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Miles laughed too, rubbing at his chin. “My mama’s incredible.”
“I bet you’ll be happy to get home,” she said.
“For sure. It’s been too long.”
“For the family?” She arched an eyebrow.
Miles’s gaze was probing, just like her words. She shouldn’t be so transparent.
“All right, you two,” Aiden said. “I need to sign off. Be in touch soon.”
He was gone.
Miles pocketed his phone and glanced at her. “Are you all right?”
She hugged herself. “My life’s being uprooted and I’m in demand on the dark web. All right is a bit of a stretch.”
He smiled, taking no offense. “Adds up. Are you all right with me being your bodyguard?”
“Shouldn’t I be?” She studied him. What was he trying to say?
He looked away for a moment. “I am qualified.”
Eva couldn’t get over how humble he was. Qualified? He was over-qualified; Aiden had said as much. Even going further and saying earlier that he’d trust his wife Chalisa to Miles’s care and Miles was the only reason she’d survive the night.
“You didn’t have much of a choice,” Miles pointed out.
“I don’t have much choice in any of this, but I appreciate you being willing to watch out for me. I’m sure your men will be missing you.”
“Nah. They’ll be relieved to not have me barking at them.” He smiled at that, and she returned it.
One of the garage door motors sounded. Eva jumped and hurried behind Miles.
“It’s all right,” he assured her, putting one hand on her arm and pulling his gun out with the other. “It’ll be Paul and Autumn.”
“If it’s all right, why are you grabbing your gun?”
“Because you can never be too careful.” He ushered her back behind the wide kitchen counter, placing himself directly in front of her. He smelled like an alluring mix of bergamot and pineapple. It distracted her from her fears.
“Duck if I say duck,” he told her, blocking her view of whoever might be coming in from the garage entrance.
Eva’s heart beat high and fast. The Tylenol had calmed her headache, but the fear ratcheted up the throbbing in her skull again.
The door into the laundry room opened and closed. Heels clicked on the tile and a sultry female voice said, “Well hello there, Lieutenant Coleville. You do know how to greet a lady.”
“Autumn.” Miles visibly relaxed and lowered his gun. He turned and brought Eva level with him. “It’s all right,” he told her. “This is the woman Aiden told you about.”
“Oh. It’s nice to meet you.” Eva stared at the exquisitely beautiful brunette. Her heels made her a few inches taller than Eva in her bare feet. There was something captivating about her—a mix of the confidence that she could kick anyone’s behind, the defined muscles in her arms and legs that backed up her kicking their behind, and the golden eyes that appeared deceptively sweet. Eva had never seen golden eyes before. Were they real?
“You as well, Eva Chevron.” Autumn’s face softened in a genuine smile. “I am a huge fan. When you played Charli in Protecting the Heiress and took down the hunky Fitz … ahh, happy sigh. You made women warriors the world over cheer. Forgive me. I’m gushing, and I never gush.”
“No. I … Thank you.” Eva never knew quite how to respond to a gushing fan. How to be appreciative and humble? “I believe that you’re not a gusher.”
Autumn winked. “Come now. Paul is waiting in the garage for us.”
“Let me grab my bag from the basement,” Miles said.
“Hurry,” Autumn urged.
