A Deep and Dark December(97)

She looked up to find Crosby watching her closely. “Are you okay, kid?”

She shook her head, unable to form the words she had for the emotions welling up inside her, trying to claw their way out.

“In that case, let me introduce Lucas Vega. Your bodyguard.”

She jerked in surprise, turning her head to the side, then up, way up. That low hum started again at the sight of the still man from the studio. He stood feet above her, looking down at her with no emotion. Certainly, nothing like the sensations clanging around inside her caused by his nearness. He was dark, like a shadow, dressed in all black with black hair and near black eyes. And not at all handsome. Which strangely made him more attractive to her.

Mi clutched the photos tighter. “No.”

“Sellers owns this station and all our asses. There is no ‘no’.” And then Crosby said something he avoided as though it gave him a violent rash. “Sorry, kid.”

She knew there was no way out. Those two simple words sounded with a thud in her head, like a trunk lid closing with her inside.

“She’s a peach once you get to know her,” Crosby said to Lucas, standing. “I’ll leave you two to get acquainted and to make sure Davy’s finally unscrewed his screw up.” Crosby pointed at Mi. “Three minutes and then I want you back on set twirling dildos. Jesus, if my mother could see me,” Crosby mumbled to the ceiling as he left the room.

Lucas wasn’t sure what to say. Miyuki Price-Jones off camera was nothing like he’d thought she’d be. First off, she was small, too small, looking more like a teenager than the twenty-eight her file said she was. He knew she wore the glasses for the sex-kitten effect on the show, but what the file hadn’t said was what a strange color her eyes were, gold, like an old coin.

The file also hadn’t said anything about her having a kid. He wondered why. It wasn’t like her reputation would be compromised. She sold sex toys for f*ck’s sake. Something told him that her having a kid would add a complication he wasn’t sure he wanted to deal with. Must have been why Cal Sellers had left that bit of information out of the file. And why Lucas would look into it as soon as he got the chance.

She didn’t speak or pay him any attention at all as she shoved the photos back into the envelope, her movements jerky and rushed. Then she sat there, holding the envelope, staring at it as though she didn’t know what to do with it.

“May I?”

She jolted at his question, spinning in her chair. She eyed his outstretched hand as if he’d strike her with it. That thought made him frown.

She clasped the photos to her chest. “No.”

He withdrew his hand, disguising his uneasiness at her reaction to him with a careless shrug. He was used to people making judgments about him. Usually he spun those misconceptions to his advantage, but for some reason her negative assessment of him rankled. He told himself it was better this way. Her discomfort meant she’d take direction from him if things got bad. And that was good.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Vega.” She rose to face him.

The first thing he noticed was that she was a little taller than she first appeared. The next thing he noticed was that despite her paleness from shock, her spine was straight, her chin high. It would take a lot to really rattle Ms. Price-Jones. That, too, was good. Maybe this favor he was doing for Cal wouldn’t be so bad.

“I didn’t mean to be rude.” She indicated the pictures. “It’s just that these are personal.”

“It would help me to know what we’re dealing with.” The truth was he wanted to study them more closely than the glimpse he’d gotten over her shoulder. He told himself they would tell him more about who might be after Ms. Price-Jones, but the real truth was he wanted to know more about her.

She frowned down at the envelope. “Oh.”

“And please, call me Lucas.”

“Lucas—.” She said it as if she were trying it out to see how the letters felt on her tongue. Which brought his attention to her mouth and its fullness. Her tongue darted out, leaving her lower lip wet.

He had the strongest urge to run his thumb across it just to see how it felt.

“How does this work? This bodyguard thing?”

Lucas brought his attention back to her eyes, which were wide behind her fake glasses. With fear or something else? He couldn’t be sure. He wanted to put her at ease. He almost reached out to touch her, but wasn’t entirely sure she wouldn’t bolt if he did. Instead he shifted his stance, trying for reassuring.

“I’m with you twenty-four, seven. I go where you go.”

“Oh.” She didn’t look reassured. If anything she looked more agitated.

“You won’t even know I’m there.”

She gave a shaky laugh. “I seriously doubt that. You’re awfully hard to miss.”

“What I mean is you’ll go about your day same as always.”

“Except for my very large shadow.”

He cracked a hint of a smile. “Yes.”

She smiled in return and then the most remarkable thing happened. She touched him, taking his hand in hers. “Well, then, nice to meet you, Lucas. Please, call me Mi.”

“Mi.” It was his turn to try out her name, and he liked the way it made him feel.

She released his hand. He missed the contact.