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Andrei opened his mouth and then instantly shut it, catching the comment that nearly slipped out about how he had plenty of experience manhandling stubborn clients. What the fuck was he doing? Flirting back? He’d lost his mind. That’s all there was to it. The blood that had left his damned brain was all flowing to his dick.
Clearing his throat, Andrei tried again. “I don’t anticipate there being a problem. It’s my job to make sure you don’t come to harm.”
A low, evil chuckle rumbled from Lucas and Andrei had to remove his hands from the back pockets of his jeans as they started to grow tighter. He crossed his arms over his chest, both anticipating and dreading the other man’s next words.
“That is not what you were going to say,” he taunted.
“No.”
“Will you tell me?”
“No.”
Lucas shook his head, still grinning. “And I thought you might be more fun than this.”
“No.”
“Will you remain close after I’m healed?”
“No, I become a shadow. You’ll forget I’m even there.”
“I doubt that very much,” Lucas muttered under his breath, his eyes finally dropping down to his phone as it vibrated again with a new message. “What do you do during the day?” Lucas raised his eyes to him again and the teasing man had been replaced by the cold business man he’d glimpsed before. “Other than hover over me.”
“I travel with you at all times. If you are in what would be designated a safe zone, I am more hidden. Inconspicuous.”
“Doing what?” Lucas pressed.
Andrei was taken aback by the question. None of the other people he’d guarded had ever asked or cared what he did with this time. “I read, Mr. Vallois,” he admitted a tad softly. “I read a great deal.”
Lucas shifted, taking a small step back from the island, his eyes widening in surprise. It wasn’t the answer that he’d been anticipating, but then the image was a little strange. A fighter with his nose in a book, but then Andrei had loved books since he’d been young. Far easier than trying to make friends.
“What do you read?”
A small grin lifted the corners of Andrei’s mouth. “Whatever my client has on hand. I have read the U.S. tax code twice. I’ve read romance novels about time-traveling Vikings and I’ve read food labels.”
“But what do you like to read?”
Andrei hesitated. He’d seen Lucas’s collection of business and finance tomes alongside a few mainstream thrillers. But then Andrei was never one to lie about himself. “Mostly fantasy and science-fiction if I have some personal time.”
Lucas gave the barest nod before picking up his cell phone and scrolling through the messages. “I’ll have my assistant pick up some books for you. Make a list if you have some in mind.”
“That’s not necessary.”
“It is,” Lucas said sharply, still glaring at his phone. “With any luck, this arrangement will last only a couple of days.”
Andrei wanted to argue that if Lucas had started a fight with some bastard trying to pressure him out of Price Hill, then this was going to stretch for more than a couple days. But he kept his mouth shut.
“Do you need help with your shirt?” Andrei offered.
Lucas gave a jerky nod. “With the bruised shoulder and ribs, I’ve lost some flexibility,” he grumbled.
Taking up the white button-down shirt, Andrei held it open and allowed Lucas to first slide his injured left hand carefully through the sleeve before he moved behind him. He was stunned that he was only an inch or two taller than the other man. Lucas’s personality made him seem bigger, so that he practically filled the room when he entered. Drawing in a slow, silent breath, Andrei tried to ignore the crisp, clean scent that clung to skin fresh from the shower. Down the center of his back between his shoulder blades were tattooed Japanese kanji symbols. Each was barely larger than a silver dollar. It was on the tip of his tongue to ask what each stood for but he swallowed back the question. It wasn’t his place to ask such things.
Andrei clenched his teeth as he struggled to touch as little of Lucas as possible while pulling the shirt around to his right side. It wasn’t that he thought Lucas would be offended by a stray touch or bump. If his teasing was to be believed, it was quite the opposite. No, it was his own reaction he feared. The man seemed to be one massive temptation. Andrei wanted to run his palms over that smooth expanse of flesh. Badly.
Lucas softly grunted as he reached backward with his right hand, searching for the sleeve. Andrei helped to place his hand in the hole before slowly sliding the soft material up his arms and settling it on his massive shoulders. Silently cursing himself, Andrei stepped back and closed his eyes as soon as the shirt was in place. This was ridiculous. This slow, consuming burn wasn’t about Lucas. It was about needing to get laid. He was obviously horny. In a few days, Rowe would come by, give him a few hours off, and he could find a partner willing to give him some relief. He’d been working too much recently and his peace of mind was taking a beating for it.
