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“Perfect.”
Kylee was itching to get into the room, take off her heels, eat, and then sleep, but she smiled and acted like nothing was amiss. Luckily, her skirt and summery blouse were both stretchy and comfortable, but she wished she’d been able to grab her bag from her car before she and Chandler took off from the stadium. Seeing Creepy Eyes shoot at them back at the stadium and then coming at Chandler’s window with the gun made her not worry so much about not having clothes or moisturizer.
“Could you also send up whatever extra toiletries you have and some comfortable shorts for me and a T-shirt and yoga pants for my girl from your gift shop?” He looked tenderly at Kylee as if she really were “his girl,” giving her heart palpitations. “I stole her away for this getaway and she wasn’t prepared at all. I was too excited to be with her to think of anything else.”
“Of course.” The woman smiled as if they were the cutest couple she’d ever seen. “I’ll have it all to you within the hour.”
Kylee had to hand it to the lady. She was the consummate professional and if she thought it odd that she didn’t know either of their names, they had only the clothes on their backs, or Chandler hadn’t handed over I.D., she said nothing.
“Thank you.” Chandler gave her a grin that made the woman blush and made Kylee wish she was the only one he grinned at like that. Silly thoughts.
They walked to the stairs and up. Kylee was feeling the exhaustion of the past twenty-four hours. Would she ever get back to her little apartment and visiting classes throughout the inner city, overseeing the language instruction of children from five to eighteen?
Stopping in front of door 228, Kylee scanned the card. It beeped, and she pressed the door handle down and pushed the door in. Chandler scooted into the room and held the door with his backside and that award-winning grin. Even with his hands full of bags, she was tempted to throw herself into his arms. They walked into a gorgeous white and dark wood suite, and she felt as if she’d been transferred into a fairytale. Maybe she never wanted to go back to that little apartment, though she would miss her kiddos.
There was a table with four chairs, a small kitchenette with gorgeous mahogany wood and white countertops, white couches with cozy-looking red throw blankets, and a huge four-poster mahogany bed with a fluffy white bedspread and a myriad of pillows. An open door to the right of the bed had to be the bathroom. Everything looked clean and fresh and luxurious and though it seemed like a spot of paradise, Kylee was suddenly hit with the awkwardness of being alone in a suite with the most handsome man in the world.
Chandler walked over and set the food bags on the table. “Are you ready to eat? I’m starving.”
“Me too,” she admitted. “I just need to use the restroom quick.”
“Sounds good.”
She hurried into the bathroom, which was also spacious and gleaming, mostly white with wood accents and red towels. Kylee looked longingly at the huge jetted tub. What she wouldn’t give to soak and read her book. Yet being around Chandler felt like a real-life romance novel. With the craziness of what they were going through, she would probably categorize it as a romantic suspense. She loved being around him, but she was worn out from driving through the night and all the stress. She was afraid she would say or do something that she shouldn’t because her guard was down.
She used the bathroom and then washed her hands, looking at her face in the mirror. Did Chandler really believe she was beautiful? Her parents had always told her how beautiful she was, but she assumed that was a parental duty. She’d received compliments and some interest from men and boys, but she kept to herself, avoiding any opportunities to meet men her age. In her experience, or at least what social media touted, most men were drawn to thin women, which she would never be. She’d tried every Keto, good belly, Paleo, no sugar, no carb diet known to man. All they did was make her miserable.
There was also the fact that Mimi had torn her down any chance she got. Why was it Kylee believed Mimi over her own parents? Those last two years of high school living with Mimi had been purgatory. Sometimes she wondered if she’d ever get the nasty Mimi thoughts out of her head. Shut up or be quiet in every language she knew hadn’t worked yet.
She shook off the familiar stewing and applied lip gloss. Then she rubbed her scented coconut lotion on her neck and arms. A bath or shower would be better, but she didn’t want to make Chandler wait, and she was hungry as well. She took the sweatshirt off, folded it and put it in the attached closet along with her purse and then unstrapped and slid off her heels. Ah. She wore heels almost every day, but it still felt wonderful to get them off.
Saying a quick prayer for strength to not throw herself at Chandler, she squared her shoulders.Just eat and then get some sleep, she begged herself. Tomorrow, hopefully Papa Delta would have worked his magic. Maybe dreams would come true and Mimi would get arrested, King Frederick would get shot, and she’d be back in her little apartment and going to work at the schools.
She opened the door and Chandler turned to her with a welcoming smile. He had the food and juices spread out on the table. “Dinner is served, beautiful lady.”
Her heart took off at a gallop. What if her quiet apartment and a good book and ice cream weren’t the dream? What if Chandler Delta was the dream?
You’ll never have Chandler.
Silenzio, she begged, but she knew. She felt it deep down. She was in so much danger—and it had nothing to do with a psychotic grandmother sending a hitman after her and an even more psychotic dictator with nuclear weapons aimed at her country.
Chandler Delta was trouble she had no idea how to stay away from.
ChapterSix
Chandler was almost dumbstruck by Kylee’s beauty as she walked out of the bathroom in her fitted shirt and skirt, her lips and dark hair glistening and her long-lashed dark eyes seeming to be full of him. With her high heels off, she looked younger, smaller, and even more irresistibly innocent, making his protective instincts toward her even more intense. It didn’t appear she was aware of the power she had over him or how beautiful she was.
He needed to keep his head on straight to protect her, as their nation’s safety was at risk. Papa had called while she was in the bathroom, saying he had a plan that might involve Kylee, if she agreed, but to wait until he could do some more digging and talk to her in person. Papa sounded far too excited about the plan, which worried him. He also said he would have a chartered jet bring them to Colorado in the morning to keep her safe. She would be surrounded by his skilled and tough family until they decided which direction to go.
Chandler did not want her involved in any plan, but how did he go against an idea that could save hundreds of millions of lives and possibly thwart an evil dictator’s progression of power? It was huge and honestly above his paygrade. He wanted to be the best Delta Protection Detail member he could, but truthfully he’d do better fighting someone with a lacrosse stick instead of a gun or knives.
He and Kylee settled down at the small table and ate the variety of delicious foods. He asked her questions about her work with the inner-city schools and overseeing foreign language classes for children from grade school through high school. Her favorite part was being involved in the teaching and she tried to be in the classroom as often as possible. It was impressive that as talented, smart, and beautiful as she was, she hadn’t chosen the role of diplomat but tried to give back to the children.
The clothes and toiletries arrived as they finished eating and Kylee went to shower and change in the bathroom. Chandler spent the time pacing and checking in with his coaches. Luckily, they told him to take a few days for his “family emergency” and didn’t ask questions. He doubted it’d only be a few days, but he’d cross that bridge when he got to it. He also replied to Ty’s many upset texts about bullet holes in his baby and then Chandler deserting his Porsche. Apparently, the rental company had all kinds of questions Ty couldn’t answer.
Chandler tried to humbly and profusely apologize, promising to pay any repair bill. Mostly he was just grateful it wasn’t the police who were after his friend, or Creepy Eyes. He also stewed about the impending doom of the King Frederick situation and the worries over how to keep Kylee safe. He hated that Papa might ask her to go into a situation that was the opposite of safe to rescue the nation.
When she walked out of the bathroom for the second time that night, Chandler didn’t know how it was possible for her to be even more beautiful, but there she was. He knew her beauty was enhanced for him because of how impressive, uplifting, and fun she was to be around and their connection from when they were younger. Despite her writing him off, he couldn’t deny the strong feelings he’d kept in his heart.
