“Because of the cameras?”
“Right.” He looked older, as if the lines on his face had deepened. “I put in a couple at home, too. But I don’t see them vandalizing my house, not if they’re capable of learning from their mistakes. They went after my truck and I just got madder.”
Subtext: he still thought she was the weak link. With a tiny shiver she thought, And he might be right. But then she straightened her spine. Damn it, she was just getting madder, too.
“I guess I’m asking if I can mostly move in for the duration.” The wariness or at least apprehension had reappeared in the way he looked at her. “I’ll probably spend days off working on my house, maybe a couple hours after work some evenings, but I want to be here at night.”
Her squeeze of panic was back. “You’ve already been here most nights.” She was talking just a little bit too fast, her voice maybe higher than usual. “And now you’re asking permission?”
“I don’t want to sneak out before dawn and go home to shower and change clothes,” he said. “If I could, uh, at least put some of my stuff in one of your spare rooms.”
And his razor on the counter beside her sink, his toothbrush in the holder with hers, his shampoo in the shower...
And he would be in her bed, all night, every night.
Isn’t that what she really wanted? Would he really be so passionately worried about her if he didn’t feel a whole lot more than a mere sense of responsibility? Maybe this was one of those times when she should just close her eyes and jump.
In full faith a parachute would open, even if she hadn’t been wearing one when she’d stepped out of the airplane.
Tess nodded, almost steadily. “Yes, of course. That’s fine. Um, there’s probably room for both of us to park in the garage, too. It’s not like I have a workbench or anything taking up space.”
The signs of his relief were so subtle, she wouldn’t have noticed them if she hadn’t been looking closely. “Thanks,” he said roughly. “As it happens, I threw a duffel bag in the truck.”
“Taking me for granted,” Tess said way more lightly than she felt.
He smiled. “If you’d been reluctant, you would never have known about the duffel.”
She’d stood to put the pizza in the fridge when she stopped dead. “Oh, no. Dad.”
Silence behind her.
“Does he have to find out?”
She made herself move again. “I do have him over to dinner sometimes, or I go there.”
“I can make myself scarce, as long as he isn’t given to dropping by unannounced.”
It hurt. He couldn’t have said any more clearly that this was not the beginning of something important between them. Instead of friends with benefits, it was bodyguard and pro bono client with benefits.
As if she hadn’t already known that.
Tess closed the refrigerator and turned to face him. “You don’t want him to know you’re staying here?” she said, striving to sound unconcerned.
Zach hadn’t moved. His eyes were alert on her face. She had no idea how much he could see. “Do you?” he asked.
What was she going to do, put him on the spot? Not a chance in hell.
She shrugged and said, “Something short-term, it’s probably best not to. He’s worried about me already. I don’t want to freak him out totally.”
This time his relief wasn’t subtle at all.
That hurt a lot more.
“I’ll go get my bag,” he said.
“Why don’t I open the garage and we can reshuffle vehicles to see if we can’t get your truck in, too?”
“I can wait until tomorrow.”
“There’s no camera out in front, remember.”
Zach winced. “Yeah, okay. You’re right. Although your driveway is pretty exposed.”
“Why take a chance?” Tess was proud of her casual tone.
He came to her, slid a hand beneath her hair and kissed her, so softly, before stepping back. “Then let’s do it, oh, wise one.”
* * *
THE SCENE IN the kitchen left Zach confused. By the end, he hadn’t been able to tell what she really wanted or felt, and he wasn’t any too sure what he felt, either.