Chapter Three
Cosette went straight to bed after Isaac left. She didn’t want to fight with her father. She knew she needed Isaac’s protection, and she knew she needed to stay away from her lab. The knowledge didn’t make it any easier. How was she going to go without working? How was she going to stay detached from the incredibly appealing Isaac Jewel when she knew she was in no position to give her heart away again? Vance had ruined her confidence by belittling her about the very things she knew she did wrong: no social skills, spacey scientist behavior, and no experience with romance. She wanted to find herself and her happy-go-lucky attitude again.
She woke at six and did a relaxing yoga workout. Maybe soon she could get back to running, the one break she gave herself from work. Would Isaac run the beaches with her? She liked the idea of that. If only she hadn’t put herself in such a mess. She didn’t want Isaac putting himself in danger for her. Yet if the well-developed muscles decorating his body and the success in the military his mom bragged about were any indicators, maybe she shouldn’t be too worried about his safety.
Then she remembered Vance cutting that man while his burly bullies pinned the guy in place. Even Isaac wouldn’t be tough enough to fight them off. Her stomach rolled as she imagined a knife carving into Isaac’s strong back. No! She couldn’t let herself go there.
Cosette packed her suitcase back up, fighting to clear her mind of awful thoughts. Sometimes it was rough to have an overactive imagination. She tried to eat some of the eggs, toast, and fruit her father had ordered for breakfast. The egg yolks were too runny, and the smell turned her stomach. Or maybe it was the memories of Vance, and the fear for Isaac, that nauseated her.
Right at eight, there was a knock on the suite door. Her dad rushed to the door, swinging it wide. Isaac’s deep, lovely baritone floated into the suite. Cosette rushed the other direction rather than go hug him tight like she wanted to. After quickly brushing her teeth, she grabbed her large purse, shoved her laptop and phone inside, and swung it over her shoulder. Grasping her suitcase, she walked out into the main area.
Isaac was standing close to her dad, listening to his instructions. He looked incredible in a dark gray soft cotton T-shirt and black golf shorts. She recognized that she was not in a spot to pursue romance. She’d hardly dated outside of Mar’s setups. The one time she’d let herself be swept away by a storybook romance, her fake hero had horrifyingly morphed into a conniving mobster. She didn’t trust her own judgment where men were concerned. Yet she knew that Isaac was good and honorable. Truly, she wasn’t worthy of him. Could she resist him? She’d have to pray hard that Vance did something horrible enough to get arrested. No, that was probably not a great prayer, as someone else would be hurt.
Isaac must’ve heard her, because he glanced up. She wanted to get closer so she could smell him. His bright blue eyes met hers, and they twinkled as he gave her a welcoming grin. The room was suddenly much too hot. Cosette fanned herself and saw her dad’s brow furrow. She flipped her long, blond curls over her shoulder and tried to act unaffected. If Isaac could get to her with a simple glance, what was she going to do if he decided to use any other powers on her? Yet who was she to think a manly man like Isaac Jewel could even be interested? She was a silly girl whose attempt at independence had set her falling for the likes of Vance.
She walked to her dad’s side and forced a brave smile. “You ready?” she asked Isaac.
“Yes.” His gaze swept over her, appreciative, warm, and borderline sensual. Her dad was standing right here. What would Isaac do once they got alone? No, he wasn’t that kind of man. It was just a look, and Isaac would never do anything inappropriate. His family was as religious as their Biblical names.
She turned to her dad. “Thank you for watching out for me. I love you.” She felt guilty that she’d been so obstinate last night about him being overprotective and her not being able to work. She was the one who’d brought this trouble on her and her family because of her flighty, impulsive nature and willingness to trust anyone. Her dad was just trying to protect her. She knew that. And she knew how much he loved her, especially with the love of his life gone. Her mom’s loss had left a huge hole in their family.
Her dad smiled softly at her. “It’s going to be okay, love. Isaac will keep you safe and I’ve got the contacts and the resources to bring Blaine down.”
“Be safe, please,” she whispered as she hugged him tight, savoring his scent of musk, vanilla, and cloves. It was her “Seasoned Man” line, and she’d created it just for him.
Her dad chuckled as if he were the Air Force special ops tough guy. “I’m not worried about me.” They hugged for maybe longer than Isaac was comfortable watching, but this was her dad and he needed to know that she loved him, especially if Vance somehow got ahold of either of them. She couldn’t let her imagination go there.
He released her and gave her a gentle nudge. “Trust Isaac. It’s going to be okay.”
Isaac gave her dad a nod and then took her suitcase and gestured her out the door. Trust Isaac? She didn’t know how to get back to that innocence.
“Love you, baby girl,” her dad said.
Usually, the title of “baby girl” would bug her a little bit, as even though she knew she was childlike compared to most women, she also liked being the spacey yet sassy scientist. She and Mar had created an internationally renowned company. Mar had helped her learn how to be proud and confident. Right now, she was feeling like a lost little girl who missed her mom and her best friend, and she wished she hadn’t let her guard down and let the slime Vance in.
“Love you,” she returned.
The door fell closed behind them. Isaac picked up a large bag and tossed it over his shoulder, clutching her suitcase with the other hand.
“Thank you,” she murmured, starting for the elevator. Isaac followed close behind. Once they were in the elevator, she became intensely aware of his scent. He smelled good. She could make him smell better.
Neither of them said much as they descended the elevator, walked through the gorgeous property and lobby, and then stepped up to the waiting car out the front doors. The driver loaded their bags and ushered them into the back seat but didn’t start a conversation, as if he could sense the tightness between them. Cosette didn’t like it. She’d always enjoyed being around all the Jewel family, particularly Isaac. Though she’d had far too many silly romantic fantasies about Isaac, she’d still thought of him as a good friend. Now, they had nothing to say to each other.
Ignoring the driver’s slightly smoky scent, she focused on the new car smell. She glanced back at the picturesque resort and said, “Do you hate leaving it? It’s prettier than Cinderella’s castle.”
Isaac looked out the window as well, then back at her. He shrugged. “I hate leaving my family, but the resort is just a place. I’ve been in too many impoverished situations to get too caught up in the luxury of my family’s resorts.”
Cosette wanted to hear all about those situations, but not while the driver was obviously listening in. She simply nodded and looked out the window, clueless as to what to do about the tension growing between them. Mar would be proud of her for even sensing it. Social cues were not Cosette’s specialty, and she was constantly begging her best friend for interpretations and suggestions.
When they reached the international airport, they thanked their driver; Isaac offered him a tip, which he refused, saying that it had been included. They had to check in through airport security and then go to a separate area for private planes. As they walked outside again and across the tarmac to the waiting white Cessna, the warm air teased her hair and the air smelled of jet fuel and hot asphalt. She asked, “Are we flying in one of my father’s planes?”
He shook his head. “We don’t want Lansky to have any way to track you. I asked Joshua if we could borrow a plane, and of course he said yes.”
“You and Joshua are still close?”
Isaac nodded. “Besides my team, he and Luke are my closest friends.”
“What do you think of Jade?” Cosette had thought she was fabulous and wished they could be friends. She had mostly had imaginary friends growing up as an only child and living inside her own head so much. Marietta had found her in middle school, but nowadays her friend was busy running their business and couldn’t be with her every minute. Cosette missed her.