Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
The smell of fresh paint and carpet wafted up to him, and Luke inhaled deeply as he stepped into the brightly lit interior of the newly remodeled office.
Locking the door behind him, he shot a glance toward the reception desk to his right. A desktop computer sat on the Formica countertop, waiting to be hooked up, along with an array of wires and miscellaneous office supplies.
Knox strode around the corner, his steps slowing as his eyes fell on Luke. “I thought I heard the door. Come on back.”
“Place looks great, it’s really coming along.”
“Still have to bring in all the furniture and get everything hooked up, but we should be up and running in another two weeks or so.” He strode into his office and gestured for Luke to follow. “Vivi will be here next week, and two of the guys just flew in a couple days ago.”
Luke nodded absently and dropped into a seat. “How’d the meetings go?”
“Not bad. I was able to get our name out there, make a few contacts, so hopefully we’ll get some business here soon. In fact”—Knox swiped a piece of paper off his desk—“I may have a new job for you if you’ve changed your mind about working at the health center.”
Luke tipped his chin. “What’s that?”
“Some local up-and-coming pop star needs security for an event—”
“Hard pass.”
Knox stared at him. “Do you have something else lined up?”
“I’ve only got a couple weeks left with Hannah. I’ll just stay on.”
One dark brow lifted. “Hannah?”
“Dr. Whitmore,” Luke amended.
“Hannah.” The way Knox said her name raised Luke’s hackles. “The same woman you couldn’t stand a week ago.”
Shoving down the irrational anger, Luke tried to roll the tension from his shoulders. “She’s not that bad.”
“Apparently.”
Knox’s sarcasm was not lost on Luke. “I made a promise and I’ll stick it out.”
“I have no doubts about that,” Knox muttered before turning away and striding behind his desk. He sank into the chair and pinned Luke with a look. “You’re like a brother to me.”
“I—”
“Which means I will kill you if you crap where you eat.”
Luke rolled his eyes. “Don’t be dramatic.”
“Don’t be stupid,” Knox shot back. “If you want to have sex with her, by all means, do it. Just wait ‘til the contract is up. But for God’s sake, don’t ruin a good thing for an easy lay.”
Anger surged through Luke. “Watch your mouth.”
“Is that how it’s going to be?”
His body literally quivered under the force of the fury rippling through his veins, and he crossed his arms over his chest in an effort to contain it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Knox stared at him. “You want her.”
Luke couldn’t deny that. But he was a man of his word. He would stay on until he was done and keep his hands off… even if it physically hurt to even consider it. “I told you I won’t touch her.”
Knox let out a sigh. “Look. I trust you, I just don’t trust her.”
Luke opened his mouth to protest, but Knox cut him off. “It’s not her personally, I just don’t trust anyone. I don’t want to be sued before we even get off the ground.”
Luke understood that, even though he disagreed with Knox’s assessment of her. “I know. She’s not like that, though. She’s… I don’t know.”
“You like her.”
It was more of a statement than a question, and Luke shrugged. He didn’t honestly know what he felt for her. Lust, definitely. There was something else, though, too. She intrigued him. “Like you said—she’s off limits so I’ll keep my distance from now on.”
He knew it was the right thing to do, but it was going to be next to impossible. That night in her office had broken down the barrier separating them. She’d felt so good in his arms, and she’d opened up so much in that half hour they’d spent together in the dark, just the two of them.
Now, with her new clothes and come-hither attitude…
He initially thought she might have a date last night, and he was loath to admit the little surge of jealousy he’d felt.
But then she’d shown up that morning in an equally sexy new outfit and thrown a coy glance his way.
If she was trying to get his attention, then mission accomplished. She had it.
Something must have shown on his face because Knox’s eyes narrowed. “Something happen that I need to be aware of?”
Luke wiped his expression clean. “Nope.”
“Bull.”
“Let it go, Knox.”
“I knew I should’ve taken over when you first came to me. Did you disappear on her?”
The anger was back, simmering just below the surface. Luke curled his hands into fists by his side. “I didn’t sleep with her.”
Yet.
The unspoken word hung in the air, and Knox’s eyes narrowed.
“But you plan to.” Knox leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers together over his midsection.
“Is this an interrogation now?” Luke glared back at him.
“Yes. This is business, not pleasure. All you have to do is behave for a while, just until her contract is up.”
“Trust me, you don’t have to worry about that.”
A slow grin spread over Knox’s face. “So that’s the problem. I wondered why you were so grumpy.”
Luke just rolled his eyes in response.
“Maybe that’s exactly what you need to take the edge off,” Knox replied. “Just not one of our clients.”
“I don’t want some random woman.”
“She’s that good?”
“Knox…” If he kept this up…
Knox laughed. “Wow. I never thought I’d see the day.”
Luke clenched his molars together, desperately trying to wrangle his patience. “What now?”
“Dr. Whitmore. You like her.”
“I already told you—”
“I heard what you said.” Knox’s head tipped to the side, those dark eyes pinning Luke in place. “But I’m more interested in what you didn’t say.”
He wasn’t wrong. Luke hadn’t even slept with the woman and she already had him tied up in knots. The sooner they figured out who’d called her and what the psychopath wanted, the sooner he could deal with this thing between Hannah and him—whatever it was.
“I don’t know. Haven’t spent enough time with her to know for sure. But she’s not just some piece of ass, so don’t bring it up again.”
Knox just raised a brow, and Luke rolled his eyes. “I won’t jeopardize the business. Promise.”
“Okay.”
“Okay.”
They stared at each other for a long minute before Knox pursed his lips. “So… no on the pop star, then?”
“Not a chance. I’m not going to play babysitter for some bratty little diva.”
Knox made a face. “Well, I’m not going to do it. The other guys better show up by this weekend so I can put one of them on detail.”
“It would serve you right.” Luke smirked. “Did you get those horrible shirts replaced yet?”
“Being stateside has turned you into such a baby.”
Despite his words, Knox reached below his desk and extracted something from a box, then tossed it Luke’s way.
Holding the shirt up, Luke inspected the solid black polo with Vantage Security embroidered in white over the chest, the logo on the left sleeve.
“At least I won’t get laughed at in this one. ”
Knox’s dark stare flicked back to Luke, and he wanted to recall his words. “She’s nice,” Luke admitted.
One dark brow lifted. “Nice?”
“Don’t make it sound so horrible. She’s had a streak of bad luck here recently. I feel bad for her.”
“Is that all it is?”
Was that it? Luke already knew the answer was no.
He admired her, wanted to know more about her—what she liked, what made her tick.
He’d left his number, but she hadn’t called, hadn’t said so much as a word to him since that night.
Each time he saw her in the lobby, she’d duck her head and practically sprint to the safety of the elevator.
But the look she shot him once she was inside… It spoke volumes.
“No.”
He couldn’t explain it himself, but he knew there was more to her—to them—than just mutual attraction. And he wanted to know just what it was.