Under Pressure (Body Armor #1)(10)

His expression shifted from sharp awareness to soft understanding. “We’ll need to work on that habit you have of lying.” In only a few long, casual strides he stood beside her. Looking into her eyes, he asked, “Want to try again?”

Not really. She cleared her throat. “Where did you go?”

“Just checking on things.”

“Like?”

“Staircase, other rooms, windows.”

Oh. He’d once again been assuring her safety? Astounding. Her muscles further relaxed. Acting as if the panic hadn’t happened, she gestured to the table. “Are you going to eat now?”

“Yeah.” He took his seat, still attuned to her yet not intimidating her with his stare. He hesitated only a heartbeat, then said, “I’m not budging, Cat, okay?”

That was the first time he’d called her that. “You know my nickname?”

“I know a lot about you.”

Wow, such a cryptic answer. She wasn’t sure she wanted to ask, especially since he couldn’t possibly know the most important things.

“I also heard Wayne call you that.”

Oh yeah. He didn’t miss much. “So, what’s the plan?”

“Keep you safe.” He took a big bite of a chicken wrap that looked to have tomato and lettuce on it, but nothing else. He followed that up with a drink of tea before adding, “Whatever it takes.”

A not-so-simple answer to a very complicated question. He so easily shook her, mostly because he said things with such conviction she couldn’t help but believe him.

And believing anyone right now was just plain foolish.

She picked up a fry. “Okay, that’s long-term. But for tonight?”

“Once you’re ready for bed, Justice can sit here while I go to his room to shower.” He took another bite. “Then we’ll get some sleep.”

In bed. Or rather, one bed, one couch. She made a noncommittal sound and slurped down half her malt to try to cool a sudden rise in her temperature.

Amused, Leese asked, “What did you think would happen?”

“No idea, really. I’ve had supposed bodyguards after me for a while now, but none of them were like you.” She ate a few more bites, thinking, wondering how far she could push him. “You’ll sleep here, right? I mean...on the couch?”

“Yeah.” He finished off his food. “What kinds of bodyguards have you known?”

How to put it so that she wouldn’t give away too much? If he was as up-front as he seemed and really didn’t understand the ramifications and complications of the situation, she didn’t want to clue him in tonight. He could react badly.

He could decide she wasn’t worth the trouble.

Or that she was worth the payoff.

Just to see what he’d do, she settled on a tiny truth, saying, “Mostly the kind who worked for someone else.”

He paused, then slowly sat forward to rest a forearm on the table. After studying her expression, he shrugged. “You already know someone else hired me. Otherwise I’d know nothing about you. But I think what you’re saying is that these other bodyguards had ulterior motives...beyond your safety?”

In a nutshell. “Let’s just say safety is subjective.”

“Let’s don’t.” Startling her, he put one big hand on her wrist. His palm was hot, his fingers rough, and the touch made her pulse gallop. “You’re either safe from harm, all harm, or you’re not. I intend to keep you safe from harm.”

Cat swallowed to regain her voice. Get a grip, she told herself. He’s only touching your wrist in sympathy, for crying out loud.

Because you’re being so damned pathetic. And cowardly.

And because, as he said, someone paid him to look out for you.

“Yeah,” she rasped. “That’s how I figured it too.”

His thumb brushed over her skin, then he patted her—like a dog, blast him—and retreated. “I was hired to keep you safe and that’s what I plan to do. So rest easy on that, okay?”

No, she wouldn’t rest easy. How could she now that she’d realized she was as sex starved as she was wary?

Not a comfortable combo.

Unaware of her inner turmoil, he continued, “It’d be easier to do that, however, if I knew who or what I was fighting.”

No, it wouldn’t. She figured she had a much better chance as long as he thought things were simple, instead of so very, very complicated.

But when she looked at him, he was so sincere, so involved, she almost caved. It’d help if he was an ogre. Or at least plain. But she didn’t have that kind of luck. “It is so unfair.”

“What?” he asked, as he stole one of her fries and bit into it. An expression crossed his face, as if he really enjoyed it too.

She watched his jaw move as he chewed, and even that was sexy. “That you should look so good.”

He swallowed and slowly, cautiously, turned his head to face her.

Caught in his beautiful gaze, Cat sighed. “You really do. You realize that, right? And here I am, smart enough to know not to trust you no matter what pretty words you say or how sinfully sexy you are. I’ve had to deal with so much lately, but you’re here now, looking like you look, and I don’t mean just a handsome face or buff build. No, you have to be patient and nice and all alpha-in-control too, which is pretty damned appealing.” She shook her head. “It’s unfair. That’s all I’m saying.”