“As a bodyguard or as an investigator?”
“Both. I told Nick that I’ve done some consulting for a private contractor that does some work for a government agency.”
She smiled. “The post office?”
“You know, you and your friend have a warped sense of humor.”
“Nick already made that joke?”
“Yeah.”
“Sorry. Couldn’t resist. Go on.”
“I’m trying to explain that I do have some experience in this kind of work. Thought it would make you feel better.”
“You don’t need to tell me your credentials,” she said. “Although I admit I’m curious. But the bottom line is that I know you can handle my situation. I wouldn’t have let you spend the night under my roof if I thought otherwise.”
“What makes you so sure I’m qualified for the job?”
“My intuition, of course. Hey, I’m psychic, remember? You give off all the right vibes.”
He turned to face her. “What kind of vibes would those be?”
“I knew the moment I met you that you’re the kind of man who does what he says he’s going to do. No excuses. In some ways, you’re as hard as any of those rocks in your collection, but you can be counted on to complete the job or go down trying, and it would take a lot to bring youdown. You’ve committed yourself to protecting me while we hunt for the blackmailer and the lab book. You would not have made that commitment unless you thought you could carry it out. I realize you have your own agenda, but that doesn’t mean you won’t honor your commitments.”
“You’ve known me for less than twenty-four hours. How can you be so damn sure of me?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “Just something about your energy. But I’m not basing my conclusions entirely on my own intuition. Thaddeus Webber thinks you’re the right man for the job. But more to the point, Gwen and Newton approve of you. And Nick, for all his faults, is a pretty good judge of character, too. He has to be, because he deals with some very shady clients. He wouldn’t have left without a struggle tonight if he thought you couldn’t be trusted to do your job.”
“In other words, you trust me because your friends and your dog signed off on me.”
“They’re my family, Sam. I’ve got another, picture-perfect family, but it’s not the same thing. Gwen, Nick and Newton are my real family. Do you understand?”
“Yes.” He reached out and framed her face between his hands. “But there’s something you need to understand. The lab book is important, but you are my number-one priority in this thing. I give you my word on that.”
Her eyes burned with a little heat. “That’s good to know.”
“Is there any other man who might climb through your window tonight?” he asked. “Some other guy who might feel he has a claim on you?”
“No,” she said. She rose slowly on her toes, as if she was making her decision on the way up. The energy around her got a little hotter. “No one else. Not tonight. Anyone I should know about who might feel she has a claim on you?”
“No,” he said.
“That’s all right, then.”
She put her arms around his neck and kissed him lightly, carefully, as if she was conducting a delicate experiment, the outcome of which was designed to satisfy her curiosity but not to oblige her to make a commitment.
Fire roared through him. He lifted his head.
“Don’t know about you,” he rasped, “but as far as I’m concerned, we are not running a field test or a lab experiment here.”
Her eyes widened. “What do you mean?”
“I’ll show you.”
He crushed her close and kissed her hard and deep, making it clear that he wasn’t running a test. This was the real deal, and he wanted to make sure she knew it.
She was clearly startled, and for a terrible moment he thought she would retreat. But she gave an urgent little gasp and tightened her arms around his neck. Her mouth softened invitingly under his.
