Obviously she didn’t expect a “useless playboy” to be up at this hour. She was jogging around the perimeter, one of the dogs at her heels. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail, and she wore gray sweats and a sports bra, which left her midriff bare. Her skin was pale, her waist tiny, her breasts…
He took an involuntary step toward her. The dog noticed him first and halted, turned to face him, and barked. Dani glanced across and stumbled. A small cry escaped her as her leg crumpled, and she crashed to the ground.
Zach raced across the expanse of lawns, ignoring the growling dog. Dani lay on her side, her eyes closed, though a pulse fluttered in her throat. Crouching down beside her, he reached out, then dropped his arm to his side and examined her. Was she seriously hurt? From just a fall?
“Shit. Fuck. Crap,” she muttered.
The tension drained from him. She probably wasn’t that hurt if she could still swear like a trooper. She was so tiny and so fierce, and he couldn’t believe how sexy he found that. Sitting back on his heels, he waited. A few seconds later, her lashes flickered open, and she gave him the evil eye.
“Hey, what did I do?” he asked.
“Nothing…I suppose.” Dani gritted her teeth as she rolled onto her back. She lay still, her breasts rising and falling with each breath. After a minute, she pushed herself into a sitting position.
“Fucking leg,” she growled.
“Maybe you’re pushing yourself too hard.”
“And maybe it’s none of your business.” She shook her head, then rubbed her thigh. “Sorry. It probably is your business—after all, you’re the one employing a freaking cripple.”
“Don’t be so melodramatic, sweetheart.”
“Don’t call me sweetheart.”
He bit back a grin, stood up, and held out a hand to her. She glared at it for an eternity. Then she took a deep breath, did that little counting thing she always did when she was pissed, and slid her small hand into his.
Rather than tug her to her feet, he slipped an arm around her waist and picked her up.
“What the—”
“Keep quiet for a minute and accept some help.” He tightened his grip.
“Don’t want to,” she mumbled, but she stopped wriggling and held herself very still.
He liked the feel of her against him once she ceased fighting. The warmth of her breast pressed against his chest, her ponytail tickling his nose. She smelled of jasmine, and sweat, and warm woman. His body responded to her closeness, heat sinking to his groin. He ignored the reaction. This wasn’t about sex.
Yet.
She hardly weighed anything, and he carried her with ease back toward the terrace and through the open doors. After laying her gently on the huge sofa, he stepped back and observed her. Small and pale, she awoke protective instincts he would have sworn didn’t exist.
She was such a weird combination of fragile and strong. He wasn’t sure he liked the feelings she invoked. He didn’t want to protect anyone; he was a loner, always had been since he’d headed out on his own at seventeen. And why go all sappy and protective about the one woman who wanted nothing to do with him? Probably his contrary nature playing a joke on him.
“You’re staring,” she said.
Time to take his mind off the whole protective thing and onto more familiar lines. “Just admiring your breasts.”
She pursed her lips then peered down at her chest. “They’re pretty well covered.”
“Ah, but I’ve seen them naked, and they’re indelibly imprinted on my mind.”
“Yeah, right. Along with all the other breasts you’ve seen.”
“But yours were by far the most beautiful.”
Dani snorted. “I find that hard to believe.”
He cocked his head to one side and considered her. “Why?”
She shifted on the seat, obviously uncomfortable with the way the conversation was going. Underneath all that snarky attitude, there seethed a mass of insecurity and lack of self-esteem. Why was that? He wanted to pull her apart, take away the things that put the pain in her eyes. He was pretty sure it wasn’t all because of that bomb blast. The prickles went too deep.
She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter, and I have to go.”
“No, you don’t. Lie back and relax for a few minutes. I’ll go get us both coffee.”
He watched as the expressions flashed across her face: suspicion, confusion, a little dash of interest—or maybe that was wishful thinking.
“I’ve got a pot of coffee on. Real coffee,” he added temptingly. “Real Columbian coffee, very strong, fresh cream, sugar.”
Dani squirmed “How much has Gary been telling you about me?”