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He chuckled. “That doesn’t surprise me.” She’d been unable to watch them stitch her leg, but she’d asked for a second-by-second explanation of what was happening. She was a control freak in the worst way. “Stay put and I’ll come around and help you.”

Of course she didn’t. He’d barely made it to the hood of the truck to come around the vehicle, and already she had her door open.

Luke rushed to her side and stopped her from getting out. “You don’t listen,” he complained, and wrapped his arm around her to pick her up.

“I can walk,” she said, her hand pressing to his chest to push him away, her mouth so damn close to his.

He kissed her, a soft brush of his lips over hers that was inviting and sent blood right to his groin. “We both know your knee is far more an issue than those stitches,” he said. “You’re exhausted and in pain. Stop beating yourself up for being human.” He brushed his knuckle over her cheek. “I’m going to carry you inside and get you some ice for that knee so you can sleep this off. Once you’re back to normal, you can be in charge again. Fair enough?”

“You said ‘I’m in charge,’ so I’m going to hold you to that.”

Luke lifted her. “I think I might enjoy that,” he teased, and kicked the door shut then started walking.

“Wait!” she said. “Lock the truck.”

He gave her an are you crazy look. “My hands are full.”

“We have to lock it, Luke.”

“I’ll come back and lock it, once you’re inside.”

“No, you won’t,” she accused.

“You’re right,” he said, taking the stairs to the front door. “I won’t.” He slid her down his body, unlocked the front door, and then pointed the keys at the truck and hit the automatic lock. His eyebrow inched upward. “Happy?”

“I just want you to be safe,” she said, as he helped her in the door and shut it, keying the security code into the panel.

“Stop worrying about me,” he ordered.

“It’s my job, Luke.”

He turned her to face him, suddenly irritated. “I don’t want to be your damn job, Katie,” he said. “I want to be a lot of things to you, but not a job. And when you are feeling better, we are going to talk.” Before she could object, he carried her up the stairs and straight to her room. He set her on the bed, and bent down on one knee in front of her.

“I’m trying to do what is right, Luke,” she whispered.

“I know, Katie.” He suddenly felt guilty for being so rough on her. “I’m just not sure if I’m capable of letting you do it, under the present setup. I want you too much to keep this just business.” His mouth went dry thinking about where they were, but the white line around her mouth that told of pain, plus the dark smudges beneath her eyes, quickly had him checking his desire. “I’ll get you that ice.”

Luke made fast tracks to the kitchen, lust pumping through him and beating on him with desire. He had to face the facts. He’d told himself he had agreed to this dating facade with Katie because his management had forced his hand. But he’d agreed, because as soon as Katie had walked into his den, he’d wanted her.

His agreement to publicly date her was self-serving, self-rewarding, and he wasn’t one for games—didn’t appreciate being played, so he didn’t do it to other people. He had to make sure Katie knew exactly where he was coming from and where this was going. It was easy to see Katie would find all kinds of reasons to question what was cut-and-dry to him. He wanted her. She wanted him. Hell. Ron had practically shoved them into bed together.

Tossing ice into a plastic bag, he decided he was probably twisting Ron’s instructions a bit there, but people dated those they were involved with professionally all the time. Right. Now, if Katie would only see it that way.

His hand tightened on the refrigerator door, an odd sense of not being alone sliding down his spine. Remaining still, he listened but found nothing but silence. He walked to the back-door security panel and checked it. All was intact. He glanced out the window. Nothing but sunlight and flowers. He shook his head, scrubbed his thickening stubble. All this security stuff was making him crazy. Still, he walked to the front door, staying silent, and again checked the security panel, again glanced outside. All was clear.

Shaking off the unease, he redirected his thoughts to Katie and took the stairs two at a time, returning to the guest room. He found Katie lying on her side, her leg stiff and awkward, her eyes shut. He sat down next to her and her eyes opened. “I hate pain medicine,” she whispered. “I couldn’t seem to make it to the pillow. Can you hand it to me?”