“Prepared is right.” Question was, prepared for what?
I looked back at the monitors. Taking a seat in one of the chairs, I studied the screens. Each one flipped between two or three camera views, one screen for each room of the house, it appeared. I blushed suddenly remembering what Reeve and I had done the night we’d arrived. And the next morning. It was one thing to be watched during sex and quite another to be watched and not know it.
“Is there always someone in here?” I asked as casually as I could manage.
He sat in the chair next to me. “Yep. Twenty-four/seven.”
“And every room in the house is under surveillance?” Silently I was thanking God that the only exploring I’d done so far was in trying to talk to people. I hadn’t opened closets or rummaged through drawers. The last thing I wanted was someone watching me do something they’d report to Reeve. And if every room was watched – no wonder Reeve had cautioned me about walking around naked. Though, I’d never searched for a security room at his place in LA. He could very well have a similar setup there.
“Yes, every room is under surveillance,” Cade said, looking me over suspiciously. Probably wondering what it was I was trying to steal.
I fluttered my lashes. “It’s just that sometimes… well, Reeve and I often let our passion get away from us, if you know what I mean.”
“Ah.” His face reddened slightly. “No worries there. We only actively watch the main rooms. There are no cameras in the bathrooms, and we only watch a few of the bedrooms.”
Like mine, I noticed. He seemed to realize that after he’d said it, his eyes darting nervously from the screens to his hands, anywhere but at me.
“I only keep my clothes in there,” I said, reassuring him as well as me. “I sleep with Reeve.” If I’d had any doubt about which room I’d stay in with him gone, I didn’t now.
“Right, right, of course.” Cade pointed to the blank screens. “These are to the other bedrooms. We don’t usually have those on, to maintain guest privacy.”
With all the guards at the ranch, it was hard to imagine why Amber would have called me with the safe word. Unless she’d been afraid of Reeve, in which case, did that mean his staff was okay with whatever he’d done? Had Amber called over something stupid? Like, had Reeve pulled out his belt with her like he had with me and she’d panicked?
I didn’t like thinking that was the case and not because it was irritating to think of Amber being afraid of something naughty that I enjoyed, but because it made my stomach clench with jealousy.
No matter what had happened with Amber and Reeve, she’d had him first, and that was never going to change. I had to find a way to get used to that. But it didn’t look like it would be today.
“Regardless if we’re actively monitoring them,” Cade added, “all rooms have cameras and they’re all recorded on digital over there so we can go back and review if something happens.”
“How long do you keep the recordings?” I was sure it wouldn’t be very long, but it didn’t hurt to ask.
Turned out I was wrong. “One full year,” Cade said.
One year. Which meant there were still recordings of Amber. The realization sent a swarm of emotions buzzing in my chest like bees. The idea of seeing something that hurt her or scared her was not a comfortable one. And if the recordings showed her being intimate with Reeve I didn’t know if I could take that either.
But to have the chance to see her again, even just on a black-and-white silent recording…
I had to see those recordings. It was a practically impossible task with the room always occupied. I had charmed Cade, but he didn’t seem like the type who would break the rules, no matter how much I flirted. I made it a point to find out who the other guards were who worked the room. Maybe one of them would be easier to coerce. Or seduce, if I had to.
“So… who else works this job? And what time does his shift start?”
“Six. That’s Mike. Donny works the graveyard. Neither of them is very friendly, though. They’re straight by the book, don’t talk to anyone, come in, do their job, and leave. You were lucky to get me today to show you this room. They’d probably both kick my ass for letting you in.”
So much for that idea.
“Well, I appreciate it. You’ve alleviated my fears.” I sighed, and looked back at the monitors. Reeve’s room wasn’t there I noticed now. “I’m guessing that Reeve’s suite isn’t actively watched?”
“Ah, Mr. Sallis’s room is recorded, but the screen for his room is locked in his office in a cabinet like those.” He pointed to the ones behind us. “The recorders to those are in there too. Only one who has access to that is the man himself.”
Now this news was better. Because I had a better shot at getting into Reeve’s office. All I needed was his key ring.
Cade leaned toward me and winked. “So no one’s seeing anything inappropriate.”
I pretended that was exactly the reason I’d asked. “Thank God. No one’s selling our sex tapes.”
He covered his ears with his hands and said, “Too much information, too much information.”
I took that as my cue to leave.
The rest of the afternoon was spent inconspicuously searching through Reeve’s suite. I knew no one was watching me over the cameras, but Reeve could watch the recording later and find out I’d done it. If he later came to me with accusations, I’d man up and tell him I was snooping, as many girlfriends do. I wouldn’t have to tell him I was looking for something specific.