"Why is he pushing this?" Dave asked. "Why us?"
"I don't know. That's the honest-to-God truth. I'm as much in the dark as you are."
"But you still plan to take the job?" He stopped pacing and took the seat next to her, dragging it around so he could stare into her face. "Look, I've known you a long time. I've fought beside you. Christ, you've covered my back a dozen times. You're the toughest woman I've ever come across, and I would have sworn nothing could get through that armor."
"So?" She gave a casual shrug. "Nothing's changed."
He raked a hand through his hair, pressed his fingers to his forehead. "Like fuck it hasn't. You've got a goddamned hickey. The pair of you were making out like a couple of randy fucking teenagers." She looked away and he sighed. "All I'm saying is we can still walk away from this one."
"We've agreed to do the job."
"Then persuade me that we aren't making a big mistake."
She hated justifying herself, but Dave deserved this. "Do you believe the threat is real? Does Declan need protecting?"
Dave nodded. "Yeah. No doubt."
"And can we provide that protection."
"We can. I'm not so sure about you, and I don't like the fact that he's insisting you're part of the team. And I like it even less that you're caving in to that."
"I'm hardly caving in. I'm just going along with it for my own reasons."
"Will those reasons compromise the job?"
She tugged on her ponytail as she considered her answer. Declan, whether she liked it or not, had the ability to make her lose all sense of where she was, of everything except who she was with, and what he was making her feel. Not good for a bodyguard. She was hardly going to be able to protect him if she was underneath him or on top or … But although she was shaken by the strength of her feelings, she had to see this through. Or she would never be free of him. Maybe as he'd said they should sate themselves on each other, and once sated, she'd dump his sorry ass and never look back.
"Okay, so here's the thing. We'll work out a schedule and I'll be on it, but not on it. We make sure I have back up at all times. Rory can pay."
Had she made a mistake letting Declan back in her life?
The question refused to be banished as she lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep.
But there was no reason why he should be a problem as long as she kept her wits about her.
He was strictly business. Well sort of.
Her hand went to her throat, and she stroked the mark he had left. What did he want from her? Protection against his dad's matchmaking schemes? She just couldn't buy into that one.
Sex?
More likely. Maybe like her, he felt they were unfinished business and if they shagged enough, they would eventually be finished and the craving would fade away.
Or did he want something else?
Maybe the next few days would clear things up.
Right now, she needed sleep, but she twitched and turned and if she closed her eyes, all she could see was Declan.
The phone rang on her bedside table and she jumped. It was close to midnight. Who the hell would call her now? Unless there had been some sort of disaster at work.
She picked it up, but didn't recognize the number. "Hello?"
"Where the hell are you?"
She recognized the voice instantly. "Steve? Is that you, darling?"
"No, it fucking isn't and don't pretend you don't know exactly who this is."
"Declan, what the hell do you want? There had better be someone trying to kill you right now, and they'd better have taken down both of the very capable guards I sent to babysit you."
"I told you I wanted you. That was the deal."
"And you'll get me. Just not 24-7. Where are your guards?" she asked, suddenly suspicious.
"Don't worry. They're in the next room. I'm safe, but it's nice to know you care."
"I don't. But if you die, I don't get my promotion. Furthermore, the company has never lost a client yet. I'd rather not start now. It's bad for business."
"Sweet. So where are you?"
"It's midnight. I'm in bed."
"Naked?"
"No, not naked."
"Could you get naked?" His voice sank lower and warmth washed through her. Just the sound of his voice sent tremors skittering across her skin. Why him? Why did he have to be the one to bring her body to life?
He'd made no indication that he wanted anything more from her than sex. And she was good with that. She would never trust any man with her heart again. Least of all this one, after he'd done such a great job of shattering it the first time. The experience had taken something from her, something fragile that she guessed would never come back: trust.