“I still can’t get over the timing of my young friend’s visit.” The professor turned to his neighbors. “Why, I’d only just received the call about shepherding a class of students across Europe and was still reeling from all the details I would have to see to. And the next thing I knew, here was Micah, and I realized that I could now relax and enjoy myself, knowing all my possessions would be in his very capable hands. He’s in security, you know. What could be more reassuring than to know I have my very own private security agent living in my place? Isn’t that an amazing coincidence?”
If he only knew the truth, Micah thought. It was fascinating to see how many deals could be cut and red tape eliminated with enough money to be spread around. It had been a fairly simple matter to learn who lived in the apartment next to Prudence Street. From there a few phone calls were all it took to get rid of the professor for the summer in a way that would benefit the old man while affording Micah the proximity he needed to do his work. Micah had come up with several different stories he’d intended to run by the old man in order to be allowed to sublet the apartment. None of them had been necessary. The professor had managed his money wisely, and had no need of anything more than an assurance that his precious apartment and its luxurious appointments would be kept safe in his long absence. Who better than the head of a security company? The old man had leaped at the opportunity to have Micah live in his place for the summer.
“Would you like me to drive you to the airport, Professor?”
“No, indeed. One of my students who’s traveling with me is picking me up.” The old man looked up at the sight of a van pulling to the curb outside. “There he is now.” He turned to his neighbors. “I’ll say my goodbyes.”
He was smothered in kisses by the Vandevere sisters, hugged by Helena Crispin and had his hand pumped firmly by her husband, Randall.
He leaned close to brush a peck on the cheek of Prudence Street. “Take care of yourself, my dear.”
“You, too, Professor.” She barely glanced at the man beside him, for fear she would blush again. “It was nice meeting you, Micah.”
“Nice meeting you, too, neighbor.”
The Vandevere sisters weren’t through yet. Octavia slowed Pru’s retreat with a hand on her arm. “You’ll be certain to let Prudence know if you need anything, young man?”
To which Odelia chimed in, “I’m sure our Prudence would be happy to help you settle into our little family here.”
“Thanks. I’ll be sure to take you up on that.” Micah couldn’t help chuckling at the two old busybodies’ obvious attempts at matchmaking.
The professor turned to him. “If you don’t mind giving me a hand with the luggage, Micah, I’ll be on my way to my grand summer adventure.”
He lifted a small valise, leaving the larger pieces for Micah to carry and led the way outside.
Minutes later, Micah waved goodbye and headed inside the apartment. As he looked around at the elegant marble surround of the fireplace and the leaded glass doors on the bookshelves, he shook his head. Not exactly the style he was accustomed to in his bachelor digs, but it was certainly luxurious. This once-exclusive town house had been converted into four apartments. Two on the upper level, and these two on the ground floor.
The upper tenants, the Crispins and the Vandevere sisters, shared a balcony and rooftop garden. The professor and Prudence Street shared a walled garden in the rear of the house that was already a riot of colorful blooms.
Prudence Street.
Micah had studied early photos of her that had revealed a paler, thinner version of her father, with owlish glasses and red-gold hair styled in a short bob with straggly bangs. Street had been right about one thing. His daughter had definitely changed her image since coming to Georgetown.
Micah couldn’t help smiling at the transformation in his new neighbor. Not just in the way she looked, but in the way she struggled to overcome her shyness. Maybe she wasn’t the boldest woman he’d ever met. But at least she hadn’t bolted when the Vandevere sisters had offered her services in helping him settle in. And though they didn’t know it yet, Octavia and Odelia had just given him the perfect window of opportunity.
He was humming as he began unpacking clothes and hanging them in the walk-in closet.
Pru’s fingers moved easily over the keyboard. With the semester ended, she was looking forward to a more leisurely pace at Georgetown. She intended to take only one hour-long class during the summer months, giving her more time to spend working for a nearby charity. It was satisfying work that had come to mean a great deal to her.
She felt a quick flash of annoyance when the doorbell rang. Since the tenants were insulated from outside intrusion, she assumed it must be the building’s superintendent.
She peered out. Seeing her new neighbor, she unlocked the door.
“Hello.” At once she felt the jolt of that intense gaze and realized she hadn’t imagined it the first time. Micah Lassiter had a way of looking at her that had the heat rushing to her cheeks. There was, behind those laughing blue eyes, an air of something deep and dark and calculating. An air of mystery that was intriguing.
“Hi, neighbor. I hope you don’t mind, but I decided to take you up on the Vandevere sisters’ offer.”
“Offer?” She pushed at her glasses, which had dropped down her nose.
He saw the look of confusion and smiled. “They told me if I needed any help settling in to let you know.”
“Oh. Is there something you need?”
“Yes. If it isn’t too much trouble.” He casually leaned a hand on the door. As he did, his fingers brushed hers in passing. The quick rush of heat managed to catch him by surprise.
At the contact he saw her take a step back. It would seem that the lady was cautious with strangers.
He managed an easy smile. “I was so busy moving my things in, I forgot to eat today. All of a sudden I realized I was starving, and didn’t know of any restaurants in the area that might have take-out before it gets too late.”
“Late?” She glanced over her shoulder and was surprised to see that the streetlights had come on.
“I see I’m not the only one who gets lost in work.” His smile grew. “Tell you what. You give me the name of a good restaurant in the area, and I’ll bring back enough for two.”
She was already shaking her head and backing away. “That isn’t necessary.”
“I insist.” Without waiting for an invitation, he took a step inside, keeping his smile at full voltage to put her at ease. “It’s the least I can do for intruding.”
When she hesitated a moment longer he pressed his advantage. “Anything will do. Chicken, ribs, pizza.”
“Pizza.” She couldn’t help smiling. “You just said the magic word. I’ll see what I can come up with.” She turned away and headed toward the kitchen.
Micah studied a room that was identical in size to the one across the hall. But where the professor had surrounded himself with clutter from his past, Pru Street apparently liked things sunny, bright and airy. The walls of the foyer and great room were butter yellow. The carpet white. Just beyond the foyer the furniture was a comfortable mix of contemporary and traditional, with a high-backed sofa in a yellow-and-green plaid that looked cozy enough to sleep on, and two floral chairs that shared a fringed hassock.
Pru paused in the doorway of the kitchen. “There are two carryout restaurants within a couple of blocks. But only one that offers pizza.”
“All right, then. That’s the one we want.”
She smiled as she walked toward him, holding out a menu. “You can look this over and see what you’d like to order. I can phone from here if you’d like. It will save you going back to your place.”
“All right.” He studied the menu a moment then said, “Since we both want pizza, let’s share. What would you like on it?”
“Onions and green pepper. But only on half. You can have whatever you like on the other half.”
“Fair enough. I’ll have pep
peroni and cheese.”
As she picked up the phone he added, “And a salad and bread sticks.”
She spoke into the phone, then disconnected and set it aside. “They said you can pick up your order in about twenty minutes. If you’d like, I could draw you a map to the restaurant.”
He shook his head. “No need for that. Just tell me which way to go. I have a pretty keen sense of direction.”
“All right. Suit yourself. It’s two blocks east, then maybe half a block south. There’s a dry-cleaning shop next door.”
He nodded. “I’ll find it. Thanks, neighbor.”
As he turned and let himself out, Pru studied the closed door and found herself wondering what in the world had just happened. It wasn’t like her to warm up to strangers. Especially tall, dark and handsome ones who looked entirely too sure of themselves.
Still, there was no denying that she liked his smile. Besides, Professor Loring had called Micah Lassiter his brightest student. If that sweet old man was willing to trust Micah with his precious belongings for the next four months, she could certainly trust him enough to share a pizza with him.
She knew she ought to return her attention to her computer. There was no sense wasting the next half hour. But as she struggled to concentrate, she kept thinking about the man who had just left her apartment. There was something so appealing about him. Maybe it was the laughter she could see in those blue eyes. Or the way his smile made her heart flutter just a bit.
She touched her hands to her cheeks and felt the heat. What nonsense. It had to be caused by the silly suggestion of the Vandevere sisters. Those two old dears were always trying to add some romance to her life. As if she needed such foolishness.
Annoyed, she shut down her computer program and, needing something to occupy her mind, removed her glasses and inserted her contact lenses. Not for vanity’s sake, she told herself as she made her way to the kitchen in search of plates and napkins. She just wanted an unobstructed view of her handsome neighbor.
Chapter 3
Pru hated the fact that she was watching the clock. But it had been nearly an hour now, and her neighbor still wasn’t back. What could be taking so long? She should have drawn him a map. Didn’t all guys think they could find their way through a maze? She remembered always asking her father to stop for directions. He might be a genius when it came to computers, but one wrong turn could leave Allen Street wandering around for hours.
At the knock on the door she hurried across the room and peered out before throwing the safety lock. Micah was standing there holding a pizza box and two bags.
“What’s all this?”
“I thought pizza and salad called for something more. So I picked up a bottle of Chianti.” He moved past her. “I hope you have a corkscrew. I didn’t think to buy one.”
“I have one somewhere.” She took one of the bags from his hand and led the way to the kitchen.
He set his burden on the table before taking the time to look around. “This is a great-looking room.”
She dimpled, and it was obvious that she wasn’t accustomed to receiving compliments. “Thanks. I’ve been having fun with it. It’s the first place I’ve lived that’s all just mine.”
“I like the bright colors. It would be hard to be gloomy in a place like this.”
“That’s why I did it. I wanted everything to be light and fun.” She rummaged in a drawer and held up a corkscrew. “Here it is. I knew I had one somewhere.”
When she turned she bumped into him. It was like hitting a solid wall. She’d never in her life felt a body so rock steady. He didn’t move. Didn’t even blink at the collision. She was so startled all she could do was grab hold of his arm. Which only made things worse. His entire arm seemed to be a mass of rippling muscle.
“You all right?” He closed his hands over her upper arms and held her a little away.
“Yes, I’m…fine.” She felt the quick rush of heat at his touch. She glanced up, but couldn’t tell from his shuttered look whether or not he’d felt it too. She took a quick step back and watched while he returned his attention to removing the cork. Then, needing something to do, she opened a cupboard and produced two wineglasses.
Micah used the few minutes while he turned the corkscrew and drew out the cork to sort through his unsettling feelings. All of his training had taught him to leave his emotions behind when dealing with a client. It didn’t matter if they were saint or sinner, they deserved his undivided attention. Each one deserved to feel safe and secure. Never once had he allowed himself to be distracted from his mission by personal feelings. But right now, right this minute, he was feeling something that disturbed him more than he cared to admit.
He’d wanted, for that one split second when their bodies had come together, to hold her there for a moment longer. She looked so surprised, and so sweetly embarrassed by her clumsiness, that he’d longed to comfort her.
At least that’s all he was willing to admit to. Still, there was the nagging little thought that it wasn’t so much Prudence Street he was thinking about, but himself as well. That quick rush had sent the adrenaline pouring through his body. There may be some lingering effects from his old wound, but his body certainly hadn’t forgotten how to react to a woman’s touch.
“Here you go.” Micah filled two glasses and handed one to her, before setting the other aside and opening a foam box brimming with salad. “Now, if you have two salad bowls, I’ll divide this and we can begin the feast.”
She reached into a cupboard and produced two crystal bowls, careful not to make another sudden turn. “Do you need dressing?”
He shook his head. “They sent along oil and vinegar. Will that do, or would you prefer something else?”
“That’s fine.” She took a sip of wine and glanced up. “Oh, this is good.”
“I’m glad you like it.” He paused to taste, wondering at the sudden warmth in the room. Could two bodies generate this much heat with one simple touch?
She stood watching as he began dividing the salad. “You’re good at this.”
He glanced up with a smile. “Arranging take-out? You bet. I don’t know how I’d survive without it.”
“You don’t cook for yourself?”
“When I have time. Which isn’t often these days. How about you?”
She shrugged. “Once in a while. I actually like to cook, but there just doesn’t seem to be much time with my postgrad classes and my work.”
“Where do you work?” Not that he didn’t already know. But he wanted to keep her talking. It would be good for both of them. Besides, he liked the sound of her voice. There was a breathiness to it that he thought was probably nerves. The fact that it was also lower than most women’s voices made it especially sexy.
“At a place called the Children’s Village.” She retrieved a basket to set the bread sticks in. “We try to place abused or abandoned children with loving foster parents. I can’t really call it work since I don’t get paid. I donate my services.”
“You work with the children?”
She flushed. “I hope to one day.” If she ever found the courage. “Right now I spend my time working with the computers.”
“You must be good at it.”
Again that shy shrug before she looked away. “Computers have always been easy for me.”
Sensing her uneasiness, he quickly shifted gears. “The salads are ready. Why don’t we nuke the pizza while we get started on these?”
She put the pizza in the microwave. When she crossed the room Micah held her chair, and indulged in one quick touch of her hair before taking a seat across from her.
He didn’t know what shocked him more. The fact that her hair was even softer than it looked, or the fact that he’d given in to something so unprofessional. He was here to protect her, not to form any personal bond. Still, he couldn’t see the harm in a moment’s gratification.
He broke a bread stick and tucked into his salad. “How long have you been living here in Georgetown
?”
“It’s almost a year now. How about you?”
“The District is home to me. My family lives not far from here.”
She dipped a bread stick in olive oil and nibbled. “Do you have brothers or sisters?”
“Two brothers and a sister.”
“So many.” She arched an eyebrow. “Where do you fit in?”
“I’m the oldest. Then my brother Donovan, two years younger, and my sister, Bren. Cam is the youngest.” Micah chuckled. “Just don’t ever call him the baby.”
“He doesn’t like that?”
“My grandfather says Cam came into the world fighting, and he’s been fighting ever since. I guess that’s what happens when you’re the youngest of four.”
“You have a grandfather.” Without realizing it her eyes took on a dreamy look. “I always thought it would be fun to have grandparents. Do you see him often?”
“Every day. He lives with us.”
“You’re kidding.” She studied him over the rim of her glass. “You live at home?”
“Down the block, actually. I bought the house when it went on the market a couple of years ago. But I may as well live at home. I’m there almost every day.”
“And the rest of your family all lives there?”
He shook his head. “Bren has an apartment in Chevy Chase. But she may as well be living at home, too, since she’s there as often as she’s at her place. My brother Donovan is…out of the country. And Cam is hunting for a place of his own. Right now he has the apartment above the garage of my mother’s house.”
“And you gave up all that to stay at Professor Loring’s.”
“I don’t mind. I could see that he was uncomfortable leaving his place empty for so long.”
When the buzzer went off, Pru hurried across the room and returned with a steaming pizza. She slid two slices onto plates and handed one to Micah. “You haven’t mentioned your father.”
“He died when I was twelve.”