LITMIR.BIZ

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      “How could I possibly be offended by that,” she mumbled.

      He shook his head, refusing to give up the fight. “There’s security here. We’ve got a metal detector and there are emergency call buttons hidden everywhere in the office.”

      “Which will be very helpful if you’re shot in the head before you can reach it.” Callie knew the guy had to be smarter than this. He passed the Bar and managed to get appointed by the governor. That suggested there was a working brain in that head somewhere.

      Ben glared at her before continuing his brother-to-brother negotiations. “There’s no need for additional protection.”

      “Your car blew up in a locked government parking lot.” Mark folded his arms in front of him. “That changes everything.”

      She glanced at Mark. When he nodded, she took the lead. “It means the person who planted the bomb had access to the facility. Probably has a badge and can come and go in the courthouse without being noticed. He or she is on the inside, which makes you vulnerable even with all the uniforms around you all the time.”

      “Which is why Callie is your new right arm. Where you goes she goes. Work or work function, she’s with you. I’ll handle the at home part,” Mark said.

      Ben closed those chocolate brown eyes of his for a second. When he opened them again, some of the fight had left him. Even his shoulders appeared more relaxed. “We haven’t shared a bedroom since we were eight.”

      “And we’re not going to now.” Mark glanced at his cell and started talking faster. “Look, I know this is a pain in the ass, but I need you to listen to me.”

      Ben tipped his head back against the chair. “I get it.”

      An unspoken emotion passed between the brothers. Callie had no idea why Ben caved, but the verbal and psychological battle had ended. Both men wore grim lines of resignation on their mouths.

      She suddenly felt as if she were intruding. “I can wait outside.”

      Ben shook his head. “No need. We’ll set you up here somewhere.”

      It was Mark’s turn to smile. “Nice try. She’ll be in here with you. I’ve taken care of that part and you are not going to overrule me. I get paid to do the tactical stuff, so let me do my job.”

      Out of nowhere, Ben turned on her and flashed a smile full of perfect white teeth. “So, you ready to spend ten hours a day with me?”

      She shook off the feeling of being in the spotlight. “No.”

      “If it’s any consolation that makes us even.”

      Funny, but that didn’t make her feel one ounce better.

      Chapter Two

      Ben walked into his private chambers the next morning at his usual seven-thirty start time to enjoy a half hour of quiet before the workday madness descended. He had to wait until Mark checked the suite, but Ben wasn’t even a little surprised to find Callie there waiting for him. Not in the receptionist’s waiting room outside. Not in the front area of his office, where the sofa and chairs were arranged for informal meetings. Not by the bookcases that lined the walls. No, she actually stood behind his desk looking out the window to the concourse seven stories below. He guessed he should be grateful her butt wasn’t actually in his chair.

      Some guard dog she turned out to be. She hadn’t even 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 the chair and tapped his fingers together in a triangle. “Don’t you think people are going to find it a bit strange that you’re stapled to my hip?”

      “This Samson guy—”

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