Out of Control(47)
“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.