The Billionaire's Bodyguard Bride (20 page)

The night was tailor-made for a celebration. The air was calm and balmy, with masses of stars lighting the sky. A huge tent had been set up by the gardens, and a multitude of lights had been strung all around the surrounding area, transforming the grounds into an ethereal wonderland.

The gala featured a country-and-western theme, with an elegant take on Southern-style barbeque. The tantalizing aroma of grilled steak, ribs, and pulled pork filled the air. Tables lined the perimeter of the tent, and a marvelous buffet dominated the center.

After dinner, their host and hostess made the rounds of the tables. When Chuck and Grace stopped to chat with them, Chuck patted Rafe on the shoulder fondly. “I’d like to meet with you before I make the announcement. If your lovely wife doesn’t mind, may I steal you for a few moments? We can adjourn to my study.”

“Of course.”

A shiver of unease ran up and down Lauren’s spine as she watched Rafe and Chuck walk away. She always trusted her gut instincts, and right now her gut was telegraphing that there was trouble in the air. Grace had moved on to visit with the other guests, so she decided to check the grounds to confirm everything was secure.

Scanning the crowd, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. The fine hairs on the back of her neck prickled when a waiter set his tray down and headed off in the same direction Rafe and Chuck had taken. Her inner alarm bells blared as she noticed the man was wearing sneakers, not black loafers like the rest of the waitstaff.

She sought out her fellow agents, thankful that Frank and Stephanie were milling amongst the guests to provide backup if need be. She spotted Frank first, catching his eye across the room. He nodded, letting her know he’d noticed the inconsistency as well. The need to move on the intruder before he got to Rafe was paramount. Doing so without causing a scene would require a bit of ingenuity.

With an exchange of eye contact and a few subtle hand signals, she and Frank put a plan into play.

Lauren stepped into the waiter’s path, effecting an accidental collision with their target. Red wine splashed all over the man’s pristine white uniform. “Oh no!” she cried out in a believable display of absolute mortification. “I’m so sorry.” She grabbed Frank’s arm as he passed by. “Excuse me, sir. Do you have a handkerchief I could borrow?”

“Of course.”

Fumbling with the square of silk Frank handed her, she blotted at the spilled wine on the waiter’s shirt.

“Don’t worry about it,” the frustrated pseudo-waiter bit out, impatience blazing in his eyes as he shrugged off her efforts. “It’s not a problem.”

“Oh, I think it’s very much a problem,” Frank intoned dangerously, swiftly divesting the man of the weapon concealed under the jacket of his wait uniform. Clasping what appeared to be a friendly arm around the man’s shoulders, Frank bent to whisper in his ear. “We’re going for a little stroll. Don’t do anything to draw attention to yourself or I’ll be forced to make things much harder than they have to be.”

“I’d do as he says if I were you,” Lauren advised. “You really don’t want to make him angry.”

To her consternation, Malcolm approached as Frank led the man away.

“Friends of yours?” Malcolm asked, nodding towards the men. Or is it more like one friend and one foe?”

There was no sense in playing dumb. It was obvious Malcolm had guessed she worked for Sentinels. “Rafe can’t know,” she pleaded. “His safety depends on it.”

Malcolm touched her arm lightly in reassurance. “Don’t worry. My lips are sealed. I have a few secrets of my own. I don’t make a habit of sharing other people’s.”

“I appreciate that. Thanks for having my back. Literally and figuratively.”

He shrugged. “No problem. It’s what I do. What we do,” he amended. “That was nice work just now, Mrs. Dimitriou.”

She tipped her head in acknowledgment. “You would have handled it just as well.”

“Rafe and Chuck are heading this way. I’ll let you get back to the gala while I go make sure our waiter wannabe doesn’t give your friend any trouble.”

Lauren returned to her seat, and Rafe joined her moments later. “Chuck is about to make the announcement,” he smiled.

The crowd burst into applause as Chuck stepped up to the microphone. When the audience quieted, he launched into his speech with a beaming grin.

“When Grace and I began our search for an individual to pass our beloved publication on to, our goal was to find someone who would care as much about
Gracious Living
as we do. We sought someone who possessed the integrity to maintain the values we cherish and the ingenuity to build upon them while bringing fresh enthusiasm to the publication. We consider ourselves fortunate that so many qualified bidders stepped forward to be considered. We’re humbled by your interest.”

Rousing applause filled the air, and Chuck paused before continuing.

“Although it wasn’t an easy decision, one candidate particularly impressed us with his passion and his vision. We feel confident that this individual embodies the principles our magazine was founded upon. And so this evening, on the fiftieth anniversary of the launch of our magazine, Grace and I are delighted to announce that Rafe Dimitriou is the new owner of
Gracious Living
. We look forward to watching him mold a great publication into something even more spectacular.”

The announcement was met with thunderous applause as Rafe made his way to the stage. “Thank you, Chuck,” he enthused, shaking the man’s hand. “And thank you, Grace. Words cannot begin to convey how honored I am to accept the
Gracious Living
torch. It has long been a dream of mine to add a magazine to the Dimitriou Publications fold that would mirror our family’s values. I’m grateful you’ve chosen to entrust your beloved publication to me, but I wouldn’t be standing here tonight if it were not for the support of my amazing wife. Lauren, would you please join me?”

She went to him, a blush heating her cheeks at the unexpected praise. It only flamed hotter when she met Rafe’s eyes and saw the passion burning in their blue depths.

“I’m delighted to have my beautiful wife at my side, sharing my enthusiasm and excitement for this acquisition, as we usher in this exciting new era for Dimitriou Publications.”

Another standing ovation ensued, and then the guests surged forward to convey their congratulations. Milton and Melanie were the last to approach. While Milton commanded Rafe’s attention, Melanie pulled Lauren aside.

“I thought Rafe might secure the deal,” Melanie told her, ice in her eyes. “When he’s passionate about something, he doesn’t give up until he gets what he wants. Now that Rafe has this feather in his cap, Milton plummets to second place.”

“And you feel the need to tell me this because . . . ?”

“I thought you should have fair warning that I don’t settle for second best. Rafe’s victory means I’ll be giving his proposal serious consideration. He’s asked me to leave Milton for him.”

Lauren shook her head, staring at Melanie in amazement. “That’s quite a fantasy world you live in. Even if Rafe were tempted to take you back, which I sincerely doubt he is, he would never choose you over
Gracious Living
. You know full well the importance Chuck and Grace place on fidelity.”

Melanie’s mouth stretched into a thin line of displeasure. “The contract is signed, now. The Fullertons no longer have any say in things.”

“That’s not entirely true. The contract includes a clause that makes it possible for them to reacquire the publication within a year if certain standards are not met,” Lauren told her truthfully. “But even if that weren’t the case, Rafe is a man of character. He’s principled and honorable, and when he gives his word, it means something. He cares about the magazine and what it represents. He won’t sully its reputation by doing something stupid.”

Melanie shrugged, displeasure radiating from her in waves. “Then I guess I’ll just have to be content enjoying Rafe’s sexual prowess as his mistress for the time being.”

“You’re not a very good listener, are you?” Lauren queried, arching a blonde brow. “What part of ‘man of character’ do you not understand? The ‘honorable’ bit or the ‘principled’ part?”

Rafe returned to her side, having divested himself of Milton. “I caught the last part of your conversation, Melanie,” he seethed, his deep-blue eyes flashing dangerously. “I’ve had enough of your ridiculous games. Leave Lauren alone or I’ll have you served with a restraining order so fast it will make your head spin. I’ve already had a chat with Milton, and he understands the score. It would be in your best interest to follow his lead and move along. Are we clear?”

“Perfectly,” Melanie spat, turning on her heel and storming off.

“My hero.” Lauren grinned.

“At your service, my lady.” He bowed. “Are you ready to escape? I’ve been waiting all night to have you to myself.”

“And miss the rest of the party?”

“I’d much rather celebrate privately with you.”

The following morning, Rafe and Lauren returned to his country estate. He pulled up beside a gorgeous stable and turned off the engine.

Grabbing an umbrella to shield Lauren from the rain that was falling, he opened the car door. “Come on. There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”

He opened the stable door and grinned at the look of enchantment on her face with her first glimpse of her new acquaintance. “I should have known you’d take one look at him and forget all about me. It was inevitable. He has that effect on women.”

“And why wouldn’t he? He’s simply gorgeous.” Stroking the stallion’s sleek nose, she murmured soothing sweet nothings in his ear. “I wish it weren’t raining. I can’t wait to ride him!”

“I can see I’m going to have to resign myself to taking a back seat to my gift.”

“Oh, I have no intention of neglecting you. As a matter of fact, I think you deserve a very special thank-you.”

“Hmmm. Sounds interesting. What kind of a thank-you do you have in mind?”

“Well for starters, have you ever made love in a hay loft? It’s always been a fantasy of mine.”

“Well then, I’ll thoroughly enjoy living out that fantasy with you.”

He led the way up the barn’s pine staircase to a cozy loft. “So tell me how this fantasy of yours goes, Mrs. Dimitriou,” he encouraged, laying a soft, thick blanket down on the gleaming hardwood floor.

“It starts with me taking off your clothes. You won’t need them for what I have in mind. Then I thought I might entertain you with a little striptease, seeing as one of us will still be overdressed.”

She removed his garments slowly, one by one. Then, shimmying and swaying to the beat of the rain falling on the roof, she stripped off hers.

“How am I doing?” she queried seductively.

Rafe stood fixated, mesmerized. “It’s safe to say you merit a solid ‘exceeding expectations.’”

“You haven’t seen anything yet,” she returned saucily. “Would you like to know what’s next?”

“I’d rather you show me,
agapi mou
,” he murmured huskily.

And she did, taking ‘exceeding expectations’ to a whole new level. When he couldn’t hold out a second more, Rafe pushed her gently away with a raged groan. “Patience
pedi mou
. Patience. Any more of that and this will be over far too soon. It’s my turn, now. Let me make your fantasy amazing for you.”

He felt her shudder in eager anticipation at his proclamation, one that he proceeded to carry out in a way that soon had her begging for his possession. Donning protection, he poised himself above her. “Look at me, Lauren,” he breathed. “I want you to see how much I want this. How much I want
you
.”

The moment her eyes met his passion-filled gaze, he slid home. They came crashing together in an unrestrained emotional detonation. It was hot. Explosive. Mind-blowing.

He thrust harder, faster, each stroke building the layers of pleasure until she shattered, coming apart in his arms. Only then did he allow himself to follow, knowing she was his in every way that mattered, no matter how hard she tried to deny it.

But only for a year
. Pushing the troubling thought aside, he focused instead on the physical, showing her with his body what he couldn’t express with mere words.

She had her work cut out for her, Lauren determined, when they made their way back to the main house hours later. Rafe’s home was an architectural gem, but it was also a security expert’s nightmare. Floor-to-ceiling windows were a focal point of every room. While they showcased the stunning views, they provided too many potential entry points for Lauren’s peace of mind. The property was surrounded by trees and shrubs, the perfect cover for potential attackers to conceal their presence. Add to that the remote location, and the estate screamed “vulnerable.”

Rafe left to take a conference call from his home office, and she made use of the time to check the locks on all the doors and windows. She only relaxed when she was confident she’d made the house as secure as possible.

Placing a call to Liz was the next item on her agenda.

“Rafe’s working in his home office,” she told her boss. “I’ve covered every inch of the place, and everything is secure. Any new developments?”