“Yes.”
Jackson tried hard not to stare as she passed him. She really did. But his muscular body in a well-tailored suit and armed...well, it was impossible to ignore. He was sex and danger, and he was watching her right now like nothing else in the world existed. Did he do this to every woman he slept with? If so, he must have a long line of stalkers still hungover from all the intense attention he poured on them. Good thing she was leaving tomorrow night. If she lived any closer, she might become one of those stalkers.
He stayed a half pace behind her, his large body looming just out of sight. He was on the job now, ready for anything. And yet the connection between them wasn’t broken. Every rasp of his heavy breaths sent a current through her.Every brush of his arm against her flooded her with heat.
Jackson stopped in front of the elevator and pushed the call button. She stared at the doors, steeling herself for a painfully silent ride inside a small, private space. With Cameron.
The doors opened, and they stepped in. Jackson searched for something to say, something to ease the crackling tension between them.
“You don’thave to chaperone me tonight, Cameron,” she said, keeping her gaze on the elevator doors. “I’ll be fine on my own.”
“I won’t hover over you, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“That’s not what I mean.” She turned and looked up at him. Some of the iciness in his eyes faded. “I’m sorry you had to plan me into your job, too,” she said. “I’m sorry about this whole situation.”
The heatflared in his eyes again. “I’m not.”
Jackson blinked.
“I’m not sorry about anything that’s happened between us, Jackson,” he said.
His voice was low and heavy. Jackson bit her lip and turned to watch the floor numbers tick down. The truth was she wasn’t sorry that they’d gotten together, either. Who would be sorry about scorching-hot sex? Nope, not sorry at all. It was the first timeshe had done anything this bold and quite possibly the last.
But why did it have to happen this way, when she was supposed to be working with him? Not even working. She was supposed to be training him. And reporting on him. And planning for future actions. Yes, she was doing her job, too, with good results so far, if the press they had gotten was any indication. But the mix of business andsonot business was a dangerous game.
The elevator doors opened, and Cameron stepped out first, scanning the lobby. He was fully on guard, focused. He walked out first and then waited for her to pass. Her own private security.
A car waited for them at the building’s entrance, and the driver helped her in. They rode in silence through the Sydney streets, past tall buildings, past restaurantsand cafés, past Circular Quay, past couples enjoying the evening breeze. Cameron leaned back against the seat and looked out the window, his face blank and unreadable.
The car slowed as they approached the circular drive where the road officially ended and pulled onto the narrow path that led to the Opera House. The driver stopped a bit in front of it and opened her door, and she stepped outinto the evening air.
The Sydney Opera House was a majestic building during the day, but at night, it was magical. Each rounded white peak glowed, and the interior lights shone through the tall windows of the front entrance, creating patterns of lines and shadows. The building was perched high up above the harbor, and a long red rug cascaded down the enormous mountain of steps to the entrance.
“Wow,” she breathed.
Cameron’s low voice came from close behind. “An amazing creation, isn’t it?”
Jackson nodded. Her gaze dropped lower, and she eyed the stairs. Good thing she wore flats tonight, considering what they were here for. The store saleswoman had almost talked her into red heels.
As they started up the steps, she snuck a glance at Cameron. His face was blank, but hiswhole body was alert. Not tense, just aware. If the board ever saw him on the job, in this mode, they’d never think for a moment that he didn’t take the business seriously.
Everything about him was impressive. And though she had resisted so many times that week, her resolve not to spend another night with him was crumbling. Yes, she read too much into sex with him. But tomorrow night she’dbe on a plane back to New York, no matter what she read into it. And it wasn’t like anyone would find out. The man was in security, for goodness’ sake. He knew how to be discreet if he wanted to. Though the pile of photos in her file suggested otherwise.
Would these stairs never end?
“We can stop and rest a bit,” said Cameron.
Jackson gave a little huff and nodded. They took anotherstep and turned toward downtown. The sun was setting somewhere beyond the buildings, and the sky glowed with reds and oranges. The lights on the Harbour Bridge sparkled on the water, and the ferries glided in and out of Circular Quay.
She smiled and turned to Cameron, perched on the step below. For the moment, they were almost the same height.
“Is this in your little red book, Jackson?”
He could have been talking about the Sydney cityscape, which was, in fact, impressive. But he wasn’t. She knew he wasn’t. He was asking her,Is this what you want?
“It’s not in there,” she said, “but it probably should be.”
She meant to give him her best business face, unfazed and assessing, but she couldn’t. Maybe it was how close they were standing, his wide shoulders brushing againsthers. Maybe it was the sunset, glowing behind the city. Maybe it was his soft, full lips that tasted like heaven. But as she met his eyes, his smile faded. Her heart stuttered.
