Billionaire Bodyguard
Page 5
Disgust consumed him at the memory. Rick had warned him then, and he’d ignored it. He’d vowed to never make that mistake again.
Less hostile and more curious, Logan regarded Rick. “What’s got you convinced Allison is some kind of threat?”
“A gut feeling.” Rick’s hazel eyes darkened to gunmetal gray. “That should be enough.”
Maybe it should. “We’re not in the field anymore. Or on enemy ground. This is my turf. I’d know if something was wrong.”
“You’re too close to this. To her.”
“I need more than a hunch. Find me proof before you go off half-cocked.”
Rick’s nostrils flared. “Trust me. I will.”
“Until then, back off.” Logan flexed his hands, abruptly ending the conversation.
Logan didn’t like being second-guessed. His pit bull CSO was totally off base. He admired Allison’s intelligence and work ethic. Sure, he was attracted to her. What man in his right mind wouldn’t be?
When the demonstrations concluded around five that evening, Logan met his crew of bodyguards assigned to the guests, gave them specific orders, and made sure everyone found their correct limousines and arrived safely at their destinations. The roads were a slushy, snow-covered mess. November in the Mile High City could be mild with endless vistas of sunshine. Or, like tonight, an early storm could make travel next to impossible.
As the last limo pulled into rush hour traffic, he headed toward the bank of elevators. He had a sole mission. And he refused to take no for an answer.
Before shutting down his computer, he checked the camera that looked in on Allison’s office. She hadn’t left for the day. Perfect . When he saw her reach for her jacket, he flicked off his monitor. Grabbing his coat, he cut the lights, locked his office and headed in her direction. He poked his head inside her door. “Got a minute?”
She jumped at his intrusion. “Oh!” Then she sighed. “You startled me.”
“I want a second of your time.” A lot more than that, actually .
“Sure.” She approached him, pulling her long hair out from the back of her coat. The blond strands floated around her shoulders, wispy with static.
Yellow light from a street lamp shone in through the window of the darkened office, bathing her face in warm tones, illuminating pure gold highlights in her hair like glitter. His fingers twitched yearning to tangle in the silken strands.
“Got plans for tonight?” he asked mildly.
She hesitated. “Not really. Why?”
“The company dinner to celebrate the Elite System’s release starts at seven.” He slid her an appealing smile. The one he used when a girl was taking the last sip of her martini as he convinced her to go home with him. Tonight, there was only one woman he wanted. “I want you to come with me.”
She licked her lips. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets, preparing for heavy negotiation. “What if I promise I won’t overstep my bounds?” She wasn’t budging. “C’mon, it’s the best idea I’ve had all day. Don’t ruin the moment for me.”
She rolled her eyes. “You have at least fifty brilliant ideas a day.”
“Well, maybe twenty. But this one’s my personal favorite.”
A laugh sailed through her gorgeously kissable lips. “Your humility is inspiring,” she said dryly.
“Hey, we all have our gifts.”
“True,” she admitted fighting a grin.
“I want someone there I can actually talk to. Mingling with stuffy Suits isn’t my bag.”
“Logan, you’re one of those Suits.”
His mouth parted as he feigned offense. “Thanks a lot.”
“It wasn’t meant as an insult.”
“That’s how I took it.” He crossed his arms, leaning his shoulder against the door jamb. “Now you have to make it up to me.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Is that right?”
He offered gallantly, “I can think of a few ways…”
“Logan,” she warned.
A thrill chased through him. “Damn, you’re hot when you’re all riled up.”
“I’m not here for your personal amusement.”
No, but he liked teasing her, testing her. Few women went toe-to-toe with him. She had the grit to give it right back. “Face it, I’m not taking no for an answer.”
She blinked at him, exasperated. “Then why did you bother asking?”
“Seemed like the noble thing to do.”
A sigh lifted her chest, and he could almost taste victory. “I’m not dressed for a party.”
“We’ll stop at your place on the way.”
“Fine.” She threw her hands up in surrender. “You could’ve told me from the start I didn’t have a choice.”
He sobered. “You always have a choice.” Then he lifted a shoulder. “Doesn’t mean I have to agree with it.”
She huffed. “Getting past you is worse than airport security.”
“We all have aspirations.”
“You should aim for loftier ideals. Like learning how to compromise.” As they rode the elevator down to the first floor, she said, “If I agree to this, we’re driving separately.”
He frowned. “Sure that’s a good idea? We’ve had three inches of snowfall in under an hour. My SUV is a better bet than your compact.”
“I thought snow melted quickly here. How bad could it be?”
As the elevator opened to the lobby, he pointed out the two-story windows. White sheets of swirling snow muted the dark night beyond.
Allison paused. With her nerves already stretched thin today, driving in a squall with the threat of losing control of her car might induce another panic attack.
He said, “I think you should take my offer.”
She gulped. “So do I.”
Once they were on the road, she was bombarded by second thoughts. Logan tapped her address into his dashboard navigation. Although the interior of his Escalade was luxurious, and she appreciated heated seats, the close quarters set her on edge. His size alone was intimidating, but he also had knowledge of her intimate, vulnerable moments with him. Moments she needed to lay to rest but couldn’t. As he drove, unspoken thoughts condensed in the air between them. Not even the slap of windshield wipers or the satellite radio muted the words they didn’t say. Although, Logan appeared annoyingly at ease.
Less hostile and more curious, Logan regarded Rick. “What’s got you convinced Allison is some kind of threat?”
“A gut feeling.” Rick’s hazel eyes darkened to gunmetal gray. “That should be enough.”
Maybe it should. “We’re not in the field anymore. Or on enemy ground. This is my turf. I’d know if something was wrong.”
“You’re too close to this. To her.”
“I need more than a hunch. Find me proof before you go off half-cocked.”
Rick’s nostrils flared. “Trust me. I will.”
“Until then, back off.” Logan flexed his hands, abruptly ending the conversation.
Logan didn’t like being second-guessed. His pit bull CSO was totally off base. He admired Allison’s intelligence and work ethic. Sure, he was attracted to her. What man in his right mind wouldn’t be?
When the demonstrations concluded around five that evening, Logan met his crew of bodyguards assigned to the guests, gave them specific orders, and made sure everyone found their correct limousines and arrived safely at their destinations. The roads were a slushy, snow-covered mess. November in the Mile High City could be mild with endless vistas of sunshine. Or, like tonight, an early storm could make travel next to impossible.
As the last limo pulled into rush hour traffic, he headed toward the bank of elevators. He had a sole mission. And he refused to take no for an answer.
Before shutting down his computer, he checked the camera that looked in on Allison’s office. She hadn’t left for the day. Perfect . When he saw her reach for her jacket, he flicked off his monitor. Grabbing his coat, he cut the lights, locked his office and headed in her direction. He poked his head inside her door. “Got a minute?”
She jumped at his intrusion. “Oh!” Then she sighed. “You startled me.”
“I want a second of your time.” A lot more than that, actually .
“Sure.” She approached him, pulling her long hair out from the back of her coat. The blond strands floated around her shoulders, wispy with static.
Yellow light from a street lamp shone in through the window of the darkened office, bathing her face in warm tones, illuminating pure gold highlights in her hair like glitter. His fingers twitched yearning to tangle in the silken strands.
“Got plans for tonight?” he asked mildly.
She hesitated. “Not really. Why?”
“The company dinner to celebrate the Elite System’s release starts at seven.” He slid her an appealing smile. The one he used when a girl was taking the last sip of her martini as he convinced her to go home with him. Tonight, there was only one woman he wanted. “I want you to come with me.”
She licked her lips. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets, preparing for heavy negotiation. “What if I promise I won’t overstep my bounds?” She wasn’t budging. “C’mon, it’s the best idea I’ve had all day. Don’t ruin the moment for me.”
She rolled her eyes. “You have at least fifty brilliant ideas a day.”
“Well, maybe twenty. But this one’s my personal favorite.”
A laugh sailed through her gorgeously kissable lips. “Your humility is inspiring,” she said dryly.
“Hey, we all have our gifts.”
“True,” she admitted fighting a grin.
“I want someone there I can actually talk to. Mingling with stuffy Suits isn’t my bag.”
“Logan, you’re one of those Suits.”
His mouth parted as he feigned offense. “Thanks a lot.”
“It wasn’t meant as an insult.”
“That’s how I took it.” He crossed his arms, leaning his shoulder against the door jamb. “Now you have to make it up to me.”
She arched an eyebrow. “Is that right?”
He offered gallantly, “I can think of a few ways…”
“Logan,” she warned.
A thrill chased through him. “Damn, you’re hot when you’re all riled up.”
“I’m not here for your personal amusement.”
No, but he liked teasing her, testing her. Few women went toe-to-toe with him. She had the grit to give it right back. “Face it, I’m not taking no for an answer.”
She blinked at him, exasperated. “Then why did you bother asking?”
“Seemed like the noble thing to do.”
A sigh lifted her chest, and he could almost taste victory. “I’m not dressed for a party.”
“We’ll stop at your place on the way.”
“Fine.” She threw her hands up in surrender. “You could’ve told me from the start I didn’t have a choice.”
He sobered. “You always have a choice.” Then he lifted a shoulder. “Doesn’t mean I have to agree with it.”
She huffed. “Getting past you is worse than airport security.”
“We all have aspirations.”
“You should aim for loftier ideals. Like learning how to compromise.” As they rode the elevator down to the first floor, she said, “If I agree to this, we’re driving separately.”
He frowned. “Sure that’s a good idea? We’ve had three inches of snowfall in under an hour. My SUV is a better bet than your compact.”
“I thought snow melted quickly here. How bad could it be?”
As the elevator opened to the lobby, he pointed out the two-story windows. White sheets of swirling snow muted the dark night beyond.
Allison paused. With her nerves already stretched thin today, driving in a squall with the threat of losing control of her car might induce another panic attack.
He said, “I think you should take my offer.”
She gulped. “So do I.”
Once they were on the road, she was bombarded by second thoughts. Logan tapped her address into his dashboard navigation. Although the interior of his Escalade was luxurious, and she appreciated heated seats, the close quarters set her on edge. His size alone was intimidating, but he also had knowledge of her intimate, vulnerable moments with him. Moments she needed to lay to rest but couldn’t. As he drove, unspoken thoughts condensed in the air between them. Not even the slap of windshield wipers or the satellite radio muted the words they didn’t say. Although, Logan appeared annoyingly at ease.
