Page 1 of One Hot Deal

Chapter One

Derek

I love my life, because I have the best job on earth—guarding the body of a beautiful, smart, powerful woman.Diana Sangster has built an empire by never giving up and never taking any guff from anyone.The woman is a billionaire, after all, which means she's way out of my league.Not that I've ever tried to make time with her.We've never shared more than mild flirtation, though I can't deny that I often have dirty dreams about her.Hey, I'm an unattached guy in a new country.What do you expect?Of course I dream about her.It doesn't mean I'll ever do anything about it.

But damn, those dreams…

I bump into Diana, and she glances back at me over her shoulder.Her brows lift, but her sunglasses hide her hazel eyes, so I can't tell if she's squinting at me the way she often does when people annoy her.I mumble an apology.She faces forward again and continues walking down the steps.

What an idiot I've become.Not watching where I'm going?That's unacceptable.I know better, but my fantasies about Diana distract me more and more every day.It's ridiculous.Never in all my career as a professional bodyguard have I gotten so distracted by a client that I screw up.Snap out of it, man, and stop staring at Diana's ass.I lift my gaze and go back to doing my job.I keep a hand lightly on Diana's back as we walk down the steps, and I survey the area for any potential threats.In the three months I've been Diana's bodyguard, I haven't come across anything that even faintly resembles a threat.But she hired my company to protect her and specifically requested that I keep her safe.

Why?She claimed it's because she wants the "top man" to protect her, and I own the company.Diana said that five minutes after we met.

Diana and I reach the last step.Just as Ellie, my right-hand woman, reaches to open the door to the limo, a man pops out from behind a bush.He rushes toward Diana.

I thrust an arm out in front of Diana and push her behind me.

The man keeps coming.

"Stop right there," I snarl.Then I step fully in front of Diana, thrusting out an arm to stop the scruffy moron.It's times like this when I wish the Brits would let bodyguards carry firearms.I doubt this guy is a psycho, but I have to treat every potential threat as a serious one.So I tell the dweeb, "Don't come any closer."

When the guy finally notices my hard stare, he freezes, his eyes wide.He blinks several times swiftly.His focus lands on Diana, then swerves to me."I, uh, just wanted to talk to Ms.Sangster."

He speaks with a British accent, but that's hardly unusual.We are in London, after all.I still haven't quite adjusted to living among Brits.I'd better get used to it, though.My sister is marrying a British viscount.

"Back off," I say in my toughest voice.

The scruffy guy shakes his head."Please, I just want to talk —"

"No."I remove my sunglasses so I can glare at the guy."Send her a letter or an email.That's the only way you'll ever get to communicate with Ms.Sangster."

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see one side of Diana's mouth has kicked up.She's turned her head slightly toward me.

"At least let me give her my CV," the scruffy guy says."I'm a data analyst."

Diana looks at the man."Sommerleigh Sweets does not have any openings for data analysts.But thank you for your interest in the company."

"You're a business incubator too, right?I just need a little help to start up my company."The guy moves half a step closer to Diana, and I give him my patented scary look.He glances at me and winces, then swallows hard."I'm sorry.This was a mistake."

The loser scurries off down the street.

Ellie opens the back door of the limousine for us.I offer Diana my hand to help her into the vehicle.She gives me that half-smirk again as she slides across the seat.

I climb in and stretch my arm across the top of the seat.My fingers barely reach Diana's shoulders, but I hadn't intended to touch her.Draping my arm across the seat is more like a reflex, not a come-on, and I know Diana understands that.I've gotten to know a lot of things about her—some personal, but mostly business related.I know she takes her coffee black and that she likes to go for evening walks along the river twice a week.But I don't know anything about her personal feelings or her past.She's an enigma in a sexy black business dress.

The car starts rolling down the road.

"How was the meeting?"I ask."I couldn't hear a thing, even though I had my ear pressed to the door."

She takes off her sunglasses and turns slightly toward me."Even if you had heard, you wouldn't have been able to tell anyone.You signed a nondisclosure agreement when I hired your company."

"I was joking, Diana."

"Yes, I know that."She eyes me up and down."You were quite impressive when that silly man accosted me."

"Just doing my job."

She turns toward me even more and crosses her legs.Diana has the shapeliest legs I've ever seen."Is that really your only concern?"

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