Read Online Campaign of Desire (CSA Case Files 4) by Kennedy Layne - Free Book Online
Authors: Kennedy Layne
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clearly think through the rules she wanted in place if Lach were going to continue watching over her. “You need to understand that my father’s decision to hire CSA came as a bit of a surprise to us. It’s going to take some getting used to.”
“And you need to understand that we are here to keep you alive,” Lach interjected, causing her to turn slightly so that both men were in her vision. His arms were crossed in his usual fashion and his dark eyes signaled his resolve. “As does your impetuous sister.”
“I’m right here,” Kimmie called out, swirling her water bottle in the air. She walked around the other side of the kitchen, behind Lach, and finally settled herself onto the couch. “I told Ethan that I didn’t mind him tagging along behind me, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to knock on my sister’s door. Or my family’s home, for that matter.”
“To make things easier, why doesn’t Kimmie spend the night here and we’ll talk things through?” Phoebe ignored Kimmie’s dirty look as she went about soothing Ethan’s ruffled feathers. “We do appreciate what you’ve been hired to do and we’ll do everything we can to make things more convenient for everyone.”
“Kimmie, I’ll be back at zero six hundred tomorrow morning to introduce you to your first-shift guard.” Ethan shared a private look with Lach that was hard for Phoebe to decipher. “I’ll also need your schedule if it differs from the class calendar I already have.”
“I’ll print one out.” Phoebe could see Kimmie’s growing regret at having caused such a ruckus and she exhaled a sigh. She always reacted before thinking things through. “Ethan, I really don’t mind having guards, but the moment it interferes with me being who I am or with my family, I get pissy.”
Ethan nodded but remained silent, apparently not willing to forgive quite so easily. He then turned back toward the front door. Lach didn’t follow, but instead waited for the door to click shut behind his co-worker. Phoebe waited to see what Lach would say or do, her nerves stretched a little thin. They hadn’t spoken about their past or resolved their immediate future. She caught the slight move of his head, indicating that he wanted her to follow him into the entryway. He disappeared from view as he walked around the divider and into the foyer. She made sure that she stopped a foot away from him, but he stepped forward until their bodies were inches from each other and she was forced to look up at him. She swallowed hard but did her best to ensure he didn’t see how much he affected her.
“Zero six hundred. When Ethan and Kimmie leave, we’ll have our discussion.” Lach stepped around her and reached for the doorknob before looking over his shoulder. “You have a travel trunk inside your closet. Large enough for somebody to hide in, but it was locked. Keep it that way.”
Phoebe felt a flush start low and work its way up, but she steadfastly remained silent and gave a nod of agreement. She knew he brought it up due to security reasons and he had no idea what she kept inside, but it didn’t stop the mortification that had it not been locked he would have known her secret. He walked out the door without another word.
“He’s definitely hot,” Kimmie exclaimed from way over where she still sat on the couch. Phoebe finally took in some much needed oxygen and turned on her heels before joining her sister. She was fanning herself. “You failed to mention that when you came back from Iraq.”
“Would you please stop giving Ethan such a hard time?”
Phoebe kicked off her uncomfortable Prada shoes and felt immediate relief. She looked longingly into the kitchen where her wine still remained in the bottle on the cool granite counter. A little alcohol would definitely take the edge off that Lach seemed to continually have her on. How would she get through the upcoming months with him at her side?
“I wasn’t talking about Ethan, although
“And you need to understand that we are here to keep you alive,” Lach interjected, causing her to turn slightly so that both men were in her vision. His arms were crossed in his usual fashion and his dark eyes signaled his resolve. “As does your impetuous sister.”
“I’m right here,” Kimmie called out, swirling her water bottle in the air. She walked around the other side of the kitchen, behind Lach, and finally settled herself onto the couch. “I told Ethan that I didn’t mind him tagging along behind me, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to knock on my sister’s door. Or my family’s home, for that matter.”
“To make things easier, why doesn’t Kimmie spend the night here and we’ll talk things through?” Phoebe ignored Kimmie’s dirty look as she went about soothing Ethan’s ruffled feathers. “We do appreciate what you’ve been hired to do and we’ll do everything we can to make things more convenient for everyone.”
“Kimmie, I’ll be back at zero six hundred tomorrow morning to introduce you to your first-shift guard.” Ethan shared a private look with Lach that was hard for Phoebe to decipher. “I’ll also need your schedule if it differs from the class calendar I already have.”
“I’ll print one out.” Phoebe could see Kimmie’s growing regret at having caused such a ruckus and she exhaled a sigh. She always reacted before thinking things through. “Ethan, I really don’t mind having guards, but the moment it interferes with me being who I am or with my family, I get pissy.”
Ethan nodded but remained silent, apparently not willing to forgive quite so easily. He then turned back toward the front door. Lach didn’t follow, but instead waited for the door to click shut behind his co-worker. Phoebe waited to see what Lach would say or do, her nerves stretched a little thin. They hadn’t spoken about their past or resolved their immediate future. She caught the slight move of his head, indicating that he wanted her to follow him into the entryway. He disappeared from view as he walked around the divider and into the foyer. She made sure that she stopped a foot away from him, but he stepped forward until their bodies were inches from each other and she was forced to look up at him. She swallowed hard but did her best to ensure he didn’t see how much he affected her.
“Zero six hundred. When Ethan and Kimmie leave, we’ll have our discussion.” Lach stepped around her and reached for the doorknob before looking over his shoulder. “You have a travel trunk inside your closet. Large enough for somebody to hide in, but it was locked. Keep it that way.”
Phoebe felt a flush start low and work its way up, but she steadfastly remained silent and gave a nod of agreement. She knew he brought it up due to security reasons and he had no idea what she kept inside, but it didn’t stop the mortification that had it not been locked he would have known her secret. He walked out the door without another word.
“He’s definitely hot,” Kimmie exclaimed from way over where she still sat on the couch. Phoebe finally took in some much needed oxygen and turned on her heels before joining her sister. She was fanning herself. “You failed to mention that when you came back from Iraq.”
“Would you please stop giving Ethan such a hard time?”
Phoebe kicked off her uncomfortable Prada shoes and felt immediate relief. She looked longingly into the kitchen where her wine still remained in the bottle on the cool granite counter. A little alcohol would definitely take the edge off that Lach seemed to continually have her on. How would she get through the upcoming months with him at her side?
“I wasn’t talking about Ethan, although
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