Page 12 of Thunderstruck
A muttered curse pulls all our attention to the back door, and my stomach drops when I recognize Cole in the doorway. His eyes are locked on me, and his jaw is so tight that I have to assume he’s angry. But the rest of his expression is fairly neutral, so other than the word that slipped from his tongue—which is pretty telling, let’s be honest—I have no idea what he might be thinking about seeing me here.
I also don’t have a clue why my heart rate has skyrocketed over the few seconds we’ve been staring at each other, so I am extra glad when someone else comes through the door beside him and thoroughly distracts me.
Derek Riley.
I probably shouldn’t be even more starstruck by the actor than I was by the literal princess sitting next to me, but Derek Riley is the stuff of teenage fantasy. He’s been a huge name in Hollywood for more than a decade and is one of those actors who somehow does it all, from stunts to languages to even singing in one of his movies. And he’sbeautiful. It’snot just his face, which has that ruggedly handsome quality to it that is perfect for the movies, but he is remarkably fit and healthy. The paragon of the human form.
Then again, seeing him in direct juxtaposition with Cole next to him is making me realize Cole is just as well-formed. Maybe even more so. And while Cole doesn’t necessarily have a big screen presence, he rivals Derek’s looks as well. Cole’s eyes are a dark brown, while Derek’s are deep blue, but Cole has a strong jaw and a straight nose and an intelligence behind his gaze that—
Someone clears their throat, and I flinch. Just how long was I staring?
“Derek,” Liam says, and there’s laughter in his voice. “Have you met Houston’s wife and sister-in-law?”
Derek smiles, and I swoon a little. “Not yet, but I’ve heard a lot about you, Darcy.” He steps forward and grasps her hand, and my sister finally seems overwhelmed as she gapes at the man. He turns to me next, and his handshake is warm and firm. “It’s nice to meet you…”
“Rizzo,” I squeak out and then mentally kick myself for saying my silly nickname. “I mean Carissa. I’m Carissa.”
Cole poorly covers a scoff. He’s still standing by the door, his arms folded and a scowl now darkening his features. He may be handsome, but his personality isn’t doing him any favors. When he notices me looking at him again, he nods his head slightly. “Paxton.” Oh, he’s not happy at all to see me here, and I can’t decide if I love or hate his reaction.
On the one hand, I’m glad Darcy came up with this counterattack for his rudeness. On the other, I don’t want to have to deal with his antagonism while I work with his teammates. Right now, I’m fully planning to let Mel deal with him whenever he needs help because I don’t want to be any closer to him than I am right now.
Then again, I still haven’t met my new boss, so there’s no telling whatchoice I’ll have, if any.
“Did you meet Carissa’s sister as well?” Bonnie asks Cole. She’s frowning as she glances between me and him.
Cole shakes his head, his eyes on Darcy. “Pleasure,” he grunts.
Darcy looks like she might laugh, and I have to wonder what she makes of this rugby player. She didn’t like how he talked to me, but she also couldn’t stop talking about how he’s an incredible athlete. She’s desperate to figure out why he left football, and though she didn’t say it, I know she wants me to try to find out. Based on his cool welcome today, I don’t think that’s going to happen.
Not unless I get the truth from one of his teammates, which feels way more likely.
“What brings you to California?” Derek asks. His eyes shift between me and Cole, though I have no idea what he might be thinking. The man is a blank slate beneath a mask of pleasant civility.
“Carissa just got a job with Cole’s team,” Bonnie answers.
“Ah.”
A woman appears behind Cole, almost as recognizable as Derek because she was all over the internet when she started dating Liam a few months ago. Kasey pats Cole on the arm in greeting and heads straight for Liam, plopping herself onto his lap as she says, “Freya, your latest bodyguard is intense.”
The princess sighs. “I am aware. I do not think he will last much longer than the others.”
“I’m telling you,” Derek says. He moves to the table stocked with brunch delicacies that I’ve been eyeing since we arrived but haven’t been brave enough to approach. “I know a guy.”
“You know far too many ‘guys,’ Derek Riley.”
“Not true. But clearly you’re not finding anyone suitable from within Candora, so maybe you need to look outside your country.”
“Paxton.” Cole’s voice, though soft, pulls my attention back to the doorway, where he is still standing apart from his friends as they jumpinto a discussion about soldiers and bodyguards. He clenches his jaw and then jerks his head toward the far end of the patio, away from the others.
Does he want me to follow? I’m a little too fascinated by Derek’s suggestion that Freya hire an American soldier to protect her, and I’m not sure I like the idea of being alone with Cole any more than I was yesterday.
But he narrows his eyes, and the silent challenge pulls me out of my chair like some double-dog dare.
When he reaches the edge of the patio, Cole folds his big arms and leans a hip against the wall that lines the stone-floored space. His eyes are on the glittering ocean below, but I feel his focus entirely on me.
“What’s up?” I ask when he stands silent for too long.
“What are you doing here?”
