Moonlighter (The Company, #1)(25)

“That’s right,” Gunnar says. “Chin up. And text me or call me at any moment.”

“Will do.” I give him a calm smile. Putting others at ease is something I learned to do at an early age. Some days it’s more useful than my double masters degrees.

Then he and Pieter depart, leaving Eric and I on the terrace together. “Now what?” Eric asks. “Want me to make a dinner reservation? Or would you rather have room service and television?”

“I like the second option. I’m still jet-lagged,” I say by way of an excuse. But the truth is that I just don’t feel like making myself visible right now. That video shook me up more than I care to admit. The sight of a stranger so casually breaking in to snoop gives me the willies.

“Fine. A nap sounds good to me right now. Will it bum you out if I fall asleep? We could put the alarm on the door.”

“I’ll be fine,” I lie. “But let’s look at that alarm anyway.”

Back inside the room, we hang the alarm by its strap over the hotel room door. The device is plastic, and bright orange. It looks like a child’s toy. I press its only button, and a light winks on.

Then, as a test, Eric turns the door handle to open the door.

An ear splitting shriek rends my ears, and I push that button again as fast as I can get to it. The return of silence is a huge relief.

“Jesus Christ. I guess it works,” Eric grumbles.

“It’s a laugh a minute with me, isn’t it?” I lock the door again and then carefully press the button to arm the device.

When I stand up, Eric pulls me into a quick hug. I get a whiff of his coconut-scented shampoo before he releases me again. “Chin up, Engels. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“I know,” I mumble. “Take your nap, already. I have work to do.”

He gives me a smile that says he knows I’m all bluster. Then he ambles his big self into the bedroom and disappears.

Alone on the sofa, I open my email. The first message is bad news—my assistant Rolf will be a day late. Grandma needs me in New York, is all he wrote. See you Thursday.

Great. More chaos. He’s going to miss a day of meetings?

Now I’m both jumpy and blue.

From the bedroom I hear the gentle sound of Eric’s deep, sleeping breaths, and I last no more than five minutes on the sofa alone. I’m weary and a little freaked out. So I tiptoe into the bedroom, lie down on my own side of the bed, and close my eyes.

The sound of Eric’s slow breathing is more relaxing than any reassurances from my expensive security team. Finally calm, I fall asleep, too.





9





Eric





“Pillow” is apparently part of my job description.

The next morning I wake up with Alex asleep on my chest, her hair splayed decadently across my skin. Not one part of her—not even a toe—is on her own side of the bed.

Carefully, I slide her off my body, her hair tickling my sensitive skin.

“Sorry,” she mumbles, rolling over.

She should be. Cuddling without sex? It’s just wrong.

In the living room, I disarm our front door, as one does. Then I order room service for both of us. After a day with Alex, I already know her order: plenty of everything, plus decaf.

While I wait for the food, I check my messages.

Change of plans, my brother has written. Pieter and another guard will escort Alex to all her meetings today. You won’t be needed until the cocktail party.

Wait, what?

After yesterday’s break-in, The Company has obviously closed ranks. Is it weird that I’m a little insulted? Fired from a job I didn’t even want. Now, that’s flattering. At least I can get a good workout in.





I do use my time wisely. I spend two hours in the weight room, plus an hour of stretching. Then I have a healthy lunch alone, where I don’t need to pretend to be anyone’s boyfriend.

It’s great, if a little solitary.

My phone rings while I’m drinking coffee on a chaise on the beach. I answer it right away, in case Alex needs me. But it’s only my asshole brother. "How’s it going?" he asks.

“Great. Why? Done with me?”

“Not hardly. What gave you that idea?”

“You have a cast of thousands. I’m just not sure I’m needed.”

“Little brother, are you feeling ignored? The gigolo at odds between dates…”

“Shut up. This was your idea. I could just come home.”

He laughs. “Don’t get any ideas. It’s true that I didn’t expect to fly in more staff for this event. But Alex is not the only tech executive I’m protecting in Hawaii this week.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, I pulled agents off other work. But she’s the only one who’s having security issues. And we haven’t identified the guy in the break-in video. Yet.”

“It wasn’t the ex-boyfriend,” I offer. “I saw that guy at lunch yesterday.”

“And?” Max asks. “What did you think?”

“He doesn’t work out.”

Max laughs. “Your measure of a man’s worth.”

“Hey!” Although he is partly right. “I couldn’t exactly see into his soul from across a crowded restaurant. But he isn’t a grave physical threat. He looked angry, though.”