by Kaylea Cross
“You’ll feel better if you talk to him.” They both would. And anything that made her feel more confident in his abilities would make his job easier, so her talking to Tom was a win-win.
Her lips twitched in a tiny grin, and it made her look impish. Like a voluptuous pixie with that riot of dark curls cascading down the back of her neck. In her heels the top of her head barely reached his chin. And while that pink dress wasn’t revealing in any way, the way it hinted at her curves made it disturbingly sexier by the moment. “You’re right, it will. But it’s not because I think you’re lying, okay?”
It seemed important to her that he believe that. He nodded once. “Fair enough.”
“Want me to tell him you said hello?”
“Yeah, do that.” Because God knew, Hunter had plenty to say to his boss the next time they spoke.
“Okay, see you in the morning then. Nine o’clock?”
He nodded and watched Khalia cross the lobby toward the elevators, head up, spine straight, her high heels tapping against the marble floor. It didn’t escape his attention that every other man in the room noticed her too.
Shaking his head, Hunter turned and headed back to the others waiting at the lounge’s seating area, wondering what the fuck he’d gotten himself into.
Chapter Four
The knock on her hotel room door came at exactly nine the next morning. Hunter was punctual, that was for sure. She liked that he cared about attention to detail.
Khalia strode over to answer the door, took a deep breath to quell the butterflies flitting around in her stomach before pulling it open. She and Hunter hadn’t gotten off on the best footing yesterday, and it was her fault. He probably thought she was a total bitch and hated the thought of being near her for the next week. She was determined to make amends for any damage she’d caused and smooth things over.
She pulled the door open. Hunter stood there with his hair still damp from a recent shower and wearing cargo pants and a collared shirt. “Hi.”
“Morning.” His intent gaze swept over her, taking in the modest knee-length blue dress and black silk scarf she’d covered her hair and shoulders with. Though there was nothing overtly sexual in the perusal, she could sense the male approval there and a shocking burst of heat filled her lower abdomen. Surprised by her visceral reaction, she chided herself for it. This was not the time or place for that sort of attraction. Not that she planned to let him know she felt a pull toward him.
“Come on in.” She had the finalized printed itinerary laid out on the desk for him to look at. He waited for her to sit before turning the remaining chair around and straddling it, resting his defined forearms along the top of the backrest. A sexy, confident move that seemed as natural to him as breathing.
She didn’t see a wedding band on his left hand, but maybe he didn’t wear one while he was working. A secret part of her hoped he wasn’t spoken for. Ropey muscles flexed along his right forearm, dusted with dark hair, as he shifted the paper and scanned it for a few moments. The man had ridiculously sexy arms. What would it feel like to be wrapped up in that kind of strength? She’d bet a hug from him would feel amazing, though he didn’t strike her as the hugging type.
“I want to change where you’ve got us all staying in Saidu Sharif,” he said after a minute, still reading.
“Oh.” She craned her neck around to peer at the paper. “Something wrong with it?” Ray had booked the hotel for them.
“There are a few other places I know that’ll work better. Help us blend in a bit more while we’re in the tribal region.” He didn’t look up at her, his expression calm, his tone matter-of-fact.
Blending in sounded good. “Okay. Anything else? Do we have an interpreter yet?”
“I’ve got someone lined up already. We’ll pick him up on the way out of the city on Tuesday morning. Everything else looks good. For now, anyway.” He glanced up, and she was again startled by those light brown irises. She couldn’t help but stare. “Can I keep this?” When she nodded he folded it up and slipped it into the pocket of his khakis. “So, what did Tom have to say when you called him yesterday?”
She didn’t even bother trying to deny it. “Just that you were one of the best guys he’s ever worked with, and that I should go out of my way not to piss you off. I told him it was already too late and he said not to worry because I can work my way back into your good graces with a specific brand of beef jerky you love.”
His lips twitched, his eyes warming a few shades to a rich caramel. If he ever truly smiled, it would soften a lot of the harsh angles of his face and make him downright gorgeous. He was ruggedly good looking as it was—maybe it was better that he didn’t smile, otherwise she would have a hard time pretending she wasn’t wondering if that hard body felt as good as it looked.
“Don’t worry about it. We’re good. He should’ve told me about what happened with the contractors your dad hired. And he should have briefed you on our background checks and records beforehand anyway, especially under the circumstances.”
The circumstances being that her father had been held down while someone else slit his throat with a knife. On camera. She shoved the grief down before it could break free. “Well I’m definitely going to get you some jerky when this is all over. It’s the least I can do.”
“I won’t say no to that, but it’s not necessary.” He returned both sculpted arms to the top of the chair back and focused his attention on her with a slight tilt of his head. “Before we get started, there are some things you need to know about the way I operate.”
It was only fair that he have his say, especially after the way she’d practically cross-examined him yesterday. “Okay.”
He nodded once. “If I give an order, you follow it, immediately and with no questions asked.” His stark tone made it clear he wouldn’t tolerate anything else.
He probably thought she was going to be difficult, given his introduction to her. Nothing could be further from the truth. “That’s fair.”
“And if I’m not around and one of the other guys gives you an order, you do the same.”
No argument here. “Got it.”
“Good.” A spark of relief lit his eyes, maybe at how easily she’d acquiesced to those demands. After his first impression of her she didn’t blame him, but she was all too aware of how woefully equipped she was to be going into an area known to be controlled by the Taliban. Staying alive and in one piece was very important to her. Whatever he and the others told her to do to stay safe, she’d do it.
“I’m sure you realize how high tensions are here right now, especially surrounding the TTP’s recent campaign against female education,” he continued. “Wherever possible we’ll keep a low profile, stay out of the media spotlight and generally not do anything to draw attention to you or any of us. Your eye color is definitely going to stand out where we’re going, so try not to look anyone in the eye if you can help it, especially men.”
She nodded, totally on board so far.
“Also, I’m your bodyguard, not your tour guide. I’m here to ensure your safety, not be your buddy. If you need a friend you’ll have to go to Ray or maybe Gage.”
Wow. Okay, good to know what the boundaries were. “Who’s Gage?”
“My second-in-command. You’ll meet him downstairs later when we go to your first appointment.” He held her gaze as he continued. “So, if I don’t get chatty with you or don’t respond when you try to engage me in conversation, it’s not because I’m being an asshole. I’m doing my job, and the best way I can do that is to keep some distance from you and stay in the background. Same goes for the rest of the team. The less you or anyone else notices us, the better.”
“I understand.” Still, she felt a little pang of disappointment at his declaration. They were going to be in close quarters together at least some of the time over the next week. And based on what she knew of him so far, she wouldn’t mind getting to know Hunter a lot better during that time.
“I’ve got all yo
ur health records on file. Is there anything that needs to be updated? Are you on any meds I need to know about?”
“No.” She hadn’t touched the sedatives and sleeping pills the doctor had prescribed her between the funeral and this trip and didn’t plan to take any of them now. From here on out she had to stay sharp, and that meant not having her mind dulled by anything, even prescribed medications. The sharpest edge of grief had faded to the point where she only got teary about her dad once in a while.
Hunter leaned back, and she couldn’t help but admire all the muscles shifting beneath that black collared shirt, ground rules and clearly stated boundaries notwithstanding. “Now, not to scare you, but in case there’s a threat or things go sideways, you need to know about our emergency contingencies. Everyone on this team is charged with protecting you if the need arises. If something happens to me, Gage will take over, then the others. Ray’s team will even step in if necessary. If something happens to all of us, you need to find a way to get to the American embassy and contact Tom immediately. He’ll take care of things from there. All right?”
All right? Not really, but she nodded anyway, swallowing past the sudden restriction in her throat. She squeezed her fingers together in her lap. “What about security at the school? How will you—”
“Both teams have already been going over that. No offense to you, but it’s better that you don’t know what we’ve got planned. I know it’s not easy, especially after what happened to your father, but trust me when I say I’m not leaving anything to chance.”
Staring into his eyes, seeing the rock-steady confidence there, she believed him. A shocking prospect, considering she’d only met him a day ago. “Thank you.” Her voice came out a bit rough.
Hunter shook his head. “Nothing to thank me for. I take my job seriously.”
The subtle reminder that she was just a job to him didn’t escape her notice. She’d best remember that and not make an idiot of herself by trying to be friendly with him. Since she was a people person and she was grateful for him taking her on, that wasn’t going to be easy for her.
“Any questions?”
None that she could think of, so she shook her head.
Hunter stood, sweeping that intent gaze over her from face to bare feet and back again, its touch making her belly flutter in feminine awareness. “I’d like to stay while you and Ray go over everything and get up to speed on what’s happening with Fair Start Foundation and the school.”
It surprised her that he seemed genuinely interested in what they did. She smiled. “Sure, that’s fine.” She began digging out papers to show him and Ray knocked on the door a few minutes later. Together they spent three hours reviewing documents, lists, contracts and plans of attack for how they might counter any resistance to their program within the local political machine.
Occasionally Hunter asked a thoughtful question but otherwise he absorbed everything in silence, filing it all away into what Khalia could tell was a very quick mind. By the time they finished, she felt certain she was as prepared as she could be, and that Hunter had a much better understanding of how Fair Start worked. It was almost one o’clock, and she was starving as she and Ray hadn’t eaten since early morning. Eating at the hotel was one thing because it catered to tourists, but since it was still Ramadan, the restaurants in the city were closed until after sunset.
Hunter glanced at his watch as she tidied up the desk, and stood. “If you’re ready, I’ll take you down to the truck and we’ll get going to your meeting.”
“Sure.”
In the lobby he stayed at her side to the revolving doors at the front. He went through first and waited for her on the sidewalk. Seconds after she stepped up beside him, a black SUV with tinted windows pulled up in front of them. Hunter opened the back left door for her as he visually scanned the area, she assumed for threats. She climbed inside then Hunter shut the door and rounded the hood. She recognized the driver as the redhead from yesterday who she’d mistakenly assumed was in charge. Another SUV drove in behind them as Hunter climbed into the front passenger seat.
He shut the door with a pop. “This is Gage,” he told her without glancing back. “Gage, Khalia. And the rest of the team is in the truck behind us.”
Gage reached back a hand, which she took automatically, and offered a warm smile. He had vivid bright blue eyes which crinkled at the corners when he smiled, and she couldn’t help but respond in kind. “Nice to meet you, Khalia.” His words had a southern drawl.
“Likewise.” Already she could see he was a lot friendlier than Hunter. She buckled her seatbelt, noting the tattoos that covered both his arms from wrist to the sleeves of his black T-shirt.
“Off to the first meeting?” Gage asked Hunter.
“Yep. Other team’s already en route.” He turned partially in his seat to look back at her. “Ray’ll meet you in the minister’s office.”
“Sure.”
Gage pulled away from the hotel and turned onto the main street. Islamabad’s business district was a bustling area of high rises and other corporate buildings, crowded and full of traffic. An entirely different world from the tribal region. The SUV’s engine purred as Gage merged onto the highway and picked up speed.
The men didn’t talk beyond the occasional comment or question about traffic or alternate routes. Khalia stayed quiet in the back but it felt weird to be driven around without speaking to the other people in the vehicle. Like she was a VIP being chauffeured across the city or something. Though she wanted to initiate conversation she resisted the urge, remembering Hunter’s warning. He’d made it clear they weren’t going to be friends, and it didn’t feel right to talk to Gage while ignoring him. Instead she used the time it took to reach the first meeting location to review her notes and talking points she’d laid out.
By the time they reached the Ministry of Education building, nerves were once again jumping in her belly. Hunter escorted her upstairs to the appointed office without a word. “I’ll be in the lobby when you’re done,” was all he said before leaving.
Khalia went into the meeting, relieved to have Ray there with her. The minister—a portly man somewhere in his fifties, dressed in a business suit—stood and shook their hands, then offered Khalia his condolences about her father while an appointed photographer took some shots of them. She put on a smile.
This one’s for you, Dad.
He’d be proud of her for doing this. Knowing that helped a lot and kept her centered. Even though he was gone forever, his approval still meant a lot to her. She could be brave for him, for his memory and legacy.
Together, she and Ray laid out the purpose for their trip, Fair Start’s intentions for the new girls’ school in the Swat Valley, and their belief that girls deserved the right to a quality education, no matter where they lived. Ray took his turn, carefully addressing concerns that the Pakistani government had outlined about working with Fair Start, doing his best to allay them.
Next, Khalia gave her presentation, gaining confidence with each point she raised. Hell, she’d come all the way to Pakistan in spite of everything, hadn’t she? She believed in what she was doing, enough to set aside her fears and leave her old life behind for this mission. They needed the Ministry’s blessing and funding for future operations in the country, and she intended to see that they got both.
When the balding minister smiled and agreed to support their cause, a ripple of goose bumps broke out beneath her light weight black sweater. They’d done it. Ray shot her a grin and reached over to squeeze her hand.
Forty minutes later Ray slung an arm across her shoulders on the way down to the lobby. “If your old man could see you now…” He gave her an affectionate squeeze. “You knocked ‘em dead, kiddo. Proud of you.”
“Thanks.” She was thrilled, ecstatic, electrified by a rush of endorphins. And glad she’d come here despite her worries. “Ready for the next one?” Ray was headed to a meeting with the team of lawyers the Pakistani government had assembled to discuss f
unding, while she was meeting the female Dean of Education of a local university.
“You bet. I’ll meet you for dinner at the hotel once I get back from my meeting with the US ambassador, and you can tell me how it went with the university folks.”
“Sounds good.”
As he’d promised, Hunter was waiting for her in the lobby along with Ray’s head of security. The two men escorted them back to the waiting SUVs and the drivers turned out of the parking lot in opposite directions.
“So, how’d it go?” Gage asked as he stopped at the first traffic light.
“Great. No, better than great.” She couldn’t stop smiling. God, they’d done it. The rest was essentially just a formality now.
“Glad to hear it.” He reached across the console and thumped a fist into Hunter’s shoulder. “Aren’t we?”
“We are,” Hunter answered dryly, staring straight ahead.
“Don’t mind him, he really is happy for you. I can tell because he’s not scowling.”
She hid a smile, liking Gage already. Too bad Hunter couldn’t let his guard down a little with her as well, but she understood why he wouldn’t.
“You hungry?” Gage continued. “I picked us up some lunch, which was no mean feat considering pretty much every food place is closed until sundown.”
She thought she’d smelled something good when she climbed into the vehicle. “Great, because I’m starving. Thanks,” she said when he handed a Styrofoam container back to her. The scent of cinnamon and cloves and something else sweet tickled her nose. She was so hungry she wanted to devour it all.
“Hunt said you’re not a vegetarian—thank God—so I figured a salad with chicken was a safe bet until I get to know you better.”
“Sounds perfect, thanks.” She popped the lid open to find a sliced chicken breast drizzled with spices and honey on a bed of greens and pieces of ripe mango on top. Oh, yum. It tasted even better than it looked, too. “So good,” she moaned around a bite of chicken.
