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"I have no doubt you could perform your job at the highest level, Addy. I just thought you should have someone watching your back."
Her head nodded slightly as she sat back in the seat. His back relaxed slightly as the heaviness of the previous few minutes subsided.
She smiled slightly. "Thank you."
14
She didn't want to fight with him. And, it was nice that he wanted her to have backup. But mostly, she didn't want to have to sit in that motel room with the senator. They'd been sedentary in Kentucky for the most part, now she wanted to be out and doing things.
Glancing at him as he drove, her thoughts rambled about. He was likely one of the handsomest men she'd ever met. And she worked with some handsome men. But they were like her brothers, not men. Well, they were men, but she didn't think of them as handsome. Not in a potential mate sort of way.
Rafe pulled off the highway and entered the prestigious neighborhood the senator lived in. There were a ton of wealthy people in this state. She mused about the ratio of wealthy to poor here. It was a city and state of such stark contrast between the haves and have nots.
He turned onto the senator's street. "Keep going past his house. Don't slow or look at it in any way."
"Okay."
She watched as they neared, without turning her head or showing interest. No cars on the street. Some kids were playing basketball three doors down on a court in the side yard of a neighbor's home.
"Okay, drive around to the street behind his house."
Rafe nodded and she saw him swallow but he didn't question, and she liked that.
"After this next house, pull over and shut the car off."
Her eyes scanned the area as he followed her directions. Pulling a black cap from the bag she carried she reached back and scooped her long hair into a ponytail in the middle of the back of her head. She then twisted the ponytail and coiled it around and slipped the ball cap over her hair. She turned to see Rafe watching her closely.
"Take your suit jacket off and untuck your shirt. You need to look less business and more casual."
He reached to the left and pushed a button that moved his seat back. His arm reached around her seat as he leaned toward her but grabbed a gym bag from the back passenger floor. She caught the scent of his aftershave and closed her eyes. Sandalwood and citrus. He smelled fantastic. It was nostalgic in some ways, as her dad wore a scent similar to that when he dressed up to go out. Never on a mission. But, when her parents dressed up to go on dates, she remembered how he smelled and how much her mom loved that.
Rafe's arms moved around and she watched as he pulled his suit jacket off, then unbuttoned his shirt. She tried not to stare. But, it couldn't hurt to peek a little. Pulling his shirt off he then grabbed the bottom of his t-shirt and pulled it over his head. He quickly donned a t-shirt he'd pulled from his gym bag and then a stocking hat he had laying in the bottom of the bag. She saw his physique. It was far too short of a glimpse, but he was muscular and toned.
He leaned forward and slipped his dress shoes off and quickly tied on his tennis shoes.
"Not much I can do about the dress slacks unless you want..."
"No." Her throat dried right up. She swallowed. "No, that's alright. I think the other clothes look casual enough not to cause undue attention."
He grinned, and that she couldn't look away from. Dammit. He was a handsome man.
His eyes locked on hers and her heartbeat kicked up. "What now, boss?" He grinned, and that did nothing to get her mind back on the mission at hand.
She blinked. "See that line of trees and shrubs?" She pointed out her window with her thumb.
He ducked his head to look. "Yeah."
"We're going to walk along like a couple admiring the foliage. It's a community pathway to the park at the edge of this street. It also leads to the senator's backyard."
His grin broadened. "Nice. Okay. Let's go enjoy the plant life."
He sprung from his side of the vehicle and hustled to her door before she could open it. Opening her door, he grinned. "If we're a couple, I'd open your door and help you out."
He held his hand out to her, and she took a deep breath before laying her hand in his. The instant she did, the sizzle she'd felt before zoomed up her arm and did crazy things to her body. Everywhere.
She quickly stepped from the vehicle, tossed her bag over her shoulder and waited while he closed the door and hit the fob to lock it. He then turned and surprised her by taking her hand in his as they neared the tree line.
Her thoughts were a mess and she needed to have her head in the game, but she didn't want to let go of his hand.
