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He chuckled, and Caitey bit her lips when she realized that she was flirting with him! No, she wasn’t supposed to like this guy! The man who pierced her with his gaze and followed her around the room with his warm, chocolate eyes.
“Miss Caitey Belgrave,” he said softly. “I have a surprise for you.”
“A surprise?” she burst out. “For me?” she added with a squeak. Now she was chirping like a bird, but she was also trying to rein in her emotions before he saw that she had been crying at today’s disaster, at the romantic love song, at everything that had gone so wrong . . .
Marcus had caught her off guard, that was for sure.
“Are you okay, Caitey? Has something happened while I’ve been gone?”
“What hasn’t gone wrong?” she said, trembling. “I wanted to give Jenna her dream wedding, but we no longer have a minister. He’s stuck up the mountain and can’t get out of his house.”
Marcus’s eyebrows shot up. “You mean Logan’s father isn’t authorized to do it?”
“No,” she whispered, blowing out a shaky breath.
“Hey, hey,” Marcus said softly, moving toward her. His face was gentle, and his eyes filled with concern as he tugged the knit hat off his head, revealing a thatch of disheveled hair that Caity was sovery tempted to touch.
Before she knew it, she and Marcus stood only a foot apart while he stroked a finger across her cheek. “You’ve either been out in a rainstorm, or that was a tear I detected.”
“Oh, yeah, Iwishit was just a thunderstorm,” she whispered. She was frozen, gazing at him, the bristle on his cheeks that needed shaving, his beautiful eyes looking deep into hers. The touch of his finger tenderly touching her face . . . and now his hand was cupping her cheek.
Caitey sucked in a breath and wavered on her feet. “You’re pretty good at detecting,” she added, trying to lighten the intense moment. Why was shethis closeto launching herself into his arms? She wanted someone to hold her and comfort her after the day’s stress. And she couldn’t think of anyone else she wanted, only this guy. Thisman. Marcus Stirling: Protector, Master of Security, professional at making her feel seen and cared for, especially after too many thoughtless past boyfriends.
All at once, his face broke into a smile. “Stay right where you are,” he commanded. “Don’t move.”
“What? Why?”
“Because I have a surprise for you,” he said.
“A surprise? I’m not sure I want any more surprises today. I’m ready for a nap. And, well, I’m kind of mad at you right now.”
“Mad at me? Why?”
“Because you’ve been gone forhours, and I needed help. I couldn’t find you . . .”
That wasn’t exactly true. He and Logan had set up thearbor. Both mothers had been helping Jenna with hair, makeup, and dressing. Gus had made the cake and was now frosting it. She’d found the perfect song, but the day had been incredibly stressful, and the wedding hadn’t even started yet.
Marcus reached out to lightly touch Caitey’s arm. “Today has been incredibly stressful for you—for Jenna—for everyone. You’re doing a remarkable job coming up with ideas and contingency plans. I think—I actually think you’re pretty amazing.”
Tears smarted Caitey’s eyes at the compliment. “Wow, thank you, Marcus,” she whispered.
“But right now I have something I’m dying to show you outside. Sodonot move a muscle,” Marcus added with a wink.
Caitey shook her head at him, holding back the bubble in her throat. “I promise I won’t! But what are you up to? More shenanigans?”
“Thebestshenanigans of the day!” he announced, throwing open the double front doors. “Now close your eyes, or it won’t be a surprise!”
A blast of frigid air swept through like a cyclone. She heard Marcus step out onto the expansive entryway and return almost instantly with a cart filled with plastic bags. He halted in the doorway to the drawing room.
“What have you done?” Caitey asked softly, tempted to slit her eyelids open to see what he was doing. Right now, she was so confused that she hadno idea what was happening. “The staff is going to kill you for bringing in mud and snow onto these marble floors.”
“No worries because I’m the clean-up crew.” Marcus tugged off his thick gloves, then held out his hand, grasping hers in a warm, firm grip.
The adrenaline rush and attraction toward him was like a fifty-foot wave, knocking Caitey’s senses in a thousand different directions. Her hand in his was perfection. Those fingers, the power and warmth that emanated from him, were unlike anything she’d ever experienced.
She wasn’t sure she’d ever had this strong feeling with any other man, just fromholding his hand!
When she wavered, Marcus softly said, “Trust me, Caitey, my girl. You are going to love this.”
