Beatrice and Douglas by Kelly Lucille Page A

words with the guys if they tease
us?”  Her tone was clearly confused.  “They always tease.”
    “They can tease me all they want.  Anyone tries that
with you and I’ll break his neck.”
    She raised a brow at that.
    “What?” he asked again.
    “Just trying to figure you out.  Why are the guys
allowed to tease you and not me about this?”
    He shrugged.  “It’s a guy thing.”
    Beatrice shifted to her side too, starting to smile. 
“Douglas Bruce, are you protecting my honor?”
    “Let’s say I am making sure no one makes you feel
uncomfortable in your place of employment.”
    That brought on a full-blown smile and she scooted closer,
so that they were almost touching chest to chest.  “You are protecting my
honor.  That’s so cute.”
    “You think it’s cute?  You’re not going to tell me all
about how you can defend your own honor and woman power, blah-blah-blah?”
    “Well, of course I can kick ass when necessary, but it’s
sweet.  I guess I didn’t expect you to be sweet.”
    “It’s not sweet.  It’s a guy thing.”
    “If you say so.”
    “I do say so.  Men know not to make off-color remarks
to a woman about her sex life.  If they do, it’s a sign of disrespect and
her man takes care of it.”
    “Wow.” She narrowed her eyes studying him from face to
chest.  “Hmm.  I think I need a moment of silence while I fantasize
about you in denim and leather straddling the back of a Harley and saying ‘my
woman’ in that deep alpha male voice.”  Then she paused, crinkling her
nose. 
    He tapped her on the nose.  “What’s your problem now?”
    “That fantasy only goes so far before there’s beer guzzling
and belching.  And ‘my woman’?  Seems weird for you to say that about
me.  Feels like I should kick you in the balls on principle.”
    “You’ll get used to it.”
    “Oh, will I?”
    He leaned over and kissed her lips lightly, his eyes
warming.  “Eventually.  You can call me ‘your man’ to even things
out.”  He kissed her again, then moved to her cheek and then right below
her ear.  “We’ll work on it.”
    “You seem to want to work on a lot of things.  Like
long-term plans kind of work,” she murmured, feeling his hand fold over her
breast, his lips on her neck.
    “What can I say?”  He pushed her over until she could
feel him against her whole body, his hand going under her shirt to find naked
skin.  “Whatever it takes, however long.  I’ve always been an
overachiever.”
     
    ***
    “Anything?”
    “Nothing.”  The voice was hard and cold over the
line. 
    “If he has received the letter.  It must be on his
person.”
    “Or it hasn’t arrived yet.”
    “I think a series of small incidents would make sure he
keeps his eyes on the ball.  Nothing too drastic, we don’t want serious
questions asked, just a few small setbacks at the worksite should do it.
Something that would be blamed on kids or careless workers.  But if he
decides to take an out-of-town trip, or anything else questionable, you will
need to take more extreme actions.”
    “That’s what you’re paying me for.”
    There was a click and the phone was dead.  Benedict
turned to look over the L.A. skyline.  He liked the view for the status it
showed and he wasn’t about to lose it.
    “He may just ignore the summons.” 
    After two weeks, the woman’s voice was a bitter brush
against strained nerves, especially since it looked like he would not need to
use her as a distraction on Douglas Bruce.  He was distracted enough with
his interior decorator.  But Benedict held his temper.  She might
still come in handy, so he ground his teeth and answered.
    “Not a chance I’m willing to take.  We stick with the
plan for now.  If it looks like he needs more distraction than he
currently has, we’ll work on it.  There isn’t much time left.  We may
not have to do anything further.”
    ***
    Monday morning came too soon.  They received the
shipment of supplies