Leave Me Breathless Read Free

noticed him or seen Mark do his check. What if someone had come in carrying a gun instead of a paper and a coffee cup, then what—
    “Have a good night?” She asked the question without turning around.
    Or maybe she was paying attention.
    Still, Ben appreciated having an uninterrupted minute to study her. From a pure male appreciation standpoint he had to give her points. She stood about five-eight with a body more curvy than athletic, which was just his preference. He took in her nice round ass and the way her black pants showed it off. A matching short blazer highlighted her trim waist and straight blond hair pulled back in a ponytail at her neck hung partway down her back. Even though those soulful brown eyes weren’t glancing at him right now, he’d bet that same mix of pissiness and frustration remained from their meeting yesterday.
    Yeah, staring at her every day wouldn’t exactly be a hardship.
    Dealing with that mouth would be the challenge.
    Protecting that fine ass of hers from whomever seemed so determined to chase him down and take him out would be the biggest issue. No way was he letting her step into danger over him. That meant he’d have to watch over both of them, make sure Emma stopped drawing attention to herself, run his office, and hear a case or two. Not exactly what he had in mind when he left the military for the calmer life of a practicing law.
    “Uh, hello?” Callie turned around to face him as she talked.
    There it was. Flat lips and angry eyes. The look of pure pissiness she did so well. “Sorry. I’m having trouble getting started this morning,” he said.
    “Why?”
    “Let’s just say there’s a reason I don’t live with Mark.”
    A night of listening to his brother drone on about Callie’s shooting abilities without divulging one interesting piece of information about the rest of the woman sure didn’t help Ben’s sour mood. Neither did the lack of sleep due to Mark’s old-man snoring. Ben planned to kick his brother to the downstairs guest bedroom tonight because the one right next door didn’t have enough soundproofing to cover the noise.
    “Is your brother cramping your style already?” she asked, her smile suggesting that she found the situation funny.
    That made one of them. Ben motioned for her to step out from behind his desk. “You seem awfully concerned with my love life.”
    Callie took her time getting to the front of his desk and dropping into the guest chair there. She started to put her feet up but stopped when he stared her down. “The only way I can protect you is if I know about the people around you. That includes the women you date, sleep with, and know. Also includes your staff here, friends, and—”
    “I get it.”
    She flipped through a small notebook as she clicked her pen. “Then let’s start with the women.”
    “I’d rather start with my impressive staff.”
    Her gaze made the slow trail up until her eyes met his again. “Excuse me?”
    “Your word, not mine.” Though he did use it as a test. Wanted to see if Ms. All Business All the Time could get thrown off task, and now he knew. “I’m talking about the other people in this office. Since you’re going to be here until Mark lets you leave or we kill each other, we may as well get going on the introductions.”
    “We need to work on our background story first.”
    Ben waved that suggestion off as he sat down. Today would be filled with enough boredom without adding more. “I got it.”
    She handed him a file anyway. When he didn’t immediately reach for it, she dropped it on his desk, letting it smack against the wood. “I’ve worked up some information for our cover.”
    “I said I got it.”
    “Then you get that I’ll be with you during every case, and at lunch, and any private discussions you have with lawyers.”
    As far as he was concerned she took her job a bit too seriously. “Are you going to follow me into the bathroom as well?”
    “I might.”
    He leaned back in