent the roses.'
Nick didn't realize that he was holding his breath until Addy read the name on the card. 'Brett Windsor.'
'What the hell is Windsor doing sending you flowers?' Nick's outburst seemed to have startled Jim and angered Addy, both of them turning to stare at him.
'Brett Windsor? I thought you'd convinced him months ago that you weren't interested,' Jim said, smiling.
'I did, but Brett occasionally still sends me flowers.' Addy glared at Nick. 'Gentlemen do that sort of thing, you know. They treat you with respect and consideration. Things that Latin lovers obviously bypass on their way to seducing women into their beds.'
Jim Hester cleared his throat. Addy's face flushed. Nick badly wanted to hit something.
'I'll stop back in and say goodbye before I return to work. If you two will excuse me, I'll see if Janice has an extra apple juice.' Jim made his way out the door as quickly as possible.
Nick slammed closed the door to Addy's office. 'So little Plain-Jane McConnell has two men in her life, huh?'
'It's not what you think.' She didn't know why she was trying to explain to Nick about her relationships with Jim and Brett. Neither man loved her or desired her physically. One was only a friend and the other—
'Brett Windsor is good-looking and charming.' Nick flung his arm out in a gesture of disgust as he pointed toward the roses. 'He knows all the right things to say and do to impress a lady, but you know as well as I do that he's far more interested in Rusty's millions than he is in you.'
'You don't think that I'm attractive enough to interest a man like Brett?' She threw out the challenge, daring Nick to reply. Smiling she leaned over and smelled the roses.
'Whether or not Windsor finds you attractive has nothing to do with this. The man is a user. He's been living off Dina for years.' Propping his cane against the desk, Nick reached out, grabbing Addy by the shoulders. 'Don't you realize that Brett Windsor is just as capable of a kidnapping scheme as your ex-husband? Encouraging him, for whatever reason, is a mistake.'
'I have done nothing but discourage Brett. I'm not a total fool. Besides, I think you're overreacting because you're jealous of Brett's relationship with Dina.'
'Dammit, Red, you say such stupid things! Dina is nothing more to me than a friend. I found out at an early age that she's poison to any man who cares about her.' Nick pulled Addy close, so close that her breasts crushed into his chest. 'Windsor is on my list of suspects. Stay away from him.'
Addy twisted and turned in Nick's arm, trying to free herself. She hated the way he made her feel—all hot and damp and eager. 'You're only my bodyguard. That doesn't give you the right to interfere in my personal life. The next thing I know you'll be telling me that Jim is on your list of suspects so I shouldn't see him anymore.'
'Jim Hester isn't a suspect. Not yet.' Nick lowered his head until his eyes met Addy's and his lips hovered over hers. 'What's this Jim got that interests you so? He looks like a pretty ordinary guy. Is he divorced or widowed?'
Addy swallowed. She was hot. Nick was too close. She couldn't think. 'Widowed. Why?'
'I just wondered … because of his daughter. She doesn't have a mother, then, does she?'
'No.' Addy slipped her hands between her body and Nick's, giving him a shove. He held fast.
'I take it that you're very fond of Tiffany Hester.'
'Stop questioning me like this. I don't like it.' She struggled against him. 'And I don't like your manhandling me whenever the notion strikes you. I may be your responsibility, but I'm not your personal property.'
'That's a matter of opinion.' Nick had never felt so possessive, so proprietary about a woman. He hated the thought that Addy might actually be interested in Brett Windsor or Jim Hester. Neither man was right for her. If either of them had been able to stir Addy's passions, she wouldn't turn into a smoldering flame every time he touched her. He, Nick Romero, was the right man to teach Addy what a sensuous woman she really was. No other man could do it. No other man would be allowed to even try. Hell, he was the only man who was ever going to touch her.
'When you interrupted Jim and me you said that you needed to talk to me, so say whatever you came here to say and leave. This place is crawling with security. I don't need you here and I certainly don't want you.'
Nick glared at her, his black eyes boring into her. 'How upset is Ginger Kimbrew that Rusty is marrying Dina?' Releasing Addy, Nick picked up his cane and stepped away, turning his back toward the wide expanse of windows that covered the back wall of Addy's femininely decorated office.
Addy sat down behind her white desk. 'Ginger was Daddy's mistress for a number of years. She probably had high hopes of becoming the second Mrs. D.B. McConnell.'
'How do the two of you get along?' Nick glanced around the room, taking note, for the first time, of the dainty lavender-flowered wallpaper, the matching gingham checked curtains at the windows and cushions on all the chairs. Ferns and green plants in various sizes filled every available space where sunlight could touch them.
'Ginger and I have never been close, but we've always been friendly. Why do you ask?'
Nick saw the realization dawn in Addy's eyes. 'A woman scorned is capable of almost anything, right? What I'm wondering is if Ginger wants revenge against Rusty enough to plot the kidnapping of his only child.'
'Oh, Lord, I'd never considered Ginger.'
'Consider her. It won't pay to overlook any possible suspect and every conceivable motive.'
'You don't think the motive is money?'
'I don't know. Hate and revenge are often as powerful as greed.' Nick turned to her, wishing that he could give her the answers to all the questions he saw in her eyes. 'Just don't trust anyone. Except your father and me.'
