Undercover Husband

“You’re sure? If you want, I’ll stay with you awhile.”

“No,” she said a little too forcefully for his liking. “I’ve imposed on you enough. Please—go back to bed. I’ll be fine.”

He sucked in his breath, fighting the almost overwhelming desire to climb under the covers and hold her so she wouldn’t be frightened anymore.

“If you need me during the night, call out and I’ll hear you.”

Slowly she lifted her gaze to his, those orbs so dark with turbulent emotion, they looked closer to black than blue. “I pray I won’t disturb you again.”

“I don’t mind,” came the words from deep inside him.

Her eyes closed. “But I do. Good night, Roman.”

He turned on the bedside lamp. “Good night.”

As soon as he’d flicked off the overhead light and shut the door, she reached for the novel she’d put on the nightstand. Twenty minutes later, after she’d read the same page for the tenth time, she gave up, turned out the light and sank down under the covers.

Her body felt alive in a brand new way, like it was on fire...

When he’d looked at her just now, something had ignited in the recesses of his eyes, turning the flecks in those green irises to gold. It was as if a charge of electricity had leaped clear of his body to find a place in her own, energizing her with his life-giving force.

Though he hadn’t touched any part of her except her hair, she felt a connection with him as real and vital as something tangible. Filled with more intimate thoughts of him, her eyelids finally drooped and at some point she knew no more until she heard him call her to breakfast.

Through bleary eyes she glanced at her watch. It was ten to nine. She never slept in this late, but after the events of last night, Brit realized her body needed the extra sleep. Still, she was embarrassed by what had transpired. Furthermore she felt selfish, especially when she’d kept Roman awake part of the night and knew there was a huge amount of work to be accomplished today.

After scrambling to make her bed, she freshened up, then dressed in jeans and a blouse to join him.

Cereal, eggs, juice awaited her at the dining room table. She tucked right in and told him food had never tasted so good before. Fortunately she caught herself before she blurted that he looked good, too. Especially in that black T-shirt and hip-hugging Levi’s.

Last night all he’d been wearing were the bottom half of his pajamas or some facsimile. He was a gorgeous male. She could hardly breathe just remembering the sight of him when she’d first been awakened by his voice.

With difficulty, she finished eating, then took her plate to the sink. “Let me do the dishes, please.”

His enticing mouth curved upward. “That’s what I was hoping to hear, but they’ll have to wait. I’ve phoned a moving company. They’re sending a small van to your condo within forty-five minutes. We need to get over there right now so you can pack what you need to bring here. The rest we’ll put in storage.”

“I won’t want much.”

He studied her for a brief moment. “Bring anything you like. There’s plenty of room.”

“Even for Tiger?”

“Tiger?”

“She’s an alley cat who comes around once in a while for food and a little love.”

A smile hovered at the corner of his mouth. “If she’s there, bring her along, too.”

“I didn’t mean it, Roman. She’s a wild cat and knows how to survive. But thank you anyway,” she said softly, rubbing her palms together before looking away.

So far there was nothing about Roman Lufka she didn’t like. She’d been trying to find something—anything—which would help her keep her perspective in this situation.

“I’ve already arranged for your phone and fuel to be disconnected. The post office now has a hold on your mail. We’ll pick it up every day at the Foothill outlet. In case this weirdo changes his mind and sends you something else in the mail, I want the postmaster to open it. That kind of corroborating testimony will weigh heavily, if and when charges are brought against him.”

She experienced relief knowing she would never have to open a letter or package from Glen Baird again.

“Roman—I—I realize I sound like a broken record, but I don’t know how to thank you.”

“It’s my job, Brit.”

“One that puts your life in danger all the time.”

“Not all the time,” he insisted wryly. “If you want to know the truth, it was inevitable that I was born with a desire to live life on the edge.”

She blinked. “Inevitable?”

“Hmm... Perhaps you’ve heard of C and G Surveillance Products, Inc.?”

“No. I presume you’re talking about bugging devices and the like.”

“That’s right. My grandfather, Constantine, and his brother, Gregorio, started the business before WWII broke out. Later, when the military came to them with a contract, the company grew into an enormous enterprise which my father and uncles expanded. By the time my brother Yuri and I, and all our cousins came along, it had gone national with outlets all over the country.”

Brit was fascinated. “You mean your company makes suitcases that blow apart like we see in the James Bond movies?”

He smiled. “Can you imagine what heaven that was? Two little boys growing up, playing with every spy gadget and camera known to mankind?”

“I can. It’s something which would have appealed to me, as well. For a period of time in my young life, I wanted to be a boy because they had more fun. That is until Lance Crawford, the marble king of the fifth grade, told me I was a better player than all the boys, and gave me his favorite steelie marble. From that point on, I was kind of glad to be a female.”

His chuckle joined hers and they stared at each other, fully enjoying the moment.

“By the time we were adults,” he finally continued, “Yuri wanted to keep inventing stuff.”

“Like what, for instance?”

“Have you got all day?” Roman quipped. “The truth is, there’s every kind of camera known to man out there, and some you haven’t even thought of. If you’re really interested, I’ve got brochures. You’re welcome to devour the contents.”

She gave him the benefit of an unguarded smile. “So he invents, and you try everything out.”

His lips quirked. “That’s right. Today my brother is the CEO of the company. I’m a major stockholder, but I have my own life and I’m very content as I am. So you see? There’s nothing noble about what I do for a living.