Her smile warmed and color suffused her cheeks. “Thank you. But my photographer would disagree.”
“Then he’s a fool,” Swanny muttered.
“I ordered a variety of food so everyone can eat. There are a couple of side salads so you can have what you like,” Eddie soothed. “But swear to God, Eden, when this shoot is over, you’re taking a break for a while and you’re going to eat like a normal human being. You’re too thin as it is. I worry about you.”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s not like I have an eating disorder, Dad. I work out and I’m healthy as a horse.”
The doorbell to the suite rang and Ryker got up to go let the room service attendant in. A few minutes later, the food was all set up on the table and everyone ate buffet style.
Eden was studying each of the members of Swanny’s team and he tried to stay back, out of her direct line of sight. Still, he felt her scrutiny and it made him uncomfortable. He sat as far away from her as possible while they ate. But it seemed not to make a difference. Every time he stole a glance her way—with his scarred side averted—she was studying him. He could swear he felt her gaze. Was she gawking, trying to get a better look at his scars? But no, when he chanced another glance at her she was simply staring at him thoughtfully.
“Swanny? What’s your real name?” Eden suddenly asked.
Swanny’s gaze lifted in surprise that she’d singled him out when she hadn’t said a word to any of the other members of his team during the meal.
Her cheeks colored as if she regretted the impulsive question. Damn, but he was being rude by simply staring at her like a moron.
“It’s just that in all of Ryker’s letters he always called you Swanny and he did say it was a nickname formed by your last name, Swanson, but he never told me what your first name was,” she said in a rush, as if trying to assuage him as to why she’d asked the original question.
“Daryl,” Swanny said gruffly. “But nobody calls me that. Ever. I just go by Swanny.”
She gave him a breathtaking smile that was like a punch to the gut. Her eyes were warm, with a hint of a spark to them. Or maybe he was imagining that.
“I’ll remember that . . . Swanny,” she said, her smile never wavering. “I’m very glad you made it home from Afghanistan. Ryker agonized for months that you and your teammates were MIA. And I felt like I knew you all from Ryker’s letters, so it was very upsetting to me as well.”
She was actually acknowledging him. Talking to him when she could have said the exact same thing to Nathan. But she’d never even looked at anyone else but him. Every time he glanced her way, she was staring at him.
He had no idea how to respond. What to say. His tongue was in knots and the words stuck in his throat. He finally managed a short thank-you, knowing he was being rude for not saying more. It shamed him that he was relieved when the rest finished their meals and Raid prompted Eden to go to bed.
Eden put up a fuss, saying she’d already taken a nap, but Raid wouldn’t be swayed. He dumped two pills in her hand and stood there until she took them. It was already nine in the evening and they still had a lot of planning to do. It would be a hell of a lot easier if Eden were sleeping so she wouldn’t by chance overhear anything her father didn’t want her knowing.
After waving a disgusted good night to everyone, Eden allowed Raid to hustle her off to bed, but still they waited until half an hour later when Raid quietly went in to check to see if Eden was sleeping yet.
He returned with a thumbs-up. “She’s out like a light. Today exhausted her, though she’d never admit it.”
“Okay, so we obviously have Eden’s protection covered,” Joe said, “but what about the source of the threat? What intel can you provide us? I can call Sam and get a team working on that angle because until that’s eliminated we’re spinning our wheels.”
“I hadn’t thought past Eden’s protection,” Eddie admitted. “But of course the threat to her has to be eliminated. I’ve put in another call as well regarding the situation but didn’t hook up so I’m grateful that you all can get on this now.”
“I’ll put a call into Sam,” Nathan interjected. “I’ll give him the rundown, but we need to know everything. Don’t hold back anything that could help or hinder us. We can’t be flying blind. Sam won’t send a team in if it’s going to get them killed.”
Eddie nodded. “I’ll give you everything I know. I appreciate this. More than you’ll ever know.”
“While we’re in Paris with Eden, you, Ryker and Raid need to lie low. If this guy can’t get to Eden, he may just go after one of you instead,” Joe warned.
“I’m not hiding from this fucker,” Raid said, his eyes glittering dangerously. “I have a job to do. I hope that asshole does come after me.”
“Just watch your sixes,” Nathan said. “We’re going to make damn sure he doesn’t get to Eden.”
“That’s all I ask,” Eddie said. “Keep my baby safe.”
“Edge, you call one of our pilots and tell him to bring the bigger jet. Tell him what’s going on and to be ready tomorrow at three. For that matter call in the other pilot to hitch a ride so he can fly the small jet back to the compound.” Joe said. “Nathan, you call Sam. Give him the rundown. The rest of you stand down. We need to get some rest while we can grab it.”
“We can crash in Eden’s room,” Ryker said, gesturing to himself and his father and brother. “It’ll leave more room for your crew to sleep out here.”
“I need to call Nigel, her agent, and let him know what’s going on,” Eddie said. “He can also smooth the way with everyone on site. He’s planning to arrive earlier than Eden so that will help, hopefully.”
As soon as the Sinclairs retreated into Eden’s room, Swanny began preparing a makeshift bed on the floor, using one of the cushions from the couch as a pillow. After Edge and Nathan made their calls, they joined the others in bunking down.
It was just another day on the job. Nothing they hadn’t done a hundred times before. This was one they could do in their sleep. And yet Swanny found himself wide awake, replaying those brief moments when Eden had been in the same room.
He’d been right. Just being in her presence was like being washed in sunshine.
CHAPTER 8
EDEN came awake with a grogginess she normally didn’t feel in the mornings. She wiped at her eyes attempting to rub some of the bleariness away and remembered the two pills Raid had forced down her throat.
She glanced at the clock and saw that it was just after eight. At least she hadn’t slept the entire morning away. She had a lot to do before leaving for Paris.
After a quick shower, she went through her skin care regimen but left off makeup. Her skin needed to breathe so she’d look her best for the upcoming shoot.
She dressed casually in a pair of comfortable jeans and an oversize shirt. After slipping her feet into a pair of flip-flops, she went in search of the others, who were no doubt making plans without her.
She rolled her eyes as she walked from the bedroom. She had no doubt her father and brothers were overreacting, but they were genuinely worried, especially her dad. After her mother’s death, he’d been extremely overprotective of her to the point of absurdity, but she didn’t want to add to his worry, so she just went with it when he got in one of his moods.
Everyone was drinking coffee and the television was on a local station. She waved, not really knowing what to say to the group of people her father had hired to protect her. They seemed a quiet bunch anyway. Except Joe. He seemed to be the leader and so far had done most of the talking. And yet it wasn’t Joe she’d noticed. It had been Swanny. There was something about the quiet man. In a group with that much testosterone it was odd that she’d hone in on Swanny but there was no explanation for it.