“Dangerous,” she repeated. “Got it. I promise to be suitably terrified the whole time. Now will you tell me?”
He gave her a look that told her he knew she was humoring him. Sitting on the bureau opposite where she sat on the bed, he crossed his arms and stared at her intimidatingly for a few moments.
She forced herself to keep a suitably contrite and serious look on her face. It wasn’t easy. Something about this angry, overbearing, way-too-serious John Donovan made her want to push and see what it revealed. Althoughshe’d vowed not to try to pin him down on his feelings for her this time, they were becoming more obvious each day they spent together.
But as heady as it was realizing that he cared for her, Brittany knew it was far more than John admitting his feelings working against them. There were also their respective jobs. She couldn’t imagine a life of secrets, his history with women (lots of them), his hang-up about her being Brandon’s sister, and the fact that he was in hiding because someone had tried to kill him—and was now maybe targeting her. Yeah, there wasthat.
Which brought her back to the plan. Her restraint paid off when he spoke. “The guys who will be watching your apartment will be in place tomorrow. We’ll head over in the morning to retrieve your phone and computer. You will call, text, and e-mail everyone at work, letting them know that you are meeting your source tomorrow, who has promised to give you something ‘explosive.’ That should pique the interest of anyone listening. We’ll set up a drop with our guys covering and hopefully whoever has been following you will show up to spring the trap.”
“Who are these guys? Can you trust them?”
“I trust hardly anyone right now. But I’ve been assured by someone I do trust that they are the best. But if you want to back out, just say the word.”
Clearly that was exactly what he was hoping she would do.
“I don’t want to back out,” she said.
“If you change your mind at any time, all you have to do is say the word. But you’ll be well covered. Your job is just to go about your day and try to act as natural as possible.”
“And what will you be doing?”
“Not letting you out of my sight.”
That was what she’d figured. “And don’t you thinkanyone is going to wonder why I have a six-foot-four bodyguard following me?”
“No one will notice I’m there.”
She gave a sharp laugh. “Um, you kind of stick out, Johnny.”
He frowned. “You can tell people I’m your boyfriend.”
“Right.” She rolled her eyes at the obvious. “Like anyone will believe that.”
He looked indignant. “Why wouldn’t they?”
Was he serious? Oddly enough, he seemed to be. “You’re kind of hot.”
Actually, there was no “kind of” about it.
“So are you.”
She smiled. “Thanks, but it’s a level-of-hotness thing. Me, I’m about here.” She leveled her hand at waist level. “You are here,” she said, lifting it above her head.
“That’s superficial bullshit.” He honestly looked pissed off. “Are you with me because of how I look?”
“It sure doesn’t hurt.”
He didn’t seem to appreciate her flip response, and she wondered when he stood up to reach for his clothes if maybe she’d hurt him unintentionally. He had to know how incredible he was. Didn’t he?
She grabbed his arm to stop him. “Of course I’m not. I like being with you because of how you make me feel, not how you look. From the first time you sat down on the beach next to me five years ago, you made me laugh. You make me... I don’t know, better somehow. Calmer. More relaxed? You slow me down and make me want to smell the roses—or get a cat.”
He didn’t get that one. “A cat?”
She flushed. “I’ve always wanted a cat or a dog”—or a boyfriend—“but I’ve never had the time.” Fearing she’d revealed too much, she turned the conversation back. “But other people won’t see any of that.”
Her words seem to mollify him. “Good,” he said gruffly. “And you don’t need to worry about convincing anyone. It will be obvious to anyone who sees how I look at you.”
He pulled her up against him, and from the heated intensity in his eyes she guessed he was giving her a demonstration.
