Chapter 7

“What the hell’s going on here?” Russell Ingram rushed over to where Cassidy lay limp in Mason’s arms. The executive producer looked ready for battle.

“There’s a rattlesnake in Cassidy’s trailer.”

Russell jerked to a stop. “A rattlesnake? Are you kidding me?”

“No, sir.”

He swallowed heavily. “Did it bite her?”

“No, just scared her unconscious.”

“Sonofa—she’s terrified of snakes.” Russell ran a hand down his face. “She had a bad experience as a child.”

Cassidy stirred in his arms and her eyes blinked open. “What happened?”

“You passed out there for a second.”

She struggled in his arms but he held tight. “What? No, I didn’t.”

He smiled down at her. “Yeah, you did.”

“Cassidy, are you okay?” Russell asked.

“I’m fine. In fact, you can put me down now, Mason.”

Strangely, he had no urge to let her go. She felt good in his arms. Right. Perfect, actually.

“Wait a minute,” Russell said, stopping him before he could set her on her feet. “You know the drill, Cassidy. It doesn’t matter if you’re okay now, you lost consciousness, so you have to be checked out at the hospital.”

“No, Russell,” she argued. “I’m fine. That’s not necessary.”

“It’s not up for discussion,” he lobbed back at her. “It’s in the contract.”

“The on-call paramedics are on their way,” Belinda, Russell’s assistant, announced. On cue, two uniformed medics with a gurney appeared. Mason carefully placed her on the white cotton sheets and adjusted her legs while the medics placed a blood pressure cuff around her arm and strapped her in.

“This isn’t necessary,” she reiterated. “I was just scared. I wasn’t hurt.”

“Doesn’t matter,” Russell argued. “Liability issues and all that.”

Mason didn’t want her to have to ride to the hospital alone. He was just about to offer when a man came rushing over—and he used the term “rushing” loosely since the guy wore a serious brace over his leg and hobbled unsteadily on crutches. It was the same man he’d seen earlier in the auditorium. He plodded his way to the stretcher and propped the crutches under his arms so he could grab Cassidy’s hand.

“Cass, are you okay?”

“I’m fine, Colin. Really.”

Colin? As in Colin Rafferty? Her former partner. Mason narrowed his eyes, studying the man. He’d seen pictures of him when he’d conducted a basic background search on Cassidy. The man bun was gone and his brown hair was tipped in blond now, but it was the same guy.

“I heard something about a snake?”

She shuddered. “A rattler.”

Colin jerked back. “A rattlesnake?” He glanced around at the crowd of people who’d gathered at the commotion. “How in the hell did a rattlesnake get in her trailer?”

That’s what Mason intended to find out.

“Sorry to interrupt, but we need to get going,” one of the medics said.

“I’m going with you,” Colin insisted.

Cassidy reached out a hand to Mason but stopped and dropped it. “Are you coming?”

“We only have room for one extra,” the medic announced.

“You go ahead,” Russell said, clamping a hand on Mason’s shoulder. “I need to talk to Mr. Rossi.”

The paramedics rolled her to the waiting ambulance, snapped the wheels down and then lifted her inside. It took some maneuvering for Colin to climb in, with help from one of the paramedics, but finally they were ready to go. The other medic closed the doors and then jogged around to jump into the driver’s seat and motor out of the studio lot.

Russell turned to Belinda. “The police are still inside conducting interviews. Get them out here to capture the snake. I want it gone.”

His assistant nodded and rushed off to do his bidding. Russell tilted his head at Mason and marched forward. Apparently, he’d been summoned. He told Sawyer and Harlow he’d be back and followed the executive producer into a trailer that was even more luxurious than the one assigned to Harlow. Russell tossed his iPad to a table and indicated for Mason to take a seat. He slid into the leather banquette and Russell wasted no time with preliminaries. “I’ve done research on your company. They’re one of the top security firms in the country.”

The top, Mason wanted to correct him, but he held back, nodding instead.

“I want to hire you to protect Cassidy.”

It was what Mason wanted, too. Someone was after her. She wouldn’t be safe until they caught the perp.

Russell reached into a drawer and withdrew papers, thrusting them at Mason. “I haven’t told anyone about these.”

Mason flipped through the pages and read the first one: Get rid of Cassidy Swain or you’ll be sorry. The second was along the same lines: Cassidy Swain must go. The last one was more direct: I warned you about Cassidy Swain but you ignored me. Face the consequences. The notes were computer-generated in black ink on plain white paper, practically impossible to trace.

Mason glanced up. “When did you get these?”

“The first one arrived in the mail a few days ago, followed by the second one. No return address.” He pointed to the last note. “This was left for me today.”

“Here, at the studio?”

Russell nodded grimly. “I found it under the door of my trailer.”

Not surprising since it was someone with access to the set who cut the rigging. “Is that all that’s happened? No other incidents involving Cassidy?”

Russell shook his head. “Just the light this morning. And the snake.” He ran a hand over his head. “Those were close calls. We owe you a debt.”

Mason waved that off. They didn’t owe him anything. “She had another near miss two weeks ago.”

Russell’s head jerked up. “What are you talking about?”

“It was about fifteen days ago in Bloomington, Indiana. I’d just dropped off dry-cleaning and when I was leaving the store, Cassidy was walking towards me, though I didn’t know who she was at the time. Behind her, a car jumped the curb. I grabbed her and got her to safety.”

“You mean someone intentionally tried to run her over?”

“I believe so, after the latest incidents. At the time, I thought it was just a distracted driver.”

“This is worse than I thought.” Russell dropped down onto the bench seat. “I chalked the notes up to petty jealousy. There are some cast members who resent her because she’s successful and the dancer we picked to be the face of the show. I just assumed it was harmless, one of her rivals.”

“It could be,” Mason stated. “You said she had a scare with a snake when she was young. Who knows about her fear?”

“Everyone who watches the show. We ran a segment a couple of years ago where the celebs and pros talked about their biggest fears. The whole world knows she was terrorized by the older brother of one of her friends when she was young. He dropped a snake in her sleeping bag.”

Mason’s jaw clenched in indignation for the young girl she’d been. He hoped the boy who tormented her was properly disciplined.

Russell pinned Mason with an intense stare. “I know you’re here for Harlow, but when I hire your company, I’d like you to be the one watching out for Cassidy. I trust you and you’ve already protected her two—no three times now. Do you think that would be possible?”

He’d have to run it by Sawyer first, and then his bosses, but he wanted to be the one to protect her, too. He trusted each and every one of his coworkers—with his life. Any single one of them would be able to guard Cassidy. Selfishly, he didn’t want anyone else to watch out for her. He certainly didn’t believe in Harlow’s ridiculous soulmates claim, but he did feel a strong pull towards her.

“Yes,” he responded to Russell’s question. “It’s possible.”

“I have to warn you, she’s pretty headstrong, so she might object.”

Mason thought back to her accusing him of being a stalker. Definitely headstrong. “I can handle her. I’ll have one of my bosses call you to finalize the contract.”

#

If Cassidy had to listen to Colin badger her much longer, she was going to fake another fainting spell. He was seriously getting on her very last nerve. They’d been partners for so long, they knew each other better than anyone else, but as the years grinded by, he grated on her. She would always love him like a brother, but it’d been a relief when she’d been offered the position on Dancing With the Celebrities.

She glanced at Colin and he smiled at her. That stab of guilt that crept up from time to time impaled her again. It was Colin who wanted to try out for a spot on Show Us You Can Dance, the amateur competition that launched many careers—hers included. Dancers from every discipline competed for twenty spots on a live show featuring ten men and ten women. If you passed the audition, you were invited to a boot camp in Los Angeles. There, you were put through the paces of several disciplines. The judges wanted dancers who stood out in every facet of dancing, not just their own genre. She and Colin both made it through the initial audition and were awarded tickets to the boot camp in LA, but during the grueling week of practices and performances in front of the judges, Colin had been cut when he failed to master the hip hop round. Guilt clawed at her, especially when the judges announced that she’d be one of the ten women who advanced to the live show.

Colin had cheered her on and insisted he was happy for her, but she easily detected the sadness in his eyes. He wanted to be the one on the big stage. Each week, as she learned from the best choreographers in the country, she thrived. The judges had only praise for her and to her total surprise, she led in audience votes. The show picked a top male and a top female to be named Favorite Dancers in the USA. At the finals, it was down to her and Marcy Bloomfield, a perky brunette tap dancer from Amarillo who picked up different disciplines easily. They each had one final solo to wow the judges. One of the male dancers, a popper from Brooklyn nicknamed Disco, short for Dislocater—for good reason—performed a solo that left the audience gasping at the way he contorted his body to the techno tune. His face was as animated as his moves and the fans loved him. On the final note, it looked as if his knees disconnected from his body as he fell to the ground, a huge smile on his face. The judges gave him a standing ovation and the crowd cheered. Quite intimidating to the person who had to follow him. Lucky her.

While trying to calm her rapid heartbeat, she spotted her parents in the crowd. They’d been to every performance, cheering her on and she didn’t want to disappoint them. Instead of sticking with her ballroom background, she performed a contemporary number that featured leaps and flips highlighting her gymnastics training, to a haunting tune that she poured her heart and soul into. When the music stopped and silence reigned, her stomach dropped. She’d miscalculated by not doing her planned salsa number. Suddenly, the judges surged to their feet and the crowd roared in approval. There would be no scores or comments from the judges for their final routines and she was glad because she was totally overwhelmed by the show of support.

The final male competitor, a classically trained ballet dancer from Philadelphia, was the kind of dancer everyone aspired to be. When Lamar Simmons was on stage, you couldn’t look away. He mesmerized you. His leaps were gravity-defying and he seemed to float in the air. The judges gave him a standing ovation as well. It would be a tough call between Lamar and Disco.

Marcy was the last dancer of the competition. She flounced out on the stage in a cute gingham jumper with a ruffled skirt. Then the music kicked on and she tapped up a storm. She also added leaps and intricate spins. The judges made it unanimous when they stood for her performance as well.

Kitty, the host of the show, called Lamar and Disco on stage and instructed them to stand to her left, while she and Marcy waited on her right. Cassidy was sure she came in second place, and she was happy about that. She’d danced her heart out, stretched her dancing muscles with other disciplines, and picked up tips and techniques from the best choreographers in the business. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and she was sad it was over, but excited for the next chapter of her career.

The favorite male dancer was awarded first and she couldn’t be happier for Lamar when his name was announced. He truly was the best dancer she’d ever seen, so he deserved the cash award and the accolades. Kitty made a surprise announcement that the producers of a famous Broadway show wanted Lamar as their lead, if he was interested. Judging by the tears of joy on his face, he was indeed interested.

Starring on Broadway—every dancer’s dream. She wondered if the women would be offered the same opportunity. Then the spotlight engulfed her and Marcy. “Good luck,” she whispered to the tapper, who returned the sentiment with a smile. They held hands and waited…and waited…and waited. Kitty sure liked to draw it out. Finally, the winner was announced and Cassidy stood frozen. Kitty had called her name.

“Congratulations,” Marcy said, hugging her. Her astonished gaze found Colin in the first row, cheering like a mad man. Both of her parents were crying as they embraced. She’d done it. She’d won!

The host had a surprise for her, too. Her heart triple-timed it. Broadway? She was already furnishing her small one-room walkup in Tribeca in her head when Hugh Martin, the producer of the show and head judge, took the microphone.

“Cassidy, the producers of Dancing With the Celebrities love you. They want you as one of their pros for the next season.”

Cassidy’s mouth dropped open. While most dancers aspired to Broadway, her included, her secret dream was to be on Dancing With the Celebrities. She’d followed the show religiously when it first began fifteen seasons ago. She even tacked posters on her wall of Glen Benson, one of the original pros who’d won more titles than anyone else, and Marcus Howe. Now she would be dancing alongside them? She searched out Colin, who looked shell-shocked. He caught her gaze and smiled, giving her a thumbs up. Another wave of guilt. She knew his dream was to be on DWTC, too.

What followed was a blur. She accepted the position and was then whisked away with Lamar for photo shoots and talk show appearances. They lunched with dignitaries and media. It was a whirlwind of events and soirees. She’d been presented with a check with more zeros than she’d ever seen. She deposited it to her savings account, already padded from wins she and Colin racked up during their competitive careers.

The only negative about the experience was that she hadn’t had the chance to talk to Colin after the announcement, except to type out a quick thanks to his congratulatory text message. She wanted to apologize, beg his forgiveness, something to ease the heavy burden weighing her down. It was because of him that all her dreams were coming true. If he hadn’t talked her into trying out, she wouldn’t be where she was today.

She’d felt horrible for ending their partnership, but truthfully, it’d run its course. There wasn’t an award they hadn’t won, and competitive dancing had ceased to be fun years ago. She was tired of the endless hours of practice, the strict diet she had to adhere to each day, and the cruel backstabbing that went on behind the scenes. She often thought the term frenemies was coined by competitive dancers. Her spot on DWTC was intense, but she didn’t feel the crushing expectations to succeed at all costs.

This would be her fifth year on the show. Her rookie year, she was lucky enough to win the Golden Shoes, the award presented to the top couple of the show, voted on by the public and the judges. She’d been paired with Demarius Tinsdale, the leading rusher in the National Football League. Demarius was charismatic with a ready smile and dance moves that were as natural as his running ability on the field. He took her instructions and practiced until he nailed the moves. They made a wonderful team and though they didn’t announce the final tallies, she’d heard the whispers that the vote had been overwhelming.

To claim the top spot her first year was nothing short of miraculous. But it also fostered resentment and jealousy from other dancers. A couple of the veterans didn’t warm up to her and she still felt like an outsider. She would walk into a room and conversation would cease. Obviously, they’d been talking about her. Most of the pros had welcomed her, including Laura Kipling, the champ the year before, and Danny Marconi, another former winner. Her biggest rival was Irina Dubov, a petite redhead with a temper to match the fiery hue on her head. Many times, she’d cursed Cassidy in her native Russian, her words sounding both brutal and unmistakably harsh.

Cassidy hoped the hazing would run its course after her first season, but after her win, if anything, it’d increased in intensity. When Irina and her lacky Lacy Brubeck gossiped about her and sent smirks her way, she ignored them. She didn’t need their friendships to succeed.

With the success that came her way after her first and fourth-season wins, she decided it was the perfect time to open her own studio. She’d dreamed of doing so for years. She would still dance on DTWC to build her reputation and hopefully increase visibility of her academy and grow membership.

She’d spent hours drawing up plans to open her business in her hometown. She’d found the perfect space online and visited it to make sure it could be reworked into her dream space. She’d secured funding and after meeting with a realtor, had put in an offer. She just found out that it had been accepted. Now the hard work of whipping the building into shape would begin, but she had the drive and determination to make it succeed.

Now that she owned the studio space, she’d need to find a place to live. Since she’d be spending so much time at the academy, especially at the beginning to get it up and running, it made sense to include a small apartment in the plans and bunk down there until further notice.

She’d talked with a few of her dancing friends and several indicated an interest in teaching. She planned on offering gymnastics, too. She’d need a reliable support staff, especially when she’d be away for weeks on end during the DTWC seasons. Currently, her schedule was packed from January to December. The show filmed twice a year for a month and a half each time. After her first win, Russell signed her up as the official spokesperson, much to Irina and Lacy’s disgust. They both thought they should represent the show. Cassidy made appearances on talk shows, she participated in celebrity-themed events like the cooking contest, Stars in the Kitchen. She was even one of the featured celebrities on a two-week cruise to the Caribbean. She didn’t mind the added work. It kept her busy and padded her bank account to the point where she would be paying cash for the building and still have money left over to live comfortably.

She’d been the face of the show for four years now. Russell loved her like a daughter and would never fire her, but she knew they needed an infusion of fresh blood. She was the reigning champ and it made sense to step away while she was on top. She had a shot at another title this year, but it was time for Crystal or Emma to take her place. She would still compete for as long as the show lasted, but during the off season, she would devote her time to teaching and building up her academy.

She hadn’t mentioned anything to Colin about her plans. She knew he’d be supportive, but he was still dancing competitively. She didn’t want to do anything that would take his focus from his career. Besides, he’d said several times that he never wanted to teach when they hung up their dancing shoes. She thought he might dance until his bones gave out.

She’d learned so much during her tenure on the show, met fascinating people. She still kept in touch with three of her former celebrity partners. She’d even dated Marcus Howe for a few weeks before she realized he was much more appealing on television than real life.

After her disastrous affair with Marcus, she made it a personal rule not to date other pros. Two of the dancers were married, and that was fine for them, but things were awkward and uncomfortable between her and Marcus now. She never thought he’d be mean and vindictive, but he was. His snide comments when they had to dance together in a group number were infuriating. She took the high road, refusing to trash him in the tabloids, even though several other women had no such reservations.

He knew she was terrified of snakes. She wondered if he was the one who stashed the rattler in her trailer. She wouldn’t put it past him. It was just the kind of thing he’d do and then smile and say, “Gotcha! Come-on, Cass, it was just a harmless prank,” he’d tack on, after she slugged him in the gut.

She was relieved none of the crew were around to hop into the ambulance with them. Usually the cameras followed them everywhere. She didn’t want her fainting to be fodder for the network to use in the promotional packages before each dance. She didn’t think Russell would do that to her, but it was best that there was no tape at all.

The curtain pulled back and the doctor entered. Finally. She’d been waiting over an hour. Except for the nurse who took her vitals when they arrived, he was the first human they’d seen. He was short with gray hair and brown eyes, a stethoscope wrapped around his neck. Dr. Garrett, according to the badge pinned to his white coat. He scanned a chart in his hand and then looked up at her over the rim of a pair of half-glasses. “How are you feeling, Ms. Swain?”

“Perfectly fine. Like I don’t need to be here.”

“Well, you’d be correct.” He removed the spectacles and slid them in a pocket. “Your numbers are good. No need to keep you any longer. You’re free to go.” He withdrew a piece of paper from the chart and handed it to her. “This is for your producer, letting him know I cleared you.” He glanced around the small space. “What, no camera crew? I thought they always accompanied all hospital visits.”

“They usually do, but this wasn’t an injury, just an unfortunate incident.”

“Well, take care, Ms. Swain. No more scaring yourself to death.”

Oh, great, a doctor and a comedian. “I’ll try,” she deadpanned.

As Colin helped her to her feet, she realized they didn’t have a ride back to the studio. Russell was organized—obsessively so. She was sure he’d thought of it and had a driver on stand-by. If not, she’d pull up a ride-sharing app on her iPhone.

She led the way, slowing her pace so Colin could hobble after her as he awkwardly worked the crutches. Hopefully he wouldn’t need to use them long because he was an accident waiting to happen. As soon as she pushed through the door leading to the waiting room, she stopped abruptly. Colin slammed into her back and cursed.

“Ow. What the hell, Cass?”

“Sorry,” she murmured, her gaze locked on the dark-haired man who stood when they entered the room. Mason. Her hero, three times now. She moved toward him unconsciously, almost as if he was her personal magnet. He was so tall and broad and strong. And handsome. Whoa, was he beautiful. She wanted to walk into his arms and never leave. Ridiculous, but there it was.

His eyes tracked her movements. She stopped when she reached him. “What are you doing here?” Was it too much to hope that he had been worried about her?

“Mr. Ingram sent me. He’s hired my company to protect you.”

She sighed. So much for thinking he’d been worried. “Russell hired you? What is it you do?” She was developing a serious crush on the man and she didn’t know anything about him.

“We’re in the private security business.”

So that’s why he was so good at saving her life—he was a professional. “You mean you’re a bodyguard?”

One of his massively-wide shoulders hitched up. “If need be.”

Colin maneuvered in front of her and puffed out his chest. “Cass doesn’t need anyone looking after her. She has me.”

Mason looked down at Colin, taking in his crutches, then he met her gaze.

“Then you’ll want to take it up with Mr. Ingram. Otherwise, I’m on the job until he pulls the plug.”

Colin looked like he wanted to argue but she placed a hand on his arm and shook her head. “It’s okay, Col, I trust him. He’s saved my life three times now.”

Colin gaped at her. “Three times? I know about the light and then the snake, but what’s the third?”

“Someone tried to run her over a few weeks ago.”

Cassidy jerked her gaze to Mason. “It wasn’t like that. We agreed it was just a distracted driver.”

“After these two attempts, we have to assume it was deliberate.”

Oh God, she hadn’t thought about that. Was it possible it had been another attempt to kill her? She shivered.

“Where did this happen?” Colin demanded.

“In Indiana.”

He looked confused. “What were you doing there?”

She’d put off telling him about her plans, but she had no reason to keep it from him any longer. “I’m opening a dance academy.”

Mason’s brows raised in interest. Colin looked devastated. “And you didn’t tell me?”

Guilt, her normal feeling when dealing with Colin, assailed her once again. Still, it wasn’t like they were close anymore. He was entrenched in his dance world and she hers. Except for a few texts here and there, they didn’t cross paths. Every once in a while, she’d miss his easy friendship. Then life would get busy again and thoughts of him would fade away. “I was going to tell you.”

“When? On your five-year anniversary?” Colin’s tone was accusing.

“It’s not even finalized yet.” Though it was close. “There was no sense bringing it up until I knew it’d be a reality.”

Ignoring the tension, Mason asked, “Do you already have a location in mind?”

“Yes.” She told him about the warehouse that was perfect for what she had in mind. It was huge with plenty of space. It needed lots of work, but she couldn’t wait to get started.

A noisy group crowded into the waiting room, all wearing the same team jerseys and worried looks. Someone must’ve been hurt at a sporting event.

“We should go,” Mason said, leading the way through the throng of people. When they came to the door, he motioned for Cassidy to precede him. She smiled, charmed by his old-fashioned manners. She was not, however, pleased by Colin’s continued pouting.

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about your plans to open a studio,” he whined for the tenth time. All she could do was apologize, but he didn’t want to hear it.

Mason guided them to a black sport utility vehicle. He opened the passenger door, assisted her inside and waited until she was seated before closing it. Then he helped Colin maneuver into the back seat and stow his crutches before climbing behind the wheel.

She had to be very careful around Mason Rossi. She could so easily fall for him. If she were being honest with herself, she’d admit she already had. He was so strong and sure and confident, not to mention drop-dead gorgeous. But he was her bodyguard now. She vowed to not get involved with anyone from the show and technically, Mason was a part of it. That meant he was off-limits.

Her head knew it, but her heart was having trouble getting with the program.

#

Mason dropped Cassidy and Colin off at the studio so they could pick up their vehicles. Cassidy had programmed her address into his GPS, but he planned on following her to make sure nothing happened. He’d be driving her back and forth from now on.

He’d taxied Sawyer and Harlow to their hotel, but felt bad about leaving them in the lurch when he confiscated the SUV to drive to the hospital. While he’d been waiting for Cassidy to be released, Sawyer texted him. Their office manager BeBe had come through as always, having an identical vehicle delivered to the hotel for Sawyer and Harlow’s use.

Cassidy climbed into a red Rav4 and started the engine. Colin hobbled to a silver Prius and after stuffing the crutches in the back, he awkwardly tried to fold himself inside. Mason probably should’ve helped the guy, but Cassidy was backing out and she was his priority. Traffic was heavy as they traversed Santa Monica Boulevard. His brows lifted when she signaled and then turned into a parking lot close to the beach. The sunshine yellow, two-story building was older and looked like it might’ve been a hotel at one time, but it was landscaped nicely and there was even a small pool in the center of the parking area. In the middle of the building, a set of outdoor steps led to the second level surrounded by black wrought iron railings. Cassidy pulled into her assigned space while he motored past and found a spot reserved for visitors. He rolled out and reached into the back seat for his go-bag. It would do until he could pick up the rest of his belongings from the hotel.

“What’s that for?” Cassidy asked when he approached.

“I’m staying here with you.”

Her eyes widened, and she glanced from his bag to his face. “You…ah…what?”

“You’re my client and I’ve been hired to protect you. That means I’m your shadow. Did you think I’d just see you home and leave?”

“Well, yeah.” She gestured towards the building. “My place is tiny and I already have one guest staying with me. Colin’s crashing on the sofa for a few days.”

“Then I’ll take the floor.” It wasn’t a great choice, but he’d certainly slept in worse places during his military career, some that still gave him nightmares.

“Oh, well, um, okay. Follow me.”

She turned and headed for the stairs. He tried to keep his gaze off her heart-shaped behind as she climbed the risers, he really did. But he was a red-blooded male and his eyes had a mind of their own. She turned left at the top and headed for the next to last door. Glancing at him nervously, she inserted the key and opened it. He followed her into a narrow hallway painted white, past an opening that led to a small kitchen and then into one room featuring a couch and television mounted on the wall. A bar with two stools separated the room from the kitchen. The apartment was tastefully decorated in beach tones, but it was the wall of windows that was the showstopper. The blue waters of the Pacific crashed against a sandy beach. A sliding glass door led to a balcony, outfitted with a small table flanked by two reclining chairs. The railing was made of plexiglass, allowing an unobstructed view. A concrete divider separated her from her neighbor on the left.

“This is nice.”

She followed his gaze. “That’s what sold me on the place. Sometimes I fall asleep on the balcony, listening to the waves. There isn’t much room in here, but then, I don’t need much.”

He noticed a small alcove off to one side. “Is that the bedroom?”

“Uh, yes.” Her cheeks pinkened prettily. “And the bathroom.”

“I need to look around to familiarize myself with the layout.”

“Oh, sure. Go ahead.”

As he walked closer, he noticed another door across from the bedroom. He twisted the knob and peered into a small bathroom that featured a tub-shower combo, sink and toilet. Functional, but no frills. He closed the door and opened the other to reveal a room dominated by a queen-sized bed and another wall of windows. The balcony extended to the bedroom, with another sliding glass door for access. A concrete wall blocked off this end as well, so the balcony was enclosed on both sides, providing complete privacy from neighbors on either side.

The bed was covered in a white spread, with light blue and green pillows placed on top. A dresser was positioned across from the bed, with a television above. Her closet was small and packed to the ceiling, but neat and orderly. He checked the sliding glass door. The lock was standard, but he was happy to see a board in the tracks to deter burglars.

He bent down to remove the stick and slid the glass panes aside. Stepping onto the concrete patio, the smell hit him first: clean ocean air and the scent of grilled hamburgers. The crash of the waves pounding the surf was hypnotic, and he understood her falling asleep listening to the sound. The beach was busy, but not overly-crowded. A sidewalk separated the apartment from the sand, and it was occupied by joggers, people walking dogs and riding bikes.

He checked the dividers on each side, happy to see that they both reached the roof. Sticking his head over the railing, he judged the distance to the other side. The divider was about six inches thick, so it was possible someone could climb around from either of the adjoining apartments. He typed notes into his iPhone of supplies he’d need to secure the apartment. He’d check with Sawyer and get his opinion on attaching a roll-bar across the top of the rail that would deter unwanted visitors, along with wall spikes. It might seem like overkill, but he wasn’t taking chances. Peering over the side, he eyed the distance to the lower level. The solid plexiglass made it almost impossible for anyone to climb up from the ground. There was nothing to latch onto if they tried to scale the building.

Next, he checked the lock on the other sliding glass door. Also standard. Cassidy opened it from the inside. As soon as he stepped across the threshold, she slid the screen door in place.

“Do you keep the stick in the track when you have the screen door open?”

She shook her head. “Only the glass.”

“You need to start putting it in at all times.” It wouldn’t stop someone with a knife from cutting the screen, but it might make enough noise to alert them to the impending threat.

“What if someone had a knife and just cut the mesh?” she asked, mirroring his thoughts.

“Until we find out who’s stalking you, either the doors stay closed, or we could get a longer stick that will allow a shallow opening so you can hear the waves, but not enough that someone could climb through.”

“Yes, that. I need the sound of the water. It helps me sleep.”

He added a longer stick to his iPhone list. There were no windows since she was between two units, which was a plus. He headed to the front door. “No security system?”

“No.”

Besides the standard issue lock, she also had a deadbolt. Good, but not great. Someone with enough strength could bust the door open. He made notes to add stronger locks, as well as a security system.

“I do have this.” She held up a two by four piece of wood with a notch cut into the top. “My dad made me this when I moved out here.” She slid it under the door handle and kicked it into place.

He nodded. Nice. A cheap, effective deterrent. It wouldn’t stop a determined intruder, but it’d slow him down.

He took in the apartment again. No fireplace meant no chimney to worry about. No skylights. Just the balconies. “Who has a key to your apartment?”

“My parents, Tandi, oh, and Colin.”

As if to illustrate her answer, a key jiggled in the door and then a muffled thump sounded, followed by a curse.

Cassidy’s wide eyes met his. “Oops.” She kicked the board aside and whipped open the door. Colin lay sprawled on the ground, his crutches askew.

He lifted his head and pinned them with a confused look. “What the hell, Cassidy? I think I broke my nose.”

Mason shook his head. The guy was a drama queen. It wasn’t even bleeding.

Cassidy scrambled to his side. “I’m so sorry.” She started to help him up but Mason nudged her aside.

“I’ve got him.”

He lifted Colin to his feet and waited while Cassidy gathered the crutches and handed them to him.

Colin rubbed his nose. “What happened? Why didn’t the door open?”

“We were going over security precautions,” Mason told him.

Colin hobbled inside, followed by Cassidy. He entered last and relocked the door. Colin had difficulty navigating the narrow hallway, having to turn his body sideways to fit the crutches through the space. Mason wondered how he’d managed the steps outside. He finally made his way to the couch and flopped down with a lengthy sigh.

Mason was both annoyed and glad the man was staying with Cassidy. Annoyed because Colin had already demonstrated his fierce protectiveness, so he might get in Mason’s way. Plus, he was taking the only other comfortable sleeping surface in the apartment. On the flip side, his presence meant Mason wouldn’t give in to the explosive desire he felt for Cassidy and suggest they share her bed.

He turned to her and lowered his voice. “I need to ask you some questions that might be personal. Do you want to do it here?” He didn’t say in front of Colin, but she understood his intention.

She leaned close to whisper, “Can we take a walk on the beach?”

“Sure.”

“Colin, we’re going to take a walk. We’ll be back soon.”

His head popped over the back of the couch. “Wait, I’ll go with you.”

“No, you stay here and rest your knee. We won’t be long. Do you want us to pick up something for you to eat?”

He punched the remote to activate the television. “Nah, I hit a drive thru on the way here. Take your time. I’ll see you later.”

Mason held the door open for her and then followed her outside. It might be a mistake walking alone with her along the beach when he was so attracted to her, but he couldn’t muster the energy to care.