“You know I’ve got you covered,” Decker said. He glanced over his shoulder at Everly. “You’ll all be completely protected.”
Austin followed Decker’s gaze. Everly kept running the top of her pen across her lower lip. The motion drew his attention to her mouth and back to their passionate kiss. It had been days ago, but he swore he could still taste her passion on his tongue.
“I want an extra-tight circle on her,” Austin reminded Decker. “Someone needs to be glued to her whenever she’s got Bella.”
“Already done.”
He pried his gaze off Everly and looked at the floorplan again. “We’re always more vulnerable outside the house.”
Decker reached across the table and moved the papers so the three locations they would be visiting on the island—the home, the resort where Titus Security members were staying, and the training field—and their accompanying security plans lay side by side.
“I’ve put together three escape scenarios from every location—by land, sea, and air. Cody and his chopper arrive on the island an hour after we do. He’ll be on standby until we’re safely back home.”
Austin released a breath and nodded at the plans. “These are good.” He shook his head and laughed at himself. “I’m barely restraining myself from asking you to add two more escape plans to each location.”
Decker grinned. “Don’t worry, boss. I already have them”—he tapped his temple—”right here.”
“I don’t doubt it.” He met Decker’s gaze directly. “Thank you.”
He nodded acknowledgment. “I have a partial asset map put together for you, but nothing unusual or new has shown up in Everly’s background. We haven’t located her mother, but we will.”
“Good.” He exhaled. “That’s good.”
“Based on the countries and areas where she’s spent her life, I’m inclined to believe her skills that look tactical to us are simply defensive tools she’s used over the years to stay safe and fend off any potential attacks. She seems to have been in the worst areas at the worst times, which makes sense. War creates strife. Strife creates a need for aid.”
Austin had been so busy suspecting her of something devious, he hadn’t considered that angle. “Maybe.”
“Maybe you just need to get to know her better,” Decker suggested.
“That’s a bit of a double-edged sword.” It might put his mind at ease, but it would also most certainly fire up desires he shouldn’t have for his daughter’s nanny. He pulled the papers together and tapped them on the table to straighten them. “Thanks for indulging my paranoia.”
“Doing everything within your power to keep Bella safe and with you is not paranoid. It’s being a good father.”
He thanked Decker again and moved to Everly’s seat. When she looked up and smiled, he gestured to the chair opposite her. “May I?”
She laughed. “It’s your plane.”
“No, just a rental.”
“Some rental.”
He slid into the seat across from her. “What are you working on?”
She glanced down at the open guidebook. “Trying to figure out how best to use our time. There’s so much I want to show Bella, so many learning opportunities. It’s just a matter of prioritizing and scheduling. And I’m not quite sure how to do that without taking resources away from your own plans.”
He knew she meant the security team. He pulled a sheet of paper from those Decker had just given him and slid it toward her. “This should help. Decker finalized a schedule.”
“Thanks.” She took it and looked it over.
“The security team is here for you and Bella. I’ll only need them one afternoon for a training demonstration, but I can even do that without them. Just run your ideas past me before you make any solid plans. Decker will coordinate everything. Since this is a working vacation, I’d like to spend the evenings with Bella. There’s just one party I need you to attend. I want Bella there, but I won’t be able to give her the focused attention she needs. Originally, I thought it would be closer to the end of the trip, but I just found out the only time the resort could accommodate us is tonight. Beyond that, consider your evenings your own. A member of the security team will drop you and pick you up from wherever you want to go, no questions asked.”
Even if that means going out and meeting men. He hated the idea, but he forced himself to allow her that option. In some ways, he hoped she’d take it. Hoped she hooked up with someone. If she did, it would instantly cure him of this attraction.
“That’s nice. Thank you. I hope it’s also okay if I stay at the house,” she said, still reading over the schedule. “I don’t have any desire to go anywhere without Bella.”
Damn. “It’s your choice. I just want you to know you’re free to go out.”
She laid the schedule on the table and met his gaze. “What does your training demo include?”