Bedded by Her Bodyguard (Billionaire Bodyguard Series) Page 2

  Although she was adorable when she got all worked up, the pink stain on her cheeks making her clear blue eyes pop. He’d never met anyone with eyes the exact color of a cloudless sky in summer. She even smelled like summertime, like a field of untouched wildflowers filled with daisies and lavender. Right now he wished they were surrounded by nature and nothing else. He would lay her down on a blanket hidden by tall grasses and taste her lips. Slide between her thighs. Make love to her for hours.

  The image made him hot, made the blood flow heavy in his veins, in spite of the wind whipping around them as he guided her out onto the platform where their personal car was supposed to meet them. While he shouldn’t have been shocked, the weather this far north in St. Petersburg—whereas he’d grown up closer to Moscow—in mid-October the wind proved bracing coming in off the Baltic Sea. He looked up and down the row of vehicles without spotting the one that had come to retrieve them to a warmer sanctuary.

  Cold rain sheeted against them. Under the shallow awning the airport provided, they received no shield from the driving rain. When he heard Mindy’s teeth chattering, he said, “Let’s meet the car halfway.”

  The relief in her eyes silently thanked him. He cupped his arm around her waist and led her along the line of cars a brisk pace.

  “How will we know which one is the right car?” she asked, her voice muted by the pouring rain.

  “There’ll be a driver with a furious expression after we kept him waiting two hours.” When her eyes widened with concern, he winked. “Just kidding. I know the license plate. Hard to forget the name Markov.”

  “Oh. That’s helpful.”

  Along the way, the wheels of her handle-extended carryon kept catching on her high heels, tripping her up, slowing their progress down the walkway. When standard luggage manufacturers created their products, they didn’t keep someone of Mindy’s petite stature in mind. She wasn’t a one-size-fits-all girl. One of the things he loved about her. He grabbed the handle from her grasp. “I’ve got this. Keep moving.”

  Retracting the extended handle, he gripped the side strap of her carryon instead, which improved their speed. Her stride gained on him slightly.

  “Mindy—four cars down. Markov.”

  Nodding, she made a beeline for the designated transport. The Markovs had made every effort to Americanize his and Mindy’s experience. While Mindy scampered into the back seat, the driver exited the vehicle and took the luggage from Isaac, stowing it in the trunk. Isaac joined her quickly.

  A smile tugged at his lips seeing her blonde hair plastered to her forehead while she tried to swipe it back, flicking droplets onto the pale gray cushions of the town car’s seats. She smiled up at him. “We made it.”

  There she was—totally optimistic, her upbeat personality shining through even the most distressing of situations. He wanted to kiss her, but he knew he’d have to wait. Until a better time when they were in the right scenario, the perfect moment, when she gave him one of those looks where her blue eyes sparkled beyond belief.

  Then he’d capture her chin in his hand and lift her mouth to his. Damn, that moment couldn’t come soon enough.

  Instead of revealing his desires, he expressed his appreciation of her ability to go with the flow, no matter how uncomfortable the past twenty seven hours had been. “You’re a trooper. You know that?”

  As she slicked her hair down her damp ponytail, she shrugged. “I’m excited about this opportunity.” Those sweet blue eyes caught his suddenly. “Aren’t you?”

  Swallowing, he nodded. “I know we’ll make this happen.”

  Then her shoulders fell back. She slumped against the seat and glanced out the window. “I hope so. I really want this first international deal to work out.”

  Oh, he wanted this to work out, on so many levels beyond the professional. If he were wired to be a complete asshole, he would’ve propositioned her right there in the back seat of a town car in Russia. “I want this to work out, too,” he said.

  Accepting the reality, he reminded himself that she had no idea about the life he’d come from, the place he’d been. An adequate existence until the day he met her and realized he needed to make a change. That day, adequate no longer equaled happy.

  On this trip, he looked forward to putting all his sales skills to use in a way he’d looked forward to for a long time, a real challenge. Afterward, he wanted to put his personal skills to showing her how good they could be together. But that required more skill and finesse than he held the energy or opportunity to claim.

  As he glanced at her profile lit by streetlamps, he saw the concern bunched on her features. He wanted more than anything to relieve her stress. “Don’t worry about the luggage. We’ll go shopping tomorrow to replace the things you lost.”

  She squirmed at the thought. “Foreign countries must have different sizes of clothes. How will I figure out what to wear to compensate for my lost suits?”

  “I’ll help you navigate the stores.” A hot fantasy rose in his mind of following Mindy into a dressing room, and using the closet to his full advantage. Sweet God.

  A stressed exhale left her lips. “I can’t exactly afford to replace my wardrobe.”

  “I’ll handle it.”

  “No, you can’t.” A frown formed between her tawny eyebrows. “That’s absurd.”

  When he turned to her, his knee brushed against hers, and she shied away from the contact. He said, “Let me put it to you this way. Don’t you want the right clothes to feel at your best?”

  Beside him she clicked her thumbnails together as she considered his question. “You really are great at sales.”

  “So that’s a yes?”

  She sighed. “Yes. I want to feel good about myself when we meet the clients.”

  “Then we’ll go shopping tomorrow and find some outfits that make you feel like a success.”

  “If you say so.”

  Once again, he saw her self-doubt coming to the surface. Not good.

  So, his first mission was to drape her in beauty. No problem, he’d take her to the most impressive women’s clothing stores. His second mission was to convince her how absolutely stunningly beautiful she was, and that would require more than a new wardrobe.

  Fortunately, he had time to consider his options. The one thing not optional by the end of this trip was returning without her taste on his lips.

  Chapter 2

  “Oh, this is stunning, Isaac!”

  Mindy’s profile between the spread curtains made him want to walk up to her and glide his hand down the perfect white arc of her neck. While he set down her carryon at the base of the bed, she gazed out the picture window of her hotel room.

  “When I lived in New York City with my mother, only a handful of people we knew had a view like this—overlooking the entire city from above.”

  In St. Petersburg, from the hotel room’s vantage point, few buildings rose above eight or ten floors at the most, very different from New York City. The view looked down over everything. The glistening river flowing into the Baltic Sea. The gold tops of spires knifing into the sky.

  “Extraordinary,” he agreed.

  As she stared out at the scene, Isaac gazed at her with excruciating longing. He stood in her room, yet he couldn’t touch her. Her profile was lit by the ambient glow of the light below, yet he couldn’t caress the flawless curve of her cheek.

  Then she let out a tremendous yawn. “I don’t get how sitting in airports while we waited for our flights or being on planes for the past twenty hours makes you exhausted, but I’m ready to crash.”

  Disappointed, he’d wanted to spend time talking with her in the hotel bar, but she looked like she might fall asleep on him. Tangled in sheets in his bed, that would be hot. But in a foreign hotel bar filled with people they didn’t know…not so much.

  “Fair enough. What time do you want me to wake you up?”

  She nibbled her lower lip as she thought. “I guess I can’t order a wakeup call. I wouldn’t know w
hat they were telling me in Russian.”

  “I’ll solve your problem.” He grinned. “I’ll knock on your door. Or call you on your cell phone in the morning.”

  “I forgot about that.” She grabbed her phone and scrolled through her apps. “Here it is, in my ‘tools’ section. I’ll set my own alarm.”

  “Now you’re depriving me of the privilege of seeing you in your pajamas.”

  “Isaac, that’s no help. I have no clothes, remember? I’ve got nothing to sleep in.” She seemed terribly distressed at the thought.

  “Right,” he replied dutifully. “Sorry. We’ll fix that in the morning.”

  Glancing at the bed with a look of longing that had nothing to do with him, she let out another monstrous yawn. “So you’ll wake me up if my alarm doesn’t work?”

  “I will.”

  “Thanks, Isaac.”

  The way she said his name gave him the sensation of honey gliding down his back. Warm, smooth and sensual. Hell, he needed to leave her room.

  Now.

  Before he did something completely inappropriate. Like toss her onto the bed and kiss every inch of her body from head to toe.

  “Goodnight, Mindy.” He closed the door behind him until it latched.

  When he heard the sound of blankets rustling, he swallowed a groan. Tonight would be hell on his libido. Knowing she slept naked in the room next to him.

  Maybe a shot of chilled vodka was exactly what he needed, followed by a cold shower. His fingers reluctantly slipped from her door handle, and he went in search of his native salve.

  *

  The next morning, as Mindy dressed in her rumpled clothes from yesterday, she remembered how sexy Isaac had looked last night. The stubble on his jaw. His dark bedroom eyes. She’d wanted him to stay, but that would’ve been all sorts of trouble.

  While Helen had thrived on gossip and drama, she’d always warned Mindy to keep it out of the office. Probably good advice, but last night, even her mother might’ve had a moment of weakness. Although Mom had experienced a late-life revelation about her sexuality—after her parent’s divorce and a midlife crisis—Mindy suspected that Isaac could inspire even the staunchest lesbian to consider going straight for a night. Just to see his gorgeously muscled, tanned body naked between her thighs. She shivered and her nipples tightened.

  As she finished buttoning her blouse, she also recalled the memorable view of him in the swimming pool at a recent company party. The way droplets of water had slid down his big shoulders. And the unforgettable muscles defining his abs.

  “Mmm-mm.” She shook her head, extracting herself from that memory. After she tucked her blouse into her pencil skirt, she found a comb in her purse and worked the tangles out of her hair. She and Isaac needed to work together closely during this trip. Caving to temptation might be thrilling in the moment, but the awkward day-after would be tough to endure. Isaac Atlas was way out of her league. She wasn’t even on the same ball field in the same zip code.

  Next she checked her phone for her daily horoscope sent via text. She opened it and read:

  The planet Virgo is in your house of Scorpio. Expect an intellectual lover to be mysterious and romantic.

  I wish, she thought longingly.

  As a Pisces with Gemini rising, you thrive in social situations. Today is the exception. Due to Mercury in retrograde, expect all things related to communication and travel to go awry.

  “Ugh, tell me something I don’t know.” She couldn’t begin to guess when their luggage would finally arrive.

  On a bright note, this is a good day to reflect on the meaningful people in your life and express your gratitude for them. Also, today is excellent for opening your mind to experiencing exotic locales. Explore the magic in the world around you, and your troubles will disappear.

  At least this astrologer tended to balance bad news with good. Maybe while shopping she’d find a stellar dress to take back with her as a memory of the positive experiences from this trip. She wished they had more time for sightseeing.

  With a longing sigh, she glanced out her window at the city below. The culture and beauty and history of this place called to her spirit. Maybe she’d convince Isaac to take a few detours if something interesting caught her eye.

  As it turned out, during their initial shopping excursion, everything drew her attention. First, she dragged him across the cobblestone street to a museum. It boasted paintings attributed to Russian artists like Ivan Aivazovsky , Léon Bakst , and female forerunner Maria Bashkirtseva, followed by a Russian-French artist Alexandre Benois. She adored the mixture of Russian classics combined with feminist artwork, as well as works of artists still alive today.

  Then she steered him into a grand cathedral, with glorious faded murals on every wall. Then on to a darling inn that had maintained its eighteenth-century charm, from Peter the Great. So much rich cultural heritage to be explored in so little time. She wanted to weep at how much she was missing.

  When so much splendor lay in wait for her discovery, how could she care about the cold biting into her cheeks?

  Only when she started shivering uncontrollably and her fingernails turned blue did Isaac steer her into the nearest designer clothing store. The scent of pricey cloth enveloped her, tinged with a hint of expensive smelling perfume. Normally, she’d never set foot in such a place, but in this exciting international venue, she wanted to explore everything the culture had to offer.

  As she eyed the foreign labels, she drew close to him and him, “Why does this language try to cram half the alphabet every word?”

  “Prestige.”

  “Oooh,” she said in a hushed response. As if she’d stepped into the presence of foreign royalty.

  Amused by her novice enthusiasm, Isaac laughed. Not at her, he wasn’t making fun of her guile, but this was the first time he’d seen his home country through the eyes of a tourist. “I was just kidding, sweetheart. I’ve never studied the etymology of the Russian language.”

  Apparently, his lack of etymological education didn’t concern her when she faced racks of gorgeous garments worthy of distraction. He couldn’t blame her. This particular store offered exceptional linens for the female form.

  They passed through a set of heavy curtains drawn back by gold tassels. Instantly, a saleswoman appeared and greeted them in Russian. Welcoming them, she asked how she might be of assistance.

  He responded in his native tongue that his lady required the latest fashion collection—and that money was no object.

  The woman’s eyes went wide. She nodded mutely and went on a dedicated hunt to gather clothes that met his exacting standards. Yes, American dollars went far here, but this boutique was on par with Saks Fifth Avenue in terms of quality and price. He was glad Mindy scrunched her face when she tried to read the price tags. She didn’t need to know the exchange for the luxurious garments stacked up in the back for her approval.

  Because he’d never allow her to spend her own money in his presence. Even if she could conceive of his net worth, she’d probably still demand to reimburse him, and he didn’t want that argument. He simply wanted to enjoy her relaxed, confident beauty as she accompanied him while they met their new clients.

  The clerk finished gathering the ensembles, and she shuffled Mindy behind an antique tri-fold screen. When he saw her bare feet peek out from the gap at the bottom, his mouth went dry and his body went hard. The exact same reaction he’d experienced the day he saw her in a bikini at the company pool party. He’d tried his damndest not to stare, and to keep his hands to himself as they’d played pool volleyball. But his eyes and body had been magnetized to her creamy skin and perfect proportions. Her bubbly laughter had kept him in check, reminding him that her bright personality held the greatest appeal. Still, his sex drive almost overrode his more noble intentions.

  Like it did now when she stepped out from behind the screen. Geometrical patterns of black and pink enhanced her curvature at her breasts, waist and hips.

  Hot d
amn. He swallowed, trying to wet his tongue so he could form words. “Exceptional,” he said in Russian.

  Her forehead crinkled. “Is that okay?”

  “Perfect.”

  “Isaac, you have to feel this fabric. It’s as weightless as a slip.”

  Concerned about keeping his urges in check, he reluctantly complied with her request. Running his fingers over the silken texture, he thought of how good it would feel sliding down her body to the floor. He dropped his hand to his side and made a fist so he didn’t reach for her again. “Beautiful,” he murmured.

  The attendant had done her job well and would receive a generous tip. The other four ensembles were also matched to Mindy’s body to perfection. Stylish, fitted to her proportions, and expertly put together.

  In spite of Mindy’s rave reviews about the garments, Isaac suspected he enjoyed the fashion show far more than her. The stiffness in his pants proved as much, and he shoved his hands into his pockets to adjust himself.

  Then her lilting voice drifted to him from behind the screen. “Which one should I wear today?”

  “That’s not my area of expertise,” he said with a low laugh.

  “But there are too many options. I don’t know which one to choose.”

  Who said anything about choosing? He’d purchase them all. “The gray dress with the navy stripe across the middle. I liked that one.”

  “Oh, good. Me, too.”

  Mindy waited while the woman fastened the tedious row of cloth-covered gray buttons that ran down the back of the dress. The rest of the options seemed too expensive and exquisite for her payroll. She could only afford this one.

  To her surprise, the clerk plucked a set of hair products and approached her, telling her to sit down on a tufted settee. Mindy complied, unsure of what was happening.

  The woman took a soft-bristled brush to her long blonde strands, adding a serum to smooth the frizz. Then she twisted Mindy’s hair up into a loose chignon, securing the ends with bobby pins until she looked like Cinderella about to attend the Prince’s ball.