Was it? “You’ve kept your hands carefully off me for each of our previous dates.”
“I was being a gentleman.”
“Yet you just said you were not a gentleman.”
They stared at each other.
“Let me get this straight.” He seemed to speak through clenched teeth. “You’re mad because I was a gentleman?”
“I’m not mad.” A few fast blinks. Technically, she did feel annoyed. “I just think that if a man truly wanted a woman, then he would not wait and kiss her only as a distraction when guards were swarming.” There. “He would kiss her on one of their dates. Not hold himself back so carefully.”
“Gentleman,” he gritted again. Those teeth seemed to have clenched harder. “I thought I was being a good guy.”
Since when did she want one of those? She’d never found good guys to be particularly useful in any way. They were annoyingly focused on rules. On things like obeying the law. Following orders. Coloring in the lines. They tended to see the world in black and white, and since she primarily operated in a lovely shade of gray, the good guys out there did not understand her.
“Simone?”
She summoned another smile. A big, bright one. “Thank you for being a gentleman. It was very gentlemanly and good of you to put yourself between me and the guns.”
The furrow between his brows deepened.
Uh, oh. She was really not playing this scene right. Maybe the smile had been too bright. “I’m tired.” She let her shoulders slump. A hint of fear entered her voice as she explained, “And I’m still shaken. I’ve never had guns pointed at me before.” She had. So many times. “I-I fear I’ll have nightmares tonight.” If she slept, she probably would have nightmares, but Simone did not intend to rest anytime soon.
Concern flashed on his face. “I’ll be right next door. If you get frightened, call for me. I can come right over.” His gaze darted toward the bed. “Or, if you want me to stay, the offer to sleep on the floor still stands,” he muttered.
Nope. She needed him out of the room. How in the world was she supposed to slip away in the darkness if she had a sleeping good guy between her bed and the door? Her hand rose and curled around his arm. “I appreciate the offer.” A little squeeze of her fingers. “Thank you, but I need to be alone now.” So she could put her plans in motion.
Staying the night at the estate had not been on her agenda. She’d fully intended to get her prize—um, retrieve the stolen property—while the bash had been in full swing. And if Ryan hadn’t screwed up and set off the alarm, she would have succeeded. Luckily, Frederick had offered her a second chance with the offered guest room, and she was snatching that chance while she had it.
Plus, she’d snagged the remote for the alarm system from Frederick’s pocket back when they’d been in the gallery. Talk about being too tempting to pass up. The remote was currently hidden inside her dress, in one of the gown’s amazing hidden pockets. Oh, but Simone did love a dress with pockets. What woman didn’t?
If Ryan would just get moving, she could get busy. Very, very quickly.
Lightning flashed again. The lightning and the thunder were coming almost constantly now.
“I understand,” Ryan finally said, voice lower. “I will see you again soon.”
And yet, the man kept lingering.
Her hand pulled back. It took all of her considerable self-control not to make a shooing motion toward the door for him. Seriously, what was it going to take?
He turned away. Moved for the open door.
Her breath shuddered out.
He looked back at her. “Just so we are clear, I will stand between you and any threat.”
That was something new. No man had ever said those words to her before.
“You will be safe with me, always.”
Again, brand new words. And they made her feel all funny inside. Not that she needed his protection. She was more than capable of looking out for herself. But it was nice of him to say. So she should respond appropriately.
Ah, what was the appropriate way to respond? After swiping her tongue across her lower lip, Simone said, “Thank you. I’ll remember that.”
His eyebrows shot up.
Dammit. That had probably not been appropriate.
