As she parked, the man who had photographed her and Rafe at the Crab Shack jumped out of a Jeep and ran to join her, startling her. She was instantly wary.
“Hi, I’m LK Marks, a photojournalist, and I wanted to get your name for the article I’m writing for Gossip Galore.”
She hadn’t recognized him on the beach because his photo on his website showed a younger man by about twenty years. He was forty-five instead of twenty-five, with a receding hairline, a few wrinkles beneath his eyes, a smattering of gray hairs mixed in with the black, and about twenty or so pounds heavier. “About?” As if she didn’t know.
“Rafe Denali. This is the first time I’ve ever captured him on a date. So if you don’t mind, I’d like to get the real story.”
“I do mind. But thanks for asking.” Jade said it in a really sweet way—smiling and meaning it, not wanting to antagonize the man—and headed inside.
To her annoyance, Marks followed her. She raised a brow, surprised at his boldness, even though she knew she shouldn’t have been. That was his job. He wouldn’t get anything noteworthy if he was shy and went along with what she was willing to tell him.
“I think we both know your little swim in the Pacific Ocean was a means to get Mr. Denali’s attention.”
So he had witnessed everything. Had he been stationed near Rafe’s house, watching to see if the billionaire took a spin with the woman he’d taken up to his place? Jade wanted to groan.
“And then having lunch with him? Is that why you stayed here? Near where he lives? So you could just happen to catch his eye and then risk your neck to get more than that?”
Again, she smiled amiably. “What would the odds be of that?”
“Yeah. You’d have to keep walking up the beach for days to catch his eye. Check around to see where he frequented in case you could run into him.”
Her heart was beating harder. She was glad he wasn’t a wolf and couldn’t hear it. She hoped Marks hadn’t been spying on her all along.
“I wouldn’t have thought the one-piece and short shorts would have caught his attention. Me? I like the skimpy bikinis.”
“Then maybe you should return to the beach to catch what you’re really after. Good day, Mr. Marks.”
“I like your wheels. You’re a classy dame. And you’ve been nice and respectful to me. I’ll be nice too.” He tipped his head to her and left the bed-and-breakfast.
Jade wondered if he meant he was going to be nice in his version of their story or if he meant something else. She didn’t need this right now and hoped her brother didn’t learn of it.
Dressed in a bright-yellow-and-orange sundress, Fiona Miller, the bed-and-breakfast owner, was standing behind the check-in counter, a cell phone in her hand. “I was going to call the police if he continued to hassle you.” Then she frowned. “You had trouble on the beach?”
“You know I’m from the Texas Panhandle. No rip currents there.” Jade shrugged and was about to turn to head to her room when Fiona commented again.
“Rafe Denali, one of California’s most confirmed billionaire bachelors, really rescued you?”
“Yeah. Who would have guessed?”
“Wow. I wish it had been me. Not that I want to drown or anything, but…wow. I don’t know how many times I’ve walked up that beach, looked up at his house, and wished he was watching me.”
“I wasn’t expecting needing to be rescued, and especially not by someone like him.” Jade didn’t want anyone to believe she’d pulled a stupid stunt in the hopes that Rafe would come down and rescue her.
Fiona smiled, but she looked like she didn’t believe her.
“So,” Fiona said, leaning against the counter. “Did he invite you to the social he’s hosting? I’ve heard it’s this Friday, and as usual, he doesn’t have a date. Since you already had lunch with him…”
Jade wished she’d arranged to drive to Rafe’s house instead of having him pick her up. She suspected Mr. Marks was going to watch her every move. And Fiona would speculate even more about what was going on between Jade and Rafe.
Jade shook her head. “Wouldn’t have a thing to wear. Thanks. I’m off to get cleaned up. I’m still covered in salt and sand. Talk later.” She hurried off to the stairs. Fiona was nice, but she hadn’t been that chatty before. Jade figured she was thrilled to have someone staying at her place who had hooked the billionaire for a date. And who knew what else.
“Later,” Fiona called after her in a singsong fashion.
Jade was trying to think of another way to get Aidan’s address. What if Rafe had it on a computer? But he would undoubtedly have it password protected. Getting to it without Rafe being right there with her would be a problem too. Unless she was invited to the ball; she could check out the computer while everyone was busy socializing. Still, she didn’t have any hacking skills. And what if he didn’t have a contact list on his computer anyway?
But as soon as Jade opened the door to her room, she saw her back patio doors were wide open. The ocean breeze was blowing into the room, and she smelled the scent of her brother.
Chapter 5
Rafe met with Sebastian and Derek in his private gym to tell them Edward was checking into Jade and her pack’s background in Amarillo. He loved this house. He had everything he could want—the pool, the beach, even a small ballroom where he could have his charity balls.
Though Derek had his own personal gym, he liked dropping by to spar with Rafe and Sebastian. Edward too, when he wasn’t on a job for Rafe. Or some of the other men who served in various capacities, all trained as bodyguards in case Rafe needed more than one.
“I understand there’s a close-up shot of her face while she was taking a shower and no body to go with it,” Derek said, punching a bag while Sebastian and Rafe did martial arts training.
Rafe smiled. “Edward tell you?”
“Hell yeah. I knew Edward was looking into the mermaid wolf, and I knew he’d need a picture of her before he could do a thorough search. I just never thought the picture would be of her taking a shower. ’Course, I asked how the hell he got a photo like that, and he assured me you took the shot.”
Rafe laughed. “You already saw her.”
“Not enough of her!”
“I haven’t seen the picture,” Sebastian said.
Rafe stopped, moved off the mat to get his phone, then showed Sebastian the shot of Jade, thinking he needed to get another one that wasn’t so hot. Though he couldn’t imagine taking any of her that wouldn’t look just as sexy.
“Hell, Boss, where’s the rest of her?” Sebastian asked.
Rafe shook his head.
“So what do you want me to do about the little lady?” Sebastian asked, much too interested.
“I just need you to know that there’s a game afoot. I’m disappointed, of course, that we didn’t meet under different circumstances.”
Frowning, Sebastian studied the picture further. “Where did you take this? Poolside?”
“Of course.”
The shower in Rafe’s bathroom had the same glass privacy wall as the pool shower, so the guys couldn’t tell which shower Jade had been using.