The President's Daughter Page 4

  “That’s me, all right,” he agreed with a grin and pulled away from the curb. Ron laughed.

  Trish continued, “Why didn’t you introduce us to your friend, Nicky? He was cute!”

  Ron had suggested to the group when they first met that they call the agents by their first names. Trish was taking the suggestion an additional step.

  “What are we, Trish?” Derek retorted. “Chopped liver?”

  Nick glanced into the rearview mirror and saw Trish pat Derek’s cheek. “You’re cute, too, honey. Don’t fret.” She gave an exaggerated sigh. “I just happen to go for those tall, dark, mysterious males like Ron and Nicky…and their friends.”

  “Well, I guess I fit the tall and dark, Trish,” Ron replied wryly. “But I don’t get the mysterious stuff you’re talking about.”

  Joe spoke up. “Oh, she’s referring to all the secret handshakes, the code words, the radio signals, all that junk you guys do.”

  Ron looked over at Nick and mouthed, “Secret handshakes?” and Nick just shook his head. An imaginative bunch.

  “At least the weather is cooperating,” Nick said. There was a chorus of agreement behind him. The weather was beautiful, with crisp, cold air, a sky so blue it looked artificial, and the nearby peaks covered in glistening white. It felt good to be back in the western part of the country. He’d missed it and had really looked forward to visiting and seeing his family again.

  Well, at least he was here. The visit with the family would have to wait for another time.

  The drive to the ski resort was filled with songs, outrageous stories and laughter. All of them—with the exception of Ashley—were in tensely curious about what it was like to be a Secret-Service agent. They were full of questions. Nick kept his mouth shut and let Ron field the questions. The man was good at side stepping questions that would involve revealing more than was necessary about their security measures.

  The more Nick was around Ron, the more he appreciated the way the man handled himself. He’d lucked out, being paired with someone he liked and respected. That wasn’t always the case in this business.

  He gave Ron the resort map so that when they pulled into the gated area to the resort, Ron directed him to their chalet. The driveway had been cleared of snow. When he pulled in, there was a rush to get out and explore.

  The place was a modified A-frame, quite large, with a great many windows from which to view the mountains all around them. The inside was filled with pleasant surprises. There was a large living area and an equally large den off the main room. A fire was going in the den, making the place seem cozy. Their hosts had been there to prepare a warm welcome.

  Everyone explored. They found three bedrooms upstairs, as well as a full-size basement. Nick was relieved to discover that whoever owned it was security conscious, as evidenced by the state-of-the-art security system installed. It made their job a good deal easier.

  The kitchen was fully equipped, and someone had provided coffee, cream and sugar, fruit and snacks.

  He and Ron returned to the living room and waited while the party of six sorted themselves out and decided who was going to room with whom. It wasn’t long until they returned to the foyer where they’d left the luggage. When the group saw the agents relaxed in the living room, they followed them in there.

  Derek was the first to say, “Hey, I’ll do my patriotic duty and sleep in Ashley’s room.” His unstinting selflessness garnered a fair share of catcalls and giggles.

  Nick watched Ashley’s reaction. She blushed before laughing and shaking her head. “No way!” she said. “You probably snore.”

  “Or walks in his sleep,” Craig said with a grin. All the rooms were equipped with twin beds. “So how are we going to do this, anyway? We’ve got an odd number here.”

  Joe spoke up. “All right, you clowns. Erin and I are taking one of the bedrooms, so Trish and Ashley can have one, Craig and Derek the other.”

  Now it was Erin doing the blushing, but Nick noted she wasn’t protesting.

  Since none of this was his business, Nick chose to keep quiet and watch.

  Joe settled the matter by picking up his and Erin’s bags and going upstairs. Trish turned to Nick and asked, “But where will you and Ron sleep?”

  Ashley spoke up. “Didn’t you know? They don’t need sleep. Actually they’re androids programmed to do their job. I doubt they ever eat, either.”

  Ron laughed. “You got that wrong, Ashley. As a matter of fact, my poor ol’ stomach thinks my throat’s been cut. So what do we do about meals around here?”

  Since Ron already knew the answer to his question, Nick knew he was attempting to deflect some of Ashley’s sarcasm. It also directed everyone to thinking about how long it had been since they’d been served breakfast on the plane. They began to clamor with suggestions, each volunteering the others to do the KP duties.

  Nick finally held up his hand in the “T” that signaled timeout in sports. “We eat at the lodge. The kitchen never closes. I suggest we head out now if you intend to get any skiing done this afternoon.”

  Once the thought was planted, everyone grabbed his or her bag and rushed upstairs, eager to get unpacked and change into ski clothes. While they were upstairs, he and Ron checked out the den. The two sleeper sofas were arranged at right angles to the fireplace, opposite each other. Nick knew they wouldn’t be the most comfortable beds, but he could survive. Since the sofas were long, he decided to leave his closed and treat it as a single bed.

  Ron peered out one of the windows. “I’m glad I don’t have to get out in this stuff,” Ron said with a shiver. “Sitting by the fire at the lodge and waiting for you guys to come back inside suits me just fine. Guess you have to be born around this kind of weather to enjoy it.”

  “I suppose. I know I prefer the cold dry air of the mountains to the heat and humidity at the beaches.”

  “Good thing, since there’s plenty of us who prefer hot sand and cool seawater.”

  The clatter on the stairs warned them that the troops were on the move again. Nick grabbed his down-filled parka and said, “Guess it’s time to head ’em up and move ’em out.”

  “You know, this is going to be tough, doing round-the-clock protection. Does Ashley have any idea what she’s asking of us?”

  Nick glanced over his shoulder and lifted an eyebrow. “Do you really think she cares? I have a hunch she hopes I break a leg first thing and you injure yourself falling off a bar stool.”

  Ron shook his head. “I don’t think she’s quite that adamant about having her privacy.”

  “Don’t bet on it!”

  Hours later Ashley finished a run down the side of the mountain and paused to catch her breath. This was just what she’d needed—a chance to get away from routine for a few days, a chance to be with friends.

  She’d chosen an easy trail her first time, not wanting to come to grief her first day back on the slopes. She looked around, watching as Craig, then right after him, Trish, came down, both of them whooping with glee, exhilarated by the fresh air, the fresh powder and the physical release after having been cooped up for so many hours.

  She’d missed winter in Colorado more than she’d remembered. The mountains were home to her and always would be. This was the first time she’d been allowed to join her friends, some of whom came every winter holiday. Thank God her dad had finally agreed to let her go on this ski trip.

  She was glad Ron was along. He was fun…and funny. They’d all indulged themselves at the buffet in the restaurant at the lodge. When it came time to see about renting equipment, he’d waved them off with a shiver that may not have been totally faked, promising to be right there by the fire when they decided they’d had all the fun they wanted with that foreign white stuff.

  She was sorry that it wasn’t Ron who was out there with them.

  “Going up again?” Craig hollered, motioning to the nearby lifts.

  “You bet!” she replied, and started to the lifts to join them.

 
She wouldn’t have minded Ron being out there with her, but everything Nick the Noble did grated on her nerves. He’d taken charge of seeing that everyone was properly fitted for their skis, obviously enjoying the teasing and flirting he received from the other two women in the group.

  He’d missed his calling. As a professional ski instructor he could have spent his days impressing all the giggly females. He certainly seemed to thrive on all the attention. He wore a black ski suit that emphasized his broad shoulders and slim waist. She noticed that Erin did a quick visual of him when Joe wasn’t watching. Oh, yeah. He looked good.

  She also had to admit that he was something to watch on a pair of skis. All that controlled energy came to the fore as he swooped down the side of the mountain. Trish was already lamenting the fact that he stayed so close to Ashley, leaving her to ride the lifts with Derek or Craig, while Joe and Erin continued the twosome they’d formed.

  Ashley would gladly change places with Trish, but she knew better than to suggest it. At least while winging down the slopes she could pretend to be alone. She wasn’t going to do anything foolish that would be reported to her father.

  “Let’s find us a blue run this time,” Craig suggested as he grabbed for the lift. “Green’s too easy.”

  Ashley and Nick grabbed the next bar, sliding onto the seats and holding on. She looked over at him. He was cleaning his goggles and not looking her way. His profile caught at her and she forced herself to look away.

  By the time they got off the lift, the others were waiting for them. A large map of the area was posted, naming each trail, color coding them to show their degree of difficulty. They stood there debating various ones. Ashley agreed with Craig. She was ready for a little more challenge.

  She followed him to Duke’s Run, gave him some time to push off and build up some speed, then shoved forward with a sense of excitement. There was nothing better than experiencing the silence of the mountain, with only the sound of the wind as it whistled past your ears.

  Ashley gave herself up to enjoying the moment.

  Nick kept her in sight but wasn’t worried about her. She handled herself well, didn’t take too many chances and was quite good. This assignment wasn’t going to be bad, after all. He was actually getting paid for doing something he would have offered to do for free.

  Too bad Ashley had taken such an active dislike to him. If she would unbend a little where he was concerned, they could have a great week here. Somehow he didn’t see that happening.

  By the time the sun settled behind the peaks, the group was more than ready to call it a day. They headed for the lodge, hoping to have some hot beverages and a chance to warm themselves in front of the oversize fireplace that dominated the cavernous lobby at the lodge.

  Ron met them at the door, waving them inside, and listened to their tales of spills and near misses. They settled around the fireplace as soon as they had hot drinks in their hands. Nick sat down next to Ron and listened to their stories with a contented smile. He’d enjoyed the afternoon. He’d had no problems with Ashley other than the fact she treated him as though he were invisible. He could already feel some of his muscles protesting and wondered if he was the only one.

  “I don’t know about the rest of you,” Derek announced, “but I, for one, vote for an early night. This has been a long day. Don’t forget we’re on eastern time. That’s a two-hour difference and my body’s already letting me know it!”

  “You’re just out of shape,” Craig said. “I’m ready to party tonight.”

  “Sure you are,” Trish said. “Who was complaining about already getting stiff before we ever left the slopes?”

  Everybody laughed. He shrugged good-naturedly. “Okay, so I lied.”

  Erin spoke up. “Why don’t we have an early supper and go back to the chalet? A hot bath sounds like just the thing to me.”

  During dinner Nick was amused at how quiet everyone had become. There was very little conversation while they ate. He drove them back to the chalet, listening to them discuss who would use which tub first. Luckily there was a bathroom with each bedroom. He and Ron had the use of another one downstairs.

  Now if only the hot water holds out, he thought as he watched them go inside.

  He turned on the television in the den and stretched out on the sofa he’d chosen to watch the national news. It was the usual stuff—tension in the Mideast, increased drug problems along the southern borders, a terrorist group protesting the jail sentence of one of their leaders, increased drive-by shootings in L.A.

  The weather looked a little more interesting. A storm in the Pacific Northwest would be heading into the Rockies by late tomorrow. That might curtail some of their ski activities. The lifts closed whenever the weather turned bad. Perhaps the group would have to find another way to keep themselves entertained tomorrow.

  He waited until it was quiet upstairs, then went in to take a shower. When he came back, Ron had made up the other sofa and was watching a sitcom.

  “Now this is the life,” Ron said. “A nice fire—thanks for rebuilding it, by the way—a beautiful view and a comfortable bed. This is one assignment you won’t hear me complaining about.”

  “Glad to know you’re enjoying it. I was afraid you’d be bored sitting around inside all day.”

  “Not so far, but I’ll let you know. Although I have to admit I’m feeling the altitude a little. It takes some getting used to.” He clicked off the television. Now the only light came from the fireplace.

  Nick found the extra bedding and made up his bed, glad to stretch out. He was tired, but it was a good tired.

  He found it amusing, or maybe ironic, the way things had worked out. Here he was back in the mountains of Colorado, only a few miles away from the family cabin where he’d spent many an enjoyable visit with his family. Coming to this area was almost as good as coming home. He just wouldn’t see his parents this trip—or his brothers and their families.

  Maybe he’d call his folks tomorrow and let them know he was at least here in Colorado, even if he’d missed having Christmas with them. He wished he could figure out a way to get up to Casper to see them. Both brothers and their families would be going home the first of January, the same day this group was scheduled to return to Washington.

  There were times when he envied his brothers their normal lives. Times like tonight, when he had too much time to think about the roads not taken. Ron was a good example of how the opposing pull of work and family could tear a man apart. Most of the time Nick refused to allow himself to think about what he could have had.

  It was a waste of energy. He had a hunch it was his strong attraction to Ashley Sullivan that had him fantasizing about a wife and family. He smiled to himself. He certainly didn’t have to worry about that fantasy coming true.

  The woman disliked him too much to ever consider a relationship with him. Therefore, she was one temptation that would be easy to resist.

  Chapter 4

  Rocky Mountains, Colorado

  Tuesday, December 29

  “They sound like a bunch of birds up there, don’t they?” Ron said, seated across the table from Nick. It was early morning. The two men had already finished their first pot of coffee and were working on a second one.

  Nick glanced up from his serious study of the steam slowly rising from his coffee. He’d never been one for early-morning conversations. Thank God Ron seemed to share his aversion. This was the first time either of them had spoken in the hour they had been sitting there.

  “Birds?” He turned his head slightly, trying to focus his mind on the present. After a moment he smiled. “Sounds like a herd of elephants trampling around, if you ask me.”

  Ron grinned, his teeth flashing in his dark face. “No, I mean in how it was quiet for so long and then…” He shrugged his shoulders, settling back into the com fort ably padded banquette that formed a U around the large table. “I guess I was reminded of the times as a kid when my dad used to take us camping.” His gaze softened as
his thoughts turned inward. “We’d wake up before dawn. I can remember being amazed at how still everything was. I’d lie there listening and watching as the sky gradually lightened. Then I’d hear sounds of rustling in the bushes. Finally there would be the sound of a lone bird—just one—and it was as though his call was the signal for everything out there. The whole area would suddenly be alive with all kinds of bird noises and songs.”

  Ron glanced out the kitchen window. Nick followed his gaze and noticed that the sun was, indeed, peeking between the mountains.

  Ron went on. “The house was quiet this morning, neither of us talking, and then I heard a voice speak softly upstairs. As though that was a signal, all of them began talking at once, just like birds in the wild.”

  They were sitting in companionable silence when Trish bounced into the room.

  “Mornin’.” The jeans she had on today were even tighter than those she’d worn on the plane yesterday. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m starving. Is there anything to eat in this place?”

  “There’s some fruit and a few snacks, but nothing substantial,” Nick replied. “I suppose I could do a run for groceries, or we can all just go over to the lodge for their buffet.”

  “Oh, that sounds even better. No cooking, no cleaning. I’m all for that.” She reached for a cup. “Thank God there’s coffee.”

  Ron chuckled. “Nick had made a pot by the time I woke up this morning.”

  She turned from filling her cup and gave Nick a very sultry smile. “You are definitely my kind of guy,” she said in a throaty voice.

  Ashley appeared in the doorway. “Yours and a dozen other women’s, I’m sure,” she said sweetly. “I bet they all line up for a chance to be with our noble protector, don’t they, Nick?”

  She was dressed for the slopes, her red jacket unzipped to reveal a snug-fitting black turtle neck sweater. He had to admit that the color was very flattering with her hair and skin coloring.