by Elle James
He took all of a day to ask his secretary to marry him. One day out of his relationship with Kinsey, and he was on his knee asking that little boyfriend-stealer to marry him.
That was when Kinsey pulled up all her stakes and moved to Greece. She’d put off living her life long enough for that man. She wasn’t doing it any longer.
And she surely wasn’t falling in love with a guy who’d just told her he wasn’t interested in commitment. That’s why he’d hired her. To keep women off his scent. All women—including her.
Having sworn off men for the near future, she shouldn’t have a problem keeping her hands off the sexy helicopter pilot.
They tiptoed back through the hallway and into Sam’s room.
“I’m getting a shower. Help yourself to the blanket on the bed.” And Sam entered the bathroom, closing the door between them.
Once he was out of sight, she could finally take a deep breath.
Sam Magnus was a man’s man and hard to miss or ignore. His dark hair and blue eyes made him even more mysterious and attractive.
Kinsey would have her hands full beating back the women. She curled her fingers into her palms, making tight fists. Those women wouldn’t get within two feet of her man. Her man. Ha! So, he wasn’t her man. But she’d play her part to the T and make the ladies believe she was the fiancée of the handsome American soldier.
The scent of food made Kinsey pause at the little table and lift a dishtowel to discover a plate of food.
Her stomach rumbled. She’d spent the day snorkeling, had been kidnapped and never had supper.
She glanced toward the bathroom door. Would Sam mind if she had just a little bit of his dinner?
Kinsey inhaled the rich aroma of a traditional Greek meal, fighting the urge to sneak a bite. She’d only have a little. Enough to take the edge off her hunger.
She sat at the table and ate half of the casserole-like dish on the plate before she could stop.
Sam stuck his head through the door. “Mrs. D left a plate of moussaka on the table. I’ve already eaten. Help yourself.”
Kinsey swallowed the bite she’d been chewing, heat rising into her cheeks. “Thanks.”
The door closed again and Kinsey finished off the food on the plate. She sat back in her chair, full of great food and feeling a little better about her situation.
The sound of water spraying in the bathtub drew her attention to the bathroom door. Not that she could see through the wood paneling, but she had an imagination and it was running wild with images of Sam standing naked beneath the water.
Crap! What was she thinking? The man was her employer, not her lover or her fiancé. She’d better keep that in mind at all times, or her naughty thoughts would land her in hotter water than she’d already been scalded by.
Rather than take the comforter from the bed, Kinsey checked in the closet and found a spare blanket. She sat in the overstuffed chair, plumped the down pillow and pulled the blanket up around her. The air in the room was really too warm for a covering of any kind, so she dropped it to her waist and curled her feet under her.
The chair didn’t have enough room for her to stretch out, but it would have to do. She was lucky to have a roof over her head and a safe haven from kidnappers. She wouldn’t complain.
The sound of the shower shutting off in the other room made Kinsey’s heart skip several beats. Would Sam come out of the bathroom fully clothed, or would he just wrap a towel around his narrow hips and walk his sexy body out into the bedroom? Which begged the next question…did he sleep nude?
Kinsey’s cheeks burned at the thought. She’d known the guy less than a couple hours, but she was already drooling over his body and dreaming about him strutting his stuff in the buff.
The bathroom door opened, and Sam emerged wearing a pair of gym shorts and an old T-shirt. “For the record, I sleep in the nude.”
Kinsey gasped, her cheeks scorching. “I didn’t ask.”
“I’m just telling you because I’m making an exception and wearing shorts to bed, to spare you any embarrassment.”
“You won’t embarrass me. You don’t have anything I haven’t seen.” She tried for nonchalance, when in fact, she had trouble breathing at the thought of Sam naked.
“Still, as your boss, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”
“This is your room. I’m only here, because I have nowhere else to go. You can do whatever you want. Please yourself. I’m not paying the bill.” She lay back and closed her eyes, feigning sleep. “Good night, Mr. Magnus.”
“Sam,” he corrected. “We’re supposed to be engaged.”
She nodded. “Yes, sir.” She popped a salute and smiled. “Goodnight, Mr.…Sam.”
He frowned. “Will you be all right in that chair?”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. It’s better than sleeping on a sandy beach or in an alley on stone steps.”
“Yeah, but you’re knotted up like a pretzel.”
“I’m very flexible.” Again, she closed her eyes. “Goodnight, Sam.”
“Goodnight, Kinsey.”
“Thank you for saving my life,” she added softly.
“You’re welcome.” He turned off the light on his nightstand and the bedsprings creaked as he settled on the mattress.
A few minutes passed before Kinsey’s eyes adjusted to the limited starlight creeping through the one window in the room.
Sam pulled his T-shirt over his head and draped it across the white iron headboard.
The starlight that managed to find its way into the room bathed his shoulders and chest in a dark, blue-gray hue.
Kinsey couldn’t stop staring from beneath her lashes. Yes, keeping from falling for such a man would be difficult for most women. But she had the track record of falling in love with the wrong man. She wouldn’t be so gullible next time. No. There wouldn’t be a next time.
She adjusted her limbs, searching for a comfortable position, and resigned herself to a restless night’s sleep. Tomorrow had to be a better day than the one she’d barely survived.
Sam lay back on the mattress and stared up at the ceiling, hyper-aware of the woman wearing his T-shirt in the chair not six feet away.
Like he’d guessed, she’d rinsed her undergarments and hung them to dry in the bathroom.
That meant she was naked beneath the T-shirt. Her bare breasts and lady parts were touching the soft jersey fabric.
An ache built at Sam’s core. He’d gone far too long without a woman. But now was not the time to get involved. Especially with Kinsey. She was heading back to the States to start her life over. He was scheduled to return to Afghanistan for the next three months.
Maybe he shouldn’t have hired her to fend off the ladies on the island. He might have set himself up for a lot more frustration than he planned for. Then again, he would satisfy his commander’s demand to chill out. What better way to prove to the boss that he was enjoying his vacation than by sending the man pictures of him snorkeling, swimming and dancing with a beautiful woman?
Sam lay for a while longer, analyzing the events of the evening. Who were the men who’d attempted to kidnap Kinsey, and where had they been taking her? If Kinsey had been telling the truth about working as an au pair for the Martins, why had the couple ditched her and left three weeks early? And why would the hotel deny all knowledge that she’d been a guest there?
None of these incidents were making sense. Either the staff at the hotel were in on some massive lie, or Kinsey had been given a lot more of the knock-out drug than Sam first assumed.
The hours ticked by, and Sam remained awake, his mind going over and over the fight and the hotel staff’s reaction to Kinsey’s claims she’d been registered there.
The woman in question moaned softly and squirmed in the tight confines of the armchair.
Sam pushed up on his elbows and studied her from across the room.
She was asleep, but apparently having a nightmare, which was to be expected. The woman had been a
ttacked and overpowered by two men. More than likely, she’d have nightmares for the rest of her life. His heart squeezed inside his chest. No woman should be treated the way those men had handled her.
Kinsey moaned again and kicked out. The movement sent her flying out of the chair to land hard on the floor. She woke with a start, her eyelids fluttering. “Oh!”
Sam flew out of the bed and dropped to his knees beside her. “Are you okay?” He slipped an arm around her back and one beneath her legs.
“What?” She blinked again and shoved at Sam, her eyes wide, her body tense. “Where am I? What’s happening?”
“You’re okay.” He lifted her up against him and stood. “You’re in my room. You must have had a bad dream.”
She stared into his eyes for a long moment, and then her body relaxed. “Oh, it’s you, Sam.” She wrapped one arm around his neck and leaned her face into his shoulder, her eyes closing. Her other hand rested on his chest, her fingers digging into his flesh. “Those men came back for me.”
“Only in your nightmare. I won’t let them get to you,” he reassured her. “You’re safe with me.”
She sighed. “Thank you.” And she was asleep again.
Sam remained standing with her in his arms, liking the way she felt so warm and soft against his body. But he couldn’t hold her all night. He glanced at the chair. How would he fit her back in that small space? She’d already fallen out once. If he laid her there, she’d just roll out again.
His gaze moved to the bed. What the hell? She could sleep on the bed with him. He’d keep his hands to himself and get up before she did so that she didn’t think he was coming on to her.
Then again, he could sleep in the chair…
Nope. He was a big guy. He was supposed to be in Greece to relax. Sleeping in a chair would not accomplish that goal.
Too tired to analyze his motives, he carried Kinsey to the bed, laid her down on the mattress and pulled up the blanket over her bare legs.
The shirt had hiked up to her hip in the process. The skin was milky white above her bikini line.
The sudden urge to kiss her there nearly overwhelmed him. Sam moaned softly, careful not to wake Kinsey. He piled pillows in a line down the middle of the bed and rounded the corner of the mattress to lie on the other side.
He could do this and not succumb to his baser needs. Kinsey needed sleep. She’d been through a lot and still had more to deal with the following day.
Sam needed sleep, too. He shot a look at his watch on the nightstand. Well into the wee hours of the morning, he wouldn’t get many hours of shut-eye before he had to rise ahead of Kinsey.
Closing his eyes, he tried to think of anything other than the beautiful woman lying in the bed next to him. Well, almost next to him. If he didn’t count the pillows.
For a long time, he lay awake, fighting his rising desire and losing horribly. If his lust for her wasn’t bad enough, he worried someone would come back for her while he slept. Sam reached beneath the pillows and found Kinsey’s hand. He tucked it into his and held on. If one of those men traced her to this room and broke in while he slept, they wouldn’t get her away.
When Sam thought he’d never drift off into much-needed sleep, he finally did. And with sleep came his own nightmares of men stealing Kinsey and carrying her off to an unknown dark and terrible place.
Sun shining into the little window over the bed brought Sam back to reality the next morning. He looked at his watch and realized he’d slept well past the usual hour he rose.
Something warm and soft pressed against his side. He glanced down to see Kinsey’s arm draped across his middle and her head resting against his chest. The wall of pillows between them had migrated to the bottom of the bed.
How the hell could he extricate himself without waking the woman? She’d think he’d taken advantage of her. And in his mind, he had, though he’d never acted on his lusty thoughts.
He lay for a long moment, inhaling the scent of the shampoo in her hair and the sweet smell of her skin. Sam ached to hold her, to run his hand over her soft skin and to kiss her lips. All things he couldn’t do. The woman was asleep, for heaven’s sake.
Kinsey stirred, her hand curling against his skin.
His groin tightened. If he didn’t want to suffer the wrath of an angry woman, he had to move before she woke. Careful not to disturb her, he gently slid her arm off his chest, lifted her head and scooted his shoulder from beneath it, replacing it with a pillow. Then he rolled out of the bed and stood.
Kinsey’s eyes remained closed, her breathing deep and steady.
Sam let go of the breath he’d held, grabbed clothes from the dresser and retreated to the bathroom where he brushed his teeth, washed his face and combed his hair. Long strands of blond hair hung in his comb, but he didn’t mind.
When he was fully clothed, he opened the door to find Kinsey attempting to zip the back of her dress.
“Why are you wearing that?” he asked, remembering the fact her bra and panties were still hanging in the bathroom. Which meant she was naked beneath the dress. He swallowed a groan.
Kinsey dropped the hand she had behind her back and sighed. “It’s the only thing I have.”
“You could wear one of my shirts and a pair of my shorts. They’ll be big, but I’m sure we can secure them to keep them from falling off.”
She smiled. “If it’s all the same to you, I prefer my own clothes. And I have every intention of recovering my belongings.”
He shrugged. “Have it your way, but I’m buying you a pair of shoes before we go too far today.”
Kinsey grimaced. “I keep saying this, but it’s true…I’ll pay you back.”
“I’m not as worried about your paying me back as I am about you tearing up your feet because you’re too proud to admit you need help.”
“Trust me, I’ll swallow my pride for a pair of sandals.”
He nodded, glad she wasn’t fighting him on this one item. “Hurry in the bathroom, I’m sure Mrs. D doesn’t like to be kept waiting to serve her guests breakfast.”
Kinsey entered the bathroom, closed the door and was back out, combed, face shiny and smooth and frowning. “How will you explain me to your landlady?”
“I’m telling her you arrived late at night, that your plane was delayed and you caught a ride with a fishing boat from the mainland.”
“And my lack of shoes and luggage?”
“Your luggage will be delivered when the plane catches up, and you lost your shoes on board the fishing vessel. Do I have to think of everything?” He winked.
“Just making sure our stories match.” She tipped her head toward the bathroom. “I hope you don’t mind that I used your comb and some of your toothpaste.”
He shrugged. “As long as you didn’t use my toothbrush, we’re all good.” He didn’t like that she thought of herself as a burden. “We can get you some toiletries when we shop for your shoes.”
“At least a toothbrush,” Kinsey agreed. “I can’t finger brush my teeth for long before they start falling out.”
“Shall we?” He held open the door and waited for her to pass through. Then he stepped in front of her and led the way to the dining room where Mrs. Demopolis had small bistro tables decorated with colorfully patterned tablecloths. Fresh bread rested in baskets on each, along with glasses of orange juice.
The landlady backed through a swinging door carrying a teapot. “Oh, very good. You are here. Sit anywhere. I will serve your tea.”
“Thank you, Mrs. D. But I’d prefer coffee. However, my fiancée might prefer tea.” He stepped to the side, allowing the older woman a chance to see he was not alone.
Kinsey gave the woman a wan smile and wiggled her fingers in a little wave. “Hello. I’m Kinsey, Sam’s…fiancée.”
Mrs. D’s eyes widened. and her gaze shifted from Kinsey to Sam and back to Kinsey. “What is this? You didn’t say in your reservation two would be in the room.”
Kinsey chuckled. “I surprise
d him. When I learned he would be in Santorini, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see him. I’ve been working in Athens for the past month and haven’t seen Sam that whole time.”
“So,” Sam picked up the story, “Kinsey jumped on a plane and flew out to see me.”
“Only my plane didn’t make it off the ground. It was delayed, so I took the train to the coast and hired a boat to ferry me out to the island.” She smiled. “I hope you don’t mind. I promise not to be messy or loud.”
“Oh, there is no problem. I will add extra towels and pillows to the room.” Mrs. D glanced from Sam to Kinsey. “I did not know Mr. Magnus was engaged to be married.” She grinned at Sam, set the teapot on a table and grabbed his hands. “I am happy for you both.” Her gaze took in both Sam and Kinsey. “She is very beautiful. You two will make pretty babies.”
Sam’s cheeks heated. The thought of making babies with Kinsey brought up very lustful images in his head. “Thank you, Mrs. D.”
“Now, sit. Sit.” She waved her arms expansively. “You must be hungry after spending the night in the arms of your lover.”
Kinsey’s cheeks brightened with color. “Oh. Yes. Of course.”
“Will you have tea or coffee?” their hostess asked.
“Tea for me,” Kinsey replied. “I can serve myself.” She lifted the teapot, poured hot water into a cup and placed a teabag in the steaming liquid.
Mrs. D hurried back to the kitchen, muttering about making up an additional plate of food.
Sam breathed a sigh, glad his hostess had been so welcoming to Kinsey. He held out a chair. “Please, have a seat.”
Kinsey carried her teacup to the table and sat, allowing Sam to scoot her chair beneath her.
When he’d settled, she leaned across the table. “Think she bought it?” she whispered.
“Hook, line and sinker,” Sam said with a grin.
“I hope she doesn’t ask a lot of questions. I’m not very good at lying,” Kinsey said.
“Don’t worry. I’m sure she has many more things to do than to question ladies about their reasons for showing up in the middle of the night.”
“She’s the owner of a B&B, I’m sure she’ll be curious.” Kinsey tucked her bare feet beneath her chair and dipped a teabag into her cup.