Executive Protection(31)

His good-humored response tamed Thad’s tension. Lucy’s stirred it up again.

She put down her mug of coffee. “Hey. I’m nobody’s catch. Thad and I aren’t seeing each other.”

“Yet,” Sam said. “One thing I know about my brother is that he needs something other than sports to keep him warm at night.”

“Well, then, maybe there’s hope for me,” Mike carried on the banter while Thad inwardly cringed. If only he’d kept his mouth shut.

“Lucy.” Mike took her hand and gave the top of it a peck of a kiss. “It was a pleasure.” When he straightened, he shook Thad’s hand. “Thad.”

“Mike.”

Mike then gave Sam a brief hug and pat on the back. “Thanks for breakfast. Let’s get together again soon.”

“Plan on it. I’ll give you a call.”

“I should get going, too.” Sam went to Thad and leaned in for another man-hug. “Take my advice, Thad.”

Don’t let Lucy get away or something like that. Thad ignored him. When Sam left the kitchen, Lucy asked, “What was that all about?”

“He’s conspiring against me,” Thad answered. And seeing Lucy all dressed and ready for the day, he wondered if he’d be conspiring against himself before long.

“Oh.” She nodded uncomfortably. “Um...about last night...”

He put up his hands. “Yeah. Sorry about that. It was just...”

“Late,” she said for him.

“Yeah...late.”

“The root beer floats...” She was still nodding.

“Who can resist the charm of that?” Smoking-hot charm. He could think of so many other things that would lead to that than an innocent root beer float. “Well, I better get going. I made plans to go to a hockey game with Darcy.” He backed toward the archway leading out of the kitchen and to the side entrance.

“It’s still morning.”

Caught, he stopped and didn’t say anything. Never had a woman had him so weak-kneed.

“Who’s Darcy?”

“A friend. Cop. We went to the police academy together. He’s getting past his divorce.”

She stepped forward. “Oh. You’ll be perfect for him.”

“Very funny.”

She smiled and stopped close to him. “You like sports.”

He thought her comment was more of an observation. “It’s going to be a great game.”

“No, I mean, you really like sports.”

“Yeah...” he hedged. What was she getting at? “Football. Basketball. Hockey.” Pretty much all of it.

“You’re almost obsessed with it. You work and watch sports. No time for women.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.”

“I think sports fill the gap. What if you spent that time with me instead?”

He didn’t even have a reply for that. What had gotten into her? That was a bold thing to say. Did she mean it?

Was she flirting? Leading him? Did she want something to come of them? Thad had mixed feelings about that. He could see himself being with her, maybe even for a long time, indefinitely, even, but she was after a ring and strollers. He got a cold flash just thinking of it.

She moved closer still. “Scared?”

He frowned at her easy perception of where his thoughts had gone. She was on a mission, and he was the target. “No.” He wasn’t afraid of marriage and children, he just didn’t believe they were for him.

“I think you are.” She put her hands on his chest, sliding them up. Her eyes were alight with mischief. This was the playful side of Lucy, the side that told stories.

Lured into whatever had compelled her to be this way, he didn’t fight the instant warming that she’d deliberately ignited.

“You’re afraid to trust any woman with a future. Sports are safe. You can pour all your attention into that and never risk a thing.”

“Where is all this coming from?” That kiss?

“Just an observation. You have trust issues.”

He didn’t like how that came with a sting of truth.

She reached up and traced her finger along his lower lip. “Yeah.” That finger trailed down his neck to the V of his long-sleeved shirt. Her palm flattened there, caressing him a little before going still. Then she rose up to put her mouth right beneath his. “If only someone could show you how good it could be.”

“You mean...you?” He was hard.

“Yeah,” she said in that sexy voice. “You should try giving someone a chance.”


“I’d give you a chance.” But only if she could go into it casually.

“At what?”

“This,” he said. “Last night.” And more.

She drew back a fraction, far less flirtatious. “But not a chance at marriage and kids.”

He regretted the change in her. “It doesn’t mean we can’t have something special together.”

She recoiled, stepped back as though a hot iron had just burned her. “You holding back isn’t special to me.”

Would he hold back with her? Hold back marriage and kids, but she meant more than that. She meant the whole emotional package that came with those two terrifying obligations. When he realized apprehension had attached itself to his thoughts, he wondered if, somewhere inside of him, he’d decided that, with her, the whole emotional package was attainable. Or was it the other way around and he felt threatened by her? Threatened that she’d lure him into marriage...