Celestial Desire (4 page)

“And then some. Put her in the hospital for a week. Jessica says Bradley was beside himself afterward, tried to apologize, but Celeste would have no part of it. Told him it was over, period.”

Zane felt a surge of pride for Celeste. “Good for her.”

“Maybe, if that’s where the story ended,” Mitch frowned. “Bradley contested the divorce on religious grounds. Took to stalking her, wouldn’t leave her alone. When Celeste still refused to have anything to do with him, he threatened her friends, her family, her coworkers.”

“Please tell me the son of a bitch is rotting in prison somewhere.”

“He is, but Celeste is afraid he’s going to get out somehow and come looking for her. I managed to have the divorce finalized while he’s serving his term, as well as obtain a restraining order against him. She decided to move out here, to try to leave it all behind.”

“
Fuck
.” Mitch’s eyebrows rose. Even Zane was a little surprised at the vehemence in his own voice. “So that’s what she meant when she said you did something for her.”

Mitch shot him a questioning look and Zane relayed the little bit Celeste had told him when explaining why she couldn’t go sailing.

“Yes,” Mitch confirmed. “Jess told me about Celeste’s situation, asked me for legal advice. I went one better. Glad I did, too. Bradley’s a nasty piece of work, a tricky little bastard. Has some friends in high places, mostly right wing zealots, and knows how to get around the system.”

Zane let the information sink in, automatically organizing it. “I can definitely help.”

Mitch shifted, and by the look on his face, Zane knew what he was going to say. It amounted to a “thanks, but no thanks”, which Zane found unacceptable. He might not be able to explain why he felt as strongly as he did, but it didn’t have to make sense to know that it was the right thing to do.

“Mitch, I wasn’t kidding when I said she’s different,” he said quietly. “And I
will
keep seeing her, with or without your permission, as long as she wants me. There’s no place safer for her than with me.”

Mitch leaned back, rolling the bottle in his hand, and considered him. Zane knew his uncle didn’t know just how true his words were – there really was no place safer for Celeste than with him. Mitch didn’t know the full extent of the skills Zane had acquired both in and out of the service, only that he was an expert in security and self-defense. There wasn’t a system - on the market or off of it - that he couldn’t break.

“All right,” Mitch said slowly. “But I meant what I said. Celeste is a sweetheart, and she doesn’t need any more drama in her life. If you’re unsure, best you back out gracefully now before she gets hurt.”

“Fair enough,” Zane said, but in his mind there was no question that he would be a part of this. The only question – the one he refused to look at too closely, was why he felt so damn strongly about it.
 

* * *
 

              Celeste reluctantly pushed herself away from her keyboard. She’d stalled as long as she could, but she was out of time. Her mother meant well, but Celeste was dreading the evening. For all of her degrees and accomplishments, she had never quite mastered basic social interaction. Give her a decent processor, some components, and a few hours and she could build a system for just about anyone, but ask her to make inane, polite small talk for an hour or two and she was lost.

              Perhaps she could go with Plan A: Pretend she lost track of time. It happened often enough that her mother wouldn’t question it.

As if on cue, her phone rang. “Yes, Mom?”

“I just wanted to remind you about the dinner party. I know you tend to lose track of time.”

So much for Plan A.
“I didn’t forget.”
Much as I’d like to
. “I’m getting ready now.”

“Excellent. See you soon.”

“Can I bring anything?” Plan B involved an impromptu shopping trip to get whatever her mother might require – hopefully on the other side of town – which would reduce the amount of time she would have to spend at the party.

“Just yourself. I’ve got everything else covered.”

And there went Plan B. Celeste ended the connection and exhaled heavily, tossing her phone on the mattress. She rummaged through her things, looking for something to wear. Jeans and one of her soft cotton tees would have been nice, but her mother was probably expecting her to show up in something more appropriate for a dinner party. Shorts were out, too, as was the one and only navy blue business suit she owned.

She finally selected a simple but classic sundress. Good enough, she thought as she slipped it on over her head. All she had to do was make it through the next few hours, then hopefully Zane would be peeling it off…

It felt good to have a mission again. Downtime was nice, even necessary, but Zane could only take so much of it before he started feeling restless. A mission that utilized his skills and brought him closer to Celeste? All the better.

Zane took extra time preparing for the evening. He showered and shaved again, knowing that Celeste liked his skin smooth. He selected a pair of casual Dockers and a white polo, opting for his white leather runners. His objective was to look as low-key and boy-next-door-innocent as possible – not an easy thing for a man like Zane.

“Wow,” Mitch breathed. “You look almost… non-lethal.”

Zane chuckled. It was the best he could have hoped for. It was nearly impossible to completely downplay six-three, two hundred and twenty pounds of solid muscle but he had done his best. Besides, this was all for show, anyway. Celeste was already aware of what lie underneath. Literally. “Any last minute advice?”

“Celeste isn’t expecting you, so you might have to do some quick thinking.”

“You didn’t tell her I was coming?”

Mitch shook his head. “No. Jessica told her my nephew was coming, but didn’t mention your name. For all intents and purposes, I am ignorant of your… relationship.”

“Does Jessica know?”

“No.” Mitch ran his hand through his hair, a gesture he only made when he felt conflicted. Turning to Zane, one corner of his mouth lifted. “I do not want to be the one to tell Jessica my nephew has been sleeping with her daughter.”

Grinning wryly, Zane agreed. “Probably a smart move on your part.”

“Zane.” Mitch grew serious again. “I like Celeste, and Jessica means a lot to me. It would devastate her if things don’t work out and Celeste ends up with a broken heart. If Jessica’s not happy, I’m not happy.”

“I hear you, Uncle Mitch,” Zane said solemnly.

“Right.” Mitch eyed him once last time. “Last chance. You’re sure you want to do this?”

Zane nodded. He was quite sure.
Scary
sure. He’d been on missions he’d felt less confident about.

“All right then. Let’s go.”

Mitch went into the kitchen briefly and returned with something in his hand. Zane narrowed his eyes. “I thought you said no flowers?”

“I said
you
shouldn’t bring flowers,” Mitch said, holding the bouquet of pink, white, and peach rosebuds in his hand. “You’re not going as a romantic interest, remember? But it would be rude if
I
didn’t.”

Grumbling beneath his breath, Zane accompanied his uncle to Jessica’s unit, located only a few buildings away. When Jessica opened the door, her whole face lit up at the sight of Mitch and the flowers in his hand. Mostly Mitch, and Zane realized Jessica was every bit as smitten as his uncle.

She invited them both inside. “Jessica,” Mitch said, his voice smooth, “you look beautiful, as always.” Her brilliant smile returned as Mitch leaned down and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek. At least Zane now knew where Celeste had gotten her petite stature; her mother wasn’t any taller than she was. She had the same hair and delicate features, too. He and his uncle apparently had similar tastes when it came to women.

“Jessica, this is my nephew, Zane. Zane, Jessica Harrison.”

Zane met her gaze evenly, and flashed her his best meet-the-mom smile. “Ms. Harrison,” he said politely. “Thank you for inviting me to dinner.”

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Zane. Your uncle talks about you all the time.”

“All good, I hope.”

“Of course,” she said with a smile, but he saw the flash of wariness in her eyes and wondered if that were completely true. Or maybe, after getting a look at him, she was questioning her decision to introduce him to her daughter.

“Please, come in.”

Zane followed behind Jessica and Mitch, discreetly taking in everything around him. Within a matter of seconds, he had noted every possible entry and exit point, identified obstacles and potential weapons. It was second nature to him now. Once he was satisfied with the layout, he began to focus his attention on the other guests as Jessica introduced them.

There weren’t that many of them; Jessica had kept it small, probably not wanting to overwhelm Celeste right off the bat. Jessica’s neighbor Roxanne was there, along with her grown daughter Cameron and Cameron’s life partner, Michelle. Jim Buchanon and his sister Kerri, both in their mid-thirties, professional investors with their virtual fingers in a lot of local pies – great contacts for Celeste. Zane’s eyes narrowed when he spotted Chad Thompson, the muscled blonde pretty boy who owned the fitness place down by the beach, chatting with Celeste.

Celeste looked lovely in her light green cotton sundress and strappy sandals. Her hair was pulled back into a loose clip, various strands snaking out along the sides and framing her pretty face, making her look adorably tousled. A few thin gold bangles adorned her right wrist, but she wore little else in the way of jewelry. Her outfit was amazingly simple – and incredibly beautiful. She took his breath away.

How could he have ever underestimated her beauty? Even from across the room he could see that Celeste was tense, though she hid it well. As they made their way closer, Zane wondered what the douche bag was saying to make her so uncomfortable, and whether it would be reason enough to mess up the guy’s too-pretty face.

“Chad, excuse us for a moment, will you? I’d like to introduce Celeste to someone.” Jessica touched Chad lightly on the arm. Chad didn’t look happy with the interruption, but Celeste’s relief was obvious. Until she turned and saw Zane, that is. Her eyes widened slightly, then narrowed in suspicion.

“Celeste, darling, this is Mitch’s nephew, Zane Fagan. Zane, my daughter, Celeste.”

Zane kept his expression carefully devoid of recognition, but could not fully suppress the amusement in his eyes. “Celeste, I’ve heard so much about you.”

She shifted her weight ever so slightly, as if poised for flight. “Have you?”

“Yes. My uncle can’t stop raving about the system you designed for him.” He thought he saw a flash of relief in her eyes.

“I’m so glad he’s pleased.”

“I’ve been thinking about upgrading myself. Perhaps you have some ideas?”

She smiled angelically. “I’m afraid I don’t know anything about your needs, Mr. Fagan.”

Zane pointedly ignored the warning looks his uncle was giving him. “Zane, please. And my needs are quite simple, I assure you.”

Swirling amber met icy blue as their eyes locked. “Somehow I doubt that,” she replied easily.

“Yes, well,” said Jessica, taking Celeste’s arm as she looked questioningly from one to the other, “perhaps you can discuss this later. The Petersons have just arrived and we must greet them.”

“Of course,” Zane said, stepping back and inclining his head slightly. Chad mimicked his actions, but looked decidedly less pleased.

“Thompson,” Zane growled.

“Fagan.” After flashing what could only be described as an unfriendly glance at Zane, he moved away to mingle. Zane didn’t mind in the least; he didn’t like Chad on the best of days, and now that the guy had been sniffing around Celeste, he was feeling downright hostile toward him.

“You’re walking a thin line, Zane,” Mitch warned under his breath. Zane flashed him a grin that said he already knew that the air practically sizzled when he and Celeste got within several feet of each other and he was enjoying every moment of it. So much for subtlety.
 

* * *
 

“What are you doing here?” Celeste asked quietly when she suddenly found herself alone on the balcony with Zane.

“You never told me you were Jessica’s daughter,” he chastised softly, ignoring her question.

Her back stiffened. “You never told me you were Mitch’s nephew.”

He shrugged easily, rolling those broad shoulders in one fluid movement. Celeste loved those shoulders, especially when she was grabbing on to them while he worked his special brand of magic. Heat flowed through her; it was an effort to pretend that she didn’t want to jump into his arms and wrap her legs around him right then and there. The man smelled delicious; her senses already associated his scent with wild, earth-moving things.

“I would have if you would have mentioned who you were doing the system for. I’m not trying to hide anything, Celeste.”

She regarded him carefully, quickly coming to the conclusion that he was telling the truth. “So… you really didn’t set this up?”

Half of his mouth curved up in a heart-stopping grin. “No. I’m here because your mother invited me and this girl I’ve been seeing has other plans tonight.”

Her lips quirked, then her expression turned dark when she looked through the French doors and spotted Chad looking for her. Zane followed her eyes. “What did he say to you before that upset you so much?”

Celeste snapped her attention back to Zane, surprised that he had noticed. “It was nothing.”

Zane leaned forward so that his mouth was close to her ear. “Liar.” She just barely silenced the soft whimper that nearly escaped when she felt his warm breath against her skin, reminding her of just how much pleasure he was capable of providing with that mouth. She shook herself free before the all-too familiar desire he was so skilled at calling forth gained purchase and overtook her.

“I should go mingle.”

Zane grunted softly, a sound so primal and masculine that for one moment, Celeste imagined him tossing her over his shoulder and taking her back to his cave. It wasn’t a wholly unpleasant thought, and sent a delicious shiver of lust down her spine.

“Okay.”

Celeste turned to rejoin the party, reluctantly leaving Zane to make her mother happy and chat with the guests. It wasn’t going to be easy, she realized, feeling Zane’s eyes glued to her butt as she walked away.

“Stay away from him.” Chad offered this little gem of unsolicited advice when he saw Celeste looking casually over her shoulder to find Zane’s eyes on her.
Again
. While he’d kept a respectable distance most of the night, there were very few times when his eyes weren’t on her. She did her best to pretend she hadn’t noticed. Apparently Chad had noticed, though.

“Oh?” Celeste said softly, turning back to Chad and schooling her features into mild interest. “Why is that?”

Chad looked at her indulgently. He, like so many others, mistook her quiet and gentle demeanor for naïveté. It was a common misconception and one Celeste didn’t attempt to disprove. She’d learned the hard way that being underestimated sometimes provided those few precious seconds that could decide the outcome of a dangerous situation.

“Let’s just say he’s got something of a reputation for being a real ladies’ man.”

Celeste smiled sweetly. “I would think people might say the same about you.”

It was a deliberate stroke to his ego. Chad tried to look modest and failed miserably; Celeste fought to keep her expression neutral as Chad flexed subtly and turned slightly, no doubt gracing her with his ‘good side’.

“Sometimes a man needs to do a lot of searching before he finds the right one.” He looked suggestively at Celeste, as if he might be considering
her
the next possible candidate.

That was not happening. She supposed there were a lot of women who found his tanned, toned surfer look desirable, but any female appreciation she might have had for him died a quick death the moment he opened his mouth. The guy definitely didn’t lack for self-confidence, and she found his rampant narcissism very unattractive. If they had been anywhere but her mother’s, she would have left a long time ago. But she continued the charade, sighing softly in empathy.

“It is difficult, isn’t it? So many people aren’t what they seem.”

“That’s it exactly,” Chad nodded. “Sometimes you know right off; other times, it takes a while. But don’t be fooled by Zane Fagan,” he added when he saw Celeste’s eyes flick back in his direction. “The only thing that guy’s looking for is a hook-up. Half the time he doesn’t even bother buying them dinner.”

So she wasn’t alone
, then, she thought with just a slight pang of conscience before she reminded herself that she wasn’t interested in anything more, either. And she felt some inexplicable need to defend Zane. At least Zane was honest about his intentions, not like this self-absorbed poser.

“Really? He’s been nothing but a gentleman to me all evening.”

Chad considered this, looking doubtful at first but then nodded. “Yeah. I guess you’re not really his type.”

“He has a type then, does he?” she mused thoughtfully.

Laughing softly, Chad said, “Yeah. Tall, lithe blondes. Think swimsuit models.” He gave Celeste a quick once over. “I think you’re probably safe.” He winked. “But come down to the fitness center and we’ll get you looking beach-worthy in a couple of months.”

Fighting a sudden feeling of complete inadequacy, Celeste reinforced her polite smile. “Well, that’s a relief. Thanks for the heads-up.”

She excused herself, leaving Chad behind with a slightly bemused expression, as if he was just realizing that he might have said something offensive. It took her a couple of minutes to reach her mother – she made it a point to remain as far away from Zane as possible as she did so, even though she clearly felt his gaze following her progress across the room. She had to admit, it gave her a thrill to know he was watching her, to have this naughty little secret between just the two of them.