He wanted to be mad at her, but her sassy smirk only made him want to kiss her. That thought made him mad at himself. He had no business kissing the client. And that was all she was to him. All she could be. A client.
Especially after his relapse on the PTSD front. Whatever happened while he was with her, he had to focus on the present and not let anything transport him back to Syria. He couldn’t change anything about the past. But if he kept his wits about him, he could have an impact on the future. He’d do his best to make it a positive impact. His job was to protect Holly Hazard.
He dropped his go-bag by the door and performed his safety check.
As she’d predicted, it didn’t take him more than a minute to search the entire houseboat. No bad guys lay in wait to jump out in a surprise attack. There were no hiding places on board. Every inch of space was a testament to efficient storage.
The bottom floor had a cozy living space opening to a kitchenette with just enough of a stove and oven to make a meal. An open door on the other side of the kitchenette led to a bathroom with a toilet and a tub-shower unit. Thankfully, it was close to full size. Two people could manage an intimate shower in it.
Don’t go there, man. Hands and mind off the client.
“Downstairs is clear,” he said.
The only bedroom was more of a loft at the top of a narrow staircase. At least the ceiling was high enough that Simon could stand straight without bumping his head. A stack of sheets waited to be spread across the mattress. One more thing for Holly to do before she could call it a night.
A single closet was too small for a person to hide in, and the space beneath the bed had been fashioned into drawers. Windows all around looked out on the bayou, where starlight reflected like a blanket of diamonds on the dark water.
Simon hurried back down to find Holly pulling clothing out of a suitcase.
“I’d like to shower first, if you don’t mind,” she said. “I still feel sticky from the spilled beer.”
“Go for it. I can wait.”
After she disappeared into the bathroom, he climbed the stairs and made the bed, smoothing sheets over the mattress and topping it with a light comforter. The houseboat was equipped with an air conditioner. He adjusted the thermostat to a cooler setting to combat the humidity.
He fluffed the pillow in its freshly laundered pillowcase and leaned it against the headboard. Housekeeping wasn’t part of the job, but his father had taught him that making a woman’s life easier was part of showing her respect. His father had always helped his mother with household chores, as well as maintaining the yard and vehicles.
He grabbed one of the two pillows and a spare sheet he found in a drawer beneath the bed and carried them down the stairs.
Holly emerged from the bathroom, wearing short shorts and a loose T-shirt. She’d combed her auburn hair straight back from her forehead. Long, damp strands hung down to the middle of her back. With her face shiny clean and free of makeup, she looked young and fresh, her green eyes bright, despite the shadows beneath.
“Feel better?” he asked.
She smiled. “Much. It’s all yours.”
“I’ll leave the door ajar. If you hear any noises outside the houseboat, let me know.” He frowned. “Maybe I should wait and ask one of the guys to spell me so you’re not compromised while I’m in the shower.”
Holly laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous. I’ll stand guard on my bodyguard, if it makes you feel better.”
He shook his head with a smile. “Or you could join me in the shower. That way, I’ll be with you should you be attacked.”
Her face flushed a pretty pink. “Nice try,” she said, her voice breathy, like she couldn’t quite get enough air in her lungs.
“Either way, I’m leaving the bathroom door open,” he said. “Don’t open the door to the houseboat for anyone. I’ll only be a minute.”
She waved him away. “Go on. I’ll be fine.”
For a moment, he hesitated. “Okay then.”
Simon ducked into the bathroom, fired up the shower and hurried to finish.
Still dripping wet, he stepped out of the shower less than three minutes later, flinging water from his hair.
She sat on the couch, a smile pulling at the corners of her lips. “Still here. No bad guys,” she said.
Simon released the breath he’d held throughout the brief shower. “Good.” He tipped his chin toward the staircase. “Goodnight then.”
Holly placed her foot on the bottom step. “Goodnight, Simon Sevier.” Her brief smile warmed him. “Thank you for coming to my rescue tonight.”
