I nibbled on my lip. "That will be really hard with my work. I am in and out all day."
"We can fix that with a decent security system." He typed something, sparing me a fast look. "Objections?"
I sighed, mentally tallying what I had in our business account. We were just coming out of a long winter, and there wouldn't be any honey products to sell just yet, but I could contact my agricultural partners and rent out a few more hives to farmers who needed the pollination. Several of my hives were splitting this spring, so I could afford to share more than I had in the past. If I did that, it might pay for something around five hundred dollars, if I was savvy. "I'll look into it," I said finally.
Benjamin stared. "When?"
It would take me weeks to negotiate hive rentals. "If I hurry, maybe next month?" I guessed.
Benjamin snorted, typing faster. "Never mind, I'll handle that."
This was a nightmare. "What other ground rules do you have in mind?"
"No public transportation," he replied immediately, his eyes back on whatever he was doing on his computer, "and deactivate your social media accounts for now."
Social media was a big part of how I sold products. People online loved my bee content, and many of them traveled from far away to visit the small boutique store in Seattle that sold our products. "I have to keep my marketing account at least," I bartered.
"Fair enough." He finished typing. "Just don't do any, 'Out for an ice coffee!' posts or whatever. I've just sent an email to the tech connection they gave us. Can you forward that initial email to me so I can give it to him?"
I opened the mail app on my phone. "Sure. What's your email?"
He gave it to me, and after I had sent it, Benjamin looked up in thought, like he was mentally making calculations."Two weeks—I stay with you, you keep your head down, and apparently, we trust some guy named Remington to track the digital footprint of these people." He slid his gaze to me. "It's really not the safest plan. The police would be better."
The police with their cold questioning rooms and skeptical glances. Never. "It said in the email they're not allowed to kill me," I reminded him.
"Onpurpose," he shot back. "Anything could happen on accident. You're sure this is how you want to do this?"
"Positive. Minus you having to help me," I added. "You don't need to be here."
Benjamin took on a mock wounded expression. "And here I thought my charm was working on you."
Itwasworking. I couldn't take my eyes off him. But I wasn't about to admit that to him. "I'm immune, I'm afraid."
"Wow," he stood, gathering up the dishes. "You've wounded me. My pride might never recover."
More sarcasm. He was dripping in it, like a full honeycomb in early autumn. I picked up the last of the dishes. "You're right. You should probably go to avoid further humiliation." As I followed him to the kitchen, he turned around to face me suddenly, nearly causing me to collide with him. His hands were full of dishes, but he bent down so our noses were an inch apart.
"Go?" he asked, his voice low and eyes tracking the little "o" my mouth made in surprise. "And abandon my new favorite thing?" I sipped in a breath, freezing. I could practically feel the heat from his body infusing mine with blood-pounding adrenaline. He tilted his head, his lips curving up subtly. "I can't give up your grandmother's jasmine tea now."
It took a full two seconds for my brain to register what he'd said. He was too close, and his expression was saying somethingverydifferent from "grandmother's jasmine tea." My mouth opened, but I didn't know what to say. Benjamin straightenedaway from me with a knowing flash in his eyes. "Besides, you need an A/C unit. Who else will go to the trouble of installing that for you?"
I forced my brain to grind back to life. "I didn't take you for the handyman type, Dr. Frost."
His mouth rippled, and then he winked. "I'm very handsy."
"Handy," I corrected in exasperation.
"What did I say?" he mused, turning around to go back into the kitchen.
Despite my frustration, I found myself smiling. An unfamiliar kind of warmth bloomed in my stomach, popping and bubbling like carbonation. I decided then that Benjamin was dangerous. Anyone who made me feel, who made me hope, was dangerous.
Chapter Eight
FROST
It was alyssum. The scent on Evie's skin that was driving me crazy—it was alyssum. She stopped us right outside her house when she noticed some of the lilac and deep purple flowers wilting, and as she bent to examine the cause of the damage, the scent drifted up to my nose. And then arousal hit me square in the gut, and my body reacted with uncomfortable intensity. I wanted tograb something. I wanted to bury myself in that scent, bury myself in warmth and soft skin that smelled like those delicate flowers and the honey on Evie's lips. I wanted to…
Easy, Frost, I chided myself suddenly.Calm the fuck down.
