“I can.” I glance at the CEO, who is eying Catriona like she’s a bowl of milk he’d like to lap up. I slide between the two of them. “I’ll take it from here. That your bag?” I nod my head toward a purse on the table.
“Yes, but—”
I tuck it under my arm and cup her elbow. “Let’s go.” I jerk my head for Laura to follow behind.
“Be gentle with her,” cautions the CEO.
“I’m here to protect, sir,” I say as politely as possible even though I would like to inform the man that he needs to sign the checks and leave the personal protection business to me.
“Right. Well, Catriona, I’m sorry about this, but given the break-in at your condo, I’d rather have you alive and pissed off than the alternative.”
Catriona pales, making her adorable freckles more prominent. “Do you really think it’s that dangerous?”
“Better to be safe.” Nathan gives her a tight smile. I guess he hasn’t told her about the threatening emails. I’ll save that for later. I give Nathan and his assistant another nod and then gently pull Catriona out of the room. Laura shuts the door firmly behind her.
“We’re the only people out in the hall,” Catriona tells me. “You can let go of my arm now.”
I don’t think I will. Her smooth elbow fits nicely in my palm. I could envision myself holding this elbow for a long time—the rest of my life even.
“Are you going to say anything?” she asks.
I jab the down elevator button and consider her request. There’s nothing really for me to say. Her date is canceled. I’m here to protect her. That’s all the important information so I shake my head no. The elevator doors slide open and I guide her inside.
“He’s not much of a talker,” Laura supplies.
“I guess not.”
“I’m Laura Snyder and will be part of your detail.”
The two shake hands. “And that’s Gabe. He’s in charge of your team.”
“I have a whole team?”
“Yeah. There are four of us. We work in shifts. Two during the day and two at night. Gabe and I are part of the night crew. We’ll be with you until six in the morning. Hydro—his real name is Harry—and Apple will be your day crew. You’ll meet them in the morning. I’ll be inside with you and Gabe will be outside. During the day, Hydro and Apple will divvy up the roles, but someone will be with you at all times.”
“Except for the bathroom, right?” Catriona catches us exchanging glances. “Right?”
“Well…” Laura wants me to explain.
“Everywhere.” I stop in front of the car and open the rear passenger door.
“No. Absolutely not.”
“If there are no windows in the bathroom, we’ll go in and do a check and then you can have your privacy,” Laura says.
This isn’t appeasing Catriona. “What’s next? You’re going to sleep in my bed with me?”
“If I have to. Now get into the car.”
Catriona jumps about a foot in the air when I growl, but my terse words do the trick, and she dives into the backseat.
“Really, Gabe, sleep with her?” Laura rolls her eyes. “You know that’s not part of the protocol.”
Screw protocol. I want to be in Catriona’s bed because my body burns with the need, not because there’s some lunatic out there ready to steal her research, but Laura doesn’t need to know this. She wouldn’t approve because sleeping with, lusting after, dating our clients is banned. It’d ruin Cord’s business and my reputation. All I’d probably be able to protect after sleeping with a client is a drug lord, and everyone knows those jobs last about six months before someone else with more fire power guns you down.
The most important reason that you don’t get involved with a client is because it mars your judgment. You’re slow and too easily swayed by emotion, so if you care about someone, you either stop or you get someone else to do the protection. Neither is a viable option. I’m the best in the business.
So I have to bury my desire somewhere deep inside. I take a bracing breath, order my dick to deflate, and climb into the driver’s seat. Laura gets in, and I lock the doors.
In the rearview mirror, Catriona’s pretty mouth is turned down on the corners and fuck if that doesn’t twist me up inside. I’m making her unhappy.
The cursed situation turns my tone harsh. “Buckle up,” I bark.
Catriona’s frown deepens as she fumbles with the seatbelt.
“Do you have something against scientists?” she asks.
“No.”
“You sure one of them didn’t kill your mother in a bad lab experiment? Because you act like this is a big imposition.”
“Yeah, I’m sure.”
“That’s just Gabe. He doesn’t talk much or smile often, but he’s really good at his job. His mom is alive,” Laura volunteers. “She sometimes makes chili for the crew.”