He shrugged. He didn’t really have a reason for not telling her. There hadn’t been a need to, so he hadn’t. He wasn’t used to sharing anything with anybody. “I didn’t want you to alarm them. The less they’re involved, the safer they’ll be.”

“Whatever, I don’t care why you didn’t tell me. I’m too excited.” She jumped off her bed like a little kid about to open Christmas presents.

“There’s also a spa I want to go to.”

“That should be fine. As long as I can see you at all times, I can deal with it.”

“I can probably work it out so you can get a massage by a sexy Swedish masseuse.”

He rolled his eyes. He didn’t want a massage by anyone but her. The sudden image of her running her hands across the length of his body caused him to stiffen. He wondered what it would feel like to have her hands and mouth all over his chest…

Calista’s intoxicating, melodic voice brought him back to reality. “I see not all males are as evolved as Robert. It’s a pity really. I know you’d love it.”

With a guilty conscience Dane grabbed his coat and followed Calista out the door.

“I’m surprised Nikolai didn’t insist on coming with us.”

“He’ll meet us later. Right now there are some things he needs to take care of.”

She threw Dane a sideways glance. “Do you ever get tired of it all?”

“Of ‘what all’?”

“Secrets, lying, and half-truths. You might have left the CIA, but it sure hasn’t left you.” She shook her head.

“I’m more sick of this than you realize.” He raked a hand through his hair and depressed the elevator button with more force than necessary.

He was falling for her. There was no use denying it. Maybe at first it had been only lust. Now it was so much more. The thought of her hating him caused such an empty feeling in his stomach he had to push the bile in his throat back down.

****

On the way to lunch, Aidan heard his band members talking but he wasn’t actually hearing anything they said. All he could think about was Calista. Beautiful Calista. It had been too long since he’d seen her in person. The truth was he could have found any number of singers to do the duet with him, but he wanted her. There was a softness about her he enjoyed. She hadn’t been hardened by the industry. Not like him.

Every since Heather broke up with him, all he had wanted to do was see Calista. He still loved Heather. Unfortunately his chance with her was over. She’d already moved on to someone new and hadn’t been shy about telling him so.

Calista was different. She understood his lifestyle and she was easy to be around. He’d tried getting in touch with her on numerous occasions over the past few months. Thanks to Robert, her bulldog of a manager, it had proved next to impossible.

Now it seemed he had a new hurdle to jump. The bodyguard. He hadn’t even spoken to the guy, but he’d seen those icy blue eyes staring him down. Sizing him up. Ready to pummel him if he so much as looked at Calista wrong. He had a feeling he could be distracted easily enough. It would just take careful planning.

****

Calista spotted Lexi already seated inside the coffee shop and threw her a half wave. She wanted time alone with her friend but wasn’t sure how to tell Dane. He saved her the trouble and offered to sit elsewhere. He was close, but not within hearing distance.

“I’m glad they let you out from your house arrest.” Lexi laughed and hugged her.

Calista sighed with contentment as she took her seat. “I don’t know what came over the two of them, but they’re giving me my freedom today. Maybe they’re doing it out of guilt for being such barbarians. Whatever, I don’t care as long as I get to see you.”

“How have you been? You look stressed.” Lexi’s pretty dark eyes furrowed.

“I’m fine. It’s just frustrating being a prisoner in my own home.”

“That’s not exactly what I meant. What’s going on with you and Dane?” Lexi asked.

Calista chose to ignore the knowing look in her friend’s eyes. “Nothing is going on with us. Besides him driving me crazy of course. Why would you even ask that?” Calista wasn’t sure who she was trying to convince more, Lexi or herself.

“Maybe it has something to do with the way he looks at you. That man’s eyes haven’t left you since you’ve been here.”

“He’s supposed to be watching me.”

“Well, the way he watches you is not at all professional. The man looks at you the way I look at an ice cream sundae.”

Calista shrugged, but felt her face redden.

“And,” Lexi continued, “It’s obvious you feel the same way. I could see it when you were in the hospital.”

“It doesn’t make sense, Lexi. Most of the time I can’t stand him. Then the other night we kissed…”

“He kissed you?” Lexi’s eyes widened as if Calista just said she ate children for breakfast.

She hadn’t meant for it to slip out, but shat was the big deal? Just because she hadn’t had sex in a couple years didn’t mean she was dead.

“Sort of. I dragged him and Nikolai to the Liquid Lounge.”

“Yuck.” Lexi’s face scrunched up in disgust.

“I know, but the VIP room was secure and I know the owner. Anyway, they thought they might have seen the guy and Dane thought the kiss would enrage him enough to make a mistake.”

“Hmm.” Lexi was thoughtful.

“What? I don’t like that look.”

“I was just thinking it’s convenient, that’s all.”

“No, he’s not like that. He’s actually been completely honest about everything.” She paused before continuing. “I just feel guilty.”

It took Lexi a second before she nodded in understanding. “You mean because of Rachel.”

“Yes. I just feel like I’ll be betraying her somehow.”

“Life just happens sometimes. There’s no reason for it. You need to let this go. Rachel is dead and I think you blame yourself more than anyone. I’m going to give you my opinion whether you want it or not. You’re using Rachel as an excuse to keep him at arms length. You haven’t had a real relationship since Mike, and that barely qualified as one considering he tried to blackmail you. You haven’t let a man get close to you since that. I don’t blame you, but you’re different now. You’re a smart, independent woman, not that naïve little girl anymore.”

“Thanks for sugarcoating it, Lexi.” Calista grimaced and took a sip from her mug.

“I’ve known you too long. I knew you before you were ‘Calista Kingston’. Hell, I knew you when you were a scrawny little redhead with braces and an overbite.”

“Fine, since you’re so full of advice, what do you suggest I do?”

“Just be open to taking chances. That’s all I’m saying.” Lexi glanced past Calista in Dane’s direction and frowned. “Where’s your other shadow?”

She shrugged. “I have no clue. They’re very evasive about everything. It’s annoying but I’m getting used to it. Oh, by the way, there are people watching all of your houses.”

Lexi’s dark eyes widened, Calista shrugged again. “Hey, they don’t consult me about anything. I just found out about it myself an hour ago. I’m honestly relieved to know the three of you are being protected though.”

“I guess its fine, as long as that grinning buffoon isn’t the one watching my house.” Lexi snapped in a manner that was so out of character Calista practically choked on her coffee.

“Grinning buffoon? Nikolai?”

“I ran into him in the hospital before I realized who he was. Later in your hospital room he introduced himself and he never wiped that stupid smirk off his face.”

“Lexi!” Of the two, Nikolai was definitely more relaxed. How could anyone not like him?

“I’m sorry. He rubbed me the wrong way.” Lexi shrugged and picked up her mocha.

“That’s a mighty strong opinion of someone you barely know. He actually reminds me of…” Calista’s voice trailed off and she stared into her coffee cup.

She couldn’t believe she’d almost said his name. She fished for something else to say but came up short. If she could crawl into her coffee cup and hide, she would.

“Sean.” Lexi finished for her. “It’s okay, you can say his name.”

Three years ago, and five weeks before Lexi’s wedding, her fiancé had been shot and killed at a routine traffic stop. She was still amazed at how well her friend had withstood the trauma. For the six months directly after his death she’d barely come out of hiding. There was an almost visible sadness that sometimes enveloped Lexi, but she managed to keep her feelings buried. Survival and all that Calista supposed. Whatever it was that kept her friend going, she admired her for it.

“Sorry, Lexi, it just slipped out.” Calista wished she could kick herself. She wanted to bury her head in a deep hole.

“Don’t apologize. Sometimes I wish we talked about him more. There’s so much about him I miss. Sometimes I’m afraid that if I don’t talk about him I’ll forget the important things.”

“Not possible.”

Why hadn’t she seen this before? She glanced over at Dane to see him deep in conversation on his cell phone. “How about I get another drink for us?”

Lexi nodded and for the next hour she listened to her friend recall stories about Sean. For the first time since his death she felt like she understood her friend’s grief. There was pain in Lexi’s voice, but she could tell that more than anything Lexi just wanted to be free to talk about Sean. After his death the rest of them had avoided talking about him because they had assumed that’s what Lexi wanted.

Lexi glanced down at her watch and heaved a sigh of exasperation. “I have to get back to the center.”