Page 23 of Less

His eyes return to me.

“The guests are beginning to arrive downstairs. Whenever you’re ready, Miss Perkins. We’re looking forward to the pleasure of hearing you.”

My stomach flips.

Showtime.

I nod.

“Thank you. I’ll be down shortly.”

“Wonderful.”

Carter gives a friendly nod and steps away down the hallway.

Less closes the door again and turns toward me.

The moment the latch clicks, his composure cracks just slightly.

His gaze sweeps over me again.

Slower this time.

Assessing.

Professional.

“Before we go downstairs,” he says quietly, voice dropping into that low command tone I remember too well, “you stay where I can see you.”

I blink at him.

“That’s your opening line?”

“Not joking, Rusty.”

His dark eyes are serious now.

“Tonight, you stay within my line of sight. No wandering off, no disappearing into hallways, no slipping outside for air without telling me first.”

I tilt my head.

“Wow. That sounds exhausting.”

“For me or you?”

“For you,” I say sweetly. “Because that sounds like a you problem.”

His brow furrows.

“What?”

“You’re the bodyguard,” I remind him, smoothing an imaginary wrinkle from my skirt. “Which means keeping me in your line of sight is literally your job.”

A muscle ticks in his jaw.

“And if you wander off?”

I shrug.