Caress: The Nora Heat Collection Read online

I didn’t have a problem with Nicole when I first met her. She introduced herself to me like a winner, and as if she had my best interest in mind, so we hired her. And she was great. She kept me organized while also keeping me busy.

  When I first met her, I thought she was beautiful in her own way with her big blue eyes and bright hair. Too bad I wasn’t the only person thinking that.

  I found her and my dad in his office one day. She was on her knees between his legs while he was sitting in his desk chair, his head tossed back, enjoying it a little too much. It was the grossest thing I’d ever seen.

  Dad saw me before I could get out of his office that day. He’d never mentioned it afterward, but Nicole did and she wasn’t very apologetic about it. They had a thing going on—I wasn’t sure what it was—and I really didn’t care enough to ask for more details.

  It was his business, and I guess I couldn’t blame him. He was a widower, after all. He was lonely and needed some kind of affection. Though she was a pain in the ass, she kept my dad occupied which meant less overbearing phone calls and worried text messages from him.

  As I picked at my dry cereal, Nicole told the maids to pack up and leave. Not even two minutes after they’d left, someone else was knocking on the door.

  Nicole rushed to it, peering through the peephole. “Oh, good. It’s him.” Gripping the knob, she pulled the door open and stepped to the side, letting the new bodyguard in.

  As soon as I saw him, eating the dry cereal was no longer my priority. Staring at him was.

  And. Fuck. Me.

  He stepped into my studio in a pair of dark blue jeans and a fitted white T-shirt. His hair was dark, cropped short, but just long enough to run my fingers through it. He had dark facial hair, not too much or too little, and his skin was the color of one of my favorite Starbuck drinks—caramel macchiato. His features were strong and defined, and his skin tone alluded to some Hispanic heritage.

  I could tell he was older than me by at least six to eight years, I guessed. I could tell by how tired his eyes were. He was strong and fit, his arms big enough to wrap around me twice. He wasn’t like the average bulky, bald, thick-necked guard. No, he was completely different.

  He was built well enough for the world to know he was a protector, but still lean and cut in all the right places that made him look like more of a gym trainer or an athlete.

  Unlike the other guards, whose eyes lit up as soon as they saw me, his remained the same—dark, hard, and serious.

  He looked me over once, a lingering, magnetic sweep, before pulling his eyes away and studying the loft. He seemed too big in my apartment, and it was as if all the air got sucked out of the room the moment the door shut behind him.

  “Chanel,” Nicole said, smiling nervously as she glanced between him and me. “This is Kobe Ward. Your new bodyguard.”

  Kobe Ward. Even his name was different.

  There was Jack. Bob. Tom. Ron. Matt. But Kobe? Yeah, he was definitely not like the others.

  I pushed off my stool, dusting my hands off as I padded to the middle of the room. He took a large step forward extending his arm and offering his hand. I took it, shaking twice.

  “Nice to meet you, Kobe,” I greeted.

  “Likewise. I look forward to working for you, Miss Gooding.”

  Miss Gooding? I almost snorted. Instead, I waved a hand and said, “Just call me Chanel, please. The formalities aren’t necessary.”

  “Okay.” He stepped back. “Chanel it is.” I don’t know why, but having him say my name made my belly clench and then flutter. It was a strange sensation, one I didn’t want to dwell on so I stepped away.

  “Kobe will be going with you to training today,” Nicole announced. I looked at her. “I saw some paparazzi camping around the building, some lurking at the coffee shop across the street. They’ll be looking for you after the release of that magazine today, so he’ll help you get through the crowds.”

  “Cool,” I murmured. I glanced at Kobe who nodded once in response.

  “I’ll be right outside the door when you’re ready to leave.” He turned his back, pulling the door open and walking out.

  When the door closed behind him, the room felt more vacant, the air not so thick in my lungs. I fixed my gaze on Nicole, who forced a smile.

  “So? What do you think?” she asked.

  “He’s . . . really serious,” I noted, plopping down on the sofa.

  “Which is exactly what he needs to be. He’s the most in-demand bodyguard in this city for a reason, and it’s clearly because he doesn’t take this gig as a joke. Plus, your father told him to have minimal interaction with you. He won’t be sharing any personal conversations or asking you how your day went—none of that. He will only be doing his job, which is watching over you. He doesn’t have to speak to do that.”

  I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. “Tell my father that every guard’s mission isn’t to fall in love with me. We can have conversations. It’s what we humans are meant to do.”

  “Yes, but still. We don’t want what happened with Matt to happen again. We want you safe.”

  I sighed, watching as she picked up her bag from the counter and slid the strap over her shoulder. “Please don’t be late to training. And remember tomorrow morning at eight is the photoshoot with Elle magazine. I’ll remind you again with a text.”

  “Yup. I remember.”

  “Good.” She walked to the door, her heels clicking on the hardwood. “Call if you need anything.”

  I lifted my hand and waved goodbye with my fingers, relieved when she finally walked out the door. On her way out, I could see the bodyguard standing there with his arms folded, staring at the wall across from him.

  I couldn’t lie and say he didn’t intrigue me. He hadn’t shown a single emotion. He was like one of the guards outside Westminster Abbey, just without the uniform. It was going to annoy me soon—how serious he was and having my father tell him to have minimal interaction with me.

  If someone was to work for me, I needed to know who the person really was, or at least catch a glimpse of who they are. It was a personal preference and my dad knew this, but something told me it was going to be hard getting Sir Kobe to crack.

  I didn’t want what happened with Matt happening again though, so perhaps it would be better keeping to myself.

  THREE

  Chanel

  After my intense kickboxing workout with Nathan in his studio, I took a jog through Central Park with my earphones plugged in and Halsey’s voice powering through the speakers.

  It was a chilly October day, the leaves tinged with hues of orange, red, and yellow. The wind stung my cheeks as I ran my six laps around the park.

  I could see people with cameras, trying to blend in with the crowd. Their phones were up, mouths agape, eyes wide. So surprised to see me here.

  I refused to give up my time in Central Park. I loved my jogs and workouts here, and paparazzi weren’t going to stop me from coming.

  I guess it was a good thing the new bodyguard was here. I’d had to leave early the last few times I jogged here because the paparazzi kept getting too close, invading my space, which meant I couldn’t finish my workouts.

  The new bodyguard was jogging along, several feet behind me. I glanced over my shoulder at him, but he wasn’t looking at me. His eyes were ahead, focused. Determined.

  People were always watching me. It was nothing new. I’d been in the spot light since I was six months old.

  My mother made me a baby model, and then I became a toddler model, and eventually I got a modeling gig at five-years-old for Carter’s.

  When I turned twelve, I became a model for some of the most popular retail and department stores. By fifteen, I was walking the smaller runways of Manhattan and by eighteen, I signed with Rogue Modeling Agency, the most popular modeling agency in New York.

  Mom made it her mission to get me in front of cameras. At first, it seemed selfish because she chose this life for me, but with every passing year, I bec
ame more and more passionate about it—walking the runway, the cameras clicking, finding the perfect angle and place to put a certain body part or limb.

  How to pose. How to smile with my eyes.

  Modeling was like making art with my body.

  When I was twenty, my mom passed away from breast cancer and since then, I’d made modeling my number one priority. Before, it was just a hobby. Now it was a career. I wanted to make her proud, be exactly what she knew I could be.

  And I finally did it. I was now one of the most popular supermodels around, seen mostly in lingerie, and achieving that status at the tender age of twenty-four was very tough. But I did it. Every magazine wanted a shoot with me. Every designer wanted me to walk their runway or wear their clothes.

  It was a gift and a curse, but only because being this busy and so highly sought after was exhausting. I hardly slept because I worked so much. I couldn’t get many days off. Today was my first day off in months, and even today wasn’t really an off day while training with Nathan, keeping in shape for this career.

  Tomorrow, I was going to be back at it again, posing in front of many cameras, standing beneath bright lights, giving it all that I could, but feeling like it was never enough.

  I finished my final lap, meeting up with Nathan beneath a tree, huffing as I dropped my palms on top of my thighs.

  “Good run,” he said with a smile after I pulled an earphone out. “You still following the meal plan I gave you?”

  “Of course I am,” I panted, standing up straight. “What makes you ask that?”

  “I got a little text from Nicole this morning saying you were eating cereal. You know processed food is a big no-no, Chanel.” He playfully scolded me, wagging a finger.

  “Wow. Of course, you did. No wonder you pushed me so hard today,” I laughed, swiping my forehead.

  “Yep. Come on.” He cocked his head to the right, his brown ponytail swaying. “Over to the grass to stretch and then we can get out of here.”

  He walked to a soft patch of grass and I followed his lead, grabbing the tip of my foot, and pulling back on my leg. Next, I bent forward to touch my toes.

  As I stretched my arm, Nathan asked, “So, new bodyguard, huh?” I looked up but he was focused on Kobe, who was watching the entrance of the park.

  “Yeah,” I sighed. “Dad and Nicole hired him. Claims he’s the ‘most sought after’ bodyguard in Manhattan, according to some bodyguard magazine.”

  “He seems very serious about this job.”

  “That’s what I said. It’s mind blowing.” I glanced at Kobe before focusing on stretching my other arm. “He’s really quiet too.”

  “Maybe he’s just getting used to the whole thing,” Nathan shrugged. “He watches you, but not as closely as the last one.”

  Yeah. The last one. Avoiding the conversation, I asked, “We all good here? I’m having a movie night with Skye and want to shower before she arrives.”

  “Yep.” He walked to the water bottles, picking one up and tossing it my way. “All good. You did great today. See you next week.”

  “I smiled. “Thanks. See ya.”

  After chugging down a few gulps of water, I jogged to Kobe. “Ready,” I told him, and he didn’t hesitate. He just followed.

  When we neared the car, he rushed past me, pulling open the back door of the SUV. I climbed in and he shut the door behind me, walking to the passenger door and getting in. Before I got in though, I could have sworn I felt eyes on my backside.

  The ride was quiet and it didn’t take very long for us to get to the apartments. When we were on our way up the elevator, he didn’t even look at me and I know he didn’t because the elevators had mirrors and I was watching him.

  “I guess I’ve got it from here,” I announced as I stopped outside my apartment door.

  “Making plans to go anywhere else?” he asked.

  I shrugged. “Not really.”

  He narrowed his eyes a bit. “You sure? If you need me to go anywhere with you, just text me. I’ll be on the way.”

  “I might go to the store or something for a small snack with Skye, but it’s only a block away. Not too far.”

  He stared at me for a moment before coming closer. “Your dad told me not to let you go out alone, especially at night.”

  “Really?” I folded my arms, meeting his eyes. “Did he also tell you that I should be watched while I eat, shower, and take a shit too?”

  “No,” he responded brusquely, like he didn’t understand my sarcasm.

  “I go to the store with Skye often. It will be okay. I usually wear a hat so no one notices me. No big deal.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “Are you going to tell them?”

  “Not if you don’t want me to,” he answered.

  “I don’t want you to.”

  “Text me when you leave and I won’t say anything. Nicole emailed you my number.”

  “Sure thing, bodyguard.”

  He turned, starting for the elevators again. He gave me a stern look and the doors of the elevator shot open. He stepped inside and, just like that, he was gone. Wow. That was a serious, hardcore man.

  As I made my way towards my bedroom and stripped, I realized him being so closed-off and guarded made me want to know even more about him.

  I had to get him to talk more.

  FOUR

  Kobe

  She was even sexier in person.

  That little rule her dad had was going to be tough to follow. How the fuck was I supposed to keep my eyes off her? While she worked out, I swear I could feel my cock getting hard. She bent over in plain sight, showing off a perfect peach-shaped ass in tight spandex leggings.

  I struggled to keep my eyes away. I was a strong-willed individual, but women like her made strong men like me weak.

  She claimed she wouldn’t need me tonight, but I was still going to keep my eye on her. She’d texted me ten minutes ago, said she was planning on walking to the store alone. She was fucking insane.

  When those ten minutes passed, I looked out of the window with an apple in hand, biting into it and peering down. Several seconds later, I spotted her rushing out of the building wearing a black baseball cap and all black clothing, blending in with the night.

  As she started walking down the street, that’s when I saw someone following her. He wore all black too, including a black baseball cap. I couldn’t see his face, but the build of his body was familiar.

  And then it hit me.

  There could only be one person following her so late.

  I knew exactly who he was. Her father had told me all about him, showed me several images of the man.

  “Shit!” Tossing the apple in the trash, I grabbed my sweatpants, pulled them on, and charged out the door.

  FIVE

  Chanel

  Skye got caught up at the studio and said she was going to be late, so while she was busy I figured I’d grab the snacks and have them ready for when she arrived.

  After pulling my hair back into a low ponytail and putting on a snug baseball cap, I turned for the door with my phone and wallet in hand, heading for the elevator.

  As soon as I stepped outside, the cool air hit me. I toughed it out and started my stroll to the corner store. But as I walked, I could feel someone watching me.

  Then again, when weren’t people watching me? I wore the black hat to blend in, hoping no one noticed me. It was a short walk, one I took occasionally, but it was only nine o’clock. The paparazzi still lurked.

  I entered the store on the corner and the bell chimed above my head as I grabbed a basket. I walked straight for the drinks, taking down two of our favorite coconut waters.

  The bell chimed again as I made my way to the snack aisle, scanning my choices. I could have gone with the kettle chips, but knew I didn’t need them before a shoot. The pistachios and sunflower seeds looked appealing, so I grabbed a bag.

  Just as I reached for a pack of gum on the top shelf, a hand beat mine to it. It was hairy. Familiar.


  He grabbed the gum and said, “Your favorite, right?”

  My heart nearly fucking failed me.

  I gasped and backed away as his dark, beady eyes locked on mine. He was wearing a baseball cap, shielding his reddish-brown hair.

  I backed away slowly, but he held up a hand, as if he was trying to tame a terrified kitten. “No, it’s okay, Chanel,” Matt said. “I’m not here to hurt you. I just wanted to say hey, stop by and talk a little. Catch up, you know?”

  My pulse pounded in my ears. “M-Matt, you know you’re not supposed to be around here.” I stumbled over my words. My heart raced, my grip tightening on the handle of the basket.

  “Oh, what’s breaking a little rule?” he joked. Except it wasn’t a joke. It also wasn’t a little rule. It was the law. He wasn’t to come within a hundred yards of me or my home. It’s what his restraining order stated. I moved to a new apartment so I wasn’t even sure how he found my new address.

  “I’m going to check out,” I said, trying to keep calm. Fuck the gum. He could have it. I rushed for the checkout, dumping the contents on the countertop, my wallet in hand. I sifted through it as the cashier rang up my items, taking out a hundred-dollar bill.

  “Keep the change please,” I told the cashier. I grabbed the bag of snacks and drinks and rushed for the door.

  My heart beat like a drum when I made it outside.

  The bell chimed behind me but I paced forward, glancing over my shoulder once.

  Holy shit!

  He was following me!

  Damn it. I was wrong about not having Kobe follow me and I regretted the hell out of my decision. My stupid, stubborn decision.

  I picked up my pace, looking back again.

  “Wait, Chanel! I just want to talk!” Matt yelled, his voice desperate.

  He was getting closer so I dropped the bag and ran for my fucking life.

  The cold air filled my lungs, my feet pounding into the concrete.

  I wanted to scream for help, but it would have drawn too much attention and I didn’t need the headliners right now—they didn’t need to know this part of my life. They would make up rumors, say I led my old bodyguard on, led him into thinking I actually loved him.