The Bodyguard and Ms. Jones by Susan Mallery Page A

the counter. “Sorry about that,” she said. “I didn’t know they’d all jump on you.”
    â€œIt’s okay. They’re curious.” She glanced at her friend and smiled. “ You’re curious.”
    Beth lowered her voice. “Have you seen him naked?”
    â€œNot yet, but when I do, you’ll be the first to know.”
    â€œGee, thanks.”
    Beth gave her a quick hug, then walked over to the oven. The ribs were being baked first so they would cook quicker on the grill. While the women were talking, Cindy slipped out the back door. She glanced at the men but didn’t see Mike. She walked to the edge of the fence and stared at the sky.
    The sun hadn’t set yet and wouldn’t for another hour or two. Heat rose from the sidewalk. Candles in glass jars had been placed around to ward off bugs, although she and Mike had sprayed themselves with insect repellent before leaving her house. She dropped her gaze to the pecan trees, then lower to children playing in the greenbelt.
    She hadn’t felt this alone since she’d been a teenager.
    What had gone wrong? Why hadn’t her marriage worked out? She grimaced. She knew the answer to the last question. Nelson was a jerk. Unfortunately, it had taken ten years and his walking out on her for her to see it. But that didn’t explain how everything got so messed up. She’d had her whole life planned.
    â€œYou look serious about something,” Mike said, coming up to stand next to her.
    She shrugged. “What were you doing? Casing the joint? Checking out the perimeter?”
    She’d been teasing, but Mike looked sheepish. “Some habits are hard to break.”
    â€œIt’s been several years since the last terrorist attack, soldier,” she said. “Maybe you could not be on alert tonight.”
    â€œMaybe.” He took a sip from his bottle of beer. “What’s your excuse?”
    â€œI miss my kids.”
    â€œWhat else?”
    â€œI thought I’d be married forever.” He offered her his bottle and she took a swallow. As a rule, she didn’t like beer, but tonight the biting yeasty flavor tasted right. “I suppose that’s what I get for trying to plan out everything. I was tempting fate.”
    He leaned against the fence, bumping her elbow with his. She could smell the faint scent of his skin. He was warm and tempting. She found herself wondering how she could get their bare legs to brush together without making a complete fool of herself. She couldn’t come up with a plan and figured she would have to settle for looking at his legs. Bless the summer heat, she thought with a smile.
    â€œThere are always variables,” he said. “You’ve got to learn to go with them. No matter how well I plan a job, there’s always something. Some kid steps out in front of the car, the electricity goes off. When you least expect it, life throws you a curve.”
    â€œThe ribs are ready,” Beth said, coming out the back door and carrying a large tray. The men parted to let her through to the grill, then Darren took the tray from her.
    â€œMike, why don’t you take the first watch?” Darren said, holding out the tongs.
    Mike started toward the other man. When he reached the grill, he looked back at her and winked. Low in her belly she felt a flutter of awareness, of need and something slightly more dangerous. A tugging that went all the way to her heart.
    It wasn’t just that Mike was gorgeous, had a smile that could melt aluminum and a body worth worshiping. It was that he was also a nice guy. She had a feeling, a very bad feeling, that life had just thrown her a curve.

Chapter Six
    I t didn’t take Mike long to figure out he didn’t like barbecues. Grown men standing around an outdoor grill on a hot, muggy summer evening burning meat and fighting off bugs wasn’t for him. If they wanted to go camping, that he could