Out of Control(6)

After slipping out of the robe, her gaze flickered briefly to the scar that wound its way along the length of her left thigh. The doctors had said the mark would fade in time. Or plastic surgery was an option. But she didn’t really care how it looked. What she cared about was the weakness that still afflicted her when she put any pressure on her healing limb. And the fact that the injury might be enough to keep her from reenlisting and going back to her unit. The army was her whole life, the one place she had felt like she belonged in all the years since her brother, Sam, had died. Where would she go if she couldn’t go back?

With a sigh, she pulled on white cotton panties, dark trousers, and a khaki T-shirt. She lingered a bit, hoping the guys would be gone by the time she went back out there.

No such luck.

The murmur of voices drifted in through the open door to the terrace as she emerged from her room. For a moment, she considered retreating, but she’d never been good at taking the easy way out. Instead, she took a deep breath and promised herself that nothing Zachary Hunter said would ruffle her.

Zach lounged against the balustrade, a bottle of beer in his hand, appearing in absolutely no rush to move anywhere. He glanced across as she came out onto the terrace and then did a rapid double take, leaning toward her, no doubt to get a better look. “Christ, you’ve got red hair.”

Dani glowered. She hated anyone mentioning the color of her hair. As a child, it had been a bright carrot orange, the subject of vast amounts of teasing. The shade had mellowed a little with age, but it was still a touchy subject.

He took a step closer, head cocked to one side, and his lips curled in a slow smile. “And freckles.”

“So?”

His gaze shifted from her hair to her freckles and back again “I just didn’t expect red hair. I don’t know why, considering…”

Dani almost rose to it but managed to bite back her retort. She closed her eyes, counted to ten again, opened them, and smiled. A little strained, but still a smile.

“Here,” Gary said, handing her a cold bottle. “Have a beer, cool yourself down.” He cast her a speculative glance. “Zach was suggesting that you move into the main house.”

“Why?” she asked, pressing the cool bottle against her forehead.

“Maybe he thinks you might be uncomfortable sharing a place with two guys.”

She took a mouthful of cold beer before casting Gary a look of disbelief. “And I’m supposed to feel better sharing a place with one guy?”

“It’s a big house,” Zach added, his smile still in place.

“Thanks but no thanks. Anyway, what about your girlfriend?”

“What girlfriend?”

“The blonde from the pool?”

“I told you, she’s not a girlfriend. She’s my accountant, and she had to go back to London.” He swallowed the last of his beer and put down the bottle. “Come on,” he said to Gary. “Let’s go find Simon and head into town.”

Dani watched until they vanished from sight, then sank down into the seat behind her and took a long pull of her beer. She fanned herself. Gary was right. She needed to cool down.

This job might actually turn out to be tougher than she thought.

…

Zach strolled through the velvet darkness. It was past midnight.

He’d left Gary and Simon on his terrace discussing changes to his security, but he’d seen the light from the guesthouse and given in to an inexplicable but undeniable urge to go and see if Sergeant Danielle Sinclair was still awake.

All through dinner, the memory of her breasts kept popping up at inappropriate moments. He’d distracted himself by asking about her. When Gary raised an eyebrow, he’d told them he wanted to know a little about the people supposedly protecting him. They obviously hadn’t believed him. Then again, he’d never asked any questions about either of his male guards.

But she fascinated him—so small and prickly and such beautiful breasts. Shit—he had to get them out of his mind.

He was just bored and restless. He’d been here for two weeks, and already he hated the sensation of being trapped, smothered. The familiar need to move on, to escape, nagged at his mind, affecting his work; he hadn’t written anything worth a damn since he’d arrived.

He found Dani seated on the terrace, wearing what appeared to be a pair of pajamas. What woman wore pajamas? And why did it turn him on?

A dark smudge marred one pale cheek, and she worked intently on something at the table. Her small, pink tongue poked from between her teeth in concentration, and Zach felt an unexpected stab of lust. He closed his eyes for a moment to savor the feeling then stepped out of the shadows.