Excerpt :

"Go ahead, I'll let you grab me from behind." She turned around and waited for him. Better not do a heel kick to the groin; that probably wouldn't go over real well.

Shana resisted the urge to look behind her, she couldn't hear him moving, but she knew he was close. Her body felt him and heated up at his nearness. She shook her head to get those thoughts out of it and was almost surprised when Royce wrapped an arm around her throat and used the other to twist her arm up behind her.

"What would you do now?" He lifted her so her toes were barely touching the ground. He wasn't hurting her, but his grip was tight enough to keep her from breaking out easily.

"This." Shana twisted her head so her chin could drop and weaken his grasp. She raked a foot down his shin with enough force to startle him into easing his hold. Before he could recover, she twisted her arm and pulled it out of his grasp, trapping his arm in return. Her free hand grabbed his pinky and pushed it back until he dropped to his knees.

"Okay! Uncle! I give!"

She immediately dropped his hand and stepped back. "I could do this all day, but sooner or later I'm going to end up really hurting you."

"And that was just fake hurting me?" Royce shook his hand and looked at his little finger.

"I had control of the situation. I was trying to prove a point, not break your hand. Are you satisfied?"

"Maybe."

"Why did you hire me at Renault if you didn't believe anything on my resume?"

"You came well recommend, and at Renault I have more control over the situation. You are dealing with killers and kidnappers now and I don't have any control over that."

Shana's gut clenched at his words. So he had hired her only because of her father. Damn it! "I don't know what I have to do to prove to you that I'm as good as any member of your security team, better even."

"I think you've proven enough, for now. You are certainly better at shooting and fighting than I'll ever be." His eyes were sincere. He wasn't just blowing sunshine up her skirt, he really did seem impressed.

"I've had lots of practice. Now if you don't mind, I need to finish cleaning up here and get out before my dad gets back. I'd rather he didn't see you here."

"Is that a not so subtle cue for me to leave?"

"Yes. I don't want my father asking questions I'm not prepared to answer, and I'm not very good at lying to him."

"Why don't you want him involved? He could be a good resource."

"Because the fewer people involved the better. That's why you hired me instead, isn't it?" She couldn't explain to Royce Renault that she didn't want her father involved with the case because he'd take over.

"Whatever you say. Just tell him I'm your new boyfriend."

Shana snorted. "Yeah, he'd buy that one. ‘Hey dad, I'm dating a millionaire.' Let's get real. No one would believe that load of baloney."

"What does my financial statement have to do with finding you attractive?" Royce moved closer, closing the space between them.

"Right. A guy like you can have any woman he wants. You date super models with legs longer than my whole body." She could have bitten her tongue out. Under threat of death she wouldn't admit to having a copy of a supermarket tabloid that showed him leaving a party with some leggy blonde on his arm.

"What if a guy like me wants a smart-mouthed brunette with beautiful blue eyes? Can I still have any woman I want?"

"When I run into one I'll ask her. Shouldn't you be going now?" He was making her very nervous. She wasn't beautiful. She was solid, strong.

"I'm going, but first I have something I need to prove to you."

"You want to go another round?" Shana stepped back a bit, more than ready to change the discussion.

"Not quite." He closed the distance between them, and his mouth descended on hers, gentle, yet more devastating than she could have imagined. His lips caressed hers once, then twice, then pulled away leaving her breathless. He slid one finger down her cheek, trailing fire in its wake, then grabbed his jacket and walked off.

And damn if she didn't want to ask him to come back.
 

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