скачать книгу бесплатно
“Is your new apartment anywhere near the agency?” she asked as she fastened her seat belt.
“Yeah, why?”
“I want to get my car.” When they’d left, Miles had been adamant that she not drive, never mind that she’d gotten there on her own. Given the fuzziness of her memory, she hadn’t argued too much. Since they’d be nearby again, it only made sense for her to drive it back.
“Leese and Justice will swing by tomorrow and get it before they come out.”
“They don’t have the keys.”
“They can get them from the office.”
She narrowed her eyes on him. “When you took them from me, I thought you put them in your pocket.”
“I left them with Sahara.”
Well, that was high-handed of him. “Don’t ever do that again.”
He pulled away from the curb, asking, “Do what?” as if he weren’t the least bit concerned.
“Make a decision for me.” Even though she knew it was mostly sexual frustration making her snippy, Maxi said, “Deliberately mislead me.”
His brows shot up and he spared her an incredulous glance before getting his attention back on the road. “That’s the pot calling the kettle black.”
The accusatory tone only irked her more. “The pot is paying the kettle’s salary!”
He snorted. “Do you really think you were in any shape to make decisions this morning?”
“No, but you could have just said that you wanted someone else to bring my car to me.”
He rolled one big shoulder. “At the time, I didn’t even know if Leese would be free. Since he is, it works out.”
Maxi closed her mouth before she made an even bigger fool of herself. She’d blame the overreaction on the strain, but she knew that wasn’t it.
She wanted Miles, and so far, he wasn’t all that receptive to the idea.
Giving up for the moment, she noted the size of the security store where he pulled up and parked. “This place is immense.”
“They’re top-of-the-line and should have everything we need.” After he stepped out, he walked around to open her door.
Always the gentleman. Maxi left the SUV but didn’t go far. She put a hand on his chest—and even that, such a small touch, did crazy things to her. There was no give to his rock-hard body; how could she not react?
Reining in her haywire hormones, she said, “Promise me, Miles. I’m not an idiot. You don’t have to do things for my own good. Just tell me the plan, and I can be reasonable.”
He looked first at her hand on him, then into her eyes. He was so close, she breathed in the scents of soap and warm male skin.
A sultry expression narrowed his gaze. Voice low and rough, almost hypnotic, he said, “Since I don’t know you well enough to make that judgment, I can only promise to try.”
CHAPTER FIVE (#udcc22cdf-68e8-5161-aa4e-d09620e81d53)
IT TOOK LONGER than Miles had counted on to get all the supplies they needed, plus groceries. Because he knew Maxi wasn’t working on all cylinders yet, he made a point not to rush her.
For the most part, she held it together, but even at his apartment, she’d trailed him into every room, sticking close while he gathered up clothes, his laptop and overnight kit.
Apparently she was afraid to be more than a few feet away from him.
In one respect, he liked that. She wanted a protector? He’d gladly step up.
On the other hand, he didn’t like seeing her this way. When he’d first met her, she’d been all bold, up-front honesty. She’d wanted him, she’d said so, and they’d both enjoyed themselves.
Now she tiptoed around it. Sure, he’d caught the subtle hints she’d thrown out, picked up on her vibe.
He wanted more than that.
He wanted her outright admission so that this time they could start with a clean slate.
She claimed to have ended things because of poor choices in her past, and the mess of her life. Well, he wasn’t a poor choice, and her life was no less messy now. Hell, if his suspicions were right, it’d get worse before it got better.
He’d give her a day before he started digging for details. Right now, she was too exhausted.
The proof was on the drive home, when she conked out for the duration.
Not that he minded. With her asleep, he was free to look at her all he wanted. Half-curled in the seat next to him, only her seat belt keeping her upright, she had that boneless, utterly relaxed look about her.
Could be the first good sleep she’d had in a while, all because she knew he’d keep her safe.
He constantly glanced at her. The light tan and sun streaks in her golden hair told him she’d done plenty of work outside. Though still shapely, she’d lost a few pounds. Her nails, once perfectly manicured, were now short and buffed.
The changes didn’t detract from her appeal; she was still a nearly irresistible temptation.
But he would resist, because he had a plan, and by God, he’d stick to it, starting with giving her some time.
Miles began prioritizing in his mind. Making the farmhouse secure was top of the list. Soon as possible, he’d also get on his laptop to do some research.
That recent ex she’d mentioned... Miles wanted to know more about him, but he’d have to be careful how he asked.
Maxi couldn’t know how much it mattered to him.
Had she been in love? Was she still in love?
Didn’t seem so, but women could be funny about things like that, especially a woman scorned, as the saying went.
She claimed to want to avoid men now, so Gary, the cheating bastard, must have had some effect.
It’d be better, Miles decided, if he’d only hurt her pride, and not her heart.
Unfortunately, her ex wasn’t the only worry. Whether she liked it or not, he had to consider her siblings, too. By the minute, motives piled up, growing the list of suspects.
As the wheels of the SUV went from pavement to gravel, Maxi stirred, sitting up sluggishly and looking out the window as if trying to orient herself.
Stiffening, her gaze shot to him, and then she visibly relaxed.
“How do you feel?”
“Mmm, good.” Stretching—and looking sinfully sexy in the process—she mumbled, “Sorry about that.”
“You needed the sleep.”
“I don’t usually nap.”
“All things considered, you were due.”
“I guess.” She yawned widely behind her hand, rubbed her eyes and smiled at him.
That smile was so sweet, so innocent and trusting, he felt it clean through to his heart. “I want to get started on the floodlights today, but I think we should take care of the groceries first. Will we have to go into town to dump the old food?”
“No. I have a big locking Dumpster and the garbage gets picked up tomorrow.”
“Perfect timing.”
Her gaze shifted away. “We’d accomplish a lot more if I put away the food while you worked on the lights.”
Miles heard the unspoken but, so he held silent.
“But,” she whispered, “I’m still not ready to be alone.”
He wouldn’t mind if that attitude carried over to bedtime. “It’s not a problem.”
“Right. I’m afraid to be in my own home? It’s idiotic.”
“Actually, it’d be idiotic if you weren’t worried.”
As if he hadn’t spoken, she said, “And it’s not your job to play grocery shopper and light installer on top of being a bodyguard.”
“How many bodyguards have you hired?”
“I...” Stymied, she frowned. “Only you. Why?”
“My job is to ensure your safety. That involves making the farmhouse more secure and, when necessary, sticking close. Since I’m not the type to stand around idle while you do chores, you can damn well plan on me helping. With whatever. Got it?”
Gratitude curled her mouth and softened her tone. “Doesn’t sound like I have a choice.”
“It’s part of the bodyguard code.” The SUV bumped and bounced over potholes in the rough road. While he had her undivided attention, he decided to sneak in a little work. “This ex of yours. Does he know you moved out here?”
“I didn’t tell him. If he knows, he found out from someone else.”
“Like who?”
“Well, he works with my sister.”
Great. He really needed to do some research. Getting details in drips and drabs wasn’t working for him.
As neutrally as he could, Miles said, “Yeah? Doing what?”
“He’s a receptionist.” She made a face and added, “Gary is pretty. He looks good in a boutique joint that caters to other pretty people.”
Jealousy subsided. “Pretty, huh?” She said it with enough disdain to make him laugh.
“Yeah. Some would call him handsome—but not as handsome as you.”
Miles said nothing to that.
“He’s tall, too.” Then she quickly added, “But not as tall as you.”
Semi-amused, semi-annoyed, Miles said, “He’s a cheater, so we can kill the comparisons, okay?”
Chagrined, she nodded. “I’m just wondering what I ever really saw in him.”
Yeah, Miles was wondering that, too.
Lower, she added, “I guess I thought he was elegant. Very stylish, trim, impeccable dresser. And far, far different from the first guy I cared about.”
“You were younger then.”
“And obviously dumber. Gary comes off as sophisticated and...” She shrugged with the truth. “More acceptable to my family.”
Miles soaked that in. So she still wanted their approval, did she? Just not enough to disregard her grandma’s wishes. “Do you think your sister would tell him where you are?”
“Who knows what Harlow might do? She’s annoyed enough with me to want payback.”
“So she knows you two split?”
“Yeah. She couldn’t believe I’d end a relationship over one ‘indiscretion.’ She thought I should give him another chance.”
“Bullshit.”
“My thought exactly. But if she did tell him, he hasn’t shown up here.”
“Or,” Miles said with emphasis, “maybe he’s shown up and you just don’t know it.”
She toyed with her braid while considering it. “Gary isn’t the type to be a stalker.”
“You never know.” Miles flexed his hands on the wheel. “Describe him to me.”
Wary now, she said, “You’re not going to do anything crazy, are you?”
“If you’re asking if I’ll demolish him, that’s not my plan.”
“Doesn’t sound like you’re ruling it out, though.”
