Wanted: Bodyguard

He eyed her with open amusement and got up from the table. “I just want to let you know that you’ll miss me when I’m gone.” With that he picked up his coffee cup and ambled out of her kitchen.

“Bye-bye, Daddy,” Haley said. “See ya later.”

“Not Daddy,” Lana retorted a bit crossly. She returned to the table and wrapped her hands around her cup, trying to digest everything that had happened in the last thirty minutes.

Greg Cary a serial murderer? She couldn’t wrap her mind around it. There had to be some sort of a mistake. He’d been her neighbor for the last six years. He’d been a bowling buddy of her husband’s, a man who participated in the neighborhood watch program. Everyone in the neighborhood liked and respected Greg.

Surely if he were a criminal Joe would have known. Her husband might have been many things, but he’d been a terrific cop.

Thoughts of Joe brought with them a sliver of residual grief. He’d been her childhood sweetheart, the only boy she’d dated through high school, the only man she’d ever been intimate with. When they had married she’d thought they’d be together forever. She’d never foreseen the rocky road ahead and his untimely death.

His life insurance policy had been enough to pay off the house and put a little nest egg away. For the last year Lana had managed to eke out a simple living with the sale of her handcrafted jewelry.

“Mommy, I want down.” Haley raised her arms to get out of the booster seat.

So much for getting any work done today, she thought as she lifted Haley to the floor. The rest of the afternoon would consist of her chasing Haley and making sure she didn’t get into Riley’s way.

Thankfully, for the remainder of the afternoon Riley stayed in the guest bedroom with the door closed and Lana alternated playing with Haley and preparing the evening meal. She’d decided to do hamburgers out on the grill. That and a bag of chips was all Mr. Hot FBI Agent was going to get.

At six o’clock she took Haley to the backyard and sat her in the shaded sandbox where she loved to play, then cranked up the grill.

As she waited for it to get to the right temperature, her gaze drifted to the house next door. Was it possible that beneath Gary’s affable, pleasant outward personality lay the dark soul of a killer?

Despite the warm July air, a chill snaked up her spine. How many times had she read about serial killers and how their neighbors were stunned and appalled to discover that the good old boy next door was actually a crazed murderer?

She supposed there was no danger as long as Gary didn’t suspect the truth—that she was cooperating with the FBI to bring him down. Even though she didn’t like it, she understood how important the pretend marriage was in this scenario.

Gary would never have believed that she’d allow a boyfriend to move in with her and Haley. She had been quite vocal about the fact that she wasn’t going to be one of those single mothers who paraded men through their daughters’ lives. Although she realized she was close to being ready to entertain the thought of dating, of maybe finding somebody who would be special in their lives.

Gary also knew she didn’t have any brothers or male family members. He knew that other than a sister who was often out of the country, she was pretty much alone in the world, except for Haley.

Her parents had been wonderful people who had loved travel and adventure. Unfortunately, four years ago they had decided to take a sightseeing helicopter ride over one of the Hawaiian volcanoes, and engine trouble had resulted in a tragic wreck. Both her parents and the pilot had perished.

Her older sister, Rachel, had married a very wealthy man who loved to travel and had homes in France and on the Mediterranean, and the two of them spent most of their time overseas.

As much as she hated to admit it, the mock marriage was the only way she could explain Riley’s presence in her home.

As Haley played in the sand, Lana put the patties on the grill and closed the lid, then sat at the umbrella table on the patio.

Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad, she thought. Surely he would spend all his time with his camera at the window in the guest room, and at night he would have to sleep. Maybe she wouldn’t really have to interact with him much at all while he was in her home.

As if to prove her thoughts wrong, he opened the sliding glass door and stepped out onto the patio. Instantly every muscle in her body tensed. He filled the immediate area with his energy and a simmering sexuality as he walked with a loose-hipped gait toward the table where she sat.

“Steaks?” he asked, and pointed to the smoking grill.

“Burgers,” she replied.

He slid into the chair next to hers, and his gaze shot across the short green hedge that separated her lawn from Gary’s.

“Shouldn’t you be surveilling or making notes or something?” she asked, unable to keep her irritation out of her voice.

“I never miss a meal,” he replied with an easy smile. “Besides, the camera is still running and will catch anything I need to see. We’ve got men in the area also watching his house. I can’t stay at the camera 24/7. It’s also important that I maintain the aura of a normal relationship with you.”

He smelled good, like clean male mixed with an expensive cologne. “What exactly is it that you’re hoping to see?” She got up from the table and walked to the grill to flip the burgers and to get away from that provocative scent of him.

“Anything that looks suspicious. Anyone who comes to visit him.”

She turned her back to face the grill and heard him release a deep grunt of surprise. She whirled back around to see a sandy, smiling Haley attempting to crawl up on his lap.

“Pick me up!” Haley demanded.

Riley looked at Lana and she thought she saw a moment of sheer panic on his face. It flashed for only an instant and then was replaced with that irritating cool amusement as he picked Haley up and deposited her on his lap.

She clapped her hands and squealed with happiness. “I told you I had a way with women,” he said to Lana.

“She’s too young to know any better,” Lana retorted. She turned back to her burgers.

Oh, she knew his type all right. Handsome as sin and probably with little moral code, he would be accustomed to women making fools of themselves over him. He’d probably never heard the word no from any female. Well, he was in for a rude awakening if he thought she was just going to be another in a long line of conquests for him.

She smiled as she thought of the sand that was probably falling off Haley and into the cracks and crevices of Riley’s jeans. Hopefully, some of that abrasive sand would end up in his briefs.

She was acutely aware of Riley’s gaze on her as she took up the burgers. Haley had climbed back off his lap and returned to the sandbox, where she was digging with a plastic shovel.

“Come on, baby. It’s time to eat,” Lana said as she carried the burgers toward the back door.

“Thanks, sweetheart, I’m right behind you,” Riley replied, as if she’d been talking to him. He got up from the chair and then bent down and swooped Haley up in his arms. She squealed in delight as he carried her into the kitchen.

He plopped her into the booster seat and then sprawled in a chair at the table.

“There are cold sodas in the fridge,” Lana said. “Why don’t you grab a couple, and while you’re at it get out the mustard and ketchup or whatever you might want on your hamburger.” She wasn’t about to allow him to just sit and be waited on.

While he rummaged in the fridge she wiped down Haley’s hands and then put the burgers on buns and poured the chips into a serving bowl. She placed the food in the center of the table and sat down, then cut up a burger for Haley.

Riley joined her, and instantly she was inundated with sensory overload. His scent seemed to surround her, and she imagined she could feel the heat from his body reaching out to warm her.

Get a grip, she told herself. Granted, it had been a long time since she’d been around any man, but if the world held only Riley Kincaid she absolutely, positively wouldn’t be interested.

“I love hamburgers,” Haley exclaimed.

“Me, too,” Riley agreed with an easy smile at the child. “And I love potato chips.”

“Me, too,” Haley exclaimed with a giggle, and popped a chip into her mouth.

He could even charm the girls that young, Lana thought. Oh yes, she knew his type very well. All charm and no substance.

“I forgot something earlier,” he said, and reached into his shirt pocket. He pulled out a lovely gold wedding band and laid it on the table in front of her. “I believe this is yours, Mrs. Kincaid.”

She stared at the ring, oddly reluctant to pick it up and put it on. It had only been a month ago that she’d stopped wearing her wedding ring from Joe. That ring had come to represent heartache each time she’d looked at it.

It’s just pretend, she reminded herself as she finally picked up the ring and slid it on her finger. It felt cold and alien against her skin.

“I think we should plan a little celebration,” he said.

She looked at him warily. “What kind of a celebration?”

“A gathering to announce our marriage to your neighbors and friends.” He grabbed a handful of chips and smiled at her, seemingly unconcerned that what he was asking of her was to invite a potential serial killer over for cake and punch.

Riley stood and stretched with his arms overhead, wincing slightly as the muscles in his wounded shoulder groaned silently in protest.

It was almost nine. He’d been sitting at the cameras since he’d left the dinner table. Throughout the evening he hadn’t seen anybody going in or out of the house next door, nor had the camera caught Greg performing any incriminating act.

Lana had agreed to set up something four nights from now, on Friday, to introduce Riley to her neighbors. He could tell she didn’t like the idea, would have preferred not lying to her friends and neighbors, would prefer that Riley simply go away.

But Riley was eager to meet Greg Cary up close and personal. He had a nose for killers, and he wanted to look into Greg’s eyes, get a reading on the man he believed was responsible for four women’s deaths.

The house was quiet as he left the guest room. About an hour earlier he’d heard Lana putting Haley to bed. As Lana had read the little girl a bedtime story, Riley had closed his eyes and listened to her voice.

She had a nice voice, low and with just a touch of something sexy. She amused him. His easy charm held no power over her. She appeared determined to dislike him, and that definitely intrigued him.

He walked down the hallway toward the kitchen, where the light was still on, and found her seated at the table working on her jewelry. She didn’t appear to notice his presence as she worked with a soldering iron.

He remained in the doorway, taking the opportunity to study her. She was pretty in an unassuming way. If she wore makeup it was subtle, not screaming like many of the women that he usually dated wore. She had a slamming figure, full breasts and a tiny waist and shapely hips that could definitely turn a man’s head.

“Is there something you need, Agent Kincaid?” she asked, not taking her gaze off her work.

“The first thing I need is for you to call me Riley,” he replied and walked over to the table. “Calling me Agent Kincaid could ruin this entire operation.”

He sat in the chair across from her and looked at the items she had strewn across the top of the table. Pieces of metal and semiprecious stones battled for space with tiny tools, spools of wire and velvet boxes displaying finished products.

“You do nice work,” he said as he looked at the necklaces and bracelets she’d completed.

She set the soldering iron down and finally looked at him. “Thanks. I enjoy it.”

“What are you working on now?”

“A necklace that will be part of my winter collection.”

He wanted to keep the conversation flowing, not only enjoying the sound of her voice but also the momentary respite from the tension. “What’s the difference between a winter collection and a summer collection?”

She leaned back in her chair and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Mostly color. My summer collection is filled with bold, chunky, brightly colored jewelry, and the winter one has the more traditional colors. There’s a big show here in town in two weeks and I want to make sure I have plenty of pieces to sell.”

“You make a living at this?”

“I do okay, although I’m certainly not getting rich,” she replied. “Most women can’t resist a beautiful piece of jewelry at an affordable price. I’m steadily building up a clientele that’s respectable. My goal over the next couple of years is to get my jewelry into some of the upscale stores not only here in town but around the country.”

“You sell it on the Internet?”

She nodded. “Right now most of my sales come in through my Web page, Designs by Lana. Speaking of jobs, as my husband, what exactly is it that you do?” She unplugged the soldering iron and leaned back in her chair once again.

He liked that she had a directness to her gaze, that there was nothing flirtatious or simpering about her. “I’m an investment broker. I do most of my work at home.”

“Where’s all your furniture and personal belongings?”

It was apparent that she was thinking, working all the elements of their subterfuge around in her head. He couldn’t help but admire the intelligence that shone from her eyes.

“Right now it’s all in storage,” he replied. “I couldn’t wait to get out here to be with my bride, so I stored everything and decided that once I got out here I’d figure out what to do with my stuff.”

“Where exactly did we get married? We need details if we’re going to make it sound real.”

“You’re right,” he agreed. “We got married by Elvis at one of those little white chapels.”

She shook her head vehemently. “No way. I’m not the type and all of my friends would find that odd. A little white chapel is fine, but Elvis, as much as I loved his music, is definitely out.”

For the next few minutes they discussed their wedding, deciding the name of the preacher and making up those little details that would make their story ring true.

Twice he made her laugh with his silly suggestions, and he was stunned by how much he liked the sound of her laughter. It did amazing things to her face, lighting her eyes and making the freckles dance across the bridge of her nose.

“It must be tough being a single parent,” he said when they’d sobered and felt as if they’d solidified their story.

She shrugged and began to pack her jewelry items into the drawers of a large tote on wheels. “Sometimes it’s rough,” she replied. “Being alone is the worst part, but I imagine you don’t have to worry about that much.” She cast him a sly, knowing gaze.

“When I want company, I can usually find it.” It wasn’t a boast; it was merely a statement of fact.

“Finding company is different than finding somebody to share things with,” she countered.

“I gather from that statement that you don’t intend to be alone forever, that you will probably eventually remarry?”

“I would be open to the possibility. There were a lot of things about being married that I loved.” She glanced down at the table but not before he saw a whispered pain darken her blue eyes.

An uncharacteristic softness swept through him. He knew what it was like to grieve, to miss somebody so badly you almost lost the will to live. “You got a bad deal,” he said gruffly.

She looked at him once again and this time there was a steely strength shining from her eyes. “I’m not the only woman in the world to lose a husband. Bad stuff happens and you just have to deal with it. What about you, Riley? Ever been married?”

“Nope, and I have no interest in getting married. Footloose and fancy-free, that’s the way I like my life.”

“Sounds lonely to me.”

He grinned. “Trust me, I’m never lonely.”

“It’s a good thing this marriage is just pretend, otherwise I have a feeling we wouldn’t last together a month.”

“A two-week marriage, that I can probably handle,” he replied.

“I wouldn’t want you to strain yourself with anything more lasting.” She got up from the table. “And now it’s time for me to say good night. Fresh towels are in the bathroom closet along with anything else you might need.”

He stood as well. “No good-night kiss from my bride?”

“In your dreams,” she replied with a wry grin. “Good night, Riley.”

He watched as she left the room and then he walked over to the kitchen window and peered outside to the house next door.

It was dark and silent, as if Greg had already turned in for the night. All the FBI agents had assured Lana that there was no danger to her, but Riley knew that no operation was without danger.

Certainly he couldn’t foresee what Greg’s reaction might be if he discovered Lana was working with them to put the man on death row, but he had a feeling it wouldn’t be a positive thing.

He sighed and turned away from the window, his thoughts returning to the woman whose life he’d interrupted.

He’d been relieved to realize she had a sense of humor. That would certainly make things easier for both of them. And he was surprised to realize that he liked her.

Not that it mattered. Even though he was flirting with her, he wouldn’t lose sight of the fact that he had a job to do here and that his time with her was strictly temporary.

Stifling a yawn, he turned out the kitchen lights and headed for the guest room. Haley’s door was open and on impulse he stopped in her doorway and gazed at her.

He didn’t want a wife and he certainly had never considered having a family, but he had to admit that Haley was one of the cutest kids he’d ever seen.

He left her doorway and glanced down the hall to Lana’s door. He’d only guessed that she occasionally wore an old shirt of her dead husband’s to bed. He’d heard somewhere about widows doing things like that. On the nights she didn’t wear that to bed he guessed she was probably a nightshirt or pajama kind of woman.

He frowned, wondering what in the hell he was doing even speculating on what she wore to bed. He went into the guest room, and after checking the cameras to make sure everything was on autopilot, he shucked his clothes and got into bed.

His day had begun at the crack of dawn with a meeting in the field office to get this all set up. Now, even though it was just after ten, he was exhausted. He knew that part of it was because his body was still healing from the bullet that had slammed into his shoulder three months ago.

He’d grab a couple of hours of sleep, knowing that the agents in the neighborhood would cover Greg’s house. He rubbed his aching shoulder as he tried to get comfortable in the unfamiliar bed.

Who knew that the creep he’d gone to interview would suddenly pull a gun and start firing? If it hadn’t been for the quick thinking of Agent Morrel, Riley wouldn’t be alive.

Fortunately, the near-death experience hadn’t changed his views on life or love. He hadn’t had a sudden epiphany that made him want to jump into a relationship or make babies to ensure the survival of his lineage.

He closed his eyes and almost immediately fell asleep and began to dream and in his dream, he was back in that place and time where the nightmare resided and horror called to him.

He watched himself enter the house and immediately smell something odd, something underneath the faint scent of baked cookies. The unusual smell caused his stomach muscles to knot. Bad. He knew something bad had happened. He called out to her, and when she didn’t answer the anxiety inside him grew stronger.

Even when he saw the bloody handprint on the wall next to the kitchen it didn’t make sense, and he had no warning of what he was about to experience.

He walked into the kitchen and the first thing that struck him was the blood. It was everywhere. Splashed on the walls, streaked across the floor. His brain began to scream at that moment.

He found her on the other side of the kitchen island, sprawled on her back on the floor, her eyes staring unseeing and a knife protruding from her stomach. It was only then that the scream that had been trapped inside him released.

“Riley! Wake up!”

He jerked awake and winced against the hall light that spilled into the room.

Lana stood next to his bed. “You were having a nightmare.”

He sat up as embarrassment washed over him. “Sorry.”

“No need to be sorry. You just scared me. You were yelling.”

He raked a hand through his hair and glanced at the clock. It was almost midnight. “Did I wake up Haley?”

“No. Thankfully, she sleeps like a log.”

As his eyes adjusted to the light in the room, he got his first good look at her. A pleasant surprise coupled with a faint heat filled him as he saw that contrary to his initial speculation she didn’t wear pajamas to bed but rather wore a sexy black silk nightgown that skimmed her lush curves.

She must have seen something in his eyes that made her uncomfortable, for she backed away from his bed and to the doorway. “Good night,” she said, and then fled from his view.

A moment later the hall light went out. Knowing that sleep would be difficult to achieve immediately, he got out of bed and walked to the window. He checked the cameras to make sure everything was working properly and then stared out at the darkened house next door, but his thoughts weren’t on Greg Cary. Rather, he was thinking about Lana in her hot black nightgown.

Contrary to the impression he had given her, he hadn’t been with any woman for a long time. Before the shooting he’d been working long hours, and after the shooting he’d discovered that most of the women he knew weren’t particularly interested in hanging out with an invalid.

His initial impression had been that Lana was more than a little bit uptight, but that sexy nightgown had made him think there might be something more to her.

He got back into bed and closed his eyes, willing away the vision of her. It would be the height of unprofessionalism for him to get involved in any way with her. More than that, it would be completely unfair to her.

She’d already told him that she wanted to remarry, and he would never let anyone close enough for him to want that kind of a relationship.

As he remembered the nightmare that had brought her into his room, a knot fisted tight in his chest. He might welcome her into his bed if given the chance, but there was no way in hell he would ever welcome any woman into his heart.

Chapter Three

“Surprise!”

Lana stared in shock at the familiar woman who stood on her front porch. “Rachel. This is a surprise.” Her heart dropped to her feet as she eyed the large suitcase that set next to her sister’s feet.

The past two days had been difficult enough without her sister showing up unexpectedly on her doorstep. “Jason and I were on our way back from France and he was going directly to New York for a couple of business meetings, so I told him it was the perfect time for me to drop in and spend a couple of days with you. Oh!” Rachel’s eyes widened at the same time that Lana felt Riley’s presence behind her.

“Hi,” he said. “I’m the new husband, Riley.”

Rachel’s blue eyes widened even farther as she looked from Riley to Lana. “Uh, I’m the older sister, Rachel.”

“Lana, why don’t you take your sister into the kitchen to do a little catch-up and I’ll take her suitcase into the guest room,” Riley said smoothly.

Lana stared at her sister, then back at Riley, her mind struggling to figure out how this was all going to work.

“Yes, Lana, let’s go into the kitchen. It appears we have a lot to catch up on.” Rachel linked her arm with Lana’s and pulled her toward the kitchen while Riley stepped out to grab the suitcase and then disappeared down the hallway.