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  He sat forward and clasped his hands between his widespread legs, his gaze on hers. "You just don't want to go out with him."

  "Exactly," she said, her tone exasperated. "I've tried to be nice about telling him I'm not interested, but he's very persistent."

  Ben's jaw clenched. He hadn't even met the guy yet and already he didn't like him. Then again, maybe his annoyance had more to do with his own attraction toward Christine. "So why not try the direct approach and just flat out tell him thanks, but no thanks, and make your feelings clear so he doesn't ask again?"

  She winced. "You're such a typical guy and that's such a harsh way of handling things. Besides, men don't take that kind of blatant, in-your-face rejection lightly."

  "So?" Ben didn't see what the big issue was in that. "He'll get over it. We all do."

  Exhaling a deep breath, she crossed her arms over her chest, which effectively caused the creamy, upper swells of her breasts to peek out from the low, scoop neck of her sweater. "The problem is, the situation with Craig is different."

  "How so?" he asked curiously.

  "When I first started my business, Craig was essential in getting my name in front of a lot of influential people, who in turn hired me to plan an event or a party for them. With Craig being a club owner, he has a lot of prominent contacts and he's been very generous in putting me in touch with some amazing people who have put me way ahead of my competition in the area. I'm very grateful for everything he's done for me, which makes this whole issue of him asking me out something I need to handle delicately. Does that makes sense?"

  "Actually, it does." To Ben, it sounded like Craig had the ability to make or break her newfound career, and that was a precarious situation in his estimation. "But despite how nice he's been, you don't owe him anything, Christine."

  "I know that." She rubbed the tips of her fingers along her forehead. "But I don't want to be rude to him, either. I also don't believe in burning bridges. It's just not good business practice."

  Realizing they needed to leave because they were already running late, Ben stood up and went around the coffee table toward her. "How about putting some distance between yourself and Craig?" he suggested. "Maybe not spend so much time at the club?"

  "I've already thought about that, but I'm sort of in a position where I have to deal with Craig for at least three more weeks." She hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly continued. "He's insisting on throwing a birthday bash for me at Envy, which is another way of getting my name in front of potential clients, and he's already started to plan the entire thing. I just need to get past that party, and then I can make a clean break with Craig."

  He nodded in understanding. "So, in the meantime, you want a pretend boyfriend to make him back off and quit asking you out."

  She gave him an impish look. "That just about sums it all up."

  Ben scrubbed a hand along his jaw, wondering what her father would think about his daughter's ploy to waylay another man's interest with the bodyguard he'd hired for her. "Christine, as sympathetic as I am to your situation, I wasn't hired on to be your boyfriend."

  "Pretend boyfriend," she clarified, and smiled oh-so-sweetly at him. "What I'm asking you to do doesn't really affect your job as a security agent. If anything, it'll keep you close to my side and a part of everything I do."

  Ben thought about all the things that being her boyfriend would entail in order to convince everyone, and Craig especially, that they were a couple. Seductive glances, affectionate touches, and private smiles meant to tempt and tease. Jesus, such an intimate scenario was bound to test the attraction between them and push not only his restraint, but his libido, to the limit.

  As if sensing his indecision, she took a step toward him and placed one of her hands on his chest, her eyes soft and imploring. "Please, Ben?" she whispered. "You're in the perfect position to do this for me, and the last thing I want to do is have to find someone else to help me out."

  He didn't doubt for a moment that she'd attempt to recruit someone else for the job, and the unsettling thought of watching another guy getting up close and personal with her, even if it was just for show, caused a burning, churning sensation deep in his gut.

  Bringing in a third party just wasn't going to happen, he decided. Not on his watch. And that meant agreeing to Christine's ploy and everything it entailed so Craig would finally back off.

  Ben figured that standing in as a pretend boyfriend wouldn't interfere with the job he'd been hired to do. If anything, it would enable him to get a better insight to all the people she hung out with without them knowing he was a security agent. Bottom line, his job was to protect Christine, and he could do that just as easily impersonating a guy who was smitten with her.

  He exhaled a deep breath and took the plunge. "Okay. Fine. I'll do it."

  Christine's eyes widened, and before he realized her intent she wrapped her arms around his neck and enveloped him in a tight, appreciative hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

  With Christine's soft, lush body plastered so guilelessly against his, Ben's pulse skipped a beat and he wasn't sure what to do-return the embrace, or gently push her away before she realized the kind of effect she was having on him. Her warm breath caressed his neck, her smooth cheek pressed against his, and the seductive scent of vanilla infused his senses. Acute awareness, and a hard kick of lust, flooded south in a rush of heat.

  One thing was for certain-faking an attraction wasn't going to be an issue at all. Settling his hands on her hips, he eased her back so he could breathe without thinking about skimming his hands along her curves and other places they didn't belong.

  She looked up at him, her eyes shining gratefully. "I can't tell you how much I appreciate this," she said, still caught up in the fact that he'd agreed to help her out. "Just knowing that I won't have to deal with Craig's subtle advances for the next three weeks is a huge relief."

  He smiled, enjoying her enthusiasm. "Good."

  Despite those four-inch heels of hers, there was a bounce to her step as she walked over to the chair and grabbed her purse. When she spun back around, she was grinning effusively. "You know what this means, don't you?"

  He didn't quite trust the mischievous gleam in her eyes. "Umm, no." But he was positive she was about to enlighten him.

  She strolled back toward him and trailed a pink painted fingernail down the center of his chest. "This means, as my boyfriend, you're gonna have to call me Christy."

  His deep groan rolled into a laugh, and he shook his head at her impudence. Leave it to Christine to revel in that small bit of victory.

  Chapter Four

  BY the time Christine arrived with Ben at Envy, her friends were already there and had claimed a table in the downstairs lounge where it was much quieter than upstairs near the dance floor and circular bar. Instead of stiff, uncomfortable bar stools, the lounge area was sectioned off with velvet armchairs, couches, and love seats in vibrant shades of purples, greens, and reds. Despite how crowded the place already was, the overall atmosphere was warm and inviting, which made for an enjoyable night club experience.

  Wanting to make sure she established Ben as her boyfriend to anyone who might be watching her, especially Craig, she clasped his hand in hers as she led the way to Madison, Ronnie, and her boyfriend, Mark. Ben automatically wove his fingers through hers, bringing her attention to just how large his hand was as it closed around hers. She thought about how it would feel to have his heated palm and long fingers stroking across her bare, sensitive flesh, and shivered.

  As she neared the group, she noticed Ronnie's curious expression as her long-time friend's gaze zeroed in on Ben. Then there was Madison. They'd been sorority sisters in college and had remained close friends even after graduation. Since Madison was also Christine's assistant at The Big Event and they spent days and hours together, she was the friend that knew her best, and was like the sister Christine never had. The two of them talked about the most intimate details of their lives, and shared just a
bout everything, and that was why Madison was staring at Ben in shocked surprise, because to her best friend's knowledge, Christine hadn't been dating anyone.

  Christine had already decided that she'd explain the situation to Madison and tell her the truth about her new boyfriend who was really her bodyguard-as well as their 24/7 living arrangement. But in the meantime, she had a new beau to announce to everyone.

  "Hi, gang," she said brightly, and launched right into the introductions. "I'd like you all to meet my boyfriend, Ben. Ben, these are my good friends Ronnie and Madison, who is also my assistant at The Big Event. And this here is Mark, Ronnie's boyfriend."

  Ben stepped in front of her and greeted the two women in that polite, gentlemanly way of his, then shook hands with Mark. Compared to most of the guys at Envy who were wearing the latest designer styles for men, Ben definitely looked dressed down in his jeans and his untucked chambray shirt. He was also so opposite of the polished men she'd dated in the past. But there was no denying that with his thick brown hair tousled in a no-fuss style, those dark, seductive brown eyes, and a hard, gorgeous body made for sin, he was sexier than most of the men in the place in an earthy, rugged way.

  And Ronnie was definitely taking notice of all those little details that made Ben so uniquely male, while Madison was much more reserved in her speculation of who Ben really was.

  "We didn't know you were bringing someone," Ronnie said, still checking out Ben. "So, we only grabbed one extra chair."

  Christine shifted on her feet. Ronnie and Mark had claimed the love seat, Madison was sitting in one of the plush armchairs, and there was one left free, obviously for her. She glanced around for a vacant seat for Ben, but there wasn't one to be found in the lounge.

  "That's not a problem," Ben said, taking matters into his own hands. "There's plenty of room for two in this chair right here."

  Before Christine realized what Ben meant to do, he sat down in the plush armchair, then grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him, until she was draped across his lap with her hip pressed against the gun he'd holstered just inside the waistband of his jeans-which he'd told her he had a license to carry in public. She gasped in surprise and caught the wicked glint in Ben's gaze that told her he was taking his role as her boyfriend very seriously.

  "My, my, my. Such a resourceful kind of guy," Ronnie said, seemingly impressed with Ben's take-charge approach. "I like that in a man." She took a sip of her cosmopolitan.

  Ben slid one arm around Christine's waist, and rested the palm of his other hand on the bare skin of her thigh right below where the hem of her miniskirt ended, his touch undeniably possessive. And hot. Very hot.

  "I'd rather keep Christy nice and close, anyways," he replied with a grin.

  From across the way, Madison was sending her a What the hell is going on? look, and all Christine could do was smile at her best friend for now and keep up the charade that was of her own making.

  One of the bar's cocktail waitresses came up to their group. Since Christine frequented Envy, she immediately recognized the pretty auburn-haired woman as Jodie.

  "What can I get you two to drink?" she asked, eyeing Ben with too much interest.

  "I'll take an apple martini," Christine said, needing something with a bit of a kick to help her get through the next few hours.

  "Sam Adams for me," Ben told the other woman, once again establishing himself as someone who didn't give a damn about social pretenses. In an upscale club where most men ordered hard liquor over cheap beer, he was an anomaly.

  Once the cocktail waitress headed back to the bar, Ronnie snuggled up to Mark's side and turned her green-eyed sights back on Ben. "So, Christy, where have you been hiding this fine specimen of a man?"

  Forcing herself to relax against the hard, muscular thighs beneath her bottom, she slipped an arm around his broad shoulders and leaned into his chest. "We've been dating quietly for the past few weeks, and I thought it was time to take things to the next level and introduce Ben to my closest friends."

  "He's definitely your best-kept secret," Madison murmured wryly, and followed that comment with a sip of her strawberry margarita.

  "Well, I, for one, am glad to see you back on the market after you-know-who did you-know-what." Ronnie lifted her cosmopolitan in a mock toast, then finished off the rest of the drink.

  As much as Christine adored Ronnie, her friend didn't know the meaning of subtlety. She was bold and brazen, and usually said whatever was on her mind. She'd never liked Jason, and couldn't have been happier when Christine had ended their engagement.

  At least Ben knew what she was talking about, and it wasn't something she'd have to explain later.

  Jodie arrived with their drinks and set them both on the table. "By the way, the bartender just told me that Craig is picking up your tab tonight."

  Before Christine could issue a reply, Ben beat her to it. "Thank you, but I'll pay for the drinks," he said firmly, playing his role with a believable amount of authority.

  Taken aback by his firm tone, Jodie's eyes widened. "Oh. Okay. I'll let Craig know."

  Well, that was certainly one way to bring Craig's attention to the fact that she had a boyfriend, Christine thought.

  "So, what do you do for a living, Ben?" Ronnie, the inquisitive one, asked.

  "I work for a security firm," he said smoothly. Before Ronnie could drill him about what, exactly, his work entailed, he added, "Prior to that, I was in the military."

  That bit of information caught Mark's attention. "Which branch?"

  "The Marine Corps." Ben handed Christine her apple martini, but didn't touch his bottle of beer.

  Mark's gaze lit up with interest. "My younger brother, Tim, is in the Marines. He was just recently deployed to Iraq. He says the conditions there are pretty deplorable."

  Ben nodded in agreement. "It can be a tough assignment."

  Christine knew that Ben spoke that statement from the heart. Having lost someone he cared deeply for as a direct result of the combat zone in Iraq, he had firsthand experience of just how harsh and unforgiving the war could be.

  The two men continued to talk about the military, and discuss their opinions on the war. Ronnie rolled her eyes in boredom, and signaled Jodie for another cocktail, then launched into a more girl-appropriate discussion about an incident that happened at the exclusive boutique she managed. While Christine listened to Ronnie's animated story about a woman who'd attempted to shoplift a designer purse by stuffing it down her stretch pants and concealing the bulge with a loose blouse, she sipped her drink and tried to keep her mind off the way Ben's deep, husky voice was so close to her ear as he talked, and the sensual feel of those hands still on her body.

  She failed miserably. Sitting on his lap, she was so keenly aware of him, in every way. His thumb absently stroked the inside of her knee as he continued his conversation with Mark, and at some point the hand at her back had glided up her spine and slid beneath the fall of her hair. His strong fingers gently kneaded the nape of her neck, and she had to swallow back a moan of pure pleasure.

  Everything about the man, about his touch, was so seductively mesmerizing. So arousing and exciting, made more so by the fact that everything he did seemed so natural and unrehearsed. And while he appeared to be completely relaxed and unaffected by her close-enough-to-kiss presence, she on the other hand couldn't stop her long deprived body from reacting to each and every sensation. Her pulse quickened, something deep in her stomach fluttered, and her breasts felt tight and sensitive against her lacy bra.

  Inhaling a slow, even breath, she shifted her gaze from Ronnie to Madison as they continued to chat and laugh about something her friend said, and Christine smiled and pretended to join in on the amusement. She took another long drink of her martini and was grateful when the liquid slid down her throat much more smoothly than the first few sips had.

  Over the next hour and a half, the five of them talked about inconsequential things and laughed like old friends. One drink turned into tw
o, then a third that she didn't quite finish, and Christine decided it was just what she needed to relax, enjoy herself, and have a good time.

  "Uh-oh," Ronnie said, her suddenly narrowed gaze honing in on something beyond Christine's shoulder. "You'll never guess whose working the room behind you."

  Christine didn't turn around to look. She didn't have to. Craig had warned her that her nemesis would be at Envy tonight, and that's the only person she knew that could shift Ronnie's easygoing personality into protective mode on Christine's behalf.

  "It's Leanne, I'm sure," Christine said.

  Madison, who'd taken a peek at the people mingling behind them as soon as Ronnie made her comment, now stared at Christine in surprise. "How did you know?"

  "I have great radar when it comes to her." Feeling carefree and lighter than air, Christine grinned. "Maybe if I hide she won't notice I'm here."

  Without thinking her actions through, not that she was thinking all that logically at the moment, Christine buried her face against Ben's neck to shield herself from Leanne's predatory gaze that always seemed to pick her out in a crowd. One deep breath later, she realized her mistake. The warm, heady male scent of him curled through her senses like a hypnotic drug. She grazed his neck with her lips, touched her tongue to his skin, and the broad hand still on her thigh tightened in reaction.

  Ben's fingers tangled gently in her hair, and he tipped her head back so that she was looking into his dark, intense eyes. Forgetting everything but the two of them and the undeniable desire wrapping around her, teasing her with something so deliciously forbidden she licked her bottom lip in anticipation. She wanted to kiss him so badly, ached to see if all the heat and chemistry between them was everything she'd fantasized it would be.

  He smiled at her-a sexy, bad boy grin that added to the chaos smoldering within her. "I think three drinks is right about your limit," he murmured huskily, seemingly sensing the direction her thoughts had traveled. "Who's Leanne, Christy?"

  His gaze was curious, but she was sober enough to realize he'd switched to bodyguard mode. With the threat hanging over her family, his job was to make sure he knew everyone around her.