Protector Panther (Protection, Inc 3)

She prayed that Shane wouldn’t notice anything. If she had to speak, she’d sound choked up. And then he’d ask what was wrong, and she’d have to lie and say it was because she was upset about being kidnapped. She couldn’t tell him, “I can’t help falling for you, but no matter how brave you think I am, you’ll never feel the same way about me, and it’s breaking my heart.”

Shane stood up. “I’ll go wash my hands.”

Once she heard the bathroom door click shut and the sink start running, she mopped at her eyes and sniffed hard. By the time he returned, she’d recovered her composure and could re-start the conversation.

When they went to bed, he again fell asleep almost immediately. He hadn’t mentioned his nightmare and she hadn’t brought it up, but she hadn’t forgotten about it. She hoped he’d sleep through the night.

Chapter Five

Catalina

If Shane had another nightmare, it didn’t wake her up. She slept so soundly that he practically had to drag her out of bed the next morning.

“Do you want a shower or not?” he demanded.

She burrowed back under the covers. “You take yours first.”

“Nah, that’s not going to work out.” He yanked off the blanket. “Shower now, or don’t shower till tonight.”

She dragged herself out of bed and into the shower. Still half-asleep, she didn’t wonder until Shane had vanished into the bathroom why he was so determined that she take the first one. But when Dr. Elihu and the guards showed up ten minutes later, she remembered the morning before and realized that it was so she wouldn’t risk having them yank the door open while she was naked.

He could’ve just said so, Catalina thought. But it was a sweet thought. Sweet, hot, closed-mouthed bodyguard.

“Shane’s in the shower,” she told the doctor.

Dr. Elihu ignored her and jerked his thumb at the nearest guard. The guard yanked open the bathroom door.

Shane pulled back the shower curtain and turned off the water. Once again, he stood naked and dripping wet, in full view of every

one in the room and the corridor. But he didn’t seem embarrassed at all.

Looking straight at Dr. Elihu, he said, “If you’re that eager to see me naked, you could just order me to take off my clothes.”

The doctor flushed bright red. “Garrity, shut that door!”

With a catlike smile, Shane unhurriedly closed the bathroom door.

For the rest of the day, which consisted of still yet more medical tests, every now and then Catalina would recall that incident and laugh aloud.

Exasperated, Dr. Elihu finally snapped, “If you’re hoping to convince me to drop you from the ultimate predator program on the basis of psychosis, you’ll have to do better than inappropriate laughter.”

“I was remembering Shane making you blush,” Catalina retorted. “It’s very appropriate.”

“I don’t blush,” the doctor snapped, and stuck her extra-hard with a hypodermic needle.

When she was returned to the room that evening, Shane again seemed to have been exercising. He was barefoot and shirtless, his chest glistening with sweat, crouched on the floor like some great cat about to pounce. The guards didn’t give him a chance to look up and terrify them, but shoved Catalina inside and slammed the door.

“Hi, honey, I’m home!” Catalina said brightly.

Shane sat up, playing along. “How was your day at the office?”

“My boss is an asshole. Otherwise, not too bad. How about you, how was your day?”

“Being a homemaker isn’t all it’s cracked up to be,” he replied, deadpan. “I’m thinking of re-entering the work force.”

She sat down on her cot. “What were you doing when I came in?”

“Karate. Did you ever study martial arts?”