Page 109 of Deadly Attraction
“So you’ll be going to San Diego or wherever your next undercover operation takes you.” She swallowed hard, forcing nonchalance into her voice. “That’s great. Victor needs agents like you.”
“I’m not so sure about that. I failed big time at protecting you.”
“You tried repeatedly to get me off the ranch, and I refused almost as many. The fires shut down the roads, but I suppose in your warped way of thinking, you should have forced me to leave and somehow magically transported me to that safe house. Is that correct, Agent Holden?”
“Are we back to last names?”
A protection mechanism. “You saved me and my horses and Danika. I’ll never forget that.”
His grin faded. “You may not like my new assignment.”
She was sure she wouldn’t. “You’ll handle it with flying colors, but honestly, Mitch, I think you should get counseling to deal with your PTSD surrounding your brother’s death before you take on undercover work.”
“Victor agrees.”
Her brows went up. “You told him about the flashbacks?”
“Yeah, after he offered me to stay on as your bodyguard. He thought we might both benefit from a few sessions.”
“Bodyguard? I don’t understand.”
“He’s kept your name out of the media for the time being, but it won’t take much for it to leak out or for some other Tom Monahan superfan to go Linda Brown on us and come after you. So unless you’re willing to sell the ranch and go into hiding, you’re going to need to increase your personal security. For the next few months at least, part of that security is me.”
A grin broke over her face. “I’m your new assignment?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Words escaped her and her eyes finally let go of the tears she’d been suppressing.
“If you’re that upset about it, I can get you a different one,” Mitch teased.
Emma found the strength to swat his arm. Then she dashed her hands at the tears on her cheeks. “I can’t be your therapist.”
“To hell with that. I’ve already got about five fantasies I want to act out.” He reached over to the side table and brought back a bag of M&Ms and set it on her stomach. “One of them involves these.”
Her mouth watered. “Fantasies are not therapy.”
“They are if they involve you. Everything about you is therapy for me.”
“I guess you can help with the horses,” she teased, eyeing the candy, “in exchange for room and board.”
“I can cook, too, remember?”
For a moment, they simply smiled at each other. Then Emma reached out and drew him in close. “I love you, Mitch Holden. I hope I’m going to need your bodyguard services for a long time.”
“I love you, too, Doc.” He kissed her gently, deeply. “And I’m pretty sure I’m going to need therapy for the rest of my life.”
“I’ll look at my schedule and see if I can fit you in.”
He chuckled. “Good, because every Christmas from here on out, I’m going to be in your bed, making you a happy woman.”
“I think I might actually like the holidays again.”
He gently coaxed her body to the side and climbed into the bed next to her, the bag of candies rattling as he fit his big body around hers. “Me, too, Doc. Me too.”
Emma snuggled into him and let the floaty, happy feeling take her away.
