Personal Protection. Julie Miller

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ men call.”

      “Yes, sir.”

      The door closed behind her and Carly stopped in her tracks as the man with coal-black hair that she’d seen through the windows rose to greet her. The tailoring of his suit emphasized the width of his shoulders and tapered waist, making him appear taller, though she guessed he was about six feet in height. He practically clicked his heels together and offered her a curt nod. Bowing. Wow. Had any man ever been so formal about meeting her before? “Officer Valentine. I am pleased to meet you.”

      “Hey.” Was she supposed to say something more? Shake his hand? No. Not in the shape she was currently in. “Nice to meet you.”

      The captain gestured to one of the two guest chairs while he circled around to his side of the desk. “Take a seat, Valentine.”

      With a nod, Carly tore her gaze from their guest and perched on the edge of her chair. Partly because it helped her sit up straight and gave her a stronger posture, and partly because she was painfully self-conscious about her soiled clothes leaving a stain on the beige fabric. “Will this take long, sir? I promised Gina Cutler that I’d cover her citizen self-defense training class after work, so she and Mike can go to birthing class.” It seemed that several of her friends were well beyond her in the get-married-and-start-a-family department. “I’d like to grab a shower before then. I think the class would like me to, as well.”

      Her attempt at humor fell on deaf ears. “This will take as long as it needs to.” The captain loosened the tie that cinched his collar and gestured to the man seated beside her. “I’d like to introduce you to His Royal Highness, Prince Ivan Mostek of Lukinburg.”

      Carly pushed to her feet. “Wait. Should I have curtsied?” She skimmed her hands over the hips of her frayed jeans and frowned at the stains on her boots. “I’m so sorry. I would have changed into my uniform if I’d known I was meeting a dignitary. I just came in off an undercover assignment. I had to blend in with the homeless community in No-Man’s Land. I...” She threw her hands up, helpless to deny the truth. “I’m dirty and I stink.”

      The prince stood when she had risen from her chair. With a perfectly straight face, he said, “All I smell is the smoke from a fire. I trust you were not hurt.”

      “Aren’t you a gentleman?” A nervous laugh snorted through her nose, and embarrassment warmed her face. “Of course, you’re a gentleman. You’re a prince. I’ll be okay. I mean, my pride is shot to...” Carly bit down on that word and the heat in her skin intensified. She was pretty sure that one didn’t curse in front of royalty. “I’ll have a few bruises, but nothing serious. Thanks for asking.” She turned to the captain, silently begging for backup. “Sir, tell me to shut up.”

      Now the captain chuckled. Great. Way to impress the boss and visiting royalty.

      “At ease, Valentine,” Hendricks ordered. As he had before, the prince waited for her to sit before he took his seat. She didn’t deserve that kind of chivalry with the impression she was making, but his patience with her had a surprisingly calming effect on her nerves, enabling her to concentrate more on what the captain was saying rather than the humiliation she was feeling. “Lukinburg’s capital city, St. Feodor, is the sister city of Kansas City. Prince Ivan and his delegation are here for a week to negotiate trade agreements, do a cultural exchange with the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum, meet with local and state officials, host a charity ball at their embassy—you get the idea.”

      “Uh-huh. What does that have to do with me?”

      “The prince has a proposition for you.”

      Carly turned her attention to the man beside her. Good grief, his eyes were as blue as she’d imagined when she glimpsed them through the office window a few minutes earlier. The lenses in his glasses didn’t dim their intensity one bit. Whatever this guy had in mind, it wouldn’t be the worst offer she’d ever gotten from a man. Brooke was right, Ivan Mostek was attractive in a polished, faintly arrogant sort of way. In fact, if she met him in a bar, she’d be...lusting after him from afar because she had no clue how to come on to a guy, especially one who looked like he’d stepped out of the self-made CEO section of Forbes magazine and was way out of her league. But she’d definitely enjoy her beer and appreciate the scenery from a distance. Still, she knew Captain Hendricks wasn’t setting her up on a date. She broke the connection with those penetrating blue eyes and looked to her captain. “What sort of proposition?”

      “Captain, if I may?” The prince leaned onto the arm of his chair, close enough to catch a whiff of a scent that was much more pleasant than her own. Something clean, all business, masculine. “Due to instability in my country, as we transfer from a corrupt dictatorship to a democratic society, I am required to step up security. Not every Lukinburger is eager to support the new government.”

      Ivan articulated every word and avoided contractions. He’d practiced that delivery, so his English would be clearly understood. His tone was less guttural than German, more articulate than Russian, deep in pitch and seductive like fancy poetry. She wondered what that voice sounded like in his native language, whatever language a Lukinburger spoke. Lukinburger? The urge to laugh tickled her thoughts. That made her think of a hamburger. And this guy was nothing but prime steak.

      “You find something amusing, Miss Valentine?”

      That tone was a little less mesmerizing and a little more His Imperial Majesty, and she shook off the inappropriate detour of her thoughts. “Uh, no. No, sir. But I saw your geeky science guy and bodyguards on the elevator. That’s not security enough?”

      “Geeky science guy?” He repeated the phrase, a question in his eyes. Right. Language barrier.

      “You know, nerdy? Thick glasses? Needs a haircut? I bet if he trimmed that mountain man beard and got the bangs out of his eyes, he’d clean up as good as you.”

      “I assure you he has showered.”

      He hadn’t understood the slang she’d used. “Clean up as in he’d be attractive if he, you know, took care of himself a little more. Like you.” The blue eyes narrowed. Great. She’d just admitted she thought the prince was attractive. Or had she just insulted his friend? “No offense. Clearly, the guy’s a charmer. Making a woman laugh is a good thing.” Heat crept into her cheeks again. “I’m rambling again. I’m a little self-conscious right now. I don’t know the etiquette...am I allowed to have a regular conversation with you?”

      “No matter the etiquette, it has not stopped you yet.”

      Her blush intensified. “Sorry.”

      “Do not apologize. You are very observant, Officer Valentine. A good soldier should be. I understand that you served in the military before joining the police force?”

      “That’s right. Army National Guard. That’s how I paid my way through school.”

      “I, too, served in the army of my country. I admire that sense of duty.” His compliment altered the heat she felt into a bud of self-confidence. As he went on, steering the conversation toward work further distracted her from her embarrassment. “The man in the hallway is my friend, Aleksandr Petrovic. He is a trusted adviser to me. He has, as you Americans say, a nose for business.”

      “You mean a head for business? It’s a nose for news, a head for business,” she pointed out. When his eyes narrowed, she pressed her fingers against her lips and apologized, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t interrupt.”

      “No. СКАЧАТЬ