“No, I promised you a fortress, didn’t I? You were right about one thing. I’ve made a lot of enemies in my time. Everyone from crime bosses to gunrunners and terrorists. Most of them I take care of before the job is done, but there are always a few who linger in the shadows … waiting. I can never be sure when they’ll strike.” He shrugged. “So I like having a place where I can come back and relax. Out there on the street, I may have to be on guard. Not here.” He parked the car in the garage, and the door automatically closed behind them. He leaned close to her and spoke softly. “I hope I can give you the same peace of mind.”

Heat.

Sexuality.

Intimacy.

She looked away and tried to say carelessly, “You’re off to a very good start.”

“I’m glad you think so.” His face was only inches away from hers, close enough for her to feel the warmth, the vitality. A few minutes before, she had been thinking that Lynch was right, that she could relax here. He knew what she needed almost before she knew it herself. But she was not at all relaxed right now. Every muscle was tense, and her heart was pounding hard.

Don’t let him see it.

She gripped the door handle. “Give me a tour?”

He studied her expression for an instant. “Sure.”

They pulled Kendra’s suitcase from the trunk and moved toward the door. Lynch raised a fob and pressed it to throw the lock.

He showed her the fob. “The code changes every seven seconds. This fob and the door-lock codes stay in perfect synchronization.” He gripped the doorknob, then froze. “Oh, shit.”

“What is it?”

“Nothing serious,” he said, sensing the tension in her voice. “I just remembered something.”

“Remembered what?” Adam Lynch was actually looking sheepish, she realized with wonder. She hadn’t been aware he was even capable of that expression.

“Look,” he said. “You’re going to see something kind of unusual in my living room. Promise not to judge, okay?”

She smiled with anticipation. “I’ll promise nothing of the sort. What is it?”

“Damn. I can’t believe this. Okay.” He pushed open the front door.

Kendra entered the house. The place was still dark except for a few accent lights. At first, she was impressed by the modernistic furniture, travertine floor tile, and black galaxy granite countertops.

Then she saw it.

She stopped short, eyes widening. “Oh, my God.”

In the large living room, one single windowless wall was covered by a twenty-foot-long enlarged print of his latest girlfriend’s bus ad. Beautiful bikini-clad Ashley overwhelmed the room.

“Uh … Wow,” was all Kendra could say.

“Yeah.”

“Why…?”

Lynch was looking more sheepish than ever. “A couple weeks ago, I came back from a trip out of the country and … there she was on my doorstep with that poster, several movers, and an interior decorator. She whisked them inside, and an hour later, it was done.”

“She had this wall-sized picture of herself made for you?”

“This was actually hanging from the ceiling at the campaign’s launch party. She asked for it and had it mounted and framed for me.” His expression was baffled as he stared at the poster. “I guess she thought … it should occupy an entire wall in my home?”

Kendra started laughing and found she couldn’t stop. She pointed to a row of eyeball-recessed light fixtures aimed at the print. “Did she have the spotlights put in, too?”

“No, those were there already. They were installed to showcase a collection of my favorite paintings in all the world. Paintings, by the way, that the movers relegated to a hall closet.”

Kendra laughed even harder.

“What can I do?” Lynch said. “She’s very proud of this. She took a lot of time planning it. I don’t want to hurt her feelings.”

“You’re so damn tough. Yet you can’t say no to a bikini model?”

“I could say no, but I have to work my way around to doing it humanely. She thinks most guys just want to screw her.” He frowned ruefully. “Okay, that may be one of my prime objectives. But she’s decent and likeable, and I don’t want her to think that’s all she is to me. We have enough problems understanding each other’s point of view. She honestly thought this was a terrific gift.”

“I’m sure she did.” Kendra struggled to catch her breath. “Hey, if I had a body like that, I’d give out wall-sized pictures of myself, too.”

“You have a fantastic body. And no, I don’t think you would do that.”

“I agree it’s not very subtle. But at one time I might have yielded to the temptation.” Kendra realized she was laughing so hard that tears were rolling down her cheeks. She wiped them away. “Oh, that felt good. I needed that, especially after the day I’ve had today.”

“Glad I could be of service.” He grimaced. “Now, if you’re through enjoying your laugh at my expense, I’ll show you your room.”

“I can hardly wait.” She followed him up the stairs. “But nothing could impress me more than beautiful Ashley.”

“You’re not going to drop it, are you?”

“No way. Unless you can offer me something to make it worth my while.”

He slanted a look over his shoulder. “Oh, I could do that. Just give the word.”

She lost her breath as she met his gaze. Dammit, being with Lynch was like riding a seesaw that pitched and changed with every second. “Forget it. It’s much more amusing to laugh at your vulnerabilities, Lynch.”

“Is it? Do you realize that displaying my vulnerability might have been planned? It’s a prime tactic to disarm.” He opened a door. “Did I disarm you, Kendra?”

Had he planned it? She didn’t know, and she wouldn’t think about it right now. “What do you think?” She glanced away from him and looked at the guest room. “This is very nice.”

True to Lynch’s word, the guest room was large and comfortable, centered by a four-poster bed and half a dozen overstuffed pillows.

He handed her a touch-screen remote. “Pretty much every song ever recorded is at your fingertips. You select your tunes here, and the sound comes out of the ceiling speakers. In case you’d like to listen to music as you fall asleep.”

Kendra looked at the remote and smiled. He knew how important music was to her. It was medicine not only for her clients, but for herself. Music had helped her through some of the most difficult times of her life, bringing life and color when there was literally only darkness.

“Thanks, but I doubt I will. I get too interested in the music, and it keeps me awake.”

He pointed toward a side door. “There’s an adjoining bathroom, and you’ll probably find any toiletry you didn’t bring with you.”

“Really?” She smiled mischievously. “Chosen by our Ashley?”

“No. Saks Fifth Avenue.” He paused, gazing at her. “I’m doing the best I can, Kendra. This isn’t easy for me either. I’m not accustomed to platonic living arrangements.”

“You know, I gathered that from the moment I walked into your living room.”

“I mean it.”

Her smile faded. “I know you do.” She moistened her lips. “Look, I’d have to be blind again not to realize that you’re very highly sexed. It’s natural that you might possibly want to screw me given the intimacy of the circumstances. And, I admit I find you sexually desirable.” She shrugged. “But neither of us want to go down that path.”

“Don’t we?”

“It would confuse things. I don’t need that, and neither do you.”

He smiled. “So logical. So reasonable.”

“You betcha. We just have to remember what’s important.”

“This is the second time you’ve seen fit to lecture me on what I want or don’t want in our relationship.” He tilted his head. “I find it very interesting. You’ve noticed I haven’t commented on your analysis of my needs or desires? When I decide to do so, you may be surprised.”

“You often surprise me. But I can usually count on you for clear thinking.” She was silent a moment, her gaze meeting Lynch’s. Time to bring this encounter to an end. There were too many shadings of emotion and erotic response. She was too aware of him, dammit. “But I do thank you. I feel much safer in your fortress. It was a good idea to come here.”