He knocked, and the door moved slowly beneath the force of his hand. Once again, he called out for the woman he’d been assigned to protect, and once again, she didn’t call back.
After letting himself in to double-check that her bedroom and bathroom were both void of her presence, Slade checked the other spare room and bathroom on the second level. With no sign of Shadow being on the second floor, he picked up his pace and hurried toward the stairs.
His hand held the knotted towel at his hip to keep the damn thing from coming loose and falling to the floor. When he reached the bottom, he looked around, first in the half-bath on that level and then the open kitchen, which extended from the expansive living room.
Where are you?
Slade turned to his right, his gaze searching the part of the balcony he could see through the long, partially opened curtains. Doing his best to keep his burgeoning worry at bay, he went to the massive glass door and slid it open.
He didn’t see her at first, and damn if a jolt of panic didn’t start to set in. But then?—
“I didn’t realize the dress code was so relaxed around here.”
Shadow’s voice came from his left, and he swung his gaze that way. With her computer resting on the small patio table where she sat, she had her bare feet propped up on the empty chair to her right.
She was dressed in a pair of cotton shorts and a black tank that didn’t quite cover her abs, and the tips of her long hair blew with the passing breeze. Her eyes met his, and there was a glimmer of humor there. One matching the ornery smirk lifting one corner of her tempting mouth.
Damn, she’s beautiful.
“I called for you, but you didn’t answer. Next time tell me before you come outside by yourself.”
The gruff order sent her head back in a slight recoil, her big blue eyes blinking as she stared back at him with surprise. Not sounding apologetic in the least, she shot back with a sarcastic response.
“I’m sorry.” Her words sounded about as disingenuous as her expression. “But as your current state of undress clearly reflects, you were otherwise indisposed.”
“You could’ve hollered at me from the door.”
“And miss all this?” She motioned toward his almost naked form.
On reflex, his fists slid a bit lower to help shield the erection starting to form beneath the terrycloth towel. “You know, I get that everything’s a big fucking joke to you, but it’s my job to protect you, and I can’t exactly do that if I have no idea where you are.”
“A job.” Shadow snorted humorlessly, dropping her feet so she could stand. “Because that’s all I am to you, right?” She picked up her computer, storming toward him along the balcony before going back inside.
Anger broiled just beneath the surface as he did his best not to let it run free.
“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.” Slade followed her in.
Her back remained to him as she marched angrily toward the kitchen. She set the laptop onto the island’s gray and white granite countertop so hard, he was surprised it didn’t break. While it continued to run whatever software system she had going, the scowling woman turned back around to face him.
“No, see, that’s where you’re wrong. I actuallydon’tknow that because you’ve pretty much stopped talking to me these past few days.”
What the…
“I’ve talked to you.”
“A grunt here or a couple of words there doesn’t count, and you know it. Seriously tell me one meaningful conversation the two of us have shared.” When Slade opened his mouth to remind her of how he’d told her about his mom, she shut him down with a clarifying, “And I’m talking aboutafterthe night you unilaterally decided there would never be an us.”
His gut clenched and his chest grew tight as his lungs pulled in a sharp inhale. “I already explained that to you, Shadow. I’m not?—”
“The man for me.” She tossed his own words from that night right back in his face. “Yeah, I heard you loud and clear, big guy. But you see, I’m thinking that’s not entirely true.”
“What the hell do you mean, it’s not true? You think I’m lying?”
I’d never lie to you.
“Not a lie, exactly. More like an excuse to keep me or anyone else from getting too close to the real you.”
The real…
