Billionaire Bodyguard (2 page)

Logan, however, was making that no-strings idea harder than she’d expected. 

Magnetic confidence and raw sexuality radiated from him, weakening her resolve when he came near. He constantly dropped hints about the night they’d made love, recreating in her mind the passionate moments she’d spent with him. She relived the breathtaking sensuality every time. It had been so easy—
too
easy—to give up her precious control to his intimate touch, his tantalizing mouth, his hard body, and his protective strength as he’d held her in his arms.

Those memories made it difficult to keep her distance. Yet she had to stay focused. Her future, the final
release from the emotional destruction her ex-husband had left in his wake, depended on it.

Her attraction to Logan was seriously inconvenient. Possibly life-altering if she let him consume her existence the way her ex had. She refused to repeat past mistakes. Devastation gnawed at her, because she never wanted to consider Logan a
mistake
. He was one of the few good things that had happened to her.

But nothing—not even the secret
wish to see if they could build
something good
together—could keep her from achieving true freedom for the first time in her life.

Focusing on what was within her control, she left the bathroom stall to run her hands under cold water until the last of her feverishness faded. Firm in her resolution, she returned to the lower demonstration rooms.

Several guests approached her, asking for further demonstrations.
She turned to the studio executive. “You mentioned the system’s other uses.” She maneuvered data across the
Invisi-Screen
. “Not only can the system work in an office, commercial or military setting, it’s also a powerful
force for home and corporate security.”

The system Logan designed was hacker proof and,
near as she could tell, impossible to physically penetrate. She wished she’d owned something like this three years ago when she was working a contract job in Philadelphia. It had been midnight when Trevor had shown up on her doorstep after one of his covert ops missions to Africa, ranting about her continued disobedience, how nothing could keep him from
his
wife. They’d been divorced for ten months at that point. He’d
never admitted how he’d found her, despite her efforts to remain elusive. He’d broken into her apartment and the police barely arrived before… She shuddered. It had been a close call. Too close.

Her heart beat faster, and her throat began to close. She swayed on her feet, gripping the edge of the table, fighting the familiar symptoms. She hated this constant anxiety, the way she jumped at every shadow, unable to trust anyone. And knowing Trevor could
appear in her life any second and tear it apart again.

It was only a matter of time before he made good on his threats.

She swallowed hard, trying to calm herself. Soon, none of that would matter. France had charged him with International Crimes, for reasons she didn’t want to know, and he’d never be allowed in that country. While the charges brought against him in the U.S. were dropped, the day she stepped off the plane in Paris she’d never have to worry about him again.

Steadying herself, she continued her mini presentation. “Let’s look at how the system can work in a more personal setting.” She pulled up blueprints in which the system was fully integrated, with detailed specs. “Home installation is minimally invasive, operational within five business days, depending on square footage and option upgrades.”

Logan truly had thought of everything. Whatever nightmare scenario of a break-in she’d brought up to him, and she’d had plenty of sleepless nights to imagine them all, he’d shown her how his system combated each devious technique.

“With a combination of the technology you’ve seen demonstrated today, a stalker—er, burglar—is caught before he realizes he’s detected.” She winced at her slip. No one seemed to notice.

Then she felt Logan’s powerful presence beside her. Threads of anxiety in her muscles unknotted. Her shoulders relaxed.

Logan backed up her explanation in his deep, steady voice.
“Because my system tracks the pattern of steps, the pace, and the vital signs of an intruder outside the house, the police arrive before he breaks in.”

“Imagine the freedom, the peace of mind,” she said wistfully, “knowing you’re completely safe. You choose who comes and goes. You have total control.”

“And that’s why I do what I do.”

She glanced up to find Logan’s gaze fastened on her. For a moment she stood transfixed by his rich cinnamon eyes.

“Mr. Stone?” A guest broke the trance. She dragged her gaze away, her cheeks hot.
Dr. Cartier held out his hand, and Logan shook it. “I am most impressed with this level of ingenuity. Here is my card. I hope we will be in touch.”

“Definitely. I appreciate you traveling all this way.”

Dr. Cartier’s gray eyebrows lifted above his round-rimmed glasses. “Should you decide to channel your efforts in the pursuit of science, contact me at CERN. I’d find a place for your talents within the hour.”

Logan’s lips curved in a half-smile.
“That’s quite an honor.”

While his skills were likely on par, she couldn’t imagine Logan surrounded by a bunch of egghead scientists solving the space/time continuum. He was a man of action, in a state of constant forward motion even sitting behind his desk, which he rarely did for long.

The elevator dinged and opened at the end of the hallway. The running lights along the wide corridor revealed Rick Dunn’s bull-like frame. Her stomach did a nervous flip. Logan’s Chief Security Officer didn’t like her, and he made no attempt to hide it. What she’d done to offend him was a mystery, one she’d rather avoid than solve. Why make waves when she’d only be here another six short weeks?

Rick scanned the main demonstration room, his scowl more pronounced than usual. His shoulders looked stiff in his suit. He didn’t appear to enjoy tightly packed spaces anymore than she did. When his eyes narrowed on her she moved away from Logan.

In this setting avoiding Rick would be too obvious. She spotted the Louvre Museum curator and explained in French that she had someone she’d like him to meet. She steered the older man toward Rick.

“Mr. Dunn,” she said brightly, “this is Monsignor Olevette, from the Louvre. In Paris.”

“I know my geography,” he muttered, crossing his arms.

She introduced the men. “I thought Mr. Olevette would enjoy hearing about the security installation project you managed for the Chicago Museum of Art. You tailored the system to their needs perfectly.”

“That’s my job,” he replied flatly.

“It’s more than that,” she said. “You pour yourself into every project you direct. You, above anyone, have the insight as to what level of security Mr. Olevette can achieve with the Elite System.”

Rick uncrossed his arms. “Well, the first thing we need to talk about is…”

She saw her chance to get out from under Rick’s microscope. A few paces away, she sighed in relief.
Dodged that cranky bullet.

Guests were absorbed in investigating the rooms that sprouted off the main corridor. A collection of galleries displaying Stone Security’s awards, and pictures of Logan shaking hands with powerful people in high places. One room offered looping video feed to entertain guests with demos of other Stone Security systems. Another contained the hardwired circuitry laid bare for investigation, a rare insight into security system
components. Another room was dedicated to the other side of his business, where Stone Security employed hundreds of bodyguards, most former military like Logan, contracted out to protect everyone from Hollywood starlets to Heads of State to International Ambassadors visiting the United States. Logan had put detail on each of his impressive guests as a courtesy. And to encourage attendance at his Elite System’s unveiling.

“Where did you sneak off to?” Logan’s voice drifted over her like liquid seduction.

Knowing Rick was nearby, she sidestepped Logan’s close proximity. “Since when do I need your permission to use the bathroom?”

“Since you keep finding excuses to avoid me.”
His presence surrounded her as if she’d stepped into his embrace. Longing filled her, washing goose bumps over her flesh. She made the mistake of looking up. He captured her with those hot-cider eyes.

“Why should I avoid you?” The catch in her voice betrayed how he affected her.

“Good question.
Let’s talk about it. Over a bottle of wine.”

A laugh bubbled from her chest. “We tried that once. We didn’t do much talking as I recall.”

An enticing grin curved his lips. “I didn’t hear you complaining.”

“It all happened so fast. I didn’t have time to think.”

He arched an eyebrow. “We were rolling around between the sheets for five hours and forty-three minutes before I had to catch my plane. That’s hardly
fast
, sweetheart.”

“You’re entitled to your opinion,” she countered with a teasing smile. “But thanks for keeping track.”

“Hey, you’re the one who fell asleep—twice.
I had to find creative ways to wake you.”

She shivered with the memory of waking up to hot laps of his tongue between her thighs.

“Admit it. You couldn’t get enough.”

“Why mess with perfection and tempt fate twice?”

Copper lights sparked in his eyes. “Is that a challenge?”

She sent him a wary look. “I know better than to give you a challenge.”

“Too late.” He slid a fingertip along her jaw. “You just did.”

Wearing a smug grin, Logan turned and strolled toward his guests. He didn’t need a thermal scan to read Allison’s core body temp or a computer to gauge her rapid heart rate.

Attraction sizzled in his veins. He craved the hunt, the chase, the challenge. With Allison, he’d savor the moment of capture.

No one ignited him the way she did. He’d felt it the second he’d laid eyes on her across a crowded room at a security convention. He’d known it the moment he’d touched her. He wasn’t finished with her, not even close.

A hundred nights like the one they’d shared might take the edge off this hunger, but he doubted it. This mission was different, deeper than his previous conquests. That knowledge bothered him slightly, but there would be time later to investigate the persistent urge to throw her over his shoulder and carry her off to his bed—and keep her there.

“You two looked cozy.”

Logan turned at the waist to find Rick staring him down.  “It’s about time you came out of your eighth-floor cave and joined
my tour.”

“Don’t change the subject. You’re getting in over your head.”

Logan shoved his hands in his pockets. “No idea what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t play the idiot card with me, Stone. I know you better than anybody on this planet.”

“And?”

“I know that look.”

“Not sure where you’re going with this,” Logan replied with irritation, knowing full well where Rick’s interrogation was leading.

Standing four inches shorter, Rick’s glare sharpened under the shelf of his brow. “
The look
you give that woman every time she walks into the room.”

“
That woman
is the reason we’ve tapped into the international market so fast. You could show her a little more respect.”

“I will when she gives me a reason. Haven’t found one yet.”

Defensiveness spiked Logan’s blood. “Since when do you shoot first and ask questions later?”

“Since you decided to mix business with pleasure.” Rick exhaled. “I don’t care where you dip your wick. But when it interferes with
this company and your judgment, it affects me. So yeah, I have an issue.”

Logan warned, “Stay out of it.”

“Like hell I will.” A guest glanced at them. Rick lowered his voice. “I won’t stand by and watch you botch your career to pursue a woman. Again.”

A storm gathered inside Logan. “Don’t go there.”

“Someone’s got to remind you what’s at stake. Allison Dupree is a minefield, and you’re walking right into it. Need I mention Natalia?”

Icy tension seized Logan, chilling him to the bone. Any defense froze on his tongue, because Rick had been there. Had gone with him to accomplish the two-year undercover mission in Siberia.
Had watched him fall head-over-combat-boots in lust with a woman who’d entranced him with her startling
green eyes, seduced him with her made-for-sex body. She appealed to his protective instincts with her sob story about risking her life to feed his team information on Russian arms dealers.

He’d walked right into her trap—worst of all he’d pulled his team into the deadly crossfire. Natalia had turned out to be a Russian spy, and his team had barely made it out of there alive. The two-year operation had been compromised. So had U.S. intelligence. Logan’s decade-long military career had ended.

Disgust consumed him at the memory. Rick had warned him then, and he’d ignored it. He’d vowed to never make that mistake again.