operatives to help out?”
“Yeah, Scott Phillips.” Sam’s scowl and something that sounded like it would be a particularly filthy curse in what might have been German. “If anyone should be on vacation, it’s Scott. Instead Troy sics him on me. Do him a favor-give him a pile of files to check out or something. Keep him busy, will ya? He sits around with nothin’ to do, he’ll drive himself crazy second-guessing himself.”
Without another word, he stalked from the kitchen and headed down the hall to his bedroom. Obviously she needed to take a look at Phillips’ file herself and find out why he deserved a vacation. A burnt out operative definitely wouldn’t help protect Sam.
Thirty minutes later, a rhythmic noise had her peeking around the door. Wearing only a pair of shorts, Sam was working out on a rowing machine. His shoulder muscles rippled and his thighs bulged as he hauled on the pulley. Rosie stood in the doorway, entranced by a bead of sweat as it rolled down his forehead and slid down his neck.
The play of his muscles as he worked out made her imagine his chest flexing as he positioned himself over her, his arms planted either side of her head. She’d dig her fingers into those broad shoulders, feel his strength as he held himself above her. When he drove into her, she’d wrap her legs about his, feel the power of his thighs flexing as he whipped her into an orgasmic frenzy.
He’s your boss, her conscience hissed. She fled to the safety of the living room, wondering if she was fleeing Sam, or the strength of her desire.
You’re just horny, she reminded herself. It’s been almost a year since you’ve been with a guy and now you’ve got the man of your dreams at your fingertips. You’ve been on a starvation diet and he’s a delicious hunk of cherry chocolate cheesecake.
Forty minutes later the sounds changed and the whir of the treadmill started, followed by a regular thumping that gradually sped up as his feet pounded on the belt. An hour more had passed when she heard the shower turn on in his bathroom.
She found herself prowling along the floor-to-ceiling windows like a panther trapped in a cage. He’d be naked, those four showerheads in his expansive bathroom were pounding his back with steady pulses of hot water. Water that would cascade over his chest, sluice down his belly and over his cock. A cock she wanted to-STOP IT!
When the water shut off, she turned her back to the room and pretended to focus on the lights of the city. But once he stepped into the room, the lights faded and all she could see was the reflection of Sam. Wearing only a pair of navy sweats and a towel wrapped around his neck, he prowled across the room to stand directly behind her. The broad expanse of his chest was still visible in his reflection for the top of her head barely cleared the base of his sternum.
“The view is beautiful, isn’t it?” he said softly. Except he wasn’t looking at the panorama of the city, he was looking at her reflection.
“Y-yes.” It took every ounce of her willpower to continue facing the windows, not to turn into the chest that formed a wall at her back, not to touch the scar down the middle of his chest, or the star-shaped bullet wound just to the left and ask him about it. She’d once asked, but no one, not even Chad, would tell her about the story of who’d put it there. She closed her eyes and forced herself to breathe slowly.
Closing her eyes only made her awareness of him worse. It let her focus on the warmth that flowed from him, enveloping her in a comforting blanket. While he hadn’t put on any more of that wonderful cologne he wore, she was aware of a scent underneath the smell of the soap he’d used. Every man she ever met from now on would be compared to the man standing directly behind her.
Her breath left her in a whoosh when he placed his hands lightly on her shoulders.
“You look like you’ve had a tough day, Ms. Ramos. You need to relax.”
Heck he didn’t even have to touch her, his voice alone could melt her bones and turn her into a puddle of goo at his feet. When his fingers massaged her shoulders, she couldn’t help but lean into his touch.
“That’s it, Rosie. Just relax.”
Her breasts felt heavier, warmer, the fabric of her blouse tightened over her nipples longing to be touched by the fingers that caressed her neck.
And then her Berry rang, a unique ring she’d assigned to Chad’s number. Crap! How had she forgotten that she was not only Sam’s employee but his bodyguard?
Employee, not lover. Remember his type. Tall, lithe and beautiful. And if she added the news clippings and photos of his last girlfriend to the equation, rich.
She straightened her shoulders as she removed her Berry then, without looking at Sam’s reflection, took a half step sideways and fled to the kitchen. “Hey, Chad, what’s up?”
When she returned, she found Sam sprawled on the couch, one foot on the floor, the other propped up on the coffee table. He patted the cushion beside him. “Come here, Rosie, let me finish that backrub.”
“I’m here to protect you, Mr. Watson. Not to relax.”
His lips tilted up in a half smile that she knew so well. “You don’t mind if I relax though, do you?”
Something about the way he asked had her on alert. Nothing he said ever meant quite what she expected. “It’s your home, Mr. Watson.”
“My name’s Sam.”
“I think while I’m guarding you I’ll stick with Mr. Watson.” She had to keep that formality or she’d not only fall into his arms but crawl into his bed.
One eyebrow arched up. His fingers drummed on his thigh a couple of times before he reached for a box by his foot on the coffee table and withdrew a cigar. “Since this is my house, I’d say that you should abide by my rules.”
His rules? “Why don’t I just call you My Lord or Master.”
His gaze dropped to her cleavage, which swelled over the arms she’d folded across her chest, and his smile widened. When he looked up at her, something hot and dark flared in the back of his eyes. “If I’m your master, I guess that makes you my slave.”
His sense of humor was well known, but the look on his face told her that he wasn’t joking, and the powerful undercurrent in the conversation left her floundering for sure footing. “Slavery’s outlawed in this country.”
“If you only knew.” He trimmed the end of his cigar then picked up a book of matches and struck one, holding the flame to the cigar’s tip.
Her feet touching bottom once more, Rosie raised her chin and looked him square in the eye. “While I am staying here, Mr. Watson-”
His brows clamped together in a frown of displeasure. “I thought I told you to use my name. My Christian name.”
Arrrgh! “Sam then! The point is, I have a few rules of my own.”
“I’ll just bet you do.” He gestured with his cigar to the couch again. “Why don’t you make yourself comfortable while we discuss your rules?”
“I prefer to stand, thank you.” Ignoring his raised eyebrow, Rosie paced in front of the fireplace. “You’ve made it very clear you don’t like having bodyguards, but you have to remember that you are the owner of Hauberk-if something happens to you there will be a lot of people out of jobs.”
“I’m quite aware of that.” His thumb and index finger rolled the cigar in what she knew was an unconscious gesture, she’d seen him do it so many times before. Yet she found herself entranced by the motion of the glowing tip. “You were telling me your rules?”
She jerked her attention back to his gaze and saw the look of amusement on his face. Damn it, she had to stay in control. “As your lead op, it’s up to me to ensure your safety as well as the future employment of your employees. So first off, you do not answer your door-that’ll be my job. I’ll be screening your phone calls as well. Whenever you leave the apartment, you will wear a bulletproof vest and we will take one of the company limos. You will not attempt to leave-” She held up her hand when he opened his mouth to speak. “No, Chad warned me that you might try something sneaky. If you try to get past us-past me, I will recommend that you be stashed in one of Hauberk’s safe houses and kept under armed guard. And Chad’ll agree.” He would, she’d already discussed that possibility with him. “Now, I want you to guarantee me that you will not try to go anywhere without one of the team with you.”
“You’d trust me if I agreed?” His voice deepened.
“Yes. You’re a man who honors his promises. Now, will you give me your word not to go anywhere without
