In love? Zeke rubbed at his chest and then at the back of his neck. He thought Mia was the most perfect person in existence, but that didn’t mean he was …
The door to the master bedroom opened and a vision in a fitted, soft-looking, pale green jump suit walked out.
“Mia.” Her name came out like a wussy moan. He didn’t even care. He rushed across the space, stopping short of hauling her into his arms and kissing her thoroughly.
To be continued. Their touching session and almost kiss was going to be continued, and expanded. Right? Would kissing her send him over the edge? Touching her was incredible. He’d never known touching could be like that. What if kissing was too much and he pulled away and hurt her feelings? He’d kissed Rachel and never felt much of anything. It hadn’t repulsed him, so he’d assumed that was good. Now Mia was flipping everything upside down.
“Hi, Rambo.” She smiled up at him. Her dark eyes looked impossibly big. Did she have some of that makeup stuff on them? He didn’t care. He only wanted to stare into them.
The iPad rang an incoming FaceTime call and suddenly Zeke got nervous. His stomach pitched and his hands started sweating. He didn’t like nervous. Nervous could get a man killed.
He looked over Mia’s beautiful face, smooth skin, and soft lips. All the longings inside him could definitely get a man killed. But how was he supposed to focus on anything but Mia?
Because she had the Sneaky Stalker after her.
That cooled the fire raging inside him. Slightly.
As Joseph said hello to the duke, Zeke knew he wasn’t nervous about anything to do with the case. He knew he could protect Mia. There was more reason for him to do so now than ever. He was nervous that her dad would see right through him and demand he keep his hands off his little girl. Would Mia stick up for them, or would she bow to her dad’s demands? No way would a stuffy Duke and billionaire want a humble American soldier from a messed-up family after his daughter.
He could hear Holly in the background saying, “William! You look fabulous. How’s my Abi? When are we all getting together in Spain again? I loved the Canary Islands.”
“You look picture perfect as always, Holly. Abigail is worried about her girl, but grateful she’s with you and Joseph.”
They kept talking, exchanging pleasantries.
Mia slid her palm against his. Zeke startled. Not because her touch was offensive to him. Far from it. She simply held her hand against his, stared at him, and waited. It was his move. He had to be brave and secure her hand. He could do this. With Mia. For Mia. He could do anything for her.
He slowly interlaced their fingers and realized it was the most natural thing in the world. Who knew? All of his friends and the Deltas, probably, but for him this was all new. Exciting and a little scary, but Mia would make it painless. No, she’d make it incredible. He was thinking like a wuss. He didn’t even care.
Mia gave him a radiant smile. She arched onto tiptoes and softly kissed his jawline. He couldn’t catch a breath.
“We’ve got this,” she whispered in his ear, and then she fell back onto her heels and directed him over to Joseph and Holly and this meeting.
Joseph saw their intertwined hands and gave Zeke a look of,really? Zeke held tighter to Mia. He threw a challenge right back at Joseph. He had the ultimate respect for the older man, but nobody could tear him from Mia right now.
Mia walked past them and settled on Holly’s other side, pressing into the other woman. She didn’t release Zeke’s hand. He edged in next to her, staring at her billionaire Duke father on the screen with his thousand-dollar suit, stiff hair, and polished good looks, sitting behind a huge shiny desk with large windows overlooking lots of fancy buildings behind him.
Joseph tilted the screen so the duke could see Mia better.
“Mia.” Her dad’s face softened for a moment, but he immediately looked stern. “Are you in good health?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“What’s this rubbish about you leaping into an icy lake and encouraging your bodyguards to quarrel over you?” His accent was stronger than Mia’s even. More formal. He looked and sounded exactly like a duke.
“Excuse me?” Mia shot back at him, clinging to Zeke’s hand. “It is not my fault that Blaine is a gormless git.”
Her dad glowered at her.
“We need Commander Lewis to return to England,” Joseph said, all diplomatic, when Zeke wanted to call Lewis a lot worse than a “gormless git.” Where was the loser, anyway? Zeke’s gaze darted up to the balcony, but the bedroom doors were closed. He didn’t see Lewis or Charlie.
“Why?” the duke demanded. “Because your American hero can’t hold himself in check?”
“Excuse me?” Zeke heard himself growl. “Your man started this battle, but I will definitely finish it.”
Mia stroked her thumb along the back of his hand. It helped him calm down until her dad said, “I expect my security to protect and serve, not speak or question. Be seen and not heard is the rule. That applies to you as well,American.”
Zeke could not believe this guy. He clamped his jaw so he wouldn’t tell him where to go.