“No.”
“What? Not even if it’s for his own protection?” she wheedled.
“No.”
“Spoilsport,” she muttered.
Dani sat on the terrace, soaking up the warmth of the early evening sun, when she spotted Zachary Hunter. She hadn’t seen him all day, and she’d slowly unwound. Now every sense went on alert as he strolled across the vast green lawn. He was heading straight for her, and once again, she was reminded of the smooth grace of a big cat.
“Danielle.”
The word was a soft, seductive murmur, and Dani stiffened. She hated her full name. No one who knew her ever called her Danielle. Not if they expected her to answer.
“Good afternoon, sir,” she replied, absolutely convinced that the “sir” would irritate the hell out of him.
He came to a halt only a foot away from where she was seated, eyes narrowing. “Sir?”
Dani hid a small smile; it was nice to know he wasn’t the only person capable of being annoying. “You’re my employer. It’s a sign of respect.”
Zach took a step back, rested his butt on the wall of the terrace, folded his arms, and looked her up and down. Slowly. Dani kept from squirming by sheer will power.
“So,” he said, “you respect me? That’s funny. What was it Gary said you called me—a rich asshole?”
“Actually, it was a rich playboy asshole and Gary talks too much.”
“I actually work very hard, you know.”
He sounded almost hurt and she raised her eyebrow in disbelief. “What do you want, anyway?”
“Gary sent me over.”
“He did?” She tried to focus on the conversation, but for some reason, her attention kept drifting to his lips. They were actually quite perfect, the lower full and sensual, the upper with a distinct curve, and they had tasted—
“Hmm, said you wanted to introduce me to someone.”
Ah. Dani relaxed back in her chair and grinned. “Well, not someone exactly.”
“Oh no, it’s the dogs, isn’t it?” His smile slipped and alarm flared in his eyes. “You don’t have to introduce us, you know. We don’t even have to meet at all. I was telling the truth last night. I really don’t like dogs. And more to the point, they don’t like me.”
“Bad experience?” She tried to sound sympathetic but didn’t quite succeed.
“I was bitten when I was twelve.”
“A big dog?”
“A toy poodle.” Those perfect lips twisted into a grimace at the memory. “The pain and the blood—they were nothing—it was the humiliation that hurt the most. I’ve never lived it down.”
“Small dogs can be very intimidating,” she murmured.
He shuddered. “So can big ones.”
“Yes, but at least there’s no humiliation in being bitten by a Doberman. It’s definitely all pain and blood.”
He was watching her, no doubt looking for signs of weakness. “Do I really have to meet them?” Unfolding his arms, he took a step closer and spoke in a low voice. “I’m sure there’s something else we could be doing. How about those fantasies…?”
Dani slipped her dark glasses on and studied him. She knew he was only thirty-two but he appeared older, lines of experience etched on his face, laughter lines radiating from the corners of his eyes. It was a face that looked as though it had seen everything and found it all amusing. Though he didn’t look particularly amused at that moment.
“Yes, you really do.” She rose to her feet. “They’ll be running around your yard soon, and they have to know that you’re not for eating. Only joking,” she added. “They’re not trained to attack, only to make a noise and look aggressive. They’re actually real pussycats.”
“Hmm, pussycats?” he said, the disbelief clear in his tone, but he fell into step beside her as she led the way across the yard. The sun was low in the sky but still warm, and the scent of flowers filled the air. She felt strangely at peace.
“As a matter of interest,” he said, “where did you get your high opinion of me?”
“From your file.”
He stopped abruptly, hands shoved in his pockets. “You have a file on me?”
Dani kept walking. “Well, Jake does. He thinks his operatives should know something about the people they’re guarding.”
“And my file says I’m a playboy asshole?” He started moving again and quickly caught up. “I’m going to have to talk to Jake.”
She gave him a brief sideways glance and found him watching her. “Let’s say I read between the lines.”