With a swift swipe of his hand, the drawing was tucked safely into the drawer of his desk.
Her dark gaze flickered up to meet his. “Mr. Hale,” she repeated.
“That’s me, dove,” he replied with a flippant grin. He didn’t have to be so impertinent, but the desire to shake up the woman’s resolute demeanor was too great a temptation to resist.
Unfortunately, she proved herself a worthy adversary and her gaze remained steady and intent. “Once again I owe you my gratitude. I apologize for not thanking you properly upstairs. In my defense, I was a bit...” She gave a small gesture with her free hand.
“Overwhelmed,” he offered with a tilt to his mouth.
Her eyes sparked. “Agitated.”
Mason chuckled.
She ignored it.
“You must be wondering what is instigating such perilous situations that have twice now required your intervention.”
“Not particularly.”
It appeared she hadn’t been expecting his response as she hesitated before replying. “Well, the truth is we suspect today’s ordeal wasn’t perpetrated by thieves but was likely yet another abduction attempt. I don’t know if Frederick told you this, but the kidnapping by the criminal gang wasn’t the first Frederick experienced. It would seem someone has targeted my brother, though the reason behind it is not yet entirely clear.”
Mason could hazard a guess. A young and wealthy duke without parents or guardian and only an older sister for protection was a vulnerable creature and easy pickings for someone interested in a healthy ransom.
What he couldn’t figure out was why Lady Katherine had decided to discuss the issue with him. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Until we know who’s behind the attacks and why, there’s a possibility more attempts will be made against Frederick. It’s become clear that he will need personal protection.”
Mason waited for her to say more. When she didn’t, he leaned back in the chair—tensing when the wood creaked—and crossed an ankle over the opposite knee.
She couldn’t possibly be considering what he suspected.
“My brother is convinced you’re the perfect choice for such a task.”
The look he gave her was filled with incredulity. “Are you asking me to be Freddie’s bodyguard?”
A pause. “I believe I am.”
“You’ve got the wrong man. I’m no hero, luv.”
Her next words were spoken with firm conviction. “I don’t need a hero, Mr. Hale. I need a man as ruthless and mercenary as those who are after Frederick.” She paused to stare at him with dark eyes full of intensity. “I need you.”
Those three little words hit him in the gut with more force than any punch he’d taken in the ring. For a second, his breath got pushed up into his throat while his stomach tightened.
“I’d pay you,” she said. “Generously.”
“Hmm.” Mason rose to his feet and walked slowly around the desk until he was standing in front of her. Leaning his hips back against the desk, he crossed his arms over his chest. It was a risky move to put even half of his weight on the frail furniture, but he wanted to see how the woman would react to his closer proximity.
To her credit, she did not step back and never once shifted her gaze from his.
Brave little thing. Or stubborn. Probably both.
He smiled. And something unreadable flickered across her fine features.
“What makes you think I’d be qualified for such a position?”
Lifting her chin, she replied, “Your part in rescuing my brother from the criminal gang demonstrates your capabilities in the face of dangerous adversity. And you’ve already proven to possess a certain loyalty to my brother.”
“I’m loyal to no one.”
She ignored him again. “You’re familiar with this city and its dangers, and you’re well-known to its inhabitants—if not personally then by reputation. If anyone were bold enough to challenge you directly, I suspect they’d be handled as efficiently as Mr. Boothe was.”
He gave a rough snort. She’d clearly thought the matter through, but if he had to guess, he’d say Lady Katherine had not come easily to this decision. He didn’t blame her.
Taking a moment, he swept a lingering glance over her slim form. She remained still beneath his brazen perusal, as though she knew his intention was to discomfit her and she intended to endure it. When his gaze lifted back to her face, he noted the firm press of her pretty lips and the tiny sparks of fire that flickered in her steady gaze.
“Aside from a generous wage”—he lowered his voice suggestively—“what does the position afford me?”
He noted the slight clenching of her jaw before she replied. “It would get you out of this monstrosity of a house.” A pause. “Obviously, you’d need to reside with us.”
“In Mayfair?” He snorted a laugh. “That’d be a sight.”
“You couldn’t properly protect Frederick from anywhere else.”
The tone of her voice suggested she wasn’t completely comfortable with that aspect.
Good.
“And you?” he asked.
Dark brows furrowed. “What about me?”
“Will you also be under my protection?” Without conscious intention, his voice shifted into a more intimate tone. He was rewarded by the slight parting of her lips and a fleeting glance at his folded forearms.
“I don’t need protection.”
“You might,” he suggested thickly.
Though her pupils expanded a bit at his words, she quickly recovered to arch one imperious brow. “From you, Mr. Hale?”
When he responded with a smile, her attention fell to his mouth.
His heart kicked hard against his ribs. Lust—heavy and strong—flooded his body. He’d been playing with her before, trying to unnerve her. But now, his focus became suddenly very serious.
He replied in a heavy murmur. “Definitely from me.”
“I’m not a timid sort, Mr. Hale. You don’t frighten me.”
The haughtiness of her tone inspired another rush of heat. He unfolded his arms to curl his hands over the edge of the desk on either side of his hips. The feel of the smooth wood somehow helped him calm the thickening of his blood. Holding her gaze, he replied simply, “I should.”
He finally saw a flicker of shock in her expression though her voice when she replied
