Debra Webb - Personal Protector

Surely that meant that she could trust Martinez.

Piper paused next to Mr. Rizzoli’s antique desk. His ancient manual typewriter looked lonesome without a piece of paper and a half-finished letter hanging out of it. He was always corresponding with a friend or relative he hadn’t seen in ages. Mr. Rizzoli wrote letters like most people these days used the telephone. Piper smiled, remembering the man’s rare smile and even rarer laughter. Maybe he would find a fun companion in Hawaii. The name of an island resort hotel along with a telephone number was written in Mr. Rizzoli’s bold strokes on the desk’s notepad. For Martinez to contact him in case of an emergency, she supposed.

To ensure Martinez was taking his job seriously, Piper walked across the room and surveyed the aquariums. All looked well, as best she could tell. The setup was pretty much self-maintained in that the fish were fed automatically. She guessed that Martinez’s job was to make sure the food reservoir was kept filled and that nothing went wrong with the water’s chemical balance. The slow gurgling sound was somehow soothing to her frayed nerves. The urge to collapse on Mr. Rizzoli’s comfortable old sofa and sleep until her life was back to normal was almost overwhelming.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she chastised softly. “You are not going to hide.” Piper strode determinedly to where the orchids sat on their glass shelves beneath their special light and she studied them closely. No sign of wilting…yet. It appeared that Martinez was doing what her neighbor had asked of him.

She still couldn’t understand why Mr. Rizzoli hadn’t left her a note or something. Frowning, Piper turned away from the lovely flowers just in time for her gaze to collide with a fully dressed and completely elegant Martinez.

“Where exactly are we going?” he inquired as he crossed the room in slow, deliberate strides designed to enhance the overall picture of sheer sophistication. “I hope this is acceptable,” he added as he indicated his attire with one broad sweep of his hands.

It was her turn to speak. “That’s—” she cleared her throat “—fine.” Piper clutched the small purse in her hand until the beads felt like tiny needles. “Fine” was nowhere near an adequate description as was generally the case with Martinez. “I requested that the limo come a little early,” she continued around the rock lodged in her throat. “I’d thought we—Mr. Rizzoli and I—would have time for dinner, but…” She jerked her gaze away and tried to banish the image of Martinez in a tux. If she’d thought he looked handsome in flashy street garb, she now knew why the word devastating was often used to describe the way the right man could look. The tux fit like a glove. The contrasting black and white only served to set the classic frame for his model-perfect build. “We should just go straight to the Exhibit Hall. There’s a charity art auction,” she finally remembered to say in answer to his original question.

He shrugged easily. “Sounds interesting.”

For the first time in her entire life, Piper knew what it was to be totally blown away by the way a guy looked.

She had to get a grip. Things like this didn’t happen to her. She was too logical, too professional. She didn’t have time for this kind of distraction.

Somehow she had to convince Dave that this new cameraman would not do. No way was she going to allow years of hard work to go down the drain because she lost her head and got involved with a guy like Martinez. She knew nothing about him and he probably liked it that way. Dave hadn’t even told her where he’d come from, only that he was somehow related to the station manager. She had learned only this morning that he wasn’t from Atlanta.

Her chest tightened at her next thought. Maybe Martinez thought the best way to ensure his place at the station was to have something on Piper. She had a squeaky-clean reputation. The last thing she needed was some hunky guy like Martinez going around saying he’d slept with her.

She would not let that happen. She would never, ever trust her future or her heart to any man. That lesson had been hard learned. She’d watched her mother’s life fall apart around her. Piper’s father had been gone for months before her uncle Lucas had come bearing the news that he’d died on a secret mission in some place that Piper had never heard of. Her father’s career had always been top priority. He’d loved and died for his government, leaving his wife and daughter to find their own way without him. Lucas had always been there for them. Piper was grateful for her uncle, but still resentful of her father’s selfishness.

All that was in the past. She had accepted it and moved on long ago. Still, the scars kept both her and her mother from fully trusting again.

Piper’s gaze moved back up to the man offering his arm to escort her to the ordered limo. She wouldn’t change now. Especially not now. Why should she trust her heart to any man? And she wasn’t about to trust her career to anyone except her bought-and-paid-for agent.

“Just so you know, Martinez,” she said as he opened the door, “Mr. Rizzoli’s orchids are more than mere plants, they’re like his children. You’d better take good care of them,” she warned.

“Don’t worry, querida,” he replied wryly and with a quick grin. “I inherited my aunt’s green thumb.”

AS HE AND PIPER ENTERED the hall outside her apartment door, the waiting agent descended the stairs in front of them. Ric’s bodyguard mode moved to a higher level of alert. Going out at night definitely entailed more risk. Though Piper didn’t know it, Raine was their driver tonight. There would be no chances taken with a regular driver and the Bureau boys would be in the chase car right behind them.

Ric paused, keeping Piper close to his side, and allowed the agent to play pushman. He exited the building and scanned the perimeter. Once the okay was given, Ric escorted Piper outside and across the sidewalk toward the open limo door. He didn’t miss the shaky breath she inhaled just before settling into the vehicle. This had to be extremely difficult for her. From what he’d gathered, from research and personal observation, Miss Piper Ryan was a very independent young woman. Since leaving home and starting her own life, she had never once gone to her mother for help. She intended to make her own way as an adult. Having to admit she needed protection and couldn’t protect herself had to be a huge blow to her confidence.

As she scooted across the seat, her black dress slid to the tops of her thighs and Ric almost stopped thinking at all. He quickly diverted his gaze and settled into the luxurious seat beside her. This was not the time to dwell on those shapely legs or those firm breasts outlined by the well-fitting dress. He wouldn’t even go into the way she had her dark hair twisted up on top of her head in a sexy hairdo that left wisps hugging her delicate neck.

When the door closed, Ric met Raine’s gaze in the rearview mirror briefly before the limo left the curb. Ric silently cursed himself. He would not make a foolish mistake during this assignment. Piper’s life depended upon his doing the job right. No matter what this chemistry brewing between them turned out to be, Ric could not and would not cross the line that would surely endanger her well-being. He might flirt a little to throw her off balance when he felt the situation warranted his having the upper hand, but he wouldn’t go beyond that. His errant gaze swept over the beautiful woman sitting silently beside him. No matter how damned hard it proved.

“We’ll be taking an alternate route,” the “driver” announced.

Ric jerked his attention forward. “Problems?” He knew the answer. Raine would have driven directly to the Exhibit Hall otherwise. Ric rested his arm across the back of the seat and glanced at the dark gray sedan carrying the two federal agents that followed close behind them.