Close Contact. Lori Foster

of pipes.

      With nothing else to do, his gaze went to her bed. In no time at all, his thoughts were out of control, focused on things they shouldn’t be—like how much he wanted her.

      Again.

      Still.

      And here he’d started to think that working at Body Armor would be a piece of cake.

      * * *

      “THIS,” MAXI SAID, licking her lips with a groan, “was a much better idea than food at home.”

      Miles smiled while sinking his white teeth into a loaded burger. “Quicker, for sure.”

      They sat in his roomy SUV, him half-turned to face her, one arm loosely draped over the steering wheel, a bag of fast food between them. He’d found a recreation area near the store they were going to and parked beneath a shade tree to keep the sun from reflecting off the black exterior. From their position, they could see kids playing on swings, people walking dogs and couples holding hands. With the windows down, a summer breeze kept it from being too hot.

      Maxi felt much better now that she was clean and dressed, her hair braided down her back. Before they’d left the house, she’d cleaned up the mess and put her clothes in the wash, but she didn’t have hopes of the oil coming out. The shorts would no doubt join her growing pile of “work” clothes, meaning they’d be appropriate for the farm, but nowhere else.

      Miles had been silent as she’d put her book back on the shelf and washed her wineglass. She didn’t know if he believed her about what had happened, and she wasn’t sure if she even wanted to know. He was with her, and for now, that was more than enough.

      When she glanced at him, she found him watching her in that intense, very intimate way of his that made her breath catch in her chest.

      It would be nice to know what he was thinking, but instead she asked, “Should we make a list of what we need?”

      “I already did.”

      “When?”

      “While you were in the shower. I found a pen and paper in your study.”

      He hadn’t left her. He’d stayed right there, very close, as promised.

      It was ridiculous to react, given nothing had happened; she’d finished her shower without a single disturbance.

      But knowing that she could trust him not to budge mattered. A lot. “It’s too bad we couldn’t find what we needed in the little town closer by.”

      “I had to come this way for my stuff anyway. We’ll go to my apartment last, then head back to your house. I should still have time to get a few things set up.”

      “How extensive is our list? I know you mentioned locks and a security camera.”

      “I’m thinking several, actually. Someone is sneaking onto your property. I want to know who.”

      “How do you think they’re getting in?”

      “No idea. But that reminds me. I called my friend Leese.”

      “Who?”

      “Leese Phelps. He used to be a fighter, too, but he was the first one to move to Body Armor. It seems to be a good fit for him.”

      “You called him while I was in the shower?”

      “Yeah. I explained your situation. Thought it couldn’t hurt to get an unbiased perspective on things.”

      Meaning he considered his own perspective biased—because they’d slept together?

      Embarrassment disturbed her peaceful moment. His friend probably thought she was crazy or, like Miles, assumed she’d been drunk and imagined it all. “Aren’t you the busy beaver.”

      After putting the last fry in his mouth, Miles said, “You were only a few feet away, buck naked and wet. It seemed like a good idea to keep busy.”

      Maxi blinked at him, the embarrassment forgotten. He kept saying things that she didn’t know how to take. Was he mad at her or not? Did he want her as much as she wanted him?

      Or were comments like that supposed to be jokes?

      Since she didn’t have any answers, she steered the topic back to his friend. “What did Leese have to say?”

      “He took it seriously, if that’s what you’re asking. You’d have to know Leese. He was made for this shit. Being analytical about danger suits him way better than professional fighting ever did.”

      “So he made suggestions?”

      Miles nodded. “I’ll get security lights put up today, enough to light up the barn and down to the pond. Anyone sneaking around will be easily seen. I’ll add extra locks to the windows and doors—anywhere someone might be able to get in. Oh, and we’ll throw out all your food, especially your wine.”

      “Throw out all my food?”

      “Well, I’m not eating it. Think about it. If what you told me was accurate—”

      Accurate? At least he hadn’t outright accused her of lying.

      “—then someone might’ve drugged whatever you ate or drank. I assume you don’t want to chance it?”

      “Of course not.” Now she couldn’t even trust her food? “How would someone have—”

      “No idea how it works. Leese is looking into it for me. By the way, he and Justice might come out tomorrow.”

      She was just about to take her last bite of hamburger when he said that. “Tomorrow?” She lowered the burger. “To my farmhouse?”

      “Yeah. Leese trained me for Body Armor, and Justice is great with security systems. Assuming you can afford a decent one, he’ll help with that. I know what to buy, and how to set it up, but again, it’s good to have fresh eyes looking over things.”

      “So I’m going to be paying for three of you?”

      Miles snorted. “No, they’re friends. I’m the only one on the clock, and only because you went to Sahara.”

      “Well, I wanted to be fair.” Done eating, Maxi put the trash into the bag. “Your Ms. Silver is an impressive lady.”

      “Yeah, she is, and she knows it. If you looked up confidence in the dictionary, you’d find Sahara smiling back at you.”

      Maxi laughed. “She did give that impression.”

      “You made an impression on her, too.”

      “A lousy one.” It made her shudder to remember the horrid reflection looking back at her in the mirror right before her shower. And Miles’s boss, that classy lady, had seen her.

      “Not so. Sahara had only nice things to say about you.”

      Deciding to test the waters a little, Maxi asked, “Does that mean she, at least, didn’t think I was making it up?”

      Unfazed, Miles shrugged. “Neither of us is quite sure what to think, to be honest. But I’m telling you right now, this will be easier if you tell me about any guys you’ve been involved with.”

      Even though she’d suspected he didn’t believe her, his blasé confession still annoyed her. “Sure.”

      A little more alert, Miles waited.

      “Let’s see. There was...” She met his gaze. “None.”

      His slight tension eased into frustration. “Seriously? No one?”

      “I can only say it so many ways.”

      “Okay, forget involvement.” He slashed a hand through the air. “Whether you were sleeping with anyone or not—”

      “I wasn’t.”

      “—there