Chapter 11

Chapter

Eleven

L indy closed her laptop and leaned back against her chair. Her neck and shoulders ached from being hunched over her computer, but she'd made progress. Thank goodness, she hadn't had many meetings, so she'd been able to focus on who wanted her password generator.

She glanced at the device on her desk. Whenever someone had come into her office, including her assistant, she'd tucked it under her leg. When she'd gone to her meetings, she'd kept the device in her jacket pocket.

As much as she hated to admit it, she was glad to have Chris shadowing her movements to and from work. Knowing he was going to be beside her as she made her way to the car comforted her. She didn't want to have to look over her shoulder all the time, and until the people responsible were caught, she'd have to be extra cautious.

"You ready to leave?"

Her heart skipped at Chris's voice. Once she'd shown him to a spare desk, and he'd gotten himself set up she'd only seen him on the odd occasion. She had a feeling though he'd been watching her more than she'd noticed. He was a Delta; they were known for being undetected by people. It was how they got all the information they needed.

"Yeah. So ready."

Lindy opened the bottom drawer of her desk and pulled out her purse and laptop bag. She stowed her device and slipped the password generator into her pocket and stood.

Chris hadn't moved from his position by her door. Why hadn't he come into her office? Why was he still standing there?

Her nerve endings hit high alert and she stilled, unsure whether to go to him or if she'd be better off where she was, in case she had to take cover.

She mentally scoffed at the image of her diving behind her desk while shots whizzed around the room. As if that would ever happen; Lindy wasn't in an action movie. This was sleepy old Perth .

Nothing exciting like that happened—well not that she knew off. If it was a car going through the front of the building, then she could believe that. So many instances of people hitting the accelerator instead of the brake graced the news headlines.

"Everything okay?" she asked, remaining by her desk.

Chris glanced down the hallway before giving slight nod. "Yep, all good."

Why wasn't she convinced that he was telling her the truth?

His actions seemed too soldiery. He wasn't giving off a relaxed vibe, he looked ready to jump into action at a second's notice.

"Why do I feel like you're not telling me everything?" she asked, as she reached his side, following his action and looking down the hallway. All Lindy saw was the cleaning crew. "Shit, how late is it?"

Beside her, Chris put his arm around her shoulder and she loved the feeling. The warmth stealing through her. She could get used to going home with him each night.

"It's almost seven," he said.

"Seven? Why didn't you knock on my door earlier?" Working late wasn't unusual for her. Then again, she'd been working with dad so both of them heading home late wasn't too much of an issue. Mum was used to their long working hours. Nothing had changed since her father had died, if anything Lindy worked longer. Not a good habit to get into, and one she needed to break. She didn't want work to consume her and overtake her life.

Maybe she should hand over the reins to someone else. Someone who didn't mind working all the hours of every day.

As immediate as the thought was, she crushed it. No way would she do that. Her father had given her his legacy and Lindy would grasp it with both hands.

"I was caught up looking through your employee database. There wasn't a lot I could do when every Tom, Dick and Harry was walking past my desk to see who the Yank was that the boss brought in."

She winced as they entered the elevator. "Sorry, I didn't think it would be that bad."

"Nah, it was fine. I just told them I used to be a Delta, and I knew plenty of ways to silently kill them and dispose of their body before anyone would notice they were gone. They left me alone after that."

"Oh my God, please tell me you didn't say that!" Lindy couldn't stop from laughing though. She could imagine her staff would've freaked out and given him a wide berth after that.

Chris laughed, the sound masculine but musical at the same time.

A sound she wouldn't mind hearing more of.

"I didn't. I just told them what we agreed upon. That seemed to make them happy. Once they'd spoken to me their curiosity was cured."

The doors opened to the foyer and they headed for the stairwell down to the parking garage. "I'm sure you'll be the top subject discussed in the break room for the next few days. Until something else happens, like some sports star leaks a video on the internet they shouldn't have. Or some reality star releases a new fashion line. Attention spans are miniscule these days."

"You're probably right, and to be honest, I don't mind." He held the stairwell door open for her. "Why doesn't your elevator go down to the parking garage?"

"It does, I just like getting the little bit of exercise walking up and down the stairs give me."

Chris stopped and she almost ran into him. "What? Why would do that? Don't you know how dangerous taking the stairs can be, especially late at night."

What she wanted from him right now, wasn't his bodyguard persona.

Lindy wanted the man who knocked her equilibrium off every time he kissed her.

The man she could picture herself having a future with.

Her heart skittered to a stop before starting up again.

She'd known Chris for less than a week, why would she be thinking this way?

Sure, he'd said something similar to her, but he hadn't seen her all weekend—although that was more her fault that his. She'd spent the time stewing over his high-handed comment about being her bodyguard.

When she'd seen him waiting for her in his car this morning, all big and muscular and greeting her with a beautiful smile, Lindy's anger had melted away. The problem had been, she hadn't known what to say and she'd gotten annoyed with herself.

After reaching her office, she'd worked out she was being childish and had apologized. The kiss they'd shared had been amazing. What type of heat could they generate between the sheets if a kiss had the power to make her forget where she was and what she should be doing?

"Lindy, is everything okay?"

Chris's voice sounded like it was coming from a tunnel and she shook her head, clearing her mind. His hands were gripping her upper arms, not hurting her, but there was a hint of panic and fear in his eyes .

Fear?

How the heck could a tough Delta Force soldier feel fear? Weren't they fearless?

"I'm fine. Seriously, I'm okay. I just…" What did she say?

I just realized I want to have a future with you. I just realized that I could be falling in love with you.

None of those thoughts seemed the thing to say even though they were coming from the bottom of her heart.

"Just what?" His grip on her had lightened and his hands were moving up and down her arms. The fabric of her shirt bunching and then straightening with the motion.

Take a leap of faith.

Her inner voice encouraged her and she jumped. "I just want you. I want to spend more time with you."

Chris's nostrils flared at her declaration, and the tiny glimpse of fear she'd seen in his eyes was replaced with desire so hot she could've burned up. "You shouldn't say things like that to me."

The spark of desire inside her ignited and she closed this distance between them, placing her hand on his chest, right over his heart. Lindy looked up at him from beneath her lashes. "Why not?"

"Because. "

She pouted and hoped it looked sexy and not ridiculous. " Because is not an answer."

His large hand landed on top of hers. "You want an answer, huh?"

She nodded. Lindy was having way too much fun flirting with him in the enclosed space of the stairwell.

Chris groaned and pulled her close, until she was flush against him. "You asked for this."

His head swooped down and he crashed his lips on hers.

Her grip on her laptop bag loosened and it almost slipped out of her fingers, until she tightened them. She wanted to wrap both arms around his neck. Anchor him to her so he knew how much she wanted this.

How much she wanted him.

Their groans echoed around them and she pulled back, hating to cut the embrace but needing to at the same time. "Take me home."

Chris nodded and grabbed her hand, leading her down the stairs. He set a brisk pace and she worried she'd topple over in her high heels, but if she did he'd catch her. Lindy didn't doubt that.

A few minutes later, they were pulling out of the building and heading into the light evening traffic. Neither said a word on the drive home.

The tension that filled the car this trip was nothing like what'd surrounded them on the way to work. That had been tense with unspoken words. This tension was different, it was an if-I-touch-you-I'm-going-to-want-to-rip-your-clothes-off-and-it's-far-too-dangerous-to-do-that.

Finally, they pulled into the driveway of her house, Chris entered the code and the gates opened, painfully slowly.

Why hadn't she ever noticed how slow they were?

The second he parked in front of the house, and turned the engine off, they had their seatbelts off and got out of the car.

He stood behind her, his body heat reaching out, as she fumbled to unlock the door.

Never in her life had Lindy been so consumed with this much sexual desire.

No sooner had the door shut behind her, and she placed her purse and bag on the hall table, Chris hauled her into his arms, his mouth taking possession of hers, as he backed her until she collided with the front door.

She couldn't get enough of him.

The need to rip his clothes off dominated her mind. Trailing her hands down his back, Lindy reached the waistband of his pants and tugged on his shirt, lifting it until she connected with his warm skin. "Yes," she hissed as she traced the indentations of his spine beneath his shirt.

"Not here."

Before she had time to comprehend what was going to happen, Chris scooped her up and headed for the stairs. He paused outside her door. "Is this what you want?"

Lindy's heart tumbled over at the consideration he was displaying with the question he was asking. "Yes. I want this. I want you."