Tangled Vows(16)

Refusing to back down, Everett glared right back at her. Bay made her  decision. In spite of their flirtations today, the agreement had been  only until they reached Chicago. That time-those wonderful,  mind-shattering, orgasmic hours-was over. She had to go back to her real  life. She couldn't live in his movie star world anymore.

Bailey put her hand over Mark's on the window seal and leaned against  the door to get closer to him. "I'd love to have dinner one night this  week," she said seductively. "Maybe even breakfast." She ran a fingertip  along his lips, and they curved into a smile under her touch.                       
       
           



       

"You got it, babe."

Before he could move away, she grabbed his collar and pulled him closer.  She could see the glint in his eyes and knew he'd said it on purpose.  When his lips were mere inches from hers, she spoke. "Don't. Call. Me.  Babe." She let go of his collar.

Mark chuckled. "Mr. Parker, nice to meet you. Have a nice evening." He  turned to go and stopped on the ball of one foot. "Oh, and Bailey." He  turned back to look at her. "Try to keep it under the speed limit this  time." He sauntered back to his squad car, chuckling.

"So, you and the cop," Everett drawled.

Bay shrugged before pulling back onto the interstate. "Sometimes."

"Were you trying to make me jealous?"

She gave him a scathing look. "Why would you be jealous? We're not a  thing. We agreed-only until we got to Chicago, remember?" Everett  laughed. "What?" she asked indignantly.

"I'm only a little surprised, that's all." She quirked an eyebrow in  question. "I guess I shouldn't have been though. You've been surprising  me from the day you knocked me down."

Bailey rolled her eyes, regretting he couldn't see her do it in the darkness. "What was it this time?"

"You're just the first woman to agree to a limit when it comes to me and apparently mean it."

That surprised her. "Really? I would think you'd have a lot of groupies hanging around hoping to bang you."

His signature grin was back on his face then. "Oh, I do. But they always  end up wanting more. Whether that's money or fame or just a sense of  worth, they all want more than they say."

Without thinking, she asked the obvious. "What makes you think I'm not?"

Everett's grin dropped, and a serious look crossed his face. "Because  you have done so much to avoid me. From the very first, you did  everything you could to stay away. I had to coerce you every step of the  way," he said thoughtfully.

The wheels turned in Bay's head, and a sudden awful thought occurred to  her. "Wait. Are you saying that was your goal all along? To get me into  bed?" Bailey was mentally kicking herself. How could she have been so  stupid? Why didn't she see she was only another conquest to him?

Everett's head snapped up as her question registered. "What? No, of course not. That wasn't what I meant."

Bay jerked the car onto an exit ramp and slammed to a stop at the light.  Her arms were shaking she was so angry. "Oh really? Then what exactly  did you mean? Because from where I'm sitting, that's exactly what it  looks like."

"I was just talking about the job. You refused it until I begged you for my sister's sake."

"And why did you even want me in particular anyway? You could have had  your choice of any agent in the building. You could have had anyone in  the world do the job for that matter. Why was I so important?"

"You're right, I could have." A bite had come into his tone, revealing  his growing anger. "I picked you because you impressed me. Out of all  the security at that premiere, you were the only person to see the  threat. You. Not even my own security people caught it."

"It's my job," Bay said in a monotone voice.

"Of course it's your job. But that doesn't mean you're not excellent at  it. Why won't you take a compliment from me? Do you have a problem with  me in particular or with all men?" He threw his hands in the air in  frustration.

"I don't have a problem with anyone. I just-"

"Really? So all the animosity, the fighting, the snide comments, that's what you do with everyone?"

"Well, no. Of course not."

"Then it is me you have a problem with."

Bailey made a guttural noise of frustration. "No!"

"Then what?" he practically yelled.

"I just-I just-I don't like people who want to be in the limelight, that's all," she finally admitted.

"This has to do with your sister, doesn't it?"

"My sister, my father, everyone I've ever cared about."

Everett's mouth formed an O, and comprehension dawned in his eyes. "I see," he said quietly.

Several long moments passed in which neither said anything. Bailey  finally broke the silence. "You do?" She wasn't sure she understood  herself.

He shifted in the car seat to face her. "Yeah, I do. You're afraid of  any relationship where something else might end up more important than  you. You're afraid you'll always be second place, when what you really  want is to be first in someone's life."                       
       
           



       

Bailey was stunned speechless. No one had ever seen into her soul like  that. Even she had never put words to that feeling. Nevertheless, there  it was, in all its ugly, mutilated glory. Her insides started to churn,  and she felt sick. Was she that selfish? Did she really want someone to  put her above everything else in their lives?

"Bailey?" Everett asked.

She came out of her thoughts and realized he must have still been  talking. "Uh, what were you saying?" At the same time, she pulled into  the parking lot of Halvard Protection Services.

"Bailey, I don't blame you," Everett said. He leaned toward her and put a  hand on her arm, still outstretched on the steering wheel. "You have  every right to feel that way. And I'm sure some day you'll find that  lucky man who will make you his priority."

Bay shook herself out of her funk and pulled her arm away as she reached  to unfasten her seatbelt. Putting her mental guard back in place, she  said, "You assume that's what I want. I may want to stay single. Maybe  I'll become a crazy cat lady," she mused.

Everett sighed and ran a hand down his face. "You can lie to yourself  all you want, Bay, but you can't lie to me. I know acting when I see it.  You pretend not to need anyone. You pretend you're happy alone-"

"Are you saying I can't take care of myself?" Bay asked, insulted. Not waiting for an answer, she got out of the car.

Everett opened his door and stood too, staring at her from over the roof  of the car. "No, I'm not saying that at all. You are obviously more  than capable of taking care of yourself. You are strong and independent.  But you're also lonely and looking for companionship. Yet you're afraid  of that same companionship because you don't think it will last. So you  block everyone out of your life, and you only have superficial  relationships. You've even cut your family out of your life."

Bailey shook her head. "You're wrong. Let it go, Everett; you don't know  me. Look," she grabbed her bag and walked toward her own car, "the job  is done. Thank you for the opportunity. I hope you have a great life."

"Bay, come on. Don't get mad about this."

"I'm not mad, Everett. I'm just tired and want to get home," Bay said exasperated.

"Then prove it to me."

"What?" She turned to face him, confusion wrinkling her brows.

"You said I was wrong about you, about you being afraid of  relationships." He stalked toward her in slow motion, his eyes never  breaking contact with hers. "I want you to prove you're not afraid."

As he finished speaking, he stopped right in front of her. Bailey could  see the spark of a challenge in his eyes. Challenge and desire. Bay  pulled in a breath, culling the urge to lean into him, to capture his  mouth with hers. Challenges were hard for her to resist. However, this  was one she couldn't accept. He was right, and they both knew it. She  wasn't ready for a relationship. Doubted she ever would be. And with  him? No, the last thing she ever wanted was a real relationship with  him.

"Let me guess," she said, sarcasm in every word. "You want me to prove it by having a relationship with you."

"What's wrong with that?" he asked, voice deep and husky.

"I'll tell you what's wrong with that. I don't want a relationship with  you. Even if I did, your relationships don't last very long either, if  the tabloids are to be believed. So who's the one that's really afraid  of relationships, Mr. Parker?" She purposely used the formality of his  last name. She wanted him to know, now that her job was over, she wasn't  about to act as if they really knew each other.