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  Not really. She cleared her throat. “Where did you go?”

  “Just checking on things.”

  “Like?”

  “Staircase, other rooms, windows.”

  Oh. He’d once again been assuring her safety? Astounding. Her muscles further relaxed. Acting as if the panic hadn’t happened, she gestured to the table. “Are you going to eat now?”

  “Yeah.” He took his seat, still attuned to her yet not intimidating her with his stare. He hesitated only a heartbeat, then said, “I’m not budging, Cat, okay?”

  That was the first time he’d called her that. “You know my nickname?”

  “I know a lot about you.”

  Wow, such a cryptic answer. She wasn’t sure she wanted to ask, especially since he couldn’t possibly know the most important things.

  “I also heard Wayne call you that.”

  Oh yeah. He didn’t miss much. “So, what’s the plan?”

  “Keep you safe.” He took a big bite of a chicken wrap that looked to have tomato and lettuce on it, but nothing else. He followed that up with a drink of tea before adding, “Whatever it takes.”

  A not-so-simple answer to a very complicated question. He so easily shook her, mostly because he said things with such conviction she couldn’t help but believe him.

  And believing anyone right now was just plain foolish.

  She picked up a fry. “Okay, that’s long-term. But for tonight?”

  “Once you’re ready for bed, Justice can sit here while I go to his room to shower.” He took another bite. “Then we’ll get some sleep.”

  In bed. Or rather, one bed, one couch. She made a noncommittal sound and slurped down half her malt to try to cool a sudden rise in her temperature.

  Amused, Leese asked, “What did you think would happen?”

  “No idea, really. I’ve had supposed bodyguards after me for a while now, but none of them were like you.” She ate a few more bites, thinking, wondering how far she could push him. “You’ll sleep here, right? I mean...on the couch?”

  “Yeah.” He finished off his food. “What kinds of bodyguards have you known?”

  How to put it so that she wouldn’t give away too much? If he was as up-front as he seemed and really didn’t understand the ramifications and complications of the situation, she didn’t want to clue him in tonight. He could react badly.

  He could decide she wasn’t worth the trouble.

  Or that she was worth the payoff.

  Just to see what he’d do, she settled on a tiny truth, saying, “Mostly the kind who worked for someone else.”

  He paused, then slowly sat forward to rest a forearm on the table. After studying her expression, he shrugged. “You already know someone else hired me. Otherwise I’d know nothing about you. But I think what you’re saying is that these other bodyguards had ulterior motives...beyond your safety?”

  In a nutshell. “Let’s just say safety is subjective.”

  “Let’s don’t.” Startling her, he put one big hand on her wrist. His palm was hot, his fingers rough, and the touch made her pulse gallop. “You’re either safe from harm, all harm, or you’re not. I intend to keep you safe from harm.”

  Cat swallowed to regain her voice. Get a grip, she told herself. He’s only touching your wrist in sympathy, for crying out loud.

  Because you’re being so damned pathetic. And cowardly.

  And because, as he said, someone paid him to look out for you.

  “Yeah,” she rasped. “That’s how I figured it too.”

  His thumb brushed over her skin, then he patted her—like a dog, blast him—and retreated. “I was hired to keep you safe and that’s what I plan to do. So rest easy on that, okay?”

  No, she wouldn’t rest easy. How could she now that she’d realized she was as sex starved as she was wary?

  Not a comfortable combo.

  Unaware of her inner turmoil, he continued. “It’d be easier to do that, however, if I knew who or what I was fighting.”

  No, it wouldn’t. She figured she had a much better chance as long as he thought things were simple, instead of so very, very complicated.

  But when she looked at him, he was so sincere, so involved, she almost caved. It’d help if he was an ogre. Or at least plain. But she didn’t have that kind of luck. “It is so unfair.”

  “What?” he asked, as he stole one of her fries and bit into it. An expression crossed his face, as if he really enjoyed it too.

  She watched his jaw move as he chewed, and even that was sexy. “That you should look so good.”

  He swallowed and slowly, cautiously, turned his head to face her.

  Caught in his beautiful gaze, Cat sighed. “You really do. You realize that, right? And here I am, smart enough to know not to trust you no matter what pretty words you say or how sinfully sexy you are. I’ve had to deal with so much lately, but you’re here now, looking like you look, and I don’t mean just a handsome face or buff build. No, you have to be patient and nice and all alpha-in-control too, which is pretty damned appealing.” She shook her head. “It’s unfair. That’s all I’m saying.”

  He didn’t reach for any more fries. “That was saying an awful lot, actually.”

  She flapped a hand. “You don’t need to worry about it. I mean, it’s obvious you’re not feeling the same.” She knew it for fact because he’d looked at her fries with more covetous greed than he’d looked at her. “Just sucks that I have so much on my mind and you keep trying to nudge in there—”

  He choked a little.

  “—but I’ll block that from my thoughts somehow.”

  “That?”

  “The attraction.” Pushing back her chair, glad that she’d left him speechless, Cat stood and gathered up her empty containers. “Want the rest of the fries?”

  “No, I’m good.”

  Sooo good. She swallowed her automatic sigh. Starting right now, she’d stop spouting nonsense. She probably needed a good night’s sleep, then she’d be more mentally functional. “Are you on a diet or something?”

  Narrowing his eyes at her, he sat back in his seat. It was a good pose for him, showcasing those flat abs and lean waist while at the same time his chest and shoulders strained the fine fabric of his button-down.

  “Cat?”

  When her gaze lifted to his, he shook his head, either in frustration or denial, she wasn’t sure which. “What?”

  “No diet,” he said. “It’s called healthy eating because I’m not into poisoning my body.”

  “Yeah, it shows.” She didn’t see any body fat on him at all. Was this a lifestyle preference leftover from being a fighter? She’d love to hear more about that. Later. If she stuck around. “Personally, I love junk food. If I ever start putting on weight, I’m in trouble.”

  “Fast metabolism,” he said. “But you can eat right and still enjoy your food.”

  “Do they have fries in your food world?”

  A grin twitched over his mouth. “Not much, no.”

  “Then I’ll keep living in mine.”

  He stood too, and relieved her of the garbage. “I’ll set it out.”

  Cat stared up at him. She barely reached his shoulder but instead of feeling insubstantial next to him, she felt oddly protected.

  That had something to do with Leese’s overall attitude.

  His shirt, the sleeves now rolled to his elbows, fit his broad chest and hard shoulders as if tailored specifically for him. He wore nice jeans and boots, and he looked like a million bucks in a relaxed package.

  Until now, she hadn’t realized just how sexy “relaxed” could be.

  “Did you want to shower?”

  Her eyes flared.

  Smiling, he chastised softly, “Alone.”

 
Ignoring the tinge of disappointment she felt, she turned to escape. “Yeah.”

  Leese caught her shoulder. “Cat?”

  Nope, she definitely would not face him. “Hmm?”

  “If you’re going to call someone, anyone, it’d be better if I knew so I could prepare for it.”

  “Can’t,” she said. “No phone.”

  “You don’t have a cell?”

  Well heck, why had she just admitted that to him? He kept her rattled without trying.

  She’d lost the use of the phone more than a week ago. At first she’d been too worried about someone using her personal cell phone to track her down. Some people had incredible reach and according to the movies, cell phones were a no-no when you were on the run. “I got a prepaid,” she explained. “But it’s done and I haven’t had access to money to—”

  “I could take care of it for you.”

  Pride made her rigid. “You already bought me food. And you’re paying for this room.”

  “It’ll all go on an expense account. Don’t worry about it.”

  Oh God, that was even worse because she already knew who’d be covering those expenses—and that meant more control over her.

  “We’ll talk about it later.” Again, Leese’s thumb caressed her, this time on her shoulder. “For now, do you need anything?”

  Sex, apparently. But that wasn’t happening. “No.” Somehow, some way, she’d figure out how to reimburse him herself. She wasn’t without means, just temporarily unable to access them.

  “Then for tonight, how about you put away your worries and just relax? In the morning after you’re better rested we’ll talk—about everything—and get it all sorted out.”

  A reprieve. Not a bad idea, considering she was dead on her feet. Now that she’d eaten, sleep beckoned, but first, a much-needed shower. “Sounds like a plan.”

  “I’ll be here when you’re done. Then I’ll get Justice to come over while I shower.”

  “I won’t be long.” As soon as he released her, she practically ran to the bedroom, closed the glass doors and ducked out of view. Wow, the man packed a sultry punch, and he hadn’t even been trying. What if he decided he wanted to seduce her? How easy would that be?

  She knew she was already halfway there.

  Gathering up what she needed, determined to stop thinking about him, she headed to the bathroom. But one thought led to another and as she stepped beneath the water, she thought of Leese doing the same.

  No, no, no...shoot. Maybe she’d have to keep her own shower cold. If nothing else, it’d wake her up enough to prioritize.

  And lusting after a near-stranger was nowhere near the top of the list.

  Copyright © 2017 by Lori Foster

  ISBN-13: 9781460397671

  Built for Love

  Copyright © 2016 by Lori Foster

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