Angel
Chapter 1
Blue eyes gazed out a tiny window. Fluffy, white clouds dotted the horizon. The vast, unending ocean stretched for miles and miles beneath. Pink lips twisted into a wry smile. She could almost imagine…she was among the angels.
"Ms. Crane? Ms. Crane?"
Agent Freeman's blue eyes flitted over her tired, pretty features. This whole ordeal…it had taken a lot out of her already. And it was far from over.
"Yes?"
"We'll be landing soon. Do you need me to go over the details again?"
She lay back against the headrest wearily. "I don't want to hire a bodyguard. I don't want this…person intruding on my privacy. Every minute. Every hour. Every day," she sighed.
Freeman snapped his briefcase shut with an answering sigh. "It's for…"
"I know. I know," she interrupted. "My own protection. If I hadn't been so foolish in the first place…"
"Ms. Crane…"
"Please fasten your seat belts. We'll be arriving in Boston shortly," the bubbly brunette advised.
"Thank you…" Her name tag read Sandy. "Sandy."
"Okay…so maybe Jean-Luc didn't have this flashing neon sign on his forehead that said 'drug-dealing bastard.' But I shouldn't have been so willing to marry a man that from all accounts was a first-class, low-life creep," she whispered in shame. "What does that say about me? What kind of person am I?"
"Your fiance…former fiance…" Hal paused. Former? Less than a week ago the man had been blown to kingdom come. With his mistress. Ms. Crane was lucky. " You are a very lucky woman. If the drug cartel hadn't mistaken…"
"Go on. Say it. You don't have to walk on eggshells around me. There's a bounty out on my head. Jean-Luc's lies and cheating are the least of my worries right now. It's not the first time I've been played for a fool." But it will be the last, she vowed silently.
Freeman rubbed his eyes tiredly. "As I was saying…you are a very lucky woman. But there's no guarantee you'll be as lucky the next time. Be assured, Ms. Crane. The drug cartel will not rest until it is certain you no longer pose a threat to its livelihood."
"But…"
Freeman anticipated her retort. They'd talked this thing to death during the inhumanely long flight. The woman beside him was as stubborn as a mule. "Ms. Crane! I've had enough of this. You will hire a bodyguard if your life means anything to you at all."
She turned to stare out the window once more. Her jaw set in determination. Arms crossed defensively. She resisted the overwhelming urge to argue back. She could be a real bitch when she wanted to. It was no use. She'd say yes. For now. And as soon as it looked like the drug cartel had forgotten her very existence…no more bodyguard. Simple as that. "Okay. You win. Happy?"
Freeman shook his head. Too easy. But asking for anything more was like pulling teeth. And that had never been a favorite past time of his. "Good. I knew you'd come around."
Icy blue eyes stared through him. "So sure of yourself, Agent Freeman."
You're a smartass. But you're not stupid. "You're an intelligent woman, Ms. Crane. I knew in the end you'd make the right decision," he said smugly. " If you hadn't…I would have dragged you kicking and screaming out of this airport. "We're here," he said. Releasing his safety belt. "Here. Let me help you."
She rolled her eyes and grabbed her bag herself. "I'm intelligent and independent," she almost growled.
Freeman closed his eyes and groaned as she shouldered past him. "Ms. Crane! Ms. Crane!" he snapped impatiently. "I thought I made it clear…until I deliver you to the safety of your own home, you don't leave my sight."
"Fine!" she spat. Jerking her elbow from his grasp. Her angry blue eyes searched the terminal. Where was he? Father promised…
"Aunt Sheridan! Over here!"
She was really a stunning woman when she smiled, Freeman realized. Her whole face lit up with happiness.
"Ethan! I'm so happy to see you," she cried. Flinging her arms around his neck.
"Mr. Crane?" he inquired with an outstretched hand.
The young man's handshake was firm. "Thank you for bringing her home. I've already taken care of the arrangements we discussed over the phone. The Harmony Police Department promised to send their best man. He should be waiting for us back at the cottage."
"Arrangements! What arrangements? Ethan…I thought I could trust you."
"You can, Aunt Sheridan. With your life. That's why I hired the best man for the job. I can't be too careful when it comes to you."
The indignation died down, and her blue eyes melted. So, Freeman thought. The nephew was the soft spot in the prickly demeanor. And an ally. He hefted her bags into his arms. "Sorry to interrupt the family reunion…"
"I'm sorry," Ethan apologized. "Charles is waiting for us, Aunt Sheridan. Are you ready to go home?"
"Ready as I'll ever be," she muttered.
He wondered what that was supposed to mean. But then again…with family like the Cranes, he didn't have to think too hard. "Show me the way."
The trip to Harmony from Boston was—thankfully—not as long and mind-numbing as the flight. But…Ms. Crane was putting forth her best effort to convince the young nephew that a bodyguard was pure folly.
Ethan didn't buy it. "I'm sorry, Aunt Sheridan. But I'm going to have to side with Agent Freeman and the FBI on this one."
Needless to say…he didn't know which was worse. The stubborn, argumentative woman who always had an answer. Or the sulky Ice Princess.
The gates to the Crane Mansion loomed ahead.
No warm welcome home. Only a formal greeting from the security guard.
"Father?"
Ethan patted her hand gently. "Grandfather had important business to attend to."
She looked all the world like a sad little girl at that moment.
He wondered if maybe this face was the true face of Sheridan Crane he was seeing.
"But he said he couldn't wait to see you at dinner tonight. You are coming, aren't you Aunt Sheridan?"
"I…I don't know, Ethan. It's been a very long week. The flight was especially draining," she stated. Casting a pointed glare his way. "Maybe I'll see him tomorrow."
He didn't stand a chance, and he obviously knew it. "Then I'll see you first thing in the morning," he smiled. Giving her an affectionate kiss on the cheek. "You don't mind…"
"No. Go ahead. Don't worry about me. I need to go sleep off some of this jet lag anyway," she laughed lightly. "Maybe I can get rid of my shadow," she said in a stage whisper.
Ethan chuckled. "Don't let her give you a hard time, Agent Freeman." He grinned at her playful slap on the arm. "And you…behave."
"Yes, Sir," she saluted him. Her blue eyes twinkling mischievously.
"Are you going to heed his advice?"
"What do you think?" she said slyly.
He stepped out of the limosine and held the door open for her. "I didn't think so. Ms. Crane…this is where we part ways."
"I'm going to miss you so much," she deadpanned.
"Really?" he shot back with an arched brow. "I can stay if you wish." He had to laugh at the look of pure horror written across her face. "On second thought…I want to hang on to my sanity as long as I can. It's a plus in this business."
"Funny," she said as snottily as she possibly could. "Look…will you just…LEAVE!"
"It'll be my pleasure. But first…I have to check out Harmony's finest and see if he measures up."
She flung the front door to the cottage open and stomped inside. "Where is he? I'm dead on my feet. I'm sick of staring at you. Tell me, Agent Freeman. Do you ever smile? Are you always this pleasant?"
Me? he thought incredulously. Who was being the ultimate brat here? You're no walk in the park yourself. "All the time," he grinned. Mainly to irritate the hell out of her. Because he could.
"UGH!" she threw her arms up in the air. "Get out! Get out now!" she yelled. So loudly the window panes rattled. "I'm sure I'll be fine. Now...I'm going to take a long, hot shower and then I'm going to crawl into bed and not roll over until tomorrow morning."
"Are you sure, Ms. Crane?"
"I'm...AAAHHHH!"
Freeman crashed through the bedroom door. Gun drawn and ready. "Ms. Crane! Ms. Crane! Are you hurt?" His faded blue eyes searched the dimly lit bedroom for her figure as his free hand searched for a light switch.
Light flooded the room in the next instant.
And he couldn't help the smile that stole over his lips.
"Who the hell are you?" Sheridan Crane spat venomously. Clutching her unbuttoned silk blouse to her chest.
He knew the answer before a word was spoken.
"Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald. Your bodyguard," he stated. Making no effort to conceal his amusement. Or his admiration as his dark brown eyes roved her figure.. "You must be Ms. Crane. Don't be so shy. We ARE going to be living together."
If looks could kill...
*cringes* Rereading old fic is hard, lol.
I want so badly to go back and rewrite this one, but I'm swamped beneath all the other WIPs I have at the moment.
So...no rewrite as of yet, but I am going to be trying to clean up the formatting and make the fic easier to read whenever time allows.
Slowly but surely...
Thanks for reading!
