Kat swung the hired BMW 5 series – she’d taken to insisting on using different cars – into the gravel drive and parked it by the entrance where a valet waited to park it. After she’d handed over the keys she stood awkwardly, staring at the house.
‘You know I checked this out on Google maps, but seeing it in real life is something else. It’s a flaming stately home.’
Zac put his arm around her, resting it against the small of her back. ‘It’s a house. One a little larger than most.’
‘I’d be fine if I was in my leggings and boots.’ She gave him an accusing stare. ‘You made me put on this stupid dress and pretend I’m something I’m not.’
‘I don’t want you pretending anything. Be yourself.’
She made a noise of irritation. ‘What if they ask me what I do?’
Gently he pressed his hand against her back, leading her – or more accurately pushing her – towards the entrance. ‘You can be a bodyguard. Just not my bodyguard.’
‘Then how did we meet, hot shot?’
He smirked back at her. ‘I believe you threw your drink over me.’
Her answering bad-tempered hiss made him smile.
‘This is a bad idea,’ she muttered as she stepped gingerly over the gravel towards the short path.
He bent his head towards her, feeling a dart of satisfaction when her body shivered as his lips touched her earlobe. ‘Relax, Kat.’ Because he enjoyed the feeling of being so close, of touching her, he added, ‘You should know it’s doing my ego good to be the one calming you for a change.’
Her brown eyes darted to his. ‘When have I ever had to calm you? You’re always so cool, so smooth, it’s like somebody irons you before you go out.’
He laughed, flattered. ‘All that is on the outside. You’re steady where it counts, on the inside.’ He’d witnessed it himself, at the launch of the fragrance, when she’d taken the guy down in the blink of an eye and then carried on as if it was no big deal.
While he’d spent the rest of the evening haunted by what might have been.
‘Zac, my dear, there you are.’ Helena Edwards appeared in the entrance, a wide smile on her beautiful, refined face. ‘It’s so good to see you. I know this didn’t come at a good time, but I’m thrilled you could be here.’
‘Helena.’ He reached out to kiss her cheek. ‘You know I wouldn’t miss it. I’d like to introduce you to Kat Parker.’
‘Kat, how do you do?’ Helena gave Kat a quick peck on the cheek. ‘Come on in. I’ll just go and find William. Why don’t you wait for us in the drawing room?’
He could feel Kat’s eyes on him, and the sense of foreboding from earlier returned. Keeping his hand on her back, just above the gentle curve of her buttocks, Zac led her into the room on the right of the hallway and carefully closed the door.
Immediately her gaze locked in on her surroundings, taking in all the details he now took for granted: huge stone fireplace, oil paintings, period detailing on the cornices over the door, the windows and on the ceiling.
‘Kat.’ He touched the tip of her nose, bringing her eyes back to his. ‘There might be things you see tonight, things you hear, that don’t add up.’ Her mouth opened, no doubt to ask him if that included the way he’d just greeted his mother as Helena, so he placed a finger on her soft, soft lips. ‘Please keep any questions to yourself.’
Hurt flashed in her eyes and guilt washed through him. Here he was, pulling the loathsome respect my privacy, I’m a celebrity card when she’d shared so much of her life, been so open with him.
But he had to protect himself, didn’t he?
‘Are there any other rules I need to know before I meet your parents?’ There was a bite to her voice he’d not heard before.
‘Of course not,’ he protested, but already she’d taken a virtual and a literal step away from him.
And before he could do anything to mend some of the damage, the door opened and William and Helena Edwards walked in.
Chapter 10
Whatever Kat had been expecting from Zac’s parents, this wasn’t it.
They were well spoken, yes, refined. Elegant.
They were also … well, her English teacher had hated the word, far too bland, but Kat had been crap at the subject so she stuck with what she knew. His parents were really nice.
Maybe she should have expected it, because when Zac wasn’t being a total arse, like he’d been five minutes earlier, he was nice, too. All those careful manners, the way he’d guided her in with his hand on her back. The kind things he’d said.
Until he’d cut her to the quick by not just shutting her out but slamming the door on her. Of course he was perfectly within his rights to ask her to keep her nose out of his business. Doing that hot on the heels of telling her he wanted to seduce her, though? It felt like a slap in the face, and while she was angry at herself for allowing her feelings to get caught up, she was also angry at him for sending conflicting messages.
Involuntarily she glanced over Helena’s shoulder, to where Zac was talking with William. When he caught her gaze, his expression turned pained, his eyes full of apology.
Yeah, well tough luck. He could stew for a while.
‘Zac told us he didn’t want anyone else here tonight knowing you’re his bodyguard, so I’ll say this now.’ Helena’s voice brought Kat’s attention back to her hostess. ‘Thank you for keeping Zac safe.’
‘It’s what I’m employed to do.’ She smiled, hoping it came across as confident and professional and not the smile of a woman who’d had to convince her boss she was ready for the task.
‘This person leaving him notes, it’s all very worrying. We wish we knew who and why they were doing it.’
‘The police are working hard on it. I’m sure it won’t be long before there’s a breakthrough.’ It was funny, with Zac’s reluctance to talk about his parents, and then hearing him refer to them by their first names, she’d expect Helena and William to be more distant, yet nothing could be further from the truth. Maybe the first-name thing was just what posh people did, because the affection they had for him, and he for them, was very clear. ‘I was wondering, do you have a person in charge of security tonight? I’d like to have a quick word.’
Helena paled a little. ‘Are you expecting trouble?’
‘Not at all,’ Kat reassured her. ‘Just making sure all bases are covered.’
‘I’ll ask Samuel to make himself known to you. I’m afraid we need to head back to our guests now but do come and join us in the ballroom when you’re ready.’ Kat’s face must have done a little paling of its own, because Helena smiled kindly at her. ‘I promise nobody will bite. They’re all looking forward to seeing the young lady Zac has brought with him.’
‘Oh, crap.’
Helena laughed. ‘I take it pretending to be his date wasn’t your idea?’
Kat ran her eyes over her black dress and down to her apparently not very high sandals. ‘If you knew the real me, you’d know this is not my idea of fun.’
‘You have no need to be nervous, my dear.’ Helena touched her lightly on the arm. ‘You’re far lovelier than the last woman he introduced us to.’