a
completely platonic and professional manner and they walked silently out of the
café. As they joined the teeming masses on the street, Kate jerked backward as
she felt a warm hand touch her hip. A moment later she realized it was Josh and
she huffed out an agitated, choked laugh.
“You’re lucky you didn’t lose that hand,” she teased him
without removing her attention from the street around them.
“I’m not that bad am I?” Josh returned jovially. Kate
turned her head to catch his gaze with hers. She held it for a moment, let him
sweat about her response before smiling again and turning her attention back to
their surroundings.
“No,” she replied quietly enough that she couldn’t even
swear Josh could hear her words. “No, Josh, you’re not that bad at all. But
again, this isn’t the time or place. I know we need to talk, but wait ’til
we’re in the car, please.”
Josh laughed, but then the weight of her serious response
sank in and he quieted. Doing her job and guarding her lover and charge, Kate
continued to visually track as much of the busy street as she could as they
walked side by side down the road toward the car.
* * * * *
Even on the busy street, with seemingly hundreds of people
jostling them from all sides, Josh could detect the faint perfume of cinnamon
and honey. Admittedly Kate was standing right beside him, close enough that he
could wrap his hand around her hip. Normally in a crowded, busy, peak-hour
street, though, he would be lucky to smell anything except the exhaust of cars
and sweat of the rushing masses, eager to get home and unwind from a hectic day
of work.
Regardless, the usual scents of the city faded into the
background when Kate was around. She scanned the street like a sentry,
blue-green eyes coolly assessing each and every person in their vicinity.
Joshua wanted to drag her into a side street, wrap his arms around her and kiss
her senseless.
Their quick, stolen kiss back in the café had only whetted
his appetite for her. Part of Josh had completely understood when Kate had pulled
back, insisted it was not the time or place for their intimacies. A completely
different and refreshingly new aspect of himself had rather liked the way he
could so easily flummox his lover. She reacted to him instinctively, and the
male beast inside Josh loved that.
He also appreciated how Kate could be two completely
different people inside one skin. She could kiss him passionately, wallow in
their mutual attraction, then instantly go back to being the professional
Guardian and doing her duty. Josh found himself intrigued by how quickly and
effortlessly she could revert from one side to the other.
Never having needed to distance his work persona from his
true, inner self, he hadn’t thought about how hard it must be for Kate.
Restraining such a bright, vibrant inner self must have been—at least to begin
with—truly difficult for her.
“When we get back to the motel I’ll cook us up some
omelets,” Josh offered as they walked closer to their hire car. He could see
the dark-blue metallic roof over the heads of the people in front of them.
Kate didn’t reply, but then Josh hadn’t really expected her
to, as she was working. He liked speaking to her, though, felt it made it
appear as if they were friends —or lovers—walking home together from a busy day
at their jobs.
“We could even pick up some peppers and fresh chives,” Josh
continued. “My aunt used to make these omelets that—”
Shouting came from a small side street. Instinctively, Kate
and Josh paused and glanced down it. The street was barely more than a delivery
entrance for a small row of restaurants. Only three people wide, it could fit a
car or van, but not two lanes of traffic. Three men were huddled in a small
semi-circle, jeering and shouting. Josh only got a brief glance before Kate
nudged him gently.
With evident distaste and reluctance, she began to walk
past. Josh followed until a shrill, very
completely platonic and professional manner and they walked silently out of the
café. As they joined the teeming masses on the street, Kate jerked backward as
she felt a warm hand touch her hip. A moment later she realized it was Josh and
she huffed out an agitated, choked laugh.
“You’re lucky you didn’t lose that hand,” she teased him
without removing her attention from the street around them.
“I’m not that bad am I?” Josh returned jovially. Kate
turned her head to catch his gaze with hers. She held it for a moment, let him
sweat about her response before smiling again and turning her attention back to
their surroundings.
“No,” she replied quietly enough that she couldn’t even
swear Josh could hear her words. “No, Josh, you’re not that bad at all. But
again, this isn’t the time or place. I know we need to talk, but wait ’til
we’re in the car, please.”
Josh laughed, but then the weight of her serious response
sank in and he quieted. Doing her job and guarding her lover and charge, Kate
continued to visually track as much of the busy street as she could as they
walked side by side down the road toward the car.
* * * * *
Even on the busy street, with seemingly hundreds of people
jostling them from all sides, Josh could detect the faint perfume of cinnamon
and honey. Admittedly Kate was standing right beside him, close enough that he
could wrap his hand around her hip. Normally in a crowded, busy, peak-hour
street, though, he would be lucky to smell anything except the exhaust of cars
and sweat of the rushing masses, eager to get home and unwind from a hectic day
of work.
Regardless, the usual scents of the city faded into the
background when Kate was around. She scanned the street like a sentry,
blue-green eyes coolly assessing each and every person in their vicinity.
Joshua wanted to drag her into a side street, wrap his arms around her and kiss
her senseless.
Their quick, stolen kiss back in the café had only whetted
his appetite for her. Part of Josh had completely understood when Kate had pulled
back, insisted it was not the time or place for their intimacies. A completely
different and refreshingly new aspect of himself had rather liked the way he
could so easily flummox his lover. She reacted to him instinctively, and the
male beast inside Josh loved that.
He also appreciated how Kate could be two completely
different people inside one skin. She could kiss him passionately, wallow in
their mutual attraction, then instantly go back to being the professional
Guardian and doing her duty. Josh found himself intrigued by how quickly and
effortlessly she could revert from one side to the other.
Never having needed to distance his work persona from his
true, inner self, he hadn’t thought about how hard it must be for Kate.
Restraining such a bright, vibrant inner self must have been—at least to begin
with—truly difficult for her.
“When we get back to the motel I’ll cook us up some
omelets,” Josh offered as they walked closer to their hire car. He could see
the dark-blue metallic roof over the heads of the people in front of them.
Kate didn’t reply, but then Josh hadn’t really expected her
to, as she was working. He liked speaking to her, though, felt it made it
appear as if they were friends —or lovers—walking home together from a busy day
at their jobs.
“We could even pick up some peppers and fresh chives,” Josh
continued. “My aunt used to make these omelets that—”
Shouting came from a small side street. Instinctively, Kate
and Josh paused and glanced down it. The street was barely more than a delivery
entrance for a small row of restaurants. Only three people wide, it could fit a
car or van, but not two lanes of traffic. Three men were huddled in a small
semi-circle, jeering and shouting. Josh only got a brief glance before Kate
nudged him gently.
With evident distaste and reluctance, she began to walk
past. Josh followed until a shrill, very
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