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“Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
Heat flamed her face. “I’m not. I mean—”
He yanked open the passenger door and angled his head. “Get in.”
Jo did as she was told, sliding onto the leather seat. The leather was nicked and scratched, but the inside of the vehicle was a marked contrast to the exterior, old but impeccably clean. The dash gleamed black and polished. She inhaled the scent of leather mixed with a faint hint of oil and woodsy soap.
Griff climbed in behind the wheel and the car tipped under his muscled weight. He started the engine, throwing one arm across the back of her seat as he looked over his shoulder to reverse. His touch skimmed the tiny hairs on her nape, firing tiny pulses of pleasure down her spine. He straightened, removing his hand to shove the car into drive and cool air whispered loss against her skin.
Jo took a deep breath, quelling the tingles exploding through her body. It had been over two years since she last dated and she missed human touch. That was all it was. Griff was nothing like the men she usually dated; lawyers, journalists, men lost in their heads, with soft hands and a lot to say for themselves. Griff was a completely different beast. Not her type at all.
He drove in silence, his huge hands relaxed, scanning the road and the steep descent in sweeping gazes. Vibration from the car hummed through her muscles, loosening the strained tension that had plagued her for months.
She relaxed back against the frayed leather, soaking it up. She barely knew this man, but already she felt protected. Her eyelids grew heavy. No man she’d dated had ever made her feel safe. In a male dominated career, she’d always been the independent woman, fighting her own corner. She’d had to be. It was either that or go under. She still was, but as the rocking motion of the drive soothed her exhausted body, she wondered if there was something different. A middle ground where she could be herself but cared for. She shifted, getting more comfortable, everything in her shutting down, as sleep claimed her, her thoughts wandering.
Surely that was just in fairy tales?
8
Home.
Griff pulled up outside the nondescript unit that served as home and left the engine running. Jo was asleep, and he didn’t want to wake her, not just yet. He shifted the gearstick into park and the car rolled an inch, settling into position. Night had fallen, and the moon cast shadows on the journalist’s face. Her ponytail had loosened and hair spilled across her shoulders, dark blonde spun silver by shards of moonlight.
Exhaustion had etched the lines around her eyes when she arrived at the Guardsmen base. Griff recognized the look from his own military experience. Weeks in the jungle, unable to let down your guard in case the enemy seized the advantage. Whatever she had uncovered, if Raptor were chasing her so hard, it had to be big. And yet here she was, still going. One woman against a huge multinational. She was tough, despite the creamy fragility of her skin.
She stirred, mumbling under her breath, twisting in her seat. Sensation ripped through him and he looked away. What the hell was wrong with him? Anyone would think he’d had a knock on the head, not a bullet through the shoulder, the way he was reacting around her. He killed the engine and a thick silence settled around him as he stared out the windscreen.
“Are we here?”
He looked around as if this was the first time he’d looked at her since he’d stopped. Liar. “What? Yes.”
She leaned forward in her seat, her seatbelt cutting between her perfect breasts as she studied the industrial looking building.
What the hell? Now he was noticing her breasts.
“Here is?” Confusion made her voice soft as she glanced around, took in the surrounding commercial engineering units.
He pointed to the first floor. “Home. Up there.” He swung his door open and climbed out.
Jo lifted her backpack from the floor and reached for the door handle.
Griff beat her to it. Despite his size, he prided himself on being swift on his feet. He caught the door before it swung open, blocking her exit. “You wait for me to open the door.”
“Sorry what?” She widened her eyes, but he remained in front of her, as immovable as stone.
“You hired me to keep you safe. That’s what I’m going to do. Are you willing to be compliant?”
“Excuse me?” She blinked, and the tip of her tongue peeked between rosy lips, derailing his thoughts effortlessly.
Griff wrenched his attention from her mouth. “I can’t protect someone who won’t take orders. Protection is a paradox. You hired me so in theory you’re the boss, but when it comes to your safety, I’m the boss. We both need to be clear on that. You wait. You move when I say so.”
She sucked in her lower lip and narrowed her eyes, assessing him. “I understand.” She gave a tiny nod.
He paused a beat. “You can get out now.” He moved to the side and held out his hand.
Air hissed between her gritted teeth, but her annoyance flowed over him like water. He could handle her being pissed at him. Her safety would always come first.
Her eyes flicked from his hand and back up at him before she accepted his offer. So damn small and soft. He secured his fingers around hers and helped her from the car. She straightened next to him, her other hand briefly grazing his chest, attempting to maintain some distance between them.
