“Not a chance.”
He chuckled, released the button on his jeans and slid his zipper down.
She held her breath.
He shoved the denim down his powerful thighs and kicked his jeans away. Smooth black silk boxers, sitting incredibly low on his hips, gave a tease of blond hair narrowing down his rigid belly and disappearing within. Her breath whooshed out and he eyed her. “Are you all right?”
“Yes, all we need now are some cards and I’ll be set for an actual game of strip poker. I’m certain you’d lose.”
“Or maybe you would.” He fixed the thin strap of her singlet top that had slid off her shoulder. “What are you thinking right now?”
“I’m wondering how quickly you could disarm me if I attempted to make a move.”
“Less than a second.” He draped the bed sheet over his lower body, and she lost half her glorious sight. “Which means you’re not permitted to. I don’t want to hurt you, and I am trained to immobilize any threat.”
“And you consider me a threat?”
“Of the greatest sort. I don’t do relationships, Saria. I’ve told you that before.”
Yes, he’d told her that the night he’d started sleeping in her bed. He’d made his position more than clear, that their new arrangement was necessary because of what her therapist had said. “I’ve never asked for a relationship, and being stuck in The Program made that impossible. Some fun though would be nice.” Slowly, she stretched her fingers and hovered her hand over his chest. She waited for him to halt her, but the seconds ticked by. “You’re not stopping me.”
“You haven’t done anything yet.”
“I said I’m after some fun.” She pressed down and with lightning speed, he trapped her fingers against his warm skin. His heart beat soundly under her palm.
“Fun isn’t permitted between us.” He rolled toward her, his brows slashing down. “Clients have the potential to form an attachment to their bodyguard, and at times bodyguards can become as dependent, needing to keep an overly watchful eye and all.”
“I might be dependent on you, but I like it.”
“We’ll muddle through and find a way to break our codependency.”
“Muddling is good, breaking is not.” She leaned in, rubbed her nose against his. “You should know I’ve fantasized about kissing you.”
“Breaking our bonds means no kissing.”
“I’ve also fantasized about you kissing me.”
“You’re not being very helpful, Saria. You promised not to pounce, which you are.”
“And you said you wouldn’t let me. I also noticed your last answer wasn’t a direct no.”
“Taking my pants off gave you the wrong idea.” He pressed forward with his body and steered her back onto her side before rolling back to his. “I want you to sleep. You need the rest and so do I. Tomorrow I’ll get my own room and we’ll begin on inserting some space. A little at a time so our codependency has a chance of retracting.”
“Sleep and retracting are technical terms that just went right over my head. Sorry, but you’re out of luck.” She wriggled one leg over his. “I want to feel your mouth on mine, to see how deep this connection between us goes.”
“There’s no connection.” He stroked her upper leg. Sure there wasn’t.
“Kiss me, or else I’ll kiss you.”
“Did you just dare me?”
“I did. What are you going to do about it, Hammers?”
“Show you I’m right.” He kissed her then jerked away. “See.”
“I saw nothing.” She touched her lips to his, whisper soft. “I haven’t told you this before, but I have two fears, losing you and Lydia. I trust you, like I trust no other. Having some fun won’t hurt. I’m not asking for a relationship.”
“I have issues.”
Which had to be about his family. He never spoke of them, but she’d once probed Brigs who’d been with Ben since their army days, and he’d told her Ben had grown up moving from one foster home to another.
“There are bad genes in my stock, and I have no intention of spreading any of it.” He dipped his head to her neck and nuzzled her ear. “I missed your scent, like vanilla and strawberries. Maybe you can loan me one of your candles.”
“Wouldn’t you rather have a loan of me?”
“Nope, bad genes, remember?”
“I’m protected, not that you have bad genes.”
He pulled back and looked into her eyes. “I’m inexperienced, Saria. I never intended to have sex, ever.”
“What? You’re thirty-two.” He must be kidding.
“Which goes to prove how very insistent I’ve been.”
“I’m a virgin too.” The words popped out. “I mean, running from a killer and completing my nursing degree put a squash on finding a guy.” She swirled a finger over his chest. “I have a proposition for you, one you need to listen to.” One she intended to get a yes for.
Chapter 2