Protect Me (The Donovan Family Book 6)

by Margaret Watson

  She glanced over her shoulder. "No. Not even for coffee. I take fast showers."

  "Bet I can show you how to slow down in there. With all that warm water. And soap. Don't forget the soap." The mental picture was so inviting he took two steps toward her.

  She narrowed her eyes at him. "Keep it in your pants, O'Roarke. The amount of sleep I got last night? I’m not in the mood."

  He beamed at her retreating back. She hadn’t slept well last night, either.

  He had a solution for that.

  Chapter 15

  Finn paced the living area, listening to the rumble of water against the walls of Mia's shower. He closed his eyes, picturing her beneath the rushing stream, water running in rivulets down her back. Her chest. Her face.

  Damn it!

  He grabbed his phone and scrolled through his emails, trying to erase the images from his brain. He clicked on one whose subject line read URGENT, huffing out a breath as he read the reminder that he had to be at the studio at one pm. Duh. Did they think he was an idiot?

  Yeah. They did.

  The assistant directors in charge of wrangling the cast members were used to actors who failed to show up on time, were drunk or high when they did show up, or disappeared into thin air when their scene was called. It didn't matter that Finn had never been one of those people. He got the same alerts as everyone else.

  A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts, and he walked over and squinted through the peep hole. It was Josh. "Yes?" he called.

  "I have your coffee, sir," he said, clearing his throat. "It's Josh."

  "Can you hold on a minute, buddy?" Finn said.

  "Uh, sure."

  Finn hurried to Mia's door. The water had stopped and the door was partially closed. He knocked once and pushed it open, then froze. Mia stood at the dresser, wearing only a tiny pair of red polka-dot boy shorts and a matching bra.

  He must have sucked in a breath, because she spun around. Narrowed her eyes into angry slits. "Get. Out." She didn't even bother to try and cover herself.

  He couldn't stop himself from studying every inch of her – the way her breasts plumped over the edge of her bra, the swell of her hips in those tiny shorts, the smooth, supple curves of her legs. Her hair hung in damp waves around her shoulders, and he wanted to slide his fingers through it. "Ah, Josh is here. With your coffee. I was just…coming to get you."

  "I'll be right there." She bent over and grabbed the robe off the bed, and the shorts slid up a little on her ass, revealing creamy, pale skin. She threw on the robe, tightening the belt with a vicious yank, then grabbed her gun from her night stand, dropped it in her pocket and pushed past him.

  She peered through the peephole, then opened the door and took the coffee from Josh. "Thanks, Josh," she said. None of the anger from a moment ago was visible in her smile. "We appreciate you taking such good care of us."

  The boy beamed. "You're welcome, Ma'am."

  Finn recovered his wits in time to grab his wallet and press some bills into Josh's hand. "We'll call later for breakfast. See you then," he said, closing the door.

  By the time he'd re-locked the door, Mia had poured two cups of coffee and added cream to both of them. She stood in front of the window overlooking the lake, her mug clasped to her chest. The sun was beginning to peek over the horizon, and the brilliant colors of the sky bled over the city.

  "Sorry," he said awkwardly, taking a sip of coffee and burning his tongue. "I shouldn't have walked in on you."

  "Don't worry about it. I'm not awake enough to get all indignant," she said without turning. She raised the mug, blew gently over the caramel-colored surface and sipped. "What are we doing this morning?"

  She'd let her anger go pretty quickly. He frowned. Did that mean she didn't care that he'd walked in on her? That it wasn't important?

  That what had happened last night wasn’t important?

  "I'm going to work on my blocking and my lines," he said after a moment. "We're doing complicated scenes tonight – an action sequence. A chase scene. Lot of stuff to work out."

  She turned to face him. "Okay. What time are we leaving?"

  "Twelve-thirty. Studio first, to walk through the scenes. Costume fitting, again. Then we'll have a couple of hours to eat while they set up the equipment at the scene."

  She leaned against the window sill as she sipped her coffee. The white robe gaped at her chest, revealing a tiny sliver of the red bra. He tried to drag his gaze above her neck, but that hint of red had his complete focus.

  "Where are the scenes set?" Mia asked.

  He frowned, trying to remember what they were talking about. "Downtown. Beneath some El tracks. Somewhere."

  "Okay. So, cars weaving in and out of the posts, tires squealing, lights flashing, loud noises. Standard car chase scene. Who's doing crowd control?"

  He shrugged. "They usually hire cops to take care of that."

  Frowning, tapping one fingernail on her front tooth, she stared past his shoulder. Finally her gaze snapped to him. "How close am I going to be able to be to you?"

  "No idea. I've never had a bodyguard during a shoot." He hesitated, thinking about it. "When I'm actually in front of the camera, you won't be close. But no one else will be, either, except for the cast and crew and the director. When I'm not shooting? I'll be right next to you." Even if she wasn't guarding him, he'd make sure he was close to her.

  "Okay," she said, nodding. "I'll make it work."

  He wasn't a fan of this business-like, focused-on-her-job Mia. Not when all he could think about was what had happened on the floor in this room last night. They had hours before they needed to be at the studio. He'd already memorized his lines. He wanted to spend the time with Mia, rolling around in the big bed in his room. Without their clothes this time.

  He watched, wincing as she drained her still-hot coffee and poured more into the mug. After a tentative sip, she said, "I'm hungry. Let's order breakfast. And more coffee."

  "You have a bad caffeine habit, Officer. Sure you don't need some help breaking it?" His chest tightened in anticipation. Other parts of him, too. "A distraction, maybe?"

  Her lips curved behind the safety of her mug. "No help necessary. I've accepted my weakness and learned to live with it. But just out of curiosity, what did you have in mind?"

  "I was thinking about some non-verbal communication."

  "No way," she said immediately. "I hate charades." Her eyes twinkled.

  He would remember what a difference a cup of coffee made in Mia's attitude.

  "Not exactly what I had in mind," he said, letting his gaze drop to the vee at the neck of her bathrobe.

  Her smile faded. "I meant what I said last night."

  "And I thought about what you said. It doesn't need to change anything. You'll still do your job like the frighteningly competent woman you are. I'll still get on your nerves like the ass I can be. But when we're back here, in the safety of these rooms, we can both drop our guards. Explore what this is between us."

  She raised one eyebrow. "'Frighteningly competent? Makes me sound like a prison warden."

  He leaned against the couch, sipping on his own coffee. "Warden works for me," he said with a little smirk. "Handcuffs? A uniform? I'm in."

  She shook her head, but her mouth twitched. "In your dreams, O'Rourke." Her smile disappeared. "I know what this is between us, Finn." She lowered the coffee and watched him with serious eyes. "It's an attraction that's hot enough to melt steel. I want you, too. But you're only here for three weeks. I think we're better off if we keep this professional and both do our jobs."

  "We could have a lot of fun in three weeks." His hands tingled with the need to touch her.

  "Yeah, we could. But if I get…attached, it would make me less effective as your bodyguard. When emotion gets involved, mistakes happen."

  She was right. He sure as hell didn't want a messy entanglement. He and Gemma had shared a lot of emotion, and look how that turned out.

  But he wanted
Mia. She wanted him. Why not indulge themselves? Once he went back to California, he'd be busy with the film. Mia would be busy with her detective's exam. They had different lives in different cities. It couldn't last, but they'd have great memories. Hoping to change her mind, he asked, "Aren't you already involved?"

  "It would be worse if we got closer."

  She hadn't denied her involvement. "You're going to be able to ignore this," he gestured between them, "for three more weeks?"

  "If I can't ignore it, I'll deal with it," she said, holding his gaze. Her knuckles whitened on the mug.

  "God, Mia!" He closed his eyes and tilted his head back, desperate to stop the vivid images scrolling through his brain. "You can't say stuff like that, then expect me to pretend that picture isn't rolling around in my head."

  "Then order breakfast. More coffee. We can both settle down, then get to work." She stood up and set the mug of coffee on the table. "I want eggs over hard, bacon, wheat toast and fruit."

  He watched her walk toward her room, the robe swaying around her legs. He hadn't gotten where he was by waiting for things to come to him. When he wanted something, he went after it with everything he had.

  Right now, he wanted Mia.

  * * *

  Mia leaned against the small trailer tucked along a curb on Washington Street, watching the crowds on the sidewalks. The indigo sky was fading rapidly to black, and Finn was inside the trailer, putting on his costume. He'd pointed out that she should be inside with him, to protect him as he changed clothes, and she'd rolled her eyes.

  The woman from costumes, the same one who'd fitted him yesterday and given Mia the beard, had poked and prodded, arranged and tucked this afternoon. That costume, along with two others he'd need tonight, hung in the tiny trailer closet.

  Behind blue police sawhorses on the sidewalks, people packed Washington Street, completely filling the space between the stores and the barricades. The crowd murmured and shifted like flowing water, everyone craning their necks to get a glimpse of the stars. Derek Sawyer's trailer was parked behind Finn's, and Jenna Stanton's behind Derek's. A larger trailer shared by the actors with smaller parts was on the other side of the street.

  Finn's stalker could be in that crowd. It was the first time they'd shot a location scene, so it was the first time the fans could gather and watch. If Mia was a stalker, this is where she'd be. Straining to catch a glimpse of her obsession.

  A shiver rippled down her spine as she studied the crowds. Was the woman right in front of her, watching Finn's trailer?

  Studying Mia, her supposed rival? Becoming more and more enraged?

  Mia straightened a little more. Maybe she'd be a little clingy with Finn. Affectionate. Push the stalker over the edge. Draw her into showing her hand.

  Mia was confident she could take care of herself and Finn both.

  She ignored the voice whispering that being more affectionate with Finn was exactly what she wanted, anyway.

  Tearing her gaze away from the crowd, she studied the surrounding area. Police officers, some in uniforms and some in plain clothes, wandered down the blocked off street, their eyes scanning the crowd, moving closer from time to time to head off more exuberant fans intent on jumping the barricade. As she watched, Mia wondered if she might have been working here tonight, in uniform, if she hadn't taken the job as Finn's bodyguard.

  It was a strange thought. Instead of the last three days spent with Finn, getting to know him, making…having sex with him, she could be patrolling on Washington, oblivious to the man inside the trailer.

  Completely unaware of the magic that flared between them when they got too close.

  It had happened all day today. Casual touches. Brushing against him in the elevator. A quick glance when they shared an unspoken thought. Each time triggered a tiny explosion beneath her skin, a jolt of electricity singing through her body.

  She was pretty sure she'd managed to hide her reactions from Finn, but it was a lot harder to hide them from herself. She wasn't sure how she'd manage for almost three more weeks.

  As her gaze swept over the police officers and the crowd on the other side of the street, she froze. Swiveled and looked toward Wabash and the El tracks, where the huge lights were being set up.

  Damn it.

  Curling her fists into her sides, she watched as her brother Connor strolled down the street. He did a double-take, as if he'd just noticed her.

  Scowling as he approached, she grabbed the front of his shirt in her fist and shook. "Trying to pretend you didn't know I'd be here?" She snorted. "Don't give up your day job for acting," she said in a low voice, aware of Finn inside the trailer at her back. "Because you suck at it. What the hell are you doing here, Con?"

  "I'm working security for this film shoot," he said, raising his eyebrows. "What are you doing here?"

  "Don't give me that bullshit." She shook him again. "Detectives don't work these jobs. You came here to spy on me."

  "Didn't know you'd be here," he said. The tiny tell of his eyes drifting over her shoulder was proof he'd known. "Kiplinger wanted the night off, said she had something she needed to do." He shrugged. "Who can't use a little extra cash? I volunteered to fill in for her."

  "Out of the goodness of your heart, right?" She let go of his shirt and shoved him away. "Get lost, Con. Go do your job. Because if you think you're going to confront Finn, you're mistaken."

  Instead of backing away, Con watched her with serious eyes. "What's gotten into you, Mia? Why are you hanging around with that dickhead?"

  "First of all, Connor Donovan, what I do is none of your damned business. Yes, you, Mac, Quinn and Bren saved my ass a couple of times when I was in high school. And yes, I appreciated it. But I'm not in high school anymore. I'm capable of taking care of myself. And second, he's not a dickhead. So butt out."

  Con frowned. "How did you even meet the guy, anyway?"

  "He's my job, asshole," Mia hissed at him. "I'm his protection detail for the next three weeks. Posing as his girlfriend," she added in a harsh whisper. "And if you tell anyone, I will kill you. He has a stalker, and she's escalating. Captain Talbott asked if I would do it, and I agreed."

  "Then why didn't you tell Bren last night?"

  "Oh, was I supposed to ask your permission? Run it by you and Mac and Quinn and Bren before I took the job? Do you guys have veto power now?"

  Connor sighed. "Mia, we're your brothers. It's our job to look out for you."

  "Like hell it is." She shoved her fingers through her hair in frustration. "Look, Con, I love you. I love the other idiots, too. But I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself. This is my job, and I've got it. Okay? So stop this. Get lost."

  Mia spotted Jenna Stanton walking down the street. The other woman stared at her, eyes narrowed. Mia smiled and waved at the woman.

  "Get out of here, Con. Let me do my job."

  Before her brother turned away, the door to the trailer opened and Finn stepped out, dressed in loose, worn jeans and a faded flannel shirt. "Hey, Mia," he said, his gaze flicking between her and Connor. "Problem here?"

  "Not at all," she said, infuriated. She was supposed to be protecting him. Not the other way around.

  Connor stepped toward him, holding out his hand. "I'm Connor. Her brother."

  Finn sized him up as he shook. "Finn O'Rourke." He glanced at Mia as he let go of Connor's hand. "Another one from the spread sheet accounted for. Maybe we're looking in the wrong places for the stalker."

  Mia took a deep breath. Let it out. Felt the tension fall away from her shoulders. "That would be too easy. No, my brothers' only problem is an excess of testosterone."

  "Hey, now," Finn said with an easy smile, holding up his hands. "Watch your mouth, Officer. Nothing wrong with testosterone." He glanced at Con. "Have to take your side on this one, Detective."

  Finn was so good he was scary. He'd remembered that three of her brothers were detectives. And he'd charmed Connor into a smile. "Thanks, man," Connor said, finally relax
ing his stiff posture. "A guy's gotta watch out for his little sister."

  "You know it."

  Finn and Connor exchanged fist bumps, and Mia stepped between them. "The only woman you need to watch out for is Raine," she said, poking her brother in the chest. "And she could kick your ass with one hand tied behind her back. So I think you're done here. Get back to work, Con."

  "On my way." He turned to go, then glanced over his shoulder. "You know dinner is next weekend. If you're his," he lowered his voice, "protection, you're gonna have to bring him. We'll all be looking forward to that."

  "In your dreams, Con," she called after him.

  "Gonna be more fun than watching the dance Bren did with Cilla," he said, grinning over his shoulder. "I can't wait."

  She scowled at her brother's back as he walked away. Just before he turned the corner onto Wabash, Con glanced over her shoulder and winked. She gave him the finger and he laughed as he disappeared from sight.

  "Well, that was fun," Finn said.

  She turned to face him and found him leaning against the trailer. His eyes twinkled, and a tiny grin flirted with his mouth. "It was. I like seeing your brothers go all caveman on you." His smile gentled. "It's sweet."

  "It's a pain in the ass, is what it is."

  He shook his head. "No. It's a revelation. Do you know how rare that is in my world?" he said quietly. "To see a guy think of someone other than himself? To watch out for a woman with no ulterior motive other than to protect her?"

  She studied him, his eyes too soft, his mouth too tender. "You'd do the same for your sister."

  He shrugged one shoulder. "Of course I would. So would most guys. But to do it in front of the guy you're protecting her from? That takes balls. Big ones."

  The compliment to her family made her all squishy. A piece of mush, standing in front of him. "Don't say that in front of my brothers," she muttered, her face hot. "They'd hold it over my head for the rest of my life."