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wanted her spot. It was her original fear, and it came true.”
“And then Nikki Waters founded Orion?”
It took a moment, but the chill of the past slowly heated. They’d made it to the part of the story that was no longer dripping with regret. He nodded.
“Nikki was the secretary at Redstone. After Morgan’s death, she refused to work for a company that valued money over people and decided to use her contacts to create an agency that never would make that mistake again. She approached me and the team I was on and asked us to come with her.” He shrugged. “So Mark, Oliver and I did. We’ve been there ever since.”
The tattoo on the back of his arm came to the forefront of his mind. His dark mood was gone.
“You know, my mother once told me that some of the most noble pursuits begin with some of the most senseless tragedies,” Kathryn said after a moment had passed. “While I don’t feel I need Orion Security’s protection, I see the value and heart behind what you’re doing.” She gave him another rarely used smile just as their food came out. Jonathan was stunned by the absolute sincerity that seemed to be behind her words. One moment she was calculated, somewhat tactless, and the next she was insightful and empathetic. Certainly one of the most interesting clients he’d had in a while.
* * *
THEY ATE THEIR food quickly and, soon after finishing, they were singing its praises.
“I’ll have to let Greg know the food is still fantastic,” she said. “This fast-food queen will be coming back here before I leave.”
“Greg?” Jonathan asked.
“Oh, sorry. Greg is the work associate I was telling you about. If you insist on following me around the entire trip then you’ll get the chance to tell him, too. I have a meeting with him tomorrow morning.”
Jonathan’s brows drew together.
“There was no mention in your itinerary about a meeting tomorrow,” he said, most likely trying to recall the schedule she’d sent to her father, who had sent it on to Orion. Kate couldn’t help it. Tension rose fast and fierce, straightening her shoulders. She pursed her lips. For a moment she’d forgotten her annoyance at the bodyguard’s presence.
“That’s because I didn’t include it in my itinerary.”
She stood and left the table to pay at the podium near the door. His next question was going to be why, and the only answer she could give would create more questions. Ones she couldn’t answer.
Jonathan didn’t berate her as they left the restaurant and made their way back to the hotel. In fact, he had gone silent as he trailed the space beside her, yet kept his distance. It gave her a sense of being alone. One that was shattered when he moved close with a whisper that nearly tickled her ear.
“Let’s pause for a second, please.”
Kate did as she was told and turned to the man, confused.
“I can see the hotel from here,” she pointed out.
Jonathan grabbed her arm and pulled her backward with him. Not ready for the contact, she started to pull away when he spoke again. “I think we’re being followed.” His gaze cut behind her. Kate allowed him to position her so she could see the people behind them on the sidewalk. Her eyes hopscotched across each of them quickly and, she hoped, covertly. She understood the concept that if someone was following them, they would be spooked if they noticed their target noticing them.
But, then again, Kate didn’t think she was being followed at all.
“The couple in the green and black jackets,” he added when she was coming up empty. She turned to look for the couple in question. A dark-haired man and a dark blond-haired woman, arm in arm. Kate let out a loud sigh and turned back to Jonathan.
“You mean Mr. And Mrs. All Over Each Other?” She snorted. “I don’t think their interest lies anywhere other than with each other.”
“They were in the restaurant and left when we did, even though their food wasn’t finished.”
Although Jonathan’s eyes were on hers, she could tell his attention was still tracking the upcoming couple. His intensity was almost surprising and, perhaps, the reason why she did what she did next.
“You know, you’re right,” she said, looking back at the couple that was nearly upon them. “They might be following us.” She grabbed Jonathan’s hand, abruptly breaking his focus, and smiled. “So, why don’t we lose them?” Without another word from her bodyguard, Kate began moving. “Let’s take a detour.”
The scientist pulled Jonathan to the nearest crosswalk and together they surged across the road in a cloud of pedestrians. Kathryn’s grip was firm while the rest of her body seemed surprisingly loose. When she looked back at him, she even had a smile across her lips. One that, again, looked odd there, but also right.
As they hit the sidewalk she kept straight, angling them down a block with a chain clothing store and a twenty-four-hour bakery. Jonathan had studied the layout of the surrounding blocks from their hotel on the plane. It would be hard to get lost unless you intended to do just that. He was comfortable with their small detour. However, his attention was still sharp, frequently looking back over his shoulder at where the couple had been.
They stayed across the road, passing over their own crosswalk to get to the next stretch of sidewalk. Maybe he had been overreacting. The man in the green jacket turned his head and met Jonathan’s stare.
Maybe not.
“Mr. Bodyguard?” Kathryn said. Jonathan didn’t turn until the man dropped his gaze, laughing at whatever the woman beside him had said. “Staring isn’t polite.”
Jonathan refocused his attention on Kate. She had slowed her clip but kept holding his hand, steering him through foot traffic. Jonathan felt her warm skin against his. It was soft in his rugged hands, which were hardened by his time with the punching bag and weights. He briefly wondered what she thought of his rough skin before quickly killing the thought. While he knew the woman wasn’t thinking about the intimacy that came with holding hands, he found his focus was starting to break because of it. Instead of shaking the hand free, however, he cleared his throat and used his training to get back to what was important.
His job.
“Let’s hang a right up here. If we cross the road we’ll hit construction,” he said.
Kathryn snorted.
“If we’re being followed, we won’t lose our tail that easily,” she said back, dropping her voice as if the two were conspiring. “Don’t tell me I’ve been assigned a lazy bodyguard.”
She looked ahead with a smirk trailing her lips. She was being difficult and she knew it, teasing him while simultaneously goading him. Jonathan didn’t know if he thought the attempt was amusing, considering her earlier mood covered in frost, or annoying. Either way, he wasn’t about to be labeled as lazy on his last field assignment. Even if it was by a woman he was starting to guess would never be happy with his job performance.
“You’re absolutely right,” he said with enthusiasm. “I really need to step up my game.”
Kathryn started to loosen her grip, probably feeling her sarcasm backfiring, but Jonathan held it firm. Instead of trailing behind her, he took two long strides ahead.
Now he was leading her.
Looking both ways, Jonathan tugged her across the street to the left, in between a lag in traffic. Had they both not run, they might not have made it. Despite Kate’s gasp of concern, Jonathan continued parallel to the block they’d just left before coming to the intersection. He blew through it within another pocket of pedestrians until they were at the opening of a preppy clothing store. He didn’t waste any time and ducked