Executive Protection(5)

What if she was the one who was incorrect? She glanced at him standing there so comfortable in his skin while enduring what she and his mother were saying.

She did get defensive when people implied that bragging rights belonged to her father when it came to her abilities. It was the only complaint she had about her father—her whole family for that matter.

“Most women are all too eager for a chance to marry Kate Winston’s son. Little do they know he’s altar-shy.”

“Mother...”

Kate laughed softly and then coughed with a wince.

Thad went to her side and held her hand. “Take it easy. Don’t try to talk too much.”


Lucy watched the care he had for his mother. Altar-shy, huh? Too bad. She studied his strong hands and from there his arms and face, profiled with chiseled features. Nose. Jaw. Eyes. Everything about him was sexy. But he wasn’t what she was looking for.

Why was she even considering that? Flustered over her reaction, she put down the clipboard. “Press the button if you need me. I’m here until three today.”

“Thank you, Lucy,” Kate said. “Don’t give up on Thad, okay?”

Give up on Thad? She glanced back over her shoulder and saw Kate’s wily smile. Even in her weakened state she was shrewd and perceptive. How had she picked up on the undercurrents between her and Thad? They were subtle, especially to Lucy. Sure, he was great to look at, but not a dating option.

He stood by the bed, watching her. Or was he waiting for a reply to Kate’s comment?

This was too much. Leaving the room, she heard footsteps hurrying to catch up to her.

“Lucy.”

Lucy kept walking and he caught up to her.

“I... Look, we got off on the wrong foot before, and...” He struggled for what to say. What did he mean to say? Why had he come after her?

She stopped and faced him. “Are you here to see your mother or me?”

“My mother, but that could be about to change.” He grinned.

Was he flirting with her? When unexpected heat flashed in response, a welcoming response, she couldn’t gather her wits. She took in his hazel eyes that now held a little mischief, and a mouth she suddenly found kissable.

What on earth was going on?

“Would you like to go out for a drink later?” he asked.

A date? With Mr. Altar-shy? While her heart urged her to say yes, her much smarter defenses rose up to protect her. As sexy as he was, he would be a waste of time.

Her cell phone vibrated in her pocket, offering a diversion. She saw Cam had sent her another text, this one asking her what she was doing later.

Lucy showed him her phone. “I have a boyfriend.”

Thad looked at her phone and then those clever eyes shifted back to her. “Is it serious? ‘How’s my new girl’ doesn’t sound serious.”

Lucy replied to Cam, agreeing to dinner tonight. “Not yet, but it could get to that point.” Finished with the text, she noticed Thad’s amusement. Far from intimidated, he was about to pursue her. She sensed it.

“How long have you known him?” he asked.

He had to know it wasn’t long. But she played along. “Almost a week.”

“I just broke up with someone I saw for that long.”

She tucked her phone back into her pocket. “What happened? Did she start talking about marriage and babies?”

“Don’t listen to my mother.”

“Is it true?”

“That I’m altar-shy?” He cocked his head. “I wouldn’t say ‘shy,’ but I do question the ideology of marriage.”

“You don’t believe in it?”

“Let’s just say I’ve seen too many people fooled by the illusion.”

“Have you ever been married?”

“No.”

Then how could he know if marriage was an illusion? What made him view it so negatively? She couldn’t afford to care.

She leaned so that her face was close to his. “I joined an online dating site so that I could find a man to marry and have babies with.”

The way his head moved back a bit, she thought he may have flinched.

“I’m twenty-nine,” she said. “I want babies by the time I’m thirty-two or thirty-three.” If that didn’t scare him away, nothing would. This attraction they seemed to have stirred up made her uneasy. His idea of love and family was the opposite of hers.

“You have it all figured out.”

“It’s called plans. I have plans for my future.” What kind of plans did he have? None? He’d romance women his entire life?

Why did going out with him tempt her still? It had to be the masculine aura about him, the inner strength and confidence. And, of course, those green-gold hazel eyes and hard, strong body.

“Aren’t you thirty-two?” She had to put an end to this crazy attraction that made no sense.

“Yes. How did you know my age?”

“Do you ever plan on settling down?” she asked instead of answering.

“Did some reading on me, huh?” he said, dodging her question.

Caught, she didn’t respond. She’d been curious enough to look him up online. Why would she do that if she wasn’t interested enough to go out on a date with him?

“Nothing is private with a mother like mine,” he said with a hint of teasing.