Well, this is going to be fun.

When Hank Patterson had told him his next assignment was to be as some woman’s boyfriend slash bodyguard, he’d wanted to tell him no thanks. He did the hard jobs, the top level security, even the undercover assignments. But Hank explained in a quiet voice he was doing this for a very good friend of his, the woman was putting herself in a dangerous position, and he’d have a better chance of protecting her as her lover.

“We are the Brotherhood Protectors,” Hank reminded him.

“As long as she understands it’s only for show,” he’d specified

Hank snorted a laugh. “Believe me, she’s not any happier with the playacting than you are.”

Not that he didn’t want a woman in his life. He did. Loneliness ate at him sometimes, but he couldn’t seem to connect with the right woman. He didn’t know if it was him or them. Sometimes he wondered if he’d just forgotten how to have a relationship. He’d deliberately blocked himself from anything like that so he could fully dedicate himself to the SEALs. He was one of those people who gave everything to one thing at a time. Now he wanted that one thing to be a woman, but it sure as hell couldn’t be a client.

Damn!

Scot hauled the woman’s gear into the cabin, despite her irritating insistence she could do it herself. Slanting a look of annoyance at him, she grabbed the messenger bag that he assumed held, among other things, her laptop, and marched into the cabin ahead of him. That gave him a good chance to get a good look at her rear.

He didn’t know what he expected, but this wasn’t it. Oh, sure, Hank had given him a folder with her picture and the basic facts about her and the situation, but seeing her in person was different. Maybe he’d expected a tall, boldly aggressive female who looked ready to go ten rounds with him.

Never trust your imagination.

Jenna Donovan was barely more than five feet, her jeans and sweater setting off a compact but curvy body. Dark hair fell in a mass of curls around a face whose most outstanding quality was huge hazel eyes.

At first glance, he thought, feisty, edgy and a problem. His second impression was a lot more complicated. I wonder what she looks like without her clothes on.

Holy fucking shit!

He was shocked that he’d had any reaction to her at all, never mind one that involved her being naked. In the two years since he’d been out of the SEALs, he hadn’t met a woman who appealed to him as anything but a brief fling. When he became a SEAL sniper, he’d made a conscious decision to shut out any emotional relationships. Being a sniper meant compressing emotions while doing the job. A lot of guys were able to do both, but apparently he wasn’t wired that way. For twelve years he had lived with casual hookups, not needing anything more.

But now he’d come to realize he wanted a life, like most of the men at Brotherhood Protectors. Like Hank had found with his Sophie. But, somehow, it hadn’t worked out. He began to wonder if he had a disconnect where relationships were concerned. Had he shut himself off for so long he’d lost the ability?

He rarely talked about it except to Hank, who understood his situation and told him not to give up. The right woman would walk into his life when he was least expecting her. Just like Sophie had for him. In two years, however, no woman had appealed to him for anything more than temporary.

Sometimes he wondered if there was something missing in his genetic makeup. His father had left when he was ten. Both of his brothers had joined the military as soon as they could and were still on active duty. And neither of them was in a sustained relationship. So yeah, maybe genetics. Then why did he have this continuous feeling that there was a big hole in his life?

Until today.

Until Jenna Donovan.

Right person, wrong time.

Damn!

She was a client. His protectee. Despite the fact that other members of the agency had connected that way, it violated his own personal code of conduct.

But damn! At first contact there was something about Jenna Donovan that flipped a switch that had been in the Off position for a very long time. As he took in the nicely rounded ass, the compact body, and the determined set of her shoulders, he told himself he was just assessing her to see how fast she could move in an emergency.

Yeah. Right. Bullshit.

But he wasn’t going there. He had a job to do here, and he had to treat it just like a sniper assignment. No distractions. Use that famous personal discipline.

Uh huh.

Tell that to the sudden invisible connection that popped up. And worse, to unexpectedly swollen cock and aching balls.

Swallowing a sigh, he hefted her two pieces of luggage. “There are two setups for sleeping. A full bedroom downstairs and a loft upstairs. I’m putting your stuff upstairs. I’ll be using the bedroom downstairs.”

He waited for the argument that she wanted the downstairs bedroom. Of course.

“Wait. What?” She glared at him, hands on hips, irritation lining every inch of her body.

Yeah, there it was. And damn again. Instead of annoying him, all he could think of was how cute she looked when she was aggravated.

Of all the fucking luck. The woman he’d been waiting for walks into his life and she might as well have a big Hands Off sign plastered across her chest.

A body I don’t need to think of except as an object to be protected. Object. Protect. Right. Still getting that bodyguard thing fixed in my mind.

He just looked back at her and forced what Hank Patterson called his iron wall stare.

“I won’t be much protection if someone breaks in and they can get to you before I even get downstairs. You could be dead by the time I reach you.”

Her skin turned pale as she absorbed his words.

“You think whoever this is would do that? I haven’t even started digging into anything here yet. How would he even know?”

“I always prepare for trouble,” he told her. “Hope for the best, expect the worst.” He paused. “If it’s a problem for you to sleep up there, then go ahead and take the bedroom down here.” He waved a hand at the two leather couches facing a rock fireplace. “I’ll bunk out on one of those.”

He watched the play of emotions across her face as she struggled with her options. She glanced up the open stairway, and he knew she was bothered by the openness of the sleeping setup there. He wanted to tell her she could prance around naked and it wouldn’t bother him. He’d lost any interest in sex except with his hand ever since—

Quit thinking about it.

He waited for her to say something, but she just stood there, studying him as if he were an unwanted guest. Well, Hank did say someone else had made the arrangements for her. A boyfriend? A significant other? Great. Just fucking great.

“I’m concerned with your safety,” he pointed out. “Just let me know what works for you.”

The sigh said it all.

“Fine. I’ll sleep in the loft.” Her mouth curved in a tiny grin. “But no peeking.”

“Trust me,” he snorted. “That’s at the bottom of my list. I’ll get your stuff upstairs. Then we need to go over your schedule and some ground rules.”

“Ground rules?”

“Yeah. There’s one of those single-serving coffee makers on the counter. Go ahead and fix yourself a cup if you want.”

“There are pods here?” Had the landlord provided them or Scot? Somehow she couldn’t see him ambling trough a minimart laying in supplies.

“Hank’s wife shopped for supplies so you wouldn’t have to worry about it. If she got anything wrong, or there’s something we don’t have that you want, I’ll be happy to take you to get it.

“Groceries?” She sounded like a parrot. His boss’s wife had grocery shopped for her?

“Yeah. She figured after the long trip you might not be in the mood. Like I said, we can always get anything that’s not here. So go ahead and get your coffee while I take care of your luggage.

He plunked her suitcases next to the bed, along with her messenger bag then took the stairway down two steps at a time. He saw that she’d taken him up on his suggestion and fixed a mug of coffee for herself. She stood by the big window looking out into the woods, sipping from the mug and staring out at the wilderness.

He was struck again by the electric energy that seemed to zing from her body.

Forget it, idiot. This is a job, not a date.

“You can stand there and look at me all day,” she said without turning around. “But I won’t change how I look. I’m still going to be a little too short, a little too chunky, and not very warm and fuzzy.”

He didn’t know whether to be shocked or just burst out laughing. There was nothing wrong with either her height or her body, but he didn’t feel comfortable telling her that.

“First of all, I wasn’t sizing you up. Second, whoever the hell told you that needs to have their eyes examined.”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he wanted them back. He could have just said something a little more neutral. Objective. Only he seemed to have lost all his skills in that department, if indeed, he’d ever had any.

Jenna stared at him, one eyebrow cocked.

“Listen, I just meant…Never mind. How about I get my own coffee then we can sit down and go over the ground rules.”

She turned, and he saw something flash in her eyes. Not anger, but maybe something close to it. Then it was gone, and her face became a mask showing nothing.

“Fine. But I have some rules of my own.”

“Then let’s get them out where we can look at them.”

When they were sitting at the small hand-hewn polished log table, he took a moment to study her face. That definitely hadn’t been anger he’d seen in her eyes. It was more like controlled fear she was doing her best to hide. Hank had given him the information on her background, but the details of the incident that had set her off in this direction were pretty sketchy.

“Grey said you’ll have to get the details from her,” Hank had told him. “He felt they weren’t his to share. He just said she’d been a rape victim as a young girl and was now hunting the guy. He wanted us to know she’s stepping into a situation where she could be in great danger. She’s scared and determined, and whoever this guy is, he’s apparently powerful enough to wipe her off the face of the earth without even blinking.”

“And she has no idea who he is?”

“Not at all. Just that she’s pretty sure he’s a friend or at least an acquaintance of her stepfather. Who, by the way, she severed any relationship with ten years ago.”

“Okay. I’m on it.”

Now he studied her for a long second while he gathered his thoughts.

“Okay, some ground rules,” he said again.

She quirked an eyebrow. “Ground rules.”

“Uh huh. Like it or not, my boss, Hank Patterson, is good friends with your friend Grey Holden, and promised him we’d keep you safe. So. Again. Ground rules.”

A corner of her mouth twitched. “I can hardly wait to hear this.”

“Rule number one.” He ticked it off on his forefinger. “You never go anywhere without me. And I mean anywhere. Even to get gas or buy groceries. Got it?”

Her mouth twitched again. “Got it.”

“Every morning, you lay out your schedule for the day. If you’re going someplace I haven’t checked out first, I’ll do a recon before I let you out of the car.”

Both eyebrows hiked up. “Let me out of the car? Are you planning to restrain me or something?”

In spite of himself, he felt a grin teasing at the corners of his mouth. That wouldn’t do. At all. He wasn’t a person who smiled. Or even grinned.

“Scot?”

He blinked and realized Jenna was watching him, eyes narrowed.

“Yeah?”

“You were saying something about not letting me out of the car? Are you planning to tie me to my seat?”

“If I have to.” He leaned forward. “Jenna, this is serious. From all the details Hank gave me, this guy you’re hunting is a stone-cold killer. Do you by any stretch of the imagination think I am going to take the smallest chance of letting him get to you?”

She nibbled on her bottom lip, a gesture that—shock!—made his lower extremities send him signals. What the fuck? What was going on with him? Had someone else inhabited his body? Should he call Hank and tell him to send someone else?

No! This was his gig, and he was doing it. Whatever aberration this was would pass. Now. At once.

“Listen carefully,” he went on. “Someone out there already knows you’re digging into the past. Count on it. If that someone is as powerful as you think, he won’t give a second thought to squashing you like a bug.”

She stared at him for a moment then lowered her gaze to her nearly empty mug.

“Fine. I agree it’s stupid to put myself in danger if I don’t have to.”

Thank god for that.

“Okay. Let’s talk about other situations.” He rose to brew another mug of coffee for himself. “Grey passed along the information that you have a list of potential suspects. Whoever this guy is, the minute he sniffs out you’re here, almost any place you go in this town you’ll be a target. You’ll be out in the open, but he won’t.” He paused. “At least as far as you know. And while you’re finding out who this asshole is, my job will be keeping you safe. ’Tis the ground rule.”

Jenna sighed. “You’re right. I know it. It’s just—never mind. Have to figure out a starting point.”

“This might sound crazy, after the law I tried to lay down, but I think we should go into town and see what’s going on. Get a feel for things.”

Jenna slid a glance at him. “You want to check out who watches me and why.”

“Yes. And that’s the best way to do it, since we’re really flying blind here. I need to get a reading on who shows the most interest in you, overt or otherwise.”

“Okay, I have a few rules myself.”

Scot had to stop himself from grinning. She was just so damn cute when she was riled up like this.

Cute?

Crap. He had to stop thinking of her as anything but an inanimate object to protect. But that was damn hard to do when she’d flipped every one of his switches the minute he laid eyes on her.

“Okay, let’s hear them.”

She wet her lips, a gesture that made his cock want to wake up again.

Crap!

Get hold of yourself.

He was a former SEAL with a job today. That was his focus. He could damn well just push everything to the back of his mind until this job was over.

“I’ll be talking to the sheriff and some other people. Please don’t interrupt me when I’m doing that or give your opinion.”

“No problem. That’s not part of my assignment.”

“Next thing. I don’t do well with people just ordering me around. I like explanations for why we’re doing certain things.”

He nodded. “Just as long as you keep in mind that if I think we’re in danger I’m not stopping to discuss it.”

She nibbled on her lips again, sending his brain and his body into a spin, but then she nodded.

“Fair enough. I’ll agree you’re the expert there.”

“What else?”

“Um, that’s it. For now, I mean. But others may come up.”

“I can hardly wait,” he muttered. He could already sense she was walking trouble.

“Excuse me?” Fire flashed in eyes that he saw now were a sexy smoky gray.

Lord give me strength here. Why couldn’t I have met her after this gig?

“I said, just let me know. I want you to feel comfortable with this.”

She surprised him with a sudden grin that made a tiny dimple in one cheek flash real fast.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“So what’s first on your list here? Do you have a schedule?”

“Sort of.” She blew out a breath. “I spoke to the sheriff and made arrangements to meet with him tomorrow morning.”

“He was agreeable to that?” Scot asked.

“I don’t think he was too happy,” she told him. “Having all these unsolved murders hanging over his head can’t be too good for him.”

“Yet he still keeps getting elected.”

“Because he’s part of the area elite,” she explained. “And people like my stepfather like having a solid relationship with the chief law enforcement officer. Keep your friends close and your enemies, closer, as they say. This way Roger Holland and his friends could skirt the law as much as they wanted and not worry about it.”

“Did he remember you?” Scot asked.

“Yes. He was the sheriff when I lived here, and he remembers me as Roger Holland’s stepdaughter. People must like him since he keeps getting reelected.”

Scot frowned. “Maybe he’s not too happy that you might upset that apple cart by digging into these unsolved cases?”

Jenna shrugged. “I couldn’t really tell over the phone. I think he knew that he wasn’t going to be able to talk me out of this so he’d just make the best of it.”

“Okay, what’s after that?”

“I want to talk to the families of each of the murdered girls. I know, I know.” She held up a hand as he opened his mouth. “They’ve already been questioned, probably many times. But I can often get things out of families the police can’t because I come at it from a different angle.”

“Yeah, I can understand that.”

“After I see the sheriff, I’ll start calling the families and ask to see them. I also want to take pictures of the sites where the bodies were found.”

“Okay.” So far so good. “We’ll scope them out together.”

“Scot, I—”

“First of all, remember the rules. You don’t go anywhere without me. Second. As a sniper, I spent a lot of time scoping out various sites. I might see things you don’t.”

She studied him for a moment. “You’re right, Okay. I’ll take all the help I can get. Then she threw him another curve ball. “I understand our cover here is that we’re a couple. We need to talk about that.”

Well, there was the heart of the mater. He hadn’t given that much thought. Idiot.

“You should know that wasn’t my idea,” he assured her. “Hank and your friend came up with it.”

“Grey told me that. I just—”

“I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable with it. But just so you know. I can put on a pretty damn good act if I need to. And it seems to me the most logical situation, one that won’t arouse a lot of curiosity.”

“You don’t think my asking questions is going to do that?”

“Yes, but I’ll be a lot less threatening to people as your boyfriend than bodyguard.”

“I guess you’re right. Okay. We’ll just figure it out as we go along.”

“Works for me.”

“Meanwhile, I want to get a look at the town. See what’s changed in all these years. Get a feel for things.”

He looked at his watch. “It’s almost dinnertime. I say we go into town, grab a booth in one of the restaurants, and see what happens.”

Jenna nibbled her bottom lip and there it was again, the little zing to his cock.

Jesus!

That simple gesture made every one of his senses go on full alert. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and make her a promise that nothing would ever happen to her. That she’d be safe.

He planned to accomplish that to the best of his ability. He wanted to shelter her body with his and promise her nothing bad would ever happen.

Wait!

This is make believe, he reminded himself. A cover. A covert assignment. He wasn’t really her by friend, or whatever term they were using. However, he needed to think of it to make it work.

Get your shit together. You have a job to do. Do it. Don’t fuck it up and piss Hank off.

He cleared his throat. “Is that a problem?”

“What? Oh, no.” She shook her head. “It’s just…this is the first time I’ve been in this town in more than fourteen years.”

“Are you worried people will recognize you?”

She shrugged. “Not exactly. To be truthful, I’m wondering if I’ll recognize him.”

Scot frowned. “I thought you never saw him? The file I have said that first he had one hand over your eyes then when he pushed you down on the bed he wrapped some kind of cloth around your head.”

“That’s true. But all these years I’ve wondered if there would be something about him that would ring a bell. I’m so conflicted. I want to know and I don’t.”

“But if you don’t find the answer, you’ll never be able to get past it,” he guessed.

“Yes. That’s it. Well. No use postponing it. I came here for a purpose. Let’s get on with it.” She drained the last of her coffee, carried both mugs to the sink, and rinsed them. Then she turned back to face him, a determined look on her face. “I’m ready.”

“Okay, then.”

“I’ll drive.”

There went that eyebrow again.

“Don’t like riding with women drivers?”

He shrugged. “I just feel comfortable handling my own wheels. Come on. Let’s dip that first toe in the water.”

They were silent most of the way into town, but there was an element of tension filling the air. Scot wasn’t sure which of the many things it could be that generated it. At last she broke the silence.

“You probably think I’m as crazy for doing this as my friend Grey does.”

“Not necessarily. I can understand why it would be important to you. But what do you think your chances are of actually identifying who this is?”

“It depends.”

“On?”

She ticked off things on her fingers. “How much cooperation I get from the sheriff’s office. What kind of information is in the files of the girls who were killed. Who else might be willing to talk to me.”

“Don’t you think you’re taking a pretty big chance here?”

“Is that a question or a criticism?” she asked.

He slid a quick glance at her. She was sitting rigid n her seat, her face set in a look that was equal parts determination and irritation. He was damn sure he wasn’t the first person to ask her that question.

“An information question,” he answered. “I mean, if you decided you need a bodyguard, you must be worried whose comfort zone you’ll nudge.”

Again, she was silent. He could almost hear her brain working.

“Listen.” She sighed. “Not to hurt your feelings, but this wasn’t my idea. I would have been fine just coming in here by myself and doing my quiet research like I usually do.”

He almost grinned. “Not to hurt your feelings, but if you’re planning to poke a bear, you need to remember he won’t hesitate to attack.”

“This isn’t my first rodeo, Mr. Nolan. I’ve done this before and not needed protection.”

What was it about her that made him smile at her remarks? She was feisty. That was it. He liked feisty women.

Damn!

“But it usually isn’t personal. Right?” When she didn’t answer, he prodded, “Am I right?”

She huffed a sound of impatience. “Yes. You’re right. It’s never been personal before.”

“And if the man you’re after really lives here, isn’t just an occasional visitor, you’d best remember he did away with those other girls. He won’t hesitate to do the same with you.”

She was silent for a long moment again.

“Okay. I get it. I’m just not used to having someone hanging around my neck.”

“Better hanging around your neck than being hung by the neck.”

He heard the gasp of an indrawn breath and gave himself an invisible smack to the head. Way to go, asshole. Try to remember that the body you are guarding is a real person, not someone sitting in a corner you can stand over with a gun.

“Don’t you think if you’re supposed to be my boyfriend or lover or whatever the hell it is, you should be a little nicer to me?”

“Right after you,” he shot back. Man. She was a pistol, all right.

By now they were in the center of the small town, driving down Main Street—and what else would it be called, for fuck’s sake. Although it was after six o’clock, people were still hurrying along the streets, some gathered at storefronts talking.

“You have anyplace special in mind?” Scot asked.

“I used to eat with my friends at a place right down that street.” She pointed. “The Horseshoe.”

“Still open,” he commented. “And looks busy.” He pulled into the parking lot next to it.

“Yes. It does.”

Scot undid his seat belt then just waited. Jenna sat there, doing that sexy nibble on her thumb again, which was probably going to kill him, the man with the iron balls. She didn’t seem in any hurry to get out of the vehicle, so he’d take his cue from her. He wasn’t about to leave her sitting here alone, or let her walk by herself into the place.

“We can always turn around and head back to the cabin,” he said at last. “Hank wasn’t sure what you liked, so the stuff we stocked it with is just basics, but we can forage a meal out of it.”

“No.” She sat up straighter.

“You think he might be in there now? That you might recognize something about him? You said you never saw him.”

“Yes. You’re right. But there were certain things…something:” She shook her head. “It’s like it’s been hiding in my subconscious all these years, and I can’t bring it out.”

“I’ve learned those things come to light when you least expect it.” And wasn’t that just the damn truth.

“Sooner rather than later would be good.”

“You know, Jenna, there’s always the chance he might recognize you. Trust me. I’m very good at reading people, and I’ll be checking out every single person in there. If you still want to do this, that is.”

“No.” She shifted in the seat to face him, determination in the set of her face. “I’ve never been a coward and I’m not going to start now. Let’s go. And I’ll remember to act as if I really like you. Try to do the same.”

She unfastened her seat belt, opened the door, and slid out. Scot was beside her in an instant, holding her back while he scanned the area.

“You really think someone’s hiding to ambush me? No one even knows I’m in town yet.”

“Don’t kid yourself. As high profile as we assume this guy to be, he’s probably got his finger on the pulse of everything that happens around here. Besides, he could have kept a check on you all this time, learned what you do for a living, and is on watch to see if you show up here.”

His words shook her.

“I didn’t think of that.”

“I know. That’s why you have me. Okay, let’s go.”

He was right behind her as she marched to the door of the restaurant, back stiff, head high. This was her first time back in fourteen years. He could damn well protect her body, but he knew he was totally unprepared to help her through the other part of this. Acting like a lover? He wasn’t sure he knew how to do it when it was for real, never kind make believe.

It wouldn’t be so bad if his body would quit sending him involuntary signals. His relationships with women were all about sex. Just sex. Nothing more. He’d figured out a long time ago he might not be capable of anything more. So, what was with this unwanted reaction to this woman?

Maybe he should rethink this whole boyfriend bit he was supposed to be playing. And the term “boyfriend”? At his age? Wasn’t that a little too juvenile sounding? How was he supposed to keep it to playacting when she was the first woman to flip all his switches to the On position in what seemed like forever.

Damn. Maybe Hank should have sent someone else.