Yours In Black Lace. Mia Zachary

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      “I don’t need a bodyguard, Emelio. I am a bodyguard. Well, at least I’ve been through the training.”

      “Then you know how it works. We stay together 24/7 until this is over.”

      2

      STEVIE FORCED ASIDE all thought of danger until she focused on getting Emelio alone. She was going to have him to herself, twenty-four hours a day…and night. That was definitely the silver lining in the dark cloud hanging over her life right now.

      A spark of excitement ignited in her belly. She’d spent the past four months creating the seduction. Now she was going to climb over the professional wall standing between them and, with any luck, land right in his lap. With a little planning, and a lot of opportunity, she could move their work relationship to an up-close-and-personal level.

      The photograph that had captured his rare moment of openness was hidden in her handbag, but she didn’t need to take it out to remember Emelio’s expression. That look of unguarded lust had her feeling hot and tingly. So did the touch of his hand on her forearm.

      Emelio stood in front of her, checking in all directions as he held the freight elevator open. His palm felt smooth and warm and strong and a bolt of desire shot though her. How many nights had she dreamed of having his hands stroke and caress her? How many times had she settled for her own?

      Excitement hummed along her veins as her eyes roamed over him. His long hair touched the top of his collar in dark waves. The pistachio cotton shirt stretched across the wide expanse of his back was tucked into a pair of black jeans that molded to his butt and thighs.

      The guy looked just as good going as coming.

      A grin spread over her face. She hadn’t seen him coming yet. But she hoped to before the week was out. Stevie sobered her expression just as Emelio turned his head and nodded.

      “All clear.”

      His hand slid down to clasp her fingers, and the casual touch sent ripples of longing throughout her body. After another glance around, he led her down the cement-block hallway toward the service entrance. She stumbled as she followed him across the alleyway to the parking garage.

      “Slow down, will you? I’m wearing sandals.” He shortened his stride with an apology, allowing her to catch up. To her surprise, he bypassed the VIP slots at the front of the garage. “Isn’t that your Lexus parked right over there?”

      “Yeah, it is. We’re taking another car.”

      Her hand flexed involuntarily beneath his when her pulse leaped with a different kind of excitement. “What are you going to do, hot-wire one?”

      “Something like that.”

      He looked around once more and let go of her hand before opening the door to the stairwell. She felt an odd sense of separation at the loss of contact. She also felt her calves screaming in protest.

      “You take the stairs. These shoes are more decorative than functional. I’m catching the elevator.”

      “One, we don’t want to get trapped in an elevator if anyone’s waiting for us. And two, we’re only going up two flights. You’ll live.”

      Her sandals clattered on the concrete. “My life has become a spy-thriller movie.”

      “Oh, yeah? Which Bond girl are you?” When he glanced at her a flash of amusement lit his hazel eyes.

      “I always thought Holly Goodhead was a great name.” She smirked when his step faltered. The flare of heat in his eyes was quickly extinguished, but she saw it. And she would use it to her advantage later. “But I’d rather be Wai Lin, the heroine in Tomorrow Never Dies.”

      “You don’t look Chinese.”

      “Funny. She was the best, very strong and independent. Her character was more Bond’s equal. You should watch that film before assigning the next interesting case to one of the guys.”

      “I like Sean Connery’s Bond girls better. You can’t go wrong with a woman named Pussy Galore.”

      Stevie wrinkled her forehead and grimaced. “I don’t even know how to respond to that.”

      “How about, ‘Ooh, James’?”

      A chuckle escaped her at his impression of the line spoken by every woman in every Bond movie. Great body, bad-boy attitude and a sense of humor. What more could she ask for?

      As Emelio pushed open the level-three entrance, Stevie took a quick look around and then followed him toward the corner parking spaces. It was all very stealthy and exciting. She watched him walk to the passenger side of a silver sports car and pretend to check the tires. Then he reached inside the wheel well and pulled out a small metal box. Inside was a set of keys.

      “Well, I’m disappointed. I thought I was finally going to learn how to hot-wire.”

      “I’ll teach you some other time.” He unlocked the passenger door and held it open for her.

      She lowered herself onto the gray leather seat and swung her legs inside. “Mmm. Very nice. Whose car is this?”

      “It’s registered to the corporation, so technically it belongs to the agency.” He shut her in and walked around the rear of the vehicle.

      By the time he reached the other side, she was already in the driver’s seat. She rolled down the window when he tapped impatiently on the glass. “Since it’s the agency’s car, I get to drive. Hop in, handsome, and I’ll take you for a ride.”

      At her choice of words frown lines appeared between his eyebrows, warring with a flash of sexual interest in his gaze. Then his expression cleared and she saw the corner of his mouth relax, though it wasn’t quite a smile.

      Emelio nodded once in agreement. “Makes sense, since you know the way to your apartment.”

      She started the engine and snuggled into the driver’s seat. “Sweet getaway car. Does it have a rocket launcher or remote-controlled steering?”

      “You watch way too many movies.” He handed her the card key to get past the garage’s electronic gate.

      As she turned her head to check for oncoming traffic, a beige sedan idling against the curb caught her eye. Looking at the man behind the wheel triggered alarms in her brain. “Emelio, I think that’s the messenger Tiffnee described.”

      He swung his head to where she indicated. “Start driving and see if he follows.”

      She eased out into traffic, trying to watch where she was going and peer into the rearview mirror at the same time. The presence of the messenger was unnerving, but she welcomed the challenge. She’d always wanted to drive a getaway car.

      Emelio’s cell phone began to chime. “Hello? Angie. I can’t— Yes, I know—”

      Didn’t those women ever stop calling him? The sudden stab of jealousy annoyed the hell out of her, but she didn’t have time to dwell on it. “The beige sedan is pulling away from the curb, heading this way.”

      “We’ll СКАЧАТЬ