Page 14 of Colton Family Bodyguard (Coltons of Mustang Valley)

“Welcome, Mr. Colton,” the valet said and then nodded to Hazel. “Ma’am.”

“Callum Colton?” a bellboy asked.

“Yes,” Callum answered.

“I’ll take care of your bags.”

“Thank you.”

All Hazel had to do was carry a sleeping Evie inside.

The richness of majestic white columns and dark polished stone floors beneath a high, ornately trimmed ceiling engulfed her. Numbly she walked to the reception desk with Callum.

“We’re checking in to a two-bedroom suite, please.”

Hazel thought about protesting again, but her anxiety over the driver of the white car stopped her. That and Detective Wilder’s unwavering praise of Callum’s good character.

He took the room keys, then guided Hazel with his hand on her lower back, something that was becoming a habit for him. Strangely, Hazel didn’t mind. She wasn’t accustomed to a man doting on her the way Callum did. She had always taken care of herself. He might be doing all of that as her bodyguard, but she still liked it. She felt pampered.

They rode the elevator to the top floor with the bellboy and their luggage. Her luggage. Hazel looked at the cart the bellboy had gotten and saw two additional bags. She looked up at Callum in question, Evie’s warm breaths touching her neck.

“I arranged for my things to be brought here.”

Who had he called? And when? He must have done so while he waited for her to pack. No doubt his family had all kinds of people who did such things for them. Hazel had a funny feeling about that. Ed had hidden his wealth from her, so he had never taken her to places like this, but his lies had hurt. She wouldn’t fall so easily for anyone again. Not that she was falling for Callum. He was extremely handsome, that’s all. What woman could be immune to that? It was like staring at a beautiful painting, unable to look away until she’d had her fill of the pleasure.

In the posh hallway, Callum stopped at a room door and unlocked it. Then he held the door for Hazel and the bellboy.

“Go ahead and put my bags in the room with one king,” Callum said to the bellboy.

“Yes, sir.” The bellboy walked down the hall and Hazel followed.

Going into the other bedroom, Hazel drew the covers back on the far queen bed and gently laid Evie on the sheets. She touched her daughter’s sleeping face as the bellboy brought in her bags.

“Thanks,” she said.

“You’re welcome. Enjoy your stay at the Dales Inn.” The young man left and Hazel shut the door before undressing Evie.

It was a bit of a challenge to get her daughter into pj’s but she finally succeeded without waking her. The poor kid was exhausted.

Hazel unpacked both of their bags, hanging some clothes and putting some in drawers. She put Evie’s toys on one of the chairs in front of the draperies and then spread Evie’s favorite soft blanket over her. Leaning down, she kissed her daughter’s forehead.

Going out to the main room, she saw Callum on his phone, standing between a four-seater dining table and a sectional that faced a gas fireplace with a TV over it. He talked to someone as he faced the corner windows, Mustang Valley town lights sparkling outside.

There were some things on the table, a computer and other equipment. As she neared, she saw three GPS tracking devices, several USB drives. Some devices looked high tech, others had tiny screens, and she saw bulletproof vests, one small enough to fit Evie. Now she knew why he had two bags.

“All right. Keep me informed,” he said and then disconnected.

Hazel went to the four bar stools at a marble-topped kitchen island with a sink in the middle. Three pretty orange-gold pendants hung from the ceiling. A four-burner gas stove with a microwave above was on the other side, and there were cabinets on both sides. It even had a pantry.

She put her hands on the back of one of the chairs. “This is very nice. I’m more of a two-or three-star hotel kind of girl.” Not a fiver.

He chuckled. “We need the space and you need a kitchen. Think of it as a home away from home.”

Hazel had told him she was a chef on the way to the Dales Inn but not much else. Leaving the chair, she went around the island and began going through the cabinets. The kitchen was fully stocked with all the equipment she would need. “The only things missing are food and spices.”

“Make a list and I’ll have that delivered in the morning.”

With the snap of a finger he’d do that? “Then I’ll pay you.”

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