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Chapter 4
Spencer Flynn gripped the steering wheel of the car he’d rented at Sea-Tac as he maneuvered through the streets of Seattle. He had Zoe Melbourne’s address on his mapping app, but he didn’t need it. He’d been to Zoe’s place a couple of times and knew exactly where she lived.
His boss Mel, who was Zoe’s sister, had sketched a brief outline of Zoe’s situation. A guy who’d been obsessed with Zoe in high school had killed the sisters’ father thirteen years ago. He’d been released from the psychiatric facility where he’d been treated eight years ago, but Zoe hadn’t heard from him until today. A package had arrived at her office, containing a trophy he’d taken from her thirteen years ago. Postmarked from Seattle.
The guy was in the area and clearly still obsessed with Zoe.
Spence’s job was to protect her. Keep her safe. Get between Zoe and an attacker. Which meant sticking to her like a burr until the situation was resolved.
He’d thought about asking Mel to send someone else. Someone who hadn’t fallen hard for Zoe. Someone who’d be laser-focused on protecting her.
Focusing on Zoe wouldn’t be a problem. Neither would being alert. Hyper-awareness was a habit that dated back to his SEAL days, something he was pretty sure a SEAL never lost.
But he didn’t want to discuss with Mel his previous interactions with her sister. Since he hadn’t been Zoe’s close protection, it was none of Mel’s business. None of the heat they’d generated had interfered with his ability to do his job. And Mel was his boss, not his confidante. She didn’t have to know that every contact between him and Zoe had resulted in sparks that had burned deep.
Spence’s grip tightened on the steering wheel. Now that he would be Zoe’s close protection, he’d be invested in keeping her safe. He’d focus all his attention on protecting her. Staying alert. It was instinctive when it was Zoe.
He didn’t know if Zoe had felt that burn, too. They’d never discussed the flashes of heat between them. But based on the way her eyes had dilated, the slight tremor in her hands when he got too close, he was pretty sure she’d been equally affected.
Unfortunately, most of the heat they’d generated had been the result of irritation. Pissed-off-ness.
Not an ideal situation for a bodyguard and the woman he was protecting.
On the positive side, based on the way he’d practically known what Zoe was thinking on that last job, he’d be completely tuned in to her. Which was always a plus when working close protection.
He spotted Zoe’s condo building on his left side, close to the water. He remembered the sweeping views of Puget Sound from her windows, the twinkles of lights at night from boats on the water and the island across the bay. He was glad she lived in a building with a doorman. It gave her more control over who showed up at her door.
A half block in front of him, a car pulled away from the curb into traffic, and Spence angled his rental car into the vacated spot. After removing his small suitcase from the truck, along with his briefcase, he locked the car and hurried to Zoe’s building. Stopped before entering and scanned the area around the door, looking for hiding places. Small spaces where a man could wait and not be seen. Nothing jumped out at him, but he’d thoroughly examine the whole block tomorrow. Tonight, though, he needed to get up to Zoe.
He had a job to do, and he needed to be close to her to do it.
God help both of them.
* * *
Zoe paced in front of her living room window, not even noticing the panoramic view of Puget Sound, with Bainbridge Island in the distance. She hadn’t heard from Annie, other than a brief text saying that her bodyguard was on the way and would arrive that evening.
She was hungry, but she was too wired to eat. Maybe after her bodyguard was here, she could relax. They’d order pizza. Do the whole ‘getting to know you’ thing. And she was sure that Annie’s bodyguard would have a list of rules for her to follow.
Her intercom buzzed, and she rushed over to answer it. “Hey, Don. What’s up?”
“There’s a man here to see you,” the doorman said. “Said he’s from Blackhawk Security. Sent by your sister. I checked his IDs, and the pictures match the guy.”
“Thanks, Don. Go ahead and send him up.”
She’d have preferred a woman, but she knew her sister would send the best operative available. So she stood by the elevator that opened directly into her condo, listening for the whoosh that would signal it had arrived.
The elevator reached her floor, and moments later the doors opened. A man bent to pick up a suitcase and a briefcase, then straightened. Looked at her. Stilled for a moment, and his hands whitened on his bags. Finally he said, “Hello, Zoe.”
Oh, my God. Spence Flynn. She took in his unruly dark blond hair, as if Spence had run his fingers through it more than once. His grey eyes were the color of Puget Sound on an overcast day.
Her heart battered against her chest, but instead of pressing a hand against it, she curled her fingers into her fists. Why the hell had Annie sent him?
Because Zoe had never told her sister about her reaction to Spence. Why would she? She’d been sure she’d never see Spence Flynn again.
“Spence,” she managed to say. “Come on in.”
He stepped out of the elevator and set his two bags on the floor. Then he moved closer to her. Studied her for a long moment. “How’re you doing?” he asked after a long moment.
