“Doesn’t matter,” she muttered to her reflection as she brushed her wet hair and pulled it up into a simple bun. “He’s just my bodyguard and nothing more.”
She pulled on a matching set of blue lace panties and bra and an off-white, v-neck, capped-sleeve top, and a skirt that swirled around her legs.
After she snagged a pair of heels, Kimberly left her bedroom. Today was going to be a good day. She was going to continue with her life and try to forget the unfortunate incident that was her kidnap.
She did not expect to walk straight into a solid wall of muscle. She walked right into Asher as he was coming out of his room
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” she muttered, trying to disentangle her heels from his jacket, which had snagged on his sleeve.
“No, sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Asher said stiffly, gripping her arms gently to set her to the side so he could walk around her. He didn’t speak again, but hi
"You sure could have" Alex said, doing his best to keep his voice from shaking uncontrollably..The boss moved close. "But we did not" he said from only a foot away. His pale gaze locked on Alex's face."I became what I am today because I was determined not to fail. I don't fail... I never fail" the boss said.Alex nodded as fear swelled inside him."I let you head this operation because of your reputation" the boss said, his voice low. "You remember that you owe me too. And I wanted to give you an opportunity to pay me back my doing this for me. Because of who you were and the business I thought we could do together. I trusted you""I appreciate that" Alex Saif quickly. "I want to do what I can to keep that trust""Then where is the god damn money" the boss asked in a roar.Alex flinched and stepped back. Instantly two of the three assoc
She showed Asher her office. And of course he didn't leave. Not until he had checked around her office... Just to make sure.The office he stayed in was next to hers. The glass walls in the office ensuring that he could keep an eye on her. She had always loved those glass walls in the office and she never thought that a day would come when she would wish the walls were made of bricks.That was how she felt today. Though she only saw him watching her once throughout the day, she knew his attention was on her, even if his eyes were glued to his laptop and the files on his desk.She couldn't wait to be free of him. Maybe even for a few hours.Kimberly didn't go out for lunch, she stayed right inside her office, knowing that if she tried to got out for lunch like she always did he would come with her, and the last thing she wanted was him hovering around her when she went out. But her stomach rumbled as
Phoebe stared at her in amazement. "Wow" she said. "You look like someone who just got out of jail. Relax a little bit, will you?"Kimberly stared at her and smiled. "I'm happy" she said. "I need this. After everything I have been through, I need this. And I definitely don't need anyone watching my every move while I'm at it""Alright" Phoebe said as she smiled back at her. Even if she wasn't entirely sure of what they were doing, she loved this fun part of Kimberly. "Whatever you need to to get this out of your system. Just be careful"Kimberly nodded. The cab was toasty warm from the pickup’s excellent heater and they were on their way somewhere with cowboys and country western music. Kimberly turned on the radio. Wouldn’t you know it was set to a country station?A duet. A man and a woman singing about the hot and dangerous love they once had and how they wanted that again. Kimberly tu
But he was too proud. And too ambitious. And he was drawn to her. And he didn’t want her hurt, either—at least, no more than she had already been hurt by those damn kidnappers.So he hadn’t spoken up. He hadn't insisted on another team member handling the job. And he hadn't taken a different assignment. And now he had left her to turn to her impetuous friend to find a way to escape him.The town vanished behind him. The dark highway lay ahead, growing darker as clouds crept across the face of the moon and obscured the thick wash of bright stars. He pressed the gas harder, adjusted the Bluetooth device in his ear and kept going.-------------------------------On the radio, a lonely cowboy begged his girl to come over. By then, Kimberly had it turned to full volume.Phoebe turned to her. "Can you cool it a little bit" she said. But she laughed too.Kimberly turned to her
Kimberly climbed onto her stool, drained the last of her beer and waited for Clara to glance her way.She sensed a manly presence behind her. Smiling, she turned to face the cowboy she knew would be standing there, planning to tell him she would be happy to dance with him as soon as she’d made a phone call.Her heart jumped into her throat and got stuck there, cutting off her air, when she saw that it wasn’t a cowboy at all.It was Asher Adams.----------------------------------He was wearing jeans and rawhide boots, a dark sweatshirt and a heavy canvas jacket. He smelled of the cold mountain air outside and he looked more dangerous and exciting and wonderful than any of the handsome cowboys she’d danced with so far. His expression, however, was even bleaker than usual.“Time to go, Kimberly” He said. His voice sent the usual infuriating warm shivers cascading through her.
His face remained carved in stone while his eyes burned with dark fury. He glared at her for a slow count of five and she became a little concerned that he would actually touch her, that he would manacle her arm with that big hand of his and drag her bodily from the premises. Sparks chased themselves beneath her skin at the very idea.But he had iron control obviously, because in the end, he only turned sharply on his heel and went where she’d told him to go.------------------------Asher watched her.It was all he was allowed to do, all she had permitted him to do.Watch.As she danced with another cowboy. And another after that. Frustration built. He wanted to grab her and throw her over his shoulder and carry her out of there bodily. But he could never do any such thing. She was his boss daughter and he was there to protect her. And that meant, when it came right down to his wil
“The minute I saw you, I knew you were special,” he whispered in her ear, his breath reeking of stale beer. “All ladylike on the outside, hotter than a bottle rocket underneath, just begging for the right man to set you off.” Gary David said.It was too much.“That’s enough. Release me, now.” she said.Past Gary David's shoulder, Asher appeared. She saw nothing but stillness and calm intent in his eyes. He was no more than a foot away.Gary David seemed to have no clue that Asher was there.“Aw, now, sweetheart, don’t go getting riled,” he whispered. He nuzzled her hair. “You and me got chemistry.”Asher reached out.“So you might as well—” Asher touched Gary David's shoulder and Gary stopped talking. The cowboy’s mouth formed a round O and his eyes went flat. He let go of her, his arms dropping boneless to his sides as his knees crumpled and he collapse
“No.” She said. She spoke softly. Without animosity, but with what seemed to him a deep and infinite sadness. “Please. Can we just go to the apartment? I couldn’t bear to go back in there now.”He considered suggesting that they take rooms at the motel behind the roadhouse to wait out the storm. But she was in no condition to spend the night in some cheap motor lodge.He stared at her. “You’re certain you want to risk the highway in this weather?” he asked one more time.She nodded, still staring straight ahead. “Please. Let’s just go.” She said.So off they went.--------------------------The snow came down harder. And the wind blew the thick whiteness horizontally, straight at the windshield. He drove slowly, with care.But it was bad and getting worse. Almost immediately, visibility went from poor to practically nothing. He started thinking about suggestin