“I’m terrible.” Though shewasn’t discouraged. She was laughing at her own terribleaim.
Ryan told her to try again.This time he stood behind her, reached in front and adjusted herarms. She could feel the heat from his body, the strength of hisarms, and the hardness of his chest at her back. Then he leaneddown and spoke in her ear, “Concentrate.”
Yeahright. “I’m trying.” She sounded a littlebreathless. Hopefully he didn’t catch it. Who could concentratewith a man like that standing close enough to feel his bodyheat?
“Eye your sights. Get themin line. Widen your stance.”
“Okay.”
He released her and backedup.
She fired again andactually hit the second outer ring of the target. She squealed herdelight.
“Good job.”
She turned and grinningfrom ear to ear. That was it, she was hooked.
They spent the next fewhours shooting, then they took a break and ate.
She took in hersurroundings. There was a small breeze and she enjoyed the feelingof it over her skin and turned her face toward it. “I could spendall day, every day out here, just away from everything.” She saidabsently.
Ryan watched herthoughtfully. Her cheeks were flushed from excitement and shelooked radiant. “It does look good on you.”
She smiled at him and tooka drink of water. “This is your territory isn’t it?”
“The outdoors?”
“Yes.”
“Of sorts, yes.”
“I’m beginning to thinkthat you honestly don’t do much bodyguard guarding.”
He smiled at her. “Notmuch, no. I’ve done my fair share, though.”
“You’re not so bad Mr.Casey,” she teased.
“I’m glad you thinkso.”
They made it back homebefore supper and Katya rushed upstairs to change before dinner.They were dusty from the gravel pit.
Ryan watched her disappearupstairs. He had gotten the results back from the note and thepackage. It was messaged to him on the way home. Katya had fallenasleep next to him. She’d slid against him and was resting her headon his upper arm. He was trying to be as careful as he could to notdisturb her. He’d found himself staring at her more than he usuallydid. He couldn’t help it. She was bewitching today. There was justsomething about this woman. She was smart, sexy, and had spunk.Then you add on her perseverance to recover from a traumatic eventand take steps to protect herself from further harm. He reallyadmired the drive she had. It wasn’t as if she needed somethingelse to make her more attractive to him. She already was. He shookhis head and returned his attention to his phone.
He spent the next hourconversing with his superiors. There were no traceable prints orDNA on the letter. There was however, some interesting news aboutthe finger.
It wasn’tAnna’s.
That information was beingkept to himself. He needed Peter afraid and weakened. Although itdid raise some questions. Katya moved and sighed in her sleep andhe took a moment to look down at her again. He had to keep himselfin check around her. It was becoming quite clear that he wasgetting a little over his head.
He rubbed his forehead andturned away from the stairs. While Katya was getting cleaned up, hesought out Peter to give him the news.
Katya, however, never madeit to her room right away.
“Oh darling there you are!”Porsha stopped her outside her room in the hallway. She was wearinga skintight stretchy white skirt and a red blouse that wasunbuttoned enough to show the black bra she worebeneath.
“Hello.” Katya was going totry and be polite. It wasn’t the woman’s fault that her father wasa pig. She also didn’t want to ruin the mood she was in.
“I wanted to ask you if wecould go shopping tomorrow—together, you know, for some girl time.Your father seems to think it would do us some good to bond, andget you out of the house.”
Eck, girl time?Katya wanted to blow the other woman off, but shejust had a great day and was still on a high. Not only that, Porshawas like her and alone in the big house. She nodded and agreedbefore she could change her mind. “Okay.”
“Maybe we can do lunchtoo,” she turned to walk away, paused, then turned back, “Oh andbring that sexy beast of a bodyguard.” She wiggled her manicuredeyebrows and wandered off giggling to herself.
Sexy beast?Oh, she was not telling Ryan that. In fact she’dlove to leave him home so that woman didn’t get her nails into him,but she already knew he wouldn’t go for that at all. Still, sheshould probably warn him, but she didn’t get the chance.
At dinner Porsha announcedtheir outing to her father with more excitement that Katya thoughtwarranted.
“That’s an excellent idea!”Peter agreed. “Maybe you can find a dress for Saturday’sevent.”
“Shopping?” Ryan askedsoftly.
“I was caught in a momentof weakness,” she answered in a whisper.
“Apparently.” His eyeswent to the other woman who gave him a flirtatious glance.God, she’s going to be a handful.He’d been ignoring the subtle hints the woman wasthrowing his way, but they’d been getting bolder. Now she looked asthough she wanted to crawl across the table and hump his leg.Jesus. Women like that don’t know when to stop or how to take no asan answer. Oh, he could handle her well enough, but it would makehis work twice as hard to keep focused and protect Katya. “I’mfucked.” He said under his breath. Katya was in the middle oftaking a drink and she started coughing. Apparently she’d heardhim.
“Are you all right dear?”Peter asked.
“Wrong tube,” she coughedtwice more and spared Ryan a quick glance. She was certain sheheard him correctly. He looked very amused when he met her gaze.Obviously she did. And, it was also apparent that he did noticePorsha’s flirtations, and now he would probably have to deal withthem. She felt herself smile. This may be quite the trip afterall.
“For a big strongbodyguard, I find it funny that you are acting afraid of a youngwoman,” she said once they were back in their rooms.
“She’s been throwing hintsmy way all week about getting me in bed.
