Something like suspicion?

Maybe the senator had caught on to some weird vibe coming from across the fucking country and just instinctively known something was going on with his baby girl. But he couldn’t. It’s not like he was a psychic or some shit like that. He couldn’t possibly know that I’d gotten a little bit too close in guarding his precious cargo.

…Could he?

Oh, fuck me. What if he’d sent over some extra security and I didn’t even know about it? What if, right now even, he had a man watching me?

If he did, I was so screwed.

Carrie had thought she heard someone earlier. I had brushed it off, but maybe I’d been wrong. Maybe someone had been there, watching us and reporting back to her father from the shadows?

Son of a bitch…

I revved my engine, gripping the handlebars so tight it hurt, cursing myself ten times over for not considering this angle earlier. The cab pulled over and Carrie climbed out, her eyes seeking me out immediately. I parked my bike and tilted my head, telling her silently to look away and act like I didn’t exist. Something told me she’d fail miserably. She wasn’t a good liar, my Carrie, and it’s one of the things I loved most about her—her honesty.

But it just might be our downfall.

She walked up to her parents, her steps quickening as she grew closer. After one last look over her shoulder at me, she ran into her mom’s open arms. Her mom hugged her tight, burying her face in her hair and inhaling deeply. As if she missed Carrie’s scent and needed to get as much of it as she could while she could.

Fuck, I got that. I got that all too well.

Next, her dad—the man I’ve never even seen crack a smile—grinned and hauled her into his arms, spinning her in a wide circle and saying something I couldn’t make out. Carrie laughed in reply, the sound breaking through the night, and I closed my eyes.

Ah, that sound…

It had the power to save me from anything.

I watched from the shadows, my heart as heavy as a bowling ball in my chest. They looked so happy and normal right now. I had a hard time placing the man who was paranoid enough to send me to watch his daughter in secrecy with the man who stood here now, laughing and bussing Carrie’s nose with a huge smile on his face.

And watching her in the arms of her parents just made our whole situation real. Would they ever welcome me into their family with open arms like that? All smiles and kisses and hugs? Doubtful. But I’d do my damned best to make it happen.

I’d make him accept me if it was the last thing I did, damn it.

The next morning, after an hour of watching Carrie bond with her parents and a mostly sleepless night, I woke up hung over and yet way too sober. I’d spent all night plotting and trying to come up with every possible scenario that could occur with her father’s visit. I also tried to figure out why he was here.

And I failed.

I checked my text messages. One was from the senator. I’m in town.

It was a test. He knew I knew, but wanted to see what I said. I saw you last night while I stood post. Welcome to California, sir.

Thank you. Consider yourself off duty until I leave. I’ll be in contact ASAP.

I clenched the phone. In other words? Stay away. Looking forward to it, sir.

I also had a text from Carrie. It was ridiculous how happy that made me. The sun is finally shining today, Susan.

I grinned. She’d saved me in her phone under a woman’s name. How smart and devious. I liked it. Indeed it is. You ready for chemistry class?

I flopped back on my bed, resting my phone on my bare stomach as I waited for a reply. I didn’t have to wait long. My phone vibrated, and I picked it up. I prefer anatomy.

Ha! Of course she did. That was our code for exploring each other’s bodies, after all. I grinned. Oh, me too. Believe me.

As I waited for her to reply, I checked the time and realized she might not reply at all. She’d be walking into class right now, so she’d be silent for a while. Maybe I’d go to the beach. Ride a wave or two and try to figure out what was going on with my boss. Between the unusually quiet days leading up to this visit and the visit itself, I knew he knew something.

The question was what?

A knock sounded on the door, and I rolled out of bed wearing nothing but a pair of boxers. If someone wanted to knock on my door at this ungodly hour in the morning, then I reserved the right to open it half naked.

But when I opened the door, I wished I’d put some clothes on.

Senator Wallington, Carrie’s father in the flesh, stood on my porch staring at me with what I could only describe as speculation in his eyes. Fucking sneaky bastard. I stepped in the doorway, not letting him inside. “Sir? I didn’t realize you were texting me from my porch.”

“I figured as much.” He looked over my shoulder, so I closed the door even more. “Yet…here I am.”

He craned his neck to try and see past me, but I didn’t budge. Boss or not, he didn’t get to drop in at my place unexpected like this. And Carrie’s clothes were all over my room right now since I hadn’t cleaned them up.

If he came in, he’d know. And I’d be done for.

“Is there something I can do for you, sir?”

“Yes.” He crossed his arms over his flawless gray suit. Behind him, security stood in their black suits and shades, watching us both Men in Black style. Did I look that constipated when I stood behind the senator, not moving or talking? “You can let me inside, for starters.”

I motioned down my body, my other hand gripping the door as tightly as I could. “It’s a mess and I’m not dressed. I wasn’t prepared for company.”

“I don’t care if it’s a mess, and it’s nothing I haven’t seen before,” he said simply, his voice perfectly calm. His eyes moved over my tattoos, seeming to fall upon each and every one. Then he snapped his attention to my face again. “Let me inside, Coram.”

I knew he wouldn’t walk away, and since he was my boss, I couldn’t exactly refuse him entry. Fuck, I wanted to. Standing here talking to Carrie’s dad while half naked with the scratches down my back that she’d made were perfectly visible was not my idea of a good start to my day.

I tugged on my hair and sighed. “You’ll need to at least give me a second to pick up a little bit. Give me that much.”

“You hiding something, Griffin Coram?”

I winced, hating the fact that I was being forced to lie again. I’d hoped my lying days were over when Carrie figured out who I was, yet here I was—lying through my teeth to her father—my boss. “No, sir. The only thing I’m hiding is a mess that I’d rather you not see.”

He sighed impatiently. “Go on, then. Clean up and throw some clothes on. We’ll go out to eat once you’re clean enough.”

I nodded and closed the door in his face, taking a second to brace myself for the upcoming confrontation. If he was taking me out to eat, then it couldn’t be a bad thing that he was here, could it? Fuck if I knew.

I pushed off the door and made quick work of throwing on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt. Next, I tossed all of Carrie’s clothes into a box, along with the pink hangers, and shoved it under my bed. After I made my bed, I stepped back and did a once-over of my place.

It looked Carrie-free again, unfortunately.

I smoothed my hands over my hair, took a calming breath, and opened the door. Senator Wallington still stood there, looking as poised as ever. I motioned him in. “If you’d like to come in now, you can.”

The senator walked in, his gaze scanning the interior. His eyes seemed to touch upon anything and everything he could without digging through my drawers. I couldn’t help but shift on my feet uneasily. Knowing my luck, I’d probably missed something. Maybe I’d left out a shirt or a hair tie.