Crusher pulled her into his arms to steady her. “It’s okay. You have time to dress and grab a cup of coffee. The bathroom is all yours.”
That’s when she noticed he was fully dressed in his cargo pants and a T-shirt Liza must have given him.
She pushed away and nodded. “Okay. I’ll be right out and ready to go.” Grabbing the brush and stack of clothes Liza had left for her, Marta hurried into the bathroom. After brushing her teeth and hair, she pulled on a pair of black yoga pants and a green T-shirt. Liza had even provided socks to go with her loafers. Marta was a hodge-podge of styles and didn’t give a damn. She was a scientist. What she wore didn’t change that.
Then why did she all of a sudden care about how her clothes looked?
Because she’d kissed her incredibly attractive rescuer and bodyguard—and she wanted to do it again.
Her pulse kicked up as she rested her hand on the doorknob.
Get him out of your mind, Marta, she told herself. She had a job to do. It didn’t include flirting with her highly competent escort, much less making love with him.
The lingering disappointment that they hadn’t slept together the night before crept into her thoughts. She shut it down, squared her shoulders and marched out into the guest room.
The empty guest room.
Marta frowned, her heart skipping several beats. “Crusher?”
“Out here,” his voice called out.
Relief rushed over her as she opened the door and found him standing on the porch in the dark.
He turned to her. “Ready?”
Out of the corner of her eyes, Marta spotted the baseball cap Slater had given her. She grabbed it, jammed her hair up into it and finally nodded. “I am, now,” she said with a tight smile.
He touched the bill with a wink. “You’re cute in that cap.”
Her cheeks heated at the compliment. “Thanks,” she said and stepped out onto the porch.
Crusher took her hand and walked with her around to the back door that led into the kitchen. He knocked lightly. Light shone around the curtain over the window, but Marta couldn’t see inside.
The door opened. Liza smiled and waved them in. She looked fresh and rested with her dark brown hair pulled back in a neat ponytail at her nape. “I hope you slept well. I worried about Crusher sleeping on the floor. That couldn’t have been a restful night.”
He shook his head. “I managed to sleep just fine.”
Liza’s lips twisted. “Let me guess... You’ve slept in worse? That’s what all you former military guys say. I remember Royce saying that once when he had to sleep in the front seat of a compact car.”
Crusher laughed. “Did he even fit in the car?”
Liza shook her head. “He had to fold himself into it with his knees up to his chin. He said he’d slept in foxholes worse than that. I doubted that, but he slept there and didn’t complain.” She touched Crusher’s arm. “I wish you had stretched out on the sofa.”
Marta smiled at Liza’s concern for Crusher. She wanted to be a good host to the friends of the man who’d saved her son and herself from mafia retribution.
“I’m fine,” Crusher said and patted Liza’s arm. “But I’d like a cup of that coffee, if you can spare it.”
Liza threw up her hands. “Of course. Let me get it for you. I even have cups you can take with you.” She glanced out the window over the kitchen sink. “Looks like your transport has arrived. How do you like your coffee?”
Liza prepared two Styrofoam cups of black coffee—one for Crusher and one for Marta.
“You wear my yoga clothes much better than I ever did,” Liza said softly as she handed Marta her coffee. “I wish I had more, but I live a very minimalist life since moving from the States. I like it that way.”
“Thank you so much for taking us in.” Marta hugged the older woman. “It must’ve been scary starting over in a different country. I wish you and Stewart a beautiful life here in Panama.”
“Come back and visit.” Liza smiled and then snorted. “Preferably when you’re not being targeted by a Colombian cartel.” She hugged Marta and tipped her chin toward Crusher. “You can’t go wrong with a guy like Crusher. He reminds me so much of Royce. They’re men with a lot of combat skills, a past you don’t want to know about and hearts as big as the state of Texas. He’s the kind of man who’ll always be there for you.”
Marta shook her head. “We’re not like that. We met when he rescued me from the cartel.”
