HER BODYGUARD

Kimberly breathed deeply. “It’s just so hard to believe.” she said. “He is my dad’s close friend. They have known each other for a long time. He trusts Christopher. Why would he even do something like this in the first place?”

Asher stood and pulled her to her feet, then drew her against him. “Let’s not jump into conclusions. The important thing is you and your dad are safe. As far as I am concerned, the job isn’t over until I’m sure that you are going to be alright”

Kimberly relaxed into him and wrapped her arms around his waist. “So you work for me now?” she asked playfully. “I remember one time you told me that you worked my dad and not me”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Asher grinned. “Yeah I work for you” he said.

“When did that switch happen?” she asked

“A couple of days ago” he replied.

“When are you going to let me start paying you?” she asked.

“This isn’t about the money,” Asher said.

“You have a lot of expenses,” Kimberly said. “A staff. Around the clock monitoring of my father. Protecting me. I’m sure my father didn’t pay you for all that. Don’t worry, I can afford it”

“It’s not just that,” he said, trying not to smile. “There are other issues”

“Such as?”

“I don’t sleep with my clients,” he said.

Her eyes widened, then her mouth curved up into a smile. “I didn’t think about that. Interesting dilemma”

“Maybe we should just forget about who works for whom and go with it”

“Not a bad plan” she said. She slid her hands around until her palms rested on his chest. “I figured we would have to wait until this evening to, ummm, you know ”

“Having second thoughts?” he asked.

“About waiting? Absolutely. I think it’s a bad idea” Kimberly replied.

Getting involved didn’t make sense. Asher knew that the more he was with her, the more he would want her. A woman like Kimberly only came along once in a lifetime, and that was if a man was damn lucky in the first place. If he kept this up much longer, he wouldn’t want to let her go.

But there wasn’t a choice, he reminded himself. She had her world and he had his. They were opposites -he lived in the shadows and she sought the light.

But now, in the twilight time between what was real and what wasn’t, they could find temporary solace in each other’s arms.

“What did you have in mind?” he asked.

Kimberly shrugged “Well, I thought you might find it interesting to play escaped prisoner and the warden’s wife”

Asher grinned. “Want to know if I have handcuffs in the cabinet?” he asked.

She laughed. “Not especially,” she said. “But if you are very good, I will let you chase me around the bed a few times”

Asher watched her laugh. Emotions widened her eyes or brought color to her cheeks. Her mouth curved. Every movement, every action, reminded him of how beautiful she was.

But it wasn’t just that. He thought. Beauty was easy. It was the woman inside who had him mesmerized. The one who cared about kids she barely knew-some she had never met, who worked long hours just so she could make a difference. He liked that she worked hard, even if she didn’t need to, that she stayed in touch, that when push came to shove, she would move mountains to get the kids she helped what they needed.

He admired her and he knew he couldn’t say that about any other woman he had ever been intimate with. She was special in every sense of the word.

“You are not listening to me” Kimberly said as she folded her arms over her chest. “I could really take offense at that”

“But you won’t,” Asher said.

She sniffed. “What were you thinking about that was more interesting than what I was saying?” she asked.

“Not more interesting, just different,” he said. “And I was thinking about you. How great you are”

“Oh please,” Kimberly said.

“I’m not kidding”

“But I’m not all that special,” she said.

“Want to bet?” he asked.

She ducked her head and flushed “Well, thank you” she said.

“You are welcome”

He studied her, knowing that she would not be easily forgotten. That when this was over… “I will miss you” he said, without meaning to speak the words aloud.

She stared at him. “Asher?”..

“Yeah yeah. It doesn’t mean anything” he said. “It’s just that you are not that bad to have around. I didn’t think I would like you, but I did. You are a hell of a woman. Beautiful. Tough. Caring”

“I think you are pretty amazing too,” she said.

Which was not a place she should be going, he thought. When this was all over, she would walk away, returning to her regularly scheduled life. He would move on to the next assignment. Neither of them should try to fool themselves into making it something more.

“I’m just the hired help,” he said. “Nothing more”

“Actually you are not hired… At least I didn’t hire you. And you won’t let me pay you”

“That is because we are sleeping together. Money makes it all too complicated… And it’s already complicated enough”

She smiled. “A man of principles” she said.

“On my good days”

“What about on your bad days?” she asked.

He reached for her hand. “On my bad days, I’m a hell of a lot of fun,” he said.

Then he kissed her.

Kimberly had made love with Asher enough times to anticipate the pleasure before it even began. All it took was his hand on her waist and his mouth on hers for the melting to begin. She yielded, leaving against him so they could touch everywhere, even as she parted for him and circled her tongue around his.

He tasted of coffee and oranges he had had for breakfast. Heat began between her thighs and radiated in all directions. Her breasts ached, her muscles tensed and all he had done was kiss her.

“I can’t get enough of you” he breathed against her mouth before breaking the kiss and moved to her jaw.

She echoed the sentiment silently as she was too caught up in the feel of his lips and tongue on her sensitive skin to do more than gasp her pleasure.