Rules of Protection(16)

Jake was more impressed with the split entryway and walk out basement, explaining how it gave me a choice of exits if anything went wrong. Probably the reason they chose it. The pool table in the basement must’ve been a bonus for the unfortunate souls stuck guarding me for any length of time.

“We’ve already swept the house for bugs,” one of the agents told Jake.

“Good,” I said. “I hate bugs.”

Both agents glanced at Jake, not knowing if they were supposed to take me seriously.

“She has a wisecrack for everything,” Jake told them. “You’ll get used to it.”

Agent Riggs shook his head. “We’re the security detail for the transfer, not babysitters. They won’t arrive until tomorrow.”

“What?” Jake yelled. “Three U.S. Marshals were supposed to be guarding her upon arrival. Who authorized the twenty-four hour delay?”

“Director Harvey Brockway from Chicago. He asked us to inform you of the change once you arrived, since four marshals from the Nebraska district were caught in an explosion during the night. They’re down some manpower and adjustments had to be made. Director Brockway said to tell you he cleared your schedule for the next few days.”

“Brockway, huh? I’m surprised he didn’t call me himself.”

Riggs shrugged. “You two are on your own, at least for tonight.”

Damn. They were leaving us alone overnight. Probably not a good thing. Maybe I could avoid Jake and keep from talking to him. Yeah, right. Like I could go twenty-four hours without talking. Hell, no woman could do that.

Riggs smiled, reading the sheer panic on my face, before he continued. “The fridge is stocked, and there are clothes for each of you in your rooms. Brockway sent them. Explorer in the garage has a full tank of gas and is equipped with a tracking device in the GPS. Keys are on the counter, along with the code for the security system to the house.”

As soon as the agents left, Jake locked the door behind them and activated the alarm. I went upstairs to the master bedroom to look for my clothes and the nearest bathroom. Jake followed me, then stood leaning against the bedroom wall. He watched as I dug through the dresser drawers and found a pair of bikini underwear, a white tank top, and a pair of green striped pajama bottoms.

I headed for the bathroom.

“Don’t lock the door in case I need to get to you fast,” Jake said.

“But I’ll be naked.”

He paused. “So let me get this straight. If the bad guys storm the castle, you’d rather be dead than for me to see you naked?” He glared at me with a controlled intensity that forced me to look away.

“Fine. I’ll leave the door unlocked. But you better hope no one storms the castle while I’m in there.”

I had planned to soak in the tub for a while, but after what Jake said, I opted to take a quick bath instead. He stood in the same position when I came back out, except some clothes had materialized under his arm.

As soon as I stepped clear of the bathroom, he walked in and turned the water on. I sat on the king-size bed across from the bathroom, thinking he’d shut the door. But I was wrong.

He removed his shirt, baring his nicely chiseled abs and well-defined pectoral muscles. A sexy treasure trail of hair led into his pants, and I salivated as I thought about following it. He was all hard muscles and tanned, firm skin. I had the sudden urge to run my fingers up his back and my tongue down his front.

He removed his pants, then pulled off his boxer briefs as I watched in anticipation. Please, no ass hair. Please. Aha! There is a God. I started to smile, but glanced up from his rear to see him looking back at me in the mirror. Oops.

“Might want to shut the door,” I told him. “Especially if you’re going to use my bathroom.”

“Sorry, but without someone else here to keep an eye on you, we’ll have to make do. If you don’t want to look, then turn your head.”

If I don’t want to look? Was he f*cking crazy? Of course, I wanted to look. That was the problem.

To spare my sanity, I averted my eyes. But it chewed my insides raw with frustration. As soon as Jake stepped into the tub, I thunked the back of my head against the headboard several times.

“What’s that noise?” Jake yelled over the sound of the water.

Jesus. I couldn’t even bang my head on something without having to answer to him. “It was me. Sorry.”

Moments later, Jake turned the water off. I could hear him in the bathroom shuffling around, but didn’t look. His glorious, naked body was a twist of the neck away, and I refused myself the view. It was cruel and unusual punishment.

Just so I wasn’t tempted, I stepped over to the bedroom window and peered out at the backyard, watching a small bird flitter from tree to tree in the late morning sun. I didn’t hear Jake approach me from behind, when he grasped my arm, startling me.

“Stay away from the windows,” he said, moving me toward the bed. “It’s the last place you want to be standing if someone shoots at the house.”

Gee, thanks a lot. Like I needed that neurosis for the rest of my life.

I sat on the bed, but he stayed standing. His hair was damp, which made it look a darker shade of brown than it actually was. He was more relaxed and comfortable now that he put on a pair of Levi’s and a T-shirt. It was strange, though. I didn’t picture him as a jeans and T-shirt kind of guy. It looked good on him.