His Touch
THEY WEREN'T LOOKING FOR EACH OTHER…When a string of deadly warnings convinces Dallas mayor Jessica Kincaid that she needs a bodyguard, she hires Brant Harding. The former secret service agent takes the job for one very personal reason–and it has nothing to do with this tempting woman.BUT THE CHEMISTRY WAS TOO POWERFUL TO RESISTAs their personal agendas intersect, Jessica and Brant find themselves at odds, yet drawn to each other with a passion neither can deny. But the threat to Jessica's life has intensified–and it's coming from within the power structure of the city itself. Even Brant's best efforts may not be enough to save her, or to buy them both a second chance.
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Jessica held the doorknob so hard she winced with pain. A moment of panic seized her and held her motionless. Was that her bodyguard?
“You’re obviously Jessica Kincaid.”
His low, rough-sounding voice had a strange effect on her nerves. She stiffened. “And who might you be?”
“Brant Harding, your bodyguard.”
Jessica swallowed, suddenly at a loss for words. The first thought that came to mind was the word dangerous: with his dark, brooding looks, he reminded her of a stalking panther.
Wetting her lips, she said inanely, “I wasn’t expecting you.”
“That’s obvious.”
She flushed, something she didn’t do often. “Won’t you come in?”
He strode into the room. Reluctantly she closed the door behind her, fighting off the insane feeling that she was sealing her doom.
Contents
One
The instant she walked into her town home, Jessica Kincaid sensed something was not quite right. She tried to mask her uneasy feelings and not let on, but her efforts didn’t work. Her friend called her hand.
“What’s wrong?”
Frowning, Jessica peered at Veronica Nash and forced a smile. “Why do you think something’s wrong?”
Veronica’s pixie features turned into a matching frown. “Because I know you, that’s why. You looked spooked.”
“I am,” Jessica admitted with blunt honesty, deciding it was foolish to hide the truth from her friend any longer.
“Want to tell me what’s going on?” Veronica asked, her tone pressing.
Jessica smothered a sigh, at the same time running her hands through her short, highlighted brown hair. “How ’bout we get comfy first and have a cup of coffee?”
“Works for me.” Veronica proceeded to toss her purse on the floor, then plop down on the sofa. “Need any help?”
Jessica shook her head. “I think I can handle it.”
If only that were true about the rest of her life, Jessica thought, puttering around in her bright yellow-and-green kitchen. Once the coffee was dripping, she paused and took a deep breath.
As mayor of Dallas, Texas, one of the most up-and-coming cities in the south—in the nation, for that matter—she couldn’t give in to this unexpected turn of events. She had to come up with a way to handle things herself and not involve the police.
“Sure you don’t need help?”
Veronica’s lively voice made Jessica move. “I’m coming. I was just woolgathering,” she added, walking back into the living room with a tray.
Once they were sipping the hot coffee, Veronica’s dark eyes pinned her. “So what has you so uptight? And not just tonight, either. You’ve been different lately.”
“I’m being harassed by some nutcase.”
Veronica coughed, obviously strangling on the liquid. When she sat the cup down on the coffee table, her eyes were wide and questioning. “Are you serious?” She flapped her hand impatiently. “Sorry, forget I asked that. Of course you’re serious. That’s not something to joke about, especially given your job.”
“You’re right. It’s been going on for some time now.”
“So why haven’t the police already caught the pervert?”
Jessica hesitated, looking away from Veronica’s direct stare. “Because I haven’t involved them.”
“That’s crazy,” Veronica said in a blustering tone. “They work for you, for heaven’s sake.”
“True, but—”
“What’s the deal, then?”
“You know what the deal is, Ronnie. Ever since I fired the police chief and suspended two popular officers, I’m not the most loved person around city hall.”
“Ah, for a second those minor points slipped my mind.” Though her voice held a slice of humor, Veronica’s features remained grave. “But surely there’s someone on the force you can depend on?”
Jessica didn’t respond. Instead, she gazed around the room, her eyes settling on the items that brought her comfort: photographs of her and Porter, her deceased husband, live plants she nurtured herself, and other mementos that had personal meaning. Once she had believed that her home in an upscale part of the city was indeed her safe haven.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. No longer did she feel that sense of security when she walked in, that feeling of peace. In fact, she felt the opposite, as if her privacy had been totally invaded, emotionally and physically.
If only Porter were here, he would know what to do. If her husband were still alive, she wouldn’t be in this precarious position to start with, she reminded herself. He would still be the mayor, and she would be the loving, supportive wife behind the scenes.
