Hurrying to the elevator, she passed Wyatt with a towel slung around his neck, wearing shorts and flip-flops, probably on his way to the pool or sauna.

Perfect.

She hustled up to the room, showered and changed in record time, half expecting Wyatt to walk in naked like he had before. Her heart rattled in her chest, leaping at every sound.

Rather than get caught nude again, she’d brought all her clothing into the bathroom and dressed there. Every noise, every bump or thump, she jumped and peeked out the door.

Wyatt had yet to return.

By the time she was dressed, her nerves were hopping and she could barely catch her breath. What was wrong with her?

Her hair in place, her makeup just right and having spent as long as she could in the room before heading for the lobby, Fiona finally gave up at a quarter to the hour. Dressed in a slim-fitting pastel green tank-dress that hugged every inch of her body like a glove, she slipped into high-heeled strappy sandals that emphasized her tight calves. She looked more confident than she felt as she headed for the elevator.

When the lift car arrived at her floor, her breath caught and she waited. The door slid open to an empty car. The air left her lungs in a whoosh.

Where the hell was Wyatt? He’d be late if he didn’t get a move on. Then again, good. She wouldn’t wait, if he didn’t show up by seven then she wouldn’t have to sit across from him, wondering what it would be like sleeping in the same room with him later that night.

Yeah, right. That thought had been on her mind all day to the exclusion of all else. She didn’t have time to daydream about a man. She needed focus.

Fiona checked at the front desk to see which of the delegates had arrived, marking them off the list she kept on her cell phone. So far everyone who was supposed to arrive by now had.

With five minutes to spare, she stepped into the lobby.

It was D minus twenty-four. The kickoff started at seven o’clock the following evening with all the major players for this convention milling around, meeting, greeting and networking. Everything had to go exactly as planned. No hiccups. No distractions. No security issues and no thinking about Wyatt Magnus sleeping in the nude.

There she went again. Fiona closed her eyes, drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“Thinking about me?” a warm deep voice whispered against her ear, melting her like chocolate in the hot Texas sun.

For a moment Fiona leaned toward Wyatt until she realized what she was doing. She pulled herself together and faced him with her best, no-nonsense poker face. “Of course not.” She frowned. “Weren’t you just in the sauna?” Her gaze swept his length.

His hair was damp and his clothes were clean and dry. And he was as sexy in khaki slacks and a polo shirt as he was in shorts. Damn the man.

Wyatt grinned. “I brought my clothes and showered down there to give you some space.”

“Oh.” She blinked, pleased at his thoughtfulness and at the same time, a little disappointed. The latter emotion surprised her. She shook it off and got down to business. “I’m going over the itinerary of the next twenty-four hours.”

“Including who gets the bathroom first tonight?” A grin lifted the corners of his mouth. “I don’t even know if you snore.”

“That’s it.” She started toward the reception desk. “I can’t do this.”

“Wait.” He snagged her arm. “I checked before I hit the sauna. They were scrambling to figure out where they’re going to put the other double-booked guests. I promise, I’ll behave. You won’t even know I’m in the room. And as far as I know, I don’t snore. We’ll be okay. Scout’s honor.”

She gave him a narrow-eyes look. “Were you even a scout?”

“As a matter of fact, yes.” He grinned. “My father made me join to keep me off the streets. I was a very active child and he saw what kind of trouble I could be at an early age.”

“I can see that.” She sighed. “Very well. Looks like we’re stuck with each other. But understand this, I have too much riding on the convention. I don’t need any distractions.”

He raised his hands. “I wouldn’t dream of distracting you.”

Yeah well, you already are. Fiona bit down on her tongue to keep from saying it out loud.

“Fiona, there you are.” Maddie, dressed in a summery, floral dress in soft pink, yellow and green, hurried through the front door of the hotel. “I thought I was going to be late.” When she spied Wyatt, her eyes widened. “Well, well, who do we have here?”

Fiona’s teeth ground together as Maddie’s gaze swept Wyatt’s length from gorgeous brown eyes down to the tip of his cowboy boots.

“Maddie Wells, meet Master Sergeant Wyatt Magnus, on loan from the Army to Homeland Security. He’s been placed in charge of the security of this convention.” After making the introduction, Fiona held her breath, waiting for Maddie to gush.

Wyatt took Maddie’s hand and lifted it to his lips. “The pleasure is mine.” He winked at Fiona as he pressed his lips to her assistant’s fingers.

A pretty, rosy blush rose up Maddie’s neck into her cheeks. “You didn’t tell me he was so handsome and charming.”

“I can be, when I want to.” He straightened, holding Maddie’s hand far longer than Fiona deemed necessary.

Her chest tight with a flare of unbidden anger, Fiona stepped out to greet Preston and Joe as they entered the hotel lobby.

“Preston, Joe, glad you made it. Arthur called and said his wife had plans for him, so he won’t be joining us. Shall we go find a place to eat?” She hooked her arm through Joe’s and stepped through the doors leading directly out onto the River Walk.

Preston, Maddie and Wyatt followed.

Fiona tried not to think about Wyatt behind her. But the nape of her neck tingled as if she could feel his gaze on her backside. She hoped her dress wasn’t hitched up in her panties. And if she put a little more sway in her hips, she chalked it up to the high-heeled, strappy sandals. They almost always made her walk like a model on the runway, one foot in front of the other.

They settled on one of the Tex-Mex restaurants with patio seating overlooking the river and a band playing an eclectic mixture of Latin American and soft rock music in the corner by the bar. As the sun set, the twinkle lights adorning the trees and bridges along the River Walk blinked to life. With the soft lighting, the background music and the warm summer night, it would have been a perfect evening for a romantic dinner for two. Glancing across the table, Fiona caught Wyatt’s gaze on her. A perfect evening for two if she wasn’t working through dinner, and if she didn’t have a convention to keep on track.

After everyone had placed an order, Fiona pulled out her work tablet and started the discussion. “Are we set for tomorrow?” Without waiting for a response, she turned to Joe. “The dogs will start through the convention center at nine in the morning, complete by two in the afternoon, at which time you’ll bring them to the hotel.”

Joe smiled. “That sounds about right.”

Wyatt turned to the supervisor of the hired security team. “Preston already has people in place, augmenting the convention center permanent staff.”

Preston nodded. “I’ll have additional staff at the entrances when the vendors arrive tomorrow and the day the convention starts. I’ll also have eight of my personnel at the function tomorrow night. They will be dressed as wait staff or businessmen, to keep it from appearing too obvious.”

Fiona stared down at her tablet, her list of notes blurring as she internalized the schedule. “The meet-and-greet is at seven o’clock tomorrow night. Maddie, you and I will arrive in the hotel ballroom an hour early and stay until the last person leaves.”

“Got it, boss.” Maddie gave her a mock salute.

“Which leaves you.” Fiona stared across at Wyatt. “Mr. Magnus, what exactly will you be doing during all this time?”