Close to Perfect (3 page)

Smart man.

Josh returned his attention to her resume, nodding in approval to those commendations she had accumulated during her short time on the force. One was for bravery in the line of duty, several were for civic activities, and others were for her excellence in firearms and other police stuff.

Real stuff. These weren't just honor badges for showing up on time or looking great, they were for honest-to-God police work.

Josh's breathing picked up. He started to shift his weight but thought better of it. Already his rod was so hard it didn't need to be stimulated more by brushing against his clothing.

He continued reading and getting excited. Despite her exotic beauty and quick wit, Tess was skilled in the use of practically every firearm imaginable, not to mention room clearing, building clearing, searching techniques, vehicle formations (whatever that meant), managing the media and bothersome paparazzi, using unarmed defense tactics to ward off not-so-nice fans, protecting individuals in crowd situations, pre-planning all itineraries so that nothing bad happened, hostage rescue, and hand-to-hand combat.

Again, Josh looked up. This time Tess was staring at those tabloid photos. “You're skilled in hand-to-hand combat?”

It was a moment before she looked at him, and another moment before her gaze completely cleared. “Yes, sir.”

Yes, sir? Damn, he liked her cop talk. “Aikido, karate, jujitsu?”

Her eyes widened. “You know martial arts?”

Only to say the names. He smiled and shrugged. “Not really.”

Alan cut in. “Why don't you educate us?”

This time Tess regarded the man for so long Josh was certain Alan wouldn't only go limp, but would start squirming.

When the attorney finally looked uncomfortable, the way only a cop or a woman could make a man feel, she said, “That would take a very long time. Are you certain you want that?”

Alan's face turned a bright red.

Josh suppressed a smile, and was glad he had as she next turned to him.

“I'll make this fast,” she said. “Briefly—”

“No need to be fast or brief. Take your time.”

Her lips remained parted, her gaze held his as the sound of a boat's motor, the wind, and rustling palms briefly filled the silence.

During it Josh thought about a lot of things, like how fortuitous it was that she had happened in here today, because she was giving him ideas about all kinds of stuff... stuff that actually had to do with her work as a bodyguard.

So why did such a luscious woman become a cop? What had convinced her to risk her safety and to compete with the boys? All she had to do was look at a man with those warm, honey-colored eyes and that guy was a goner.

Had she dated a lot of cops on the force? Was she dating one now? Did one of the other bodyguards have his eye on her? Had she noticed? Had she liked it?

“You ready?” she asked.

It was a moment before Josh understood the question, though he immediately noted the mischievous glint in her eyes. “Sure. Shoot.”

Peg leaned toward him. “Remember, Josh, she is armed.”

He nodded, and again wondered about garters and weapons and her sweet, sweet thighs. “I'll be careful.”

Tess looked skeptical. “There are many H2H combat styles, but the—”

“What's H2H?” Alan asked.

“Hand-to-hand,” Josh said, his gaze still on Tess.

“Don't interrupt again,” Peg warned.

“It's all right,” Tess said. “It's best to pay attention since I'll be giving a pop quiz at the end of this.”

Josh smiled.

So did she. “You ready?”

“For anything,” he said.

She looked briefly intrigued, then got serious again. “The most popular hand-to-hand combat techniques are Jeet Kune Do, Defendo, H2H American Self Defense, Krav Maga, Systema, and Hocks Close Quarters Combat.”

Peg chuckled. “Close quarters combat, huh? Now, that one sounds interesting.”

Tess smiled. “Remind you of a few dates you've had?”

Peg laughed.

“Which technique do you use?” Josh asked.

Peg looked at him. “Me?”

He arched one brow, then looked at Tess.

Her attention was already on him, her gaze thoughtful.

“You,” he said.

Her cheeks and throat flushed. “I like Krav Maga.”

He liked the way he could make her blush. He bet none of the cops on her old force or those burly bodyguards she worked with could do that. “Any reason?”

Her gaze traveled his length, then returned to his eyes. “It avoids injury. I can take control of an individual who's far taller, muscular and stronger than me without harming them, even if they have me in a bear hug. With Krav Maga, there are no rules. It uses an individual's vulnerable spots, even a very well-toned and fit individual, so that I can protect myself.”

“Good for you,” Peg said, then spoke to Josh. “Better remember that.”

He would, especially that no rules stuff, and everything else about this very unexpected and amazing young woman. Her cheeks were really rosy now, as if she liked to talk about her work, or had just been thinking of what he had—them engaging in some erotic H2H combat.

Suppressing a smile and the urge to move closer so that he could capture even more of her delicate scent, Josh looked back to her resume and that brochure for Privacy Dynamics. As his head remained bent to those papers, his gaze quickly moved to her thighs, her shapely calves, those long, slender toes peeking out from the openings in her peach-tinted high heels.

She should always wear shoes like that, even in bed. If she shared his, Josh would want her hair hanging loose as it was now, and the rest of her stripped bare, except for those shoes and a garter, with her weapon removed.

He would definitely insist upon that. At least, until she gave him that hard cop's stare she liked to use on Alan, who was still unimpressed.

“Even if your credentials are excellent—”

Josh interrupted the man. “They are.”

Tess seemed pleased with his assessment, but also confident as if she knew it to be true.

Cocky and soft. What a combination. But then, what else could Josh have expected from a delicious ex-cop bodyguard?

Alan cleared his throat. “That may well be,” he said to Josh, before addressing her, “but Mr. Wyatt has already decided on another—”

“No, I haven't.” Josh looked at Alan, then Peg. “I'd like to interview Miss Franklin now, so if you two don't mind...”

Peg nodded. “I'm cool.” Because Alan wasn't, she slipped her arm through his to pull him from the room if need be.

“Josh,” the attorney said, “I really should stay while you interview—”

“We'll be fine,” he said, then asked Tess. “Won't we?”

Now, there was a question that didn't need answering. Tess knew he would be more than fine, the professional in her would see to his safety. The woman in her was another matter entirely. She was far too attracted to this man; he was making her want more than just this job.

It wasn't only her future on the line here, it was also her dad's. If she were to act like a silly fool and lose this job or compromise it, his business would be the one to suffer. It probably would be best if she also remembered that. “I'll protect you as no one else ever has.”

Josh's expression said he had absolutely no doubt of that as his gaze grew thoughtful and lingered.

If any other man had looked at her as he was now doing, this moment might have felt inappropriate and uncomfortable.

With this man it seemed oddly right, even though Alan and Peg had not yet left. Tess was vaguely aware that they were speaking, but whether it was to each other or Josh, she had no idea.

Only he existed. She saw wanting in his gaze, the kind fueled not only by desire, but admiration and respect. How many times had Tess searched for that look on the faces of other men? How many times had she been so disappointed that she had come to believe what she was now seeing didn't exist?

Her belly fluttered and her body felt deliciously weak. If she hadn't already wanted him, she surely did now.

Not that she would act upon it.

The door closed behind her.

Tess glanced over her shoulder to see that Alan and Peg were now in the woman's office, lingering by the glass wall that separated it from this space. She turned back to Josh.

His gaze was on her heels, before lifting to her eyes. “I believe that.”

“Believe what?”

“That you'll protect me as no one else ever has.”

Her cheeks and throat got hot. Her heart was beating far too fast. If she spoke now, Tess was afraid her voice would betray what she felt, so she simply nodded.

Josh regarded her for a moment more, then went to his desk. He was lowering her resume and the brochure onto that copy of
Keys Confidential
when his head lifted to the boat outside.

Several moments passed as he continued to watch that boat, obviously forgetting her, and so easily too, unless there was something about that boat that bothered him. “Everything all right?”

Josh looked over his shoulder. His expression and sudden smile said that he had forgotten her. “I hope it will be, but I'll need your help.”

Tess nodded. Her heart was really pounding now. He was going to give her this job. She suspected it, of course, but then, there had always been the possibility that he asked Peg and Alan to leave so that he could gently let her down and ask for a date, instead.

Tess had to admit that a date with him would have been very nice, but that had to be put aside now. She was going to get this plum assignment for Privacy Dynamics. She had beaten out all of the really big industry players.

Her father would be so proud just as soon as he finished yelling at her. Tess had given him no end of grief when she became a cop and now that she was a bodyguard, he wasn't all that thrilled about her going after clients like Josh.

Just this morning he had ordered her to stay away from the man.

“I mean it,” he had said as he lifted the tabloid in his fist. “He's obviously a pervert.”

“Aw, Pop. He was swimming in his own pool in his own yard in a gated estate, not taking a dip in front of City Hall.”

“Just stay away from him.”

As a rule, Tess followed orders in her professional life, but not today. Something kept drawing her to this man, like the promise of an outstanding contract and those luscious pictures of him and—

“Of course,” Josh said, interrupting her thoughts, “you wouldn't be acting solely as my bodyguard.”

Just like that, Tess's heart sank, because she knew what was coming. It wasn't uncommon for wealthy clients to expect a bodyguard to also walk their dogs, run errands, and be a substitute maid. Because this man had to work for his wealth, because he kept looking at her with admiration and respect, Tess had expected far better of him. “What?”

“Let me explain.” He moved past her.

Where was he going? Tess looked over her shoulder, surprised he was so close. As she turned her back to that bank of windows, he glanced outside again.

“You okay?”

Josh nodded, then spoke in a lowered voice only she could hear. “If you were to act solely as my bodyguard you'd attract all sorts of animosity and probably even more press. However, if you were to pretend to be involved with me romantically, when we're out in public, you'll get rid of the others fast, without bloodshed.”

As low as Tess's heart had just sunk, it now bottomed out, making her feel like the ultimate fool.

He didn't want her to be his maid, he wanted her to pretend to be his girlfriend?

Is that why he had turned on the charm? Is that all he thought she was—a pair of boobs and hands and lips that would be all over him in public to keep the rest of the women away? Nitwits like Badder Girl Yum?

Tess's gaze drifted to that basket of orchids adorned with that blonde's erotic photos.

She tried to imagine doing that herself, but could not, unless she loved a man and those pictures were for his eyes alone. If Tess loved a man, there would be no end to her need or what she would do for him. That kind of passion knew no shame or restrictions. She met Josh's gaze.

His brows lifted. “Hey, you all right?”

Tess wasn't sure. He wasn't leering at her as she had expected or looking as if she were no more than a potential employee, a mere staff member paid to do all of his bidding, even if it might be weird.

That same admiration from before, that same respect was in his eyes and expression. That and his concerned manner was turning her brain to mush.

Just stay away from him,
her father had advised.

Too late now.

Tess cleared her throat. “What?”

“Are you all—”

She interrupted, “I heard that. I'm still having trouble with what you first said about being romantically involved with you.”

Josh appeared surprised, maybe even hurt. When he spoke again, his voice was still lowered, as if he were afraid Peg and Alan might be eavesdropping. “Why?”

Is he kidding?
Tess spoke in her normal voice. “I'm not an escort, Mr. Wyatt. I'm a bodyguard.”

“No need to shout. In fact, I'd prefer it if you kept your voice lowered.”

“Why? Can't you just order Peg and Alan not to listen in on my interview?”

He arched one brow to the snotty way she had said interview. “I'm not worried about them. Besides, they never do what I want anyway.”