Shattered (The Protectors 11)

“Okay, this way,” Caleb said as he took my hand. The car he ushered me into was nice and warm, but when I made a move to take off the blindfold, Caleb stopped me. “Not yet.”

“You do realize I’m going to get even with you for this… and your punishment will likely include this blindfold?”

I heard someone chuckle and realized it wasn’t Caleb. I could feel my cheeks heating. “Caleb, baby, are we in a cab?”

“Um, maybe.” He dropped his voice, presumably so only I could hear him. “And as for your other question, I’m counting on it.”

With that, I stopped complaining because he’d just given me the perfect way to propose. I’d make love to him until he was begging me for release and that’s when I’d slip my ring onto his finger.

At the same time that I slipped the blindfold off.

I sighed and leaned back against the seat.

“What?” Caleb asked.

“What what?” I responded.

I could practically feel Caleb’s curious eyes on me. But before he could say anything, the cab pulled to a stop. Caleb helped me out. I expected him to lead me somewhere, but instead, he whispered in my ear, “Are you ready to see your surprise?”

“Does it include you naked?” I asked, hoping like hell the cab driver was gone. From the two distinct chuckles I heard, the answer to that was no. I listened as Caleb thanked the driver and sent him on his way. Then his fingers went to the blindfold.

“Just remember that I love you and this trip is just for you.”

“Okay,” I said somewhat nervously.

He pulled the blindfold off. It took my eyes a second to adjust, but when they did, my stomach dropped out.

“No way,” I said. “You’ve got to fucking be kidding me,” I said as I took in the huge snow-covered mountains. There were skiers everywhere, both on and off the massive ski runs, and the ski lift was jam-packed with people.

Oh God, he was taking me skiing.

I’d be making a fool out of myself in front of him and a million other people.

What the hell had he been thinking?

“What do you think?”

“I think you should probably make sure you’re up to date on your health insurance,” I said as I looked at him.

“Exactly what kind of punishment is it that you’re planning?” he asked with a grin.

“Caleb,” I said as I looked at the ski slopes again. “I love you, but there’s just no way in hell you’re going to be able to teach me to ski.”

“Oh, we’re not skiing,” Caleb said.

“We’re not?”

He shook his head. “No, that’s not your surprise,” he said as he pointed at the mountains. He used his fingers on my chin to turn my head slightly to the left. “That’s your surprise.”

It took me a moment to zero in on what he was trying to show me. My eyes went wide when I saw a woman waving at us from the opposite side of the lodge’s driveway.

“Oh my God, is that…”

“It is.”

“It isn’t,” I said in disbelief. But as the woman headed our way, I knew I was wrong. “I can’t believe it,” I whispered. “You got me Martha Stewart for my birthday?”

I whipped my head around to stare at Caleb in complete and utter shock. “What… how… what…?”

He grinned. “Turns out she and Mariana worked together on some kind of fundraiser benefiting veterans a while back. When I mentioned to Mariana that you were a fan, she said she’d make a call. And she did. Martha has a house out here – we’re in Vail, by the way. She said we could join her for dinner tonight.”

“Oh my God,” I repeated. I felt a sudden warmth flow through me as I remembered all the time my mother and I had spent bonding over everything Martha Stewart related.

I wanted to kiss Caleb for giving that moment to me.

So that’s what I did. I brushed my lips gently over his. “Thank you,” I said in all seriousness.

His eyes were bright as he smiled at me.

Because he knew what this moment was to me – it was so much more than meeting a famous person.

Caleb squeezed my hand.

“Oh, and Mav and Eli upgraded us to a luxury suite. Something about bearskin rugs – fake ones – in front of the fireplace, a mini-fridge full of strawberry milk and a private balcony with a hot tub—”

I kissed him hard. “You had me at Martha Stewart,” I said.

Caleb laughed. But before I could process that I was really about to talk to the Martha Stewart, Caleb leaned up to whisper in my ear, “Just remember, she looks at you funny even once, I’m kicking her ass.”

I let out a bark of laughter and tugged him up against me. “Got it. Do me a favor, will you?” I asked.