She twitched with the need to pull free. His grip tightened, and she closed her eyes and counted to ten.
Gary and Simon were still there when she opened them. Simon's face twisted into an expression of disapproval, but Gary appeared resigned. "Jess called me," he said.
"Oh."
"I don't approve."
"Neither do I," Simon added.
"Get over it," Zach snapped.
Gary nodded. "Jess says it's not a conflict of interest, and she's in charge. Just don't make me trip over the two of you every few minutes."
This time when they made their way through the airport, she stayed firmly attached to Zach's side. Gary took point and Simon brought up the rear. She could feel his disapproval burning into her back.
"You don't have to keep hold of me quite so tight," she mumbled.
"You ashamed to be seen with me?"
"Maybe."
He leaned down and kissed her cheek without breaking his stride. "Hard luck."
She gritted her teeth and resisted the urge to dropkick him again. He could be such an asshole. And she was feeling grumpy, probably due to too little sleep over the past couple of days. And she'd lulled herself into believing that what was between her and Zach was nobody's business but theirs. Seeing Gary and Simon was a wakeup call. Real life was already intruding.
She slipped her arm around Zach's waist and pressed herself against him. Screw them-they'd have to get used to it.
Skip was in the back of the car. The little dog hurled himself at the windows when he caught sight of their approach. She slid into the backseat beside Zach and the dog jumped onto her knee, licked her face.
"He missed you," Simon said as he climbed into the driver's seat, and Gary got in beside him.
"I'll have to decide what to do with him if I go back in the army." She stroked the dog's head and tried not to worry.
"I'll take him," Zach said. "He can live at my place in L.A.-there's a huge backyard, and you can come and visit when you're on leave."
Wow. He hated dogs-didn't he? She glanced at his face, but he wasn't giving anything away. So he wanted to see her again? As friends, probably. He'd said himself that he wasn't into commitment.
"If I pass the physical."
For the first time, she forced herself to consider what she would do if she failed and had to leave the army for good. Though she doubted that would happen. Each day her leg got stronger. She could run five miles now without a twinge. But what if she did fail? She could stay here as long as Zach was under threat. Then what? Jake would give her a job, but she wasn't sure that was what she wanted. Spending her life, guarding people like Zach. Was there anyone else quite like Zach?
"What are you thinking?" he asked.
"Wondering what I'll do if I fail the physical." She shrugged. "Probably Jake will take me on. I can spend my life babysitting asshole playboys."
He frowned. "Why not do something completely different?"
"Sorry. I didn't mean to talk about the future. We said we wouldn't. I was just thinking about Skip."
The dog settled in her lap and went straight to sleep. Dani rested her head against Zach's shoulder and closed her eyes.
She wouldn't think of the future. Not yet. She had two more weeks until her physical. She didn't want anything to spoil them. She breathed in the unique scent of Zach and allowed his closeness and the smooth movement of the vehicle to lull her into sleep.
The phone rang, interrupting Zach's brooding. They'd been back in Spain for nine days now, and he couldn't shake this sense of foreboding.
"Hi, it's Jess. Are you looking after my best friend?"
"Of course." Zach got to his feet and crossed to the French doors, looking out over the gardens. "She's with the dogs right now. You want to talk to her?"
"No. I wanted to talk to you, actually."
Excitement tightened his gut. "What is it? Do you have more information?"
"We do. I think we've found the group who sent the threats. I'll email you the details."
"So what's the next move? We lock the fuckers away, I hope."
"That's the idea. But unfortunately, we need something on them first. So far we don't have enough proof to warrant putting them away."
"Great. Maybe we should let them kill me. Then you can lock them up for murder."
She laughed. "Sounds like a plan, but it would probably upset Dani. Not to mention Jake. He might never leave me in charge again."
"Ha ha. When's he due back?"
"Tomorrow." She was silent for a moment. "You know, maybe we shouldn't go as far as murdering you, but perhaps we could use you to draw them out. Catch them in the act. We might get that past Jake, though I wouldn't mention the idea to Dani."
Too right. "Would it work?"
"Maybe if we put you somewhere out in the open and high-profile enough."
Zach thought for a moment. It sounded risky, but he wanted this over with and he wanted the fuckers put away, then he could concentrate on Dani. And he had the perfect opportunity-it seemed like fate. "There's an award ceremony next Saturday night. It will be televised. I wasn't planning on going, but I could tell them I've changed my mind."
It was also the day after Dani's physical. They could travel together.
"Okay. I'll run it past Jake tomorrow and let you know what he thinks."
"And send me what you have on them."
"Will do. I'll email it. Say hi to Dani for me."
After he ended the call, he sat on the sofa, rested his head against the cushions, and stared out of the French doors to the gardens beyond. He could see Dani at the edge of the lawns, the two Dobermans sitting in front of her, heads cocked to one side as though listening. The little white and ginger dog sat at her heels and followed her every move.
Finally, she waved the big dogs off and headed back toward the house. She appeared vibrantly alive. No sign of any limp, her skin tanned, her eyes glowing.
The physical was in a few days and he could see no reason why she wouldn't pass. She was a different woman than the waif who'd arrived here weeks ago. Why didn't that thought make him happier?
He didn't want her to go back to the army. And he could admit now that it wasn't only the danger, though that was a big part. He didn't want her to leave him.
The trouble was, while he knew what he didn't want, he had no real clue what he did want. How far he was willing-or capable-of going.
What if he asked her to stay with him-to not go back into the army-and then a few weeks or months down the line, he realized he really couldn't do the commitment thing, and she'd given up her whole life for him, and he'd feel trapped ?
Crap, he was a mess.
Because the army was her life. He didn't know why, and she refused to open up. Refused to talk about anything of a personal nature. She'd allow him to get so close and then she slammed the door in his face.
Maybe if he understood her, what made her tick, solved the puzzle, then she would lose her appeal. He could relegate her into the long list of "lovers turned to friends."
He'd never thought of himself as a coward, but each time he'd girded himself to confront her, ask her what she wanted from him, where they were going, he backed down. Because he was pretty sure she would walk away from him if he pushed her into a corner.
He didn't want her to do that. And strangely, for the first time in his life, he didn't want his feelings to change, couldn't imagine thinking of her as a friend, never kissing her, holding her, making love
He kept waiting for the trapped sensation, the one that always came when a woman started to get comfortable, think there was a future with him. But the feeling never came with Dani and really, it was obvious why not.
Because he wasn't trapped.
Because all she really wanted him for was sex.
And after she'd gotten enough of him, then she would go back to her old life and forget he even existed.
She didn't care about him, about his life, what he wanted. She was using him.
He couldn't believe he had actually had that thought. It was payback-the tables were well and truly turned. And he didn't like it. Had no clue what to do about it. All he knew was the idea of her leaving him, going back into danger, was tearing him apart.
Shit, he was in trouble.
Dani had moved into the main house. She'd considered maintaining some distance-for all of about a second-but it wasn't really an option. Zach wouldn't let her. And besides, she didn't want to trip over Gary and Simon and their disapproving expressions every five minutes.
"Don't worry," she'd told Gary as he lounged in the open doorway while she packed her bag. "I know you think I can't look after myself, but honestly, I'll be fine. This thing with Zach is a bit of fun-nothing serious."
She only hoped she'd been telling the truth, but as usual as soon as the thought flickered through her mind, she squashed it down into the deepest, darkest corner of her brain. She was not going to spoil these last days. Four more to go until the physical. She wouldn't waste them.
Peering through the glass doors, she could see Zach on the sofa, a fierce expression on his normally laid-back face. She hoped he was thinking about the plot of his book and not about her. Then she noticed the phone clasped in his hand.
She pushed open the door, and he watched her as she crossed the room.
"Bad news?" she asked.
He glanced at the phone as if he'd forgotten it was in his hand and then tossed it onto the table. "No. Just Jess checking in-she said to say hi."