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“No. Nothing unusual on the security cameras.” He shrugged and changed lanes.
“So when Beau contacted Charli,” she prompted.
He swallowed and glanced her way. “Beau requested you.”
“Me?” She leaned back against the leather seat. “How would he know about me?” She should be flattered. Her security reputation must be growing. Why did it feel ominous that Beau requested her?
“Remember Lake Freeman?”
She nodded. Lake played for the Chargers as well and she’d been on his security detail at a fundraising event in Venezuela for American football players from a variety of teams. As Venezuela was considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world for Americans, they’d brought their own security team along, having Charli set it all up.
“Lake bragged about how ‘hot’ his ninja security girl was and even showed Beau photos. Beau thought you’d be the perfect woman warrior to protect him.”
She squirmed. Awkward. Lake hadn’t made any advances on her, had even seemed a little shy around her. Now they were passing her picture around?
“Charli and Fitz discussed it, and they were both against putting you in a situation where the client would undoubtedly be hitting on you. So they told Beau they’d be happy to send you as his girlfriend and a male op as his friend, if you accepted the job. Beau was thrilled. Then they slid in that your ‘top security expert’ boyfriend, a highly decorated retired Army Ranger lieutenant, would be his ‘friend.’” He grinned at her, and her heart predictably raced out of control.
“Not to blow up your head or anything,” she teased, hating the breathlessness in her voice.
“Exactly.” He turned down the temperature on his side of the vehicle. Odd since she was the one in the sun. “Charli explained you could pretend to be dating him in public to dissuade the Star Stabber and stay close by his side for his protection, but your ‘real’ boyfriend would be by your side the entire job and pose as his friend. What could he really say at that point that didn’t make him look like he was hiring you to seduce you?”
“That was smart of them.” She really appreciated Charli and Fitz’s insight and not sending her into an uncomfortable situation. She could easily take down any man who wasn’t exceptionally trained, but she didn’t want to be watching her back throughout the entire job or ticking off a famous football player when she refused to have a fling with him.
“Yeah. Hopefully he takes the hint that you’re with me and keeps his hands to himself.”
“Hopefully.”
With me? Pretending to date Ike would be distracting and more difficult than refusing Beau’s advances. If they had to hold hands, hug, maybe even kiss... She turned the temperature down on her side of the vehicle. How could she desensitize herself to the intriguing feeling of Ike’s touch and glance? And she had to do it quick as they were almost to this fake dating job.
“But since your type is charming flirts, maybe you’d prefer being alone with Beau Alexander.” Ike’s voice was stiff. “I bet he could sign your Beau-liever fan club card.”
“Was that a shot?” she tried to tease.
“Maybe.” He didn’t look at her.
He thumped his left fist on his thigh muscle again. It was an intriguing movement to watch. Intriguing enough it made her throat dry.
“I don’t want to be alone with Beau.”
“Good.”
Silence reigned for a few beats.
“So I’m fake dating you in private and fake dating Beau Alexander in public. Hopefully I can keep this all straight in my head.”
“You’ll do great,” he assured her.
“Okay,” she squeaked out, then cleared her throat. “No stress.”
“We’ll see.”
Those two words scared and excited her. We’ll see? What would they see? If she could handle looking at him and touching him and not make a fool of herself? Ike had no idea what a mess she was inside. It sounded like a load of stress.
“I just hope I don’t have to injure one of the top football players in the nation for hitting on you,” he said.
There was a possessive note in Ike’s voice. She liked it, which confused her. She’d never let any man be possessive of her. She should remind him that she could take care of herself, but she didn’t.
“It’s not like Beau is hurting for female attention,” she said. “Maybe he only wanted me because I’m a female op who his friend worked with and trusted.”
