Holding Out For A Hero: SEALs, Soldiers, Spies, Cops, FBI Agents and Rangers (88 page)

Of course, he realized as he watched the sway of her hips as she led the way upstairs, top to bottom had a lot going for it too.

Forty minutes and a few bizarre accidents later, Gideon was still following Miki. This time from the living room—and its lingering, unexplained scent of rich coffee—down the dark, narrow hall toward the last room of their tour. The kitchen.

“So does your shower turn itself on like that often?” he asked to distract himself from the memory of her bedroom and the riot of colors. It had been like walking into a rainbow, her bed the symbolic pot of gold. But the chill he’d been feeling since his arrival told him he was still a far cry from bouncing with Miki on that symbol. Or anywhere else, for that matter.

“The shower?” she repeated, that same odd tone to her voice as she’d had when it’d happened. “No. There was one other water incident up there, but it wasn’t the same.”

“Not another cold shower then, huh?”

Gideon caught her faint blush and wondered if he was the only one who’d been thinking a cold shower might be a good idea when the shower had erupted.

Focus, Ross. They reached the kitchen and he glanced at his clipboard, making a note. He’d have to see if he could get Warner to check the plumbing before he moved off to McCall.

“Holy sh...,” he bit off, finally taking a good look around the kitchen. “Let me guess. You read the book and figured you’d refinish the cabinet doors yourself?”

Between neglect, destructive tenants, and Miki’s own home improvement attempts, it was a wonder the house was still standing. Gideon didn’t say that, though. The vulnerable look in her midnight eyes made it clear she expected to be criticized. But the set of her jaw warned him if he tried, she’d likely kick him in the jewels.

Damn, he wanted her.

“Except for that one, I got them all off with no problem.”

Gideon looked at the one that had been a problem and winced.

“I’m guessing you don’t want to replace all the doors, just refurbish them?” At her nod, he reached for the damaged one. “This house is almost seventy years old. I’m gonna hazard a guess these were original. I doubt we can find any similar, so we’ll have to find a way to repair this one.”

What the hell had she used to get it off the hinges? A sledgehammer? He fingered the splintered oak and winced. No way could he match it. He’d have to see if he could exchange it with one of the others in a less prominent place.

He took a look around, making notes as he went. After he’d covered the necessities, he turned back to Miki, who sat on a colorful stool, swinging those long legs of hers.

“You want to make this a fancy space?” he asked, more to distract himself from wondering how those legs would feel wrapped over his shoulders.

“Not fancy. Just useable.”

“You sure? I could make it pretty special,” he offered with a wink.
It
, the kitchen.
It
, anything else she wanted.

“But I’m sure what you have in mind is more than I can handle.”

With a slow grin, Gideon moved closer to Miki, near enough to breath in the woodsy scent of her perfume. He watched the soft light from the nearby window play over her jet-black hair, casting a rich golden glow over the thick waves.

“I don’t know. After that kiss the other day, I’m pretty sure you’d definitely be able to handle it,” Gideon murmured.

Her eyes widened, her breath a little puff of air over his mouth, reminding him of just how tasty she’d been.

“I guess I don’t need to ask what you had on
your
mind,” she said with a breathless laugh. “Does touring old wrecks always have this effect on you?”

He liked the way her voice got all soft and husky. Like a sexy purr, with just a hint of upscale accent. He liked the direct honesty in her gaze even more. But, just one look told him even though she might be interested, she was too cautious to pursue it. Given the few things he’d wheedled out of her about her marriage, she had reason for that caution.

Gideon considered pulling back, chilling out on the flirting. After all, it wasn’t fair to push when she was still vulnerable. She obviously wasn’t the ‘use sex as a recovery tool’ type of gal.

And other than recovery fun, he didn’t have anything to offer her. Well, other than one hell of a renovation deal.

“Sorry,” he murmured. He reluctantly let go of the strand of hair he’d been smoothing between his fingers. He took two quick steps back and retrieved his clipboard. Tapping his pencil against it, he offered her a stiff smile. “I’m out of line. I don’t usually flirt with potential clients like this. Especially ones who are, well, fresh out of a relationship and probably not ready to start dating again.”

“No? I guess I’m special then, huh?”

Gideon frowned at her grimace and self-mocking tone. What gear had she shifted into?

“Come again?”

“Why the hot, then cold?”

Gideon pulled his shoulders back to crack the tension from his neck and shot her a questioning look.

“Is this because I’m divorced? Is it like pity flirting? My sister warned me guys would do that. She claimed they’d fall into one of two categories. Nice guys who felt sorry for me, or losers who’d try and get into my poor lonely pants.”

Gideon knew he had to look like an idiot standing there, hands at his side and his mouth gaping open, but he couldn’t stop himself.

“Why the hell would you think that?”

She winced at his tone, the anger draining from her face. In its place was a sad sort of resignation.

“Look, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”

“You had plenty of reason to snap at me,” Gideon corrected. “I was pushing you. Flirting when I shouldn’t have. I was out of line on a lot of levels.”

Miki gave him an abashed look and a shouldered shrug. “I wouldn’t say you were out of line. I just don’t know where you were coming from. Why the flirting? You were all business up until five minutes ago.”

“Only by grace of my handy clipboard.”

She scrunched her face in question. Gideon held the clipboard up at shoulder level so she saw it, then swung it down in front of his zipper.

Miki stared for two seconds, then her mouth made an O. Her gaze met his again and, to his delight, she giggled.

“Big clipboard you’ve got there.”

“Oh, yeah. The biggest they had in the store,” he assured her.

“I had no idea.”

“You’re kidding, right? How could a woman as hot as you not catch the obvious clues? Big clipboard aside, the fact that I haven’t been able to keep my eyes off you had to give you some idea of my interest.”

Gideon tossed the clipboard on the counter, the loud clap of the wood hitting tile making Miki jump. She licked her lips and glanced back at him. The temptation of that sweet pink tongue was almost more than he could stand. Gideon’s reasons for leaving Miki alone hadn’t changed. She was still on the rebound from a lousy marriage. She wasn’t the quick and easy type. She was vulnerable as hell, twice as sweet as a summer peach, and the worst thing he needed in his life.

If he were smart, he’d apologize again, grab his oversized clipboard, and hightail it out of there.

Instead, he took two steps forward, right back in her space and watched her midnight eyes grow even larger. Gideon felt like he was looking into a pitch-black night. Dark, fathomless, and filled with endless possibilities.

“I’m bad for you,” he told her.

“Worse than you could even imagine,” she agreed.

“It’d be stupid to get involved. Even if you weren’t planning to leave as soon as you get your life figured out and this house fixed, I’m not the relationship type.”

“You don’t do relationships at all?” she asked. Curiosity lit her eyes.

“Not since my divorce six years ago.”

“That’s a long time.”

He grinned, and unable to help himself, curled his fingers into her hair. “I haven’t been saving myself, if that’s what you mean.”

She rolled her eyes.

“I guess there isn’t a large dating pool in a town this size?”

“Not that you’d care to dip your... toes into, no.” He shrugged. Gideon combed his fingers free of her hair and tortured himself by trailing his hand over her shoulder. She felt like silk, so smooth and soft. His ego, among other parts, swelled at the soft shudder she gave when he rubbed a finger over her collarbone.

“I’m going to be honest, Miki. I haven’t stopped thinking about you since the day you moved in. I haven’t stopped tasting you since that kiss in the Town Square.”

“Don’t say things because you think it’s what I want to hear, Gideon. The last thing I need is a pat on the head and a line of bullshit.”

That surprised a laugh out of him. Not much for pussyfooting around, was she? She was blunt honesty wrapped around sweet vulnerability. Such an intriguing combination.

“Believe me, I’m not bullshitting when I say there’s nothing I’d love more than to lay you out on that table over there and nibble my way up your body.”

She sucked in a swift breath. Gideon watched her breasts rise beneath that filmy top and all he could think of was how they’d look naked. He trailed his index finger over her shoulder again and down the inside of her arm until he reached the crook of her elbow. Then, just to drive himself crazy, he trailed his finger back up, bare millimeters away from her breast.

“But as hard as it might be to believe from my behavior so far, my momma did raise me to be a gentleman. And taking advantage of a beautiful lady when she’s hurting is not something I’m gonna do.”

Miki pressed her lips together, those huge eyes of hers swimming in emotion. Somewhere in the back of his head, Gideon heard warning sirens. But he was so lost in the sweet look on her face, it was easy to ignore them.

“Maybe I should be looking for another contractor to do the work here,” she mused aloud. From the frown curving her brow, she didn’t like the idea any better than Gideon did, though.

“Nah. I’m a big boy. I can behave myself. I just...” he sucked in a breath and shook his head. “I just have to have one last taste. Then I’ll settle back into the client/contractor relationship. Maybe even friends.”

Watching her face for any sign of hesitation, he slowly lowered his head. A breath away from her mouth, he whispered, “Just one taste, and we’ll consider each other off limits.”

“Just one more,” she murmured against his lips.

Gideon sank into the delicious depths of her mouth. Keeping the kiss soft, almost gentle, he used his lips and tongue to hint at the passion he felt.

With a soft moan of delight, Miki took that final step, clearing that one-inch between them and putting Gideon’s sanity into severe jeopardy. Keeping a tight grip on his control, he promised himself just one minute to absorb the feel of her. The delicious pressure of her breasts against his chest, her stomach pressed lightly to his straining flesh.

Then she moved, a soft foray of her tongue into his mouth, and he was lost.

Gideon lifted both hands to plunge them into her hair. Just before he did, fire sliced into his calf.

“What the hell,” he yelped, letting loose of Miki and jumping back.

“What?” she gasped through swollen lips. Two quick blinks cleared the languorous glaze from her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

Pain ripping through his leg, he twisted to see. Attached to his calf by razor-sharp claws was a green-eyed monster with fur. Gideon swore he saw hate in the depths of those slitted eyes.

“Oh no,” Miki yelped.

He shook his leg and the cat bared its teeth. Damned thing wouldn’t shake loose. He didn’t dare reach down to throw it off. No way he wanted his face within swiping distance of those lethal claws.

“This yours?” he asked Miki through gritted teeth. It was probably a good idea to find out before he kicked the furball across the room.

“Not mine,” she said, scurrying out of his arms to try and distract the cat with his clipboard. It didn’t work. “It just showed up before you did. I’d never seen it before.”

Gideon shook his leg again and winced when the cat bared its teeth.

“Cats don’t live in Rossdale, remember?”

“Maybe it’s just wandering through,” she said with a shrug. Before he could stop her, she leaned down and rubbed her thumb and fingers together, making a tutting sound.

After one last flex of its claws, the cat gave a hiss, then released Gideon’s calf. Nice as you please, it stuck its tail in the air and sauntered over to Miki. A quick rub of its head against her outstretched hand and the cat started to purr.

“How sweet,” she exclaimed.

“Sweet? That damned thing just about shish-kabobbed me.” Gideon refrained from tugging up his pant leg to see if he was bleeding. After all, the sticky wetness dripping in his sock was a good enough indicator.

“I’m sure she didn’t mean to,” Miki assured him as she rose, the cat in her arms.

He took a step back as the cat swung its fluffy black head toward him to glare. Only an idiot would believe a cat could radiate malevolence. Even so, he swore that’s what he saw shooting out of those green eyes. Gideon bared his teeth back at it. The cat flipped its tail in a universal symbol, then turned its face into Miki’s chin to snuggle her.

“I think it likes me,” she exclaimed.

Gideon just grunted.

“Where do you think it came from?”

“No clue,” he said. “I wasn’t kidding when I said there are no cats in Rossdale. Don’t get too attached to it. It’ll be gone in a day, two at the most. They always are.”

Her sound of protest made him feel like a jerk. His apparent theme of the day. Before he could say anything more rude, or worse, toss the cat out the window and Miki on that table like he’d wanted, Gideon reached for his clipboard.

He caught Miki’s snicker and grinned, unabashed.

“What can I say? You are one sweet temptation.”

At the cat’s hiss, he glared.

“I’m gonna head out. I’ll work up these figures and have the bid to you within a few days.”

“Thanks,” she said softly. The look in her eyes told him she was grateful for a lot more than his kisses and work-potential. Damning his gentlemanly upbringing, Gideon just shrugged.