Page 41 of Close Protection

‘Please don’t leave on my account, the pool is big enough for both of us.’

‘You had another nightmare?’ I ask, changing the subject, walking towards her.

She looks at me, confused for a second, before glancing down to the bowl in her hands, a wave of understanding washing over her. ‘Uh… Yes, yeah.’

‘You wanna talk about it?’

Yeah, Milosh, great idea. Getting her to open up even more will definitely help with the already blurred lines.

Smart man. Really, I should give myself an award or something.

She shakes her head as I silently breathe out a relievedsigh. ‘Thank you, really.’ She gives me that small, sweet smile, before dipping her head again. ‘But, no, I just want to take my mind off of everything.’ I don’t miss how her eyes peruse my bare chest, my body heating as her eyes pass over me.

‘Okay,’ I say in response and walk past her to grab a towel. The Greens have a fully functional mini spa and gym down here with a sauna, steam room, heated pool and workout equipment, with amenities better than any gym I’ve ever been to.

A mini fridge is stocked with cool, damp washcloths that smell of essential oils. Next to it is a cupboard full of warm, fluffy white towels of varying sizes, with grazing snacks and a variety of beverage options laid out in the corner of the room.

It’s all absolutely unnecessary, but I’m not complaining. Going from basic military-grade training facilities to this highlights just how different mine and Daphne’s worlds truly are.

I hear her enter the pool behind me as I take out a towel from the cupboard. I walk back over to the chair where I left my belongings, using the towel to dry my damp hair, and look over to the pool where Daphne is doing laps.

She has a clean, concise technique, swimming with conviction and drive. She’s wearing a white swimsuit, and the contrast of the stark white against her brown complexionis so strikingly beautiful. Although at this point I’m not sure there’s a colour she couldn’t pull off.

Sitting down, I grab my phone and scroll to check if Major Davis has messaged me back with any information about the two Daveeno members at the mall. As I begin to read through his response, the previously calm and consistent sounds of Daphne moving through the water turn rushed and sporadic. I shoot up from my seat on high alert as I see Daphne chaotically lurching around the pool, not swimming but not walking either. Kind of a weird mix of the two.

‘Miss Green,’ I say loudly so she can hear me over all of the splashing. ‘Miss Green.’ I try again, a little louder this time. ‘Miss Green, what are you doing?’ She looks up at me, her expression laced with panic.

‘My necklace,’ she splutters, splashing water everywhere. ‘The necklace I had on fell off and I can’t find it.’

‘Get out of the pool,’ I say calmly.

‘What?’

‘Get out of the pool so you can get a clearer view.’ She stares at me a moment, considering if there’s any validity to what I’m saying. Evidently she decides there is, as she walks to the edge of the pool and hoists herself out. I avert my eyes, because now, with no water as a barrier, every part of her perfect body is on display. I don’t want her tofeel uncomfortable – she clearly thought she was going to be down here alone – and I’ve never seen her in such little clothing, so I bring my eyes back to the pool, intently watching the water settle.

‘What does your necklace look like?’

‘It’s gold, with a locket,’ Daphne replies, coming to stand next to me. Somehow, even after being in the pool, I can still smell that sweet, innately feminine scent of hers.

‘You should take it off next time.’

‘What an astute observation, thank you, Mr Petrov,’ Daphne bites out. I hold in a laugh because, yeah, I like her princessy put-together side, but when she has a bit of a fire to her, with that dry sarcasm…?

That’s when she gets dangerous.

I spot a gold chain glinting in the water and without a second thought I dive in to retrieve it. It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust but when they do I scoop up the necklace and make my way back to the surface, shocked to see that Daphne is also back in the pool.

‘Is this it?’ I ask, holding out the necklace as she swims closer to me, nodding in relief.

‘It’s never fallen off before when I’ve been in the pool. I mustn’t have clasped it properly.’

‘Turn around,’ I direct. She hesitates, then does what I ask, leaving me looking at her now extremely curly ponytail.‘Pick up your hair for me,’ I say softly, and she does, revealing her slim, delicate neck.

I thread my arms through hers in order to get the necklace into position. This close, I can see the delicate rise and fall of her chest and hear her shallow breaths as I fasten the clasp. I tug on it gently, making sure it’s secure, and lower it back down carefully, my fingers brushing the base of her neck.

‘There,’ I say when I’m finished.

‘Thank you,’ she whispers, turning around to look up at me, her hands snaking around her neck to check on the clasp.

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