Ann Peterson - Secret Protector

“I will.” She narrowed her eyes. “You’re not a bodyguard of some kind, are you?”

He’d been hoping she wouldn’t ask that precise question. The woman seemed to have pretty good lie radar. He sure hoped the acting skills he’d honed in his one-and-only grade school play performance would be enough to see him through.

He gave her an aw-shucks grin. “Nothing so glamorous, I’m afraid. I work with locks and alarm systems.”

“Really?” She looked at him harder, if that was possible.

If she didn’t blink soon, he was going to start to sweat. “You don’t like locks and alarm systems?” he tossed off, hoping a little levity would help his case.

“I thought that was Glenn Johnston’s area.”

He’d figured a company like Kendall would already have locks and alarms covered, so he was ready with a twist. “I have a meeting with Glenn tomorrow. Your brother said he’d set it up. He wants to update to the newest technology. That’s where I come in.”

She crooked one eyebrow. “And Glenn is going along with this idea?”

“I haven’t met him yet, so I have no clue.”

Her face seemed to relax, one corner of her lips turning up slightly with amusement. “Good luck with that meeting.”

“Don’t tell me, Glenn’s a technophobe.” He gave her what he hoped was a worried expression. Hell, he was worried. He seemed to have chosen just the wrong cover story. He hoped it wouldn’t be too tough for Devin to back up.

“He’s a little resistant to new things, that’s all. As long as Devin paves the way for you, it should be fine.” She nodded, her mood shifting from suspicious to encouraging.

“Thanks for the heads-up on Glenn Johnston. It helps to know I should tread softly.” So far, so good. Now to angle the conversation toward the subject he really wanted to address. “In the meantime, who was that guy you were talking to?”

She glanced at the ramp leading out of the garage, as if half expecting him to be waiting in the shadows. “I don’t know.”

“You’ve never seen him before?”

“Not before tonight. He was in the coffee shop I just left.” She held up a large to-go cup with the logo of a nearby coffee shop emblazoned on the side. “He followed me.”

“Why?”

She shook her head, looking a little lost. “I have no idea.”

She really seemed at a loss. He fought the urge to reach out and rub his hand up and down her arm. Somehow he doubted she’d see the move as supportive coming from a guy she’d just met. “Did he say anything to you?”

“Not much. He asked if I knew him.”

“Knew him?”

She gave a little shrug. “From the coffee shop, I guess.”

“And you’re sure you’ve never seen him before tonight?”

“I don’t remember him. But he might have been there before. It’s the closest coffee shop. I go there all the time. I like their lattes.” She held up her cup again as if showing him proof. “Thank you, by the way. He really didn’t do anything, and I’m not sure I actually needed saving, but I appreciate it anyway.”

“Not a problem. I am joining the security crew tomorrow. Might as well get an early start on the job. Just glad I didn’t have to install an alarm right on the guy’s nose.” He feigned giving the air an awkward punch.

She laughed, the sound tinkling off the concrete around them, frothy and fun and yet something deeper underneath.

He’d been following her for a while now, but he’d never been face-to-face like this and he’d never before heard her laugh. He’d like to hear more of it.

“Well, thank you. I really do appreciate you stepping in to help. There aren’t a lot of Good Samaritans around these days.” She started to angle her body away from him, suggesting it was time to go.

He nodded and smiled. Of course, he wasn’t a Good Samaritan, although that was what he’d wanted her to believe. He was paid to stick his neck out. Even though this case hadn’t required much stretching so far. “Let me see you to your car.”

She flicked her eyes back to his, her expression carrying a hint of question but not the suspicion that had been there earlier. “That’s not necessary.”

“Yes, it is. I need to know you’re safe. I couldn’t live with myself if I just walked away and something happened to you.”

She raised her chin as if she’d figured him out. “Because I’m the new boss’s sister and an executive at Kendall?”

“No. I suppose that’s a good reason, but it’s not my primary one.” Of course, technically protecting the boss’s sister was his reason for being here, but the words felt good on his tongue.

She tilted her head to the side and arched her eyebrows as if waiting for him to come clean.

“Let’s just say I’ll be thinking about you all night. I don’t want those thoughts to be laced with worry.” It sounded like a line, and as soon as he’d said it he’d wanted it back. The ironic thing was it was one of the first honest things he’d said to her.

She smiled.

Despite the greenish flicker of the parking structure’s fluorescent lights, he picked up a little more color in the apples of her cheeks. Encouraging. “So will you let me see you to your car?”

“I guess it wouldn’t hurt.” She looked down at the keys in her hand then returned her gaze to his. “But I’m having trouble with my keys. You’re a Kendall employee. Security, even. Do you have yours?”

He could feel his grin from the inside out. “Testing me, huh?”

“Does that seem paranoid?”

“It seems smart.” And luckily Devin had given him keys to the parking garage weeks ago. He pulled them out and made a show of unlocking the door. He held it open for her to pass through.

She shot him the kind of smile that had him thinking all sorts of things, none particularly protective. “Thank you.” If he wasn’t mistaken, there was a flirty lilt to her tone.

This job was getting a whole lot more interesting.

They walked side by side through the structure, the wide-open space feeling more intimate than it had a right to. He found himself thinking about leaning close, trying to detect a whisper of her scent over the odor of concrete and old exhaust. Of all the lies he’d told her tonight, the fact that he was attracted to her wasn’t one. Ever since he’d started following her, he hadn’t been able to help thinking of her—day and night—and not in a typical bodyguard sort of way. But none of those thoughts compared with being face-to-face.

Of course, he’d never intended to actually meet her. And now that he had, he found himself with a problem. For weeks he’d kept an eye on her without her noticing he was there. But after tonight, he had the feeling she’d notice, no matter how good his surveillance skills were. If he wanted to continue to perform as her bodyguard without her knowledge, he had to find some kind of reason to hang around.

And it seemed one had just landed in his lap. He just had to play it right.

A cherry-red sports car sat at the far end of the structure. Natalie pointed her remote at the car and the driver’s door opened with a chirp. Hand on the door handle, she offered him a smile. “Thank you.”

“Like I said, it’s not a problem.”

“Still, I appreciate your concern.”

“Do you appreciate it enough …” He looked away. “No. Sorry. I think I’m flirting with overstepping my bounds.”

“What were you going to say?” She looked straight at him with clear green eyes, as if she really wanted to know.

Just the response he was after. “You won’t hold it against me?”

“After you saved me from the notorious coffee shop mugger? How could I?”

“Okay, I was just going to ask if you’d like to meet for lunch tomorrow.”