Free Secret Seduction by Lori Wilde Page A

couldn’t forget him, either. “So how come you ended up here if you were on Governor Perry’s detail? Isn’t Confidential Rejuvenations a bit of a comedown from the governor’s mansion?”
    “That’s personal.”
    She met his challenging gaze. “Oh, so you can ask me personal questions but I can’t ask them of you?”
    “I like to keep my private life undercover.”
    Undercover.
    The was no mistaking the innuendo in his voice or the sultry look in his eyes as he raked them over her. Her heart rate kicked up a notch. She looked away, flicked at imaginary lint on the sleeve of her gray tweed suit. Vanessa lifted her eyebrows and tried her best to look unaffected by his searing glance. “Let’s get down to brass tacks, shall we? I have work to do.”
    He jerked his head in agreement. “Tell me about your daily routine and current safety habits.”
    “I lock my doors and windows, if that’s what you mean.”
    “That’s good.”
    “I carry condoms.” She couldn’t resist adding that and immediately wished she could have bitten off her tongue.
    He arched one eyebrow. “Do you have a security system in your home?”
    “I do.”
    “Your car?”
    “Yes.”
    “Do you ever leave or arrive at work late at night?”
    “I’m a resident. I’m on call. Of course I come and go at all hours of the day and night.”
    The word come seemed to hang in the air like a tantalizing aroma.
    “During your comings and goings have you ever noticed anything out of the ordinary?”
    “Could you be more specific?”
    He shifted in his seat. “On Friday night someone slashed all the tires of the cars in the employee parking lot. To get away with the crime, the perpetrator disabled the security camera in that area.”
    “You know where I was on Friday night.”
    His smile was brief but slightly smug. “I’m not accusing you of sabotaging the cameras or slicing car tires. I just wanted to know if you saw anything.”
    If he knew who she was and where she came from, he’d probably accuse her of sabotaging the cameras and slicing the tires. “Sorry.” She shrugged. “I can’t help you with that.”
    He flipped back a few pages in his notebook. “How about three weeks ago? Someone pilfered a crate of medical supplies from central supply. Again, the security cameras had been disabled.”
    “Maybe it’s one of the security guards. Have you considered that?” she asked.
    “I’m investigating all possibilities.”
    “Have you checked for fingerprints?”
    “Are you trying to tell me how to do my job, Doctor?”
    “Just offering suggestions.”
    “The culprit wore gloves.”
    “You think the same person is responsible for all the things that have been happening?”
    “I don’t assume anything.” He held her gaze, looking at her as if she were holding out on him, as if she knew something and was simply refusing to come clean. She’d seen that look before, in the eyes of the cops fourteen years ago.
    An unexpected shiver ran up her spine. “Look,” she said, “I’d like to help. I really would. But I haven’t seen anything out of the ordinary.”
    He got to his feet.
    Vanessa sighed in relief and stood up, as well.
    “You’ll keep me informed if you do see anything suspicious.” He said it as a statement, not a question.
    “Yes, absolutely.”
    He walked to her window, looked out and then pulled the cord on the blinds, dousing the sunlight.
    She blinked against the sudden darkness. “What are you doing?”
    “Surveillance.”
    “Of my office?”
    “Seeing how vulnerable you are.”
    “Excuse me?” The shiver was back, skating coldly over each vertebra. Vanessa crossed her arms and hugged herself.
    He drew the drapes, further snuffing out the light. “We don’t know what this mischief maker is capable of. Things could escalate.”
    “Meaning…”
    He gestured toward the window. “Your desk is in the direct line of fire if someone were to take up a rifle on the knoll behind the doctors’