Courting Danger

KIMBERLY DEAN

A division of HarperCollinsPublishers

www.harpercollins.co.uk

This novel is entirely a work of fiction.

The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are

the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to

actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is

entirely coincidental.

Mischief

An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers

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London SE1 9GF

www.mischiefbooks.com

An eBook Original 2015

1

Copyright © Kimberly Dean 2015

Kimberly Dean asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

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EPub Edition © 2015 ISBN: 9780008148805

Version 2015-10-06

Chapter One

Luxxor Limited’s office suite was quiet when Rielle decided to close up for the night. She tidied the magazines on the lobby table and put away the papers on her desk. The plush carpeting swallowed her footsteps as she turned off the lights in the break room, but she paused to take a look out of the window at the DC skyline. The buildings in the downtown area were low and sprawling, yet the Capitol and the Washington Monument stood tall.

At least they weren’t lit yet. It was still light outside. Then again, that didn’t mean she was going home any earlier than normal. Daylight Savings Time had only recently come into effect, and she was still trying to adjust to the change. The extra hour of sunlight would be nice if she had plans after work but, as it was, waking up to darkness in the mornings almost wasn’t worth it.

Because plans after work? Her lips turned up slightly at the corners.

She let her hair out of its barrette as she walked back to her desk. Her personal life wasn’t setting the world on fire these days. All that awaited her at home was a salad for dinner and a book. If she got really wild, she might rearrange the cushions in her living room or paint her toenails.

But that was OK with her. She liked the peace and quiet, especially the peace.

Maybe she’d even have a glass of wine with that book.

She checked Nina’s office to make sure her boss had closed down her computer, and was returning to do the same to her own when she heard a distinctive sound. It was one she heard several times throughout the day, only this time it sent a shot of adrenalin through her. She’d forgotten to lock the main office door.

She was usually much more careful than that.

She stopped, hidden in the hallway, and braced her hand against the wall. She’d been alone for over an hour. How had she become so careless? She waited for sounds to announce someone’s arrival, but she heard nothing. Had someone looked in and left when they found the office empty? The company’s last appointment had come and gone, and the normal office deliveries had arrived on time. Was it Nina or Sienna returning for something they’d forgotten?

‘Hello? Is anyone here?’

A low voice rumbled down the hallway, and her chest tightened. It was a man, but she didn’t recognise the voice. For a moment, she considered remaining quiet, but she licked her lips and made herself step forward. She was overreacting. If she wasn’t, there was an emergency call button hidden under the lip of her desktop. Security could be here in less than a minute if she needed them.

She returned to the lobby and scanned the area. Her gaze came to a screeching halt when it landed on the man who was already looking in her direction.

Oh. Wow.

Her wariness didn’t decrease, but a different kind of awareness flooded her. ‘Hello?’ she said huskily.

Somehow he’d known she was there, yet he seemed taken aback. His weight slowly rocked back from the balls of his feet, and his eyes narrowed. They were blue eyes. Startling blue. ‘Good evening.’

She wasn’t overreacting. The guy had danger written all over him, in that good-girls-beware sort of way. Tall and strapping, he had closely cropped dark hair and a rough-and-tumble aura that didn’t go with the tuxedo he was wearing. That wasn’t to say he didn’t look good. He looked damn good. The combination was powerful, and it hit her first in her belly and next in her knees.

Sex appeal oozed from him.

Which, of course, meant he was here for an escort.

His gaze was running over her just as alertly as she’d evaluated him, so Rielle quickly put herself behind her desk. She tucked her barrette behind her phone and fought the urge to run her fingers through her hair. ‘I’m sorry, but we’re closed.’

He cocked his head. ‘The door was open.’

And that had been a mistake.

‘Did you have an appointment?’ She knew very well he didn’t.

‘No.’ Her question had been sharp, but his blue gaze didn’t flinch. Instead, the lines of his face softened, and she had to lock her knees to keep them from melting. ‘But I’m in a bind. I was hoping you could help me out.’

She lifted an eyebrow. The man might be putting out pheromones by the bucketful, but her brain was still functioning – admittedly better on some levels than others – and she’d begun to sense danger of another sort. The entrapment sort. Luxxor was not a company that took walk-ins. ‘For whom are you looking?’

He walked closer to the desk, and she instinctively gripped its edge. The way he moved, all silent and stealthy. The expensive carpeting absorbed the noise most people made, but the air didn’t even stir at his approach. Her fingers edged closer to the silent alarm, but she didn’t push it.

Not yet.

‘I’m looking for Luxxor Limited. I know I’m late, but I need an escort for the evening.’

Her guard stayed up. She knew they were alone in the office – she was acutely aware of the fact – but her company’s clients knew better than to go spouting off so casually about Luxxor’s line of work. They signed nondisclosure agreements to ensure it. If he was wearing a wire, she wanted to make everything perfectly clear. ‘You need someone to attend an event with you tonight?’

‘Actually, I need someone right now.’

She shook her head. Luxxor went to extremes to satisfy its clients. She’d blush if she thought about how far some escorts went, but there was no way she could accommodate his request. The employees they had working tonight already had their assignments. Even if she did contact someone, the timing was impossible.

And for some reason, that relieved her. ‘I’m sorry, but we don’t have anyone available on such short notice, Mr…I don’t believe I caught your name.’

‘Because I didn’t give it.’ He slid his hands into his pockets. The tuxedo looked good on him, but it was failing badly at taming him. Especially when he winked. ‘Tell me yours, and I’ll tell you mine.’

Oh, no. She didn’t think so. She tucked her hair behind her ear, but then remembered the alarm. ‘As I was saying, sir, it’s too late to secure our services. I’m sorry.’

‘The name is Mel. Melvin Summers. I’m a client.’

He didn’t look like a Melvin. And Summers…The name didn’t ring a bell, and that was unusual in itself. She knew their clients, and she had a memory for faces. His she would have remembered.

‘It’s been a while since I…made use of your services,’ he admitted.

The way he said it made her stiffen. He’d been out with their escorts. He’d paid money for dates – or more. It was a good reminder because, being around him, her body was loosening and warming. It was uncharacteristic of her, especially with all the warning signals her brain was firing.

She smiled at him stiffly. ‘Let’s see just how long it’s been.’

She took her seat and her fingers flew across the keyboard of her computer. She waited for him to balk, but he merely crossed his arms over his chest and watched her. Rielle couldn’t have been more surprised when his bio popped up. She leaned closer to the screen to make sure. Melvin Summers. There was his picture. Last visit, nearly two years ago.

Well, props for that.

She frowned. Why would a man like him need an escort service? She tapped a finger against the space bar and mentally chastised herself. Many of their clients used Luxxor to save time. Busy people, busy lives. It was how the company stayed legit. Just because the man looked like sex didn’t mean he was here for it. ‘May I ask why the short notice?’

She never asked a client why they needed companionship. She’d never embarrass anyone that way. It was small-minded and intrusive. Not everyone had a significant other, and there were countless reasons for that.

‘It’s a work-related event. I was supposed to go with a colleague, but she became ill suddenly. I can’t go to this event stag. I’d stand out like a sore thumb.’

Stag was right.

‘What is it that you do?’ Rielle was trying her best to stay on topic, because something about the situation still didn’t ring true. She’d learned the hard way that she needed to trust her gut.

‘Accounting.’

Check. Or at least that’s what his bio listed as his field of work. She circled her finger around a key on the keyboard. He looked like an accountant almost as much as he looked like a Melvin. He didn’t seem like someone who could sit at a desk all day. Not with a rangy physique like that – or the tamped-down energy. There was an air of edginess around him. An overly keen alertness. He should be out climbing mountains or navigating obstacle courses. Modelling underwear.

She frowned. She’d confirmed he was a client, but that didn’t change anything. There was still nobody who could accompany him. She didn’t like putting Luxxor in a bad light, even if he had come in with a request they couldn’t possibly fulfill, but she had no other option. ‘I truly am sorry, Mr Summers, but we don’t have any female escorts available – unless that’s not what you’re looking for?’

The dry look he sent her parched her skin. She hadn’t thought he swung that way, but she tried to keep an open mind.

‘What about you?’

She blinked. ‘What about me?’

‘Why can’t you go with me?’

‘Me?’ Rielle gasped. ‘But…I…I’m not…That’s not what I do for Luxxor.’

‘Do you eat dinner?’

‘Of course, but –’

‘Do you go to parties?’

‘No.’ She hadn’t been to a party in years.

‘Do you slow dance?’

She swallowed hard. With him?

‘OK, forget what you do for Luxxor. Do you date?’

She didn’t. She wasn’t ready yet. ‘Mr Summers, this really isn’t proper.’

‘I don’t have time for proper.’ He put both hands upon the desktop and leaned in close. ‘Go out with me.’

The word ‘no’ should have been on the tip of her tongue, but Rielle couldn’t get it out. Not with the way he was looking at her. All challenging, impatient and evaluating…

‘Hold on.’ He pulled a white envelope out of his breast pocket. ‘Maybe this will convince you. This is where we’d be going.’

She took the envelope by the corner. It was heavyweight paper with razor-crisp edges. The name Melvin Summers was written on the envelope in fine calligraphy. It was obviously a special event, but her breath caught in her lungs when she read the invitation inside.

‘The White House? You’re inviting me to a function at the White House?’

His blue eyes flashed. ‘I knew that would get me somewhere.’

Rielle dropped the invitation. She wanted to be suspicious of it, but everything about it screamed that it was real. ‘No, no. I didn’t say yes.’

‘But you’re tempted.’ It didn’t matter what she said, he’d scented blood.

She sprang out of her chair. ‘That’s a reception to welcome the Prince and Princess of Sweden.’

‘Yes.’

‘But why?’

‘Why? It’s good for foreign relations. It’s polite for the U.S. to welcome them. They just got married.’

She couldn’t help rolling her eyes. ‘No, why would you come here?’

His grin came and went so quickly, it was questionable if it had ever been there, but the edginess about him changed. Became sleeker and more approachable. ‘Word is that you’re all trained in protocol. You’re not going to grab the wrong fork or say the wrong thing.’

‘I haven’t had that training.’

‘But you have manners. You haven’t told me to get the hell out yet – which you should have, by the way.’

She knew, and it made her even more nervous that he knew. Nina would be horrified to learn that a stranger, even a client, was in the office alone with her after hours. Yet Rielle’s grandmother had been a stickler for etiquette. Learned behaviour was hard to shake.

She took a deep breath. This was just crazy. ‘I can’t believe you came here looking for an escort to meet the President with you.’

‘I came here looking for an escort, but I found a date.’ He watched her closely as he slid the invitation back into his pocket. ‘And a beautiful one at that. Come on, save me here.’

Warmth rose up in her. She hadn’t been called beautiful in a long time.

She dragged her hand through her hair, forgetting completely about the alarm button. She couldn’t go out with a complete stranger, not even to a dinner at the White House, as tempting as it might be.

Why not? the devil on her shoulder asked.

Because it wasn’t safe, the angel on the other replied.

But it could be.

She worried her thumbnail against the back of her chair. Luxxor had security. She could tell their crew about her plans. She could inform them who she was with and where they were going. Where on the face of the earth would there be more security than the White House? He was bold, but she doubted he’d try anything there.

‘Full disclosure,’ he said. ‘We’d probably only get to meet the President and First Man for thirty seconds, tops. We’d shake hands, say a few words, snap a picture and then be on our way.’

‘Only get to’?

Rielle fought not to roll her eyes again, but she caught him watching her. Studying her. Trying to figure her out.

It made her stiffen. She knew she should say no. She didn’t know this man. She shouldn’t go anywhere with him. Luxxor might have her everlasting loyalty, but there were limits to what she would do for them. Her salad and book were safer. Known quantities. Boring quantities.

Everything inside her wanted to say yes. Just dive in and go for it. When would she ever get a chance to go to something like this again?

She saw escorts leaving the office every day on high adventures. She’d heard the stories that Sienna, Dane and Genieve would tell, and she secretly envied them. They were wined and dined, entertained and offered opportunities solely because people had become so busy, they didn’t have time to form close connections of their own. She hadn’t been out on the town in so long. It had been a self-imposed limitation, but that didn’t mean it didn’t feel constricting.

And she’d felt more alive and alert in the last fifteen minutes than she had in the past few years.

Of course, she wasn’t willing to go beyond drinks and small talk. Some of their escorts went beyond that. Way beyond that. She didn’t like to think about that aspect of Luxxor’s business.

But that didn’t mean a part of her didn’t secretly envy them, too. Sex was such a long-ago memory, she’d begun to forget what it was like. To kiss someone, to touch someone, to feel the stroke of a long, hard body atop hers…

With the way he was looking at her, though, she was starting to remember.

‘I can’t,’ she blurted, falling back into her safety zone.

‘You can’t go out on a date?’

She fidgeted. ‘It’s black tie. I don’t have anything to wear.’

The look of success in his eyes warned her she’d lost the battle. ‘Well, that can be fixed. We’ll go shopping first. I’ll pay for whatever you need.’

‘No,’ Rielle said, one last bit of self-preservation rising up within her. One last bit of fear.

Lines rippled across his forehead. ‘No, you won’t go with me or no to the shopping?’

She bit her lip. She didn’t want to disappoint him, but that was the biggest warning sign of all. She shouldn’t let politeness overrule her instincts.

The look of confusion on his face slowly slid into a look of concern. ‘Listen, nothing is going to happen that you don’t want to happen. I’m just looking for someone to have dinner with, to talk to and maybe share a laugh with about all the overly important people there. You can leave if you feel uncomfortable with me.’

But she did feel uncomfortable.

In a charged-up sort of way.

Rielle stared at him in surprise. She suddenly realised that her stomach was knotted and her nerves were jumpy, but she wasn’t scared of him. She would have pushed the emergency button if she was.

She sighed. She’d become so used to being careful that her radar was always cranked up to high. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Couldn’t she just let go and have some fun?

‘No to the shopping.’ She forced her shoulders to relax. She could make this work, and it might even be a good first baby step for her. She almost coughed. This guy was no baby step, but the controlled situation would be. If she wanted to get out there again, she needed to make a move sometime.

Why not now? It was the White House.

And he was easy on the eyes.

‘Let me see if my boss has anything I could borrow.’

‘Excellent.’ He folded his arms and stood in a wide stance.

‘Stay here,’ she ordered. She grabbed her purse, locked her desk drawer and made sure her computer was secure. When she turned towards Nina’s office, he started to follow. She pointed at a chair in the lobby. ‘Right there.’

He frowned. ‘Nothing too attention-drawing or flashy.’

‘I know how to dress appropriately.’

He gaze went over her in a flash of heat. ‘Point taken. OK, surprise me.’

Rielle took a step back. She’d had enough surprises tonight to last for an entire year, thank you very much.

She did not like surprises.

Still feeling somewhat vulnerable, she left him in the lobby and went to Nina’s office. This time, she remembered to lock the door behind her. Once secure, she rested her forehead against the wood panel. What was she doing? Her heart was racing, and her hands were trembling.

Yet she was excited.

She felt like Cinderella invited to the ball. Taking a settling breath, she turned and opened Nina’s closet. Her boss was always going out to various ceremonies and events, and she kept a supply of clothes here for that purpose. She didn’t think Nina would mind if she borrowed something. The trick would be finding something that fitted. They were nearly the same dress size, but she was taller and bustier.

She carefully flipped through the selection and heard the swish of expensive fabric. Nina was a clotheshorse, but she tended towards bold, jewelled tones. Rielle preferred softer pastels, and, like her date had suggested, she didn’t want to draw attention at this event. She merely wanted to be a fly on the wall as she soaked everything up. She’d never been to the White House for a public tour, much less invited to a party there. It was a rare opportunity.

With, quite possibly, an even rarer man.

She selected three dresses out of the closet and held them up in the full-length mirror on the back of the door. She needed something tasteful yet appealing. The blue one was the most professional and severe, but it was also too short. She could see that without even trying it on, but the soft yellow or mint-green ones might work.

She cast a cautious look at the door as she unzipped the dress she’d worn to work. There was something intimate about stripping with a stranger standing just outside the door.

Especially that one.

‘Melvin,’ she said as she slipped the yellow dress off its hanger. ‘Mel.’

Neither felt right on her lips, but she needed to get used to his name if she was going to be with him for the next few hours. She draped her own dress over the back of a chair and slid on the yellow gown. It was snug as it skimmed down her figure. She smoothed it over her hips and looked at herself in the mirror. It was pretty enough. The fit was OK, but it was snug in the bodice and loose in the waistline. The style was simple, but the colour washed her out.

She looked longingly at the mint-green one. It was her favourite of the lot, but it was also the most feminine. For that reason only, it took guts for her to even try it on. The man outside that door was the most masculine she’d ever met. She was only attending this function for Luxxor’s benefit – not to start anything else.

Yet she had to see what she looked like in the dress, even if only for herself.

She took it out of its protective plastic. The material felt unbelievably soft and billowy. She pulled it over her head and worked it down her body. The luscious fabric trailed over her skin, making it sensitive, yet as full as the skirt was, the bodice was fitted. It had a sophisticated crisscross pleating that hugged her curves before tucking into a diamante beaded waistband. The bodice fitted her perfectly, even if she couldn’t quite zip it up all the way on her own. There was only one problem. The sweetheart neckline and matching beaded shoulder straps wouldn’t allow her to wear her bra.

So that meant the dress was a definite no.

She wasn’t going bare up there while she was out with him.

She started to take the gown off, but when she peeked at the mirror, she lost her breath. The dress looked as if it had been made for her. It fitted her figure and the mint-green flattered her colouring.

She stared at herself for a moment. Then two.

Her fingers curled into her palms. She was already out on a limb…

She reached back, undid the tab of her bra and rolled her shoulders to get rid of it. She tossed it onto the chair, out of the way, and tugged the bodice back into place. The effect was perfect. Not overtly sexy or trashy. The dress was sweet and so, so pretty.

If she was going to the White House for a formal event, she was wearing this dress.

She hurried to Nina’s private bathroom. She didn’t know how patient her date was, but she suspected not very. She turned on the curling iron and used the time to freshen her makeup from the stash she kept in her purse. She wasn’t a high-maintenance type of gal. She preferred a natural touch. The dress wouldn’t look good with anything too heavy. She added some curl to her light-brown hair and, finally, evaluated herself in the mirror.

She looked like a princess.

She took a deep breath and felt something inside her that had been knotted for too long finally loosen. It had been a while since she’d felt this kind of confidence.

She borrowed a small white clutch from Nina. It was beaded too, and would match better than the heavy leather bag she normally carried. When it came to shoes, though, she was on her own. She couldn’t totter around on the heels that Nina normally wore, and she was tall enough that she didn’t need them in the dress. Thankfully, she’d worn nice taupe pumps today. They’d have to do.

Finally, she faced the door. There was nothing left to do but go back and face her date.

Her unbelievably sexy, intimidating date.

Her fingers felt clumsy as she opened the door, and her knees wobbled as she walked back to the lobby. She stopped abruptly before she got there. He hadn’t stayed where she’d put him. He was sitting at her desk with his feet propped up on her desktop.

Her gaze flew to her computer, but it was locked and awaiting her password.

‘Holy…shit…’

Her attention snapped back to the big man rising from her chair. His blue gaze was locked and loaded. He didn’t blink as he took her in from head to toe. She didn’t know if he even realised the words he’d murmured. They were uncouth, but pleasure rose inside her. From the way his jaw worked to the way his breaths came in his chest, he wasn’t being patronising. He liked what he saw.

And that added a whole new dynamic to what she felt flaring between them.

She smoothed the soft fabric at her hip. ‘Is it all right?’

‘All right? Are you insane? All those dignitaries are going to be tripping over their tongues.’

She looked down, worried. ‘Does that mean it’s too much?’

‘It’s just right.’ He reached out to touch a curl of her hair. ‘Forget what I said, you’d draw attention in a potato sack.’

Rielle froze. He was touching her. It surprised her, yet for some reason she didn’t pull back. And that surprised her even more. She looked at the man, so dashing and mysterious, while he stared back at her. Where had he come from? Why was he scrambling up her life like this? Why was she breaking her rules for him?

‘I told you my name,’ he said quietly. ‘What’s yours?’

She licked her lips. Was she really going to do this?

‘I’ll need it to get you on the guestlist.’

‘Rielle. Rielle Sands.’

‘As beautiful as the woman.’

His fingertips brushed against her jaw before he let them drop. ‘Anything else you need to do here?’

‘Actually…’ Her heart began to pound. ‘There’s something I need you to do.’

One of his eyebrows lifted.

Her weight went to the balls of her feet. For a moment she could do no more, but then she slowly turned to give him her back. She’d tried her best to zip the dress. She’d contorted every way she could, but she hadn’t been able to finish dressing. Her hand shook as she reached for her hair. Trust didn’t come easily for her.

But she’d already trusted him enough not to have Security remove him. Enough to agree to go out with him. Enough to strip down and change in a room right next to him.

These were no little things.

She pulled her hair aside. ‘Could you zip me up?’

She heard him inhale sharply.

‘Sure.’ When he exhaled, his breath was warm against her bare spine. ‘I can do that.’

Rielle closed her eyes. She hadn’t wanted him to know she wasn’t wearing a bra. She hadn’t even wanted him guessing, but she hadn’t been able to devise another way around the problem.

He stepped up close, and she felt his size. She began trembling again and her muscles tensed. He caught the tab of the zipper and tugged the flaps of material together to cover her. His touch between her shoulder blades was warm and confident, but that was as far as he went. He pulled up on the tab, and the bodice closed snugly around her.

She cast a quick glance down. Her breasts weren’t bulging out of the neckline, but they did fill out the dress. It fit her like a glove, even if her nipples were perking up and stiffening.

But that had nothing to do with her clothes.

She couldn’t ignore how solid he felt behind her. Next to him, she felt delicate and defenceless. If she stepped back, she’d tuck right under his chin.

Her eyelids popped open, and she stepped forward. She was not defenceless. She quickly let her hair drop back into place. ‘Thank you.’

‘My pleasure.’

She shot a look at him, but he wasn’t flirting with her. The lines were creasing his forehead again. Like he was trying to figure out what made her tick.

She couldn’t take that look.

‘One more thing.’ She manoeuvred by him, and her skirt brushed against his black pants as she passed. The hiss of material sounded like a kiss, and her cheeks warmed. Was she going to have to listen to that all night? ‘I just need to call Security to tell them about our plans.’

He nodded, but his expression clouded over when she asked Security for a driver. ‘They won’t get past the checkpoint if they’re not on the invitation list.’

So she’d have to ride with him?

He watched her speculatively.

Warning bells went off. She wasn’t that careless. ‘Actually,’ she said into the phone. ‘I’ll need you to follow me there.’

‘Good girl,’ her date said softly. He took her jacket off the coatstand. ‘This is yours, I assume?’

Taking a deep breath, Rielle turned and let him help her put it on. She worried about wrinkling the lightweight dress, but it was only March. Spring was coming, but she couldn’t go without a wrap. She put her arms in the sleeves and was cinching up the belt when she felt him catch her hair. She went still as he lifted it out of her coat. His fingertips brushed against the nape of her neck. A shiver went down her spine as he smoothed her hair down her back.

‘Thanks for not buzzing them up when I set foot inside the door,’ he murmured into her ear.

Her head whipped towards him.

He took her hand. ‘Don’t worry. You were very sly.’

Not sly enough. Clients weren’t supposed to know that emergency buzzer was there.

Walking backwards, he tugged her towards the door – the epitome of the bad boy luring the good girl into doing something she shouldn’t – and she followed. He let go of her hand as she locked the main door, but tried to catch it again when they headed to the elevator.

She wiggled her fingers away. ‘I need to text my boss.’

He let her go and straightened his cufflinks.

‘Tell her I got the best of the bunch. You didn’t even have to dig into her little black book.’

Rielle bit her lip. ‘She won’t be happy I’m doing this.’

He punched the button for the elevator. ‘I am.’

Their gazes locked.

‘How do you feel about doing this?’ he asked. The hallway was empty, but his low voice barely carried to her.

The question was loaded – and he knew it. He’d been trying to read her ever since they’d first come face to face. How did she feel? She felt scared, excited, surprised, intrigued and confused. Her body and her brain were on two very different tracks. ‘Good?’

‘I’ll take it.’ His hand slipped around hers again, warm, strong and callused. ‘In fact, it gives me the incentive to make it the best night of your life.’

The elevator rang out its arrival.

The doors slid open, but his look was only for her. ‘Ready?’

It was her last chance. She could still stop things. He was giving her a chance to back out. Instead, Rielle did something that shocked her. She squeezed his hand back. ‘Ready.’

Chapter Two

The drive to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue was short, and Rielle only glanced back once to make sure that Luxxor Security was following them. Mel had a driver but, even with all the space, the back seat of the car felt close.

It was the dress. And the man. They both took up more room than expected.

With so much fabric, the skirt was difficult to contain, and it kept brushing against her date’s trouser leg. They’d barely driven a few blocks, and it was already draped across his knee. She wanted to fix it, but she wanted even more not to draw attention to it. He was already absently rubbing the fabric back and forth between his fingertips.

He was quiet. A reception at the White House was not an insignificant thing. It had to be important for his work. She needed to remember that. Tonight was about him, not her. Once they set foot outside this car, she needed to do her part presenting a unified front.

The idea made her toy with her skirt, too. How did Luxxor’s escorts do it? How did they go out with strangers and make them feel like old friends? Or more?

She blushed.

Around him, she was understanding the ‘or more’ part better. She didn’t know him, but he was handsome, reckless and unbelievably sexy. She could easily see how a woman could get caught up in the fantasy of it all.

But she wasn’t escorting him tonight – not that way. He’d asked her out, yet that was somehow even more nerve-wracking for her. At least Luxxor’s escorts got dossiers on their clients and the events they were attending. Nina made sure they were prepared.

She was flying blind.

‘Nina,’ Rielle said, flinching. She’d forgotten to update her boss on the situation. Hurriedly, she dug out her phone and fired off a text.

‘Did you tell her you’d gone off with the big bad wolf?’ Mel asked as she slid her phone back into her borrowed purse.

His attention was back on her, and it was almost too much in the compressed confines of the car.

‘Don’t tease me,’ Rielle said, ‘I’m nervous.’

‘About me?’

Yes. A little. OK, more than a little. She’d moved past the fear she’d experienced when he’d first walked in unannounced. He’d done nothing to make her think he had bad intentions, but she hadn’t dated since…She hadn’t dated in a long time.

And, as well-behaved as he was, he wasn’t safe.

‘I’ll be good.’ He let a beat pass. ‘Unless you don’t want me to be.’

His thumb brushed against the back of her hand. It shouldn’t have been an erogenous zone, but heat bubbled up and made her fingers curl.

She pulled her hand away and patted her hair. She looked out of the window as they approached their destination. ‘How did you get invited to this?’ she asked. ‘What does an accountant have to do with the Prince of Sweden?’

For a moment, he looked taken aback. ‘Well…my company has subsidiaries over there.’

‘What does your company do?’

‘We’re in the timber industry.’

OK, things were starting to make a bit more sense. ‘Is there anything I should know to help you tonight? Are there contacts you need to make? Any agendas I can help push?’

He looked at her, eyes calculating. ‘No business tonight.’

Only pleasure? Her stomach squeezed.

‘Somehow I doubt your sick coworker was simply supposed to be eye candy on your arm,’ she said dryly. An uncomfortable thought occurred to her. ‘Unless you’re more than coworkers?’

The corners of his lips moved. ‘No, definitely not.’

He didn’t seem to smile much, and the few glimpses of humour she’d seen seemed rusty. But devastating. When he smiled, she felt it all the way to her core.

‘So let me help you.’ She could use something else on which to concentrate, something other than being a charming date.

‘You already are helping. I just didn’t expect…I didn’t expect someone like you.’

They pulled into a security checkpoint, and Rielle’s pulse quickened. It sped up even more when they were let through. This was really going to happen.

‘This is so exciting,’ she whispered.

‘Good,’ he murmured. ‘I think you need some excitement in your life.’

She glanced at him. Her heart was pounding, her skin felt warm and energy buzzed in her veins. Maybe she did.

The door beside her opened unexpectedly, and she realised the car had stopped. She felt a blush bloom in her cheeks. They’d pulled up at one of the most famous residences in the world, but all she’d seen was him.

Where had he come from, shaking up her orderly, controlled life like this?

‘Ready?’ he asked.

‘Ready.’

He followed her out of the car and offered his arm. She took it and fell in step with his long strides. She noticed the change in him immediately. Outside the car, that coiled energy about him came back to life. He stood taller, and his head swivelled as he took in his surroundings. Secret Service agents looked sharp in their tuxedos as they held their posts. Paparazzi stood in a designated area with their long-range lenses. The whir of cameras was constant, along with the occasional flash, and his steps quickened.

It was dusk now, with the sun rapidly setting. The spotlights on the White House had been lit, and the sandstone practically glowed.

It made Rielle gape. The illusion made her visit seem even more magical.

The political paparazzi must have thought so, too, because cameras were flashing all around them. Her date turned his back on them easily. ‘Just a few more steps, and we’ll be out of their range,’ he promised.

She nodded. She didn’t like being in the limelight. Trying not to be obvious, she used him as a shield so she wouldn’t be in many of the shots.

Luxxor lived in the shadows, and she preferred to keep her anonymity too.

He swept his arm around her and tucked her closer against his side, sheltering her. He subtly presented his back to the cameras and blocked their views until they made it to the reception area. Up so close, she could feel how strong he was. How muscled and lean.

Not like the accountants she knew at all.

Flustered, she pulled away to take off her coat. The staff helped check it, and they were guided to the reception desk. The welcome was warm, but there was a seriousness about it. The country’s leader lived within these walls. Rielle was relieved to see that her name had made it onto their guestlist, right next to Melvin Summers.

Melvin. Mel. Why was his name so difficult for her?

His hand lighted on the small of her back as they walked into the Entrance Hall. She’d seen pictures in books and movies, but it was so much more impressive in person. Waiters were milling around with appetisers and drinks. Her date nabbed glasses of champagne for both of them, then directed her towards a long, winding queue of people.

‘We’ll want to get into the receiving line before it gets any longer.’

‘This is the receiving line?’ It wound about the edge of the room and disappeared into the next.

‘Unfortunately, yes.’

She was already about to meet the President? But she didn’t know what to do or what to say.

‘How does it work?’ She took a sip of her drink. This was happening way too quickly. She wasn’t like him, impulsive and brash. She liked to have her days planned out. She liked to be prepared. ‘Are we supposed to say something first? Do we wait for her to talk?’

‘There’s a protocol. Just copy what everyone else does. It will be old hat by the time we make it to the front of the line. We’ll say a few words, take a photo and it will be over before you know it.’

Everyone else.

Rielle looked around the imposing room, with its décor that dated back to the country’s roots. Mel was evaluating the scene, too, but his focus was more on the people. They were just as impressive. All the men wore tuxedos and the women were exquisite in beautiful gowns.

Thank goodness for Nina’s closet.

They were getting stares in return. Her date naturally drew women’s attention, and men seemed to steer away from him. In a room of power players, he was an alpha. Job title didn’t matter.

And she was with him.

His hand still touched her low on the back, and her skirt swayed around his legs. They looked like they were together.

It made her feel funny inside. She wasn’t an escort, but she wasn’t truly a date. How far would she be expected to go?

‘Are we allowed to shake her hand?’ she asked. ‘Do you want me to step out of the picture?’

His head swivelled back around to her. ‘What?’

‘It’s a picture of you and the President. You won’t want that to include a total stranger.’

His brow furrowed. ‘Yes, you can shake their hands, and yes, you’re going to be in the damn picture.’

Her tongue touched the back of her lips. OK…

‘You said there will be a meal. Who will be at our table? What will we talk about? I don’t know much about Sweden.’

‘Rielle, relax.’ Goosebumps popped up on her neck. His lips had nearly brushed her ear, he was so close.

‘But everyone else here is prepared for this. Look at them.’

‘I don’t want to look at them. I’m looking at you.’

She blew out a breath. ‘I want to make sure everything goes well for you tonight.’

He resumed his protective spot next to her, placing himself between her and the crowd. ‘It’s already gone way better than I’d thought it would. I found you, a smart, beautiful woman who can make sure I stay on my toes. My only problem is that you’re so wound up. Take a deep breath. Enjoy. You don’t need to do any more than that.’

‘I just can’t believe I’m here.’

‘You have just as much right to be here as anyone.’

But she still wasn’t convinced that Security wasn’t going to identify her as an interloper and drag her off.

He rubbed her back in a small circle. ‘So tell me this. Was coming out with me tonight worth the risk?’

There was no sign of a smile on his lips, but she caught the glint in his eye. That was what finally made her tension let go.

Which was a warning in and of itself.

‘Ask me again later,’ she said.

She had a feeling that the riskiest part of tonight was him.

As long as the line was, it moved much too quickly as they neared their hosts. Then it became a blur. Rielle didn’t remember what she said or if she remembered to smile. There was the flash of a camera, and it was over.

She nearly floated on air as she took Mel’s arm again. ‘The Princess of Sweden said she liked my dress,’ she murmured in amazement.

‘I like your dress.’

She blushed. The look he gave her said he liked it in a whole different way than the Swedish royal. ‘Thank you.’

They followed the trail of guests to dinner. The State Dining Room was in the southwest corner of the White House on the first floor, and it was just as impressive as the Entry Hall. Rielle barely blinked as she tried to take everything in and store it in her memory. The dining room was large and filled with circular dinner tables covered in snow-white tablecloths. The place settings were exquisite, with large plates that looked to be trimmed with gold.

And to think she’d planned to have a salad for dinner.

‘Do you have other coworkers attending?’ she asked. He was once again people-watching. His attention swung back to her. ‘You seem to be looking for someone,’ she explained.

His expression clouded, and he rubbed his chin. ‘Sorry, I should pay more attention to you.’

She shook her head. She was happy to just be along for the ride. ‘Conduct your business. I’m more than entertained.’

‘I shouldn’t be so obvious.’

He wasn’t. Not really. Everyone was taking in the scenery and greeting one another. There was just an edginess to him, an alertness that hadn’t been there when they’d been at Luxxor. He apparently had important business to conduct, and that was fine.

She didn’t need his attention on her any more than it already was. Her hand was warm from holding his arm, and the small of her back still tingled.

‘We should take our seats,’ Rielle murmured.

The receiving line was getting close to an end, because the room was filling with guests. Each of them had an assigned seat. Theirs were at a table at the end, fortunately facing the rest of the room. They could see anything that might happen. Rielle felt another twinge of happiness when she found her name on a table tent, just like everyone else’s. The staff here knew their jobs. Not a detail had been missed, even with the late change in plans.

She tucked the note into her purse. She was keeping it as a souvenir.

Mel pulled back her chair and she sat down. When he took the chair next to her, he tangled with her dress again.

‘Sorry,’ she said, trying to pull in its volume.

His hand settled on her leg under the table. ‘Leave it. It’s fine.’

Heat rushed up her leg, and she stopped fussing. The woman seated to her right said hello, and Rielle stumbled over her own name. Her date watched her as he left his hand where it was, and her breaths turned unsteady. She placed her hand over his. His eyelids were heavy as he gave in, but before he let her go he gave a soft squeeze.

‘I like it.’

The resulting tug of arousal was strong and hot and centred only inches from where his hand had lain. Rielle stiffened and tried not to stare when he opened a napkin across his lap.

The President gave a short speech, in which she congratulated the Prince and his new bride on their marriage. Rielle tried hard to listen. It was hard to hear past the thumping in her ears. Intimacy was a thing of the past to her, but it was roaring back to life now.

At last dinner was served, and she concentrated on her table manners. It was a delicious five-course meal, filled with Swedish cuisine. Through it all, her date was charming. He spoke to her and others at the table, but she sensed the precise moment that his attention split. By dessert, she’d begun to study him. He was discreet, but he was definitely watching somebody. A business rival? A coworker he didn’t like?

Because the air around him was not easy-going any more.

She frowned and finished her Prinsesstårta dessert. It was truly none of her business. She doubted anyone else noticed, but she’d felt the full force of his personality.

He was looking for someone – or watching someone.

She let her gaze wander over the nearby tables. He wasn’t being overt. It took her several minutes before she determined it was a beautiful brunette seated at a table near the middle of the room. He didn’t stare outright, yet his gaze kept returning to the exotic-looking woman over and over again.

Jealousy immediate shot through Rielle.

There was no basis for it. She had no claim on him. She worked at an escort service. He’d needed a date on his arm, and she was merely stepping in to help out. Yet her movements were jerky as she folded her linen napkin.

The festivities soon moved to the East Room for the evening’s entertainment. A popular singer was performing, reportedly one of the Prince’s favourites. He started with some of his recent hits and then slowed it down with some classic romantic ballads. The dancefloor began to fill, and Rielle was surprised when Mel caught her hand.

‘Let’s dance.’

Her eyes widened. Yet another surprise to the evening. She followed him to the floor and moved into the proper dance hold.

He tugged her closer until their bodies touched. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘You’ve gone quiet, and you’re not excited any more. I can feel it.’

Her lashes fluttered downwards. She wasn’t as good at hiding her feelings.

‘Did you not like me touching you?’

Her lashes flicked right back up. Not like it? Even now, his body was pressed against hers as they moved in time with the music. He felt big and muscled against her, warm and inviting.

‘No. That was…fine.’

‘Fine?’

Warmth crept up her neck. More than fine.

Swaying in time with the music, she could feel the flow of his body. The play of sinew and warm flesh. He was holding her so closely that her nipples were hardening. When she and he turned, his thigh brushed intimately between hers, and her body threw off another crazy reaction. No, she was not averse to him touching her.

‘I’m fine,’ she insisted. ‘You were the one who was invited to this. I’m trying not to get in your way.’

‘Good,’ he said quietly. ‘Because I’m having trouble keeping my hands off you.’

She bit her lip. ‘It’s the dress.’

He swung her out of the way of an advancing couple on the dancefloor. ‘It’s not the dress – but it sure isn’t helping.’

Pleasure worked its way through her, and she softened against him. The song ended, but they barely broke stride as the singer started another. She felt his fingers moving on her waist, and it was all she could do not to slide her hand from his shoulder to his chest.

Pressed against him so intimately, she felt the tension when it entered his body yet again.

Her head was practically on his shoulder, but she peeked behind her to see what had captured his attention this time.

It was the brunette.

Rielle stopped dancing, ice suddenly running through her veins. ‘Who is she?’

His head snapped towards her. ‘Who?’

‘The dark-haired woman.’

She started to point, but he grabbed her hand and swung her back into the dance. Rielle didn’t want to make a scene, but she refused to help him if he was harassing another woman. ‘You’ve been staring at her all evening. Are you stalking her?’

‘Stalking her? I haven’t been…’ He rolled his jaw. ‘You’re too damn distracting. It’s throwing me off my game.’

His game? The woman was beautiful, with hair so dark it glinted blue, and eyes that were wide and exotic. Did he find her attractive? Was that it? He’d found someone better?

‘And it’s not for that reason, either,’ he growled.

Rielle felt herself flush. Was she that easy to read? She had no right to feel jealous.

‘Then why?’ she demanded. He was trying to make her feel guilty, but she’d ignored enough warning signs tonight to be angry with herself.

He stared hard at her for a long moment. ‘Why are you so observant, Beauty?’

‘What?’

‘I told you that I people-watch, but you’re way more intuitive than me.’

Her gaze flicked away.

‘Why is that?’ he asked.

She missed a step. He pulled her close again, and a hot shiver went down her spine when he whispered into her ear. ‘What do you see when you look at her?’

‘She’s pretty,’ she said.

‘That’s obvious to anyone. Tell me more.’

Rielle started to crane her neck to see, but he swung her around so she wouldn’t be obvious. ‘She’s got money. That bag she’s carrying isn’t cheap.’

‘It’s also godawful. What do you women carry in those things?’

The designer bag was huge. It overwhelmed the woman’s small stature, but it was difficult for Rielle to concentrate. They were still dancing, and he felt so good, she swore her vision blurred.

‘What else?’

She shrugged. ‘She’s got RBF.’

He cocked his head.

Rielle frowned. It really wasn’t polite. Not at an event like this.

‘Tell me.’

She lowered her tone. ‘Resting Bitch Face.’

His chest jumped as he held back a laugh, yet his eyes were glinting as he looked down at her. They were so close, their noses nearly brushed. ‘Bingo.’

She shook her head in confusion. ‘That’s what’s been bothering you? What does it matter?’

‘It stands out, especially on a night like tonight.’

It did…but so what?

‘Maybe she had a fight with her boyfriend. Maybe she doesn’t like the food or she has a migraine?’

‘Maybe.’ He nodded towards an older couple dancing next to them. ‘What do you think of those two?’

‘Wealthy, self-involved.’

‘How can you tell?’

‘The necklace his wife is wearing, and the way they don’t care if they’re about to run over us on the dancefloor.’

‘Uh oh.’

She held on as he got them out of the way, and they ended up in a corner by the band. It was a fun game to play. How good at it was he? She stood on tiptoe so he could hear. ‘Tell me about the man at the table with the blonde.’

‘A lefty who knows how to handle himself, but not as good as his date.’

Her jaw dropped. He hadn’t even looked. ‘How do you know that?’

‘The way he’s playing with that knife.’

‘And her?’

‘Short nails, the definition in her arms and the bruise on her shin.’

Rielle tucked her chin into his shoulder as she evaluated the couple. All the signs were there, but who noticed that type of thing?

His lips brushed against her ear. ‘Tell me about the guy with the red pocket handkerchief to your right.’

Rielle glanced, but quickly turned her back. ‘A congressman, likes Italian food and keeps late hours.’

‘How the hell would you know…Oh.’

Yes, the man was another Luxxor client, but she couldn’t say that.

‘And the balding guy at the table at two o’clock?’

She smirked. ‘Now he’s what I would have guessed to be an accountant.’

‘Touché,’ Mel said, taking her in a quick turn.

Rielle still didn’t allow him to spin away her concerns. She met his gaze as they found themselves again in a corner away from the other dancers. They’d been pressed together for so long, her nipples were raw and her panties were moist.

Yet her head was still screwed on right.

‘You know, I’ve been working on my taxes. Can you explain to me how to calculate the basis of some stock I sold last year?’

One of his eyebrows lifted. ‘We’re dancing at a Presidential reception and you want to talk taxes?’

‘Yes.’ She most certainly did.

He met her challenging look dead on. ‘Basis is the cost you paid for the stock times the number of shares, plus any transaction fees. It should all be there on your record of sale.’

‘Hmm.’ He’d rattled that off pretty fast.

‘Did I pass the test?’

She bit her lip.

‘Rielle?’

‘Yes?’

The hand at her waist tightened, and he pulled them into full contact from chest to thigh. It left her with no doubt where his real attention lay. She could feel the proof of it against her belly, and her knees went weak.

He nipped her earlobe. ‘Shut up and dance with me.’

She melted. She was on a date. It was about time she remembered that.

The night could have gone on for ever and it wouldn’t have been long enough for Rielle. She gave herself over to just enjoying herself, and her attraction to her blind date grew.

His attention didn’t wander any more, and, when the congressman recognised her and tried to cut in, he refused.

Dancing with him had been the best and worst idea ever. Best because it felt so good, and worst because her body was roaring with arousal by the time the singer sang the second song in his encore.

The President and First Man said their goodnights to the guests and headed upstairs to their private quarters. It was the sign that the night was over and time for reality to return.

Mel helped her with her coat, and they stepped outside to await their car. White puffs appeared where their breaths hit the crisp March nighttime air. The press had gone, and the moon was up. Rielle noticed the brunette getting into the car before them and was surprised to see her alone.

Had Mel noticed?

He didn’t seem to be paying any attention to the woman as the car drove away.

Or was he just hiding it better?

Their ride arrived before she could make up her mind. He was so complicated. She hadn’t figured out anything more about him in the time they’d spent together. Anything other than the fact that they were physically compatible. There hadn’t been any hiding that.

He’d been charming, sexy, interesting and attentive all evening. It wasn’t just the best blind date she’d ever had. It was the best date, period.

Their car pulled up, and he opened the back door for her. ‘Do you want to take the car back to Luxxor by yourself? Or do you want to call them to come pick you up?’

She hesitated for only a moment before getting in the car and sliding over to make room for him. The car was a service, not a personal driver, and, unbeknownst to him, she’d brought a tiny canister of pepper spray in her purse. She hadn’t known him when she’d agreed to accompany him. She didn’t know him now, but she liked to think that she could trust her instincts.

Or were they really hormones?

Raging, charging hormones that had finally burst out of the cage in which she’d trapped them?

Her body felt as if it was lit from the inside.

He sat next to her, caught her hand and held it against his thigh on the short ride back to Luxxor. The lights of the city were bright on all the monuments, and busloads of tourists cruised by on nighttime tours. An ache settled in Rielle’s chest. The night was almost over. Her carriage was about to turn back into a pumpkin.

Would she ever see him again?

She liked him. She liked the way he made her feel. But, most of all, she liked the way she felt when she was with him.

Confident, secure, interesting and sexy.

Even with all that, she wasn’t bold enough to ask. Maybe this was all they had. They certainly couldn’t top it. And he hadn’t come to Luxxor looking for a relationship that was for sure.

Too soon, they were in Luxxor’s parking lot. Rielle saw her SUV, grey and unassuming, waiting for her. Mel got out of the car and rounded it to get her door.

His hand was warm and callused as it took hers once again to help her to her feet. Her dress flared out, tangling amongst their legs, but she simply laughed.

She smiled up at him. ‘Thank you. It really has been the best night of my life.’

They were standing at the verge of the streetlight’s luminosity. It barely reached them, but she saw his blue eyes spark.

‘There’s just one thing that would make it better,’ he said, his voice low.

He gave her a moment, a split second to process and decide. And then he moved in.

His head dipped, and his lips covered hers. Those raging hormones inside Rielle leaped. It wasn’t a polite first kiss or even a kiss that sought a reaction. It was the full-blooded, mind-blowing kiss of a man who knew how to touch a woman.

And wanted to.

He didn’t overpower, and he didn’t push. He simply wrapped his strong arms around her and pulled her close. Closer than they’d been on the dancefloor. Their bodies were flush. Her breasts were plumped hard against his chest, and his hips burrowed into the notch between her legs. One of his hands slid under her hair, and he cupped the back of her neck as his mouth…

There was no other way to describe it. He made love to her mouth in a slow, deep kiss that shot to hell all her preconceived notions of intimacy.

The ache inside her began to pulse. It was hungry, needy, demanding.

She clung to him, kissing him back with everything she had. It was a kiss suited for the bedroom, with no clothes between them. It was a kiss that blasted away her thought processes, her doubts and her self-consciousness.

One of the shoulder straps slid down. Her hands were in his hair, and his bowtie had somehow come undone.

Oh, God, she wanted him. In the back seat of the car. Up in the office. Back at her place. She didn’t care where.

‘Rielle!’

The sharp cry carried across the parking lot like a javelin.

Mel slowly lifted her upright and his mouth broke apart from hers. It was only then that she realised he’d dipped her. ‘I think that means it’s time to go.’

She held onto his lapels, trying to orient herself. ‘What?’

‘Best night of my life, too, Beautiful. That’s the truth. Remember that.’

He stole another quick kiss before drawing away and getting back in the car. He seemed to move in slow motion, but the car had pulled out of the parking lot and was past the streetlight by the time Nina raced up to her in her high heels.

‘Oh, my God, Rielle. Where have you been? Are you OK? We’ve been so worried about you.’

Chapter Three

Rielle looked dazedly at her boss, trying to figure out where she’d come from…what she was saying…why Mel had rushed off so fast…She pushed back her hair as she watched the car go down the street and out of view. Her lips were pulsing and her body was thrumming.

‘Rielle!’

‘I got the license-plate number. Looked like a car service.’

It was the lower voice that finally penetrated the haze in her head, and Rielle turned sharply. Her lips parted in surprise. Tall, dark, handsome and glowering. It was Detective Morgan.

What was he doing here? Had Nina called him?

‘Who was that?’ Her boss caught her arm, and Rielle felt the tremble in her touch. ‘Are you all right? Tell us what happened.’

Why were they coming at her like this? Why was everyone so upset? She appreciated that they were protective, but she could kiss someone if she wanted. She lifted her fingers to her lips. It had gotten out of control, but it had been consensual.

Or hadn’t they seen her mauling him, too?

Embarrassed, she stepped deeper into the shadows. Was it that shocking that she had a libido?

‘But I did. I sent you a text message. I…’ She glanced at the detective. They had to talk carefully with him here. Nina knew that. Why was she putting Luxxor at risk this way? ‘I went out with him. Mel Summers. He’s a client.’

‘I got your text. That’s why I’m so confused.’ Nina was clipping her words, and her normally sleek hair was mussed. ‘We haven’t done any business with a Melvin Summers.’

‘Yes, we have. He’s in the database. I looked him up.’

‘Well, he’s not there now.’

Rielle sighed. She wasn’t up for dealing with computer issues. It was too late and her head just wasn’t functioning right. ‘He has to be.’

‘He isn’t. More importantly, I don’t know him.’

Rielle went still. Her body was warm and fluid, but the still night air was beginning to feel heavy. ‘What are you saying?’

‘Maybe we should go back inside to the office.’ The detective held out a hand.

Both he and Nina were outside without coats. It was late, and the parking lot was nearly empty. Stars glittered against the pitch-black sky. Rielle accepted the detective’s assistance, because between the kiss and the confusion she was suddenly unsteady. She saw him swing an arm around Nina’s waist to herd her along, too.

And Nina accepted his touch.

What was going on? Had the whole world gone topsy-turvy?

They entered through the first-floor office where Luxxor’s Security division was housed. Rielle saw Twining and Howard, the two men who’d accompanied her and Mel to the White House. ‘Wait! They knew where I was and who I was with. They followed us to the reception. I told them everything.’

Twining hung up the phone, and his shoulders relaxed. ‘Rielle, you were supposed to call to tell us when you were coming back. We would have come over to escort you.’

She shot a look at the detective. She didn’t want any talk of escorting. Not now.

‘I felt safe.’

She met Nina’s gaze, and her boss’s chin wobbled. She, better than anyone, knew how much it would take for her to get to that point.

‘You haven’t been answering any calls,’ Howard said, chastising her.

‘I put my phone on vibrate after I sent the message to you. I didn’t want it ringing during dinner.’ Rielle talked directly to Nina. It was clear how shaken her friend was. For God’s sake, she’d contacted Detective Morgan. Nina had been doing her best to shake the persistent detective with all his questions about their business. ‘I’m sorry if I made a mistake.’

She didn’t usually do this. She wasn’t the one who went out with clients. She stayed behind at her desk, where it was safe and sheltered. She hadn’t been trained in the procedures that escorts followed.

‘I checked him out before I agreed to go out with him,’ Rielle insisted.

‘See?’ Howard said. ‘I told you he was in the database. Melvin Summers. We verified him, Nina.’

Rielle nodded, thanking the Security guard for the backup. They’d both looked. They’d both followed proper procedure on that.

‘Let’s go up to the main office, and you can show us,’ the detective said.

Nina’s eyes narrowed. The detective was not getting a look at their database, it was clear.

But the fewer ears on this, the better. Rielle was becoming overly warm, wrapped up in her winter coat. Her lips still tingled from the kiss Mel had dropped on her. She was confused, tired, and she just wanted to go home.

She didn’t understand why everyone was so bent out of shape. She’d gone on a date. She shouldn’t have to get approval to do that.

Was Nina unhappy he’d circumvented their process for hiring a companion?

She got into the elevator and leaned against the railing that encircled the interior. Nina stood stiffly at her side, but reached out and squeezed her hand. Out of the corner of her eye, Rielle saw the detective stroke Nina’s back. Nina stiffened for a moment. Rielle thought she’d pull away, but instead the powerful CEO’s tension released. Her shoulders lowered, and she started blinking fast.

Rielle blew out a breath. She wasn’t in trouble. Nina had been scared.

Why was everyone overreacting like this?

The elevator was quiet the rest of the short ride to the fourth floor. Nina fumbled for her keys to the office, but the detective smoothly took them from her shaking hand and opened the main office door for her.

Rielle looked around. It seemed like a million years since she’d been here, and it had an entirely different vibe from when Mel had filled the space with that impatient, driven energy.

Why was it that she could remember his name so well now?

Because she remembered the names of the men who kissed her like demons?

That energy that he encapsulated so easily filled her, and she whipped off her coat. ‘I’m getting to the bottom of this.’

‘Holy…shit.’

Rielle glanced towards the detective. What had he seen? What had he figured out?

He’d seen something, all right, but it wasn’t any clue Mel had left behind. The detective was staring at her with his jaw dropped open. He snapped it shut, but in that moment, he wasn’t looking at her as a cop but as a man.

A rough-hewn, sexy hunter.

It was a look he usually saved for Nina, and he quickly shot an apologetic look her way. Even if they supposedly had no relationship beyond the professional.

‘She looks good,’ he said. He rolled his shoulder uncomfortably and put his hand on his hip. ‘Well? She does.’

Rielle blushed. As much of a nuisance as the detective was, as much as he intimidated the bejesus out of her, she liked him. Nina liked him, too, loath as she was to admit it.

Rielle took the compliment because it wasn’t threatening – and because he was talking to Nina as if nobody else was in the room.

‘Thank you. It’s Nina’s dress,’ she said, trying to break the tension. She grimaced. ‘I hope it’s OK I borrowed it.’

Although, apparently, she shouldn’t have gone out at all.

‘Of course it’s OK.’ Nina’s composure finally broke, and she closed the distance between them for a tight hug. ‘It looks better on you than it ever looked on me, anyway. Keep it.’

Rielle hugged her back.

‘I’m so relieved you’re all right,’ her boss said.

‘What did I do wrong?’ Rielle asked. ‘He took me to the White House. We had a wonderful time.’

‘You didn’t do anything wrong. If you felt safe with him, then I know you were.’ Nina pulled away and rose to her full stature in her five-inch heels. ‘I just got nervous when I received your message and didn’t recognise the name. Then I came here and found your clothes.’

Oh, her clothes. Rielle spotted them folded up on the coffee table. That must have looked bad.

‘I’m not angry with you. I’m just not comfortable with how any of this went down tonight.’

‘Me either,’ the detective said. ‘Rielle, can you walk us through the evening? When did he approach you? What did he say and do?’

‘I was just closing up for the night when he showed up.’ As badly as things were going, she left out the part about forgetting to lock the office door. ‘He was looking for an es– He was looking to talk to you, Nina. He mentioned his date for the event had gotten sick, and he asked me if I’d like to go.’

She shook her head. ‘He’s in there. I know he is.’

She went to turn on her computer. She had to look for herself.

‘Wait,’ the detective said. ‘Don’t touch that. We may end up needing to dust this room for fingerprints. Was he ever in the back rooms?’

‘What?’ Rielle said in surprise. ‘No.’

‘Fingerprints?’ Nina said, echoing Rielle’s concern. ‘Why would we need those?’

‘What crime has been committed?’ As confused as Rielle was, she didn’t want Mel hunted down like a common criminal. All he’d done was take her out for dinner and dancing at an incredible venue. Maybe he’d lied about being a client. Someone had to have referred him.

‘My computer is already up and running,’ Nina said. ‘Use it.’

The long ballroom dress swished as they moved down the hallway as a pack. Rielle gathered the skirt in so it wouldn’t wrap around the detective’s legs. She moved swiftly to Nina’s desk while Nina blocked Morgan’s view of her monitor. He lifted an eyebrow. He turned instead towards the display of blue glass figurines, and her boss shifted in discomfort.

When their gazes connected again, the combative clash of personalities was back. ‘There’s one missing,’ he said coolly.

‘It didn’t belong here,’ she replied.

Rielle frowned, not understanding, but the intimate rapport between her boss and the cop was suddenly strained and back to normal. It made her feel somewhat better, like she was back on an even keel. She punched Mel Summers’s name into the search box and waited for his bio to pop up. Her stomach sank when the database came back with no results. They’d told her they couldn’t find him, but she was sure there was some kind of mistake.

‘He was in here. Howard saw him, too,’ she insisted. ‘It said he was a client, and the last time we’d…worked with him was two years ago.’

The detective wandered closer to the desk, and Nina folded her arms over her chest. His lips twitched as if he found that amusing. ‘And what kind of client is that, exactly?’

There were going to have to be careful saying any more. The detective had been snooping around their agency for too long now. Rielle knew he’d focused on Nina for other reasons, even if they didn’t acknowledge it out loud. It was apparent to anyone who came within fifty feet of the two together. Nina must have been very upset to call him.

‘Maybe I accidentally deleted his file.’ Rielle began trying to retrieve it, and did her best to skirt the detective’s question. ‘It said he was an accountant.’

Although she’d questioned that from the very beginning. The way he’d carried himself…how in shape he was – and in tax season, too…and his hands…

She pressed her lips together tightly. She’d felt those hands on her enough to know they were rough. Callused. They weren’t the hands of a man who spent all day on a computer or calculator.

‘An accountant for a timber firm that has subsidiaries in Sweden.’

Her heart began to pound faster, and her palms became slippery. Who had she been out with? Who had she just kissed?

‘Have you been at the reception this whole time?’ Morgan was now ignoring Nina and focusing on her.

‘Yes.’ And it had been wonderful. A fairy tale.

A fairy tale that was now turning twisted. Her Prince Charming was changing into a villain before her very eyes. Had he hacked into their database? He had high-tailed it out of there pretty fast once he’d seen Nina. Why would he do that?

The detective cocked his head. ‘Why did you go with him? You seem like a smart girl. Why go out with a stranger like that?’

Because he was hot and deceptively charming – as intense as he was. Because she hadn’t wanted to give Luxxor a black eye. Because she’d checked him out every way she’d known how, and he’d come up aces.

‘It was a black-tie reception at the White House,’ Nina said dryly.

‘And that’s the part that’s stumping me. He must have had an invitation.’ The detective rubbed his chin. ‘Those things are planned well in advance, and invitees have to RSVP. He had to be vetted by the Secret Service and White House staffers. Maybe they’ll share information with me if I explain the situation.’

Rielle closed her eyes. She hadn’t meant to cause an uproar. Couldn’t they just drop it and have their IT staff close the apparently gaping hole in their software system?

‘The invitation was real,’ she insisted. ‘I saw it.’

She’d touched it.

That wasn’t all that she’d touched. She’d wanted to touch more. Her hands clenched to stop the sensation ringing in them. Damn him. He’d made her drop her guard, and she’d begun to fantasise.

‘I suppose Mel Summers could be his real name.’ The detective rubbed his chin, and his five-o’clock shadow rasped. ‘We could have missed one.’

Rielle spun in the chair so fast, her hair flew around her shoulders. ‘What did you just say?’

‘We don’t think that’s his name,’ he said. ‘When you remained out of contact, we tried to call him. We managed to make contact with every Mel Summers in the area, but none of them knew anything about you. That’s why we got so worried.’

‘But…’ Her heart began pumping so fast, her head got dizzy. ‘Are you sure? How do you know you called them all?’

‘He could be new to town,’ Nina suggested. ‘Or maybe he travelled here for the event.’

But he hadn’t.

Rielle didn’t know why she was fighting. She’d known his name wasn’t Mel!

She collapsed back into the big leather chair.

Who had she just spent the evening with?

‘Could you give me a description of him?’ The detective cleared his throat. ‘We couldn’t see him very well with you…uh, in the way.’

Oh, God. Could it get any worse?

She dropped her face into her hands. She hadn’t only spent the evening with him, she’d danced with him, rubbed her body against his and kissed him silly. ‘He’s tall, dark-haired and fit. Blue eyes.’

And callused hands and a devastating mouth.

She felt Nina’s hand close over her shoulder and squeeze.

She didn’t want to believe he was a bad guy. She wanted to keep her memories of going to the ball, being on his arm and sharing stories about the other guests.

Being on his arm…

She scrubbed her face and turned weary eyes on the detective. ‘They took a picture of us in the receiving line, but I didn’t get a copy.’

Yet. He’d promised to send one to her.

‘That would help, if I could get my hands on it.’ Morgan tapped his pen against the pad. ‘Is there anything else you can tell me about him?’

‘He was complicated,’ she admitted. That was part of what had intrigued her. He’d hidden as much as she had, but both of them had pulled back layers as the night had worn on. ‘Secretive, now that I think about it.’

‘How?’

‘He evaded the paparazzi – and he hid me, too.’

Damn him. She hated how every little good thing was being contorted.

‘He’s quick on his feet.’ He’d answered every question she’d fired at him, including the ones about accounting.

But, through it all, she hadn’t truly bought any of it, had she? She’d questioned everything about him.

Everything but that kiss.

It had stopped the questions that had been whirling in her head dead in their tracks.

‘And observant.’ Her chin snapped up. ‘He was watching people – a brunette in particular.’

The detective’s eyes narrowed, and he flipped to a new page in his notepad. ‘Can you describe her to me?’

‘Red dress. Long black hair. Olive skin. Exotic-looking, but stern. Pretty, but she didn’t look like a happy person.’

Rielle remembered the woman getting into the car ahead of them. ‘She attended the event alone.’

‘What was the theme of the evening?’ the detective asked. ‘I can find out, but –’

‘Sweden.’ Rielle swallowed hard. ‘The Prince and Princess of Sweden are visiting.’

The detective’s expression darkened. ‘I’ll find out who she was, too.’

His dark gaze pinned Rielle. This was the hard-boiled detective she knew. The relentless pursuer. ‘Is there anything else you can remember? Anything that struck you as odd?’

The whole evening had been out of the ordinary, but she shook her head.

The detective’s stare was steady. ‘Did he hurt you in any way?’

Nina flinched, but Rielle’s lips tightened. ‘No.’

Whoever the stranger had been, he’d done his best to put her at ease. He hadn’t hurt her or forced himself on her in any way.

He’d given her the best night of her life.

‘Good.’ The detective put his notepad back in his pocket. He nodded towards the door. ‘Nina? Want to make sure you lock up after me?’

To Rielle’s surprise, her boss followed. She heard the murmur of their voices as they headed to the lobby together.

‘Oh, God,’ she groaned. She raked a hand through her hair and wandered over to the panoramic windows of Nina’s office. She hated people worrying about her, trying to protect her. She’d been so close to making her way back from that.

She stared through the window at the Washington Monument. The white pillar glowed against the dark night sky. It was a postcard-perfect evening outside. Too bad she was only feeling the chill. She caught Nina’s reflection in the pane of glass.

‘You called your arch enemy?’

Her boss shrugged and swept her hand across the back of a chair. ‘I didn’t think it all the way through.’

So she’d been scared, and he was the person she’d called?

‘He’s a good man, Nina.’

Their gazes connected in the window. ‘He’s a bull in a china shop. Aggressive, persistent, male.’

‘And you like all of that about him.’

Silence greeted her in return, but for once Nina didn’t deny it.

‘I’m not the only one attracted to a man I shouldn’t be.’ Her boss toyed with her earring. ‘I saw that kiss.’

Rielle closed her eyes.

‘If I hadn’t been so afraid for you, I’d be happy for you.’ Nina’s voice was low and empathetic.

Rielle turned. The swish of the dress sounded out of place in the large office.

‘Did you tell Morgan the truth?’ Nina asked. ‘Are you really OK?’

‘I’m upset, and I’m angry. He lied to me.’

‘True, but you made some good points. Maybe some of it was real.’

Her attraction to him had been real.

Rielle shook her head. ‘He lied.’

He’d wined her and dined her. He’d kissed her goodnight. She didn’t know what his endgame was, but she should have trusted her gut from the very beginning. Instead she’d gotten caught up in the fantasy, and he’d told her it had been the best night of his life too.

‘That’s the truth,’ he’d said.

Maybe, but, if so, it was the only true thing he’d said all evening.

She’d probably learned by now that his name wasn’t Mel.

And she was probably pissed as hell.

He could picture the way her lashes would flutter in surprise, and how her doe eyes would fill with disappointment, betrayal and fear.

He’d seen the goddamn fear in her eyes too many times tonight, and he hadn’t liked it. He hadn’t liked it one bit. He hated that he was the one putting it there again.

Yet it couldn’t be helped.

His fingers drummed along the steering wheel as he sat half a block down from Luxxor Limited in a spot between streetlights. The Jeep was his own. The address he’d given the car service was nearby, but random. Neither they nor his escort could trace him back to his home or his vehicle. He knew he should just keep going, but something inside him had called him back. He’d used her, and he’d done it intentionally for his own benefit.

He just wanted to make sure it didn’t have lasting repercussions for her.

The tapping of his fingers slowed. He hadn’t thought that part through. He’d been honest with her about some things, and having to improvise on a date for tonight’s reception had been one of them. She’d been in the wrong place at the wrong time – from her vantage point anyway.

He didn’t want that to cost her her job.

‘Damn it,’ he swore. His breath shone in the cold confines of the car, but he didn’t turn on the engine. He didn’t want her Security boys to see that he’d returned. He could deal with the cold.

Hell, he needed a cold shower anyway.

He dropped his head back against the headrest. He was used to adjusting course when plans fell off the rails, but he hadn’t been ready for her. When she’d come around the corner in that office upstairs, his train cars had smacked into one another until the only thing left revving was his engine.

God, she was something. Beautiful, sweet, smart and yet in some ways hardened and skittish.

He’d been trained to hunt, but he’d found himself in the strange position of gentling her and getting her to trust him. He’d needed her for tonight, and she’d come through with flying colours. He’d been the one who’d been a trainwreck. Around her, he’d never really gotten his cars back on the rails. She was sharp enough to notice.

His phone rang, punctuating just how bad that was. He answered, but kept his gaze on the scene around him.

‘Yeah?’

‘Who the hell was that on your arm tonight?’

‘A date.’

‘I could see that. Who was she?’

‘Nobody you need to worry about.’

‘Where did you find her?’

Oh, no. That bit of info wasn’t on the need-to-know list.

‘I picked her up when Romero went down with food poisoning. Don’t worry, she’s none the wiser. She got to eat some good food and dance to a decent band.’

‘I saw the dancing. Looked like you were both starstruck.’

She’d been clear-headed enough to make you, buddy. He kept the thought to himself. They were trained to blend in, but she’d noticed the man on the other end of the line.

The more he could divert attention away from her, the better.

‘You’ve cut her loose, right? One and done?’

He was working on it. ‘You let me worry about her.’

‘She can’t get in the way.’

‘She won’t.’ He wouldn’t let her.

‘All right. We’ll talk more tomorrow.’

Not about her they wouldn’t.

He hung up and smacked the steering wheel.

‘Hell.’ He’d nearly fucked everything up tonight. He’d gotten sloppy. Why couldn’t she have just been an escort? This would have been so much easier if she were.

Yet Rielle Sands was better than that.

Way better.

Movement caught his attention, and he stilled. They’d been in there for ever, but he finally saw a big guy exit the building. It was the one who’d been with her freaked-out boss.

Crap. He hadn’t only drawn the attention of private security. The guy had cop written all over him. He watched as the man checked the shadows as he moved to his car. His jacket hitched up an extra inch on his right-hand side, where the bulge of a gun was barely noticeable.

But he noticed.

He kept a close eye on the man until his dark sedan pulled away from the kerb. Only then did he shoot another look at the fourth floor. The lights were still on up there.

He waited in the darkness as the temperature dropped. Two cars stopped at the Security entrance to drop off a man and then a woman. Escorts, he assumed. They checked out together and headed for the Metro entrance a block away.

It was only a few minutes later when the upstairs office went dark. His gaze focused on the employee exit. Counting in his head, he timed the elevator’s descent. He was only two seconds off before two women appeared in the lit Security office.

The plate-glass windows offered no shield to his view.

‘Rielle.’ She wasn’t wearing the dress any more, but he could have ID’d her a mile away without a scope.

Finally. She and the shorter blonde walked out to the parking lot together, and he nodded. That was good. They didn’t seem to be arguing. Her boss seemed to have calmed down. Nina, Rielle had said her name was.

He barely noticed her.

It was the taller woman with the light-brown hair that had all his attention. That hair felt like silk. He knew, because he’d been fighting to keep his hands off it all night.

He just needed to see that she was OK. If she was angry, so be it. The strong emotion would serve her well, although it didn’t fit her sweet personality at all. He just couldn’t take tears. He couldn’t hurt her. She was like that pretty doe in the forest. He didn’t want his harsh world encroaching upon hers.

He blew out a breath when the two hugged and got into separate cars.

‘OK, good.’ He could leave things now.

He watched her get into the grey SUV, and he started the engine of his car. Air began to blow from the heater, but it was just as cold as the air outside. He’d been sitting long enough for the heating coil to cool down. It was time to put the transmission in gear and drive away.

But he waited.

She was driving home alone, a pretty young female, way too late after dark in DC. It wasn’t safe.

He knew.

So, once she pulled out of the parking lot, he positioned his vehicle behind hers. He stayed half a block back and didn’t make any sudden moves.

He might not be a gentleman, but he was making sure she got home safely.

Chapter Four

Rielle didn’t sleep well that night. In fact, she didn’t remember sleeping at all. She played over everything in her mind, but she couldn’t figure out where she’d gone wrong.

Other than to trust her hormones over her head.

How had he done it? Why had he done it?

She kept alternating between anger, fear and unrelenting curiosity. How had he fooled everyone? Or was it only Luxxor he’d tricked? Had he needed an escort, but didn’t want his name associated with them? If so, how had he gotten into their system? Twice? He couldn’t have made it into the White House with a false identity, could he?

The questions were driving her nuts, so she gave up on sleep and dropped into the Apple Tree Grille for breakfast before work. She blew into her coffee and watched the people walking by outside. What were their stories? Was the man with the scuffed shoes scraping by in some government job or did he just have a new puppy? The young woman with the computer bag…had she just come from the gym or was that raggedy ponytail supposed to be fashionable?

She and her date had played the game last night, but she hadn’t even been able to read him.

Yet in many ways she had – and he’d known it.

He’d evaded her at every turn. He’d always had an explanation. She was furious at having been played, but when she thought of the things that might have happened, going out with a stranger like that…

But she hadn’t been afraid of him.

She thought of the kiss they’d shared, and she burned her lip on her coffee.

‘Have you decided?’

‘Mmm.’ She pressed a napkin to her mouth and glanced at the waitress who’d come to take her order. No, she hadn’t made up her mind about him at all. ‘A cinnamon roll, please.’

After last night’s dinner, she shouldn’t have room for anything, but her sweet tooth acted up whenever her nerves did.

She’d kissed him, and she’d liked it. A lot. He was a mystery man. An enigma. The memory of that hot kiss should frighten her, but it had been real.

‘That’s the truth,’ he’d said to her. ‘Remember that.’

He’d known his cover was blown.

‘Here you go, hon.’ The cinnamon roll was spilling over with cream cheese frosting. Rielle swooped up a taste with her fingertip. It would mean extra time in the gym, but it was worth it.

She opened the newspaper she’d bought at the newsstand a few blocks down and skimmed the headlines. She didn’t know what she was looking for, but maybe something could help her put the pieces together. She didn’t like the possibilities running through her head. Politics, foreign relations, computer hacking, identity theft…She didn’t want to get involved with any of that.

Yet she couldn’t get the feel of his strong body out of her head. The sensation of his hand against her lower back. Her dress tangling with his legs…

The front page had news of the visit by the Prince and Princess of Sweden. It delved into the relationship between the countries and areas where they shared interests: protecting the environment, guarding against terrorism, and increasing trade. She took another bite of her cinnamon roll and it nearly stuck in her throat when she turned to the society page.

They had black and white photographs from the event, including one with her and Mel…her date …arriving outside the White House.

Her coffee cup tinkled against the saucer as she quickly set it down.

She’d been uneasy ever since last night, yet one glance at the photograph sent a shot of fear through her heart.

Her head jerked as she looked around the restaurant. She pulled her coat up around her shoulders and slid the newspaper closer to the window where the light was brighter.

Her date had turned away from the camera, but the picture showed off his tall form in a midnight-black tuxedo. He was close to blocking the view of her, too, with his head dipped down towards her. Instead of blocking their view, though, the photo gave the illusion that they were about to kiss.

She had her face lifted to him. Excitement was clear in her eyes. Happiness exuded from her smile. They looked like a power couple leading a magical life of parties and dancing and money.

‘Oh, no,’ she whispered.

It was a beautiful shot that told the wrong story. It was a moment in time that would capture people’s imagination and their attention.

She didn’t want the attention.

She folded the paper quickly when the waitress walked by her booth again. Inside her chest, her heart was pounding like a big bass drum. She jammed her arms into the sleeves of her jacket, left money on the table to cover the bill and hurried out into the cold. It caught her smack in the face, and she tucked her chin into her throat. Her gaze darted everywhere – the doorways, the cars along the kerb, the alley that she had to pass…

A picture in the newspaper was bad, but were there more online? Was it searchable?

Her heels beat a tattoo against the sidewalk as she hurried to Luxxor. She’d thought things had been bad last night.

But this was so much worse.

‘Bad day?’ Sienna asked.

Rielle sighed and rubbed a sore spot on her neck. ‘You have no idea.’

She’d had a lot of escorts heading out, now that Friday was here. They all seemed to have seen the picture and were commenting on her hot ‘boyfriend’. They’d kept asking his name, where they’d met and why she’d been hiding him.

Like she was a nun or something.

She hadn’t confessed that she’d only met him last night, and that she’d only gone on the date because none of them had been available. Or the right gender.

Sienna rested her hip against her desk. With her legs sleek and crossed, she looked ready for a magazine spread. ‘If it’s any consolation, you looked stunning.’

Sienna and Nina were the only ones who knew the full truth. The man in the photo wasn’t her boyfriend and he wasn’t a client. She didn’t even know his name.

‘Thanks, but now my photograph is plastered all over the society page of a major newspaper.’

‘Newspaper subscriptions have been plummeting.’ Sienna smiled weakly, but she knew she wasn’t helping.

Rielle finally gave up trying to search through their database for Mel’s picture. She braced her elbows against the desk and rubbed her temples. Her tension was resulting in knots that ached. ‘That photo is online, too.’

The photographer hadn’t gotten her name, thank God. She glanced at the database. Nobody could search for her either.

But they could open a newspaper and chance upon seeing her.

She stared at the photo. She’d had the newspaper on her desk all day. Sienna turned it in her direction to study it. ‘Do you think your guy knew the cameras were there? Is that why they didn’t get a good shot of him?’

‘He knew.’

Sienna ran a burgundy-coloured fingernail along the edge of the photo and Mel’s back. ‘I could wring his neck for the way he lied to you, but Nina said the date itself went well?’

Rielle glanced up in surprise, and Sienna lifted an eyebrow.

Rielle got up to straighten the magazines on the lobby table.

‘There’s a rumour about a hot kiss?’ her coworker said. ‘A melt-the-sidewalk kind?’

Rielle determinedly walked to the office door and locked it. Yet her shoulders slumped. She turned slowly. If anyone would understand, it was Sienna. Before she’d become their communications director, she’d fallen in love with the man she’d been assigned to escort.

‘That’s the part that’s so tough,’ Rielle confessed.

‘That you were attracted to him?’

‘Yes – and that I dropped my guard.’

‘You trusted him.’

‘For a moment.’ Or longer. She still felt herself wanting to defend him today. A part of her kept grasping for rational explanations for why he would have done the things he’d done.

And why he hadn’t gotten caught.

‘I’m relieved that he was good to you,’ Sienna said.

He’d been more than that. On the dancefloor, he’d felt strong and tempting. He’d been sensitive to her moods, and he hadn’t stopped her from contacting Security or Nina or anyone else she wanted.

‘Was Detective Morgan able to track down any information on your mystery man?’

Rielle shook her head. The detective had been grumpier than normal over that. The Secret Service had to have footage of Mel from the security cameras at the White House, but they weren’t sharing.

She bit her lip. Were they investigating them on their own?

‘He’s not my mystery man.’

Sienna’s icy blonde hair fell over her shoulder as she cocked her head. The look on her face was contemplative. ‘This picture says otherwise.’

She glanced at her watch and pushed to her feet. ‘Oops, Jason’s going to be wondering where I am. Are you ready to go? I’ll walk out with you.’

Rielle looked around the office. ‘No, I’ve got a few more things left to do. You go on ahead.’

Sienna frowned. ‘I don’t know if I’m comfortable with that.’

Rielle wasn’t comfortable with it either, but she refused to change her habits again. Not for a man. ‘I’ve locked the door, and Security has been on the lookout for him all day.’

If anyone was more upset than she was about the whole situation, it was the guys on the first floor. They were the ones assigned to protect the safety of Luxxor’s employees.

Although she’d never once felt her stranger would hurt her.

She shook her head. He wasn’t ‘her stranger’, either.

‘Are you sure? Jason won’t mind waiting if you need me to hang out with you for a while.’

‘Oh, God. Please don’t tell him anything. All I need is him standing guard with a hockey stick.’

Sienna’s boyfriend had been a frequent guest of the penalty box when he’d played in the NHL. Now he was a master defenceman in the boardroom.

Sienna nibbled her lower lip.

‘Go,’ Rielle insisted. ‘I won’t be here much longer. I promise.’

‘Make sure the door locks behind me.’

‘I will.’

Sienna collected her purse. ‘And don’t be hesitant to push the buzzer for Security ever again.’

‘I won’t,’ Rielle promised. ‘You just be careful walking out.’

Sienna nodded. She stopped for a moment and then gave Rielle an impulsive hug. ‘I’m glad you’re OK.’

‘Thanks,’ Rielle said, her voice tight.

She closed the door behind her friend and heard the handle jiggle. Sienna gave her a thumbs-up through the window alongside the door before heading to the elevator.

Rielle turned to face the now empty office.

She did have work waiting for her. She’d spent so much time talking to people about her mysterious date, she hadn’t completed all her normal tasks. When she sat down at her desk again, though, she couldn’t help but notice how empty the office felt. How lonely and quiet.

She glanced at the bills awaiting payment, but turned to her computer again. She flipped through more listings, looking for a handsome face. Observant blue eyes. Wide shoulders…

‘Oooooh,’ she growled beneath her breath. She was so angry with him, but she was even angrier with herself. She’d known better than to let him pull her in.

Her mouth settled into a tight line, and she paid the bills. She checked to make sure she’d sent out all the dossiers for the engagements their escorts had tomorrow night, and finally looked through a quote from a company bidding to do remodelling work on their break room.

Her stomach growled as she examined the numbers, and she couldn’t concentrate.

It really was time to go home. She was hungry, she was tired and her sweet tooth was flaring up again. She hadn’t slept more than a wink last night. She pulled out her phone to order takeout. The salad wasn’t going to make the cut tonight, either.

She sighed. What did she want? She opened her contact list and was searching for her favourite sandwich shop when another listing caught her eye. It was one that made her sit up straight in her chair.

Mel.

Short, to-the-point and a lie.

Had he seriously programmed his contact info into her phone? When had he gotten his hands on it? How?

Why?

She jabbed at his name before she could stop herself, and his number popped up.

That was something Detective Morgan could use.

Rielle felt irritation build up inside her. He’d toyed with her. There was no other way to put it. He was a ne’er-do-well, as her grandmother would say. He’d been up to no good last night, and he’d involved her. When she thought about all the possibilities of what he could be involved in, it made her uneasy.

And, at the moment, extremely ticked off.

She jabbed the call button before she could stop herself. She deserved to know why. She deserved the right to yell at him.

And she deserved to be spanked for being so stupid again.

She flinched when she realised she should not be making contact with him. It didn’t matter why he’d given her his phone number. She dropped the phone onto her desk with a clunk. He’d only manipulate her again. He’d talk to her in that low voice that occasionally showed signs of humour. He’d make goosebumps pop up along the back of her neck with his quiet chuckle.

Her thighs felt stiff as she marched down the hallway to Nina’s office. When had she become so easy?

Back in the lobby, she heard her ringtone start playing. She kept on going. The lights were off, but once she turned inside she saw it clearly.

The dress.

That dress that had made her feel like a fairy princess. It had also made her lose her mind.

It hung over the back of the door to Nina’s private bathroom. Rielle crinkled her nose at it. Nina was still trying to make her keep it. One way or another, it needed to be taken to the cleaners.

She ran her fingers along the soft material of the skirt and sighed. It really was beautiful. Dreamy, even.

Was that what had happened? Had she allowed herself, just for a moment, to dream again?

She let out a long sigh as her anger faded.

So she’d succumbed to a dark, handsome, sexy stranger – one who’d made her stomach tighten and her knees go weak. She was only human. Up until the very end, it had been a magical night.

She rubbed her lips together. She could still feel his kiss on them.

She couldn’t accept the dress from Nina. It was designer-made and way too expensive, but she could try it on one last time.

Alone in the office, she stripped in the bare light spilling in from the hallway. She kicked off her shoes and tugged off her bra. The dress felt silky and familiar as she slid it over her head. It fell into place like a comfy pair of jeans, only a thousand times classier. She tugged up the zipper as far as she could.

She imagined her stranger’s arms around her, pulling her close as they swayed in time with the music. Her nipples tightened at the memory, and her cheeks warmed.

He was dangerous, all right, in ways neither Nina nor Sienna would understand.

Off in the distance, she heard her desk phone ring. It was even easier to ignore.

She gave a turn and felt the dress billow around her. She stopped when she saw her reflection in the big plate-glass window. With the lights dimmed as they were, it acted as a mirror with downtown DC as a backdrop.

It had been so long since she’d let herself feel attractive and hadn’t felt the need to tone it down. It had been aeons since she’d felt young and pretty and sexual.

She stared at her reflection, lost in thought. Her fingers spread wide as she smoothed the dress over her hips. Time went by without her noticing.

‘Best night of my life, too, Beautiful. That’s the truth.’

His words whispered in her ears.

‘What’s wrong?’

Rielle jumped when, instead of a memory, she heard his voice for real. Low, harsh and clipped.

She spun around and let out a cry when she saw him standing in the doorway to the office with his hands braced on the doorframe. He pushed away and entered as silently as he’d traversed the rest of the office. The air didn’t even move as he slid between its molecules. His eyes were bright with alertness, and his body was tense.

‘Are you OK?’

She dove for Nina’s desk. There was an emergency button there, too. Her heart was pounding as she expected him to lunge at her to stop her.

Yet instead of coming at her, he held his hands up. ‘Hey, you’re the one who called me.’

Her head jerked towards him. ‘I didn’t call…’

But she had. She just hadn’t let it go through to voicemail.

She didn’t push the button. ‘Why did you put your number into my phone?’

He lowered his hands. He wasn’t wearing a tuxedo tonight. He was in jeans, a grey T-shirt and a brown leather jacket. They suited him better. Emphasised his edginess and his physicality. His eyes dropped to where her hand hovered over the desk, yet he didn’t give her an answer.

It brought her temper back to life, a temper she wasn’t used to having. ‘Your name isn’t even Mel, is it?’

That declaration didn’t even earn her a shrug. ‘No, it’s not.’

He was watching her steadily now. His expression was closed, but his blue eyes were sparking.

Rielle planted both hands on the desk and leaned towards him. Forget Security – she wanted some answers of her own.

‘You lied to me.’

He took the accusation, but didn’t fight it.

‘Why?’

A muscle in his jaw ticked. ‘I’m sorry that I had to involve you.’

Again, no explanation.

‘But I liked having you there with me.’ His voice softened, and his hands went to his hips. His body had loosened, and the hardness in his cheekbones had eased.

Rielle battled her attraction to him. ‘Why are you here? How did you get in? That door was locked.’

He cocked his head slowly. ‘You didn’t answer when I returned your call. I got concerned.’

So he’d broken in? Without her hearing? Without Security being alerted?

The hairs on her arms stood on end.

‘How did you get into our computer system? Who are you? What do you want from me?’ she demanded.

That muscle in his jaw tightened again, and the air pulsed. In the flash of a second, everything shifted and awareness changed. She took a step back. Goosebumps, just like she remembered.

‘Why did you call the cops on me, Beauty?’

She refused to feel guilty. ‘I didn’t call them. Nina did.’

‘Well, call your dog off. He’ll get nowhere on this.’

‘You don’t know Detective Morgan.’ She’d spent another hour with the man today going over details. She glanced at the phone.

‘You don’t want to call him. Don’t even pretend it.’

‘You don’t know that.’

‘Yes, I do.’

‘How?’

‘You’re wearing the dress.’

She flushed with embarrassment until her skin felt like it was blistering. He’d caught her dressing up like a moony-eyed teenager.

‘And you look as beautiful as ever.’

Holding his gaze became impossible, and she turned away. She folded her arms around her waist and looked out of the window. ‘Just go.’

Her gaze was drawn to his reflection as he rubbed the back of his neck. ‘You scared the hell out of me, not answering like that after you’d just called.’

‘I’m fine.’ She hadn’t thought he’d come. She hadn’t known what she’d been doing when she’d hit his number. ‘I just wanted to yell at you.’

His look turned rueful. He went still for a moment, but then pulled off his jacket. He put it and something else on the chair in front of Nina’s desk, and Rielle tensed when he started to approach her.

The alarm. Why wasn’t she screaming for help?

Because she didn’t want it. Damn him.

His hands settled at her waist, and he moved up close behind her. Their gazes locked in the window. ‘Go ahead and yell. Chew me out until you’re good and done.’

‘No.’

‘I can take it.’

Her lips twisted. ‘I can’t think of anything to say right now.’

That tiny smile pulled at his lips.

‘I’m sorry I caused problems for you.’ His heat seeped into her back, and his hands felt strong on her waist. ‘But that’s all I’m sorry for.’

Rielle licked her lips. She knew better than this.

His lips brushed against her temple. ‘You’re a complication I didn’t expect.’

She was a complication?

He slowly swept her hair to the side. When he pressed his lips against the back of her neck, a shiver went down her back. All the way down. The dress was only partially zipped, and her exposed skin flashed hot and cold.

He kissed lower, between her shoulder blades, and she knew the exact moment he saw how bare she was. His teeth scraped against her spine, and his fingers bit into her sides.

Her own breaths came hard in her throat. He saw right through her. How could he read her like he did? She barely knew herself any more.

She felt him exhale in a shuddering breath, and she caught at the window frame.

He was fighting against the crazy impulse as much as she was, but then his hands moved from her waist. A moan caught in her throat when he undid the zipper all the way and his hands slid inside, skin against skin.

He was so dangerous for her.

‘Tell me your name,’ she whispered. Her belly quivered.

‘It’s safer for you not to know.’

Safer?

His hands slid upwards and closed over her breasts. He cupped them possessively as his mouth settled against her neck. Rielle trembled, and her head fell back against his shoulder.

She’d left the safe zone a long time ago.

‘You are so gorgeous,’ he said. His mouth zeroed in on the sensitive spot behind her ear as his hands took control. ‘Playing the gentleman last night was hard.’

Not as hard as her nipples. They were stiffening and filling as he plucked at them insistently.

Even harder was the erection she felt pressing against the small of her back.

Her bare back.

The dress was gaping open as he took advantage of the access.

Rielle shifted in his embrace, but only ended up rubbing against him. This was what had been bubbling under the surface between them ever since he’d first set foot inside these office walls. The heat. The pull. The excitement.

‘I shouldn’t be letting you do this,’ she groaned.

‘Yes, you should. It’s why you called me.’ His teeth closed over the muscle that led from her neck to her shoulder. The dangerous pressure sent a shot of pleasure through her so dark and intense that she caught his hip and held on. ‘It’s why you stayed here late, all by yourself.’

He’d tired of the dress getting in his way. His words were still spinning in her head as he pulled the shoulder straps down her arms. The bodice folded down away from her, baring her to the waist.

‘You need this as much as you want it,’ he said into her ear.

His gaze ran over the reflection of her nakedness in the window. Shaded as it was, the look was still hot. Rielle twisted as heat flared inside her belly.

She watched as his hands slid up her stomach and took hold of her breasts once again. Firmly, determinedly. Like he had the right.

Her knees wobbled, and she leaned back against him.

Her eyelids went heavy. He was too good at this. He was too confident for her to stop. His touch wasn’t gentle; it was physical. He was a man who knew how to touch a woman, and he didn’t allow shyness. He went straight for what made them both feel good, and she couldn’t fight the pleasure.

She’d been without gratification for too long.

‘That’s it, baby. Let it happen. Last night was frustrating, I know.’

One of his hands left her, only to begin tugging at the miles of fabric of her skirt. It bunched around her waist as he gathered it up and out of his way.

‘You’re a stranger to me,’ she insisted. She didn’t know who she was trying to remind more – him or herself.

‘One who would never hurt you,’ he promised.

Arousal swam through her veins as his coarse hands swept up the sides of her legs. Her body began to shake, and her nails scraped against the wooden window frame. He tugged at her panties and they were soon down around her thighs.

Rielle couldn’t think. She couldn’t reason. He had her pinned between his big body and the window that looked out over the DC street. Yet there was no panic. Only need.

Need, need, need.

His fingers swept between her legs, and a deep sound left his chest.

She was wet and plump. She was more turned on than she’d ever been in her life.

His fingers returned, circling her opening until she groaned. Her toes curled into the thick carpeting as he played with her intimately, keeping her right on edge, until he pushed two fingers deep inside her.

‘Oh, oh!’ she cried out. Her hips instinctively tilted back and began to pump.

His hand slapped between her legs as he gave her what her body was so desperately asking for. Their breaths turned harsh in the empty office until he pressed his thumb intimately between her butt cheeks.

Rielle’s entire body clenched, and she let out a cry so hoarse and hungry, it didn’t sound as if it had come from her.

His movements became urgent then. Jerky and almost rough. There was the sound of another zipper, and she watched in the window as he pushed his jeans to his thighs. He’d taken his briefs with them, and her eyes widened. That hard bump at the small of her back was as big as it had felt. His erection jutted forward, pushing his T-shirt out of the way.

That was all she saw of it before she felt it.

Bending his knees, he positioned himself against her. He slowly straightened, pushing up into her, and her body stiffened at the invasion.

‘Relax,’ he murmured, gathering her up close again.

‘I am.’ She was there. She was aroused, and she wanted this to happen. ‘You’re just…’

Big.

He was big, and it had been a long time since she’d been sexually active.

She didn’t have to say it. He got it. She could tell, because the big cock pushing into her swelled even bigger. His hands closed over her breasts, and his mouth returned to her neck so hungrily, she knew she’d have marks.

The pressure was steady. Inexorable. When he sent one hand around to her front and found her clit, she let off enough moisture to let him slide home hard and deep.

‘Ahhhh!’ she cried.

‘God, you’re perfect.’ His voice was like sandpaper. He held still for a long, heavy moment. His hips twitched as if he was barely holding back. ‘Good?’

‘Mmm hmm.’ So good.

‘Ready?’

‘Ready,’ she managed. They’d both been reduced to one-word communication, if that.

He pulled back, and the walls of her pussy clung to him. He returned with a hard, jagged thrust, and Rielle was gone. Her fears and concerns flew out of the crystal-clear window in front of her, along with all notions of responsibility or political correctness. She became a purely sensate being as their bodies rocked together. Rocked, swayed, slapped and outright humped.

She watched them, her eyelids so heavy she could barely keep them open. Their reflection together was erotic. He looked so big behind her, yet so needful in the way he held her.

In his dishevelled jeans and T-shirt, he looked like a rough blue-collar worker taking a naughty princess. Her dress was falling off and bunched around her waist. As different as they were, their bodies worked in synch.

Faster, harder, deeper.

Rielle spread her legs wider and rolled her forehead against the cool plate-glass window. Her fingerprints were already smeared all over it.

He filled her pussy over and over again. It felt like for ever as he took her, but it was too soon when she felt her pleasure spiralling upwards.

‘Almost…’ he grunted. ‘Fuck!’

She was there. Her orgasm crested, making her cry out sharply. ‘Oh, ohhh!’

‘Yes!’ he barked out.

She squeezed her eyes shut as she felt him come inside her. Hot and wet. Her knees locked as another orgasm grabbed her.

‘Holy hell,’ her lover said, the words coming between hard pants.

His weight pressed against her more heavily as he braced his hand on the window frame above hers. They stood that way for a long, long time, with him buried deep inside her and her breasts heaving.

His arm swept around her waist, and he spread his hand wide over her stomach.

He kissed the top of her head. ‘You feel so good.’

So did he.

Rielle opened her eyes. Her reflection was only inches away, and it felt like she was staring deep into her own soul.

He felt too good. Too tempting. And dangerous as hell.

What had she just done?

Chapter Five

‘Hey now, none of that.’ He saw the doubt come into her eyes where a moment ago there had only been pleasure. She tried to pull the dress up over herself, but there was so much material, it was fighting her. He zipped up his jeans and caught her hand. He backed up until he was at the desk. He settled his hips against it, spread his legs and pulled her close. His skittish little doe was back.

She found the top of the dress and held it over her breasts. He pushed her hair back from her face so he could see her expressive eyes.

He understood the doubt and confusion. Hell, he hadn’t been thinking clearly for the past twenty-four hours either. ‘We both know this isn’t a good idea, but how about we forget that for tonight?’

‘We play pretend again?’

Point taken. They’d pushed reality behind them last night, too, but they’d had no problems until it had shoved its way back in. If not for her boss, the cop and his own personal pain-in-the-ass, they probably would have ended up in bed before now.

‘Why were you looking for my number?’ he asked. He never should have put his contact information into her phone. It had been an impulse, but damn if he was going to regret it. Especially not now.

He’d been thinking about her all day. He’d worried about how much heat she was taking. He’d seen their picture in the paper. It probably hadn’t helped her situation with Luxxor.

‘I wasn’t looking for you.’ She searched for a shoulder strap to help hold the dress on. ‘I was looking for food.’

‘You’re hungry?’ Well, hell. He reached for his back pocket, but it was empty. He saw his phone on the floor. He whipped it up, ready to go hunt and gather for her. ‘I’ll order delivery. What do you want?’

She looked at him as if he was crazy. She shook her head, but then her stomach betrayed her by growling. He could hear it, even buried beneath all the folds of that dress.

‘Pizza it is.’

‘We can’t order food. You’re not even supposed to be here, and I –’ She stopped. ‘I have lost my mind.’

‘Come on, let me feed you. I owe you that much.’

‘We’re not dating. I should have nothing to do with you.’

He nodded. It was all true. ‘Tomorrow.’

He dialled before she protested again. She tried to take the phone from him, but her stomach gurgled. He put his hand over it. ‘Battle won.’

‘I need a pie with the works,’ he said when the pizza shop picked up.

She sighed and hooked her hair behind her ear. ‘No green peppers.’

‘Without green peppers,’ he repeated. It was a little thing, but she hadn’t been any more forthcoming with personal information than he had. She didn’t like green peppers. He tucked the information away, but didn’t let himself stop to think why.

‘Twenty minutes to a half-hour,’ he told her as he set the phone on the desk by his hip.

She still looked torn.

‘It’s just pizza.’

She looked down at her dress. It was a helluva lot more than that.

‘OK, pizza and sex.’ Sue him. He was here, and he wasn’t working. He was pretty much always on-call, but he could think of nothing better than staying with her. Maybe he’d be able to sweet-talk her into letting him touch her again.

He knew as well as she did that this would be the last time they saw each other.

The shoulder strap she’d fought so valiantly for fell off her shoulder.

He caught her wrist when she tried to fix it. ‘Why don’t you just take it off? It looks uncomfortable as hell now.’

She swept her fingers through the crumpled mint-green material and nodded. ‘I’ll put my clothes back on. We’ll eat, but then you have to go.’

‘You mean the bra by the door?’ He ignored the last part.

Even in the dim light in the room, he could see the pinkness blooming in her cheeks. He liked how she blushed. He didn’t know that people did that any more. The ones he knew were too hardened and jaded.

‘Yeah, I saw it,’ he said softly. And he definitely didn’t want her to put it back on. Once that bra was hooked and the blue dress was zipped, her guard would go right up with it. He reached back between his shoulder blades and fisted his hand in his T-shirt. He pulled it over his head and handed it to her. ‘Here, wear this.’

He’d broken a few land speed records to get here when she hadn’t answered his return calls. He wasn’t prone to overreacting, but he’d been ready for anything when he’d come in that door. No way was he going to miss her bra splayed out on the floor.

Her eyes widened. She took the T-shirt tentatively, but her gaze was on him. It ran over his shoulders and down his bare chest. His stomach sucked in tight when that cautious, curious gaze worked down to his six-pack.

If she looked at him like that much longer, he’d have her pinned back against that window with her legs spread wide.

He couldn’t have been more surprised when she reached out and touched him. His blood poured back into his cock, short-circuiting his brain, when her soft fingertips brushed over his chest.

Tiny furrows appeared on her brow. ‘You have scars.’

He stilled. That one was a bullet wound, but she didn’t need to know that. This was not a good topic. ‘I’m clumsy.’

‘You’re not clumsy.’ She found the slash on his forearm, too, the cut that had healed but was still red. It shouldn’t leave much of a mark when it was gone, but at her inquisitive touch it felt sensitive. Tingly.

If that was what the simple brush of her fingertip would do to him, how would it feel to have her hands all over him? Or her mouth?

It was suddenly something he wanted to find out. Desperately.

She traced the outline of the tattoo on his chest and explored a scrape he hadn’t even known he had. A sound left the back of his throat, and she became aware of just how tightly he was clenching his muscles. He hadn’t wanted her to stop, but that’s exactly what she did. She jerked her hand back as if she’d touched fire.

‘Sorry,’ she said.

‘You can touch me any time you want.’

She held the wadded T-shirt to her chest. ‘I knew you weren’t an accountant.’

He shrugged, and her gaze fell back to his chest.

‘My mother is. You asked me one of the things I’d heard her talk about.’

‘So you have a mother.’

The dryness in her tone drew a smile out of him. Damn. ‘Just put on the T-shirt. Here.’ He caught the material around her waist. The skirt was still hitched up around her, draping down in some spots. It showed off a good length of leg, but he wanted her comfortable. ‘I’ll help you.’

Her vulnerability called to him. She was almost too aware of her surroundings and her defences were way too high. He began to peel the dress off her. He had it down to her hips before she began to dress in a rush.

She discovered quickly that she couldn’t hide her body and pull the T-shirt over her head at the same time. Giving up, she flashed her breasts at him as she pulled the soft cotton material down.

She wasn’t fast enough.

He stopped her and pulled the T-shirt back up. Her breast was bared and her nipple tightened. He saw it, but that wasn’t what had his attention.

He turned to snap on the desk lamp.

His jaw set when he saw it hadn’t been a play of shadows. There were bruises on her ribs.

He placed his hand on them protectively and stared hard at her face. ‘Looks like I’m not the only one who’s clumsy.’

‘It’s from the gym.’

He dared her to lie to him, but her chin came up.

‘It is.’

He rubbed the fading bruise, wanting to make it go away. ‘It better be.’

He pushed her dress over her hips and to the floor. He took her panties down with it for good measure. They were stretched and probably ruined anyway.

He swept his thumbs over her hip bones as he searched for any more marks or welts. A slow burn was rising inside him. She shoved his T-shirt down over his hands, but he took his time checking her out. He was a guy. He was supposed to be tough. Her soft skin shouldn’t be marred.

There was dampness on her thighs, evidence of their lovemaking, but no bruises. He refused to get distracted and kept going until he found the contusion on her shin.

‘What gym?’ he demanded.

‘One by my apartment.’

‘What are you doing? What equipment?’

‘No equipment.’ She shifted uncomfortably. His T-shirt swam around her, but her shape was clear. She had a killer body, but it was more than just dieting. She was strong. Sleek.

‘I do Muay Thai.’

His head snapped back. She couldn’t have shocked him more if she’d said she was a bull-rider. Pilates or yoga seemed more her speed. What was she doing taking a combat martial arts class?

Her chin rose. ‘I’m good.’

‘I bet you are.’ He was glad to hear it. He just wanted to know why she felt the need. ‘Why do you work here, Rielle? Why an escort service?’

She was a nice girl. Too nice for such a dangerous and potentially illegal field, even if they’d just gotten all sexy and naughty together.

Her lips pressed flat, and her jaw took on a stubborn set. He wasn’t the only one with secrets, but this one he didn’t like. Her instincts for self-protection were something he applauded, but the reason they were there was something else entirely.

She stepped back from him and wrapped her arms around her waist.

He didn’t tell her how it pulled the T-shirt over her breasts and made the shape of her nipples clear.

They were still stiff. Probably sensitive.

The zipper of his jeans began to feel too tight.

‘Are you ever going to tell me why we were at the White House?’ she asked.

‘No.’

‘It was for that woman, right? The one with RBF.’

He wrapped his fingers around the edge of the desk. She was too sharp for her own good.

And way too far away.

He pushed himself to his feet and her breath caught. Her hands opened against his chest as he dipped his head. He had her in a kiss before she could say another word.

And damn if it wasn’t even better than he remembered.

He spread his hands low on her hips and pulled her in. He rocked against her, and her nails bit into his chest. He began walking her towards the big leather sofa. It was something else that hadn’t escaped his notice.

‘Again?’ she squeaked.

‘Probably won’t be the last,’ he warned.

His lips tangled with hers. Her mouth was warm and soft, but it was the way she responded that made the top of his head nearly come off.

‘I like the way you kiss.’ Holding her tight, he followed her down onto the sofa.

She stretched beneath him and wound her arms around him. ‘Me too.’

He smiled fast, and kissed her before she realised she’d let him see beneath the surface again.

She’d just put his T-shirt on, but it was time for it to come off. He worked it over her head and felt her hands pulling at his zipper. He opened the button to turn the denim loose, and she slid her hand inside. His chin dropped to his chest, and his biceps bulged as he held himself still above her.

At least they weren’t going to fight about this. They took pleasure in each other’s bodies. There was no reason why they shouldn’t.

She cupped his balls and used her thumb on them. He gritted his teeth. She might be suspicious and wary, but he was goddamn happy she wasn’t afraid of him.

He’d never hurt her. Ever.

She wrapped her fingers around his cock.

‘Pump it,’ he said gruffly. He was already throbbing. He worried he wouldn’t be able to hold on, but he had to feel it.

She stroked him up and down, squeezing harder as she gained more confidence.

‘Just like that.’

He kissed her hard, and her tongue slid against his lower lip. He growled and took a taste of his own. God, she was hot.

He cupped a hand over one of her full, perfect breasts and kissed his way down to her chest. He scraped his teeth across her breastbone, and she arched like a bow when he did the same to her nipple. He’d worked her with his hands, but he hadn’t tasted her yet. He wanted to feel that nub tighten under his tongue until it was so stiff that she squirmed.

He locked his mouth over her and tugged insistently. She let out a cry.

‘Oh. That’s – I can’t – yes!’

He did it again, and she squeezed his cock hard.

He groaned. He plumped up her other breast and when his mouth dropped, he took his time. He sucked at her until she was rolling her head against the armrest and groaning in rising pleasure.

When he saw the bruises again, he gentled. He placed open mouth kisses across every inch of her marred skin and looked for any he might have missed. He’d have to get her in full light to do it right, and he fully intended to do so.

But right now they had other pressing matters to attend to.

He pushed himself upright until he had one foot on the floor and his other knee braced on the sofa between her legs. The sight of her hand still stuffed down the front of his jeans was just about the hottest thing he’d ever seen, but he didn’t want to jack off in her hand.

He needed to be inside her again. He needed to feel her body clenching at his, accepting him and letting him in deep.

‘We need to move this along.’

He pushed down his jeans and swept his hands along her inner thighs. He felt them tremble, but then she pulled her knees up to her chest, opening to him fully.

He petted her. He circled her clit with his finger, and her body jerked. He carefully pressed his thumb to it and sank two fingers into her. Her pussy clamped down on them and her hips rose sharply.

‘Why you?’ she panted. She swept her thumb over the head of his cock. ‘What is wrong with me?’

‘There’s nothing wrong with you.’

She let out a murmur of need, and he let her guide him to where she wanted him. He lowered himself upon her and watched her eyes as he penetrated her and then slid home deep.

She clutched at his back, and her eyes glazed over.

She felt more than good. She made him feel real. Connected. He’d started to lose that feeling, and he couldn’t help but hold tight and cling to it. To her.

It was crazy to get this close. She was a good girl, the white-picket-fence kind. She shouldn’t get involved with someone like him. It was dangerous for both of them, but he needed this night. He needed her to pull him back.

And he was getting the feeling she needed him to pull her back into the real world, too.

‘Rielle.’ He began to work in and out of her. Slowly, steadily. She moaned and when she looked at him, her eyelids were heavy. Dreamy.

She needed to dream again. He needed to make her.

‘Tell me your name.’ She ran kisses along his chest as he hovered over her, and her hands raked down his back. Their stomachs rubbed together as he keep his thrusts steady and smooth.

The effort to not take her hard and fast again was making his lower back knot, but he refused to rush this.

‘Ahhh,’ she cried. ‘Please?’

He kissed her.

On and on, he fucked her. She was so slick and soft. Her heels dug into his back as she pulled her legs higher. Her fingernails bit into his shoulders, and her thighs were like lock bars around his ribcage when she came.

He watched the pleasure blur her features. They softened and her body melted beneath him. She let out a full-throated moan, and he finally gave in.

His hips slammed home, but it only took a few strokes before he was ejaculating hard. He ground into her to extend it as long as he could. Finally, he let his weight drop upon her.

Oh, yeah, following his instincts and coming here had been a good idea. The best.

She relaxed beneath him. Her hand was stroking his hip, but she didn’t do this often. He could tell. She might work at an escort service, but she didn’t sleep around.

He liked that she slept with him – even if she didn’t understand why she was giving in to their attraction.

Suddenly, she stiffened. He went on the alert and heard the knocking a moment after she did.

‘Shit. The pizza.’ He didn’t have the energy to get up.

He held her pinned until she began to wiggle. ‘I’ll get it.’

He rose up and looked at her like she was crazy. ‘The hell you will.’

Nobody else was going to see her this way. He had no right to feel possessive, but tonight wasn’t about the real world. Tonight, she was his.

Bare-chested and barefooted, he answered Luxxor’s front door. He paid the pizza boy and eyed him carefully. ‘Did Security give you any trouble?’

‘Nah. They knew a lady was still up here.’

The kid could put two and two together. He tried to peer into the office for an equally unclad woman, but no way in hell was that going to happen.

‘You never saw me. Got it?’

The kid’s eyebrows rose when he saw his tip. ‘Right. Thanks, man.’ He ducked away quickly. ‘Good luck.’

Good luck.

He considered that. The last two nights were some of the best luck he’d had in a very long time. He wondered how long he could extend his streak.

When he turned, he saw Rielle peeking around the corner. She was wearing his T-shirt again. It hit her at mid-thigh. She was rubbing a foot against the opposite shin and watching the window by the door.

‘He’s gone.’

They were alone.

‘It smells good,’ he said. ‘Want to eat?’

She hesitated for a moment.

‘This way.’ She moved past the lobby and any more seeing eyes, and he followed her to the break room. She turned on a light in there, and he closed the blinds. They washed up and she found paper plates, napkins and sodas.

She opened the box. ‘Not quite the spread we had last night.’

He looked at her wearing nothing but his grey T-shirt. Her hair was mussed, and he’d kissed off all her lipstick long ago. ‘This is better.’

Her gaze flicked away nervously, but when he sat at the table she followed. He gave her a slice before getting one of his own, and they ate in silence.

‘You have to tell me how you got into our computer database,’ she finally said.

He took a sip of cola. She was right. That backdoor could hurt Luxxor and, by extension, her. It had been a last-minute plan that had fallen apart anyway. Mel Summers didn’t exist. He nodded, and she looked surprised.

He wasn’t claiming anything, but it would be fixed.

She relaxed after that, tucking a foot underneath her on the chair. More than once, he caught her eyeing him over the pizza. She blushed when he caught her.

‘Sorry,’ she murmured.

She stood up to put the leftover pizza in the refrigerator. When she turned, he was standing before her again.

‘You were hungry.’

And not only for food.

She had pent-up sexuality that needed to get out. He was more than happy to be the one to help her with that. Watching her face, he slid his hand up her side and covered her breast. ‘Is there a shower in that bathroom I saw back there?’

Her eyes widened, but she nodded.

He brushed his thumb over her nipple. ‘Want to get wet with me?’

He went still when she smoothed her hands over his chest. She lifted herself up onto her tiptoes, and his heart was pounding hard when she kissed him.

‘Yes.’

They made love in the shower and this time he checked her over from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet. The bruises he found were the only ones she had. They were consistent with Muay Thai, but he still didn’t like the idea of her throwing herself into the sport like that.

When she dropped to her knees before him, though, he was pretty happy about the enthusiasm she had for that.

Her mouth was wet and hot, and her tongue was agile. She cupped his balls as she sucked him into her mouth. She took him deep and her head bobbed. His hands locked tight in her hair until he felt his balls draw up tight. Catching her under the arms, he lifted her and pinned her against the wall.

He was inside her and pumping hard before she even got her legs wrapped around him.

He closed his mouth over hers, and she kissed him back desperately as his hips bucked and her breasts bounced.

It was fast, it was raw and it was wet. It was over too soon, and it left them both breathless.

He turned off the shower and caught her hand. ‘Come on, it’s getting late. Let me take you home.’

She surprised the hell out of him by stiffening. She pulled her hand away from his and grabbed a towel. ‘I can get there.’

He stood dripping onto the floor mat and stared at her. ‘Did you drive today?’

If that was the problem, he’d ride with her. He could find his way back.

She wrapped the towel around herself and tucked the end in over her breasts.

‘I took the Metro.’

‘Then I’m driving you home.’ It was late. He didn’t want her wandering around the subway system on her own.

Her shoulders set. ‘That’s all right.’

He frowned. ‘I don’t want you on the Metro this late.’

‘And I don’t want you to know where I live.’

He let his hands drop. They’d already been as intimate as a man and woman could get, and it had all been consensual. Yet her home was too personal to share?

She still didn’t feel safe with him.

Smart woman, although it stung.

He yanked a towel off the rack so hard it snapped. She flinched, but moved out of his way when he picked up his jeans. He dried off fast and got dressed. She wouldn’t meet his gaze as she blotted her hair.

Was she waiting for him to just leave?

‘All right,’ he said sharply. He already knew where she lived. He’d followed her home last night, but she didn’t need to know that. ‘Then get one of the Security guys to take you.’

‘They’re waiting for escorts to check in by now.’

‘One of them can drive you home. After last night, I’m pretty sure they’re going to insist anyway.’

She bit her lip. She knew he was right. ‘OK.’

It was a compromise. He would have preferred to take her home himself. He would have preferred even more to be invited up so he could feel her curling up beside him in bed, but beggars couldn’t be choosers.

He was lucky he’d gotten the scraps she’d thrown his way.

‘Get dressed. I’ll clean up.’ He grabbed another towel and stalked out.

She really didn’t want him taking her home. But why? They’d already had sex. There was no pressure there. Did she have someone waiting for her?

His jaw hardened, but he quickly rejected the idea. She worked late every night, as far as he could tell. The long hours crossed a kid off the list. Nobody had called to see when she’d be home. If she did have a significant other, the guy deserved to be kicked to the kerb.

He knew his excuse, but why did she have to keep so many secrets?

He stewed on it as he wiped down the sofa in her boss’s office and made sure the furniture was replaced where it had been. He heard a hairdryer turn on behind him. He straightened the chair at the desk, collected his phone and wiped the fingerprints off the windows. He knew how to leave no trace behind.

He picked up her work dress, bra and shoes. She looked at him in surprise when he returned to the bathroom to hand them to her.

The look on her face ticked him off. They’d done a lot of things together, but they’d never been awkward with each other.

‘What do you want to do with the dress?’

The party dress’s poor condition would draw attention – especially from the woman who’d charged in last night wearing sky-high stilettos.

‘I need to take it to the cleaners.’

‘Perfect.’ Let the professionals get rid of the evidence of what they’d done.

She, apparently, wanted to scrub the rest of it clean, too.

He scraped back his hair. Why the hell was he being so pissy about this? He’d known it was a one-night stand. He was lucky she’d let him touch her at all. ‘They’ couldn’t happen.

He swore under his breath.

He bundled up the frothy green material and looked around for any other betraying signs.

She cast a shadow across the carpeting when she stood in the bathroom doorway. Her professional garb was back in place: shoes on, bra tight and dress zipped all the way to the top. Yet her hair was still damp. It brought his temper down a bit.

She wasn’t used to guys like him. Thank God.

She folded her hands tightly in front of her. ‘You work fast,’ she said quietly.

When he had to.

He nodded towards a splash of pink in front of the sofa. ‘Panties.’

He put his jacket on as she rushed to retrieve the stretched-out slip of nylon. She bunched it up in her hand, and her face flushed. He was well aware she was going commando under that dress. Finding out what lay beneath had been a mission for him.

Her gaze flicked away, and he used the opportunity to pick up the other item he’d left on the chair. He tucked the handgun in the waistband of his jeans at the small of his back and pulled his T-shirt and jacket over the bulge.

‘Coat? Purse?’ He checked the bathroom. She’d put the towels in the hamper and had tidied up in there. He turned off the light and followed her.

She gathered her things quickly and stuffed the dress into a bag.

‘Lock up behind us,’ he instructed as he held the lobby door open for her.

‘Why? It didn’t stop you.’

He liked it that her spirit was returning, but he leaned into her space. ‘I’m special. Lock it.’

He waited to hear the tumblers fall into place. When she turned for the elevator, he fell into step beside her.

‘Call me when you get home so I know you made it there.’

She cast him a glance. ‘I don’t have to check in with you.’

He raked a hand through his hair. ‘Rielle, throw me a bone.’

‘I’ll text you.’

‘Fine.’ He’d take it.

She pushed the button to call the elevator, and he leaned his shoulders against the wall so he could watch her. She was a hard one to figure out. So soft and sweet, yet guarded and tough.

Why couldn’t he have just gotten an escort like he’d planned?

Because he wouldn’t have wanted an escort.

He wanted her. He wanted her so badly, his back teeth ground together.

She stared at the elevator door and held the dress against her chest. ‘Will I see you again?’ she asked so quietly, he almost didn’t hear her.

‘No’ was the correct answer.

But if she was asking…

‘Leave my number in your phone.’

‘The one for Mel?’

‘If I call you, answer this time,’ he said grumpily. ‘Even if it’s only to tell me to fuck off.’

She looked at him sharply, but the elevator arrived and the doors slid open. She stepped inside, but he didn’t follow. She shot a look of concern back at the office.

He shook his head. He wasn’t breaking in again. ‘I don’t think your friends on the first floor would like to see me with you. I’ll take the back way out.’

‘The back way?’

Like most people, she’d developed habits and routes. He, on the other hand, was always looking for the exits.

The doors began to close. ‘Good night, Rielle.’

‘Goodbye,’ she said softly.

Oh, like hell.

He stopped the doors inches before they shut. The warning buzzer went off when he pushed them back open, but he shouldered his way between them.

Her eyes widened, but he caught her by the nape of the neck and pulled her to him. His head dropped, and she lifted her mouth to meet his. The kiss was fiery and emotional. Their tongues tangled, and he nearly picked her up to carry her back to their love nest.

She trusted him enough to let her touch him.

But she didn’t trust him enough to let him take her home.

And that bothered him. It bothered him bone deep.

He pulled back slowly. Her breaths were unsteady, and her eyes were big. After their shower, not a bit of makeup remained, but she was beautiful.

So beautiful, he made himself let her go.

He stepped out of the doors’ path and they closed between them. He shoved his hands in his pockets.

‘Darien,’ he said softly. ‘My name is Darien.’

Chapter Six

The hang-up call came three days later.

Rielle was on the computer, looking through pictures of tattoos. She was hoping she could find some way to identify her mystery man – or at least learn something about him. She’d gotten some up-close looks at the tattoos he sported, one on his chest and another on his biceps. They didn’t look like biker tattoos, and she thankfully hadn’t seen the name of another woman. She didn’t know what they meant, or if they had meaning to anyone but him. She was just grasping at stray straws.

Besides, she’d liked them. They’d been sexy, in a menacing way. He’d had a paw-and-claw mark on his chest and a tribal armband around his biceps. Then again, everything about the man was a turn-on.

Which, obviously, blew out every rational brain cell in her head.

She cleared her throat when the second ring cut through her musings. ‘Hello?’

Silence greeted her from the other end of the line.

She crossed her legs and turned in her chair. ‘Hello?’ she repeated. ‘Is anyone there?’

This time she heard something. Not quite background noise, but it wasn’t words.

‘I’m sorry, we seem to have a bad connection.’

As soon as she said it, she knew it wasn’t the truth, because the sound became clearer. There was someone on the line. She could hear them breathing. It wasn’t heavy breathing. Someone was just out there, listening to the sound of her voice.

A bad vibe went through her, and she looked at the caller ID.

For a moment, she was confused. Then her fingers clenched around the phone. She stood up quickly. It was her own name on the screen. ‘Who is this?’ she demanded.

The tattoos on her computer screen caught her attention, and a tiny bit of hope flared. ‘Mel?’

She heard a sharp grunt against her eardrum, but then the call was cut off abruptly.

The silence was almost worse.

She put the receiver down and took a step back. Her thoughts raced. Her stranger? No. Or at least she didn’t think so. He wouldn’t give her his name, but he spoke to her. A random crank call? Maybe. They hadn’t asked for Luxxor, and she hadn’t given out the company’s name, either. She didn’t do that.

She spun on the balls of her feet when she heard someone behind her, and her hands came up in the defensive position.

‘Hey, Rielle. I’m going to head out a little early tonight.’ Sienna was busy re-clipping her barrette into her hair. ‘Jason and I are going to a Caps game.’

Rielle let the air out of her lungs. Nina had already headed out, too. She glanced at the phone and a prickly feeling caught her between the shoulder blades. ‘I’ll walk out with you.’

Sienna blinked, but then nodded. ‘Good, you’ve been working too hard anyway.’

Rielle would hardly call what she’d been doing after hours work. Except that, around here, that’s exactly what their work was.

‘I just don’t have much waiting for me at home,’ she confessed. ‘Give me a second.’

She sat down again, eyeing the phone like a snake, and began shutting down her computer.

Sienna cocked her head. ‘Are you getting a tattoo?’

‘What?’ Rielle cringed when she realised the webpage that was still up on the screen. ‘No, not me.’

She grabbed her purse from her bottom drawer. ‘I’m ready.’

‘I was going to say…those were a bit buff for you.’ Sienna’s brow furrowed as they walked into the hallway. ‘Are you OK? You seem stressed.’

Rielle locked the door and gave the handle an extra jiggle. If an office was empty in a building, would anyone break in? ‘I am,’ she admitted.

Why not? In the past few days, she’d caused a commotion within Luxxor by going out with a man who didn’t seem to exist. She’d had sex with that same man in her boss’s office and had helped him evade company Security. Yes, she was stressed. She wasn’t acting like herself at all.

‘You should talk to Nina. I’m sure she’d get you some help if you let her know you’re overloaded.’

They stepped onto the elevator, the same elevator where her stranger had kissed her until her stomach had dropped. She hadn’t caught up with it until she’d made it to the first floor. ‘It’s not work. I like to keep busy.’

‘Then what is it?’ Sienna frowned when she came to the obvious conclusion. ‘Your mystery man?’

Rielle shrugged, but then bit her lip. Sienna was her friend as well as her coworker, but Rielle was a private person. What had happened between her and her stranger had definitely been private.

‘Has Detective Morgan found out anything more about him?’

‘No, but I think maybe he should stop.’

‘Why?’

‘The mystery man is gone.’

She hadn’t believed him when he’d said goodbye, especially after that kiss, but three days had passed and she hadn’t heard from him.

And how twisted was that? He was a stranger who had waltzed into and out of her life. He’d taken liberties she never should have allowed. He should scare her. He should make her question her judgement. She shouldn’t miss him.

‘Are people still asking you about him and that photo?’

‘No…’ The photo.

The elevator opened onto the first floor, but Rielle didn’t move.

No, it couldn’t be. It was more than a stretch.

But it had been the first thing she’d thought of when she’d seen her picture staring back at her from the society page. She let out a shaky breath. Could the crank call have been about that?

‘Rielle?’

Her chin snapped up.

Sienna’s eyes narrowed, and her expression darkened. She caught Rielle’s hand and tugged her out of the elevator. Instead of heading to Security to check out, she pulled her aside.

‘What is going on?’ her friend asked pointedly. ‘Did you see him again?’

Rielle shook her head absently. She was jumping to conclusions. Her brain had just been wired to go to bad places. It was one call – from Rielle Sands.

‘Because I saw the pizza box in the refrigerator.’

That brought her attention back around like a whip.

‘You never order food in when you stay late. You grab takeout on the way home.’ Sienna folded her arms across her chest. ‘Did he drop by again the other night?’

Rielle looked at her, dumbfounded. They’d been so careful to leave no evidence behind. She was being outed by pizza? It wasn’t as bad as Nina finding her panties under her desk, but it was incriminating.

‘Oh, my God.’ Sienna’s eyes widened. ‘He did!’

‘Don’t tell Nina. Please.’

‘Then he was here again? He got by Security?’

‘But…You acted like you knew…’

‘I was just guessing. We eat like birds around here, and that pizza was tempting.’ Sienna raked a hand through her hair, bumping her barrette askew again. ‘Oh, Rielle. What have you gotten yourself into?’

Rielle’s chin dropped. She shouldn’t have said anything. ‘I don’t know.’

She’d been making so many bad decisions.

‘Did he do anything?’ Her friend caught her by the arm. ‘Are you OK?’

‘I’m fine. Really.’

‘What did he want? Is he harassing you?’

Oh, God. Could it get any worse? Rielle took a short walk and came back. ‘He just wanted to…talk.’

Sienna gasped. ‘You like this guy.’

‘I just don’t think we need to go hunting him down.’

‘The tattoos! You two weren’t talking.’

Rielle’s cheeks flared so hot, she knew they had to be bright red.

‘Oh, my God. Rielle, nobody can find out any information on this guy. He’s like a ghost. He’s not someone you should get involved with.’

‘I’m not.’ Honestly. It had been three days now, and he’d been exactly what Sienna had called him. A ghost.

‘He’s dangerous,’ her friend insisted. ‘Has he even told you his name yet?’

‘No.’ But he wasn’t dangerous.

And that was a flat-out lie.

She remembered the scars she’d found on his body, including the bullet wound on his chest. Her fingers curled into her palms.

OK, the man was dangerous, possibly lethal. She didn’t know if he fell on the side of good or evil or if the two could even be distinguished any more.

But he was protective of her. Of that, she was certain. He’d broken into the office to make sure she was OK, and she’d felt him watching her until Security had tucked her into the back seat of their car to drive her home. Between then, they’d made crazy, passionate love…had hot, sweaty, urgent sex…

‘Wow,’ Sienna said quietly. ‘You are hung up on this guy.’

Rielle realised she’d gone away in her thoughts for too long. She rubbed her hand over her face. ‘He’s got me so messed up.’

If he was a bad man, wouldn’t she have been able to feel it? To sense it somehow?

But wasn’t that what all the clueless neighbours said in newscasts when people turned out to be heartless thugs? He’d broken into their office. He’d hacked into their computers. He had so many secrets.

‘Oh, hon.’ Sienna wrapped an arm around her shoulders and squeezed. ‘I know all about falling for a bad boy.’

‘I don’t even know if he’s bad.’

Sienna smiled conspiratorially. ‘You just know he’s very, very good.’

Rielle shot a worried look at Security.

Sienna sighed. ‘I want you to be happy, but you have to be careful.’

‘I always am.’

Or she used to be.

The reminder made her stop. ‘You go on ahead. I need to talk to Mr Howard.’

Sienna lifted an eyebrow. The man was the Security night manager.

‘About something else.’

Her friend watched her until she decided she was telling the truth. ‘OK. You relax tonight.’

‘I will,’ Rielle lied.

She’d try, but too many worries were piling upon her. There was her stranger, and then there was the new concern that had just reared its ugly head.

Out of the two, it was the latter that made fear knot in her stomach.

She marched straight to the Security desk. ‘Hello, Mr Howard.’

‘Good evening, Rielle. Do you need a ride home?’

‘N– yes, that would be nice.’ She abruptly changed her mind when she remembered the sounds of those breaths in her ear. ‘And it might not be anything, but I just received a strange call upstairs.’

The big man’s eyes hardened. ‘You tell me everything about it.’

Another call came the next day. The following day there were three. It didn’t matter who answered on Luxxor’s end, the caller remained silent. Somehow that was creepier than if he’d said anything at all.

Other odd things started to happen, too. One of the escorts who drove a grey SUV similar to Rielle’s thought she was being followed home one night, and the alarm on the side door by the freight elevator had randomly gone off one day. The most frightening thing, though, was also the most obscure. When Rielle picked up Nina’s dress from the dry cleaners, she found it had already been paid for. She’d been touched by the sweet gesture until she’d found the note that had been left behind.

‘I will always find you.’

Those five little words had sent a chill down her spine. Was that flirtation or a threat? Her stranger hadn’t been with her when she’d dropped off the dress – but a photo of it had been published in the paper. Somebody had to have called around to DC dry cleaners until it had been found. That wasn’t a sweet gesture.

It was obsession.

Her stranger was just that to her, a stranger, but she knew someone else who was that compulsive. That controlling. The gut instinct she’d felt when she’d first seen the newspaper photograph returned. It was reverberating stronger and louder.

Was it her mystery man causing the commotion? Or was Eddie back?

Rielle used her lunch hour to go for a long walk. Dressed in yoga gear and tennis shoes, she intended to work up a sweat.

The tension that had been building inside her needed to break.

She inhaled the fresh spring air and set off with a swift stride past the Washington Monument. She was headed to the Tidal Basin to see the cherry blossoms. They were in full bloom, and she could use the serenity.

It had been two weeks now, and the calls had continued to come.

She’d finally broken down and had phoned her schoolteacher friend Alison in Baltimore – who had run into Eddie just a few days before. She knew about their past. She’d never say anything to jeopardise Rielle, but she had said he seemed happy and relaxed, although creepy as ever.

It was his happiness that made Rielle even more uneasy.

Today, she’d had to get out of the office. She’d needed somewhere she could breathe – somewhere the phone wouldn’t ring. She was getting so that she flinched every time someone called, which made her job difficult. She was the office manager. It was her job to greet people and make them feel welcome. Instead, she was looking at everyone with suspicion.

Mr Howard and his Security crew were taking the matter seriously. They’d been keeping track of the calls, including the dates and times. Unfortunately, they weren’t having much luck tracking down the person behind them.

Because each and every crank call identified the caller as Rielle Sands.

Rielle blew out a long breath and pumped her arms faster.

There was no describing the sick feeling that came over her when she saw her name on her own caller ID screen. It was as if the caller wanted to make sure she was aware that he knew her name, and that this was about her.

Whatever ‘this’ was.

She was afraid she knew. She’d shared her fears with Nina and the Security team, but they both had a preoccupation with her mystery man. They were sure there had to be some connection.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t feeling a connection at all. He’d fallen off the radar ever since the night they’d made love.

She hung a left when she made it to the water and began to power walk along the path that circled the lake. The beauty of the season was in full bloom, and it demanded her attention. White and pink blossoms weighed down every tree within sight. The sight made her shoulders relax from around her ears, and her pace slowed.

Every day she was having a harder time fighting what they told her. Her stranger hadn’t dropped by the office after hours, although admittedly she’d been leaving when everyone else did. She hadn’t wanted to be alone if one of those calls came in.

But there was no way around the fact that the calls had started right after he’d disappeared.

But why would he crank call her? They hadn’t ended things badly…if they’d ended things at all. If he wanted to hear her voice, he had her cell number.

She’d nearly called him a dozen times herself.

But she didn’t know him. She didn’t know his name. All she knew was that he carried scars on his body and could seemingly come and go into secure buildings with ease. He was not the person she should be turning to if she felt scared.

But she wanted to.

A cherry blossom fluttered down from a tree, and she brushed it out of her hair.

Could he be the one harassing her? Had a good roll in the hay blinded her to his darker side?

She shook her head, and her long ponytail flopped. OK, three rolls. It shouldn’t make a difference.

She blew out a breath of exertion. She really didn’t want it to be him.

She wove her way in and out of a crowd of tourists. Cherry blossom season was a big attraction for DC. The trees themselves had been a gift from Japan, and each year the city had a festival to celebrate. Sienna was going to participate in the Cherry Blossom Run, and Nina was involved in the Pink Tie Dance. Tourists had been swarming the place for weeks, and, now that peak blooming season was upon them, people were everywhere.

And she felt like each and every one of them were watching her.

A prickle went down her neck right before her cellphone rang. Stepping off the path, Rielle dug into her pocket for it. She’d told the office where she’d be going. Had something urgent come up?

She looked at the glass screen, and her heart slammed against her ribcage.

Rielle Sands was calling.

This time on her cellphone.

The prickle between her shoulder blades became a cramp as she looked at the people surrounding her. The phone continued to play her ringtone as she turned in circles. She stopped it by swiping the call away. She didn’t need to hear someone inhale and exhale in her ear. She was breathing hard enough as it was.

But the caller refused to be ignored.

The song started to play again.

She refused the call and muted the ringer. She stuffed the phone back into her pocket.

Her breath was coming too raggedly. She was starting to hyperventilate. Bending at the waist, she braced her hands against her thighs and concentrated on slowing down. She hated the sounds of her own breaths. She pushed herself upright, put her hands on her hips and tried to rein in her fear.

She nearly climbed out of her own skin when a hand settled on her shoulder.

‘Rielle?’

Instinct triggered. Her body reacted. She’d had enough classes that the motor skills took over, and she exploded into action.

She stomped on her aggressor’s foot and brought her elbow back with such force, she felt the impact go up her arm. Turning fluidly, she lifted her arms and braced her weight evenly on the balls of her feet.

She attacked just before she recognised the man who’d come up behind her.

He reacted just as fluidly.

He blocked her blow, and she heard her knuckle pop. He counterattacked with a move so fast it was a blur. She stepped back, trying to keep a distance between them, but she was soon caught up in a clinch that barely allowed her to breathe.

‘Whoa, whoa, whoa,’ a familiar voice said into her ear. ‘What’s going on here?’

Rielle knew she shouldn’t. She should stay on guard, but she couldn’t. The pressure and tension of the last two weeks snapped, and she sagged against him.

‘I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was you.’

‘Who did you think it was?’

She shook her head, her throat suddenly clogging. Wrapping her arms around him, she buried her face against his chest.

The bare arms around her relaxed, and he cupped the back of her neck.

‘Rielle? What’s wrong?’

She shook her head. ‘I’m sorry I hit you.’

‘It’s OK. I shouldn’t have come up behind you like that.’

She took a steadying breath. ‘I barely moved you.’

His fingers gently massaged the muscles in her neck. ‘You did all right. You just hesitated. When you start a move, you need to commit and follow all the way through.’

She looked up at him. She was surprised again at his height and his sturdiness. He was a rock. She was lucky he hadn’t knocked her into next week, but he’d pulled back, too.

He’d made it seem easy.

She’d put her instructor on the ground more than once. ‘You know Muay Thai.’

His gaze swept over her face, making her wonder if her colour had come back at all.

‘I know some.’

She put both hands on his muscled chest and pushed out of the embrace. ‘Liar. You know all of it.’

One corner of his mouth lifted in a self-conscious smirk, but he didn’t confirm or deny.

Always evasive.

Always an enigma.

Rielle jumped when a phone rang, and the smirk fell from his face. She heaved a sigh of relief when he pulled his phone out of his jeans. The look in his eyes turned sharp.

‘Yeah?’ he said, watching her steadily. ‘I know. Deal with it. I’m busy.’

He tucked the phone away without another look and swung his arm around her waist. ‘You. Over here. Now.’

He sat her down on a bench alongside the path and planted one foot on the seat beside her. Bracing his forearm against his thigh, he leaned in.

‘What’s the story? Why are you so jumpy?’

Rielle tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. ‘Because I have you showing up at every turn.’

A muscle in his jaw flexed, and she immediately felt sorry. She dropped her head into her hands and rubbed her temples. ‘It’s not you. I’m sorry I snapped.’

‘Is it your boss? Is she still giving you a hard time?’

‘No.’ Nina had been great. She’d even had calls from the main line redirected to her when she was in.

‘The cop then. Is he still looking for me?’

‘No. Maybe. I don’t know.’

‘But that’s not it,’ he surmised. His jaw worked, and she could nearly see the gears in his head turning.

She looked away. The man saw too much. He’d seen things in her she hadn’t known were still there.

He held out his hand and snapped his fingers. ‘Phone. Hand it over.’

Damn.

She nearly refused. She still didn’t know if he was the caller.

But she knew. He had nothing to do with it.

It was either hand over her phone or have him wrestle for it. She’d wrestled with him before, and she knew who would end up on top.

She gave him her phone and wrapped her fingers around the edge of the park bench. Nervously, she looked at the people walking past them. She peered over her shoulder to look past the pretty trees. Was her caller still watching?

Had he been watching her at all?

Her mystery man went immediately to her recent calls. She’d never doubted the intelligence behind those eyes. He’d put two and two together.

He frowned when he looked at the call info. ‘Rielle Sands?’

Those baby blues focused on her. ‘You called yourself?’

She shook her head jerkily.

‘Spoofing,’ he muttered.

Was that what it was called?

He swept the call list up, looking through the entries. His eyebrow lifted ruefully and, when she looked at her phone, she saw ‘Mel’ spelled out upside down.

Rielle crinkled her nose. He was the only male on the list other than Detective Morgan. ‘Don’t get cocky.’

That earned a wicked smile from him. ‘You sure?’

Standing as he was, his crotch wasn’t that far away. Rielle blushed, and her gaze flicked away.

He handed back her phone, and she fiddled with it. With a sigh, he sat down beside her. The side of his leg pressed against hers. Big, solid, protective. ‘I take it that’s not the only call you’ve received.’

‘It’s the first on my cellphone.’

‘Where have the others come in? Home landline?’

‘Luxxor.’ She met his gaze. ‘We don’t publish that number. It’s as unlisted as you can get.’

‘But clients have it.’

She nodded. She hadn’t really considered that.

‘How many calls have you had?’

‘I don’t know. Too many. Security is tracking them – or trying to.’

‘What does the caller say?’

‘Nothing. He just breathes.’

‘You can tell it’s a man?’

‘I – it feels like a man.’

‘How long has this been going on?’

‘Two weeks, and I think someone has been following me.’

He went quiet. ‘You thought it was me.’

She pressed her lips together. ‘Nina and Security do.’

‘Rielle, I haven’t even been in the country. Shit.’ He bit off a curse.

Something inside her perked up and took notice. He wasn’t supposed to tell her that – but he had. He was slipping when he was around her, and that made her unexpectedly happy. Maybe she was screwing with his head too.

‘I don’t know what to think.’ She turned towards him, tucking a leg underneath her. ‘You won’t tell me your name. You slip in and out of Luxxor like it’s child’s play. I don’t know you.’

His expression was hard. ‘You know that I would never hurt you or intentionally scare you. You know that.’

The look he gave her was so intense and intimate, her stomach clenched. ‘I –’

She didn’t know anything.

Rielle went cold on the inside when she caught sight of a woman walking down the path amongst the throng of tourists. Only now did she realise that she’d nearly made it to the Jefferson Memorial. The pack of eager visitors ooh’d and ahh’d over the pretty pink blossoms and the impressive monument, but all she saw was a dark-haired woman with olive skin.

It was the woman from the White House reception…the woman he’d been watching so carefully…

Rielle stood up fast. Stars filled her vision, but she put distance between them before her head cleared. Follow through, he’d told her. Don’t hesitate.

It was good advice.

He was already on his feet, reaching for her. ‘Rielle?’

She held up her hands and backed away. ‘I’ve got to go.’

‘What the hell?’

‘I…I’ve got to get back to work.’

Turning, she nearly broke into a run. How could she be sure that he wasn’t the one calling her? He was still tracking that woman.

‘We need to talk.’

Darien texted Rielle as he waited outside her apartment building. He knew she’d hate like hell that he was here, but she hadn’t been at Luxxor when he’d gone to find her. She’d left on time for once, but he didn’t know where she’d gone from there.

Contrary to what she thought, he wasn’t trailing her.

Yet.

After today, he was reconsidering.

‘No.’ The message that came back was clear and simple, but it was a response. That was more than he’d gotten all night. He’d tried calling more times than he’d like to admit, but she either had her phone muted to avoid the crank calls or she was screening him.

His shoulders unkinked. The terse answer made him feel better. Anger he could take.

He slid the phone back into his pocket and waited in the shadows. The night air was damp, but spring was here. He was good at waiting. She’d come home eventually.

He planted a foot against the wall behind him and used it to prop him up.

‘Show yourself, you little dweeb.’

He kept his gaze on the cars passing by and the pedestrians moving along the sidewalk. He paid particular attention to anyone who lingered or had a camera or video phone. Hell, these days that was everybody, but he was looking for anyone who stood out. Anyonesuspicious. He didn’t know if her heavy breather kept his harassment to the digital world or if he was looking to expand.

A bad feeling rumbled inside Darien’s chest. The asshole had definitely gotten under her skin. He didn’t like seeing her scared. And the idea that she’d thought he was behind the calls? He couldn’t stomach it.

A car pulled up at the kerb, and the driver hurried around to open the back door. Darien’s chin came up when he saw Rielle take the man’s hand and rise out of the car.

Who the hell was this?

Another set of long legs appeared, and a tall blonde exited the car too. Out of the other back door came a guy with shoulders a mile wide and a jaw that looked like it could crack fists if anyone took a swing at it.

Darien’s eyes narrowed. The man looked familiar.

He watched closely, not liking having the guy around Rielle. He looked like a tough son of a bitch. She was vulnerable right now, too susceptible to someone with strength like that. Someone who would be able to protect her, but might not have her best interests at heart.

Darien’s thumbs were hooked in the pockets of his jeans, but his fingers curled.

As icy as she looked, the blonde gave Rielle a warm hug. The woman was beautiful. Stunning, but he preferred the pretty girl-next-door type. The type with long light-brown hair.

His fingers curled all the way into fists when she turned towards Mr Tough Guy. Instead of pulling her into an embrace, the guy clucked her affectionately under the chin. His arm swung around the blonde’s waist, and she practically melted against his side.

Darien’s fingers unclenched. All right, that was better. Almost acceptable.

Until the guy rubbed Rielle’s arm. His face was serious, and she nodded obediently.

Darien nearly came off the wall. If she needed protection, he was going to be the one to provide it – not Mr Rough and Tough Woman Magnet. The guy turned so the streetlamp lit him better, and Darien’s unhappiness grew when he saw the guy’s craggy good looks and…a limp? It was slight, but the guy had a limp.

The back of Darien’s head bumped against the brick masonry. Holy hell. That was Jason Sloan.

The three said their goodbyes, and the Sloan Gunman and the Nordic Goddess got back into their car. The driver pulled away from the kerb as Rielle walked towards the building entrance.

He stepped out of the shadows well before she got there so he wouldn’t startle her. ‘Know many famous hockey players?’ he asked.

She stopped a good ten feet away from him with her keys in hand. He saw her slip one between her fingers as she curled her hand into a fist.

Good girl.

‘What are you doing here?’

‘I told you we needed to talk.’

‘And I told you I didn’t want you knowing where I live. I knew you followed me home the other night. You’ve been following me everywhere.’

‘This afternoon was a coincidence.’ It had been a pure fluke that he’d seen her at the Tidal Basin, but their paths had crossed for a reason.

He wasn’t philosophical, but he did believe in fate.

‘I don’t believe you.’

‘I don’t blame you, but it’s the truth.’ She was skittish. He’d known that from the first moment he’d met her, but he didn’t blame her for getting tired of him sneaking up on her. He didn’t mean to do it. It was just the nature of his line of work.

Dubious as it was.

‘I checked at your office, but you weren’t there. After what you told me this afternoon, I got uneasy. Sue me.’

‘I just might.’

He scowled. She was trying to skirt around him to get to the door. The building was a fortress – he’d checked it out – but the doorman was based at a reception desk inside. It was a major fault in the system. Tenants had to enter the building before they were under a watchful eye. There were cameras, but they had blind spots – like the one over his head.

He jerked his head towards the kerb. ‘At least you had someone looking out for you.’

She looked over her shoulder uneasily, but then realised he was talking about her ride. ‘I went to dinner with friends, but I don’t have to explain that to you.’

‘He was pretty touchy-feely for a friend.’

‘Who?’ She shook her head. ‘Jason?’

Darien raked a hand through his hair. ‘Well, at least we know he can handle himself.’

She stared at him for a long moment, and her hand with the jagged key dropped to her side. ‘Are you jealous?’

Darien stared at her. His jaw clenched so hard, a muscle popped. Was he jealous of a guy who had money out the wazoo? Someone who could take her out on the town with the public’s eye upon them? Someone he could only pretend to be when the situation called for it?

‘Hell, yes.’

The green-eyed monster inside him was roaring.

Chapter Seven

His response disarmed her. He was in the shadows, but she was in the light and he could see her face. Her cheeks turned pink, and she took a small step back. She adjusted the purse that hung over her shoulder. She didn’t seem to know what to say.

Neither did he.

The tips of Darien’s ears felt hot. Damn it. He could stare down the barrel of a gun without flinching, but this wisp of a thing had the balls of his feet itching. He didn’t understand what was going on between them any better than she did. But yeah, he was jealous.

He fumbled in his pocket and grabbed his phone. ‘Here.’

She looked at it dubiously. ‘What do you want me to do with that?’

‘Look at it.’ He punched through the menus and pulled up his list of recent calls. ‘I’m not your heavy breather. This proves it.’

OK, that wasn’t totally true. She’d made him breathe hard more than a few times, but not over a phone.

Her eyes narrowed, but she approached carefully. She took the phone and scanned the list.

He shoved his hands in his pockets. Letting her see that went against almost every rule he’d been taught. He was letting her past the velvet rope, and he wasn’t entirely comfortable with it. But he’d be damned if he’d let her think he was the one causing her distress.

She went back in the history, looking for her number. The rest should mean nothing to her. What mattered was that the only calls on his phone that matched the ones on hers were from ‘Mel’.

‘Whoa. Hold on there.’ He grabbed his phone back when her nimble fingers tried to navigate to other areas. She didn’t need any more than that. ‘Good try.’

She folded her arms around her waist. ‘That doesn’t prove anything. You could have another phone.’

He glared at her. Seriously? She wouldn’t give an inch with him. ‘Now you’re just being difficult.’

He dug into his pocket again. ‘You want another phone? Here. Another phone.’

The stubborn look on her face faltered, but she didn’t look happy that she’d won. Only she hadn’t. When she checked the new phone’s call history, there was nothing there.

‘It’s a burner phone. For you. Only give the number to people you trust. He shouldn’t be able to find you there.’

The air between them softened. ‘You did this for me?’

‘Yeah.’ He’d also programmed his number in under Mel. It was best for both of them if they kept it that way.

He sighed and raked a hand through his hair. ‘Now tell me more about these calls you’ve been getting.’

She glanced around nervously. The foot traffic around them had dwindled, and the wind had almost subsided. The arrival of spring had brought warmer temperatures, but the stillness around them made her shoulders hunch. She tucked the phone into her purse. ‘I don’t really want to talk about this here.’

‘Then invite me up.’

He waited a beat. And then two. His adrenalin was on the verge of pumping when she licked her lips.

‘No.’

He reined himself in. Seeing her with Jason Sloan had made him territorial, but that wasn’t why he’d come here. He needed to keep on task. ‘You said the calls started on the Luxxor line, right?’

She nodded.

‘Have you noticed any clients who’ve stuck around the office too long? Anyone who likes to talk with you too much? Anyone who might seem more interested in you than his escort?’

‘Yo–’

‘And don’t say me.’

She let out a long breath. ‘A few, but none I can’t handle.’

‘I know you can handle them.’ His ribs were still sore. He’d been on the receiving end of her defensive manoeuvre earlier today. ‘But I want their names.’

She had rock-solid instincts. He’d saw more merit in those than in any call logs and number tracking. Computers just spewed back the data they were given. He’d put more stock in the body language she’d read.

‘I already gave them to the detective.’

‘Then you can give them to me too. I also want the ones who’ve been dismissive or curt or generally give you a bad feeling.’

She touched a blossom on the tree beside them. It was another cherry tree, with blossoms that hung still and heavy. A blanket of them covered the sidewalk beneath her feet like snow. ‘Most of our clients are very nice. Quiet. Some are embarrassed. They don’t want to draw attention to why they’re there.’

‘And you’re nice to them.’

‘I’m polite. It’s my job.’

‘Well, someone noticed.’

She pushed her hair over her shoulder, and he saw a tremble in her hand. ‘I don’t know who. Honestly, most of them are harmless.’

His eyes narrowed. ‘Harmless? Rielle, you do know that you work in the sex industry, right?’

She gaped at him before her mouth closed with a snap. She looked around hurriedly. ‘Be quiet!’

He stepped towards her, but stopped when he remembered the camera. Shit, the ways she played with his head. ‘What do you think happens when those couples leave that fancy office of yours?’

She folded her arms in upon herself.

‘They’re not all going to royal balls or having high tea.’

‘Some of them are,’ she hissed.

‘Beauty,’ he said patiently. ‘They’re dropping drawers and doing the nasty.’

She flinched. Hard. But then she threw up her hands and started to march past him fast.

He hooked his arm about her waist and pulled her back into the shadows with him. ‘You need to wake up. Someone is obsessing over you, and you work in a dangerous field. I don’t care if you do sit at a desk all day.’

‘You think my job is dangerous? You’re the one with bullet wounds.’

His hand tightened round her waist. She was too observant for his sanity. ‘It’s not going to attract the best people as clientele.’

‘It attracted you.’

‘I rest my case.’

She stomped her foot. ‘Stop. I feel safer working at Luxxor than I did working with third-graders. Just stop it.’

Whoa. That little bombshell threw his thoughts off track. ‘You were a grade-school teacher?’

The colour bled from her face. ‘It’s none of your business,’ she said hoarsely.

Maybe not, but he found it intriguing as hell. How ever had she gone from eight-year-old innocents to the world of callgirls?

She stood stiffly in front of him. ‘You need to go now.’

‘Oh, no. We’re just getting to the good stuff.’

‘It’s not anyone at Luxxor,’ she said flatly. ‘I think.’

A flare lit inside his gut. She knew more than she was saying, or she had a hunch. ‘Then who is it?’

He dipped his head and made her meet his eyes.

‘I don’t know. Not for sure.’

‘But you’ve got an idea.’ One that scared her pretty badly. ‘Who’s behind this, Rielle? Come on, tell me.’

‘My ex.’

The flare went off inside Darien’s head like a botched fireworks display, and he struggled not to let it show. Her ex. Someone who should have protected her and cared for her. Loved her. ‘What’s his name?’

‘Eddie Hamilton.’

‘Where does he live?’

‘Baltimore.’

‘Why do you suspect him?’

‘Because he’s done it before.’

A muscle in Darien’s jaw knotted. ‘He’s stalked you before?’

She pushed her hair over her shoulder and looked everywhere but at him. ‘He tried to control me and take over my life, but I…moved away.’

She’d run away. Darien could see the fear in her eyes. Had the bastard tracked her down?

‘Did you tell this to the detective?’

She nodded in little hitches. ‘It’s one of the leads he’s looking into.’

But it was the one that her gut was telling her was the real deal. So Darien would make it his priority.

He rolled his shoulders. It had been bad enough when he’d thought her Luxxor connection was at fault, but an ex-lover? No way was he walking on past this. ‘I can do better than that.’

Her chin inched up. He saw hope on her face, but it was quickly followed with worry. ‘Wha– what are you going to do?’

He took in the look of her. One hand was twisting the strap of her purse and, whether or not she realised it, the other was rubbing her stomach as if it hurt. She was all knotted up over this.

And he wasn’t helping.

He reached out slowly and cupped her face. She looked soft and delicate, but there were lines of stress around her mouth and dark circles under her eyes.

‘How long has it been since you slept?’

The purse strap got another twist. ‘A while.’

Too long, that was clear.

He traced the line of her cheekbone with his thumb. ‘Invite me up.’

The tip of her tongue swept along her lower lip. ‘No.’

He went quiet. ‘OK.’

He dipped his head. When she didn’t pull back, he kissed her. She made a soft sound and her lips moved against his. He eased her into the shadows with him. ‘Then come here.’

The darkness closed around them as he backed his shoulders up against the wall and wrapped his arms around her. He savoured the feel of her under his palms as he stroked her back. Her muscles were stiff and bunched.

That needed to be fixed.

‘I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you needed me.’ He closed his hand over her breast.

She arched into his touch and exhaled sharply. He squeezed until he felt the press of her nipple through her bra.

‘Where did you go?’ she asked breathlessly.

‘Too far away.’ He kissed her again, slower and sexier. On the second pass of his tongue, he felt the tip of hers rub back. A growl rumbled in his chest.

She let out a sound of defeat and wound her arms around his neck. ‘Why do I let you make me go against everything I know?’

‘Because it’s not about this.’ He kissed her forehead. ‘It’s about this.’

He pressed his thigh between her legs until she rode it. Her hips swung forward, and he cupped her bottom to hold her right where she was.

‘It’s the same reason I keep coming back when I know I shouldn’t.’

Footsteps rang out across the tiny courtyard, and Darien’s head snapped up. His hand went to the small of his back, but it was an older woman returning with her groceries. Rielle tucked her head against his chest, and he cupped the back of her head.

They waited, bodies hot and aching, as the woman passed them, none the wiser. He waited for the click of a door before he relaxed.

Only the woman in his arms had gone tense again.

Rolling against the wall, he took one step that switched their positions. If the older woman had seen them, Rielle’s long coat would have hidden most of what they were doing, but he didn’t want anyone watching her.

Anyone but him.

She wiggled in the small space. ‘We should stop,’ she whispered.

‘Probably,’ he agreed, even as he began lifting her skirt.

She gasped and swatted at his hands.

‘But since you won’t let me up to your bed, I’m going to have to find another way to relieve that stress of yours.’

She caught his wrist when his palms swept up her thighs. They quivered, but when he pushed with his knee again, she parted them. Her nails bit, but she wasn’t pushing him away any more.

He turned his hand sideways to span her stomach. It was surging up and down as she tried to control her breaths.

He stared down into her big brown eyes. They were wide with caution, the pupils dilated under the light of the moon. She still wasn’t certain about him.

‘Rielle,’ he sighed. He kissed her full-on and turned his hand. His fingertips slid into her panties. Her skin felt hot. Soft. Feminine.

The kiss turned hungry, and her hold on his wrist gradually loosened. She ran her hands against his chest and timidly pressed her pussy into his hand.

He crowded her as his hand went to work. He buried it wrist-deep in her panties as he cupped her tender flesh. His knuckles scraped against the brick wall as he fisted his other hand in her hair, but he didn’t care.

He ground the zipper of his jeans against her hip. Her skirt was full enough that it kept her covered everywhere except where he had it hitched up to gain access. Yet it swung against his legs as her hips began to rock, giving more than a hint of what was going on.

‘Easy,’ he whispered.

He slid a finger into her and caught her moan with a kiss. Her breaths were coming more harshly now, and so were his.

She was soft inside, and her grip was strong. He pushed another finger into her and felt the way her inner muscles clenched.

She was wet, but not wet enough.

He wanted her knees weak, her muscles limp and her thoughts shut down.

He worked his thumb through her folds until he found her clit. Her hands caught his shoulders convulsively as he rolled the swollen nub.

He worked his fingers deeper, rubbing, tickling and massaging until he found the spot.

‘Ahhh!’

Her cry slipped out and a passing dog walker looked around in confusion.

‘My bad,’ Darien whispered. He sealed his mouth over hers and zeroed in on that magic G-spot.

Rielle came unglued as he held her in his arms. Her dampness drenched his fingers, and her hips worked jerkily. Her mouth pressed against his, and her teeth scraped. She’d spread her legs wide to let him do whatever he wanted to do.

Her hands dropped lower, clenching his sides and then his bottom. She came too close to the small of his back where his gun lay, and he squeezed a third finger inside her to distract her.

It worked. She was so tight, he didn’t want to hurt her, but the extra pinch made her come. He kept his fingers pumping as the orgasm rode through her hard.

Beautiful. She was so beautiful when she let go.

She went limp, and he carefully pulled his fingers out of her. He smoothed her skirt down and tucked her up against his chest.

‘Oh, my God,’ she whispered. She didn’t feel steady on her feet.

‘That’s better,’ he said.

She leaned against him weakly, and he patted her bottom. ‘Now go on upstairs.’

She lifted her head. The wide-eyed deer-in-the-headlights look was gone. In its place were soft, gentle doe eyes that made his erection ache.

‘But…you?’ she whispered.

He’d asked twice if he could come up, and she’d said no. When she let him into her apartment, he wanted her head clear and her decision to be sure.

He just wasn’t a saint. He’d needed to put his stamp on her. Watching her with the hockey stud and hearing about a bad ex had made him defensive. Green-eyed and seeing red.

It still was.

He was up to his neck in intrigue, but she was being threatened. He might not be the best guy for her, but he was done lurking in the background.

He led her to the door and made sure she made it inside safely. ‘Sleep tight, Beautiful. Everything will be better in the morning.’

He was going to make sure of it.

Nina Lockwood sat at her desk with the morning sunlight just brightening in the window behind her. She spread her fingers wide on her desktop and tried to will away the tension headache building between her temples. It wasn’t thudding yet, but she could feel the tightness growing in her neck muscles, and her jaw was beginning to ache.

She was not happy with the way things were spiralling ever more wildly within her company. Too many things had happened recently that were shaking her control. Rielle had gone out as an escort with a man nobody knew. Then the disturbing calls had started. Just last night, one of Luxxor’s escorts had been mugged at the Metro station. The woman’s purse had been stolen, along with her phone and credit cards. She’d ended up with bumps and bruises, but she couldn’t identify her attacker. First and foremost, Nina was concerned for her employee, but that phone contained contact information for Luxxor, for Rielle and even herself.

And now she had this referral to worry about.

She smoothed her fingers across the sturdy oak surface. She knew she’d assumed a certain amount of risk when she’d entered this world, but the request for service disturbed her. It had come in late last night, and mulling over the implications had kept her up into the wee hours. She didn’t want to get involved with these people, yet she wanted even less to offend such a powerful man. In DC, power came in many forms. His was the most definitive. He’d vouched for the gentleman who was coming over to Luxxor right now for services.

But his employees weren’t just men, they were weapons.

She adjusted the blue glass dolphin figurine that sat before her. She refused to put her people in jeopardy. If she didn’t like the feel of this man, she would decline. That was that.

This company was her baby. She’d been there when it had been born, and she’d raised it through the difficult early years. She would not see it come to grief now.

The dolphin glowed in her hands as the morning rays caught it just right, and she saw the hairline crack in the tail. She’d been here every moment, but somehow the weaknesses of her company were being tested. She needed to do a better job containing things.

Starting with this.

Her head popped up when she heard the lobby door in the distance. Well, he was prompt, she’d give him that.

She stood, smoothed her skirt and went to answer the door herself. The muscles in her neck pulled tighter the closer she got to the lobby. When she turned into the entryway, she discovered she wasn’t alone. He’d already entered.

And the force of him made her head begin to thud.

Her toes curled inside her shoes. Well, she wouldn’t have trouble finding an escort who wanted to accompany him. The problem would be finding someone who’d want to do it more than once. The self-preservation instinct was strong, and this one had danger written all over him. He was tall and handsome, but there was a predatory air about him. That crisp grey suit didn’t hide the whipcord strength of his body. The guy was sexy.

No, not sexy. Sexual.

‘Good morning,’ he said in a low tone that made goosebumps pop up on her forearms.

‘Hello,’ she said crisply.

This was her house. She was in charge here.

The big man’s blue gaze went to the reception desk, and they darkened when he saw it was empty. Her fingers clenched against her skirt. Rielle had overslept, and Sienna had attended a Cherry Blossom Festival event last night for Luxxor. She wouldn’t be in the office until after lunch, but Nina wasn’t going to tell this man she was alone.

She pulled back her shoulders and puffed up her chest. It wouldn’t be wise to show weakness in front of someone like him, and she was not weak. ‘Shall we go to my office?’

Where the Security buzzer at her desk would be within reach.

She walked at his side, refusing to have him behind her, and took her seat of power behind the big sturdy desk. He eased his lanky frame into the chair before her, and they faced one another.

‘Can I get you anything? Tea? Coffee?’

‘Let’s just get to it.’

Fine. She didn’t want to drag this out any longer than necessary either.

‘I received your referral, but the information was very brief. Can you tell me what kind of service you’re looking for? Is there a specific event you’re attending? Do you have a preference that could help us make a match? Blonde, brunette or redhead, for instance?’

‘Oh, I have a strong preference, and I have something very specific in mind.’

He sat with both feet on the floor, and his hands lay on the armrests of the chair. It wasn’t exactly a relaxed pose, and his gaze was sharp. His posture was crouched, that’s what it was. He watched her like the predator she’d identified him as. ‘You have a problem, Ms Lockwood. I can help you with that, but you need to help me in return.’

Nina frowned. She had a lot of problems right now, but how did he know about any of them? The toe of her shoe bobbed up and down. ‘What is it that you desire?’

‘Rielle Sands.’

Rielle? Nina felt the words like a punch in the gut. ‘No.’

‘Yes.’

It all became clear in a flash of insight: the infiltration of their database, the circumvention of their security, the inducement of her most practical and cautious employee…

She snapped to her feet, her entire body rigid. ‘You’re the one. You’re the one who took her to the White House reception. You’re the one who’s been calling her!’

The big man leaned forward in his chair and clasped his hands together. The look on his face was dark. ‘No, I’m not. That’s the problem.’

Nina glared at him. She’d worried that he’d put her people at risk, but he’d already done so. She reached for the buzzer, not even trying to hide her intent.

‘Did she tell you The Breather called on her personal cell yesterday?’

The question was quick and sharp. And disturbing. Nina paused with her finger on the button. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘Whoever the bastard is, he got her direct line. You’re not protecting her.’

Nina’s headache squeezed so tightly, she saw stars. ‘Rielle is like a younger sister to me,’ she hissed. ‘I protect her with everything I have. Nobody will hurt her if I can stop it, and that includes you.’

‘So far, you’ve failed.’ His fingers whitened where he had them interlaced. ‘I can get the job done.’

Nina’s eyes narrowed. She worked in the complex field of male–female interaction. She knew the signs, but what she was reading surprised her.

As intimidating as this guy was, and as much as he could back it up, he had a weakness.

He was invested.

In Rielle.

‘How do you know this? You went out with her once. Have you been watching her? Have you been surveilling us?’

‘Just be assured that I know.’

Had he approached Rielle again? Wouldn’t she have told her? Nina pressed her tongue against the roof of her mouth. She had gone a bit haywire that first night. She hated to think Rielle would be afraid to bring something like this to her.

Unless…

‘Have you two been seeing one another?’

‘No.’

But they’d had interactions. Nina suddenly remembered the kiss. She hadn’t thought about it much; she’d just been so happy to see her employee safe and sound. Yet she remembered now the two of them kissing like the night was on fire. She hadn’t even recognised him, the two had been so wrapped around one another.

She spread her fingers on her desktop again and leaned towards him. He wasn’t the only one who could apply pressure to weaknesses. ‘If you want to protect her, why not just do it?’

Honestly, she’d take all the help she could get when it came to protecting her employee. And the enemy of her enemy was her friend. If he could eliminate the problem, she’d have no compunction about him doing so. Luxxor and, more specifically, Rielle just didn’t need to be involved.

‘If I’m to going to protect her, I’ll need to keep her close to me.’

It was subtle, but she saw the way his mouth twisted.

‘But she won’t let you in,’ Nina declared. ‘She doesn’t trust you.’

And that, finally, made sense. Rielle was more than an employee and more than a friend. Nina felt responsible for her, and she knew her psyche. No way would Rielle get involved with a man like this.

But she might be tempted. Behind all the walls she’d erected around herself, she was still a red-blooded woman. Thank God. Nina had worried she’d suppressed all that.

But this man was not the one to draw her out that way. Never.

He rose to his feet. She held her ground, but she did lean back when he planted his hands on his hips.

‘You can arrange it.’

She shook her head. No, she couldn’t. She wouldn’t

‘Assign her to me…or whatever you call it. Make her my escort.’

‘Absolutely not.’ The words came out like rapid-fire gunshots.

Yet he wasn’t swayed. ‘Those calls are coming in under her name. That’s not a coincidence. She’s in danger. She’s here all day where you can watch over her, but at night and on weekends, she’s alone.’

And he was right, she’d dropped the ball on that. Nina’s headache squeezed. She’d have to fix it – put one of their Security men on her or hire full bodyguard support. ‘I’m not pairing her up with anybody. She’s not an escort!’

He took a step forward that put them face to face. Despite the desk, only inches separated them. ‘Did she tell you who she suspects?’

As hot as her anger was burning, Nina felt a chill go through her. Eddie Hamilton? No, she’d had the best cover Rielle’s tracks. It had been years now, and he hadn’t found her. He hadn’t even come looking – not that she knew. ‘It can’t be. I took measures.’

‘Well, you need to get your tape measure calibrated. I’ve learned to never underestimate a woman’s intuition.’

Nina went still as he practically snarled in her face. The guy was pulling no punches. Then again, he wouldn’t.

‘What did he do to her before, Nina?’

She paled. Hamilton had tried to take over Rielle’s life. He’d wanted her to check in at all times of the day to tell him what she was doing and whom she was with.

‘Make the contract,’ the dangerous man in front of her said. ‘Convince her to agree to it.’

‘No.’

He glowered at her. ‘I can protect her better than you could, and you know it.’

Nina’s chest ached, because she knew he was right. Morgan would find out who was behind this. She had no doubts about her persistent detective, but what if he was too late? She could hire the best bodyguards in town, but they didn’t have what this man apparently had in spades – motivation.

But how could she put her best friend into such a treacherous man’s hands?

Nina cleared her throat. ‘I don’t want her in jeopardy from anyone, including you.’

‘I won’t hurt her.’

The look on his face was steady, but was the slight softening in his voice that made Nina believe at least that much. ‘Not intentionally, maybe.’

She rubbed her hand across her brow. This was impossible. She made tough decisions every day, but she didn’t know what to do.

‘It’s going to take the two of us, working together,’ he said. ‘I can’t be with her twenty-four-seven. I have other…obligations. My time isn’t always my own. You can watch over her then.’

‘It’s up to her,’ Nina finally said. ‘I won’t lie to her, and I won’t make her do anything she doesn’t want to do.’

‘But you can back me up on this. You know it’s for her own good.’

‘Is it?’ Nina cocked her head and eyed him up and down. His cheekbones were hard slashes across his face, his hands were clenched and he was breathing way too hard for a man who was in prime physical condition.

She pierced him with a look. ‘Does she feel about you the way you feel about her?’

Direct hit. He closed down fast, the emotion sliding off his face and his fingers flexing at his sides.

Nina felt a surge go through her. Never in a million years would she have let tender, sweet Rielle within this man’s eyesight. Everything inside her told her to snatch her friend away and hide her. Again.

But what if? Just what if?

They both heard the lobby door. Nina’s gaze flashed down to the man’s hands. Clenched again.

His tension somehow relaxed her – or at least made her a little more comfortable with an untenable situation. ‘Let’s find out,’ she said softly.

She strode past him to the main lobby. She could still tell Rielle to leave, to run away as fast as she could.

Yet when she saw the pretty office manager, none of those things came to mind. For once, Rielle looked relaxed and well-rested. The calls had been wearing on her. She’d been pale and jumpy.

She’d shared her fears, but, instead of believing her, Nina had tried to placate her and soothe them away. On the other hand, the man in her office had keyed right into the danger.

Probably because he knew it so well.

And Rielle had confided in him…much more than she’d confided in her…

Nina felt guilty about that, and suddenly resolved. ‘Good morning, Rielle. Could you come into my office with me?’

‘I’m sorry I’m late, Nina.’ Rielle swept her hair over her shoulder and smoothed it. She hadn’t taken the time to curl it, and it hung long and straight.

‘That’s not a problem. I need to talk to you about something.’

‘OK…’

Nina took her hand. She could tell she was making her friend nervous, but she was nervous, too. They turned into her office, and Rielle flinched when she saw the big man waiting for them.

Her gaze flashed back and forth between the two of them. ‘What is this?’

‘Rielle, you know Mr –’

‘Scott,’ he inserted swiftly. He walked forward, his eyes on one person only. ‘My name is Darien Scott.’

Chapter Eight

Rielle’s pulse took off. It was her mystery man – the stranger who’d made love to her just last night until her body was limp and her brain couldn’t function – and he had a name. A name that sounded real. Darien Scott.

But why was he here? Why tell her now? Why tell Nina?

‘Would you join us, please?’ Nina’s voice sounded funny, almost strained.

Rielle looked around in confusion. Join them? What was going on here? What were they talking about?

She took the seat Nina had indicated and tucked her ankles together underneath the chair. Darien…Scott…She still didn’t know what to call him, but he took the seat next to her and stretched out his long legs. He looked comfortable, but she could feel the snap in the air.

Why was he here, during office hours, no less? Had he been caught? Oh, God. He must have been. Detective Morgan was going to show up any time now. She tried to catch his eye. She needed a sign. What did he need her to do? Her first instinct was to cover for him, but then she looked at Nina. She couldn’t lie to her friend.

Was that what this was about? Had Nina found out what the two of them had been doing? Was she confronting them?

Nina fiddled with the blue dolphin on her desk. ‘Mr Scott is here to enquire about Luxxor’s services, but his request is rather unusual.’

Services?

Rielle stared at her boss blankly, not sure she’d heard correctly. He wanted to use their services? Relief flooded her. He wasn’t going to be charged with breaking and entering or tampering with their computer system. But…Her thoughts stumbled into one another as she tried to adjust. Services. OK, so did Nina need her to take notes? She didn’t usually take part in these meetings, but…that meant he was here to hire an escort…

Rielle went still, and her chest squeezed. He was hiring an escort?

Her eyes stung, and she blinked fast. She had no claim over him. She hadn’t even known his name until a few moments ago, but she’d thought…when they touched…

‘Rielle,’ he said sharply. He caught her hand, but she yanked it away.

Why hurt her deliberately like this? If he wanted an escort, she didn’t need to be in the room. Why shove it in her face like this? Was he that irritated that she hadn’t asked him up last night?

Oh, God. How did she manage to attract these types?

Nina shook her head. ‘No, that’s it. I’m not even going to ask her.’

Rielle swallowed past the lump in her throat. ‘Ask me what?’

Was there an escort in particular he wanted to request? Did he need help setting up a special evening? Did he need a reservation at an impossible event? She pressed her lips together hard. Oh, no. He had access to those already, didn’t he? Through those mysterious connections of his.

‘Damn it, Rielle,’ he said gruffly. ‘Listen to her. I want you.’

She blocked out the sound of his voice. What was wrong with her? This was the reason he’d come here in the first place, to hire an escort. She’d just gotten in the way.

She should be happy about this. He’d talked her into too many things. He’d been following her all over town. She never should have let him close. She knew better.

‘I’ve agreed to nothing,’ Nina said. ‘I wanted to have this discussion with you, out in the open.’

Rielle nodded in understanding. Wait. Her head spun towards him. ‘What?’

‘I want you to escort me.’

‘But…’ She couldn’t make her thoughts process correctly. ‘Where?’

The corners of his lips twitched. ‘Everywhere.’

‘Rielle,’ Nina said patiently, ‘Mr Scott would like you to act as his escort.’

Her thoughts finally snapped into alignment. Crystal-clear alignment. Rielle shot out of her chair and stared at them in disbelief. Anger flared up inside her, anger at both of them.

‘Why?’ she demanded of him. ‘Why would you come here, asking for this?’

And Nina was actually considering it? ‘Why would you put me on the market like that?’

Was the money that good? Did he have something on her boss?

She wasn’t an escort, no matter how attractive she found the man. It didn’t matter that they’d already made love all over this very room.

The sofa behind him suddenly seemed big. Rielle glared at Nina instead, but all she could see was the window behind her, the one with a piece of varnish peeled off where she’d clawed at the frame. Her face heated unbearably. She could practically hear the shower in the room behind her.

‘It’s not like that.’ Nina bowed her head and squeezed her temples with both hands. ‘It’s about the calls. Mr Scott thinks you need protection during off hours, and he’s made a good case. Good enough for me to consider it, but I want you to make the decision.’

‘Think of me as your own personal bodyguard,’ he said.

His look was hot and unsettling. He knew all about her personal body. He’d muddled her thoughts last night so much so that she’d barely been able to make it to her apartment before she’d crashed. She’d managed to get her clothes off, but she didn’t think she’d so much as moved once she’d hit the mattress naked.

She had to still be dreaming. That was the only explanation. Why else would Nina be treating him like any other client?

Because she didn’t know who he was.

The insight hit like a meteorite. Rielle knew him, because she’d been bumping into him everywhere she turned in the city, but Nina didn’t know that. She didn’t know what the two of them had done together. She didn’t know that he was the man she’d sicked her private security team after as Enemy Number 1. She hadn’t recognised him from the night when he’d brought Rielle back from the White House event. It was the only reason Rielle could think of why her boss didn’t have her stiletto at his throat.

Rielle bit her tongue. Oh, God. And she hadn’t told her.

‘Nina,’ she said hoarsely. ‘This is the man who took me to the White House reception…as Mel Summers. He’s the one who got into our database.’

Nina’s glare was icy as she turned it on their visitor. ‘I’m aware of that. One of my requirements before he leaves his room is that he’s going to tell me how he did that. Aren’t you, Mr Scott?’

He eased back in his chair and his chin lifted, but he didn’t agree one way or the other.

Rielle shifted uneasily. She’d already asked him to do that, and she suspected the glitch was already gone.

Nina pressed her hands against her temples and closed her eyes. Rielle didn’t need to look to know that, beneath the desk, her boss’s stiletto was tapping furiously. She hesitantly sat back down on the edge of her chair.

Nina finally took a deep breath, folded her hands together and lifted her chin. ‘Why didn’t you tell me how serious these calls were getting? You’ve received them on your own phone?’

Rielle shot a look at Darien. ‘Fink.’

He shrugged, and Nina blinked in surprise.

Rielle ran a hand through her hair. She’d forgotten to tell Nina that. It had been one call, and Darien had been all over it.

And all over her.

‘I got a new phone,’ she said weakly. ‘The caller shouldn’t be able to do that again.’

Nina’s eyes flared. ‘Not good enough. Mr Scott thinks it’s time we take more drastic steps, and I tend to agree with him even more now that I’ve heard this. But it all comes down to what you want.’

Rielle shook her head. She knew her brain was still sluggish, but she couldn’t believe that Nina was onboard with this plan. ‘You’d put me in the hands of someone you don’t even know?’

Nina turned a ring on her pinky finger. ‘I got a referral last night.’ She glowered in Darien’s direction. ‘Late last night.’

She watched him through narrowed eyes as she sat back in her chair and crossed her legs. ‘If he is what I think he is, there’s nobody better to do the job.’

‘Back-handed, but I’ll take it,’ he muttered.

Rielle wasn’t comfortable with the decisions that were hanging in the air. The phone calls terrified her, but this was a radical solution, and she felt like she was being swept along. ‘But…But…Detective Morgan could help.’

Darien swung forward in his chair. ‘That man is not going to watch over you while you sleep at night.’

And he was? Rielle flushed.

‘Speaking of dos and don’ts, before we go any further, I have a list – and Rielle can add whatever else she wants. All of this is moot if you can’t meet the requirements.’

The man facing off against them was intractable. ‘Let’s hear them.’

‘Number one.’ Nina ticked it off with her index finger. ‘I’m to be kept in the loop. I need more information than I’ve been given up to this point. I don’t like being in the dark.’

‘I’ll tell you what I think you need to know,’ Scott said.

Nina’s mouth pinched in frustration, but she flicked her second finger upwards. ‘Number two, this matter will be handled as swiftly as possible.’

‘Agreed.’

‘And number three, our no-contact clause will be in full effect.’

Rielle cringed back in her chair. Oh, that one might get a response out of him.

Sure enough, Darien sat forward. ‘What does that mean?’

Nina folded her arms over her chest. ‘No sex.’

‘Like hell.’ His response was immediate and explosive.

The cool blonde only raised an eyebrow. ‘It’s a deal-breaker.’

‘Then you’ll have to make us stop first.’

Ooh. Rielle bent her head and let her hair hide her. She knew how intimate some of these contracts got. They left nothing to the imagination. If he asked for an exclusive arrangement…

Smoke virtually poured from Nina’s ears. ‘You took advantage of her when she’s at her most vulnerable?’

Rielle squirmed. She hated being typed as vulnerable or weak or susceptible. Yet that’s exactly what she was to him, susceptible, so she kept quiet.

‘Vulnerable, my ass.’ He wasn’t going down without a fight. ‘She nearly put her elbow through my ribcage yesterday when that last call spooked her.’

Nina looked at her, dumbfounded. ‘Who are you and what have you done with my quiet, sweet assistant?’

Rielle couldn’t hold the gaze.

Scott crossed his ankle over his other knee, and his foot bounced. He knew he had the upper hand. ‘This contract puts her in my bed – unless I do something that makes her kick me to the couch.’

Rielle was never going to be able to show her face again. ‘I’m sitting right here.’

‘Come on, Beautiful,’ he said, his voice quiet. ‘What do you say? Enough of this. Take me on.’

Oh, God. What they were asking of her!

Rielle teetered on a precarious cliff. This was so outside her comfort zone. How had things come to this? She’d had a fling with him – a wild, out-of-control fling – but she was not a professional.

‘I went out with him to save face for Luxxor,’ she said to Nina.

‘And you slept with me because you wanted to,’ he growled.

Almost as if they’d summoned it, off in the distance came a familiar jangle. Rielle’s head whirled around so fast, her hair whipped her in the face. Her desk phone was ringing.

Nina stiffened. ‘I’m sorry. I forgot to forward it this morning.’

‘Maybe it’s a normal business call,’ Darien said.

‘True.’ Nina pushed a button with her French-tipped fingernail to transfer the call, but she pulled her hand back sharply.

Darien leaned over the desk, but Rielle already knew what the caller ID said.

‘Rielle Sands,’ he read aloud. ‘Shit.’

‘I’m disconnecting before it can go to voicemail,’ Nina promised.

‘No.’ He moved so fast, it was a blur. He caught Nina’s wrist and held her back. ‘I want to hear it. Put it on speaker.’

Nina shot a look in Rielle’s direction.

‘She can take it,’ he said flatly. ‘She’s heard it before.’

Nina licked her lips, and answered the call. ‘Hello?’

Silence greeted them. Silence and soft breaths. Rielle’s skin crawled. She wanted to plug her ears, but this time she heard a rasp. Her chin came up. She leaned closer and heard it again.

‘Who is this?’ Darien demanded.

The rasp cut off abruptly. They were met again with silence until a harsh voice asked, ‘Is that Mel?’

Rielle shot out of her chair. The call disconnected from the other end, but she was already across the room. She pressed her shoulders against the wall and looked at Darien. He really wasn’t the caller. She’d known he wasn’t, but she’d hoped…

He came at her hard. ‘How did he know that? How did he get that information?’

‘I asked once if it was you.’

He jerked as if she’d hit him.

‘It was the first call.’ She put a hand on his chest. His lungs were working as hard as hers were. ‘It was before I figured out what was going on. I swear.’

He hung his head and rubbed the back of his neck. ‘Draw up the contract,’ he told Nina. ‘I want full access to her. No boundaries. Don’t handcuff me here.’

Rielle flinched when he reached for her. She wasn’t afraid of him, but he just moved so fast when he got like this. Fast and deadly. She leaned against him when he pulled her in.

He pressed his mouth against her ear. ‘Say yes. Sign the agreement.’

She nodded. ‘OK.’

Some of the tension in his body released. He let out a long breath and lowered his voice. ‘I’m going to make you trust me with more than your body.’

It was going to take time, but she wasn’t going to tell him he had a good start.

The phone rang again, and she jumped reflexively.

‘Easy,’ he crooned as he pulled back. ‘It’s mine.’

That didn’t mean anything. She watched him take the phone from his pocket. She was ready to throw it to the floor and stomp on it. ‘Is it him? Is it The Breather?’

‘No.’ He rubbed her side soothingly. ‘It’s someone else.’

‘Mike?’ She’d seen the name in his call history.

His head turned on a swivel, and his eyes narrowed. ‘You need to keep your eyes where you’re told.’

She sighed and rested her forehead against his chest. How would she ever learn anything about him if she did that?

She listened as he answered. As always, his answers were obscure and terse.

‘Damn,’ he said as he hung up. ‘I’ve got to go.’

Rielle’s weight went to the balls of her feet, but she forced her heels back down to the floor. She was not a woman who’d whimper for a man not to go. She was safe here with Nina. Sienna would be here eventually, along with a stream of clients and escorts. And last, but not least, she was adept in self-defence.

She just hadn’t realised she was in training for this.

Darien looked over his shoulder to Nina. ‘Stay with her until I can pick her up.’

‘Of course,’ Nina replied immediately.

‘Tonight?’ Rielle eased back. ‘The contract starts tonight?’

He watched her closely. ‘I’ll take you out for Italian.’

She bit her lip. ‘You’re going to make me fat.’

‘We’ll burn off the calories.’ He pressed his mouth to hers hard and fast before stepping away.

Nina watched the two of them in wonder. ‘I’ll have the paperwork ready to go when you get back.’

He nodded and left without looking back. Rielle watched him go, silent as always.

Her head was spinning.

‘He’s dangerous,’ Nina said quietly.

Rielle’s shoulders sagged. ‘I know.’

‘And I wouldn’t put you in anyone else’s hands this way.’

Rielle looked at her boss contemplatively. She walked back to the chair she’d left and sank down into it. ‘Are we making a mountain out of a molehill here? Do I really need to be with him twenty-four-seven? I don’t want to jump from the frying pan into the fire.’

‘Are you sure?’ Nina twirled an earring. ‘Some like it hot.’ She sighed. ‘Honey, why didn’t you tell me about this guy? I mean, I saw that kiss when he brought you home. It damn near melted my kneecaps, but I didn’t know the two of you had been seeing one another.’

‘We haven’t. Not really.’ Rielle traced the trunk of the blue glass elephant that sat on the corner of her friend’s desk. It was her favourite of the collection. ‘We just tend to bump into one another.’

‘You mean his boy parts into your girl ones?’

Rielle covered her hand over her eyes. She hadn’t thought she could get more embarrassed after the conversation they’d just had. Had she just become a callgirl?

‘Oh, sweetie, it’s a good thing.’ Nina caught her wrist and made her look at her. ‘He’s not the man I would have picked for you, but you’ve lived like a spinster for too long now. I was afraid you were going to get a cat.’

‘But…this contract…’ When it came to sex, Darien Scott was way out of her league. She didn’t know how she’d kept up with him so far.

‘You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do,’ Nina promised. ‘I’ll make sure of it in the wording, but I’ve already seen you stand up to him – and he let you.’

‘I like him,’ Rielle confessed in a whisper. ‘He unsettles me, he frustrates me, and I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone so sexy.’

‘He seems to feel the same way about you.’

Rielle wasn’t so sure.

‘You just keep that boy on a short leash,’ Nina said. ‘I get the sense that’s what he wants.’

Rielle’s eyes widened. ‘I don’t think I can control him.’

‘Oh, sweetie, you can’t. You just tell him what you need. He’ll do the rest.’

It took Darien longer to get back to Luxxor than he wanted. He was committed to helping Rielle, but that didn’t mean his other responsibilities went away. His hours weren’t exactly normal, and it wasn’t as if he could take a sabbatical. He needed to be ready to go whenever the situation arose.

He loosened his tie and took it off as he rode the elevator. Damn noose. He unbuttoned his collar and headed down the hallway. It was only now that he was beginning to realise how constricting his working life was. How much it was cramping his style.

Luxxor Limited glinted at him from the door before him, and he caught a second wind.

He stepped inside and his gaze immediately went to Rielle’s desk. He braced himself when, instead of finding one pretty woman, he found a gaggle of them. They were gathered around the lobby desk, talking fast. The conversation quieted at the sound of the door, and heads turned in his direction.

He sought out Rielle’s gaze to make sure everything was OK. She seemed secure. Alert. Beautiful.

God, she stopped him in his tracks every time.

Only this time he felt as if he’d walked into a trap.

Four of them. He counted up his adversaries and surmised their mood. Only one seemed somewhat happy to see him. He was going to have to battle to extricate her from the situation. He’d probably have to sacrifice himself in the process. ‘What is this?’ he asked.

‘Your welcoming party.’ Nina crossed her arms and the toe of one dangerous shoe lifted from the floor.

An icy blonde leaned her hips against Rielle’s desk. It was the Nordic goddess from the other night. ‘Rielle is our friend,’ she said. ‘We want to make sure you’ll treat her well.’

Darien held up his hands. ‘Whoa.’

How much had she told them? This was supposed to be as much on the lowdown as possible. He worked best in the shadows, amongst the other ghosts.

The blonde’s gaze swept over him like a blast of Arctic wind. ‘We take exclusive contracts seriously around here.’

The contract. They were talking about her escorting him. Ah, hell. He shifted his weight. ‘I will. She’ll be fine,’ he promised.

‘Fine?’ It was a perky blonde he’d never seen before. She had hair the colour of sunshine. ‘You made an exclusive contract for “fine”?’

That earned her a sharp ‘Shhh’ from the tall blonde next to her.

‘What? It’s a valid question. We want her to have fun, too. You know, in that way.’

Nina stepped forward. ‘We’re all very protective of Rielle. She’s important to us, and we’re nervous about her accepting your offer.’

Darien planted his hands on his hips. ‘Ladies, I swear I’ll treat her like precious cargo. She’ll be safe with me.’

He looked at Rielle. She looked almost as uncomfortable as he felt. The corners of his mouth pulled upwards. ‘And I guarantee we’re going to have a lot of fun. In that way.’

The perky little blonde turned a healthy shade of red.

Good. He hadn’t known he was stepping into an ambush. They had to expect he’d fire back.

Nina rolled her eyes, but picked up a stack of papers from the desk. ‘The contract.’

They were going to keep this all official-like, were they? He moved forward and tried not to take it personally when all three of the women on their feet stepped back. ‘Where do I sign?’

Nina pointed with a pen that probably cost more than his shoes. ‘Here, and here.’

Rielle made a sound when he started to sign.

‘What?’

‘You’re not going to read it?’

‘Did she slip in something that I don’t know about?’

‘No, but you should always read what you’re signing.’

His gaze narrowed on her. ‘I trust you.’

He heard more than one sigh.

Rielle took the pen away from him. ‘Read it.’

‘Yes, read it,’ Nina agreed. ‘I want to make sure you understand what constitutes consent.’

OK, they were starting to piss him off. ‘I know that no means no.’

‘Good, then your kneecaps are safe.’ The tall blonde was cool as a cucumber. ‘Forget and I’ll send my boyfriend over. He’s very skilled with a hockey stick.’

The Sloan Gunman.

Darien felt the familiar weight of the handgun tucked against the small of his back. He knew which would come out the victor in that battle, but he wouldn’t mind meeting the former Capitals’ star.

He nodded solemnly. ‘Got it.’

It didn’t make for good retention with all of them staring at him, but he read through the legal document that was suddenly controlling his sex life. He shook his head. He and Rielle would do whatever the hell they wanted to do together, but if this was what it took to seal the deal, he was in.

He signed.

He passed the pen to the beautiful girl he was getting into bed with. Literally.

She’d been the quietest one of the bunch.

She did need more ‘fun’ in her life. She needed to not be constantly looking over her shoulder. She needed the release.

She frowned as she ran her finger over his name. He was sorry he’d had to keep it from her, but he’d never expected them to get to this point. He’d just needed a date for one evening.

She signed quickly, and Nina swept up the papers before anyone else could see them.

‘Is that it?’ he asked.

‘That’s it.’

The petite blonde smiled. ‘She’s all yours.’

Her taller friend threw her a glare.

‘What? I like him. He’s all tall, hot and intimidating. He’s hers now, too, you know.’

Rielle’s gaze swung up, and he was pinned.

‘For as long as the contract holds,’ Nina agreed. She lowered her tone for his ears only. ‘Which better not be long, Mr Scott.’

He nodded. ‘I’ll take the bastard down before he even sees me coming.’

She straightened the papers. ‘I don’t need to know the specifics – but good.’

The pack of protective females backed off then and dispersed. Darien blew out a fast breath. He’d passed the gauntlet.

He looked at Rielle. She was straightening the things on her desk and looking everywhere but at him.

Winning her over would be the bigger challenge.

‘Ready to go?’

She rubbed her lips together. She’d apparently been doing that a lot, because her lipstick was gone. It made her mouth look naked and kissable.

She stopped when she saw him staring. ‘Ready,’ she whispered.

She gathered her purse and pulled a duffle bag out from under her desk. She set it on her chair as she went to the coat rack.

‘What’s that?’ he asked.

‘My things. I didn’t know what I should bring or what I’d need.’

Well, that made it loud and clear. They weren’t staying at her place. Darien ran a hand through his hair. He didn’t know why he’d thought that contract would make things any different. She still wasn’t letting him set foot inside her inner sanctum.

He settled his hands on his hips. Well, shit. He couldn’t take her to his place, either.

He pulled out his phone and made a call. He got more guff than he expected.

‘Was that Mike?’ she asked when he disconnected.

He glowered at her. ‘Snoop. Let’s go.’

He carried the duffle bag for her, but when he turned for the elevator, she caught his arm.

‘Show me the other way out?’ Her expression was serious, but there was a hint of curiosity, too. Maybe even a little excitement.

‘Sure.’ It was probably a good idea. ‘This way.’

As far as secrets went, it wasn’t a big one, but he felt good sharing it with her. The route was simple and not even hidden. Most people just didn’t go down the end hallway to the janitor’s room. Beside it was a freight elevator that went all the way to the basement.

‘How was your day?’ he asked.

Her lashes fluttered down. ‘Too slow, and way too fast.’

She was nervous around him, even more so than usual. She was a nice girl, and he was making her be bad. He was sorry about that, but he wasn’t going anywhere.

‘Did you get any more calls today?’

She gave a small nod. ‘Nina and Detective Morgan argued about setting up a wiretap.’

‘Let him.’

‘We can’t. We’re an…’

The words ‘escort service’ hung unsaid in the air.

And she was his escort now.

‘I gave him my old smartphone instead,’ she said quickly.

‘Good girl. If that bastard calls again, Morgan might be able to trace it.’

‘Maybe…’

Those lines of stress on her forehead were going to become permanent if she kept worrying the way she was. He caught her hand and led her out the front door, past Security.

She frowned and looked over her shoulder at the side door by the freight elevator. It had a red alarm bar. She had her secrets, but he had his, too.

‘That was a pretty intimidating posse up there,’ he said as he settled her into the car he was using for the day.

‘Right. You looked real scared.’

‘I was.’ He didn’t spend a lot of time with the fairer sex – not ones who looked like that. ‘I recognised the tall blonde from the other night.’

‘That’s Sienna. She’s our communications director. Erin is her friend.’

‘She thinks what your people do is fun?’

‘No, but she had an exclusive contract once. So did Sienna.’ Rielle plucked at the purse in her lap. ‘Damn. You can’t tell anyone that.’

His head snapped around. ‘Those two are escorts?’

No wonder Luxxor was raking in the dough.

‘No! Situations just arose…They both had exclusive contracts that ended really well.’

‘They made a lot of cash?’

She gave him a look of horror. ‘They got their men.’

‘Oh.’ Darien sat back. He busied himself with starting the engine and pulling out of the lot.

‘Yeah.’ For the first time all day, he saw her smile. ‘Oh.’

Chapter Nine

Darien took Rielle to dinner as he’d promised, but for some reason it felt like a first date all over again. Hell, not even their real first date had been so tense. The conversation was stilted, and, when their hands accidentally bumped, they both apologised. He couldn’t figure it out. They’d been out. They’d slept together. How were things any different now?

Because they were taking it up a notch.

Even as a guy he knew that. It wasn’t what he’d intended, but he’d be damned if he was going to leave her alone out there to the wolves.

And don’t get him started on why Luxxor’s clients and the Jason Sloans of the world were included on that list. He knew he was looking for one guy, but he had his eyes on all of them.

Mike called during dinner with an address and, after their meal, that was where they headed. The apartment was in the Foggy Bottom neighbourhood, one of the oldest in DC. It lay close to the Potomac and had gotten its name from the fog and industrial smoke that used to collect in the area. These days, it was an upscale neighbourhood with government offices, the Kennedy Performing Arts Center and George Washington University, yet there were still pockets of seedier streets. And the alleys. In the late 1800s they’d been makeshift campsites for thousands of newly arrived immigrants. Development had built over some of the dark interconnecting routes, but many of them remained. Lots of exit paths, if needed.

Nobody should look for them there.

He dropped Rielle’s duffle bag on the sofa. The place was clean but desolate. No pictures hung on the walls. There were no cushions on the sofa. She stood in the middle of the living room with her jacket still on as he moved about, checking all the doors and windows.

Once he determined the place was secure, there wasn’t much else to do.

He took off his suit jacket and went to the fridge.

‘Thank God.’ There was a bottle of whiskey sitting in the door.

He searched through the cupboards and found two glasses. They clanked when he set them down on the breakfast bar.

‘All right. Time to belly up.’

‘Oh, I don’t usually –’ She stopped. It didn’t take more than a split second for her to change her mind. She dropped her jacket on top of her other things and settled onto a barstool. Her legs looked long and sleek when she crossed them and hooked a heel around the bottom rung.

He passed her a glass, and she downed the whiskey fast.

He winced when he saw her grimace.

She was wound up tight, and he was coiling up pretty good too. Hell, he didn’t blame her. She was with a guy she didn’t really know in a strange apartment miles from her home. Something had to break the tension.

It was whiskey or sex.

He threw back a drink too, and felt the amber liquid burn in his belly.

‘Is this a safe house?’ she asked.

He coughed and set the glass down hard.

‘Well, is it?’

He glared at her, but she just circled her finger around the lip of her glass. ‘You won’t answer any questions I ask. How am I supposed to trust you? You’ve got me putting myself into your hands – literally – and I don’t even know if Darien Scott is your real name.’

‘It is,’ he said. What would it hurt? She already knew where the place was. ‘And yes.’

Her glance flicked upwards. ‘It’s a safe house?’

The questions in her eyes only grew.

‘My turn.’ He refilled their glasses. If they were sharing, they were going to get into her stuff, too. ‘How can teaching third grade be dangerous?’

She watched him for a long moment. Her foot was circling round and round, and he couldn’t help but notice the length of her legs as her dress pulled high on her thighs.

‘When you start dating a student’s uncle, and he likes you more than you like him.’

‘Hamilton?’

She nodded.

Darien’s fingers tightened around his drink. ‘How bad was it?’

‘Not bad, at first. We only dated for a month. It was when I decided to end it that he suddenly got…fixated.’

‘Did he hurt you?’

‘No, it was more like…this. He likes mind games. Although there was an incident with the class gerbil.’

Darien took another swift drink and felt it bite back. ‘I don’t like where this is going.’

‘I didn’t either. I made Eddie stop so I could pick up some food for it one night when we were out. He didn’t like that a rodent was more important than him or our bowling date.’

‘Let me guess, Mr Gerbil met an untimely death.’

She took another sip, this one smaller and slower. ‘I could never prove it.’

She squeezed her eyes shut, then opened them and fixed her gaze on him. ‘Are you military?’

His chin snapped back. ‘No.’ He shook his head in wonder. ‘But I used to be. How did you figure that out?’

‘Your tattoos.’

‘What the hell?’ They weren’t identifying. They’d specifically been chosen because they couldn’t be traced back to his unit or his buddies. Yet she’d somehow made the connection.

Her doe eyes glittered with success.

He rubbed his chest. With her looking at him like that, he could almost feel her lips against it. She’d been fascinated with his tattoos, just like he’d been fascinated by every inch of her body.

He felt the stirring below the belt. He might have given her some relief last night, but it had been over two weeks for him. He’d had one night of those long legs wrapped around him, and it had left him addicted.

Damn, but he wanted to touch her.

Delving into her mind was a close second.

‘How did you end up working at an escort service?’ he asked.

She shrugged.

‘Nina found me. She does a lot of fundraising for charities, and I ran into her at an event collecting money for education.’ She sipped some more whiskey. ‘She took one look at me and knew I was in trouble. She offered me an out, and I took it.’

‘Do you miss it? Teaching?’

‘No.’ She frowned as if she hadn’t thought about it much before. ‘There’s never enough funding or supplies, and the administrators can be a nightmare. I like what I do now.’

Even if respectability had gone out of the window. Darien rolled the tumbler in his hand. He’d heard of prostitution being a way out, but this was a new twist. Maybe he shouldn’t be so hard on Nina. She’d done good by Rielle, but it was still a risky business.

‘What if Morgan shuts you down?’

‘The detective? He won’t arrest Nina.’

‘He seems like a pretty solid cop.’

She frowned. ‘You checked him out?’

Damn it, why did his tongue get so loose around her? There were so many better things he could do with it.

Especially with her.

‘You said that Morgan and Nina don’t get along.’

‘They rub each other the wrong way.’ She took another drink. The whiskey was starting to have an effect. Her eyes glittered as she looked over the top of her glass, and she smiled conspiratorially. ‘They’d feel better if they just did it.’

His drink sloshed. ‘Would we?’

She licked her lips and held out her glass. He refilled it, half as full this time.

‘I don’t even know what to call you. Darien? Scott?’

‘You can call me anything you want, Beautiful.’

She lifted her hair off her neck as if she was feeling warm. ‘Are you a bad guy, Scotty, or a good one?’

‘I’m probably bad for you.’ He set down his drink slowly and rounded the bar. ‘Does that make you want to stay away?’

‘Yes.’ Her hair fell back when she lifted her face to him. ‘But I can’t seem to do it.’

He ran his knuckles gently across her cheekbone. ‘Do you want to have sex with me?’

She trembled. ‘Yes.’

‘Good.’ He caught her by the waist and pulled her to him. ‘Because Twenty Questions is over.’

Rielle moaned when Darien’s mouth came down on hers, hot and firm. She tasted the whiskey they’d both drunk. She could feel it swimming through her veins.

The liquid courage wasn’t steadying her nerves, but his touch was. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed against him. His hard chest made her breasts plump up, and sensation pinched in her nipples.

He’d made her oversleep this morning, but she’d woken up feeling better than she could remember. Then she’d gotten to work and her whole life had been upended. He and Nina had sprung the whole escort idea upon her, but then he’d left.

Her thoughts had been spinning in circles ever since.

His hands spread over her bottom, and he slid her forward on the stool. Her pencil skirt kept her legs pressed together too tightly to let him in. He solved that problem by sliding his hands up her outer thighs. He pushed her skirt to her waist, and she quickly spread her legs.

His hips swung forward, and she moaned when he ground against the crotch of her panties. She rolled her hips under to get the hot friction where she needed it most, and her head fell back.

‘Oh, I’ve been nervous about this all day.’

‘It’s that damn contract.’ He pressed an open-mouthed kiss upon her neck. ‘It’s had me wound up, too. Forget about it.’

She hadn’t been able to forget about it all day long. She’d watched clients coming and escorts going, and she hadn’t been able to get his words out of her head. She worked in the sex industry.

She watched wide-eyed as he unbuttoned his dress shirt. She was about to be in the sex industry.

She spread her hands against his muscled chest. When he kissed her again, his tongue swept through her mouth. It made her toes curl.

She liked to paint pretty pictures about what happened when a couple left their office, but this was the reality. Strangers touching where strangers shouldn’t touch…dirty kisses…intimate penetration…sweaty bodies slapping together…

Her blouse loosened, and he unhooked her bra, reached inside and caught her breast. ‘This has nothing to do with a contract.’

He flicked his thumbnail over her nipple, making it stand up hard. When his mouth clamped over it and began to suck, Rielle cried out. She cupped the back of his head and reached between them to find his zipper.

‘Shit,’ he swore when his pants loosened. ‘Hold on a moment.’

She stiffened when he removed a gun from the small of his back and put it on the breakfast bar beside them.

‘You were armed?’ Her eyes were so wide as she stared at the weapon that they got dry.

‘Yes.’ Catching her hand, he guided it down the front of his pants.

‘Ooooh.’ She wrapped her fingers around his big cock. Armed and dangerous.

A shiver went through her. She didn’t know how to deal with his type. He was a true badass. The violent edges around him made her want to hide, but the strength of him was like a sexual magnet. The driven masculinity. The unrelenting protectiveness.

She wanted him. She wanted him all over her.

Her panties got wet as she rubbed against the hard stool beneath her. She pumped her hand in the same rhythm, and his hand pushed between her legs.

There was tugging, and then the sound of material rending. She felt the air hit her between the legs before he shoved down his clothes and slid her forward again.

Rielle’s breaths went ragged as she looked down at the sight of his big erection in her hand. She knew what he wanted. Still, it felt naughty to guide him to her like this, to tuck the thick head of his cock against her sensitive opening. When he pushed hard, she saw him go inside her.

Her neck arched back. ‘Darien!’

Feeling him inside her was even more overwhelming.

‘Fuck.’ His hips began thrusting, fast and hard.

Rielle clamped her legs around his hips. ‘Where were you while you were gone?’ she asked, her voice high.

‘No…more…questions…’ he panted.

Her body twisted. The pleasure was intense. Their bodies were working together hotly. He was thrusting in rapid-fire motion, stiff and deep.

He was fucking her.

She’d never been fucked before him. She’d always been the type who’d made love, but this…with him…It was so more raw and intimate.

He wrapped one arm around her hips, and his other hand clamped onto the back of the barstool behind her. Their bodies slapped together until Rielle couldn’t take the sensation any more. It swamped her and she went under.

‘Darien,’ she cried hoarsely.

His hips jerked, and then his hot come was spilling into her.

He was rigid for a long moment before his arm buckled. His head dropped to her shoulder, and his harsh breaths blew against her neck. He pushed her back onto the stool she was in danger of falling off of, and she clung to him. He wasn’t much steadier than she was.

‘Well, I think we’ve worked through that problem,’ he said gruffly.

He pulled back to look at her. His face was flushed, his pupils were dilated and his short hair was spiky. ‘Think we can forget about that stupid contract now and get back to what we do best?’

She let out a puff of air. ‘That wasn’t our best?’

He grinned, and her stomach dropped. ‘Want to finally get in a bed with me?’

If he smiled at her like that, she’d do anything with him, contract or not. ‘Yes.’

They stripped off what clothes they still wore and, together, found the bedroom. Rielle crawled under the covers, and Darien turned on the bedside lamp before lying down at her side.

‘You’re going to tell me more about this slimy ex of yours.’

She put her hand on his chest. ‘Not now I’m not.’

She just wanted to block out everything except him. She’d worked herself into a knot over the course of the day. She’d even stopped Sienna to ask some rather awkward and intimate questions. She didn’t want to think any more tonight.

He rolled his head towards her on the pillow. ‘How do you think he tracked you down?’

She sighed. He was the determined sort.

She lowered her lashes and ran her fingertips along the line of his pec. She was enthralled by his body, the way it was honed and sculpted, scars and all. ‘I think he saw the picture of us in the newspaper.’

The mattress shifted as he rolled onto his side. ‘Outside the White House? Shit. I tried to block you from the paparazzi.’

‘I know. It’s not your fault. I don’t know why they used that picture anyway. You were barely in it.’

‘But you were – you and that dress.’ He ran his finger down the bridge of her nose. ‘It’s kind of unforgettable.’

She bit her lip. ‘Nina gave it to me.’

His eyebrows lifted, and she could see the thoughts clicking inside his head. ‘Were the cleaners able to get the wrinkles out of it?’

She’d known it hadn’t been him. She’d known he hadn’t left her that note.

‘It’s good as new,’ she said, her voice thick. Ready for the next time they needed it.

She refused to let Eddie darken the private memories that dress held for them.

Darien’s blue eyes darkened. ‘You have no idea how hard it was for me to keep my hands off you that first night.’

As hard as it was for her to keep her hands off him now? His muscles were hard, yet his skin was soft. The contrast made her mouth water. She traced the line of his rib and saw where that smooth skin darkened.

She pulled her touch away. ‘That’s new.’

It was a bruise the size of a grapefruit along his ribcage. It was just starting to change colour from yellow to darker hues of black and purple. She pushed against his shoulders to make him roll onto his back. The light from the nightstand wasn’t bright, but it brought everything into stark relief. Rielle sat up on her haunches.

She didn’t know where he’d been, but she didn’t like it. What had happened to him?

She carefully ran her finger along the outline. ‘Who did this to you?’

He glanced down to where she touched him. ‘What? That?’

‘Yes, this.’ She straddled him and cupped her hand over the bruise protectively. ‘Who hurt you?’

He settled his hands over her thighs. ‘It’s not important.’

‘Yes, it is.’ She felt the rough scrape of the calluses on his hands, and she finally recognised them for what they were. Signs of battle. Martial arts. He might not be military any more, but what he did was dangerous.

‘Tell me.’

His lips curved upwards. ‘I like tigress mode.’

‘Darien,’ she warned.

He sighed. ‘You did it, baby.’

She gasped. ‘Under the cherry blossoms? After I got that call?’

She pulled her hand away as if she was touching fire. She could see the impact point now, where her elbow had dug in. ‘Oh, my God. I’m sorry.’

‘It’s all right.’ He rubbed his hands in circular patterns on her hips. ‘It looks worse than it is. I can barely feel it now.’

‘Liar.’ She felt terrible. She hadn’t known. He’d barely flinched when she’d made contact. What kind of training had he gone through for him to be so tough? So hardened?

‘You stopped me pretty easily,’ she said.

He’d been so fast. He’d blocked her moves and had gotten her into a clinch without hurting her. That should scare her more than anything. Control like that was rare. It was like a big lion wrestling with you instead of attacking. ‘Can you show me how you got me in that hold?’

His gaze steadied on her face. ‘I can. When’s your class?’

She bit her lip. ‘It was supposed to be tonight. All this happened instead.’

His expression darkened, and the hands at her hips stopped moving. ‘Next time, tell me. I want your life as normal as possible.’

She looked at him lying beneath her. He was a man who kept to the shadows. He was calculating, secretive, in top physical form and trained in skills she didn’t want to know about. He’d schemed his way into protecting her. She didn’t think normal was possible any more.

‘We’ll go to the gym later this week,’ he promised.

‘OK.’ Maybe normal was overrated.

Because cuddling up to his kind of wildness was as much of a thrill as it was a danger.

She swept her hair to the side and bent down to kiss the bruise she’d left on his body. ‘Maybe I can make it feel better.’

His long groan filled the room. ‘Yeah, you should try that.’

She smiled against his skin. She was getting to him too. She’d learned more about him tonight than she had in all the days since she’d met him.

She braced her hands on either side of his head and kissed his neck, his chest and his stomach. It sucked in tight, and she dipped her tongue into his belly button. His fingers tightened in her hair. It fell like a curtain around him as she returned to minister to the bruise.

‘God.’ His hands slid around to cup her breasts. ‘By better, I think you mean fantastic.’

She closed her eyes in pleasure. She forgot to be shy or self-conscious when she was with him this way. He wouldn’t allow it, and it felt good to take control back. To push away the fear and the threats trying to intrude on her life.

She kissed his mouth and nipped his lower lip. He played with her nipples, and warm arousal seeped through her system.

For a moment in time, she wanted to lie down with the lion.

She spread her hands over his ripped abdomen and sat back on her haunches. His gaze was heavy as it moved over her nakedness. The dim bulb cast light over both of them, turning the vacant room in the no-name apartment erotic. Sensual.

‘God, you’re beautiful,’ he whispered.

And he was a gorgeous man who aroused her like no other.

She rose like a wave when his hand slipped between her legs. His middle finger parted her slit and massaged her intimately.

‘Mmm,’ she hummed.

Rising over him, she let him position his cock at her opening. The tight ring of muscle resisted the blunt width of him, but she sank down determinedly. Her slickness eased his way, and he filled her as she descended inch by inch.

Her head fell back and her hair tickled the curves of her bottom. It felt sexy, wicked.

His hands took possession of her breasts, and she began to pump up and down.

‘Christ, Rielle,’ he hissed.

She kept the rhythm slow and easy. As easy as he let her. His hips were starting to rise, catching her on her way down. His hands were becoming more impatient. They stroked and grabbed at her when the sensation got to be too much.

His urgency soon worked its way into her.

She spread her hands wide on his chest as the ride became bumpier. Her thigh muscles burned, and the arc of her thrusts shortened. She held him deep inside her, and she loved the harsh rapid strokes. Her breasts bounced in his hands, but she watched him.

‘Darien,’ she said, her voice tight.

The muscles in his neck were rigid, and his heels were digging into the mattress.

Rielle felt herself begin to spiral, and she reached between them to cup him tenderly.

Her touch set him off. His hips jackknifed upwards, and she let out a cry of pleasure. Wet heat spurted deep inside her. Her inner walls squeezed and her thighs clenched. The orgasm rushed through her from the top of her head to the tips of her toes.

It seeped away gradually, and then let go.

Erin was right, she thought mistily. Exclusive contracts could be fun.

He tugged her towards him, and she folded down on top of him. His breaths were harsh as he stroked her hair and her back.

‘Wow.’ The breaths finally became words. ‘You know…I stubbed my toe the other day. Do you think you can make that feel better next?’

She was too tired to smile. She closed her eyes and heard the click of the lamp. The light against her eyelids turned dark, and her body became heavy.

The tension of the day would return, but nothing was going to get to her here. She still didn’t know what drove him – fidelity and integrity or greed and vengeance – but he’d protect her.

When it came to lying down with danger, she preferred to have biggest baddie on her side.

Chapter Ten

‘So no calls have come in today?’

Rielle looked up at the intimidating man standing over her desk. His dark eyes were unrelenting, and his jaw was firm. Detective Morgan didn’t look happy at all with the latest turn of events. She’d thought he would be.

‘No,’ Nina said. ‘Isn’t that good news?’

They’d all been relieved when they’d first noticed. It was around noon when Nina had first mentioned that things were quiet. Rielle had been so busy putting together dossiers that she hadn’t been paying attention. It had been work as normal until then.

Once it was brought to their attention, though, it was the only thing any of them could think about. They had paid heed to every call after that, and the pressure had built and built. Sienna had even snatched a late-afternoon call right out of Rielle’s hand. Her friend had wanted to protect her. Ironically, it had been Security, asking the same question. They’d been watching the calls too.

The detective rubbed the back of his neck. ‘It could be a good sign.’

‘But you don’t think so,’ Nina said.

‘You’ve had too much activity around here. The mugging, someone following your employee, and the attempted break-in.’

‘I thought that was a faulty alarm.’

‘It could have been.’

His answer didn’t give Rielle the warm fuzzies.

The lobby door opened, and she tensed. It was late. They had no more appointments. The sight of Darien made her relax, and Nina’s arms dropped from around her waist.

The detective’s reaction was the exact opposite. He pulled up sharply when he saw their visitor, and he turned to face him. The subtle step put him directly between the new tough guy and Nina.

The Luxxor CEO cleared her throat.

Morgan stayed planted where he was. Suspicion was clear on his face. ‘You’re him. You’re the guy who took Rielle out under an assumed name. You’re the one we’ve been hunting for.’

Oh, no. Rielle shot a look at Nina. The detective’s eyes were sharp. He remembered Darien from that brief moment when he’d kissed her on the sidewalk. The air snapped, and Rielle’s breath shortened.

Nina caught the detective’s arm when he made an aggressive move forward. ‘That was all a mistake.’

‘A mistake?’ Morgan snapped.

‘Yes, in our database.’ Nina said the words smoothly, but her face puckered over the lie as if she’d just bitten a lemon.

Darien faced the lawman unwaveringly with his shoulders pulled back. There was a change in the air. Two alphas were crossing into each other’s territory. Rielle watched the dynamic in fascination as it played out before her. It was subtle, but it was clear.

‘This is Mr Scott,’ Nina said in greeting.

‘Good evening, Nina,’ Darien replied coolly.

Rielle felt his gaze light on her, and he rounded her desk with purpose. The detective bristled when he crossed the imaginary yellow line that visitors should not pass, but went still when Darien dropped a fast kiss on her lips.

Her pen dropped onto her desk.

‘Hi, Beautiful.’ The low intimacy was clear to any other male within fifty feet. ‘How was your day?’

‘Good.’ Suddenly, much better. She cleared her throat. ‘Detective Morgan, this is my –’

What was he to her? Her bodyguard? Her pretend boyfriend? There was a contract binding them together, but what should she call him? Her lover? Her…client?

‘– Darien.’

He offered his hand, but let the kiss say the rest.

Morgan eyed his hand with distaste, but the two finally shook. It was clear they were sizing each other up.

‘So you’re seeing him now, Rielle?’ The detective wasn’t buying what they were selling.

‘It’s new,’ Darien answered for her. ‘Love at first sight sort of thing.’

‘Is it?’

Rielle’s head snapped around so fast, she nearly got whiplash. Morgan’s implication was clear, and she impulsively reached out as if to stop him. ‘Oh, no. It’s not him making the calls.’

‘Although I like the way you think.’ Darien leaned his hips against the desk and settled in beside her. In her space, within reach. ‘But it’s really not my style to scare a woman into being with me.’

Nina sighed. ‘I can vouch for him. He was here when one of the calls came in.’

That made the detective ease up, but he still pulled his notepad out of his pocket. ‘What was your name again?’

‘Oh, my God,’ Nina said. ‘Do we really need the posturing?’

Darien shrugged. ‘I don’t mind if he’s thorough. Rielle needs to be safe. The name is Darien Scott. Look it up.’

Rielle bit her tongue. She’d spent weeks trying to get his name out of him, but now he was offering it up to the authorities, just like that? Knowing they’d dig into his background? It rankled, but also niggled her curiosity. Had he lied to her? Was it another alias?

Or did he know the detective wouldn’t find anything?

‘Are you two done?’ Nina asked crisply. ‘Because the detective was just going to explain to us why having the calls stop isn’t necessarily a good thing.’

‘You didn’t get any calls today?’ Darien said sharply.

Rielle shook her head. ‘No.’

She saw the shadows cloud his face too.

‘What’s that mean?’ she asked. What was it that she and Nina were missing?

‘It could be good, but it’s a significant change in his behaviour.’

The detective’s eyes narrowed. The tension shifted again, aligning differently. There was recognition, if not total acceptance. ‘What is it that you do, Mr Scott?’

‘Contract work. Consulting.’

‘In what area?’

‘Whatever’s needed,’ Darien said coolly. He folded his arms over his chest. ‘How many calls were there yesterday?’

‘Five.’ Morgan said, refusing to lose the stare-off.

Darien turned away first, but it was clear he wasn’t conceding anything. ‘It’s a big drop,’ he explained.

‘Why?’ Nina asked.

‘Precisely,’ Morgan said.

Damn. Rielle sagged. And she’d been waiting for the end of the day to arrive so she could celebrate.

‘No calls came in on the cellphone you gave me, either,’ Morgan added.

Darien’s gaze went to the detective. ‘Have you looked into the old boyfriend yet?’

The detective pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and unfolded it on the desk. ‘Is this him?’

Rielle stiffened. It was a computer printout of a driver’s license photograph. The shot was decent. It showed a pleasantly attractive man with brown hair and glasses. He looked so…normal.

She pushed away the paper with one finger. ‘Yes.’

‘That’s the guy?’ Darien snatched up the piece of paper before it got away. ‘You dated him?’

She rolled her eyes. As far as types went, the two men couldn’t be further apart on the spectrum. Darien was a stud: confident, aggressive and gorgeous. On the surface, Eddie Hamilton was a beta: softer, approachable and quiet.

Pictures could be deceiving.

‘I can see why it didn’t work out,’ he muttered.

She retrieved the picture and returned it to the detective.

‘You didn’t tell me you had a restraining order against him in Baltimore,’ Morgan said.

‘He’s never broken it.’ At least not to her knowledge – and she’d been looking over her shoulder pretty hard.

‘What does he do for a living?’

‘Computer guy,’ Darien said.

Rielle’s eyes rounded, but her pretend boyfriend just shrugged. He’d been digging around too.

‘He’s a contractor who works out of his home.’

The detective rubbed his chin. ‘So he’d know how to make calls appear as if they’re coming from you?’

Rielle’s head was starting to ache. ‘I suppose.’

It was a new trick, but totally within character.

The detective sighed and propped his hand on his hip as he looked over his notes.

There wasn’t much there, she knew. Luxxor had received a handful – OK, more than a handful – of calls from an unknown caller. There had been other random events. They were disturbing, but they couldn’t conclusively be linked. Crank calls didn’t typically receive police attention like this, especially not from a detective.

Morgan was going above and beyond, and she knew it wasn’t for her.

‘Is there anything else that might point to this guy?’ he asked.

‘Other than her gut?’ Nina said pointedly.

‘That’s why I’m here, Nina,’ he said quietly.

He put stock in that, and Rielle appreciated it. When her ex’s strange behaviour had started the first time, the police hadn’t given her much support. She just wished she could tell the detective more.

‘Maybe I’m overreacting,’ she said. ‘It’s just some random calls.’

‘They aren’t random,’ Darien said firmly. ‘And she’s not overreacting.’

‘Has he done something like this before?’ Morgan pressed. ‘What was the reason for the restraining order?’

The story was long, and some things just couldn’t be explained. Men didn’t understand what it felt like to get that prickle between their shoulder blades. ‘We didn’t really click, but, when I tried to break up with him, he wouldn’t let go. He’d show up where I worked. He joined my gym. I think he even went through my trash.’

Nina folded her hands in front of her. ‘Tell them about the rest.’

Rielle pushed back her hair. ‘I can’t prove anything, but I was suddenly shut out of my bank accounts. My credit cards were all frozen without my approval. Nothing was stolen, so I was told it was a glitch. Nina’s tech guys helped get it fixed.’

Darien’s hand fisted on the desk next to her stapler. ‘He was trying to control you.’

She knew, but she didn’t want to think about it any more, because that was all she’d been doing. People hadn’t believed her back then, or didn’t understand why she’d break up with such a ‘nice guy’ – especially his brother. The first thing she’d tried was talking to Liam’s parents. Her student was the one who had brought them all together.

Liam.

‘The rasp in his voice.’ She turned so swiftly, her knee banged against her desk. ‘The caller had a rasp in his voice. I noticed it during the last call when he spoke. Eddie has asthma, just like his nephew Liam. It runs in the family.’

Nina quickly picked up on her train of thought. ‘It’s pollen season. There are a lot of allergens in the air.’

‘It’s something,’ Morgan agreed. He made a note of it.

‘Can you at least talk to the guy?’ Darien asked.

‘I’ll track him down tomorrow. I especially want to establish his whereabouts during that mugging.’

Rielle felt terrible about that. Tracy deserved the most attention of all. She was their escort who had been hurt. But had Eddie really done that, too?

The last thing she wanted to do was poke a sleeping bear.

‘I’d like to hear your impressions,’ Darien told the detective. He didn’t care what Eddie might say or do. He wanted Morgan’s gut on this.

Rielle pressed her hand to her stomach. A third party’s take might be a good idea. Her head had been spinning so much over the past few weeks, she didn’t know if she trusted her own instincts any more.

Darien watched her closely. ‘Do you want to get out of here?’

She let out a breath she hadn’t known she was holding. ‘I’d love to.’

Not so long ago, this office had been a haven for her. She’d stay for hours, filing this or researching that – anything to stay out of her empty apartment. Now nothing sounded better than running away and crawling into his arms.

She glanced at the detective. ‘Unless there’s something else?’

‘No, go on. I’ll let you know tomorrow after I’ve had a word with Mr Hamilton.’

The weight on her shoulders lifted, and she pushed back from her desk. Darien stood so she could retrieve her purse from her desk drawer.

‘Thank you, Detective,’ she said. He might be imposing, but that was a good feeling when he was on her side.

‘Go home, have a nice meal and get some rest.’

‘I’ll make sure she does.’ Darien swung an arm around her waist, but then stopped.

‘Although we don’t have anything in the refrigerator.’ He cocked his head. ‘Would you two want to grab a bite with us?’

Rielle’s eyes rounded. Oh, dear Lord. She caught his hand and squeezed, but it was too late. She turned gingerly to face her boss.

Nina’s look of alarm just couldn’t be described. It was subtle but, to those who knew her, crystal clear. She stared unblinkingly at the man who’d offered the invitation. Her lips were parted, and her foot had rocked back onto a pointed stiletto heel.

The detective was more overt. His eyebrows rose, and his big body stiffened. His hold on the notebook squeezed until it bent in two.

‘I –’ For once, Nina appeared speechless. She looked at the detective warily. ‘That would be –’

‘We could –’ The detective was watching her hard, and the vibrations in the room started to jump.

He leaned her way an inch.

She pulled back sharply and smoothed her hair. ‘I have an event tonight.’

She did not, but Rielle knew enough to keep her mouth zipped.

‘Right.’ Morgan stuffed his notepad in his pocket, bending papers this way and that. ‘I have another case that needs my attention anyway.’

Darien shrugged. ‘OK, another time then.’

Nina glared at him until the air blistered.

Rielle grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the door. He was so perceptive. How could he not have read that situation?

‘You’re right,’ he said when they hit the hallway. ‘They would feel better if they just did it.’

Her head snapped around. ‘You did that on purpose!’

‘Damn straight.’ There was a lively sparkle in his eyes. ‘The guy fingered me like I was in his line-up.’

She looked at him in astonishment. ‘You said you understood.’

He’d been so deadpan. Not even she had picked up on what he was doing.

‘I did.’ He grinned at her, and her thighs went to mush. ‘That didn’t mean I wasn’t going to get even.’

‘You devil.’

‘What? I’m just trying to help things along. He riles her. I like him.’

Rielle rolled her eyes and hustled him onto the elevator. ‘The detective doesn’t know you. You made me suspicious, too, the first time I saw you.’

‘Suspicious? Really?’ He backed her up in the corner. ‘I could have sworn I made you feel something else entirely.’

She settled a hand on his chest. ‘You’ve got that air about you that makes people’s radar go up.’

He ran his finger over the pulse pounding in her throat. ‘Think he’s got her down on the floor yet?’

‘Darien,’ she gasped.

‘What’s he waiting for?’ He leaned closer and carefully closed his teeth over the vein that was pounding so wildly. ‘I didn’t.’

No, he hadn’t. Not at all.

She moaned and had just slid her hand to the back of his neck when his phone rang.

He growled low under his breath. He kissed her neck fast and answered the call. His responses were short. Throughout it, he was looking her up and down so thoroughly, Rielle began to get self-conscious. Why was he looking at her that way? Her tailored green dress was professional and appropriate.

He ended the call without even saying goodbye. ‘Think Nina has anything smuttier in that magic closet of hers?’

Rielle’s eyes widened. ‘Why?’

‘Apparently we’re going clubbing.’

They ended up at Madam’s Organ, a blues bar known for its live music and ‘colour’. The name was a play on the Adams Morgan neighbourhood it called home. Although the area could get gritty, a mile-long strip of shops, restaurants and bars brought the nightlife of DC to its doors every night.

Some doors were just more interesting than others.

Rielle held Darien’s hand as they approached the landmark institution. It was wilder than her usual scene, and the people already collecting outside its doors were characters, to be sure. ‘You take me to the most interesting places.’

He chuckled. ‘Kind of a stretch from a White House dinner, isn’t it?’

She couldn’t help but stare at the mural painted on the side of the building. ‘The Madam’ was infamous. A redheaded burlesque bombshell covered all three floors, with two of them adorned by her…chest area. The mural had been under fire from social conservatives for years, but so far the Madam’s breasts had been protected as a work of art. All ten feet or so of them. Each.

Darien paid the cover charge, and Rielle hugged closer as they stepped inside. The décor was eclectic. The walls were blood-red, and the furnishings were strange. She gaped at the taxidermic male goat hanging over the front door, with a gargantuan set of…

‘Are those real?’ she hissed.

‘The size of grapefruits, huh?’ Darien chuckled and wrapped his arm around her waist. ‘Don’t worry, I think the owner just let his crazy uncle decorate the place. Let’s see if we can luck out and find a table.’

The bar was long and narrow. It had three floors and an outdoor deck on the roof. The lower level seemed to be standing room only, with a bar by the stage. They went up a level to the second floor where there were tables. The two good ones on the balcony were already taken, but they found one out in the middle of the room. Rielle was happy to take a seat. She felt like everyone was staring. They’d left their coats in the car to avoid having them stolen. Her outfit wasn’t exactly slutty, but it wasn’t her normal taste. Darien had finally approved Nina’s black leather skirt and a simple white tank. The skirt was shorter than she typically wore, hitting her more than a few inches above the knee.

‘You look classy,’ Darien assured her. ‘But sexy.’

She could feel the appreciative male gazes, and she let her hair hang around her shoulders to provide more cover. The attention was a boost to her ego, but her nerves were too raw for it.

‘It’s the shoes,’ she said. The ankle-high boots with the stiletto heels and big buckles were classic killer Nina.

‘It’s the whole package.’ He lowered himself into the chair next to her and pulled it closer, so he was facing her instead of the table. The proprietary stance was clear, and she finally felt comfortable enough to shake her hair back.

A waiter dropped by to take their drink order and drop off menus. The words ‘where the beautiful people go to get ugly’ were plastered on top. They made her smile. The place was bawdy and unapologetic. She never would have come here on her own, or probably even with friends, yet she was more adventurous with Darien at her side.

‘I’ve heard of this place,’ she confessed.

He smirked. ‘So you read Playboy for the articles?’

She laughed. ‘No.’

‘They rated it one of the best bars in America.’

She liked it when he eased up like this. He had a wicked sense of humour that was unexpected. She wondered if Nina and the detective had recovered yet.

‘I can’t believe I’ve read about politicians coming here.’

‘Hey, everyone needs to cut loose now and then.’

Was that what they were doing here? Cutting loose?

Or was he looking for someone again?

She looked around discreetly for the dark-haired woman. He hadn’t fooled her. They weren’t meeting anybody here. It hadn’t been a friend on that phone inviting them out for drinks.

He was dressed casually for the night in jeans and a dark shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He was like a chameleon. His style seemed to change every day. To blend in with the situation? Is this what he spent all his time doing? From the gun he carried to the marks on his body, she knew it could get a lot more physical.

The question was why? She knew he’d been watching someone at the reception. What information was he looking for? Who was he watching? Was he a protector? Or an enforcer?

It unsettled her not to know.

Their waiter brought their drinks. The bar was starting to get packed with people of all shapes, forms and styles.

She took a drink of her rum and Coke and coughed. ‘Those are strong.’

Darien rubbed her back. ‘Too bad you aren’t a redhead. You’d get drinks at half-price.’

To honour the redheaded Madam outside?

She tried to catch her breath. ‘I don’t know if I can take more than one.’

‘Live a little, Beautiful.’

As crazy and nerve-wracking as her life had become, that’s what she felt like she was finally doing. She might not know what made him tick, but he was waking her up.

‘Why did you tell the detective your name?’ she asked impulsively. ‘Why not go by Mel Summers again?’

He watched her thoughtfully. ‘The cat’s already out of the bag. Everyone at Luxxor knows me by my real name.’

But that hadn’t been the case before yesterday. He’d been known as the enigmatic stranger.

‘Why the contract?’ she pressed. It still bothered her that he’d backed her into a corner and had somehow found a way to get Nina to help him. ‘Why step forward like that?’

‘I didn’t like the situation you’re in.’

‘I have friends who watch over me.’

‘Friends like Jason Sloan?’

Her boots squeaked as she pressed her ankles together. He really was jealous. That, plus the rum, made her feel looser inside.

‘You could have just hung around more.’

‘You didn’t like me doing that.’ He ran a hand through his hair. ‘And if I’m going to do this right, I can’t be hiding in the shadows.’

‘So it’s just so you can act as my bodyguard?’

His look was heated as it swept over her bare shoulders and down to her chest. The silk tank clung to her breasts. ‘It’s not a bad gig.’

Her nipples tightened, and the warm knot in her belly spread. It wasn’t just the rum. Other men were watching her; she could feel them. She just didn’t respond to any of them the way she responded to him.

She swept up the moisture from the side of her glass. ‘What did you do in the military, Darien?’

She saw him sit back in his chair and his jaw clench. It had become instinctive with him, the secrecy and the evasion.

He took another long pull on his beer. ‘Special forces.’

An answer. Her eyes widened and her body thrummed. It explained his intensity and his skills. His focus. Knowing he could inflict as much pain as pleasure unravelled her a bit.

She leaned forward. ‘Who are you watching?’ she asked. ‘Is the dark-haired woman supposed to be here tonight?’

The stern look on his face slid into a glower.

How would he find her in this throng of people? What had the woman done?

With a sigh, he pointed the neck of his beer bottle towards a woman. ‘Tell me about the hottie in pink over there.’

Rielle gritted her teeth. She didn’t want to play, but the game proved he was observing the bar’s patrons. He just wasn’t being so blatant about it this time.

She glanced over her shoulder and felt an immediate jolt of dislike. Hottie? More like bimbo.

She didn’t like him watching women like that one.

The bar had an irreverent rebel vibe, but the girl’s outfit was a bit much, even for here. It left nothing to the imagination, including the black garters the hot pink dress intentionally left showing. ‘She goes to GWU, and she’s returning that dress tomorrow.’

He lifted an eyebrow.

‘The guy she’s with is wearing a university sweatshirt, and the tags on the dress are hanging out.’ Along with practically everything else.

Darien nodded in approval. ‘I think her boyfriend is going to get some tonight.’

‘Maybe, but the redheaded friend with them sure is.’

‘The girl?’ He sat forward slowly. ‘How can you tell?’

Rielle saluted him with her rum and Coke. ‘You have your trade secrets, and I have mine.’

She worked in the sex industry, now, didn’t she?

They met each other in a battle of wills, and she felt the old tension between them rise again. It was the tension that had been there before they’d starting ‘bumping into each other’.

Was he ever going to share his secrets with her? What if she didn’t like what lay behind the mask?

His hand settled on her leg under the table and slowly slid upwards. Her thighs clenched when his fingers disappeared under her leather skirt, but she didn’t stop him. She held her ground and refused to be distracted.

‘I like that you keep trying,’ he said softly, ‘but there are a lot of things I can’t tell you.’

‘Why?’

‘It’s for your own protection.’

‘Why?’ she repeated.

She held his stare. She saw the muscle in his jaw flex. His baby blues softened, and her nerves started to sing. Was he finally going to –

‘Here we go. Sorry for the wait.’

She flushed when their waiter appeared. He’d somehow navigated his way through the crowd with two heaped plates of soul food.

She bit her lip hard when Darien left his hand right where it was.

His pinky dipped into the crevice close to her crotch, and she couldn’t stop the moan that escaped her lips. She quickly covered it with a cough.

‘Enjoy,’ the waiter said.

She was horrified when she saw the twinkle in his eyes.

Darien squeezed. ‘We will.’

He left his hand there for much of the meal. The interruption had broken the tension, or at least made it shift. His touch left Rielle hot and bothered. And wet.

The band started playing, but that only added to the sultry mood in the room. The music was the blues, but not the moody kind. It was hot and earthy, and it made her want to spread her legs and lean back in her chair…forget the entire bar of men who might be watching…

Or revel in the knowledge that they could look but not touch.

She finished her rum and Coke and Darien signalled for another.

‘It’s good, isn’t it?’ he murmured.

She settled her hand over his on her leg. ‘Too good.’

He smiled hard. ‘I was talking about the music.’

Her eyelids felt heavy. ‘That too.’

He leaned in. ‘I wouldn’t have pictured you for a blues girl, but you like it.’

She loved it. The music reached inside her. It drew her away from all her cares and problems. Problems that she really shouldn’t ignore.

Reality suddenly crashed in, and her breath caught. She put her drink down and sat up taller. ‘Darien.’

‘Relax.’ He pulled his hand away. ‘I never should have said anything.’

She swallowed hard to keep from coughing on her drink. Her eyes stung, but she kept them trained on a man across the room who’d caught her eye.

A man she’d seen before.

‘Darien, he’s here,’ she whispered. As warm as the place was getting, she shivered.

‘Who?’ He immediately went on the alert, and his gaze swept the crowd. ‘Hamilton?’

She flinched. She hadn’t even been thinking about that. ‘No, the man from the White House dinner.’

To avoid pointing, she tilted her head in the man’s direction. ‘The blond one who knew how to handle a knife. He’s by the door.’

Darien’s expression went hard fast. His steely blue gaze snagged on the man, and the thunderclouds grew. ‘Stay here,’ he growled.

He moved so swiftly, her hair stirred.

Rielle watched nervously as he cut through the crowd like a lion weaving through long prairie grass before it pounced on its prey.

Only the blond man was gone.

Her head jerked from side to side as she tried to find him again. Where had he gone?

It had been the same man, hadn’t it? Had she picked out the wrong person this whole time? Had she been mistaken about the dark-haired woman?

A shiver went through her. She crossed her legs and looked cautiously at the tables of people around her.

What would Darien do if he caught the guy?

She wished she could see him, but he’d disappeared into the crowd too.

The band slid into another sexy number, and she accidentally caught the eye of a man sitting with his buddies at the next table. There were three of them, and they weren’t college students.

She tore her gaze away and curled in upon herself as self-consciousness ran over her again.

Her gaze trained on the door. As loud as the din was, she didn’t hear or see the sounds of a fight. Time dragged on, and she finished her drink. He was coming back, wasn’t he?

Had he been hurt?

Should she go help him?

She felt vulnerable sitting alone in the middle of the room, wearing her skimpy outfit. Skimpy for her, at least. She hated it, but she wasn’t nearly as brave without Darien at her side.

A whistle cut through the air, and she shifted in her seat. It was the men at the nearby table. She hadn’t meant to, but she’d caught their attention.

Suddenly, a prickle caught her between her shoulder blades.

It was a cold chill, not hot, and she forgot about them entirely.

She went still, inside and out. She was being watched – and not by some meat-market regulars.

Her fingers clenched tightly in her lap. She blew out a breath and turned around. She scanned every face she could see, digesting them and quickly rejecting as she moved on.

Where was he? Was it Eddie? Was he here?

She jumped when the chair next to her knocked against the table loudly. Her muscles fired and she leaped up, but it was Darien.

Her relief was short-lived. He didn’t look happy.

He looked downright deadly.

Oh, God. She looked for the blond man, but he was nowhere to be found. Had Darien done something? Had he handled him, too?

He tossed a tip on the table and shoved his wallet back into his pocket. ‘You ready to go?’

Her weight eased back. She’d never seen him like this. She shot another worried look at the back of the bar. Caught between two evils…What should she do? She could call for a cab and go home. Even the trio of men at the table behind her might be a safer option.

His brow furrowed. ‘Rielle?’

She watched his face, so hard and serious.

He held out his hand, and time slowed down to the beat of a heart.

She caught him in a death grip. ‘Yes.’

He might be dangerous, but for the moment he wanted to protect her. She was safer in the lion’s den.

Chapter Eleven

The apartment was dark when they arrived. Out of habit, Darien entered first. He searched the place with his senses, but didn’t find anything out of the norm. He hit the switch of the living-room light. The lamp by the sofa turned on, but then there was a pop and the bulb fizzled out.

Classy place.

Rielle stiffened at his side but didn’t reach for him. The night out was supposed to have taken her mind off her problems, but she’d been quiet all the way back to the safe house. She wasn’t fidgety like when they talked about her ex, but she was stressed. Something had her wound tight as a top.

He crossed the room to turn on the row of lights over the breakfast bar. They weren’t as bright, and their light didn’t stretch to all the dark corners. It left the place even bleaker than it already was.

Rielle finally stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Her hand lit on the deadbolt, but it took a moment before she locked it.

Darien’s brow furrowed. She wasn’t in a talkative mood, but was she afraid to lock herself in with him? He was the one who was supposed to make her feel safe.

His hands opened and closed, but he went to the kitchen. He was hesitant to even go near her. She looked jumpy as a jackrabbit. He filled a glass with tap water to buy some time and watched her over the breakfast bar.

She wandered into the shadows in the living room, but had yet to take off her jacket.

‘What happened back there?’ she asked. ‘Did you find that guy?’

Hell. Was that what this was about? He took a drink of water. ‘I found him.’

‘Is everything OK? Was he the one you were waiting for?’

He swirled the water round in the glass. She was too damn sharp. It should have been just a night on the town, but she’d seen through to his deeper tactics.

She’d seen a hell of a lot more than that.

‘Don’t worry about it,’ he said. He shouldn’t have involved her, but he’d had to bring her along. It was the only way he could pull double duty and keep an eye on her. ‘Everything has been handled, but we’re going to have to find a new place.’

‘We can’t stay here any more?’

‘It’s time to go.’

‘Why?’ She paled. ‘What did you do to him?’

He stopped with his glass half-lifted for another drink.

‘No, don’t tell me.’ Jerkily, she took off her coat and threw it on a chair. ‘You won’t anyway, and I don’t think I want to know.’

His eyes narrowed. He’d let his anger get to him back at the bar, and it had obviously scared her. He shouldn’t have let his irritation show, but what did she think he’d done? ‘I talked to him. What did you think was happening?’

She stared at him steadily, reading him like a lie detector. Finally, she shook her head and turned away.

‘Rielle?’

What the hell? He knew she didn’t like being kept in the dark, but had something more happened at the bar that he didn’t know about? He put down his glass on the breakfast bar and approached her carefully. ‘What’s wrong?’

She shook her head, and he touched her shoulder. She flinched, but her brown eyes flashed when she turned to face him. There was nothing doe-eyed about her when she met his look head-on. ‘I won’t be able to take it if you’re another creep.’

The statement rocked him back on his heels. Was she comparing him to her ex?

‘Tell me you’re a good guy or walk away now and don’t look back. I deserve that much.’

She deserved a hell of a lot more than that.

But she was right. He ran a hand through his hair. He should stay away from her, but he couldn’t stand the thought of her being vulnerable when he could stop it. ‘I’m not walking away until those phone calls end for good.’

The determined look on her face faltered, and he realised he’d inadvertently answered her question.

‘Then just walk away afterwards. Please?’

Their gazes held, and Darien felt adrenalin start pumping through his veins. She was putting down an ultimatum, and it was exactly what he had planned.

In his head.

Inside him, though, everything rebelled at the idea.

There was no place for personal relationships in his line of work. He knew that. He was not the man for her, but being with her soothed something inside him…something he hadn’t even known was ragged and wanting…She made him feel connected. She made him feel like more than the highly trained instrument he’d become.

Fight or flight set in, but there was nothing he could fight here. He wasn’t a runner, but that was exactly what she was asking him to do.

Without another word, she turned and walked away. He lifted his hand to stop her, but then dropped it limply at his side. She stopped halfway down the hallway to brace herself against the wall. She unzipped one of her high-heeled boots and tugged it off.

It went flying, and the clunk against the far wall made him grimace.

She did the same with the other and followed it into the bedroom. In bare feet, she was even more appealing. Real. Everything he wanted.

The door shut with a tiny click, and he felt it like a kick in the ass.

‘Fuck.’ He circled the room. He should let it be. She’d be best off if she cut him out of her life. It meant she wouldn’t come looking for him. She wouldn’t get caught up in his world like she was now.

He dropped his head and rubbed the back of his neck. ‘Fuck,’ he whispered.

He couldn’t do it.

He planted his hands on his hips and looked around the bare, sad apartment. He’d asked and asked and asked of her. She’d gone out with him, she’d slept with him, she’d put her safety in his hands and she’d ended up here. She’d trusted him time and again with nothing to back up her instincts, but her goodwill was quickly running out. It was time for him to meet her halfway.

He headed back to the kitchen and poured her a shot of whiskey. Rummaging through the cupboards didn’t turn up much, but he did find a half-burned candle in a jar and a book of matches. Cranberry scent. He scowled, but it was all he had. A book from her duffle bag lay on an end table. He swept that up too, and took everything to the bathroom.

He eyed the tub. It looked clean enough, but he ran over it with wipes he found under the sink. Finally, he turned the tap full on.

He searched for anything else as the tub began to fill with warm water. Bubbles were a long shot, and he came up empty-handed. The towels were clean, but they weren’t soft and plush like the ones in her boss’s bathroom. He swore that Nina had a tactile thing. Everything around her was luxurious that way. Rielle deserved all those amenities, but he didn’t have them here.

He shut off the tap and looked around. It wasn’t much, but it was the best he could offer her.

He braced himself against the bathroom doorframe and stared at the blocked-off bedroom before him. When it came to urban operations, he had balls the size of that goat back at Madam’s Organ. He’d entered and cleared more buildings than he could count, but the thought of knocking on that particular door had him sweating bricks.

She hadn’t trusted him before, but he hadn’t seen the look of fear in her eyes until just a few moments ago. Fear and resignation.

He took three steps and knocked.

For a moment, he thought she wouldn’t answer.

‘What?’ The word was soft and dispirited.

He worked out a kink in his neck and entered. She was standing at the window, looking at the nighttime world outside. Clouds had hidden the stars and even the moon on the ride home. DC was getting ready for a spring rainstorm. There was heaviness in the air and the charge of gathering electricity. Her feet were still bare, and her toes curled into the carpeting. She looked like she was chilled in that short skirt and brief silk top, but she’d made no move to get changed.

She was as far away as she could get from the bed they’d shared.

‘I ran you a bath.’

She looked at him in bewilderment, and he nearly swore again.

No, he hadn’t grown two heads.

‘I promised the detective that you would relax tonight.’ And he’d done just about everything possible to blast that promise to smithereens.

Her eyes narrowed. She wasn’t buying it.

‘I won’t bother you.’ By ‘bother’ he meant touch.

He walked back to the kitchen, leaving her alone, and found his glass. He tossed the water into the sink and replaced it with whiskey of his own. He had it half gone before he heard the bathroom door close.

And lock.

For some reason, that sealed his decision. He knew what she wanted most, and it wasn’t a hot bath. He finished off the whiskey, poured himself another and headed back down the hallway. She gave him a long time to think. He was waiting for her, sitting on the bed and staring into his untouched drink, when she finally came out a million hours later.

She paused in the doorway when she saw him and hugged her clothes to her chest. ‘You’re on the couch tonight.’

‘I know.’

She smelled clean, and the tips of her hair were damp. Warm air floated down the hallway, along with a nice scent. Cranberry wasn’t half bad. She looked calmer, toned down, but even more resolved. He didn’t want to work her up again, but he needed to change that look in her eyes.

Or at least give her better information on which should could make her decisions.

‘Nice pajamas,’ he said brusquely. She was wearing a Washington Capitals hockey jersey. Seeing her bare legs and knowing the jersey touched nothing but skin made his back teeth set.

She looked down and bit her lip. ‘It was a gift for a favour I did for Jason. Please don’t go after him.’

Go after him? Jesus. Did she think he was a bloodthirsty thug? He set his drink down on the nightstand and rubbed his hand over his face. This had to end.

‘Rielle, the blond guy you saw at the bar is my partner.’

Her eyes snapped open so wide, he could practically see the gears turning in her brain. ‘That was Mike?’

‘Shit.’ He hadn’t planned to out his partner’s identity, but she’d connected the dots like she always did. ‘Yes, Mike. You weren’t supposed to see him there.’

‘But…’ Confusion furrowed her brow, and her energy rose. ‘Why were you so angry with him?’

‘Because he’s supposed to blend in, and that’s the second time you’ve picked him out of a crowd. You singled him out at the White House dinner, and you spotted him in a crowded bar. That’s not supposed to happen.’

‘But I didn’t notice him that way. I didn’t find him suspicious or alarming.’ She tugged at the leather skirt she held in her hands. ‘He’s just a good-looking guy.’

‘Yeah? Don’t let him hear you say that.’ Darien stared at the floor and shook his head. He couldn’t believe he was doing this, but he had to. She had a need to know. ‘We haven’t been getting along lately. He’s been riding me pretty hard, but he’s been slipping up, too. We talked.’

Talked? He was trying to be honest here. He’d gotten in his partner’s face, and they’d had a rip-roaring go-round.

He lifted his gaze and scowled. ‘We fought, but it didn’t come to blows. You act like you thought I took him out or something.’

She hooked her hair behind her ear and gave a little shrug.

She really thought the worst of him, didn’t she? Darien tapped his thumbs together as he braced his elbows on his knees. He supposed, from what she’d seen, it wouldn’t be that big of a leap. And he’d taken lives before. He’d been a soldier. He was tasked with being a weapon now.

‘Why is he upset with you?’ she asked quietly.

‘Because of you. I brought you in when I shouldn’t have. I needed you that first night. Everything I told you then was the truth, but afterwards I should have done exactly what you want me to do now – walk away.’ He stopped the nervous tapping of his thumbs, and the room went quiet. Down the hallway in the bathroom, the ceiling fan whirred. ‘I couldn’t.’

He saw her swallow hard.

‘Is he trying to make you? Is that why we can’t stay here any more?’

‘No, they need the place.’

Her shoulders finally relaxed, but her mind was working faster than ever. He could see it plain as day on her face. ‘But…The Breather. You told him about that, right?’

Hell, yes, he’d told him. It’s was what had set him off. ‘He thinks the cops should handle it. It’s a distraction for me, and it’s endangering our assignment.’

She went still. ‘What assignment is that?’

Darien sighed. ‘Rielle, I told you I can’t tell you everything. I shouldn’t be telling you most of the things I’m telling you right now.’

‘I won’t tell anyone.’

‘I know you won’t.’ Not voluntarily. Thinking about other ways the information could be pried out of her turned his stomach.

‘It’s not fair, I know,’ he said. She wanted to know more about him, but there were reasons why the rules were in place. ‘I don’t want anyone thinking you have knowledge about me that might be valuable.’

She shook her head so vehemently, her damp hair swished around her shoulders. ‘But you made me your escort with an exclusive contract. Men tell escorts more than you think they do. They tell them everything.’

A cold knot formed in his chest. Had he made a tactical error there?

‘You think you’re putting me in danger, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take.’ She put the clothes on the dresser, then clenched her hands at her sides. ‘Are you?’

He stared at her helplessly.

‘At least answer my question,’ she whispered.

Good or bad. It all came down to that, but there were so many shades of grey.

The muscles in his shoulders bunched. She was asking him to trust her.

He felt sweat threaten to break out on his forehead when he realised how far out on a limb she’d gone for him. He licked his lips. She’d been braver than he had. He’d been using the rules as an excuse, but opening himself up like that? Letting her see inside?

The humid air from her bath hung in the room around them. Suddenly, all the walls were listening.

He cleared his throat. ‘My job is like yours,’ he said gruffly. ‘Top secret.’

Her weight went up onto the balls of her feet.

‘Shit,’ he swore under his breath. He wiped his brow and finally met her anxious look in an unwavering stare. ‘I work for the government in a unit that, for all intents and purposes, doesn’t exist.’

Her breath sucked in, and she clapped her hand over her mouth as if she didn’t want that to stop him.

‘I can’t tell you specifics, but we monitor situations.’

‘And people,’ she whispered.

‘And we deal with threats.’ They struck fast and hard and left as little trace as possible. She would never, ever find out how.

‘You’re still a soldier,’ she said.

‘No, I’m not.’

Her shoulders pressed against the wall, and she tucked her hands behind her in the small of her back. The toes of her right foot were rubbing against her left shin. Her eyes were still big as she took it all in, but she wasn’t running.

She wasn’t shying away in fear any more.

‘I’m one of the good guys,’ he said, ‘if that’s the label you need to put on it. But there are operatives on the opposite side who do exactly the same thing.’

‘I’m OK with that.’

Had not knowing been worse?

He unclenched his hands to get blood flow back to his fingers. He’d been worried the truth would send her for the hills. Now he felt his nerves snapping even tighter that she was staying. He’d been trained to remain in the shadows, and it worried him to pull her into the darkness with him like this. It made him feel more exposed than if he’d walked outside and yelled it to the streets.

‘That’s all I’m going to tell you about that. Do you understand?’

She nodded and he stood up. He’d tell her whatever she wanted to know about himself – he’d already cracked open that door – but he would not share classified information. Not even for her.

He walked to her, and she didn’t balk. Planting a hand against the wall on each side of her head, he leaned in. Her eyes were bright, and the colour had come back to her cheeks. The frizzy, irritated static between them still buzzed, but it had dropped in tone.

He dipped his head so they were eye-to-eye. ‘And if I’m being perfectly honest, I signed that contract not only to protect you, but to get close to you. I want you, Rielle, any way I can get you.’

Her chest rose as she inhaled deeply. She shifted against the wall, and her hockey jersey snagged, making it lift higher on her thighs.

Wanting was in her eyes.

He felt a corresponding tug inside his chest. And lower.

But he pulled back.

‘Where are you going?’ she asked breathlessly.

‘The couch.’ He’d been banished.

Rielle was stunned when he left her.

She was even more stunned by what he’d told her. Finally, the truth.

He moved like a ghost down the hallway, and the lights in the living room went off. They’d been dim, but the darkness made it seem like there was a chasm between them. Darkness versus light. Good versus bad. Danger versus security. Sometimes there were vagaries that brought them closer than one would think. She heard the creak of springs as he settled onto the sofa, but then there was silence.

She sank into the wall, letting it hold her when her legs went weak. Her mind was whirling as she tried to process everything he’d told her. He might not be a soldier any more, but he did dirty work…work that somebody had to do…

The White House reception – he hadn’t crashed that. He’d been invited. And the dark-haired woman with RBF? Rielle cringed. She didn’t want to know what that woman was involved in.

But she could handle all that.

She bent over and braced her hands on her thighs. Compared to the other places her thoughts had gone, this was something she could embraced. She’d worried about organised crime and drug cartels. With the way he’d involved Luxxor and the way Nina had reacted, she’d even considered the seedier world of prostitution – the one where protections weren’t in place and escorts had no options. Nina kept her on the periphery of what Luxxor did. She’d worried Darien would do the same. She didn’t know if she could be with a man like that, even if he kept her totally separate from his illegal dealings.

But she understood his caution now and what drove him. He was still dangerous, but he had a conscience.

He was protecting more than just her.

She swept her hair back as she stood upright again. Her thoughts were clearer, and the knot of anxiety inside her chest was gone. Yet a different kind of nervousness set in. She’d pushed him tonight. She’d made him break his oath and put her in front of others. She hoped she hadn’t pushed him too far.

The fan in the bathroom whirred incessantly, wearing on her nerves. She waited for the sofa to creak or the sound of footsteps, but that was a hopeless cause. He didn’t make a sound when he moved. Finally, she tiptoed down the hallway to turn off the fan herself. With the hush, her awareness of the rest of the apartment grew.

She waited for him to come around the corner.

Or to call her name.

When it didn’t happen, she retreated. It had been a long time since she’d listened to her inner voice, the one that had kept her safe. She returned to the bedroom, turned off the light and crawled into bed.

The darkness pressed on her.

He’d shared his secrets with her. More than that, he’d shared himself. He’d broken his own rules for her. He’d made his move.

What should hers be?

She lay there, staring into the darkness for a long time as her brain and her heart fought it out. He’d told her what he wanted. The intimate confession had loosened her joints, but what did she want? She’d made mistakes before. At last, she threw back the covers. She didn’t know why she was fighting herself. She knew what the answer was.

She walked down the darkened hallway towards the living room. It was brighter there than she’d thought. Moonlight slanted across the floor as it poured through a gap in the curtains. It gave the apartment an intimate glow that she didn’t want to disturb.

She turned into the room and was surprised to find him asleep. His face was relaxed, and his lashes seemed long. He looked younger. Unburdened.

For all of two seconds.

She let out a squeal when he moved like lightning. One moment, he was asleep. The next, he was alert and armed.

‘Darien,’ she gasped. ‘It’s me.’

He hadn’t pointed the weapon at her, but he had it in his hand.

‘Sorry. Damn.’ He eased back against the cushions and set that imposing black handgun on the coffee table. The hardness hadn’t left his face as he laid his head back against the armrest. ‘I’ve been trained to sleep when I can.’

She smoothed the jersey over her thighs. Her hands were still shaking. ‘I shouldn’t have woken you.’

His shirt was off, and his feet were bare. He was longer than the sofa, but his body seemed lazy and relaxed as he lay back down.

It was a deception.

‘Why did you?’ he asked.

She didn’t know what to say. Now that her eyes had adjusted, the moonlight was so much brighter in this room. She still had time to turn around. He’d let her keep him at arm’s-length, if that was what she wanted.

It wasn’t what she wanted at all.

She went to the sofa and sat on the small open space by his hip. His eyes got heavy again. He tucked her hair behind her ear and combed his fingers through its length. ‘Can’t sleep, Beautiful?’

She shook her head.

He shifted and made room for her to lie down beside him. It was a tight fit. The sofa wasn’t big enough for him as it was, but when he wrapped his arm around her waist and tucked her up against him, it was perfect.

She folded her hands under her head. ‘Thank you for telling me,’ she whispered.

His hand moved on her belly. ‘You can’t tell anyone,’ he warned, his voice low against the darkness. ‘Ever. Not Nina, not Sienna. No one.’

‘Don’t worry.’ She leaned back against him. ‘You’re safe with me. I’ll protect you.’

He went still behind her.

‘Don’t regret it,’ she said. ‘Please?’

‘I’m not regretting anything.’ He slid his hand up her leg. ‘I’ve just never had anyone offer to protect me before.’

‘I will.’

‘I know, and it’s making me hard.’ He worked the hockey jersey upwards, and she helped by wiggling against the cushions. The chill of the night air hit her as he pulled it over her head. She heard the sweater smack against the dead lamp before he pulled her close again. ‘Got to get rid of that thing,’ he muttered.

‘You’ll have to give me something else to wear to bed,’ she teased. She liked knowing he was jealous, even if there was no reason for it.

‘Why?’ He nibbled her neck as he cupped her breast. ‘I like you naked better than anything.’

She caught at his hip, but encountered his jeans. ‘I like you naked, too.’

‘Then invite me back to your bed.’

She closed her eyes and twined her fingers with his. ‘Come back to bed, Darien. Make love to me.’

When he moved this time, she was caught up in the whirlwind. One moment they were crammed on the couch together, the next she was in his arms and he was moving swiftly down the hallway.

He put her on her feet in the bedroom, but no moonlight snuck through the cracks down here. It was so dark she couldn’t see anything, but she could feel. He stripped off her panties and came down onto the mattress with her. She shifted so he fitted onto it. They’d landed cockeyed upon the bed, but he didn’t seem to care.

‘Ooooh.’ Neither did she when his hands stroked up her inner thighs, parting them.

He gave her no time to prepare before he went down on her. In the darkness, with no other sensory input, the feel of his mouth was devastating. She wove her fingers through his hair. He shouldered his way deeper between her thighs, and his hands slid under her bottom to lift her to his mouth.

He ate her with inhibition-smashing thoroughness. He kissed her and licked her pussy until she was trembling. When he spread her lower lips and carefully used his teeth, her muscles clenched and her back arched.

‘Easy,’ he murmured.

Easy? Was he crazy?

She twisted in pleasure, but he kept the loving slow and arousing and so intimate that it made her toes curl.

‘I like that you’re bare down here,’ he said.

Her face felt hot. She worked at Luxxor. She might not work the night shift – other than with him – but she’d heard talk. Personal grooming wasn’t something they discussed in loud voices, but she’d definitely had recommendations from both the male and female staff. It had been awkward, but she was so happy she’d listened now.

‘Darien,’ she moaned.

He wasn’t shy or hesitant. He knew exactly what to do to her to make her come apart.

He slid a finger down her slit and massaged her deeply. ‘I want to make you feel good.’

‘I do.’

She was so wet, it should have been embarrassing. Her pussy was clenching and relaxing under his tutelage. In the darkness, he found his way by touch. His fingers dipped into her, and his lips latched on to her clit. Her breaths came hard, and a cry was released from deep in her chest. The sheets rumpled beneath her. She was completely at his mercy.

‘Do you trust me?’ he asked.

Something in his ragged tone told her the question was important. She’d trusted him all along until she’d wavered. He’d showed his faith in her tonight.

Was it her turn to reciprocate?

‘Yes?’ she said hesitantly.

His fingers slid back, spreading her wet juices, and rubbed dangerously close to a forbidden spot. ‘That didn’t sound very sure,’ he said.

His breaths were hot against her thighs, and his body felt big as he pressed her down. ‘Do you trust me?’

His callused fingertip rimmed the ring of her anus inquisitively, and Rielle’s breaths came hard in her lungs. All her senses were focused on what he was doing. Could she? Dare she?

She was his escort. Exclusively.

No limits, full access.

She swallowed hard. ‘Yes.’

She barely got the word out. It was just a disturbance of air, but he heard her. A groan left his throat as he settled back down. His head dipped, and his tongue lashed.

Her spine arched hard when she felt pressure at her back door. It wasn’t forceful, but it was unyielding. Her body fought the foreign penetration, resisting. He returned to her clit and laved it with his tongue.

She cried out as she took his finger deep into her ass.

He pumped her there, and her senses exploded. She crested hard and fast against his mouth. Before she came back down, he’d worked in another and was scissoring them, making her stretch.

Making her feel how much she trusted him.

She came again, and he finally pulled his hand from between her legs. She heard him undressing, and then he was crawling up her body. She caught his shoulders when he slid his hand under her butt and came at her from the back. His fingers burrowed into her again, and then his big cock was finding its home, too. She felt full as he slid in deep. Soon he was inside her, riding her slowly. Steadily. Mind-blowingly.

‘Yes,’ Rielle panted. She clutched at him every way she could. He played her like a master as he fucked her from both sides.

Trust him? She needed him.

She ran her hands down his hard chest and felt the sweat. Her legs tangled with his. Their stomachs pressed together, and his muscles clenched.

‘Yes,’ she repeated, louder.

He kept riding her, drawing her pleasure out. Her need.

‘Yes, yes, yes!’ she cried.

He finally joined her, grunting almost savagely as his hips slammed against her one more time. ‘Rielle!’

Her neck craned against the pillow, and her hips pressed down, wanting everything.

After a long moment, his weight came down upon her, pinning her upon the penetration. She kissed his shoulder and stroked her hands along his sides. He carefully pulled his fingers out of her, and she felt every intimate inch.

‘You are beautiful,’ he whispered into her ear. ‘And I’m keeping you for as long as I can.’

He rolled off her and pulled her into his arms. There was more room here on the bed, easily enough that they could have their own space, but she snuggled close.

‘I’m keeping you, too, Tall, Dark and Dangerous.’

He chuckled, but she barely heard it. Sleep was finally pulling her under. Soon she was asleep in his arms, feeling safer than she could remember.

Chapter Twelve

They went out for breakfast the next morning at the Apple Tree Grille. The refrigerator in the safe house didn’t have much more than the bottle of whiskey, some bread and sliced cheese. They needed to find a new place to spend the night anyway, so buying groceries didn’t make sense. Rielle knew her stress level was down when, instead of choosing a gooey cinnamon roll, she was content to opt for an egg-white omelette instead.

The meal was comfortable and intimate. Secluded in a back booth, they felt like they were sharing secrets – and they were. It had been a long time since she’d been close with a man. She’d forgotten how it could feel to know things about someone that others didn’t. To feel safe, yet reckless. Wanted, yet free.

Somehow this guarded loner had slipped further past her defences than anyone had ever done before. She blushed when his blue eyes sparked and he nudged his toe against hers. She needed to be careful or she was going to fall in love with him.

If she wasn’t there already.

The realisation surprised her. She’d been so wrapped up in the mystery and danger of him that she hadn’t asked herself why she wasn’t avoiding him. Was that why she got so energised whenever he was around? There was the sexual attraction and the mental spark, but there had always been something else. Something deeper. She was lost in thought as they walked down the street to Luxxor’s building.

‘Careful,’ he said as he guided her around a puddle.

The rain had started in the middle of the night and hadn’t ended until just before they’d left the apartment. The scent of spring was in the air. Everything had been washed clean. Nature was ready for a fresh start.

Darien held the door to the lobby open for her, but she stopped on the threshold. ‘We could stay at my place.’

His eyes rounded, and the corners of his lips twitched upwards. He cupped the back of her head and pressed his mouth against her ear. ‘I’d love to, but let’s keep quiet about that.’

‘OK,’ she whispered up at him.

He gave her a fast kiss and ushered her inside.

She wiped her feet on the doormat and headed to the mailboxes. It was still early, especially for Sienna and Nina. They put in later hours, which meant she was always the first one in. Darien didn’t want her to be alone, so he was playing bodyguard again. She wondered what hours he kept – or if he even kept hours – but she knew better than to ask.

They headed up in the elevator, and he watched her thumb through the stack of bills, junk mail and the daily newspaper.

‘So I’m curious,’ he said. ‘How many clients does Luxxor have?’

Her head popped up. She couldn’t answer that. ‘It changes.’

‘How many get the extra special service?’

She frowned at him. He was being deliberately difficult; he knew she couldn’t share those things. She feigned interest in the front page of the paper instead.

‘Do you have any clients who would surprise me?’ he pressed.

Her toe began tapping. There was absolutely no way she was going to answer that one.

He smirked. ‘I bet there are more than a few.’

There were, but he would never know. The elevator arrived at the fourth floor, and she moved by him. He winked, and she rolled her eyes.

He followed close at her side. ‘Ever been tempted to escort anyone before me?’

She nearly dropped her keys. ‘No.’

He grinned and propped himself against the wall as she unlocked the door. ‘Good answer. Do you see what I’ve been going through?’

She let out a huff and entered. ‘Yes, but the difference is that you’re hoping the secrets I have are good. I was dreading that yours were bad.’

But she got it. It had been engrained in her fibre to protect Luxxor and everything she knew about the business. He’d been taught the same thing – only his slip-ups could have much greater side effects.

‘True. Although –’ His forehead furrowed as he suddenly became serious. ‘Do you think there’s any crossover?’

She whipped around. ‘What?’

His eyes sparked, and an entirely different kind of energy exuded from him. He moved towards her until he towered over her. The hunter had caught the scent of prey. ‘You said that clients tell escorts everything.’

Oh, God. Bad move. Very bad.

‘Can you share some of that with me?’ he asked.

‘Absolutely not.’

‘It would just be between the two of us.’

‘No, it wouldn’t.’

‘Well, how about this? If I gave you names, you could share anything you might know about those potential clients.’

She planted her hands on her hips and faced him. ‘No.’

‘Come on. It’s outside Luxxor’s concerns. You’d still get paid, and think of the greater good.’

‘It’s not going to happen. These aren’t stupid people. They’d figure out where the leak is and we’d be out of business.’ If not in jail…‘They use us because we keep their confidence – just like they keep ours.’

‘Just a little? Maybe a nugget here and there?’ He held up his thumb and forefinger to show just how little he’d be willing to accept.

‘No.’

‘Come on. You haven’t even asked Nina.’

‘And I’m not going to. I’m making the call. The answer is no.’ She returned to the mail. ‘Maybe that’s a word I should be saying more often.’

His eyebrows jumped. ‘Hey now, don’t be that way. I was only kidding.’

‘Half-kidding.’ She smiled at him. She had been, too, but he was getting harder to handle. Their relationship had shifted once again last night. As leery as he’d been to let her close, the edge had been worn off. He was easier-going, more relaxed. Friskier.

He eased up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. ‘It was worth a try.’

And it had been a good one, trying to twist her loyalty to his use.

He kissed the spot beneath her ear as she flipped to a manila envelope that had been buried in the stack. It was addressed to her and had no return address. Probably payment. Some clients didn’t like to use their bank accounts. The envelope felt bulkier than just a cheque, though. She sighed. Cash.

‘Whoa,’ Darien said. He reached for her just as she was tearing it open. ‘What is that?’

‘None of your busi– Oh!’ She tilted the envelope upright when something spilled out.

It took her a moment to identify the mess on her desk. Dried up, crumbling cherry blossoms? What the heck?

Darien swiftly took the envelope away from her and handled it by the corners. ‘Back up,’ he ordered.

She did as told. The tone of his voice brooked no argument, and she had a bad feeling too. ‘What is it?’

He looked over the desk. ‘No powder,’ he said, more to himself than her.

Oh, God.

He puffed the envelope open wider and looked inside. A dark expression settled on his face. He upended the contents onto the desktop. More cherry blossoms littered it, but something else slid out and smacked against the desk.

Pictures. Rielle stepped closer. Photographs.

She sucked air in so hard, it hurt her throat. They were pictures from last night at Madam’s Organ.

She got cold just looking at the one on top. It was a shot of her and Darien sitting at their table. They were looking into each other’s eyes as if there was nobody else in the room. It was an intimate shot of a couple out on the town, except that, from the angle at which the picture was taken, the viewer could see just how intimate they were truly being. Darien’s hand was pushed up under her skirt all the way to his wrist.

Rielle backed away. ‘He was there. I knew he was there. I felt him.’

Darien’s head swivelled around, and his gaze drilled her. ‘Who was there? Hamilton?’

She pressed a hand against her breastbone. Her lungs weren’t working right. ‘Yes. Eddie.’

‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

‘I forgot.’

The look on his face was beyond disbelief.

‘I did. It was right after you left to talk to Mike. I didn’t know what was going on…if you were getting into a fight…if you were ever going to come back…I started to feel uncomfortable, like someone was watching me. But then you came back, and you were angry. I just…’

She’d been caught between two evils, and she’d turned her back on the worse one.

‘All right. It’s OK.’ He grabbed a pencil from the holder on her desk and used the eraser to move the photos about. He rubbed his brow. ‘Call the detective.’

Rielle stared at the photographs. They were more of the same. There was one of her and Darien with their heads bent together. They looked sexy, with her in her leather skirt and skimpy top, and him so big and virile. Looking at that shot, there was no question where their night would end.

And it had.

The blood drained from her face. There was a picture of Darien touching her hair and another one of her alone as she waited for him to return. But the worst was a photograph that showed his hand deep under her skirt and her head tilted back in pleasure. Her eyelids were heavy and her lips were parted – but that that wasn’t what had her so unsettled. She couldn’t rip her gaze from the big red X crossing out Darien. Or ‘Mel’, as the block letters spelled out.

A whimper of panic left her lips. ‘The cherry blossoms. He was at the Tidal Basin that day. I felt him watching me then, too.’

‘OK, easy. Breathe.’ Darien picked up the phone and started punching buttons. ‘Where can I find Morgan’s number? Is it programmed in here?’

He opened her desk drawer. ‘Do you have a card?’

‘202-555-1812,’ she said in a rush.

He looked at her sharply.

She repeated the number more slowly, and his look turned curious.

She pointed at her head and hated it when her hand trembled. ‘I have a thing with numbers.’

His smile was hard. ‘Always surprising me, Beautiful.’

He dialled the number and stared down at the pictures. ‘Morgan? It’s Darien Scott. We have a situation over here at Luxxor.’

He flicked aside the last picture in disgust. ‘The Breather just escalated.’

By the time they made it to Muay Thai practice that evening, Rielle was focused and motivated. Anger burned inside her. She was tired of running scared. She was sick of letting a weak, small-minded eunuch control her decisions and her life.

The guys she passed inside the front door saw it on her face when she walked into the gym. They waved, but the smiles on their faces faded fast when Darien strode in behind her.

His mood was even darker.

The gym was a few blocks from her apartment, but it wasn’t one of those glossy meat markets that focused on Pilates and kettle bells. It was an old-fashioned gym run mainly for fighters. There was a boxing ring in the middle of the room and mats on the floor throughout. The place smelled like sweaty socks, and the language could get just as filthy, but she felt empowered here.

Safe.

It had taken her a while to work up the courage to join but, when she’d seen a posting of the classes they offered, she’d picked up the phone and called. The popularity of mixed martial arts had revived the old gym somewhat. The people here weren’t desk-riders trying to keep off the weight. These people were here to work off aggression. They were here to learn how to fight.

‘This is your gym?’ Darien said in a half-snarl.

‘Yes.’ She tossed her bag against the wall in a line with all the others.

When she turned, she found him standing between her and the rest of the room with his arms crossed.

‘Over-protective much?’ she asked.

She began to warm up and stretch.

‘How in the hell did you end up here?’ he asked.

She levelled a look on him. ‘Eddie.’

The one-word answer turned his attitude around fast. ‘You came here to learn how to protect yourself.’

‘And they helped me.’ She lifted an eyebrow at him. He was the newbie now, and her friends here were protective too. ‘Watch your back,’ she warned.

She’d received a lot of looks when she’d first started coming here. There had been a catcall or two before her instructor had shut them down. The regulars had figured out pretty quickly that she was serious about the endeavour. When they’d seen how driven she was, most of them had figured out why. They’d been forming a defensive circle around her ever since. She had bartenders, cabbies, sanitation workers and a few Senate pages who were like protective brothers to her.

Darien was being eyed closely.

‘Just prove your worth and you’ll be OK,’ she advised.

‘If any of them gets too handsy with you, I will not be held responsible for my actions.’

She smiled. For as much as he’d made her shake in her shoes when she’d first met him, he made her feel safe too.

The class instructor finally called them together to get started. Rielle introduced Darien as an observer, and the two men did the posturing thing while they shook hands. Ray had a shaved head and tattoos on his neck, and preferred to go by Stingray, but he knew a tough guy when he saw one.

Darien took a place on the sidelines and watched over everyone as they began to spar. Rielle felt him keeping a close eye on her, but her opponent wasn’t as advanced as she was. She blocked a punch with her forearm and came in with a knee strike. She pulled back on the attack as they were instructed to do, but her kneecap still connected pretty solidly with the guy’s thigh. He winced in pain.

‘Sorry,’ she said.

He rolled his eyes. ‘Like I can’t take a girl.’

Darien chuckled, but frowned when he saw something he didn’t like with another pair of trainees. He held back for a few moments, but, when he saw Ray working with someone over in the corner, he stepped in.

He showed the student why he needed to keep his arms inside his opponent’s in a clinch and had him try again. Ray’s eyes narrowed when he saw what was happening.

‘Does your boyfriend know some Muay Thai?’ he asked.

Rielle blew her hair out of her face. ‘He knows all of it.’

Ray’s eyes lit up. Instead of being territorial, he saw an opportunity. Soon he had Darien in the main ring with him, and the two were giving a showcase on how to do the most damage to one another.

Rielle watched the two fighters in awe. They moved so fast and had so much power. Every move had a countermove, and the battle was as much about strategy as anything. Muay Thai was known as the Art of Eight Limbs, since it used hands, elbows, knees and feet as weapons. Forearms and shins were employed as armour in the close-combat sport, and the fittest survived. It was all about finding weaknesses and defending your own.

As far as she could tell, Darien didn’t have any weaknesses. He was stripped down to shorts and boxing shoes. The overhead gym lights showed the dampness in his hair and the sweat on his body. He called her Beautiful, but he was the one who was gorgeous. His body was ripped, but it hadn’t gotten that way pumping iron or running on a treadmill. She thought of the kinds of training he’d endured in Special Forces.

What kind of physical conditioning did his secret unit do now that kept his muscles rippled and lean?

‘That your new guy?’ one of her classmates asked.

‘Yes.’ She didn’t even think about qualifying that answer.

‘He treat you OK?’

Her lips curled up in a soft smile. ‘Yes.’

‘Thank God.’ Her friend ran a hand along his shaggy Mohawk. ‘It would take all of us to bring him down.’

The seminar took pretty much the entire class, but nobody cared about not getting as much of their usual hand-to-hand time. They’d learned more about how the combat style was actually supposed to work in that session than they did fumbling through themselves. Most nodded at Darien or gave him a fist bump as they headed out the door.

He took a breather in the ring. Leaning over the top rope, he drank deeply from the water bottle Rielle brought him. He was sweaty and tired and sexy as all in his get-out.

His eyes narrowed on her. ‘Ready for your turn?’

‘You want me to get up there with you?’

‘I promised you I’d teach you that clinch move.’

‘Go get him, Rielle.’ Her buddy with the Mohawk slapped her on the tush, and Darien growled.

Ray just laughed at his cheeky student. ‘You’d better get out of here now before he hands you your ass.’

Rielle felt excitement rise inside her. She’d started learning Muay Thai because she wanted to be able to protect herself. She hadn’t known she’d love it.

She wasn’t a violent person. Aggression wasn’t something she needed to work out, unlike some of the others who came here. She liked the fast action and the mental side of the sport, not to mention how strong it made her feel. An hour here would leave all those hot yoga types on the floor, panting for air.

She climbed the steps, and Darien spread the ropes so she could step into the ring. The lights above were more concentrated here, highlighting the main show. She cinched up her ponytail and met him in the centre when he gestured for her to come over.

He stood over her, looking big and male.

She wanted to climb him like a tree.

He brushed his finger down the bridge of her nose. ‘You’re good,’ he told her quietly.

She scrunched her nose when he made it tickle. ‘Not as good as some of the others.’

‘You’re instinctual. I used my size to subdue you at the Tidal Basin when you pounced on me.’

‘Sorry about that.’

‘Don’t be. You were protecting yourself. You need to protect that instinct just as closely.’

She nodded. That was one of the things she’d learned from her experience with Eddie. She’d never felt the spark of attraction or even that much interest in him. He’d even made her warning senses tingle, but her friend had encouraged her to go out with him. She’d never been a big partier, and he’d seemed quiet and low-key. She’d caved in to the pressure and had gone on a date with him to be nice.

Never again.

‘You don’t have size,’ Darien said, ‘but you have other strengths. You need to use them more.’

‘Like what?’

‘Your quickness and your looks.’

She was quick to respond to that, all right. Temper flared within her. Of all the chauvinistic things to say…‘What do my looks have to do with anything?’ she snapped.

He held up his hands defensively. ‘People don’t expect women to be tough, especially when they’re as feminine as you. They’ll underestimate you.’

She eyed him warily. Well, that much was true. She saw it in some of the bigwigs who came in the office every day.

‘Use that to your advantage,’ he said.

‘Like playing dead?’

‘Exactly.’ He moved around behind her and settled his hands on her arms. ‘Lull them and then explode into action.’

He guided her into a snap punch. ‘Use your quickness. Once you commit, follow through.’

He tugged affectionately on her ponytail. ‘If you do, you’ll do significant damage.’

Rielle looked down at her hands. They were wrapped to protect her knuckles. She’d given up on long fingernails a while ago. ‘I want to damage Eddie,’ she said quietly. ‘Is that bad?’

Darien moved back in front of her and lifted her chin. His blue eyes were stormy. ‘You’re asking the wrong guy, because I want to hurt him too. People tend to forgive too easily these days, if you ask me.’

She agreed. The rage burning in her gut had been there for a long time. She’d tried suppressing it and moving on, but she hadn’t been able to. Now, after seeing those pictures of a moment that should have been private, it was burning brighter than ever. He hadn’t only threatened her this time, he’d threatened Damien.

Darien clapped his hands and became all business. ‘OK, take your stance. Come at me like you did at the Basin, and I’ll show you what I did.’

He coached her through her moves. He was a good teacher, who focused on the basics. He taught her how to place her feet and use her whole body when going on the offensive. Best of all, he taught her how to fight dirty.

They worked through the move and then went on to another style of attack. And then another.

‘Rielle, I’ve got to go,’ Ray called. He’d straightened up the place and had watched the two of them, taking teaching pointers for himself, but time had passed by. ‘You guys can stick around longer, if you lock up when you leave.’

Rielle looked at Darien.

‘I’ve just got a few more things, and that will be plenty for tonight. We’ll make sure the place is secure.’

‘Sounds good. Nice to meet you.’ Ray left, and they were alone in the big empty gym.

‘OK, again.’ Darien stepped back with one foot and balanced his weight on the balls of his feet.

Rielle punched and tried to follow it up quickly with an elbow strike on the way back. He counteracted her easily.

‘Do you think the detective will be able to get fingerprints off those pictures?’ she asked. The day had been a whirlwind of questions, procedure and instructions. When Sienna and Nina had come in, they’d had to go through it all again.

‘If whoever sent them touched them.’

She dropped her hands. ‘He’d have to touch…Oh, gloves.’

Darien caught her wrists and lifted her hands back up to where they should be. ‘Concentrate.’

She was. She was concentrating on what she’d seen at the bar. She’d looked over the crowd in the direction from which the pictures had been taken. ‘I looked for him.’ She tried the move again. ‘How could I have missed him?’

‘The place was busy.’

‘But you were looking for someone too. Did you find her?’ Rielle’s chin lifted. ‘Oops, sorry.’

She wiped the sweat off her brow with the back of her hand. ‘How do you pick someone out in a crowd like that? What do you look for?’

He came at her fast, and she wasn’t ready.

‘Pay attention,’ he ordered again. He had her wrapped up in another unbreakable hold from behind.

‘I’m trying.’

His hold gentled. ‘Maybe that’s enough for tonight.’

‘No, I can do it.’ She had too much energy buzzing inside her to stop. She wanted to hit something. Or, more precisely, someone. ‘One more time.’

‘You’re over-tired.’

She wiggled in his grip, trying to break the hold. ‘If you’re not tired, I’m not.’

‘Oh, I’m tired.’ He pulled his foot out of the way when she tried to stomp on it. ‘Your buddy Stingray is no slouch.’

She fought harder. He was hot behind her, and his body was wrapped around hers like a cocoon.

‘Uh, Rielle,’ he warned.

She was so tired of the world pressing in on her. She wanted this mess over now. She wanted Eddie caught.

‘How long will it take for the police to get those fingerprints?’ she asked. ‘How long for a match?’

‘Morgan will put a rush on it.’ Darien’s voice sounded tight.

‘What if it’s not Eddie?’ She struggled until she was panting. That would explain why she hadn’t seen him. ‘What if it’s someone from Luxxor? What if it’s someone from here?’

‘I don’t think it is. I was watching them.’

‘But what if it is?’

‘Beauty, relax. We’ll deal with it.’

‘I want it dealt with now!’

‘All right.’ He grunted when her hips ground against him. ‘If you say so.’

She gasped when he pushed his hand down the front of her shorts. She suddenly became aware of the erection bumping into the small of her back, and the way his hold on her had changed. His arms were just as strong, but his body wasn’t defensive any more. His voice was gruff when he whispered in her ear. ‘Let’s go, and we’ll deal with it all you want.’

At once, all the frenetic energy inside her shifted and attained new focus. Her body was warm and her muscles were loose. They’d been grappling, their bodies bumping and rubbing. She arched when he ground the ball of his hand against her pelvic bone. ‘Ahhh!’

‘Good, we’re in agreement.’ He began to turn her loose, but she slid a hand down to cover his and hold it right where it was.

‘No, here,’ she said.

He went still. ‘Are you sure?’

She looked around the dimmed, empty gym. The only lights Ray had left on were over the ring. Unused equipment sat idle, waiting for the next day. It was such a physical place. So primal. She reached back and caught him by the back of the neck.

She was suddenly so turned on, she could barely stand it. She ground against his hand and felt her nipples pinch. ‘Yes. Now.’

He could move quickly when he wanted to. From the way he took her to the canvas, he wanted to badly.

Rielle shifted her hips, trying to help as he shoved down her shorts and panties. His hand bumped against her bottom as he dealt with his own. He bent her forward onto all fours, and there was no foreplay as he came over her from behind and entered her with one hard thrust.

‘Darien!’ she cried. Her belly squeezed and her neck arched back. He felt huge this way. The invasion was heavy and full, and she creamed harder around him.

He spread his hand wide on her belly and tilted her hips up towards him. There was something sexy about the way his wrapped hands felt on her.

‘Ohhhh,’ she moaned as he began to thrust.

Her fingers dug into the canvas flooring beneath her. He had her covered. His knees spread hers wider, and the friction of his thighs against hers was hot. His chest was pressed against her back, a heavy weight, as he held her down. Her breasts juddered in time with his heavy thrusts until he worked a hand under her athletic bra and cupped one possessively.

‘My shorts,’ she said. They were stretched wide but binding her thighs, pulling them together.

‘Next time you’ll have to wear something else.’ He pushed them down, but they only cinched at her knees, creating an even tighter fit. He nipped at her shoulder. ‘Like ugly grey sweatpants.’

Rielle began rocking back and forth. She could hardly bear it, but she wanted more. ‘I can move in these.’

‘I know.’ He reared up behind her. ‘Everyone knows.’

His hands clapped onto her hips, and she let out a pleasure-filled cry as he began to fuck her hard. Who needed foreplay? The past hour and a half had been full of strenuous physical exertion. Bodies confronting bodies. Aggression meeting resistance.

She wasn’t resisting now.

The ropes in front of her bounced up and down as her body shuddered. She squeezed her eyes shut, but that only intensified the feel of his big cock stroking hot and fast.

Her ponytail dropped forward and it swayed in time with his hard rhythm as he rode her.

It was too much. Too raw, too intense. Under the spotlight. Out in the middle of the gym where she’d learned how to fight – not make love.

She let out a cry of completion as she came.

‘Fuck,’ Darien cursed. He bent over her again, riding her higher, and it emphasised how much bigger he was than her. He was pumping deep inside her in short, little jerks. The constant slapping of their bodies sounded loud in the echoing chamber of the gym. His hips suddenly bucked, bumping her forward on her knees. He did it again and, finally, came.

So did she. Again.

Rielle squeezed her eyes shut until the light-headedness passed. Darien rested upon her heavily. She loved it, but she dropped down onto her elbows when her arms quivered.

‘Sorry,’ he murmured. He braced his hand beside her. There was sweat on the canvas, the kind a trainer would wipe down before the fighters went at it again.

She dropped her head and tried to catch her breath. She didn’t have the energy to go at it again. She didn’t know how she’d make it home as it was.

Darien caressed her hip. ‘Feel better?’

She swallowed and tried to find her voice. ‘Better.’

‘Me too.’ He let out a wearied groan.

He patted her bottom possessively as he pulled out of her. Even limp, his cock made her nerve endings fire. He got dressed and pulled her shorts up over her. She eased back onto her haunches and his arms came around her in a hug.

‘We’ll be ready when the time comes,’ he promised. ‘We’ll hit him hard and fast. Both of us. Together.’

Chapter Thirteen

The next morning they managed to sleep in. The Muay Thai and hot sex had finally won out over the worry and stress. That, plus the fact that they’d found another safe place to stay, had given them both the security to rest and regroup. Darien stretched as he headed for the kitchen, but he checked each room as he passed. The new apartment was more homey and comfortable than the safe house, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t still on high alert.

He snapped to even greater attention when he turned into the kitchen, but for a very different reason. Rielle was bent over the oven. Her hockey jersey was riding high, and the backs of her legs looked long and sleek. He cleared his throat. ‘That looks good.’

‘Doesn’t it?’ She pushed whatever she was baking back onto its rack and closed the oven door. ‘Erin left us a breakfast casserole.’

She tossed the pot holders onto the counter, but blushed when she caught him staring at her legs. ‘Darien.’

She tugged the jersey down, but that just stretched it tighter over her breasts.

He grinned. ‘The food looks good, too.’

He caught her by the waist and reeled her in. Her hands settled on his chest as he gave her a good-morning kiss. ‘You didn’t tell your friend why we’re here, did you?’

‘Sienna knows, but Erin thinks that my apartment is being painted.’ Rielle’s big brown eyes clouded over. ‘I hate lying to her. We could trust her. She’s the best secret-keeper I know.’

‘The fewer people the better.’ They could have gone to his place, but his one-bedroom apartment wasn’t much fancier than the safe house. Taking her out of the city might have been best, but it simply wasn’t an option – not with him in the middle of a mission. ‘Are you sure we aren’t inconveniencing them?’

‘They’re both practically living with their boyfriends anyway. They’ve been looking for somebody to sublet the place until they can get out of their lease.’

The apartment wasn’t as secure as the safe house. There was only one way in and out of the building and no alleys to speak of. The windows latched securely, though, and the door had a deadbolt. Best of all, there was no connection to either of them.

It would do.

He touched a strand of her hair that was still drying from her shower. ‘You know why we can’t stay at your apartment, right?’

She nodded, but pressed her lips together.

Hamilton could be watching. The guy was in town. He’d sent them proof that he’d been stalking her. Darien wasn’t willing to put her into any more danger than she was in already. Until they had a better idea of Eddie’s whereabouts, her routine needed to be mixed up.

He lifted her chin. ‘I know what it took for you to invite me there, and that meant something to me.’

‘It’s all right. I…’ Her lashes dipped. ‘I’d rather you weren’t my client when you stay over there anyway.’

He pulled his head back in surprise. Now there was a loaded statement if he’d ever heard one. A challenge, a promise and a come-on, all at once.

It made him hard.

She smoothed her hands over his abdomen, but avoided eye contact. ‘Will you still be around then?’

Around? He’d be banging on the front door, begging to be let in.

‘If you’ll have me.’ His hands tightened on her waist.

He’d never thought about the future much. He’d always been a guy who lived in the present, but damned if being around her hadn’t made him start thinking about possibilities. He hadn’t seen her coming, but no way did he see himself going.

She grinned softly. ‘We could think of this as a trial run.’

He got the point fast. ‘I’ll find us some place settings.’

She laughed, and he gave her another quick kiss before getting to work.

He opened a cupboard and looked for plates. Sunlight was streaming through the windows and coffee was percolating. He even heard birds chirping outside. There was something nice about this, waking up with her like a normal couple.

Or as normal as he’d ever get.

‘Did you sleep OK?’ he asked as he opened a drawer by her hip.

She nodded.

He knew he’d been out like a light. He’d slept harder than he was comfortable with. ‘No bad dreams?’

‘Not until I woke up and remembered why we’re here.’

He ran his fingers across her cheek. ‘We’ll find the bastard as soon as he sticks his head out of his hidey-hole.’

‘I know.’ She sighed. ‘Waiting is just easier said than done.’

The timer for the oven went off, and she swept up the pot holders. He gathered silverware, and soon she was placing a steaming casserole dish on a trivet in the centre of the table. The cheese was browned, and steam wafted upwards. The scent made his stomach growl. ‘Damn, that smells good.’

‘Erin has been taking cooking classes.’

‘I’m happy to be her guinea pig.’

‘Me too.’

Rielle’s grin did funny things inside Darien’s chest. She’d been under pressure from the moment he’d met her. Wary and skittish. But seeing the warm, carefree side of her? With her long hair curling as it dried and her face scrubbed free of makeup, she looked fresh and innocent. It made him want to make everything better for her…to fight back the darkness that was dimming that pretty smile…

He pulled back her chair for her and poured her some coffee and orange juice.

They were only two bites in when they learned they needed the orange juice more. The casserole had a kick.

‘Wowza.’ Rielle fanned herself and took another cooling drink. ‘That’s spicy.’

Darien dug in for another bite. ‘But it’s good.’

‘Mm hm.’ She took another smaller bite and looked at the recipe card that was propped up by the napkin holder. ‘Uh oh. I think I see the problem. She mistook crushed red pepper for chopped red peppers.’

‘That would do it.’ Darien’s eyes were watering. ‘Are you going to tell her?’

‘And burst her bubble?’ Rielle shook her head. ‘Not on your life.’

‘It’s a pact.’ He laughed and went to get them glasses of water and toast.

The spicy casserole woke them up and got the day going. They were just starting to clean up when Rielle’s phone rang. One note into her ringtone, and the entire mood in the room changed. She cast him a nervous look as she dug her phone out of her purse, and her jaw was tight when she read the caller ID. ‘It’s the detective.’

Darien looked over her shoulder. ‘Put him on speaker.’

She set the phone on the table. ‘Hello?’

‘Rielle, it’s Josh Morgan from Metro PD.’

‘Morning, Detective,’ Darien said. He hooked an arm around Rielle’s waist. She’d gone stiff as a board.

‘Good. You’re both there.’ The detective was gruff. He either hadn’t had enough coffee or wasn’t a morning person. ‘Is this a good time? I have a few things I want to talk over with you two.’

‘It’s fine,’ Rielle said, her voice getting stronger.

‘OK, I don’t have much good news, so I’m just going to lay it out for you. We weren’t able to get any prints other than yours off the envelope or pictures.’

Her head dipped. ‘He used gloves.’

‘Looks like it. We’re trying to see if there’s any way we can determine where the shots were developed, but I’m not banking on that lead panning out.’

With digital photography, photo shops weren’t as common any more, but there were still too many to narrow down one by one. On top of that, some people had the ability to develop film at home.

‘Were you able to question Hamilton?’ Darien wanted to cut to the chase. There was nothing that pointed directly to Rielle’s ex as the culprit, but he trusted her gut.

‘I went to Baltimore yesterday afternoon to co-ordinate with the police department there, but Eddie wasn’t home when we swung by. His car was in his assigned spot, but neighbours say they haven’t seen him around. Then again, he doesn’t socialise much. They mainly see him getting takeout food deliveries.’

So he could be closer. Baltimore was only an hour away by train. ‘What about his employer?’

‘I was just getting to that. Apparently, they haven’t noticed any change in his behaviour. He’s been getting his work in on time.’

‘But he works remotely,’ Rielle said. ‘All he needs is an internet connection. He could work from anywhere at any time.’

‘Shit.’ Darien cursed under his breath. So they didn’t have anything to go on. The package hadn’t been mailed. Instead, it had been dropped off by courier with Luxxor Security. He’d used his own resources to try to trace that lead, but it hadn’t led anywhere. Yet.

‘I did have one idea,’ the detective said. ‘But I’d need your help, Rielle.’

She leaned forward. ‘What is it? I’ll do anything.’

‘I’d like to have a handwriting analysis conducted on the envelope. Whoever sent it addressed it by hand. Do you have any samples of Eddie’s handwriting lying around?’

She deflated. ‘I don’t think so.’

‘Nothing? Not even a note or a signature somewhere? Even a cancelled cheque would help.’

She ran a hand through her hair, feeling sick. She’d had the note from the drycleaner, but she’d torn it to little bits and thrown it away. She hadn’t been able to get rid of it fast enough. She’d never thought she’d need it. ‘I threw everything out when we broke up.’

‘What are your thoughts there, Morgan?’ Darien asked. ‘You don’t think the pictures are enough?’

‘We suspect he sent them, but there’s nothing connecting the photos to him. I have the restraining order Rielle filed against him a while ago. If I could add something more to that, I might be able to convince a judge to give me a search warrant.’

Rielle held her hair in her fist. Her calmness was gone, and the muscles in her jaw were tight. ‘But you just said he hasn’t been home. How will that help?’

Darien rubbed her side. ‘If the detective can get into Eddie’s checking account or credit records, he might be able to see where he’s been spending his time and money.’

‘It’s just a way to zero in on his location,’ Morgan explained, ‘and to build a case against him.’

The colour drained from her face. She hadn’t thought about that yet – what she might face after they stopped the calls and the photographs from coming in. Darien wished there was a way to prevent all that, but they needed to focus on the present first.

‘Was there any DNA on the envelope?’ he asked. ‘The seal or the –’

Rielle flinched. ‘Wait. I might have something.’

‘What?’ The detective pounced from the other end of the call.

‘My students gave me a Valentine’s Day card the last year I worked as a teacher. I showed it to Eddie when we went out that night, and he signed it, too. The cheap…’

From the way her hands fisted, Darien could see she hadn’t liked that at all, but it might be their lucky break.

‘Just a signature?’ he asked.

‘No, he wrote something else. Just a note. I don’t remember what it was, but I think I still have that card.’

‘Where is it?’ the detective demanded.

Darien smirked. The guy was like a heat-seeking laser when he caught a lead. He liked that.

‘It’s at my apartment.’ Rielle’s gaze was steady and her expression was determined when she faced him. ‘I can get it for you.’

‘Oh, no, you can’t.’ Darien was all about being supportive, but that was where he drew the line. ‘We talked about this. If he’s figured out where you work, he’s probably figured out where you live. You’re not going home.’

‘It wouldn’t take but fifteen minutes,’ she argued. ‘I need to get my mail anyway.’

Hell, he’d forgotten about her mail. There might be something in there they could use, too. Eddie had sent something to her work address. It only made sense that he’d send something to her private one, too. Hitting closer to home would make her feel more vulnerable. The bastard had already proved he couldn’t let go. There was no telling how frustrated he might be getting out there as he struggled to find her.

‘We need to put a hold order on that down at the post office, but what about family or friends?’ Darien said. ‘Can’t someone go pick things up for you?’

‘Nina is the only one who has a backup key.’

‘Nina?’ The detective jumped in fast. ‘No, she’s not going over there either. God, don’t let her hear you.’

Rielle frowned. ‘I’m not at work.’

‘Nina gave her the day off,’ Darien said.

‘So she’s alone at Luxxor?’

Rielle shot Darien an anxious look. She wanted to help the investigation badly. ‘Who can go?’

He raked a hand through his hair. ‘I can,’ he volunteered.

‘No,’ she said bluntly. ‘It was your head he crossed out in that picture.’

Hamilton didn’t like that another man had gotten close to her. Darien knew he was on the guy’s shit list. He’d have to figure out how to get into the apartment building undetected, just in case he was watching.

Or, better yet, he could walk in under the full light of day and draw the son-of-a-bitch out. He wasn’t used to acting as bait, but it might be the best way to draw this thing to a rapid close.

‘I’ll do it,’ Morgan said, nixing that idea, ‘if you give me permission, Rielle. I’ll get the key from Nina. Hell, I’ll even take her with me.’

Rielle’s eyes got big.

‘Eddie might have connected Nina to Rielle,’ Darien warned. ‘He’s probably seen them coming and going together.’

‘He’s obviously been watching the place. We don’t advertise.’ She winced when she realised she might have said too much, but she kept right on going. ‘Somehow he got our address.’

‘You leave Nina to me,’ the detective said. ‘I’ll make sure she’s safe.’

‘But…but…’

‘I’ll let you know when I have more.’

The line went dead, and Darien looked at Rielle. ‘How’s that going to work out?’ he asked.

She grimaced. ‘Not well.’

He shrugged. ‘Or maybe better than we think.’

The office was quiet as Nina sat working at her desk. Quiet, yet loud. She could hear the copier humming in the break room and the grandfather clock in the lobby ticking. The incessant ambient noise was driving her nuts.

She put down her pen and rubbed her shoulders. It was the open space around her. The open, empty space.

Rielle had become so much of a workhorse that Nina wasn’t used to being here alone. It took her back to the early days when she’d first started Luxxor. She’d had to learn how to walk through the minefield that was her industry then. She’d always known what her target market was, but she’d had to deal with some real perverts to get there.

With a stalker out there now, things weren’t much better.

Off in the distance, she heard the sound of the lobby door. She dropped her hands quickly, and began searching for her shoes with her feet.

‘Hello?’ she called.

She quickly scanned her calendar. There were no appointments scheduled. The crazy loon wouldn’t just stride in like this, would he? Surely Security would have cut him off at the pass.

She pushed back her chair and stood when she saw a shadow in the hall. She was pushing the emergency button under her desk when a big figure walked into her office.

‘Oh, damn.’ She braced both hands on her desk as relief poured through her.

Detective Morgan crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the doorway. ‘What the hell are you doing here alone?’

‘I’m not alone.’ She picked up the phone and jabbed at the extension for Security. ‘Why didn’t you say something when I called out?’

His brow lowered. ‘I didn’t hear you.’

‘Ms Lockwood,’ her Security man said in her ear. ‘We’re on our way. Is everything all right?’

‘I’m sorry. False alarm.’ Or was it? She narrowed her eyes at the detective. It would be so satisfying to have Security escort him out of here.

‘Are you sure?’ the guard pressed.

But, knowing him, Morgan would probably alpha dog them into submission and put her in a jail cell overnight.

‘Betsy Ross,’ she said, giving the code word for the all-clear. It only irritated her more. Now she’d have to go through the process of choosing a new one.

‘Weird acoustics in this place,’ the detective said with a shrug.

He entered and immediately consumed all the space that had felt so empty before. Nina held her ground behind her big desk. Her desk, her office, her company.

‘Why are you here, Detective, and why is it that you never call first?’

‘Rielle needs our help.’

Nina flinched.

‘Why? What happened? Did he find her?’ Her ribcage cinched around her heart. ‘Is she all right? Where was Scott?’

‘Easy.’ Morgan held up his hands to stop her. ‘She’s fine, but we need to get something from her apartment. She said you had a key.’

He was here for a key? Nina closed her eyes briefly and took a breath that managed to get all the way to the bottom of her lungs. The man could learn a thing or two about tact. ‘What does she need?’

‘A handwriting sample of Hamilton’s. She thinks she has something we can use.’

Nina nodded. Finally, something she could do to help. She opened her desk drawer and grabbed her purse. She didn’t like her people being threatened. ‘I’ll go right now.’

‘Hold on there.’ Morgan caught her by the elbow as she tried to pass. ‘You’re not going alone. We’re doing this together – you and me.’

She looked pointedly at where he touched her. Her elbow felt warm and energy was sizzling through her arm.

He didn’t take the hint. Instead, he started guiding her to her own door.

‘I’m not one of your detainees,’ she said crisply.

He gave her a questioning look, but then saw how he was holding her. ‘Sorry about that. Habit.’

The corner of her mouth twitched, but her spine went ramrod straight when he wrapped his arm around her waist instead.

‘Do you have a hat or sunglasses you could put on?’

‘A hat?’

He rolled his eyes. ‘Not fashionable enough?’

‘Not since the 60s.’

‘All right. The point is I don’t want Hamilton spotting you. Maybe you can just give me the key, and I’ll go in myself. It shouldn’t take more than few minutes. You just guide me there and tell me where to go.’

Nina lifted an eyebrow when he held out his hand. Oh, she’d tell him where to go. ‘I don’t have the key with me.’

His brow furrowed. She’d just locked the door and was holding a set of keys that would make a janitor proud. ‘Where is it?’

‘At my home.’

For the first time ever, she saw a smile spread onto the detective’s handsome face. It nearly made her topple off her heels. Damn, the man was a pain, but he was a sexy one.

‘Excellent.’

His arm settled around her waist again, and Nina wanted to curse. ‘You are not coming inside.’

‘All right. Whatever you say.’

‘You’re not.’

‘OK.’

She stood stiffly as they rode down the elevator together. Her Security team gave her the strangest look when she walked out with the man they’d identified as Company Enemy #2. She’d just hit the emergency button because of him, but she signalled to them to stand down as she left with him.

By the time they made it to his car, her heart was beating fast and her jaw was aching from clenching her teeth so tight. He opened the passenger door to the unmarked police cruiser for her. It wasn’t quite the scene from her nightmares where he carted her off to jail, but it was close.

She kept her breaths even and measured as she settled into the seat. The car was cleaner than she’d expected. All polished and orderly.

‘What?’ he demanded when he sat down behind the wheel.

‘No doughnuts or fast-food bags?’

He patted his stomach. ‘I gave junk food up years ago. It was starting to affect my girlish figure.’

Nina blushed. She couldn’t believe it when heat poured into her face. There was nothing girlish about his rock-hard physique. Nothing pudgy or sagging about it, either.

She should know. She’d been watching it closely enough.

She swiped her purse off the floor and busied herself looking for her phone. She called Rielle to get the details of what she should be looking for and where.

‘Nina, I’m so sorry,’ her office manager whispered, as if she was afraid the detective would hear.

‘I’m glad to be of help.’

‘Yes, but…with the detective?’

Yes, with Josh Morgan. Nina wouldn’t admit it aloud, but that part actually eased her mind. She would have gone on her own, but she knew Hamilton’s history. He’d been unreasonable when he’d been pursuing Rielle the first time. She’d had to call in favours to help her new employee ‘disappear’. Now, the former beau seemed to be unravelling even worse. ‘He seems to think he’ll be keeping me safe.’

‘Let him? Please?’

Nina bit her tongue as she looked out of the window at the passing buildings. Her true fear was how much she might let the detective do, if put to the test. ‘I’ll play nice,’ she offered. ‘Is there anything else you need while I’m there? Any clothes or toiletries?’

‘My mail.’ Rielle paused. ‘And actually…’

Nina closed her eyes when she heard the request. Of course. She’d had to ask. ‘I’ll drop it by later today.’

‘Thank you, Nina. For everything.’

‘Bye, sweetie,’ she said softly. ‘You be safe.’

The detective was quiet when she hung up. Nina didn’t care what he thought. When someone was important to her, she let them know. They just needed to make it into her inner circle first. That wasn’t easy.

‘So…’ Morgan cleared his throat. ‘Just how nice are we going to play?’

Nina growled. It wasn’t ladylike or professional, but the man got under her skin. ‘Just drive.’

Her apartment wasn’t that far away, and she guided the detective to park in her personal spot in the underground garage. Home was currently a penthouse – or at least what counted as a penthouse in DC. She had the entire tenth floor of the residential building to herself, and it suited her needs.

One day she’d prefer to have a quaint little colonial on the Potomac. Somewhere that neighbours weren’t pressed up against her. Unfortunately, she was too busy to look, and the image didn’t fit her current lifestyle.

Someday.

She had the money and the connections now.

But someday.

Instead of waiting in the car, the detective insisted on coming up with her.

‘You’re not coming inside,’ she reminded him.

‘I’ll wait on the doorstep.’

‘Fine.’

Her doorstep was the elevator lobby on the tenth floor. She sent him a warning look before entering her apartment. It felt strange to be there during the middle of the day. She’d worked nonstop for the past fifteen years, building her company, but she rarely worked from home. She promptly went to the kitchen, grabbed the key to Rielle’s apartment off a hook and returned.

‘Got it,’ she said.

Morgan gave her a slow once-over and shook his head. ‘Uh uh.’

She looked down quickly, even as her breasts swelled and her belly cinched in tight. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘You look like Nina Lockwood.’

‘I am Nina Lockwood.’

‘Where’s the hat?’

‘I thought you were joking about that.’

He assumed a stance that he’d surely used in interrogation before – legs spread solidly and arms folded over his muscled chest. ‘If Hamilton has been watching Luxxor, he’s probably singled you out, too. You’re not a wallflower, you know. We need to get in and out without him noticing you.’

Nina hooked her hair over her ear. Her patience was starting to wear thin. ‘It’s the middle of the morning. He’s probably not watching now.’

‘Are you willing to take that risk? Because I’m not. Not with you.’ That familiar bullheaded expression came over the detective’s face, and he bar-armed his way right into her apartment.

Nina stood there with her lips parted in surprise – half by what he’d said, and half by the fact that he’d just intruded on her personal space.

‘Hey!’ she said as she stormed in after him.

He was surveying her living room. Planting his hands on his hips, he looked at her clothes again. She crossed her arms stubbornly, hoping it hid her reaction from him.

‘Do you even own a pair of jeans?’ he asked.

Her eyes narrowed. ‘If you move so much as a muscle…’

He looked at the watch on his wrist. ‘Time’s wasting. The sooner I can get that handwriting analysed, the sooner I can ask a judge for a warrant.’

Nina counted to ten, but then walked by him. She deliberately measured her strides until she caught his interested gaze running over her butt.

She closed the door and hurriedly changed. It made her feel funny to have him here. She looked through her jeans, of which she had plenty, and picked her favourite pair. They were the ones that showed just how fine an ass she had. She paired them with a stretchy red top that hugged her curves and strode back out to the living room.

She lifted her arms. ‘Does this meet with your approval?’

He pushed away slowly from the back of the sofa where he’d been leaning. His dark eyes were like deep pools as he checked her out again. ‘Damn, Nina.’

She reached up to toy with her earring. She’d called his bluff, but now she wasn’t so sure it was a good idea.

His stare stuck on her feet. ‘It kills me to say it, but they have to go.’

Her eyes narrowed. Her shoes?

‘Do you have any flats?’

‘Flats?’ He’d said the f-word. He might as well have told her to put a bag over her head.

He shook his head. ‘Those shoes scream “Nina”.’

She toed the heels off, and it gave him an extra four inches on her. It made her feel squishy inside, and she didn’t like it. She headed back to the bedroom. ‘Anything else? Maybe a tie-dyed T-shirt or flip-flops?’

‘Maybe do something with your hair.’

The door closed behind her with a resounding bang. She jammed her feet into her favourite pair of black sandals that she never wore anywhere outside the building, and she jerkily gathered her hair up in a ponytail. When she looked in the mirror, she saw the woman she became on weekends. It was a persona that nobody else ever saw.

She hesitated as she faced the door. It was for Rielle.

She took a deep breath and pictured a calm meadow in a forest. Once she was centred, she returned for another inspection.

‘Oh, yeah.’ He looked her in the eye this time, and she saw a glint that scared her. A glint that he might be seeing more than she wanted. ‘Works for me.’

Damn the man. Her thighs quivered, and she had to squeeze them to make them stop.

She folded her arms over her chest. Her breasts were aching, and her nipples were hard. She felt exposed this way. Vulnerable.

She did not do vulnerable.

‘What about you?’ she said.

‘What about me? I’m nobody to Hamilton.’

She gave him a blatant once-over in return. ‘You look like a cop.’

‘Hm.’ He rubbed the back of his neck. ‘You might be right about that. We need to draw him out, not spook him into running.’

She smirked until he took off his jacket and began working on his tie. Her toe began tapping. That man hadn’t eaten a donut in a very long time. He loosened his collar one button and then two and rolled up his sleeves. With every little change, he became hotter. More of a stud. The gun was a dead giveaway, but he took off his shoulder holster and replaced the weapon in his waistband at the small of his back.

‘I have an ankle holder down in the car.’ He planted his hands on his hips. ‘Better?’

Nina swallowed hard. Much. She couldn’t stop staring at the base of his throat and the chest bared by the open vee of his shirt. Or the corded muscles of his forearms…

He walked towards her slowly and trailed his fingers over the edge of the shelf on the wall at his side. ‘So, this collection of yours…’

Her breath sucked in. The shelf that held more of her blue glass figurines. He hadn’t just been waiting for her, he’d been snooping.

He carefully traced the long neck of a blue heron. ‘I’m assuming you keep your favourites here at home?’

Damn him, he was looking for the blue butterfly he’d bought her. Nina knew when to take charge. Establishing her turf, she grabbed his hand and began pulling him towards the door. ‘We need to get going.’

He looked down to where she’d captured him, but she didn’t let go. He wrapped his big hand around hers and rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb.

‘All right. Wherever you’re leading, I’m definitely following.’

Chapter Fourteen

‘Did you find it?’ Darien asked before he even got the door open. ‘Did you get the card?’

‘Darien,’ Rielle said as she placed a hand on his shoulder. Nina had just gotten to the apartment. She was dying to know the same thing, but she could at least pretend to be more patient. ‘Invite her in first.’

Nina waved her hand, telling them both to forget the social niceties. ‘We found it.’

Darien gave a fist pump before stepping back to allow Rielle’s boss inside. He leaned into the hallway to inspect it behind her. ‘Are you sure you weren’t followed?’

‘The detective didn’t see anyone when we left your place, and Mr Howard from our Security team brought me here. He was careful.’

Rielle greeted Nina with a hug. It was early afternoon, but it seemed as if they’d been waiting for weeks.

Nina set her purse and an additional leather bag onto the dining-room table just inside the apartment’s door. ‘The card was right where you said it would be, in the box on the overhead shelf in your bedroom closet. It took me a while to go through everything inside. I hope it’s OK that I did that?’

‘Of course. I’m just glad it was there.’

Nina touched her earring. ‘The detective was determined to help, but I kept him out of your things as much as I could.’

Rielle glanced at the leather bag. She hoped that meant Nina had kept the detective away from the other things she’d asked her to bring, too.

‘Thank you.’ Honestly, there wasn’t anything in that box that anyone couldn’t see. It was filled mainly with mementoes from a career she’d left behind. If she remembered correctly, there was artwork from her students, some pictures and maybe some old teacher evaluations. None of it had much meaning any more – except for the card. She’d kept it for sentimental reasons, but it had suddenly taken on much greater importance. ‘Did Detective Morgan think there was enough there for a handwriting expert to use?’

‘They’re going to try.’

‘It’s something,’ Darien said.

It was certainly more than they had now.

‘Thank you for doing that, Nina.’ Rielle cast a glance at Darien. ‘I didn’t mean to put you in an awkward situation.’

‘It’s all right. I was happy to help.’ Nina wrapped her fingers over the back of a dining-room chair. Her nails were painted a deep red, so Rielle couldn’t tell if she’d drawn blood. There was no telling how her boss and the detective had gotten along on their little field trip.

Those hard nails tapped against the chair back. ‘The detective made sure I didn’t accidentally do anything to draw Eddie’s attention.’

Or to set him off.

Nobody said it, but everyone was thinking it.

‘Can I get you anything?’ Rielle said, remembering her manners. ‘Coffee? Iced tea?’

‘Tea sounds lovely.’

‘I’ll get it,’ Darien offered.

‘Let’s sit.’ Rielle gestured to the living room. She’d been out of the office all day, but it hadn’t been a vacation. She was itching to know more about the detective’s plans and what had been happening at Luxxor.

Nina looked around with interest. ‘My, but you can see Erin’s touch here, can’t you?’

Erin and Sienna were old friends. They hadn’t roomed together long, but Erin’s flair could be seen in the decorating. A geometric print graced one wall, and cushions brought splashes of colour to the neutral furniture. A bright-red contemporary chair had been added to spice things up. Naturally, that was where Nina gravitated.

She sat down and ran her hands up and down the velvet armrests. ‘It’s more comfortable than it looks.’

She crossed her legs as she sat back. With her spiked heels, her legs looked long and sleek. Rielle took a seat on the sofa. Her boss looked extra crisp and polished, in a fitted blue suit.

Darien stuck his head out from the kitchen. ‘Sugar?’ he asked.

‘Thank you, just a teaspoon,’ Nina replied.

‘Have you been with Morgan this whole time?’ Rielle asked.

‘He’s not easy to shake.’ Nina’s top foot began to bop. ‘He wouldn’t let me go back to the office before Sienna’s scheduled to arrive. We finally compromised that I could come here.’

Compromise? Rielle took a drink of the tea Darien brought her to hide her surprise. Compromise, Nina and the detective were not a comfortable threesome.

Darien handed Nina a tall glass filled with ice cubes. ‘Did you two find anything else while you were there?’

Rielle frowned when Nina sent him a venomous look.

He didn’t flinch. ‘The more she knows, the more she can be prepared.’

Rielle scooted forward to the edge of the cushions. ‘What are you talking about? That card was the only thing from Eddie I can remember keeping.’

Nina sighed. ‘He’s talking about your mail.’

‘Did the bastard send a package there, too?’ Darien pressed.

‘Yes.’ Nina shook her head. ‘I was going to tell you, but more gently.’

Rielle didn’t know why her stomach sank. She’d known Eddie would be trying to find out where she lived. It was why they’d moved from the safe house to this apartment. Still, it made her feel uneasy. He was closing in.

‘How would you know that?’ she asked Darien.

He crossed his arms, and his biceps bulged. ‘It fits his pattern.’

She remembered then what he did for a living. He analysed threats – and he dealt with them. She bit her lip. She wanted Eddie to stop, but just how far would Darien go to defuse the situation?

‘What was it?’ he asked, his voice like a lance. ‘More pictures?’

Nina set her tea on a coaster and folded her hands in her lap. ‘Yes, they were of Rielle walking by the Tidal Basin with the cherry blossom trees in bloom all around her. Very pretty.’ Nina’s eyes flashed fire. ‘They were inside a greeting card that said Thinking of You.’

Rielle’s stomach rolled.

‘Did he sign it?’ Darien demanded. ‘Were there prints?’

‘I don’t know. We didn’t open it; the lab techs at the police station did. We left it with them.’ Nina rolled her foot in a slow circle. ‘And no, he didn’t sign it.’

Darien’s nod was so brief, it was practically non-existent. Rielle watched him closely. The quieter and more contained he got, the more she felt energy gather around him. Was that training?

Or even deadlier instinct?

He pulled his phone out of his back pocket. ‘I’m going to call Morgan and get an update.’

He strode soundlessly down the hallway to the bedrooms. He’d gone into stealth mode again. Here one moment, gone into thin air the next.

Nina lifted an eyebrow. ‘That’s almost more frightening than the detective’s grumbling.’

Rielle hugged one of Erin’s throw pillows to her chest. It was purple and tube-shaped. The news had unsettled her more than she wanted to admit. ‘Does the detective frighten you, Nina?’ she asked.

Her boss scoffed, but the most interesting thing happened. Her cheeks turned pink. She glanced down the hallway where Darien had disappeared and quickly changed the subject. ‘Come over here with me.’

She swept up her drink and returned to the dining-room table, and Rielle followed.

Nina opened her purse and passed across an envelope. ‘This is for you.’

At first Rielle worried it was another present Eddie had left behind, but she recognised her boss’s handwriting. She opened the flap, and her chin jerked up when she saw what was inside. ‘Nina!’

There was a cheque in her name with way too many zeroes. ‘What’s this?’

Nina met her gaze steadily. She was several inches shorter, but her power was indomitable. ‘Your bonus pay.’

‘Bonus?’ She hadn’t even made it in to the office today. ‘What for?’

‘Your exclusive contract. All the escorts get special duty pay, and so do you.’

‘But…But…’ Rielle felt the hallway looming behind her like a gaping black hole. She dropped the envelope onto the table. It caught in the air and slid until it nearly fell off the edge. ‘Did…is Darien paying?’

Call her naïve, but her mind hadn’t gone down that road. ‘I thought it was a trade, bodyguard services for –’

Oh, that was a road even less travelled.

It sounded horrible, and the knot in her stomach squeezed. She sat on the dining-room chair and curled inwards.

‘No, no.’ Nina caught her hand so tightly that those red nails bit. ‘You’re right. There weren’t any financial transactions associated with your contract. He’s not paying anything, and I’m not paying him. This is from Luxxor to you.’

‘But…I don’t want it.’ Taking money for being with him? It twisted everything – although they were tangled and mired enough already. She’d just blocked it out of her thoughts and had gone with the flow.

A flash of insight nearly blinded her.

She’d used the contract as an excuse, just like him.

She’d wanted to get close to him too. That agreement had put to rest all her reasons not to. It had silenced the protective voice inside her head until it was barely a whisper.

‘Take it,’ Nina said firmly. She folded the flap inside so the cheque couldn’t be seen, but she pushed it determinedly back into Rielle’s space. ‘Use it however is best. If you need to run, it can carry you for a while.’

Run?

Rielle stared at her friend. Nina was protecting her again, trying to keep Eddie and all the bad things at bay. A lump formed in Rielle’s throat. She cherished her for that, but she wasn’t in a running mood any more.

‘I want to fight.’ With Darien at her side, running simply wasn’t an option. He’d want her to hide. He’d want to fight for her, but she wasn’t willing to let him put himself in danger to protect her. She didn’t want to put anyone at risk.

Nina pulled back the chair opposite her. When she sank down onto it, she didn’t look so confident any more. For the first time ever, the powerful female CEO looked shaken. ‘This is my fault. I shouldn’t have brought you into my world. I should have given you the money to get away before.’

‘Your world?’ Rielle’s hair swung to the side as she tilted her head. ‘Nina, it’s my world that’s causing the problems. It followed me.’

‘Yes, but you could have gone underground where Eddie never would have found you. I should have helped you disappear.’

‘More underground than Luxxor? Falling off the radar like that would have meant leaving behind my family. I could never hurt them like that.’

Nina pushed her ash-blonde hair behind her ear. Her hand was trembling, and there was a subtle sheen of tears in her eyes. ‘I liked you, and I was greedy. I was overwhelmed trying to build Luxxor up on my own. I wanted to keep you as a sounding board for all my ideas. I wanted to keep you as a friend.’

‘And I wanted to be there. Nina, I’ve found my niche with you. I love what I do at Luxxor, even if our business model is…unconventional. I’m stronger and more empowered than if I hadn’t taken the position you offered me.’

‘But you’d be safe now.’

‘Maybe. Or maybe I’d be in even more danger.’ Rielle stared down into her drink. ‘Without Luxxor, I would never have met Darien.’

Nina wiped her dry cheeks. ‘I need to apologise to you for putting you in that situation too.’

Her gaze had more fire as she glared down the still-empty hallway. ‘He used my need to protect you against me. I should have found a private security company to provide twenty-four-seven protection rather than pairing you with him. I never should have let him strongarm me into going against my better judgement.’

Not many people out-negotiated Nina. It told how determined and skilful Darien could be when his focus reached laser-like levels.

He was skilled at a number of things when he got that way.

Rielle caught her friend’s hand. ‘Nina, it’s OK. Really. I’m safer with him than I would have been anywhere else.’

‘I never should have agreed to an exclusive contract. That must have been so horrifying for you, so degrading.’

‘Not necessarily.’ Rielle carefully swept up a bead of sweat from her glass. ‘Those contracts go both ways, you know.’

Her boss looked into her eyes. Nina had a way of reading people that was almost uncanny – especially when it came to the unquantifiable chemistry that occurred between men and women. ‘This thing between you two…It’s real, isn’t it?’

Rielle bit her lip. ‘I think so.’

It was on her side, anyway.

Nina went quiet for a long moment. ‘Are you sure it’s not the situation? The adrenalin?’

‘The hormones?’ Rielle said it for her.

Nina clicked her tongue. ‘I don’t know how you did it, but that man pants every time he looks at you.’

The feeling was returned, but did Nina have a point? Was it the stress of the moment that was drawing them together? Was it the immediacy that was causing the rawness of their emotions and fuelling their need to be close?

‘I think it’s more than that,’ Rielle said softly.

Since sharing his secrets, Darien had been dropping his shields around her more and more. In the privacy of their borrowed apartments, she’d seen more of his sense of humour and his intelligence. When he didn’t have to be on, neither a protector nor a predator, their energy levels synched. He could be more easy-going with her, and she could be more daring with him.

He made her want to experience life again, not hide away from it.

‘You’re in love with him,’ Nina said.

‘Yes.’ She’d finally admitted it to herself, but it was scary admitting it out loud.

She glanced over her shoulder worriedly. She hadn’t even told Darien. She didn’t know if she should.

‘Do you know what he is?’ her friend asked pointedly. ‘What he does?’

‘Do you?’

Nina smoothed her hand across the table’s surface. ‘No, but he works for some very powerful people – people who intimidate even me.’

‘Don’t worry about me,’ Rielle said.

‘But I do. That’s why I’m here.’

‘Morgan says they might have something.’

Both women jumped when Darien appeared from out of nowhere. There hadn’t been any sounds of a phone discussion, footsteps or even a door opening.

Nina pressed a hand to her heart. ‘Good Lord, you startled me.’

Rielle sat stiffly, staring at her iced tea. How long had he been there? How much had he heard?

‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘The handwriting expert is willing to say there’s a seventy-five per cent chance it’s a match. Morgan feels confident enough to request a search warrant with that.’

‘Finally,’ Rielle said, sagging forward.

Darien moved behind her and began to massage her shoulders. She nearly moaned at the feel of his thumbs digging into the knots he found there.

He nodded at Nina. ‘Josh said to call when you’re ready to go. He’ll swing by and pick you up.’

‘Oh, will he now?’ Nina draped herself back in her chair. ‘He’s going to be waiting for a while then. Mr Howard is still downstairs.’

Darien frowned. ‘He’s just being vigilant.’

Nina tapped her red nails against the tabletop. ‘When did you two become such fast friends?’

‘Oh, come on. Give the guy a break. He doesn’t want you drawn into this any more than you already are.’

‘I know. Speaking of which, I don’t want Sienna at the office by herself, either.’ Nina looked at her watch and sat up straight. She slid the leather bag she’d brought with her across the table. ‘Here.’

Darien immediately reached for the bag. ‘Is there anything else that might lead us to Hamilton in there?’

‘No.’ Nina shooed him back with a flick of her hand. ‘These are things that Rielle wanted from her apartment.’

Rielle reached for the bag herself, but her eyes widened when Nina reached inside. That was supposed to be a surprise.

She was the one surprised when Nina pulled out a laptop.

‘I don’t want you coming into the office until things settle down. You don’t have to work, but I thought this might be helpful to you.’

Rielle accepted the laptop eagerly. She would most definitely work. Sitting around this morning, twiddling her thumbs as she waited for news, had nearly driven her crazy. She could do the bulk of her normal day-to-day activities remotely with a computer. ‘I can still pull dossiers together and work on scheduling from here.’

‘Just do what you want to do,’ Nina said. ‘Sienna and I can cover for you, and Genieve has agreed to act as our receptionist as long as we need her.’

Genieve? Rielle worried her thumb against the corner of the laptop. That was a good choice. Genieve was bubbly and beautiful. It was what made her one of their top escorts. ‘Don’t replace me, OK?’

Nina let out a sound of surprise. ‘I couldn’t replace you.’

‘Not in a million years,’ Darien agreed.

Nina pushed the bag in Rielle’s direction, and her eyes twinkled. ‘Here’s the rest.’

‘Thanks.’ Rielle felt Darien’s curiosity prickle her skin, and she shoved the laptop inside the bag and closed it tight.

Nina rose to her feet. ‘I really should get going. I hope the judge moves things along quickly.’

‘Me too,’ Darien said. ‘We owe you one.’

‘Give the detective our thanks, too.’ Rielle said.

Nina sniffed. ‘Thank him yourself.’

‘Somehow, I think you’ll be seeing him first,’ Darien said as he got the door for her.

Nina rolled her eyes, but Rielle noticed the way her fingers curled around the strap of her purse. She smiled as Darien escorted her boss down to the waiting car. Somehow it was comforting to know she wasn’t the only one with a dangerous male sniffing at her heels. She wished the detective luck.

The computer turned out to be a godsend. Neither Rielle nor Darien were types who could stand being cooped up for long. He spent the afternoon talking to people or working from his phone. Despite Nina’s assurances that her job would still be there, Rielle didn’t want to be greeted by a mountain of paperwork when she returned, so she got online and worked for a bit. It helped that they stored things securely in the cloud so she could access it from anywhere.

She stretched out her legs on the ottoman before her. ‘How did you get into our database with Mel’s profile?’ she asked.

Darien winked at her from the sofa, but he didn’t share. That was apparently another top secret detail she’d never find out.

They made dinner with groceries Erin had left in the refrigerator and then turned on the television for a while. The more time that passed, the edgier they both got.

‘How long does it take for a judge to grant a search warrant?’ Rielle finally asked. She’d been wandering the apartment aimlessly, but there wasn’t anywhere to go. The walls were starting to press in on her.

Darien rubbed the back of his neck. ‘I thought Morgan would at least check in with us by now.’

Rielle returned to her chair and picked up the computer. She read through some articles on handwriting analysis. It was more difficult than she’d thought, but that didn’t make the waiting any easier. She decided to check her email and felt guilty when there was a message from her father. She hadn’t told him what was happening. The first time had been nearly as difficult for her family as it had been for her. They’d felt so helpless, especially her dad.

She opened another message touting sales at her favourite store, but froze when she saw a message from Mel.

‘Did you send me an email?’ she asked. The back of her neck prickled as she clicked on the message.

Darien’s attention lifted from his phone. ‘No, why?’

The message simply said, ‘Miss me?’

Rielle’s chest tightened. Oh, damn. Not her email, too. Her heart started beating more quickly and her fingers fumbled. She clicked on the attachment and an entire series of pictures filled the screen. There were shots of her getting takeout food, going into her gym and even picking up the mint-green dress from the cleaners.

He’d been there. Eddie had watched her read the note. He’d taken pleasure from her fear.

She pushed the laptop onto the ottoman and stood to back away from it. ‘He’s in my email now.’

‘He’s what?’ Darien came over to look. ‘Shit.’

He flipped through the shots before getting on his phone again. ‘He’s sending her emails now.’

The sound of the detective’s curse was loud enough for Rielle to identify him from where she stood.

‘Yeah,’ Darien said. ‘What’s your email address?’

He dropped onto one knee and forwarded the email message to the detective. He hit send and shoved the ottoman away. It rolled on its wheels and swung around when it caught the edge of the end table. ‘I want this bastard caught now, Morgan. How much proof do we need that it’s him?’

Darien’s jaw clenched as he listened. ‘Oh, I’ll find him for you. I just can’t guarantee he’ll be in shape for you to arrest by the time you get there.’ He hung up. ‘Shit.’

Rielle raked both her hands through her hair. ‘He’s everywhere. What did I do? Why can’t he just let go?’

‘It’s not you.’ Darien caught her chin. ‘This is on him. I – Fuck!’

He answered his phone when it began ringing again. ‘What now?’

He jerked upright. ‘Oh. Sorry, sir. I thought you were someone else.’

Uh oh. Rielle bit her lip. That wasn’t the detective. She backed away to give Darien space.

‘Yes, I understand.’ He turned and took a hike down the hallway.

She wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but she could still hear him talking. As if things weren’t bad enough, the call seemed to be making things worse. His body was tense, and his words were clipped.

‘I’ve taken lead on this the last few times now. Do you think maybe Romero should take point, and I’ll hang back for once?’ He scowled when apparently that idea was shot down. ‘Right. OK. Will do.’

The expression on his face was stormy when he returned.

‘What’s wrong?’ Rielle asked.

She knew she couldn’t ask for details, but it was clear he wasn’t happy.

He braced both hands against the back of an easy chair and bumped the toe of his shoe against its base. ‘Think you can stay at Nina’s tomorrow night? Or maybe get your girlfriends to spend the night with you here?’

‘Why?’

He tried to pop a kink in his neck. ‘I need to work tomorrow night.’

She perked up. ‘Where?’

His eyes narrowed, but he shrugged. ‘The Kennedy Center.’

Ooh, it wasn’t like a biker bar or a gentleman’s club. She could blend in there. ‘Take me with you.’

‘No.’

It was perfect. She could help him out and keep herself occupied in one fell swoop. ‘I can’t sit inside, waiting any longer. You said I was good, that I’m observant. Let’s work on your problems for a while.’

He lifted an eyebrow. ‘My problems?’

‘Work, whatever. Come on, I did it once before.’

‘And remember how that went? Hamilton took photos of you when we were out that night. You’re not doing it again.’

‘There’s no way he could know where we’ll be. I promise not to get in the way this time. Please? It will take my mind off things.’

And honestly, she didn’t know if she could sit at home without him. She didn’t like the idea of him being out in DC without her, big gun or not. Eddie was targeting him just as much as he was her. Maybe more. He’d crossed Mel out of that picture with a big red X.

‘No.’ Darien shook his head and pulled out his phone. ‘Maybe I can get out of it. Let me make a few calls.’

She let out a frustrated sound, but he’d already turned away and was talking to someone she could only assume was Mike. Staying inside under constant watch was making her feel like a fish in a bowl. Eddie had done this to her once before. She’d be damned if she’d let him do it again.

An idea occurred to her. Darien was stubborn, but there were ways around that.

She left him talking on the phone in the living room and found the bag of things Nina had brought her. It only took a moment for her to change. She fluffed her hair as she looked at her reflection in the mirror and took a deep breath. Summoning her confidence, she walked back down the hallway barefooted and peeked around the corner. Her target was still on his phone, only he was on the internet. She saw a picture of the Kennedy Center over his shoulder.

‘I’d really like to go,’ she said softly.

‘Rielle,’ he said with a sigh.

She stepped into the room. ‘Are you sure I can’t change your mind?’

He shook his head, but when he looked at her his jaw dropped. ‘You can try.’

She lifted the hem of the short nightie sexily. ‘How am I doing?’

He left the phone forgotten on the coffee table and walked towards her. His gaze ran over her hotly from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. ‘It’s a really good try,’ he said hoarsely.

He ran his fingertip under the spaghetti strap of the purple nightie. It was silk and lace, with triangle cups that showed more of her breasts than they covered. ‘Where did you get this?’

‘Nina brought it for me.’ Rielle spread her hands over his chest. He felt warm and hard. ‘I knew how much you didn’t like the hockey jersey I sleep in.’

He traced the silk down to where it rode high on her thigh and followed the lace-trimmed slit on the side up to her hip. ‘This is for me?’

She circled her arms around his neck. ‘It’s for both of us.’

His head dropped, and his mouth sealed over hers. His tongue swept deeply, and his hands slid under the sexy nightgown to her bottom.

She cupped her hand over the fly of his jeans. ‘Come to bed, Darien. It’s been a bad day, and I need you.’

‘You’re not coming with me tomorrow,’ he said, resisting.

‘We’ll see.’ She stepped back and caught his hand. His gaze fell to her breasts when they swayed. ‘I’m supposed to be your escort.’

When she led him to the bedroom, he followed.

Neither of them noticed that the light on the camera of her computer was glowing, following their every move too.

Chapter Fifteen

Rielle changed his mind – but only after they found out that Nina and Sienna were both attending events and Erin had a family commitment. She’d drawn the line at having Luxxor Security babysit her, so here they were at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.

She held Darien’s arm as they entered. Nerves and excitement were brewing inside her, but she tried to act like everyone else milling about the building. Her job for tonight was to blend in.

It wasn’t difficult. A crowd of people had already gathered for the night’s performances. The Kennedy Center was a huge marble building situated on the bank of the Potomac River. Rather than one large stage, it had a mixture of theatres and conference halls to support all types of live performances. She’d attended events here several times since she’d moved to DC. Free performances were given nightly, and it was just a beautiful place.

She glanced at the flags hanging overhead as they walked down the Hall of States to the Grand Foyer. ‘What event are we attending?’ she asked.

‘Don’t get your hopes up. We’re only pretending to go to the theatre.’

‘Good to know.’ She smiled as an attendant gave her a programme, but Darien directed her towards a spot along the wall to talk and wait.

And, she assumed, do surveillance.

She looked down the expansive hallway. How was he ever supposed to find someone in here? The Grand Foyer ran past the Eisenhower Theater, the Opera House and the Concert Hall, all full-size performance centres in their own right. Large mirrors provided an optical illusion that made the hall even wider. Add all the people moving about, and it was an ever-changing seascape.

He must have some indication that whoever he was looking for had tickets to the play. Rielle flipped through the pages of her programme and feigned interest.

‘Did you know that if you laid the Washington Monument flat in this hallway, it would have an additional seventy-five feet to spare?’

She looked at him. ‘We’re allowed to talk?’

He gave an affectionate tug on her braid. ‘We’d look odd if we didn’t – and you’re already standing out enough as it is.’

Rielle’s eyes widened. ‘Why? What am I doing wrong?’

‘You’re too damn beautiful.’ He shook his head, but his gaze followed someone walking behind her. He discounted them quickly and resumed his interested tour down her body. ‘That dress is distracting.’

She smoothed the material over her hips. ‘There’s nothing wrong with this dress.’

It was a white cocktail dress with cap sleeves. It hit her just above the knee, so it wasn’t too revealing. She’d even worn it to work a time or two.

His cheek brushed against hers as he leaned in to whisper. ‘There’s nothing wrong with the body underneath it either.’

She blushed. ‘You look nice too.’

She smoothed his blue tie. It brought out the colour of his eyes. The man looked good in everything, especially a well-fitted suit. He was like a chameleon as he blended in from one situation to the next.

She supposed he had to be for his job.

He slid an arm around her waist and turned her to face down the hallway. ‘The chandeliers and the wall sconces take over eight thousand light bulbs.’

She knew he wasn’t looking at the light fixtures, but she nodded accordingly. ‘Aren’t you a walking encyclopaedia?’

He held up the program. ‘It says so right here.’

She smiled, and, for the first time since they entered the building, it didn’t feel forced. Funny how acting natural was such hard work. They kept up the idle chitchat, and she joined in the people-watching. She didn’t know who he was looking for, but she made a game of trying to find Mike. He had to be here somewhere. Darien had chewed him out for being too visible. He must have taken it to heart, because she didn’t see his blond head.

Darien glanced at his watch. It was still a while until the show started. ‘Let’s take a lap around the river terrace.’

His hand settled on the small of her back as he accompanied her to the door. Outside, a fountain bubbled and trees shaded the windows. The sun was low on the horizon, but not blinding yet. A few boats were still out on the water, close to the Roosevelt Bridge. The roof terrace was known as a prime spot to catch sunsets. Many attendees were enjoying the spring evening outside as they waited for the performances to begin.

Darien’s gaze swept the crowd more quickly than hers could. ‘Maybe not. Let’s go back inside.’

He stopped when his phone rang. ‘It’s Detective Morgan.’

Rielle snapped to attention. Had he gotten the search warrant? Had he found Eddie? She moved closer so she could hear too.

‘Get rid of that computer,’ the detective said. ‘Shut it down, put it in a box and bring it to the lab. That email had a virus attached. Hamilton may have taken over control of the camera and microphones.’

Rielle flinched.

‘Shit,’ Darien cursed. He raked a hand through his hair. ‘When did we talk about coming here? Before or after you got that email?’

Rielle tried to think. Had Eddie really been spying on them? Had he been in the apartment with them? Oh, God. Had he seen them kiss? Had he seen her in her sexy lingerie? That had been private.

It had been for Darien.

‘Rielle.’

‘After,’ she said. ‘It was after.’

He caught her hand. ‘Back inside. Now.’

‘Maybe he wasn’t watching. He can’t be everywhere all the time. He didn’t know when I’d be opening that email.’

‘Too many ifs,’ Darien said as he opened the door for her.

They joined the rest of the people in the massive hallway. The large crowd had direction now, with clumps of people migrating to their chosen events. Darien looked at his watch again. It was getting close to curtain time. Instead of putting his back against the wall, this time he put himself between her and the crowd. It couldn’t make his job easy.

He was trying to protect her again.

Rielle collected herself. ‘I don’t see him,’ she said.

She slowly ticked off the people before her one by one. With lines naturally forming, it was easier to monitor them. She looked over the old and young dressed in everything from formal wear and beaded gowns to business wear and even a few jeans. Her brain began catching details: one woman’s massive diamond ring, the mud spray on a man’s dress pants and an older woman’s annoying cackle. He’d taught her to watch for the tiny things.

‘That’s it,’ Darien said, making a decision. ‘Let’s go.’

‘Go?’ She fell into step with him as they started down the Grand Foyer, weaving through the crowd as they swam like salmons upstream. ‘But you have to be here.’

‘I was here. Now we’re leaving.’

Rielle held back. She didn’t want her problems to endanger his job. ‘What’s he going to do here other than make a scene?’

Darien got in her face. ‘Does he have a gun?’

She swallowed her air. ‘I don’t think so.’

‘But you don’t know. Right. We’re leaving.’ He pulled her up snug against him as he cut his way through the crowd. ‘The mission is a bust, anyway.’

They burst into an eddy area where the crowd parted as they went to their different venues. Darien hit a speed dial button on his phone and directed her towards the Hall of States where they’d entered.

Rielle caught his wrist. ‘Wait. There!’

His head swivelled, and his eyes narrowed. ‘Where?’

She began tugging him along. ‘Heading towards the other end of the building.’

His attention honed in, but he held her back when her pace nearly broke into a run. ‘I don’t see him.’

‘Not Eddie. It’s her, the dark-haired woman.’

‘Who?’

‘The one with Resting Bitch Face. The woman you’re supposed to be here to watch…I think.’ Rielle wrapped her hand around his. The crowd around the Opera House was busy, and he had to follow behind her to make it through without getting stopped. ‘Up ahead. Look for the big bag.’

‘Damn, you’re right.’ Darien’s hand clenched around hers. He moved up to her side and caught her by the waist. A different kind of alertness overcame him. ‘I got her. Stop staring at her. She’ll feel it.’

Rielle admired the sconces on the walls. It was clear that the woman wasn’t going to the theatre. Instead, she was heading towards the concert hall at the south end.

He was on his phone again. ‘I’ve got her. She’s at the south end of the building. Repeat, south.’

His pace changed. It somehow became more casual but just as quick as he kept the woman in view. Rielle tried to follow suit. She let her strides loosen yet lengthen.

‘That’s it, baby,’ he murmured.

‘Where’s she going?’ she asked.

‘I don’t know.’

‘Why’s she here?’

He didn’t answer. Rielle knew better than to ask again, but her confusion grew when the woman got on the elevator. Was she not here for a performance? They followed her up to the terrace level using the stairs. Darien went two at a time. It was difficult for Rielle to keep up in her heels, but she didn’t want to lose the woman either. The mystery was solved when they spotted her going into the one of the Center’s restaurants.

Darien straightened his tie. ‘Feel like a drink?’

Rielle nodded and took his arm again.

The Roof Terrace Restaurant was an intimate setting that looked out over the river. Kennedy Center patrons were finishing their three-course meals or enjoying pre-performance cocktails. Rielle immediately spotted the dark-haired woman taking a seat at a table near the window. When the woman stiffened and looked over her shoulder, Rielle quickly studied her shoes.

The hostess seated them at a table on the opposite side of the room. Darien pulled out a chair for her and took the one to her left. Rielle couldn’t see anything because of the direction her chair faced, but Darien could.

‘Unbelievable,’ he said under his breath. He quickly began to text information out to his people.

Rielle smoothed the braid that fell forward over her shoulder. Inside her chest, her heart was pounding. She hadn’t been fully aware of what was happening around her during the White House reception. Now that she knew, the tension was palpable. ‘What’s she doing?’

It was impossible not to be curious when she was right in the middle of things.

‘She’s meeting with someone.’ He held up his phone. ‘Pretend I’m taking your picture.’

Rielle smiled, but to her it was obvious where his camera was pointing. He was snapping shots of the woman and her guest. She leaned in when he set the phone on the table and paged through the shots.

‘Who is it?’

‘Someone who hasn’t been seen in the past four years, but he made a mistake tonight.’

She caught a glimpse of a man who looked like a librarian or an art curator, with wire-rimmed glasses, a receding hairline and a crisp red bowtie. Darien was swiftly sending the photograph along, but he turned casual when the waiter came up to take their order.

‘Just drinks?’ the man asked.

Rielle’s sweet tooth was gnawing. She would have preferred to see the dessert menu, but a drink might settle her nerves. She ordered a white wine, and Darien ordered the same.

She waited until the waiter was beyond hearing range. ‘Is he a bad guy?’ she whispered.

‘Very bad,’ Darien murmured. He rubbed her shoulder and gave her a private wink. ‘Baby, you did good.’

‘It was the godawful bag,’ she confessed.

His gaze darkened when it went back to the terrace-side table, and he lifted his phone again for another snap.

‘What’s happening now?’

‘She just gave him some documents from the godawful bag.’

Rielle eyes rounded. Documents? Blueprints? National secrets? Names? Formulae? ‘Why aren’t you arresting them – or doing whatever it is that you do?’

The corner of Darien’s mouth twitched. ‘Patience.’

A blond head at the reception podium caught her attention. It was the elusive Mike. She blew out a breath, and the knot in her chest eased. Darien had been waiting for backup. It relieved her more than she could say. She wanted to help, but she was out of her league here.

Soon after their drinks arrived, she noticed another familiar face from the White House reception. The woman who had been Mike’s date was at the bar – the one who could handle herself. Rielle took a sip of her white wine. All the wealthy diners in the place had no concept of the drama brewing around them, but she could feel it. The air was snapping in anticipation.

The lions were circling.

She hugged her chair. ‘Tell me what to do. I don’t want to get in your way.’

‘You’re fine,’ Darien murmured. ‘We don’t want to take them down here. It’s too public and too busy. We’ll wait until they’re outside.’

‘Shit,’ he said almost immediately. ‘She’s spooked.’

He jumped to his feet and squeezed her shoulder. ‘Stay here.’

Rielle froze.

Behind her she heard movement. Diners’ conversations stopped and then rose abruptly. Could she look? She didn’t want to draw any attention to herself or to Darien.

Movement caught the corner of her eye, and she saw the dark-haired woman racing for the door. The blonde from the White House dinner and another woman followed her. Was that another of Darien’s associates? Which side was she on?

Rielle didn’t see Darien, and she panicked. Turning in her chair, she searched for him. She saw the bad guy with the bowtie barrel out the door to the roof terrace that circled the entire second floor of the Kennedy Center. Darien and Mike raced after him, but they were out of sight before she could see what happened.

Oh, God. What was going on? The windows didn’t wrap around the entire south side of the restaurant. Had they caught him? She didn’t want anyone to get hurt.

Dining in the restaurant had come to a halt. People were standing and others were pressed against the window, trying to see more. The woman who’d been seated next to the dark-haired woman was mopping up a drink from her dress. Rielle bit her lip. She could see why Darien had wanted to wait until things were quieter before moving in. The place looked like a cyclone had gone through.

It was still whirling inside her chest. She could barely catch her breath.

What should she do? She stared at the windows, begging someone to appear. She wanted to go out that door after them, but Darien had told her to stay.

She felt the air move and heard the chair next to her being pulled back. Relief swam through her, and she turned around.

‘Dar–’

His name died on her lips. He hadn’t come back through another door. He hadn’t suddenly started making noise as he moved.

Because it wasn’t Darien.

‘Hello, Rielle.’

Darien swept a hand through his hair and straightened his tie before heading back inside from the roof terrace. A feeling of success burned through him. They’d caught the son of a bitch. After all the suffering and damage that ghost had caused, he was finally going to be held responsible for his actions.

And all because of a godawful handbag.

He shook his head. Things had spiralled out of control for a bit there, and his unit would have to have a debriefing session to discuss how better to handle things the next time. The good thing was that Mike was taking their man in for questioning and the ‘dark-haired woman’ hadn’t made it out of the building either. After the initial uproar, they’d both been detained and removed from the premises as quickly and as quietly as possible.

His team had just come too damn close to missing their opportunity.

They’d thought that the woman would lead them to the man they wanted. They’d been monitoring her for weeks. All intel had pointed to her being their elusive target’s main contact, but details had been sketchy and not 100 per cent correct. They’d suspected she’d be here tonight, but they’d had no idea they’d encounter the main man himself.

If Rielle hadn’t spotted her…

He picked up his pace as he strode through the Nations Gallery back to the restaurant. He needed to get back to her. She was probably going crazy worrying where he was.

He stepped inside the restaurant and frowned. Calm had returned to the upscale eatery. Chairs had been righted and tables had been cleared. Most of the patrons had left, either frightened off by the scene or because their shows were starting. It made it too easy to see who was left, and Rielle wasn’t one of them.

He stopped the hostess who had seated them. ‘Excuse me, but did you see where my date went?’

The hostess’s eyes widened when she recognised him. ‘You’re one of the guys who ran after that man. What was that about? What did he do?’

‘I’m sure you’ll hear all about it on the news tonight.’ She wouldn’t, but he wasn’t going to answer those kinds of questions. He touched her arm to get her to focus. ‘Where’s the woman who was with me? She was wearing a white dress. She has long brown hair that’s tied in a braid.’

‘Oh, the pretty one.’ The hostess turned. ‘She was right there.’

Warning lights came on inside Darien’s head. Rielle wouldn’t have come after him. She’d asked how she could stay out of their way. Had she made a trip to the restroom?

They stopped a waiter who was passing by with a tray of dirty dishes.

‘Did you see where the woman at that table went?’ Darien demanded. A bad feeling was brewing inside him.

‘Yeah, she…’ The man stopped when he saw the look on Darien’s face and took a small step back. ‘I’m sorry, sir, but she left with another man.’

Darien rounded on the guy, and the dishes on the tray clattered. Another man? The only guy he’d trust with her was Mike, and he knew his partner was occupied. ‘What did he look like? How long ago did they leave?’

‘Not long.’ The waiter quickly put the tray down before he could drop it. He held his hands up defensively. ‘Just a few minutes ago. I thought he must be with your group. It was about time for the seven-thirty performances to start.’

Darien looked at his watch. ‘Tall, short, colour of hair?’

‘He was an average-looking guy.’ The waiter looked around for help. ‘Brown hair, glasses. Seemed quiet.’

Darien’s gut knotted. A lot of men would fit that description, but there was one in particular he didn’t want to find with Rielle. ‘Did you hear them saying anything? Which way did they go?’

The waiter shrugged helplessly. ‘I wasn’t waiting on your table. I just noticed, because she’s so…’

Beautiful. Rielle was beautiful. Men were naturally drawn to her, but some just didn’t know when to let go.

Darien turned on his heel. Too much time had passed already. The knot inside his gut was twisting tighter and tighter, but he pushed it away ruthlessly. He needed to think.

It was Hamilton. It had to be. Why had she left with him so quietly? He knew she didn’t like the limelight. She was quiet, but she should have screamed and kicked. She should have called for help.

Did she think she was somehow protecting him? Damn it, he never should have left her alone.

Instead of waiting for the elevator, he bounded down the stairs. He was calling for backup as he scanned the massive hallways. They were nearly bare now that the shows had started. The murmur of voices and the lilt of laughter echoed through the walls.

‘Sweep the terraces,’ he barked into his phone. ‘Fan out and check the lounges and the galleries.’

The place had so many nooks and crannies where people could hide.

‘His name is Eddie Hamilton. Brown hair, glasses, five-foot-ten, one-seventy pounds. Rielle is with him unwillingly.’ He didn’t need to describe her. She’d been checked out by Mike and everyone else on his team. They’d made it clear they weren’t willing to put their safety in the hands of ‘someone who was being led around by his balls’.

Darien rubbed a hand over his breastbone. It wasn’t his balls that were aching now.

He ran for the front entrance, but stopped before he burst out the doors. Being loud and clumsy would help no one. He yanked his focus into place and cleared his thoughts. He could help her, but he had to find her first.

He eased out the door without making a sound. It was sunset, and the sky was awash in blues and pinks. The Kennedy Center was lit, and the white marble columns glowed. For someone looking for the shadows, he was lit up like a Christmas tree.

He looked out across the Center’s campus. It was well lit, with lights atop every post. He saw a few couples strolling and a man on a bike, but no Rielle.

Where the hell was she?

He rubbed his temple. Busy streets lined the front and back of the Center, but plazas lay to the north and south. They were hard-surfaced, though, with no trees or landscaping to provide cover. Unless Hamilton had pulled her onto a bus or into a car, there was little place to hide.

A car.

The parking garage.

Darien moved. None of his team was checking in. They hadn’t found her yet. Instinct told him he was on the right trail. He had to be. He just needed to get to her fast. With each moment that passed, the danger for her increased.

Hamilton had been unravelling more quickly every day.

Parking Level C. No. Darien quickly rejected it. It was mainly for donors, and he didn’t see a computer geek from Baltimore being a patron of the national arts. He moved without hesitation to Level B.

The garage was filled with cars, but devoid of life. In two hours the place would be a mass of running engines, smelly exhaust and glaring lights, but for now it was silent. An echoing chamber with shadows at every turn. He slipped into a dark corner and palmed his gun. Calming his breaths, he tried to listen over the pounding of his heart.

There were no voices. He heard the clink of an engine cooling down, and then, off in the distance, the steady click of heels on pavement. High heels.

He burst into motion, bending down to travel low. The footsteps were one or two aisles over, heading to the end of the lot where latecomers had been forced to park. He cut between cars to bring himself closer. The footsteps were slowing. He needed to get to her now. If Hamilton got her off the premises…

He needed to get to her now.

He stopped for a moment to peek over the hood of a Buick. Rielle’s white dress reflected the dim lighting overhead, but the glimpse of her was enough.

He’d found her.

Now he could go to work. Placing his steps even more carefully, he closed the distance.

‘There, the blue one on the end,’ Hamilton said. His voice was raspy, thick from allergies.

Darien took cover behind a concrete pillar and considered the situation. Hamilton wasn’t touching her, but he was following along closely behind her. Why wasn’t she fighting? Why was she walking along meekly like a lamb?

They walked beneath one of the garage lights, and that was when he saw it. The light wasn’t bright, but it was enough to glint off the blade of a hunting knife.

They made it to the blue car, but Rielle’s footsteps stopped.

The car tweeted and the lights flashed when Hamilton unlocked the doors with his remote. ‘Get in the car.’

‘No.’

Darien tried to keep his breaths steady. Her voice was quiet but strong.

Hamilton grabbed her arm and yanked so hard she stumbled. ‘Get in the car!’

‘No!’ Rielle pulled back from him, but he lifted the blade and shoved it in front of her face.

Everything inside Darien roared.

He came out of the shadows at full speed as the two began to struggle. Rielle knew Muay Thai, but she’d never been in a real fight. She’d never gone up against someone with a weapon. She latched onto Hamilton’s knife-hand with both hands and came in with a sharp knee-strike to his gut.

Eddie doubled over with a loud grunt. Darien lifted his gun as he charged forward, but he couldn’t take a shot while Rielle was entangled with the man. Eddie pushed back. Her heels were a disadvantage, affecting her balance, but she brought one down on his foot. He let out a howl.

Unfortunately, pain brought with it anger, and Hamilton yanked on her braid. The move brought her head down, dangerously close to where they were struggling over the knife.

Darien was nearly there, but Hamilton sensed him charging up behind him.

When he looked over his shoulder, Rielle made her move. Not caring that he was ripping her hair out by the roots, she pushed into him. Darien saw the knife cut into the smooth skin of her forearm, but she kept going. Using a sharp uppercut, she knocked Eddie’s head back. Before he could recover, she used his momentum against him.

He was leaning into her, trying to gain control of the knife, but she put her shoulder into his solar plexus and flipped him onto his back.

Following through like Darien had taught her…

He tackled Eddie on the ground before he could get back up.

‘Darien!’ Rielle screamed. ‘Oh, my God.’

Pain ripped through Darien, but he quickly subdued the man. The knife clattered to the ground. Rolling him onto his stomach, Darien held Hamilton immobile with his knee against the small of his back. ‘Rielle,’ he said sharply. ‘Get the zip ties out of my pocket.’

He caught the man’s wrists and brought them together. Eddie kicked and bucked and swore. He managed to rip one hand loose.

Darien caught it again, but his vision wavered.

Rielle had dropped to her knees. She was trying to squeeze her fingers into his front pocket, but all Hamilton’s wriggling was making things difficult.

‘Hurry, Beautiful,’ Darien said.

She pulled out the plastic tie. Her nails bit deep into Eddie’s skin as she helped trap his wrists together. She pulled the zip tie tight and sagged back onto her haunches.

‘I didn’t see you,’ she gasped. ‘I didn’t know what to do. You told me to stay, but he had the knife.’

‘Rielle…’ He pushed his gun towards her.

She began to shake. ‘I was so scared.’

‘Rielle…call…’ He pressed a hand to his side. ‘Call an ambulance.’

Her head snapped up. ‘Darien? Oh my God. Darien!’

He’d been stabbed.

He wobbled backwards, and Rielle lunged for him. She caught him, but she couldn’t control his weight. All she managed to do was keep his head from hitting the concrete floor. Crawling over him, she searched for the wound. It wasn’t difficult to find. Blood was already seeping through his grey suit jacket. He’d been stabbed in the side. Without thinking, she covered the wound with her hand and pressed hard.

‘You don’t belong with him,’ Eddie hissed. ‘He made you a whore. You belong to me.’

‘Shut up, Eddie.’

She looked at the knife sitting on the pavement beside him. Blood covered the blade.

Her purse was a few feet away. Refusing to let up on the wound, she reached out with her foot, hooked the strap and pulled it to her so she could get her phone. ‘Stay with me, Darien. Talk to me.’

‘Keep the knife out of his reach.’

‘He’s handcuffed.’

‘Keep the knife out of his reach.’

She kicked the stupid knife away and dialled with one hand.

‘I hope he rots in hell,’ Eddie said before breaking into a coughing fit.

‘My boyfriend has been stabbed,’ she told the dispatcher who answered her call for help. ‘I need police, and I need an ambulance worse. Kennedy Center, parking level B. Tell them to get here fast.’

‘Where’s the wound?’ the dispatcher asked.

‘His abdomen.’

‘Apply pressure to stop the bleeding.’

‘I am.’

‘How’s his pulse?’

Rielle pressed two fingers to his neck. ‘Fast. Too fast.’

Darien’s blue eyes were glazed as he looked up at her. ‘It gets that way whenever you’re around.’

She gave him a watery smile. Oh, God. He was in trouble. ‘Make them hurry,’ she begged the dispatcher.

She set the phone on the ground at her side and cupped his face. ‘Come on, baby. Talk to me. What happened upstairs? Did you get the bad guy?’

He coughed. ‘Got them…both.’

Eddie rolled over and tried to sit up. He was muttering and cursing. Rielle eyed the gun. The temptation was strong.

She looked at the blood seeping into Darien’s jacket. ‘Tell me how I did on that move. Did I follow through OK?’

‘You…did…great.’

‘You weren’t supposed to fall on the knife.’

‘Had to. I…love…you…’

His eyes fluttered, and Rielle held back a sob. ‘I love you, too, Darien. Come on. Please.’

His eyes closed, and his breaths shortened.

‘Darien? Darien!’

Oh, God. She needed help now.

A thought occurred to her, and she patted his pockets, searching for his phone. ‘Damn it!’ she cursed when she discovered it was password protected.

‘Untie me, Rielle.’ Eddie said. ‘You can come home now.’

‘I am home, Eddie. With him.’

She closed her eyes and rocked back and forth. Think. She could see it. She’d flipped through his call history.

Her eyes popped open, and she grabbed her phone. ‘I have to make another call,’ she said frantically.

‘Don’t hang up on –’

She cut the dispatcher off and hurriedly dialled the number she’d seen once on Darien’s phone. ‘Answer. Come on, answer.’

It only took one ring before a male voice came on the line. ‘Hello, who is this?…Darien. What’s happening? Did you find her?’

‘Mike,’ she said, her voice jumping. She’d never met the man, but he knew who she was. Darien had powerful connections; he should, too. He was Darien’s partner. ‘It’s Rielle. Darien’s hurt. Help me. Oh, God, please. You have to help us.’

Chapter Sixteen

Darien awoke with a jolt. One moment he was sleeping, and the next his senses were alert. He quickly assessed his condition and instinctively reached for his gun. Only he wasn’t armed. He wasn’t even dressed. He was in bed in a strange room he’d never seen before.

Actually, it was a nice room – much nicer than the hospital room.

His brain quickly re-indexed. He’d been in the hospital in a bed that was much smaller and a thousand times harder than this. The sheets here didn’t feel like they were trying to sand off his skin.

Where the hell was he? What mission was he on? What had happened to him? He needed to contact his people.

He sought out any markers that might give him an indication of his location. The room was painted light beige, with cherrywood furniture. The lamp on the bedside table had a blue shade to match the bedspread, and the digital clock read 7.32.

Was that morning or evening?

The shades were drawn over the windows. Felt like morning.

His gaze dropped to the other side of the bed. The sheets were mussed and the pillow was dented. Relief swept through him, though he couldn’t say why, and his interest piqued. His gaze swept the room again until it landed on something on the dresser that looked out of place. He squinted harder. Were those boxing hand wraps?

Rielle.

He surged upright, but let out a hiss of pain when his body protested. He looked at where he’d automatically grabbed his side. A surgical bandage was taped over the spot where Hamilton’s knife had punctured his stomach.

Gritting his teeth, he sat up and dropped his feet over the side of the bed. The bedding tugged halfway off with him. He pushed it back and waited for his head to steady.

He heard sounds coming from somewhere else in the apartment, and he got to his feet. He had to see her. He had to know she was OK. Walking took more energy than he remembered, and he stumbled forward. He propped himself up in the doorway. ‘Rielle?’

Her head snapped up so fast, her hair bounced.

‘Oh, my gosh.’ She flew out of the kitchen. ‘What are you doing up?’

He didn’t complain when she acted like a human crutch on his good side. She felt warm and soft and safe. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. She smelled like jasmine. ‘I get the feeling I’ve been down for too long.’

‘A few days,’ she said.

‘Seems longer.’ Bits and pieces of memories were coming back, but they were out of synch. He remembered those rough sheets. There was a stern nurse wagging a finger. A needle in the back of his hand had itched. There was even a guy with a Mohawk, but he had no idea who he was or where he fit in or if he was even real.

‘You’ve been hyped up on pain pills.’

‘Things are a bit foggy.’ Foggier than he wanted to admit. He pressed his lips against her temple. There was just one thing he cared about. ‘Are you OK?’

‘Me?’ She let out a half-sob. ‘You’re the one who scared me to death.’

A flash of white caught his eye, and he grabbed her wrist. There was a bandage on her forearm that matched the one adhered to his side. ‘Damn it. I knew he got you. Did he cut any muscles or tendons?’

‘I’m fine.’ She kissed the faded bullet wound he’d gotten years before. ‘We’ll just have scars to compare.’

Red coloured his vision. He hated that he hadn’t been able to stop that bastard marking her. ‘Where is he?’

‘In jail. He hasn’t been able to raise the bail money the judge set.’

‘Morgan got him good?’

‘Attempted murder for what he did to you.’

‘I don’t care what he did to me. He needs to pay for what he did to you.’

She leaned her forehead against his shoulder. ‘He’s also charged with stalking, attempted kidnapping, assault and something to do with invasion of privacy for the computer thing. Nina feels terrible about that. The detective keeps telling her it wasn’t her fault. I’m the one who opened the email and set it loose.’

‘It wasn’t either of your fault. It’s all on Hamilton.’ Darien closed his eyes when he remembered her struggling over the knife with that crazy freak. The wound at his side throbbed, and he cupped his hand over the bandage. He was glad he’d been able to subdue the guy before he’d lost consciousness. ‘So I take it I’ll live?’

‘Yes, but will you please sit down?’ Her doe eyes glistened as she looked up at him.

He brushed his thumb across her cheek. For her, he’d do just about anything.

She helped him back to bed, but he was already feeling better. Moving had gotten his blood flowing, and his brain didn’t feel quite so sluggish. He sat on the edge of the mattress and she crawled up onto it. Tucking her legs underneath her, she snuggled in close.

‘You got lucky,’ she said. ‘The knife missed your vital organs, but there was muscle damage. It’s going to take time for it to knit back together. The doctor said you’ll be stiff and sore for a while. No lifting or heavy physical exertion.’

He rubbed a strand of her long hair between his thumb and forefinger. ‘I guess that means you’ll have to be on top.’

‘Darien,’ she said with a sigh.

He wound the strand around his finger to pull her closer. ‘Where are we, Beautiful?’

Her lashes fluttered, and her cheeks turned pink. ‘My apartment.’

‘I thought I couldn’t come here as long as you were my escort.’

‘Technically, that contract ended when you put those cuffs on Eddie.’ Her lashes raised, and she looked at him steadily. ‘You’re my boyfriend now…I hope…’

Boyfriend, lover, significant other. He’d take whatever label she wanted to put on him. ‘Rielle, I told you that I love you, didn’t I?’

He remembered fighting with Hamilton. He remembered the sharp pain and then trying to stay awake as they waited for help. Most of all, he remembered that telling her had been the most important thing in the world, but had he managed to say it?

‘You did.’ She licked her lips nervously. ‘I said it back.’

He leaned closer. ‘I remember.’

It was what had allowed him to close his eyes and relax. Knowing she loved him was enough.

She rose on her haunches, and their mouths met in a soft kiss. Lips on lips, tongues brushing gently. She pulled away shyly, and he smiled.

‘So have I moved in?’

‘Kind of. The doctor wouldn’t release you if you were going to be on your own. Mike helped me get some of your things.’

‘How did you get me here?’

‘You don’t remember?’

‘Those pain pills must have been potent.’

‘Mike and Stingray helped. You’ve been asleep for over twelve hours.’

And he’d been in the hospital for days before that. He didn’t know how many. All he sensed was a gaping chasm in his memories. He really didn’t like losing time like this.

Given the other option, though, he could stand the unyielding blackness. She’d been holding her own, but she would have had to incapacitate Eddie in order to stop him. If that madman had managed to get her into the car…

Darien blew out a hard breath. ‘You had me scared, too, baby. When I came back to the restaurant and found you gone, I almost lost it.’

‘I know. I’m sorry. I tried to slow him down so you could find us. That was all I could think to do. He just kept waving that knife at me, and I couldn’t figure how to move in on him.’

Muay Thai was a close-combat technique. At knife’s end, she would have needed to attack even more strategically. He didn’t think any less of her for being afraid.

When she’d made her move, she’d been fearless.

‘You’ll have to show me that next time we go to class.’

He nodded, even as his heart squeezed. He didn’t want her to ever have to use it again. ‘I’ll show you whatever you want to see, Beautiful.’

She smiled at him, and it warmed the knot of worry inside him. How had he, a man of darkness and shadows, found a bright light like her?

‘Can I get you anything?’ she asked.

He needed to use the facilities and find a toothbrush, but more than anything he wanted a shower.

She grimaced at that. ‘But your dressing.’

‘I can change a field dressing.’

‘Do you think you’ll be able to stand on your feet that long?’

She was making him feel like a wimp, but he also saw an opportunity. ‘You can shower with me or you can worry. Either way, I’m taking a shower.’

He fought a grin, but he got what he wanted.

She walked with him to the attached bathroom.

He untied her silk robe and found another sexy slip of lingerie underneath it. This one was soft pink. He fingered the bow between her pretty breasts. ‘Do you have one of these for every day of the week?’

She stood on tiptoe and kissed along the line of his jaw. ‘Maybe more. I do work in the sex industry, you know. Someone has to test out the tools of the trade.’

His arm came around her like a steel band. ‘I am one lucky man.’

The kiss he gave her was deeper and full of intent. ‘Take it off.’

She peeled the weightless delight over her head as he pushed down his shorts. He let out a grunt when the move pulled at his side. Damn, he had no core strength at all.

She caught at his shoulder. ‘Are you all right?’

He glanced up. She was naked and so fucking sexy, and he lost his breath all over again. ‘Better than all right.’

He pulled her into the shower. The spray fell down around them as she closed the door behind them. Water sluiced over their bodies as they came together in a sensual embrace. Her breasts plumped against his chest until he kissed his way down to them.

He cupped them in his hands. He fondled her and sucked on her nipples until she was squirming against the wet shower wall.

‘You’re supposed to be getting clean,’ she gasped.

He let his tongue rasp over a stiff nub. ‘Getting dirty is more fun.’

She grabbed the bar of soap on the shelf next to her and began sudsing him. Darien groaned in pleasure as her fingertips stroked over aches and bruises he hadn’t even known he had. She eased his pain as she washed everything away.

He pulled her close when tears started to spill from her eyes. ‘It’s all right, baby.’

‘I thought I was going to lose you, right after I’d found you.’

‘I’m all right, Beautiful. You saved me.’

‘There was so much blood.’

‘And you stopped it.’ He took her hand and pressed it over his side. The bandage was sopping, but he could feel the warmth of her touch. ‘You pulled me out of the shadows and into the light.’

‘I’m so glad you made me go out with you that night.’ She looked into his eyes.

His blood began to thrum when her voice went husky.

‘Let me be your escort one more time.’

She slowly dropped to her knees before him, and he jerked when her hands wrapped around his cock. The injury had slowed him down, but he wasn’t dead. Far from it. At the feel of her hands, his cock came to life. At the touch of her mouth, it went rock hard.

Water splashed over them both, turning her hair dark. It splattered against his chest, and he could feel it running between his toes. The warm caress paled in comparison to the hot strokes of her tongue. She laved the thick knob of his erection and then sucked him deep.

He let out a long groan. With the drugs wearing off, everything seemed heightened. Every touch, every lick, every hot breath. He slapped his hands against the wall to brace himself. His belly was quivering and his knees were unsteady. He’d like to think it was the after-effects of the pain pills, but he knew better.

Nothing affected him like she did.

She ministered to him, sucking his cock and squeezing his balls eagerly. He couldn’t look away as he watched her.

She wasn’t on top, but she was definitely in command.

Darien gritted his teeth and held on as long as he could. His hips began to pump, but her fingers dug into his butt to hold him still. Her head bobbed as she took over the motion for him, and it was the most damn erotic thing he’d ever seen.

Or felt.

Her mouth was like heaven, and the sensations overwhelmed him. He cupped the back of her head and tried to warn her, but she didn’t shy away. When he came, she swallowed and licked, taking all he had to offer.

Finally, he pulled her to her feet and shut off the spray of water. Showering with her was quickly becoming one of his favourite things. He bundled her up in a towel and dried her off as they both stumbled to the bed.

They were still damp when they hit the sheets.

‘Good as a real escort?’ she asked.

‘Better.’ Because it was real. He parted her thighs with his knee. ‘My turn.’

‘But Darien, your side.’

His abs were aching, but that wasn’t the only way to pleasure her. He slipped his hand between her legs and massaged her intimately. She was wet and slippery, just like he’d known she’d be.

‘Oooh,’ she moaned.

‘Tit for tat.’ He took the words to heart, and dropped his head back to her full breasts.

She gasped and threaded her fingers through his hair. ‘I love you, Darien.’

‘I love you, too.’

‘I’m sorry you got hurt because of me. I never meant to put you in danger.’

‘I wouldn’t have been anywhere else.’ He kissed her hard to stop the apology and looked down into her beautiful face. ‘Don’t you understand? Rielle, you’re my safe haven.’

Epilogue

Nina sat at her desk with her personal stationery before her. The paper was heavy, with fancy ragged edges. A shiny blue border outlined the writing area, and From the Desk of Nina Lockwood was spelled out in a flourish. She picked up her favourite pen and considered what to write.

She started, but her penmanship was shaky. She tossed the paper aside, chose another and started again. She needed to get this right.

How should she address it? Dear…Detective? Mr Morgan? Josh?

She settled on something more formal.

Dear Detective Morgan,

Please accept my sincere thanks for all the work you did protecting and defending my dear friend Rielle Sands. Your diligence and professionalism were unparalleled as you brought her stalker to justice. I apologise if I questioned your tactics or interfered with your investigation, but it was only because I care. Please accept these tickets as a token of my gratitude.

Sincerely,

Nina

She began to write her last name, but it seemed too formal. Too stiff. And also too repetitive of the letterhead. He’d make fun of her for that.

She looked over the message again. It took three more read-throughs before she decided it was acceptable. She didn’t want him to accuse her of bribery or being hypocritical, but she wanted badly to thank him. It was only what was proper – and it was so much easier this way than face to face.

He deserved acknowledgement. He was a good cop.

A cop.

As sexy, hard-headed, smart and frustrating as he was, she needed to remember that. He was sworn to uphold the law, and what she did pushed both legal and ethical boundaries. This letter and thank-you gift were the end of their interaction.

They had to be.

She blew out a quick breath and folded the note. She tucked inside two tickets to a Washington Nationals game. They were for presidential-level seats behind home plate and included access to batting practice, the Presidents Club and the after-game press conference. Morgan seemed like a baseball guy to her.

She licked the envelope and folded down the flap. She looked at it, trying to decide if she was doing the right thing. She sighed. She was making too big of a deal of this. She pressed a kiss to the back of the envelope and flipped it over to add a stamp.

‘Oh, God.’ What had she just done?

She turned the envelope over again and gave a horrified gasp when she saw her lipstick.

What had made her do that? She couldn’t even blame it on habit. She started to rub it away, but stopped. A smear would only make it worse. She didn’t want to grind it in.

‘Oh, Nina,’ she chastised herself.

She fluffed her hair. What was it about the man that made her lose her mind?

Muttering beneath her breath, she made herself let it go. She addressed the envelope and swiped it up. The sorting machinery at the post office would surely rub it off. At the very least, it would add marks to it to disguise the telltale lip print. She squared her shoulders and headed for the lobby. It was Rielle’s first day back to work, but this was something she’d put in the mail herself.

She didn’t want to start any rumours. It was a thank-you note. Nothing more.

Nina didn’t get to bed until late the next night. She’d been out with a group of senators, some of her best customers, but her least favourite. She made it a policy to always keep her political views private, but some days that policy was more difficult to uphold than others.

Her head was still pounding as she waited for her blood pressure to come down. Her feet didn’t feel much better. She rubbed her arches and flexed her toes until she found some relief.

She was just slipping under the covers when her phone rang. She groaned. She’d known that Senator Gunderson was going to call to ask about Genieve.

She rolled onto her side and turned on the bedside lamp. She looked at her cellphone, and her eyes popped open when she saw the caller’s name. Her gaze immediately went to the blue glass butterfly on her nightstand.

The phone rang insistently, and she propped herself up on an elbow. The ringtone sounded so loud in her dark, empty apartment. She rubbed the toes of her left foot along her right shin. She was tempted to just let it go to voicemail, but she knew he wouldn’t give up.

She’d learned a thing or two about the man.

She jabbed at the button to answer the call. ‘Hello?’

‘Nina,’ he said simply.

He’d been calling her that more and more. She’d acted like she hadn’t noticed, but she had. ‘Ms Lockwood’ had somehow been dropped.

Just like in her signature.

‘Detective. It’s late. Is something the matter?’ She suddenly thought of Rielle’s case. Was something wrong? Her heart jumped, and she began to push back the covers. Erin’s boyfriend Colton was already representing Rielle legally, but was there some other problem?

‘I got your card.’

Nina froze. ‘Oh.’

Without the covers, she felt exposed. She yanked them back over her and pulled her knees closer to her chest. ‘I just wanted to say thank you.’

‘You’re welcome.’ So late, with the lights down low, his voice sounded like caramel. ‘But I was just doing my job.’

She hooked an arm around her pillow and pulled it to her chest. ‘I’m still indebted to you.’

He let out a soft laugh. ‘Hold onto that thought.’

She scowled. Why was he always so cantankerous?

‘That was pretty fancy stationery,’ he said.

Her brow furrowed. What was he getting at? Trust him to investigate every detail. What, did he think it was made of hemp? ‘I bought it for special occasions.’

‘I liked the envelope best.’

Oh, God. That lipstick mark hadn’t made it to him intact, had it?

‘There’s just one problem with these tickets.’

Her thoughts changed direction again like a ping-pong ball. She was suddenly more concerned about the gift. Was he going to decline? Had she chosen a night he couldn’t attend? Did he not like baseball? She wanted him to accept. She’d wanted to do something nice for him. Truly. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘There are two.’

‘Of course, I wasn’t going to make you go alone.’

‘Then I’m going to need an escort.’

Her breath caught in her throat like a knife. Oh, God. She’d kept him at arm’s-length as much as she could, but Rielle’s problems had brought him further into Luxxor’s world. Did he know? Had he figured out what her company did?

‘Excuse me?’ She hoped against hope that it was an unfortunate choice of words.

‘You said yourself that you still owe me.’

‘I’m not sure I understand.’

‘I need someone to go with me, Nina. I want you.’

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