Eric’s assistant jumped to his feet. His wide eyes studied Antony. Then he pointed down the hallway. “That way.”
Antony was already giving chase. Ella’s heels were click-click-clicking pretty damn fast, but he was faster. He closed the distance between them, reached out his hand to curl around her shoulder and—
Ella spun to face him. “Do not even think about touching me.”
Unfortunately, touching her was the main thing he did think about. Touching her. Getting her back. Not losing the one person who meant far more than she’d realized to him.
She took a quick, angry step toward him. “What the hell kind of game are you playing?”
He had to handle this part carefully. Antony knew this might just be the most important deal of his life. “It’s not a game. I need you.” He’d told her those words before. He’d meant them. Still did. “I’m in danger, and I need a bodyguard. Someone I can trust. Someone who knows me and all my routines.”
Her gaze darted to the right. To the door that was partially open. “Follow me.”
He’d gladly follow anywhere she led.
But she just took him inside a small storage closet. One filled with old boxes, two brooms, and random cleaning supplies. As soon as he was inside, she slammed the door shut and glared at him.
“What you meant to say…” Ella snapped, “was that you want someone who knows your secrets.”
He didn’t confirm or deny the charge. Mostly because he still hadn’t admitted to her that he was a spy. The whole point of being a secret agent was that you didn’t tell people your secret. Even when those people left you because they felt like you were holding back on them. Or straight-up lying. Which yes…guilty.
“I left you, Antony,” she told him, and her voice shook a little.
His hands fisted. He wanted to reach out and touch her so badly. Touch her. Hold her. Kiss her. Get her back. “I came after you,” he heard himself say.
And, obviously, the words were the wrong ones to utter.
Her beautiful eyes immediately turned to angry slits. She already stood close to him in the narrow storage closet, but her body inched toward him even more. “Is that what this is about?”
Oh, shit. He’d made a major miscalculation.
“Are you even in real danger?” Suspicion darkened her expression.
Well…technically…
“Are you doing this—this whole setup…are you here now because—what? You want me back?”
If he said yes, what would she do?
Ella gave a hard, negative shake of her head. “I’m not going to be your head of security any longer. As I told you before, I’m done with that job.”
“But are you done with me?” More words that he should’ve had the sense to hold back, but they escaped anyway.
He heard her sharp inhale. Her body brushed against his, and the sweet, intoxicating scent of strawberries wrapped around him. His gaze fell to her mouth. To the lush lips that she’d painted a slick pink. He wanted her mouth beneath his. He wanted her. “We don’t have to be over,” Antony rasped. “Ella, we can just be starting.” His head began to lower.
Her hands flew up. Pressed to his chest. “I can’t believe you.”
Her touch burned through him.
“You lie to me for two years. You keep me at arm’s length that entire time. You wrap yourself up in secrets. And now you want me back? Now?” Her voice rose ominously.
“Yes.”
“Why? Why now? What’s changed?”
“You weren’t in my bed before.”
Fuck, fuck, fuck. One look at her expression, and Antony knew that had to be the worst thing he’d said the whole time. That unfortunate truth was more than apparent in her thunderous expression. In her glittering eyes. In the red that suddenly stained her cheeks.
“Are you here…” Her voice had turned brittle. “Because you want to fuck me again?”
Relationships and interpersonal communication had never, ever been areas of strength for him. Thus, the current epic screw-up.
“Antony….” Ella gritted out. “You’re not answering.”
How could he handle this delicately? Screw it. He’d never been particularly delicate. “I will always want to fuck you.” A stark admission.
Her lips parted.
“If you want the full truth, I wanted you from the first moment we met. You walked into the office wearing those hot red heels, spouting about how my security system was flawed and a talented ten-year-old could get inside…” Totally not true, by the way. That ten-year-old would need to be a genius. “I knew right then I wanted you.”
Her tongue swiped over her lower lip. “You didn’t say a word.”
Because he hadn’t thought she’d be thrilled that the new boss was lusting after her. “You started working for me that day. Didn’t think you’d want your boss hitting on you.”
Her long lashes swept down to cover her gaze. “You’re hitting on me right now.”
“Yes.” Though, actually… “I’m being honest with you.”
Her lashes immediately flew up. “That’s new.”
He controlled a wince. “I’m telling you how I feel. I want you. I think I always will. The night we had together was incredible, and I want more.”
Silence. The storage closet seemed to grow smaller and smaller.
“Sex.”
His cock—already hard—surged toward Ella when she fired out that one word.
“That’s what this is about. You came all the way to Atlanta so you could try and have sex with me again.”
When she put it that way…sure, he seemed desperate. Maybe obsessed. Maybe? Ha. Antony knew he was full-on obsessed with Ella. He tried to take control of the conversation before things deteriorated even more. “I came here because you know I’m opening a new office and factory in the area. I had planned to get a second home near the city.” He’d already acquired the home. “I was planning a trip to Atlanta regardless of whether or not you were here.”
Her hands slid away from him.
He immediately missed her touch. “I need a bodyguard. I trust you. I want you.” In every way imaginable. “If you take the case, you can conveniently slide into my life. We can tell people that you left Shark because we wanted to become involved. That can be the cover. No one will question why you are suddenly at my side for private events. Why you’re living in my new house. Why you are—”
“Staying in your bed?” Her voice was emotionless.
Yes, please. A thousand times yes. Wisely, he kept his mouth shut.
“Is that the plan?” Ella pushed. “You’re going to pay for me to be your bodyguard because you think you can sleep with me again?”
He’d definitely messed this up. When it came to personal relationships, he just sucked. Straight-up sucked. How many times had his sister warned him that he needed to learn to be more suave? Charming?
But charm had always been his best friend Sebastian’s department. Sebastian was the one the media loved. He could grin and have everyone falling at his feet. Sebastian always knew the right things to say and do. He did the glamor work, and Antony liked to hide behind the scenes. The better to not piss everyone off.