Chapter 2
"YOU are my bodyguard?" she eyed him suspiciously.
"Do YOU have a problem with that?" Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald smirked. His dark eyes gleaming.
Freeman held a hand to his brow. Great. He was toying with her. They were off to such a wonderful beginning. "Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald.have you been briefed on the situation and its particulars?"
Lopez-Fitzgerald cast a quick glance at Sheridan. His eyes drifting from her face lower. "They didn't tell me everything," he said dryly.
She glared back at him and pulled her blouse together. "Didn't your mother ever teach you it's not polite to stare?" she said angrily. Turning on her heels and vacating the room.
"How did you survive the flight from Paris?"
Freeman chuckled. "Ms. Crane's a handful, Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald. That's why I want you to always be on your toes. She's very resourceful. Don't let her out of your sight for even two seconds. That's all it takes," he finished soberly.
"She gave you the slip?" Lopez-Fitzgerald said in an amused voice.
"On more than one occasion," Freeman nodded his head.
"I'll keep that in mind," he said as they walked back into the living room.
He reached inside his jacket and withdrew a card. "Here. This is the number to my cell. If anything goes wrong.anything at all."
"Thank you, Agent Freeman. I'll make full use of it."
The men shook hands, and Luis watched as the limosine crawled away.
"Thank you, Agent Freeman," a voice mocked from behind him. Directly behind him. She had her arms crossed defensively across her chest, and her chin was set in determination.
"Let's get a few things straight here," he said in an authoritative voice.
Her blue eyes narrowed.
He could see her visibly bristling at his words. His tone of voice. "Like it or not, you're stuck with me. I'm stuck with you. I think it's in our best interests to learn to get along with each other."
"Our best interests? It's not in my best interests to be stuck with you. With any bodyguard for that matter."
His jaw clenched. "Oh," he said. A black brow arched. "But it IS in your best interests to be dead?"
"I didn't say that," she huffed. "Tell me something, Officer. Do you value your privacy?"
"In this case privacy will have to take a back seat to your safety."
She pushed a lock of blond hair from her eyes and tried another tactic. "What about your friends? Family? Girlfriend?" He wasn't wearing a ring. "I'm sure we can work something out. So you don't have to completely neglect her. You don't have to be my babysitter."
His laughter filled the cozy living room. "My friends and family support me, Ms. Crane. They know I can keep you alive until the drug cartel is caught."
Her blue eyes flashed at him. Nothing was working. He had an answer for everything. "But your girlfriend?"
He stepped in closer. Invading her personal space. "I don't have one. And if I did.she'd understand that I was only doing my job."
"Would she?" she challenged. "She wouldn't get the least bit jealous?" Okay, Sheridan. Where did THAT come from? Open mouth. Insert foot. Maybe he didn't notice.
He grinned at her. "Are you saying YOU would be jealous?"
"Of course not," she rolled her eyes. "You're not exactly God's gift to women," she said snidely. "Arrogance is not an attractive trait."
"So that's why you're still unattached," he shot back. Grinning at her open- mouthed expression of shock.
"I think it's time YOU got a few things straight here," she growled. "My personal life is none of your damn business."
"Au contraire," he whispered. Leaning in so close he could feel her breath on his face. "This assignment, I'm afraid, is up close and personal."
"Really, Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald?" she said in a husky voice. Her pink lips curling up in a smile. "Just how up close and personal?" she whispered in his ear. "Dammit! What the hell do you think you're doing?" she grit out between clenched teeth when he grabbed her upper arms and hauled her up against him.
"This assignment is my job. I take my work very seriously. This.little game is not going to work. You're not going to seduce me out of my job, Ms. Crane."
Her blue eyes glittered with rage. "Seduce you! Do you honestly think I would sleep with the likes of you?" she spat. His hands were burning a hole through the thin silk of her shirt. She rubbed her arms roughly when he let go abruptly. His handsome face dark with anger.
"I know you're used to snapping your fingers and getting exactly what you want," Luis said in a low voice. "But I don't work that way. I'm not going to go away just because you want me to. I'm sticking around. And I won't put up with your rich bitch, high and mighty attitude. Get dressed. Your father's expecting you."
"No man tells me what to do," she snapped. "I'm going because I want to," she hugged her sides.
Her bedroom door slammed shut behind her.
Luis dropped to the sofa. Groaning. "Damn Cranes," he muttered. "Daddy's spoiled princess." He pulled his cell phone from his jeans pocket and punched in the familiar digits. "Hey Marty.let me talk to the Chief. He isn't there. No. That's okay. Yeah. The pictures don't do her justice."
Sheridan leaned against the door frame. Listening attentively. A self- satisfied smirk on her lips.
"I've never met a more self-centered BRAT," he said. Sneaking a look in her direction. His brown eyes twinkled at her.
She stomped over to where he sat and yanked the phone from his hand. Stabbing at the OFF button. "Jerk," she growled.
He chuckled and stuffed the cell phone back in his pocket. "Are you ready?" he asked. Raking his eyes over her svelte figure. Clad in a low-cut, body- hugging white tank and a pair of snug black pants. "Nice outfit. I thought you Cranes went for a more sophisticated 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous' style."
She shoved past him with an icy glare.
"Guess not," he muttered under his breath as he jogged to catch up with her. "Stay close," he said. Grabbing her by the arm. "Are you forgetting there's a price out on your head?"
She shrugged his hand off her arm. "No," she said snottily. "But I hardly think these criminal masterminds," she rolled her eyes, "would make it past Crane security. Besides.Father hates it when I'm late."
"Oh.I get it. You can't let Daddy down, huh?" he sneered. "Everything has to be perfect because you're Daddy's little girl."
She looked stricken.
He began to wonder if maybe he shouldn't have.
"Ethan!" she waved. A smile gracing her lips again.
His eyes narrowed, and he gripped her firmly by the elbow.
"Get your hands off of me, Officer. Before I." she hissed. "Ethan! I'm so glad you're here," she jerked her elbow from his hand and threw her arms around the young man's neck.
"You must be Aunt Sheridan's bodyguard. I'm Ethan Crane."
Luis shook the hand he offered. "Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald."
"Lopez-Fitzgerald?" Ethan's blue eyes showed recognition. "Are you."
"Ms. Crane! Ms. Crane!" Luis yelled as Sheridan disappeared inside. "Where does she think she's going?"
Ethan laughed beside him. "She's not going to make it easy on you, Luis. She doesn't want a bodyguard. But I'm glad she has one. Take care of her. She's very important to me," Ethan said earnestly.
Luis saw the caring in the younger man's blue eyes. "I won't let anything happen to her. But you're right. She's definitely NOT going to make it easy," he sighed as Ethan led him through a door, and he stepped into the Crane Mansion. He was sure his family's entire house would fit inside this room alone.
"Hello, Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald."
Luis turned around slowly. Coming face to face with an elegant older man. Dressed to the nines in an expensive suit and giving him a disapproving look.
Sheridan stood behind him. "Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald.this is my father."
"Alistair Crane," Luis breathed. His dark eyes taking in every detail of the man in front of him. He wanted to commit the face of the man who was the cause of his father's disappearance to memory.
"I want to thank you, Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald, for looking after my daughter. She's very precious to me," he said coolly.
Luis had the distinct impression the bastard was lying through his teeth. And Sheridan was eating it up. Looking up at her father adoringly. "I'm just doing my job, Mr. Crane."
"Will you be joining us for dinner?"
"I."
"No, Father. Luis won't be joining us for dinner," Sheridan answered for him. Daring him to pick a fight with her in front of the Almighty Alistair Crane.
What the hell, Luis thought. They'd have to go through the old snake first, and he was sure Alistair had his own head well-protected. "I'll be in the kitchen. Send for me when you're ready to leave," he told Sheridan.
She ignored him. Taking her father's arm and walking toward the grand dining room. "Father.I missed you at the airport today."
"My dear sweet Sheridan.you know I had very important business to attend to. I thought you understood."
"Yes, Father. I understand."
"Good," Alistair patted her arm. "Ethan? Is your mother still feeling unwell?"
"She has a terrible headache, Grandfather. She sends her regrets that she can't make it to dinner and welcome you back home, Aunt Sheridan."
Luis shook his head. Business! He stuffed his hands in his pockets and roamed the halls. In search of the kitchen.
"Luis! Mijo? What are you doing here?"
"Mama," he hugged her tight. "This is the new job I told you about."
"You're Miss Sheridan's bodyguard? Mijo.I'm so relieved. I know you won't let any harm come to her."
Luis slipped an arm around his mother's waist. "I won't, Mama. I promise. Now.I'm starved. Where's that kitchen?"
"YOU are my bodyguard?" she eyed him suspiciously.
"Do YOU have a problem with that?" Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald smirked. His dark eyes gleaming.
Freeman held a hand to his brow. Great. He was toying with her. They were off to such a wonderful beginning. "Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald.have you been briefed on the situation and its particulars?"
Lopez-Fitzgerald cast a quick glance at Sheridan. His eyes drifting from her face lower. "They didn't tell me everything," he said dryly.
She glared back at him and pulled her blouse together. "Didn't your mother ever teach you it's not polite to stare?" she said angrily. Turning on her heels and vacating the room.
"How did you survive the flight from Paris?"
Freeman chuckled. "Ms. Crane's a handful, Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald. That's why I want you to always be on your toes. She's very resourceful. Don't let her out of your sight for even two seconds. That's all it takes," he finished soberly.
"She gave you the slip?" Lopez-Fitzgerald said in an amused voice.
"On more than one occasion," Freeman nodded his head.
"I'll keep that in mind," he said as they walked back into the living room.
He reached inside his jacket and withdrew a card. "Here. This is the number to my cell. If anything goes wrong.anything at all."
"Thank you, Agent Freeman. I'll make full use of it."
The men shook hands, and Luis watched as the limosine crawled away.
"Thank you, Agent Freeman," a voice mocked from behind him. Directly behind him. She had her arms crossed defensively across her chest, and her chin was set in determination.
"Let's get a few things straight here," he said in an authoritative voice.
Her blue eyes narrowed.
He could see her visibly bristling at his words. His tone of voice. "Like it or not, you're stuck with me. I'm stuck with you. I think it's in our best interests to learn to get along with each other."
"Our best interests? It's not in my best interests to be stuck with you. With any bodyguard for that matter."
His jaw clenched. "Oh," he said. A black brow arched. "But it IS in your best interests to be dead?"
"I didn't say that," she huffed. "Tell me something, Officer. Do you value your privacy?"
"In this case privacy will have to take a back seat to your safety."
She pushed a lock of blond hair from her eyes and tried another tactic. "What about your friends? Family? Girlfriend?" He wasn't wearing a ring. "I'm sure we can work something out. So you don't have to completely neglect her. You don't have to be my babysitter."
His laughter filled the cozy living room. "My friends and family support me, Ms. Crane. They know I can keep you alive until the drug cartel is caught."
Her blue eyes flashed at him. Nothing was working. He had an answer for everything. "But your girlfriend?"
He stepped in closer. Invading her personal space. "I don't have one. And if I did.she'd understand that I was only doing my job."
"Would she?" she challenged. "She wouldn't get the least bit jealous?" Okay, Sheridan. Where did THAT come from? Open mouth. Insert foot. Maybe he didn't notice.
He grinned at her. "Are you saying YOU would be jealous?"
"Of course not," she rolled her eyes. "You're not exactly God's gift to women," she said snidely. "Arrogance is not an attractive trait."
"So that's why you're still unattached," he shot back. Grinning at her open- mouthed expression of shock.
"I think it's time YOU got a few things straight here," she growled. "My personal life is none of your damn business."
"Au contraire," he whispered. Leaning in so close he could feel her breath on his face. "This assignment, I'm afraid, is up close and personal."
"Really, Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald?" she said in a husky voice. Her pink lips curling up in a smile. "Just how up close and personal?" she whispered in his ear. "Dammit! What the hell do you think you're doing?" she grit out between clenched teeth when he grabbed her upper arms and hauled her up against him.
"This assignment is my job. I take my work very seriously. This.little game is not going to work. You're not going to seduce me out of my job, Ms. Crane."
Her blue eyes glittered with rage. "Seduce you! Do you honestly think I would sleep with the likes of you?" she spat. His hands were burning a hole through the thin silk of her shirt. She rubbed her arms roughly when he let go abruptly. His handsome face dark with anger.
"I know you're used to snapping your fingers and getting exactly what you want," Luis said in a low voice. "But I don't work that way. I'm not going to go away just because you want me to. I'm sticking around. And I won't put up with your rich bitch, high and mighty attitude. Get dressed. Your father's expecting you."
"No man tells me what to do," she snapped. "I'm going because I want to," she hugged her sides.
Her bedroom door slammed shut behind her.
Luis dropped to the sofa. Groaning. "Damn Cranes," he muttered. "Daddy's spoiled princess." He pulled his cell phone from his jeans pocket and punched in the familiar digits. "Hey Marty.let me talk to the Chief. He isn't there. No. That's okay. Yeah. The pictures don't do her justice."
Sheridan leaned against the door frame. Listening attentively. A self- satisfied smirk on her lips.
"I've never met a more self-centered BRAT," he said. Sneaking a look in her direction. His brown eyes twinkled at her.
She stomped over to where he sat and yanked the phone from his hand. Stabbing at the OFF button. "Jerk," she growled.
He chuckled and stuffed the cell phone back in his pocket. "Are you ready?" he asked. Raking his eyes over her svelte figure. Clad in a low-cut, body- hugging white tank and a pair of snug black pants. "Nice outfit. I thought you Cranes went for a more sophisticated 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous' style."
She shoved past him with an icy glare.
"Guess not," he muttered under his breath as he jogged to catch up with her. "Stay close," he said. Grabbing her by the arm. "Are you forgetting there's a price out on your head?"
She shrugged his hand off her arm. "No," she said snottily. "But I hardly think these criminal masterminds," she rolled her eyes, "would make it past Crane security. Besides.Father hates it when I'm late."
"Oh.I get it. You can't let Daddy down, huh?" he sneered. "Everything has to be perfect because you're Daddy's little girl."
She looked stricken.
He began to wonder if maybe he shouldn't have.
"Ethan!" she waved. A smile gracing her lips again.
His eyes narrowed, and he gripped her firmly by the elbow.
"Get your hands off of me, Officer. Before I." she hissed. "Ethan! I'm so glad you're here," she jerked her elbow from his hand and threw her arms around the young man's neck.
"You must be Aunt Sheridan's bodyguard. I'm Ethan Crane."
Luis shook the hand he offered. "Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald."
"Lopez-Fitzgerald?" Ethan's blue eyes showed recognition. "Are you."
"Ms. Crane! Ms. Crane!" Luis yelled as Sheridan disappeared inside. "Where does she think she's going?"
Ethan laughed beside him. "She's not going to make it easy on you, Luis. She doesn't want a bodyguard. But I'm glad she has one. Take care of her. She's very important to me," Ethan said earnestly.
Luis saw the caring in the younger man's blue eyes. "I won't let anything happen to her. But you're right. She's definitely NOT going to make it easy," he sighed as Ethan led him through a door, and he stepped into the Crane Mansion. He was sure his family's entire house would fit inside this room alone.
"Hello, Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald."
Luis turned around slowly. Coming face to face with an elegant older man. Dressed to the nines in an expensive suit and giving him a disapproving look.
Sheridan stood behind him. "Officer Lopez-Fitzgerald.this is my father."
"Alistair Crane," Luis breathed. His dark eyes taking in every detail of the man in front of him. He wanted to commit the face of the man who was the cause of his father's disappearance to memory.
"I want to thank you, Mr. Lopez-Fitzgerald, for looking after my daughter. She's very precious to me," he said coolly.
Luis had the distinct impression the bastard was lying through his teeth. And Sheridan was eating it up. Looking up at her father adoringly. "I'm just doing my job, Mr. Crane."
"Will you be joining us for dinner?"
"I."
"No, Father. Luis won't be joining us for dinner," Sheridan answered for him. Daring him to pick a fight with her in front of the Almighty Alistair Crane.
What the hell, Luis thought. They'd have to go through the old snake first, and he was sure Alistair had his own head well-protected. "I'll be in the kitchen. Send for me when you're ready to leave," he told Sheridan.
She ignored him. Taking her father's arm and walking toward the grand dining room. "Father.I missed you at the airport today."
"My dear sweet Sheridan.you know I had very important business to attend to. I thought you understood."
"Yes, Father. I understand."
"Good," Alistair patted her arm. "Ethan? Is your mother still feeling unwell?"
"She has a terrible headache, Grandfather. She sends her regrets that she can't make it to dinner and welcome you back home, Aunt Sheridan."
Luis shook his head. Business! He stuffed his hands in his pockets and roamed the halls. In search of the kitchen.
"Luis! Mijo? What are you doing here?"
"Mama," he hugged her tight. "This is the new job I told you about."
"You're Miss Sheridan's bodyguard? Mijo.I'm so relieved. I know you won't let any harm come to her."
Luis slipped an arm around his mother's waist. "I won't, Mama. I promise. Now.I'm starved. Where's that kitchen?"