Dreaming Of Your Love (Hollywood Legends #3) (3 page)

“Sounds
boring.”

“In
the best possible way,” she assured Nate. “I never hope for trouble. Especially
when there is a child involved.”

“As
a mother, I agree. As a woman?” Callie’s eyes sparkled. “What about the
handsome man?”

“Richard
Cullen IV.” Sable waited for a beat. “Three years old and already a
heartbreaker. It was love at first sight.”

The
rest of the afternoon flowed in a similar vein. Casual and relaxed. It would
have been easy for her to forget that she was there to do a job. Feeling Colton’s
gaze reminded her.

Sable
met his laser-blue eyes, causing a funny jump in her pulse. It wasn’t fair.
Colt was the first man in a long time to interest her libido. He was the job.
Hands off. It didn’t matter that Alex had given her the green light. She knew the
rules. Bend them once and there could be a whole slippery slide effect.

Discipline.
In both body and mind. How many times had her father said that? It was the code
she lived by. She sure as hell wasn’t going to break it for a casual fling.

“This
has been fun, but we need to get down to business.”

“Can’t
it wait until tomorrow?” Jade asked.

“Sorry,”
Sable shook her head. “I’m on your brother’s dime. It isn’t right for me to
take advantage.”

“Take
advantage all you like.” Colt’s smile slowly widened, his eyes never leaving
hers. “I’m easy.”

“He’s
your son,” Wyatt said to his father. “Tell him what’s what.”

Before
Sable’s eyes, Caleb morphed from genial to serious.

“Colton.
My office. Now.”

“Oh,
boy.” Nate rubbed his hands together with glee. “Colt is in for it now.”

“You
get too much pleasure out of this.” Paige looked around. Wyatt and Garrett’s
expressions mirrored Nate’s. “Look at you. He’s your brother.”

“Our
pampered little brother.” Wyatt took a sip of tea. “Now and then he needs to be
put in his place.”

“Should
I go with them?” Sable started to rise.

“Stay.”
Callie patted the seat Caleb had recently vacated. When Sable joined her, she
took her hand. “Caleb is going to set a few ground rules, nothing more. I’ll
admit that too often, Colt gets his way.”

“He
won’t with me.” Sable’s firm tone was for her benefit as much as for the Landis
clan.

“Naturally.
Colt would never force himself on you. Never,” Callie said emphatically.

“I
never thought he would.”

Satisfied,
Callie nodded. “He will make comments. It’s in his nature to tease and flirt. I’m
afraid he gets that from me.”

“On
you it’s adorable.” Wyatt winked at his mother. “Colt can come off as
obnoxious.”

“You’re
making too much of this.” Sable refused to let them treat her as if she couldn’t
take care of herself, or handle any innuendo Colt might shoot her way. “Nothing
Caleb says will stop Colt from being who he is. He flirts. Sometimes I’ll
ignore him. Sometimes I’ll tell him to go to hell.”

“We
know you can handle Colt,” Callie said with an easy smile.

“Then
what is this about?”

“Caleb
believes in treating people with respect. Men, women, and children. That is how
we raised our boys. Sometimes, one,” Callie looked from son to son, “or more of
them needs reminding. In private.”

COLT FOLLOWED HIS father. Caleb always used his office when
having a talk with one of his sons When he was nine and broke his mother’s favorite
vase, Colt shook in his shoes. Now, at the ripe old age of twenty-seven, he couldn’t
help it. He felt a little quake. It didn’t matter what he’d done or hadn’t
done. His father meant the world to him. If he in any way disappointed the best
man he had ever known, Colt became slightly sick to his stomach.

“Shut
the door and sit down.”

“Yes,
sir.”

Caleb
sat in his large, leather chair, silently contemplating his youngest child.

“I
trust you, Colton.”

Colt
knew he wasn’t expected to answer. Not yet.

“Sable
can kick your ass. Any day of the week and twice on Sunday.”

“I
know that.”

“That
does not give you the right to disrespect her.”

“You
think I would?” The implication hurt—and pissed him off.

“Not
intentionally. Sable isn’t like the women you’re used to.”

“I
agree. She’s special.”

Caleb
raised his eyebrows but didn’t ask what Colt meant by
special
.

“All
I’m asking is that you refrain from your usual banter. You and Sable will live
together. No dropping her at her door. She’s your shadow, Colton. Around the
clock.”

“I’ll
tone it down.”

“That’s
all I ask,” Caleb nodded.

“Dad.”

Colt
frowned, his eyes pensive. God, Caleb thought with affection,
he looks like
his mother.
Colt had his father’s eyes; the rest was pure Callie.

“Yes?”

“That
thing I said about Sable being special. I didn’t mean special, special. Like
Jade is to Garrett. Or Paige to Nate.” It was clear that Colt regretted
bringing it up. He jumped to his feet. “You know what, never mind. Forget I
mentioned it.”

After
Colt had left, Caleb sat alone in the room where he did his best thinking and
let his mind wander.

Colton?
And Sable? Caleb closed him eyes and smiled. Too soon. But interesting.

“I THOUGHT YOU lived in Beverly Hills.”

“I
did.” Colt shifted gears, his Maserati purring like a well-oiled machine—which
it was. He treated his cars with the greatest of care. “When Garrett and Jade
moved to his house in Laurel Canyon, I decided to buy his downtown loft. It’s a
great place.”

“I
agree.” Sable had stayed there when she guarded Jade. “It’s more practical.
From a security standpoint.”

“Right.”

The
awkward silence drove him crazy. Colt never had a problem finding something to
talk about. He was naturally outgoing. Part of what made him a good actor was
his interest in people. He listened and observed. Every conversation was
another opportunity to pluck information he could later use for a role.

Talking
to a woman was especially easy. Next to getting one naked, it was his favorite
activity. He liked the way they sounded. The way they smelled. Just looking at
a woman, any woman, was a pleasure.

It
was his father’s fault. Until he pulled him into the office of shame, he and
Sable had been doing fine. A little lighthearted banter. Give and take. Colt
was certain he hadn’t read her wrong. She enjoyed it as much as he did.

Not
that Dad was wrong. The situation was a new one for him. He dated. He carried
on a few long-term relationships. However, the last woman he had lived with was
his mother. Now, he had Sable. Twenty-four hours a day. Seven days a week.
Strictly hands off.

Colt
sighed. He should have done a better job of thinking this through. A single
glance at the woman sitting next to him and his sigh became a groan. A male
bodyguard would have been a much better idea.

“Are
you all right?”

“Right
as rain.”

Colt
rolled his eyes.
Right as rain? Really
?

“That
groan sounded…”

Sexy?
Titillating? Intriguing
?
Colt’s thoughts didn’t fall in line with his father’s edict, so he kept them to
himself.

“How
did it sound?”

“Constipated.
Do you have enough bran in your diet?”

So
it’s come to this
.
Never had a woman commented on his bowel movements. Either he was getting old,
or Sable was different. Crap. There it was again.
Special. Different
.
Colt didn’t know why those words kept popping up.

Sable
Ford was a beautiful woman. Gorgeous. But not in a cookie cutter,
I’ve seen
that face on a million magazines
, kind of way. Sable didn’t look like
anyone else. Hence, special. Different.

Colt
felt his shoulders relax. That was it. Everything about Sable was unique. From
the top of her glossy dark hair to the tips of her brightly painted red
toenails. And everything in between.

Long
and lean, with just the right amount of curves, Sable made his mouth water. She
had from their first meeting. She knocked him on his ass, literally and
figuratively. That kiss. Unexpected and memorable. He’d thought of it more than
once.

Had
she? At the time, Sable seemed unaffected. And uninterested. It would be best
if that didn’t change. His ego could take the hit. Colt shifted in his seat.
His libido was another matter. Damn. It served him right. His thought to ask
for Sable was a way of getting around the bodyguard issue. Wasn’t he clever?
Hell, no. He was not. He was going to suffer for his smartass ways.

God,
if Wyatt found out, he would laugh himself sick.

Colt
pulled into the underground parking garage. It was another perk to living in
this building. Direct access to the loft using an elevator that bypassed his
floor unless he had the proper code.

“A
retinal scan? Nice.”

Sable
worked for a cutting edge security firm. She appreciated the best of the best.
Especially when it made her job easier.

“I’ll
get your scan added tomorrow.”

“That
isn’t necessary,” Sable assured him.

“Sure
it is. While you’re in Los Angeles, my home is your home.”

“Theoretically.”

“Positively.”

Sable
smiled. She liked to get to know her clients. It made her work easier if she
understood what made them tick. She already knew the basics about Colt. Add to
them, he was stubborn. Borderline argumentative—in a casual way.

“When
you leave the loft, I leave the loft. When you come home, I come home. If I do
my job properly, we will never enter the building separately.”

“Stubborn.”

“I
agree—you are.”

Colt
leaned against the elevator wall, arms crossed. The lighting wasn’t great.
However, Sable could swear his eyes glowed. Bright blue. It disconcerted her.
And damn, it turned her on.

“If
this keeps up, it’s going to be a long two months.”

“Amen.”
She heard Colt sigh. “And yes. I like to have the last word.”

“Me
too.” Colt let her exit the elevator ahead of him. “And here it is. Retinal
scan. Tomorrow.”

“But—”

“In
a fair fight, you can kick my ass.” Colt leaned close. “I don’t fight fair.”

Asshole
.

“Did
you say something?”

“Are
you a mind reader?”

“Nope.”

“Then
I didn’t say anything.”

Sable
walked into the living room. It felt familiar and different all at once.

“You
redecorated,” Sable said when Colt returned from putting her luggage in the
guest room.

“I
made a few tweaks. Fresh paint. New furniture. I did a complete overhaul on
both bathrooms.”

“Why?
The guest bath was a dream.”

“Compared
to what?”

Any
place I’ve ever lived
.
In her head, it sounded pathetic. A real,
poor me
moment. Her apartment
had a sweet little setup, including a large bathtub and a balcony overlooking
the Columbia River. It didn’t compare to what Colton was used to, but it suited
her.

“Are
you a bathroom snob, Colton?”

“Damn
straight. And proud of it.” Colt opened the refrigerator. “Beer? Water?”

“Nothing,
thanks.”

“I
live well, Sable.” He twisted the cap off a bottle of something imported. Sable
didn’t recognize the brand. “I won’t apologize.”

“Good.
There is nothing worse than a self-hating millionaire. I know. I’ve worked for
people who spend so much time downplaying what they have, they get no pleasure
out of life.”

“Perhaps
that
is
their pleasure.”

“Well
said.” Sable started to kick off her shoes, then paused. “Do we need to set
some ground rules?”

“Dad
already did.”

Sable
laughed. “We’ll get to that in a second. I meant how do you want to do this?
Should I stay in my room?”

Colt
did a perfect spit take. Luckily most of it hit the sink.

“Why
would I want you to do that?”

“I’m
not your girlfriend. Or your friend.”

“Bull
—” Colt caught himself. “Pucky.”

Damn,
he was cute. “I’m your employee.”

“I
didn’t hire you.”

“Many
of my clients prefer not to socialize. I’m fine with that.”

“I’m
not.” Colt toed off his boots. His socks followed right behind. “Take off your
shoes, Sable. Stay awhile.”

Colt
took her hand, led her to the big, comfortable sofa, and gently gave her a
push.

Like
landing on a pillow. Sable closed her eyes. Heaven wrapped in the softest
fabric imaginable.

“I
want one. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t fit in my apartment.”

“It
comes in smaller sizes.” Colt knelt to remove her shoes.

“That
isn’t necessary.” But it made her insides jump—in a good way.

“I’m
a good boy. I’m a good boy. I’m a good boy.”

Sable
lifted an eyelid. Colt seemed transfixed—staring at her foot.

“Problem?”

“You
have no idea. Rule number one. No teasing or flirting. Rule number two. Do not
make a pass.”

“Good
rules.”
If you were dealing with underage virgins
. “Caleb laid down the
law.”

“Umm.”
Reluctantly, Colt set down her foot and joined her on the sofa. On the far end
of the sofa. “He’s right. Your job does not include indulging my baser
instincts.”

“Did
Caleb use that term? Baser instincts?”

“It
amounted to the same thing.”

“That’s
why you played Zombie in the car? You were editing your words?”

For
a man like Colt, it had to be brutal. Flirting came as easily as breathing. How
did he suddenly stop without blowing a gasket?

“I
don’t want you to feel uncomfortable. And if you say it’s part of the job, I
swear I’ll …”

“You’ll?”

“How
do you threaten a woman who could twist your balls off without breaking a
sweat?”

Sable’s
eyes narrowed. “How do you threaten any woman?”

“Fair
question.” Colt gave it some genuine thought. “This is a first. I’ve never met
a woman who annoyed me the way you do. May I be honest?”

“There’s
a reason it’s called the best policy.”

“And
silence is golden. Best I keep certain things to myself.”

“We
could spend our time together speaking in clichés. Or I can break the ice. I
have a good idea what you were going to say.”

“I
doubt it.”

“You
don’t argue with women; you sleep with them. If things start getting sticky,
you end it. How many non-arguments have you had?”

When
Colt groaned, Sable didn’t try to hide her grin. “Come on, Mr. Movie Stud. You
can’t be embarrassed.”

“Embarrassed?
No. I prefer to call it discreet.”

“You
never kiss and tell?

“No.
Never.”

Colt
said it with simple conviction. He wasn’t selling her on the idea. It was up to
her to believe him or not. Sable believed him. Colt wasn’t as easy to figure
out as she once believed. The superstar gloss wasn’t an act. Neither was the
down to Earth man she saw in front of her.

As
with most people, Colton Landis had multiple facets to his personality. He wasn’t
a shallow pretty boy. His complexities made him human. And, to her chagrin,
more irresistible than ever.

Sable
needed a diversion—something to take her mind off her increasingly inappropriate
thoughts.

“So
you like feet? Is it a fetish?”

“Pardon
me?”

“Before?
When you removed my shoes? I got the impression you wanted to kiss my feet.”

Not
the best segue. Kissing feet? Colt kissing
her
feet?
So
inappropriate. And oddly appealing. Perhaps she was the one with the fetish.

“Not
a fetish.” Colt looked uncomfortable. “Is this a test? I’m trying to be good,
Sable, but you aren’t making it easy.”

Neither
are you
. She
desperately wanted to push that stray piece of hair off Colt’s forehead. Was it
as soft as she imagined? If she ran her fingers through the dark locks, would
he purr or growl?

“Your
eyes are all dreamy. What are you thinking about?”

Sable
wondered if Colt was aware that he had moved closer. His head bent. His deep
blue eyes locked with hers.

“You
don’t want to know. It would be better if we dropped this, Colt.”

“That’s
the first time you’ve said my name.”

“Is
it?”

“Mmm.
It’s always, pretty boy. Or movie stud. Colt sounds good.”

Colt’s
voice lowered, the timbre sending shivers down Sable’s spine. One night. Not
even that. And she was ready to forget her moral stand against sleeping with a
client.

“What
would your father say?”

Sable
thought that would pull Colt up short. She was wrong. Instead, he smiled. A
smile that did nothing to cool her overheated blood.

“His
message was clear. And that was the plan.
Is
the plan.”

“Good.”
Sable wanted to sound firm and in control. Instead, she sounded like a breathy
fangirl. Ugh. It had to stop. Now.

“You
like me.”

“You’re
a Landis. What’s not to like?”

Smart
. Make it about his family. There
was nothing sexy about that.

“You
like
me
. Colt. My last name has nothing to do with it.”

“Your
last name is the reason I’m here. Your family has a connection to H&W.”

“You.
Like. Me.”

With
each word, Colt moved closer. Sable could have stopped him. A simple
no
.
Hand to his chest, checking his progress. That’s all it would have taken to
make him retreat to his side of the sofa.

Colt
wasn’t pushing. He gave her ample time to object. The problem was, she wanted
him right where he was.

“Colton.”

“Mmm.
Colton. Even better. I know what you taste like, Sable. Sweet and spicy. How
can I resist those lips?”

“Because
you know it would be a mistake?”

“Would
it?”

Colt’s
mouth hovered over hers, close enough for her to feel the warmth of his breath.

Yes
or no? Sable didn’t know what her answer would have been. Caught by his eyes,
she hesitated. Then pulled back.

“My
phone.” The ding indicating a new text was a lifeline. Gratefully, Sable twisted
away. Glancing at the screen did more to kill the moment than a dozen buckets
filled with icy water.

Two
words—
call me
—and Sable crashed back to reality.

“I
need to answer this.”

“Is
everything okay?” Colton frowned. Gone was the warm, pliant woman whose voice
dripped with honey. In her place, an unfamiliar Sable. Cool. Stilted. He had
never seen anyone switch gears so quickly.

“Do
you have any plans for the evening or are you staying in?”

“No
plans.”

“Let
me know if you change your mind. Remember, if you go out, I go with you.”

Sable
headed toward her bedroom.

“Damn
it, Sable. Talk to me. What’s wrong?”

She
paused, not turning. “It’s personal. No reason for you to worry.”