“Our parents were killed in a car accident when we were six and we went to live with our granddad—Bernard Knight. He’d spent most of his life in the Army. Grandma died of cancer before we were even born. So there he was with two rambunctious six-year-olds to raise.”

She could easily picture two blond-headed boys in stained shirts and ripped jeans. They would have been a handful and then some. “I’d say it was a challenge for all of you.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, it was. He was strict, but fair. We lived in Brooklyn and he worked at a garage. He kept us off the streets and out of trouble until we joined the Army.”

“He must have been proud of you both.” What grandfather wouldn’t be proud of such brave, wonderful men? She didn’t know Jake nearly as well as she did John, but she couldn’t imagine him being much different in his core values. Sapphire liked him and that was enough for Topaz to know he had to be a good man. Her sister had a keen nose for sniffing out phonies.

“I guess. He expected us to make something out of our lives.” John’s hand squeezed her hip, kneading her curve before floating back up to her waist.

“Is he still alive?”

John snorted. “Oh yeah. He’s eighty-two years old and still lives in the apartment in Brooklyn. Jake and I wanted him to move into one of the apartments in our building, but he informed us he liked where he was living and was staying. Stubborn old goat,” John muttered.

Topaz couldn’t help it. She burst into laughter. “Takes one to know one,” she managed to get out between bouts of laughter.

A slow smile curved his lips. “You think I’m stubborn?”

She pressed her finger into the slight cleft in his chin. “I know you are.”

“Honey, I’m positively laid-back compared to Granddad.”

“I’ve got to meet him.” He sounded like a fascinating man and she’d bet he could tell her all kinds of stories about John when he was a boy.

John’s arms tightened around her. “I’d like that.”

It was only after she’d said it she realized that spoke of them having some kind of a future together, at least in the short-term. She nodded but said nothing more, not wanting to commit herself further, not yet. Still, she wanted to meet the man who had such a hand in rearing such a wonderful man like John.

“What about you? What was it like growing up in the Jewel family?”

They’d talked about her family some. More the facts than how she actually felt about it. “In many ways it was the perfect childhood.” She sighed and rested her head on John’s shoulder once again.

“But not always?” he countered.

“No, not always. There were always photographers and reporters hanging around outside the family estate hoping to get a shot or a story, especially when we were younger. We couldn’t go outside the gates without at least one of them chasing us.”

“That must have been tough. And having the reporters hounding your family again this past year must have brought it all back.” Topaz wasn’t surprised by John’s swift and accurate assessment of the situation. Having to deal with the paparazzi had brought back all those negative memories.

“You’ve had a taste of it since taking the job as my bodyguard, so you know what it’s like. It certainly has added to the pressure. When we were kids, all the attention eased off when Mom and Dad stopped touring. The media hounds eventually lost interest in our family and went away. The times have changed, though, and things move faster now. Thankfully, it won’t be long until we’re old news.”

She offered him a smile. “I don’t want you to think I had a miserable childhood. Quite the opposite, in fact. My sisters and I were always close. We didn’t go to regular school often. We were mostly homeschooled.” She laughed as one memory jumped to the fore. “We never knew when Dad would take it in his head to do something crazy.”

“Like what?” John relaxed, settling back against the sofa cushions. The fire crackled in the hearth, warming them both.

“Like waking up one morning and deciding we should go to Italy. We were on a plane by just after lunch and spent a month touring the country.”

“That must have been exciting.”

Topaz smiled at the memory. “It was. We ate so much pasta.” She laughed. “Sapphire decided she wanted to swim in one of the fountains in Rome. Instead of trying to stop her, my dad joined her while Mom took pictures of them.”

She traced circles on the front of his shirt, lost in the past. “It really was special. We were always going somewhere. We never knew from one moment to the next what might happen.”

“And that made you want a quiet, stable life.” There was no judgment in his tone, but Topaz felt herself growing defensive.

“I suppose so.” She really couldn’t deny it. John was an astute man. She should have known he’d see beyond the fond memory to the effect it had on her adult life.

“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with wanting stability. I want it too.” He brushed his hand through her hair. “And you have it whether you realize it or not. Your family is your stability. I’ve watched you and your sisters together. There’s nothing you wouldn’t do for one another.”

He was right. She knew she would never be alone in the world, never have to face life by herself, not as long as she had her sisters and her parents.

“It’s like that for me and Jake,” he continued, his fingers massaging her scalp before moving lower to her neck. Muscles she hadn’t realized were even tense began to loosen under his tender touch. “Granddad might be a tough son of a bitch, but we always knew we could depend on him. I could call him right now if I needed him and he’d climb in his 1968 Camaro and come as fast as he could. Which would be pretty damn fast in that car.”

John was making her look at her life in a different way. It was strange to take what she’d always seen as a chaotic childhood and turn it on its head so she could see the bedrock of support, the stability that was there. Deep down, she’d always known she could count on her family, but she’d never translated it to the security she’d craved. No, her life wasn’t normal, would never be. But that was okay. What was normal anyway?

She moaned when his fingers dug into a particularly stiff shoulder muscle. “Babe, you need to relax.”

“I know,” she groaned. She fully realized she was a type A personality, always needing to be in control of a situation. It was what made her excel at business. It also led to the downfall of many relationships. Not to mention the tension headaches and stress.

He lifted her off his lap. “How about we play a game?”

Her eyes widened and her interest grew. “What kind of game?” Was that her own voice so low and husky? They’d only had sex an hour ago in the woods, for crying out loud.

“How about Monopoly?” He grinned at her as if he knew where her thoughts had gone. “I figure you’d like that game. You can try to whoop my butt by stealing all my property.”

She picked up her mug and sipped at the cooling chocolate. “You’re on. And I promise I won’t have any mercy.”

He gave a theatrical groan and clutched his heart. “Don’t be too rough with me.”

She looked at his crotch and licked her lips. It was gratifying to watch his cock flex and grow beneath his jeans. “I won’t be too rough. Just rough enough.”

This time his groan was real. “You’re killing me, babe.”

“You’re the one who wanted to play games,” she pointed out.

He leaned down and dropped a quick kiss on her lips. “So I did.” He straightened and went to the almost empty bookcase and pulled the game off the bottom shelf. “Loser makes dinner.”

“You’re on.”

* * * * *

Hours later, John put a perfectly grilled cheese sandwich in front of Topaz. “Hope you like it.” He’d already dished up the canned tomato soup to give it time to cool.

“I’ll love it. Nothing tastes better than a winning bet.” She lifted one golden triangle and bit into it. “Mmm, nice and gooey. Just the way I like it.”

John was pleased that she appeared to be totally relaxed and content, which had been his plan all along. She’d been so uptight when they’d returned from their walk, he’d half expected her to pack her bags and demand to be taken home. She needed some time and breathing space so he’d made a tactical retreat. Now he was sneaking closer again and planned to catch her off guard.

“I should have known better than to play a game of business against you.” She was as sharp at the game as she was in real life. And lucky too. “Tactics are more my speed. That and strength. Maybe we’ll play touch football next time.”

“Maybe we will,” she grinned. “I think I can take you.”

He wouldn’t mind her taking him. Not at all. His dick flexed in agreement. He’d been hard all damn afternoon, ever since she’d looked at his cock and licked her lips. The tease. She’d known darn well what she was doing to him.

They’d skipped lunch and munched on chips instead. Neither of them wanted to stop playing long enough to cook, so they were having an early supper. It was already getting dark outside, making the cabin seem cozy and warm.

He’d learned a lot about her this afternoon. They’d chatted as they’d played the board game, both of them sharing memories from their childhood. It had pleased him when she’d asked personal questions about his life, something she’d refrained from doing up until now. Whether she realized it or not, that was a major victory for him. She wouldn’t ask if she wasn’t thinking about taking their relationship to the next level.

Topaz was a very complex woman, on one hand so courageous and independent and, on the other, she was uncertain and needed to feel secure. He could have told her there was no such thing as security, not really. Life happened and you dealt with what it handed you, for better or worse.