by Lori Wilde
Her eyes widened as she stared at him. Suddenly it dawned on Luke they were dressed almost identically.
Black top. Green camouflage bottoms. Combat boots.
Never mind that his pants were loose fitting and that her miniskirt was so tight it could have doubled as a dew rag. Essentially, they were wearing the same outfit. It was a very odd sensation, seeing a feminized version of himself standing right before his eyes. Except his clothes were real solider fatigues whereas her scant costume was nothing more than a fashion statement.
“Wow,” Zack said, from behind Luke. “Look at you two. Twinzees.”
She was a teensy little thing. Five-two at the most and she couldn’t have weighed more than a hundred pounds. Her entire body would have fit into one leg of his pants and here she was challenging him as if she were three times his size. Courageous, bold. He admired those qualities, admired them a lot. He also admired the way her smile was just a little bit crooked, as if she knew a secret joke and wasn’t about to let the rest of the world in on it.
Definitely a red flag moment.
This was not good. He could not be attracted to the woman he’d been hired to protect. And why did she have to smell so good? Like cinnamon and ginger and something fuller, richer, more feminine. He had an urge to lick her skin and see if she tasted as good as she smelled.
Ah hell. He was getting a boner.
Luke gritted his teeth, struggling to restrain his arousal. Face it, Cardasian. You are so damned desperate for sex that anyone of the feminine persuasion can get you hard.
But he knew that simply wasn’t true. He had walked past a hundred gorgeous women out on the streets of New York without getting the same response. Nope, for some perverse twist of nature, it was this pint-size dynamo who inflamed him.
“No one pulls the plug on my show without my permission,” she barked like a drill sergeant.
“I believe I just did.” He glowered, getting into his anger. Anger was an appropriate alternative to lust. He put his hands on his hips, mirroring her aggressive body language, giving her a dose of her pique. Her spunkiness made him smile. How could he stay a hard-ass when she looked so darn cute? He reached over and pantomimed flicking a chip off her shoulder.
“Hey!”
“Play nice, Callie. This is your new bodyguard,” the tall cool blonde said.
“You have got to be kidding.” Callie snorted and shook her head.
The blonde extended her hand to Luke. “I’m Molly Anne Armstrong by the way. The Midnight Ryder’s business manager.”
“Luke Cardasian.”
The woman’s hand was limp, but she smiled sweetly and Luke overlooked her dead-fish handshake.
“I don’t like him,” Callie drawled in her smooth whiskey accent. The sound of her lodged inside his gut and seeped slowly throughout his system like maple syrup drizzled over hotcakes.
He shifted his gaze from Molly Anne to Callie. He appreciated her bluntness. You knew where you stood with this one. No pussyfooting around sensitive issues. Something told Luke she would shake hands like a champion prizefighter. Hard, firm, determined to win at all costs. Except she wasn’t about to shake hands with him. She looked as if she would rather French-kiss a rattlesnake.
“Don’t hold back on my account,” he said. “Tell me how you really feel.”
She was spunky. He liked her even if she didn’t like him.
“Chill out for a minute, Callie,” Molly Anne said. “You’re just irritated because Luke had Barb cut off that threatening caller.”
“Yes I am. And what’s wrong with that?” Callie asked. “It’s my show. He has no business stepping in and acting so high-handed.”
“I beg to differ. He is exactly what you need. Who wants a pushover bodyguard?” pressed Molly Anne.
“I don’t want a bodyguard at all.” Callie hardened her look.
“I had your engineer cut off the caller for your own safety,” Luke explained. “Not to mention the best interests of the radio station. You were provoking the guy and you have no clue what he’s capable of.”
“I was not provoking him. I was handling him just fine. I didn’t need your intervention.”
Luke shrugged. “Too bad. You got it.”
Oh, that pissed her off. Her eyes narrowed and she wagged a finger in his face. “I am not having some two-bit soldier boy telling me how to run my show.”
Two-bit soldier boy? Now she was just trying to get even.
“That’s a low blow,” he said.
“Can’t take the heat? Get out of my kitchen.” She doubled her fists at her sides and he wondered why she was so inclined to fight. What had happened to turn her so pugilistic? Not that he minded. Luke enjoyed a worthy opponent.
“Well, guess what?” he said. “I won’t have some demanding prima donna telling me how best to do my job.”
“Prima donna? Are you calling me a prima donna?”
“If the moniker fits…”
“You don’t act like a bodyguard to me. You’re too contentious. What precisely are your qualifications?” she asked. “Exactly how long have you been a bodyguard?”
“In truth? You’re my first client.”
“What?” She scowled at Molly Anne. “You hired a virgin bodyguard? Oh, lovely. That’s rich.”
“I was a Navy M.P.,” Luke interjected. “And for the last six years I’ve been guiding aid workers and the news media through one of the most volatile countries on the planet. I think that qualifies me for baby-sitting a smart-mouthed shock jock.”
“Baby-sitting?” She glared, hissing the word through clenched teeth. Apparently she liked this word even less than prima donna.
“Baby-sitting,” he echoed, staring her down.
“A deranged caller is threatening my life and you think that all you’ll be doing is sitting around on your duff?”
“Yep.”
“Get rid of him!” Callie said to Molly Anne.
“Take it easy, sweetheart.” He had to confess he was just messing with her now. Intentionally riling her just to see those almond eyes narrow and that crooked little mouth dive down in anger.
“I am not your sweetheart,” she raged, “I’m no one’s sweetheart. Got it? And don’t tell me to take it easy.”
“Why are you so scared of me?” he asked, slowing his speech, trying to read the woman behind the outrage.
“I’m not scared of you!” She looked taken aback by his suggestion. He knew he had hit her insecurities dead-on.
“Then why are you picking a fight?”
“News flash, scared people run away from altercations,” she said. “They don’t pick fights.”
“Oh yes they do. Some people pick fights hoping the other fella will run away first.”
“He’s impossible,” Callie exclaimed and threw her arms in the air. “I simply will not work with him.”
Molly Anne addressed Zack. “I like your brother. He holds his ground. Callie steamrollers right over most people.”
“Oh, Luke will never let her get away with that stuff,” Zack said. “He loves squaring off against people. He’s a real crusader. Always looking for someone to reform.”
“He’ll have his work cut out for him.” Molly Anne chuckled.
“Hello!” Callie huffed, waved her arms. “We’re standing right here.”
Yes she was. Not two feet from Luke.
And looking mighty sexy in her indignation. He took a second gander at her compact little body. Her biceps and triceps were firm and shapely, a testament to her commitment to regular strength training. He approved. Her bare abdomen was flat and taut. Her navel sported a silver belly ring. Which he did not approve of. But in spite of being a lean machine, she still had curves. Generous hips, a high derriere, nice breasts.
Spend time with me, her sumptuous figure beckoned. He could not, would not, but that didn’t mean he didn’t dream. In a blinding flash, he saw her in his mind’s eye, standing naked underneath a waterfall, her strangely colored purple-pink
hair plastered against the nape of her neck, the swell of her nipples glistening wetly.
Mentally, Luke tracked her imaginary, but highly sensuous movements, as she cocked her head and took the full brunt of the splashing cascade upon her chest. He slid his gaze down the curvy lines of her slender shoulders and watched the water bead over her rich skin.
His imagination exploded. He envisioned himself shucking off his own clothing and joining her under that waterfall. He fantasized that he was snaking out a hand, grabbing her lithe wrist and hauling her hard against his bare slick body, holding her a willing captive in his embrace.
Her body heat was in sharp contrast to the cool water. He sank his teeth into her bottom lip and sucked it roughly into his mouth. He wanted more. Yes, yes. Inside his addled brain, he took her mouth in his in one long, soul-searching kiss. She felt so warm and human in his embrace. He had been too long without a woman. He’d forgotten how amazingly soft they were. Her skin was so delicate, her fingers adorably small. The illusion was so vivid, so real, Luke began to worry that his flight of fancy had morphed into a full-blown hallucination.
“Snap out of it,” he growled and violently shook his head. It was only when everyone turned to stare that Luke realized he had spoken aloud.
“What?” Callie bristled, obviously thinking he’d been talking to her. “What did you say to me?”
“Nothing,” Luke mumbled, hating that his reverie had cost him the upper hand. “Nothing at all.”
“You’re blushing.” Callie gave him the once-over as if she was a motorcycle cop and he was a New Year’s Eve reveler who’d had one Sex-on-the-Beach too many.
“No, I’m not,” Luke denied even as his ears caught fire.
“Then why is your face red? Do you have high blood pressure? The last thing I need is a virgin bodyguard who’s about to stroke out.”
He wished she would stop saying the word “virgin.” Especially with regards to him. “I don’t have high blood pressure, dammit. Or at least I didn’t until I met you.”
“There’s the door.” She pointed. “You don’t like the situation. Hit it.”
The woman could get on a guy’s last nerve. Obviously he could not accept this job. Not when the attraction was testing every ounce of self-discipline he possessed. Not when he wanted to wring her lovely little neck at the very same moment he simultaneously wanted to kiss her silly.
He had to refuse the assignment. For his own peace of mind. Plus, he had a legitimate excuse for weaseling out so no one would guess the real reason he couldn’t hang. He would tell her if he wasn’t allowed full control over the security details for the entire book tour then he was well within his rights to cancel the contract.
“You’re absolutely correct,” he said. “This arrangement isn’t going to work.”
“Wait a minute.” Callie’s nostrils flared. “Are you firing me?”
“That’s right.”
“You can’t fire me. I fired you first.”
“This isn’t a case of one-upsmanship.”
“Fine, then I fire you.”
He looked at Molly Anne. “I’m sorry Ms. Armstrong, for wasting your time, but Cardasian Security cannot insure Ms. Ryder’s safety if she insists on questioning my authority and if I can’t insure her safety, we cannot in good conscience accept this contract.”
“There’s no time to make new travel arrangements with a new bodyguard. Our flight leaves in eight hours and the ticket has already been issued in your name,” Molly Anne argued.
“I’m sorry for your inconvenience,” he said.
“But we have already paid your firm fifty percent of your fee.”
This was news to him but Luke hadn’t been home long enough to sit down with Zack and go over the accounts. He was at a distinct disadvantage in the negotiations. He glanced at his brother. “Give Ms. Armstrong her money back.”
Zack looked sheepish. “Can I talk to you for a sec? In private.”
Luke didn’t like the sound of this. “Please excuse us a moment, ladies.”
“If you keep on walking it will be hunky-dory with me,” Callie hollered after him.
Don’t lose your temper. If you lose your temper she wins. He stepped out into the hall. Zack followed.
“Why can’t you give them their money back?” Luke demanded once the door had closed behind them.
“Um.” Zack stuck his hands in his pockets and jingled his change. “I sort of spent it on the down payment for the Hummer.”
“And we don’t even have fifteen grand left in the bank?”
“Not really.” Zack winced and cringed. “I also paid the yearly fire insurance on the office building and barely met payroll.”
Somehow Luke had known what his brother was going to say. He shook his head. No wonder their parents had called, begging him to come home and help Zack with the business. Left to his own devices his brother would bankrupt Cardasian Personal Security Services within the year.
“So what you’re telling me is that in order to make ends meet we really have no choice. I have to take this assignment.”
“Yeah, kinda.”
Luke growled. “Or you could go on the road with her and I could stay here and go through the books. Try and squeeze out every spare nickel.”
“But I’m in the middle of planning a wedding, remember.”
“Belinda’s planning a wedding.”
“I promised her I’d go with her to pick out the cake. Plus, her parents are coming into town next week and they’re taking us to dinner.”
“What about Carl or Jim?”
“They’re already both on lengthy assignments.”
“I don’t believe this.” Luke ran a palm down his face. “Once again you’ve left me dangling with my butt in the breeze.”
“Hey,” Zack said defensively. “Don’t get on your high horse. I was the one who was here when Dad had his heart attack. You were the one who was off gallivanting around Africa.”
“Excuse me, but I was helping to guide innocent people trying to do good in a country torn by war.”
“Or maybe you were just hiding out.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Zack shrugged. “It wasn’t your war to get involved with. Why were you even there?”
“You know why. I couldn’t say no to Mukasi. We spent half our life in that country. Are you telling me you don’t care what happens to those people?”
“No,” Zack said. “You know I do care. I just don’t want you judging me. I was here, you weren’t. I spent the money how I saw fit.”
“Yes and now because of it I have to guard that hellion in there.” Luke pointed toward the door. “On the road 24/7 for three miserable weeks.”
“I don’t see what you’re getting so bent out of shape about. You gotta admit Callie Ryder is twice as hot in person as she is on that billboard.”
Her supercharged hotness was exactly the reason Luke did not want to accept the job, but he wasn’t about to tell Zack that. He was certain he could control himself around temptation.
Unlike some people. He glared at his brother.
“Besides,” Zack said. “I think you’ve finally met your match. Both of you are decisive and direct and determined to be in charge.”
“Are you kidding? We’re like fire and ice. I felt the tension the minute we laid eyes on each other.”
“Sexual tension is a good thing, bro. That means there’s passion brewing.”
“It’s not sexual tension,” Luke denied. “She just gets under my skin.”
“Same thing.”
“Knock it off.”
“Can’t you see it’s kismet?” Zack teased, clasping his palms together under his chin and batting his eyelashes in a silly romantic gesture.
“Shut up.” He could hear the sound of his own teeth grinding.
“I mean, hell, what other woman on earth would be dressed exactly like you? Face it. She’s the one. She’s your soul mate.”
Luke started to
pole-vault down his brother’s throat for that ridiculous crack until he saw Zack grinning, obviously trying to get his goat. He forced a smile in return. “Fine…great…okay. I’ll guard Ms. Diva. Just don’t expect me to like it.”
SHE HAD TO MAKE HIM LEAVE.
There was no way she was going to put up with Luke Cardasian’s strong-arm tactics for three interminable weeks. It wasn’t just because he was one of the most irritating men she had ever met. Which he was. No, her need to get him out of her life ran much deeper.
He scared her.
Not because he was so big and imposing. Not because he possessed the mental toughness of a bulldog. Not even because his self-control barely masked a powder keg of emotions. What really frightened her was the weird sensation that rippled at the back of her knees whenever he looked deeply into her eyes. Because nothing terrified Callie more than the idea of laying herself vulnerable in front of some man.
And a stranger at that.
It was the main reason she preferred physical closeness to emotional intimacy. Sex she could handle. It was the cuddling and snuggling and confidence sharing that did her in. When you got intimate with someone, that’s when you got hurt. If you kept your emotional armor in place, kept the pillow talk light and never revealed anything important about yourself, then there wasn’t much a lover could use to stab you in the back.
But what if you found someone you could really let down your guard with? Wouldn’t that be wonderful?
No. No it wouldn’t. While she might secretly long to backtrack and rediscover the girl she’d once been before she’d become the Midnight Ryder, Callie resisted lifting up the corner of that particular rug to examine what she’d been sweeping underneath it all these years.
She had to get rid of Cardasian and that’s all there was to it. Before he became her undoing. Unfortunately, when Callie had called Roger McKee to lodge her complaint about Cardasian, she received little sympathy from the station manager. Roger had merely reiterated what Molly Anne had already told her. She could either accept the bodyguard or pay for the book tour out of her own pocket.
Or—she’d mentally added to Roger’s limited list of options as she hung up—she could piss off the big burly bodyguard so he would quit. It shouldn’t take much to make Cardasian mad enough to storm off in a huff. She could tell he disliked her almost as much as she disliked him.