Page 33 of Baby Bodyguard

“I do!”

“So it’s just me that brings out the worst in you?”

“You do seem to prompt an odd reaction.” Many odd reactions.

“The feeling’s mutual,” he muttered. “I suggest we come to an agreement.”

“I’m open to any and all suggestions.”

“Let’s agree not to torture each other unless we’re alone.”

“Torture?” she repeated nervously.

His mouth eased into a smile. “Maybe ‘torture’ is a bit strong.”

Sami froze. His smile drove every thought from her head but one—the memory of his kiss. His arms had been so deliciously tight, his mouth moving on hers with urgent hunger, the taste and scent and feel of him driving her insane with need. He’d touched something deep inside and she didn’t know whether she’d ever recover. Not when the memory of that one embrace kept slipping beneath her guard, haunting her at the oddest moments.

“Sami?”

She inhaled deeply, fighting to focus on the present and push the past into a dark, forbidden corner. What the heck had they been talking about? “Would you mind repeating that last part?”

He grimaced. “You’re right. Maybe I should have said provoke instead of torture. We need to stop provoking each other during these practice sessions. It’s not fair to the women.”

“This next month is going to be a difficult trial period, isn’t it?” For both of them. “Do you want me to return you to Babe?”

He stilled. “Is that why you’re acting this way? So I’ll quit?”

“No.” She shrugged, experiencing a twinge of guilt. Maybe she shouldn’t be so hard on the poor guy. He was just trying to earn an honest wage. “I pretty much act this way all the time. Sorry.”

“I was afraid you were going to say that.”

She leaned closer. “Trust me, I’ll grow on you. Just give it time.” She half expected him to offer a clever comeback.

Instead, he planted his hands on the desktop and leaned toward her until they were within a whisper of touching. “Honey, you’ve already grown on me.”

Her eyes widened. “Aren’t you going to say something rude?”

“Why would I do that?” His dark, rough-edged voice sank into her pores, touching places she’d guarded for over two full decades. She had no protection against him when he looked at her like that and it terrified her. “I like your sense of humor. Ilike your personality. And I’m downright crazy about your mouth.”

She fought for composure. It would be so easy to get lost in his words, to believe what she saw gleaming in the silvered depths of his eyes. She moistened her lips. “But…? There was a ’but’ to your comment, Iassume?”

“I’m afraid so. These women need your help. They’re not rich. They can’t afford to indulge their sense of humor. These jobs are vital to them, as you well know. Otherwise you wouldn’t be working so hard on their behalf.”

She closed her eyes. “You’re right. Idon’t know what came over me.”

“Sure you do.” Something in his tone had her eyes opening again, filling her with a painful awareness of him as a man. He closed the remaining distance between them and brushed his mouth across hers. “It came over me, too.”

“We weren’t supposed to do this, remember?”

“Then stop me.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Neither do I.” But he managed to, anyway. He sank back into his seat with a display of willpower she could only envy. “It’s going to be an interesting month, wouldn’t you say? And just so you know, I’m a ‘no deposit, no return’ employee. Babe won’t take me back and I’m not leaving until my job’s completed.”

“Your job? Just so I have it straight, what’s today’s description?”

“Man Friday has a certain appeal.”

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