 
### Smashwords Edition

### Copyright 2012 Michelle Grotewohl

### Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

* * * * *

" **So** , what exactly is my position?" Griffin Smart asked the tall, lean man seated across the large mahogany desk from him.

Aleksi Quartermain smiled grimly. "You will be... an attendant of sorts."

Griffin didn't bother to hide his unease at the general description. "Attendant? What do you mean, attendant?"

Quartermain's head and shoulders fell, clearly displeased. With a heavy sigh, he prepared himself to lose another prospective employee. He'd gone through three attendants for Hex in the last fortnight alone. One, the female, had made it into the room. She'd been gone in less than four hours. The other two, both males, had lasted a full day before leaving. Before that, no one had even bothered to go as far as the hallway.

"As attendant, you will be at Hex's side pretty much twenty-four hours a day. You will get food, handle phone calls, go on outings- Basically, Mr. Smart-"

" _Captain_ Smart," Griffin corrected him.

Quartermain nodded. "Captain Smart. Basically, you will be Hex's butler, assistant, and secretary, all rolled into one. Anything that will make Hex's life easier, you will do. Naturally, you will be required to live here, but of course, room and board will be included in your salary."

Griffin could hardly believe his ears. This was _not_ what he'd signed up for when his Lieutenant Colonel had told him he'd be perfect for this job. Granted, his Lt. Col. wasn't exactly happy with him. In fact, he didn't even like Griffin, his feelings bordering on hatred. But he hadn't expected the man to be so... cruel. "Eh..."

"Before you say anything," Quartermain continued, holding a hand up palm out to stem Griffin's words, "There is one thing you cannot do. Or, more to the point, allow Hex to do."

Out of sheer exhausted curiosity, Griffin said, "Yeah? What is that?"

"You cannot allow Hex to go off alone. You must always be there."

Griffin frowned. What _was_ this?, he wondered. A babysitting job? Who was this Hex? Was it a child in need of a nanny? Maybe. More likely, though, Hex was an adult. For some reason, Griffin was supposed to... protect him in some way. Maybe he was somehow important to national security, and Griffin's C.O. wasn't being as vindictive as he'd thought.

Really, it didn't matter. Griffin didn't want to be somebody's butler or secretary or anything else. He was a Marine, a trained fighter, with a wide range of specialty skills that he'd honed to razor-sharp perfection while in Iraq. Just because the war was over, and he was back in the States, didn't mean he intended to take just any job. Whoever this Hex was, Griffin had no intention of working for him. "Look, I'm sorry, but I think I was given the wrong address or something. This isn't the job I wanted."

Quartermain's eyes lit momentarily. "Yes, your Lieutenant Colonel told me you weren't the most... reliable of sources." He paused, let that sink in a bit as Griffin's nostrils flared in anger, though he wisely remained silent. "But, perhaps, since you're already here, you wouldn't mind meeting Hex? At least then there will be proof that I am actually trying to find a new attendant."

What the hell?, Griffin thought. He had nothing better to do. He'd planned on being here a lot longer, so had cleared his whole day. If it would make the old man's life easier- and prove to Lt. Col. Burns that he wasn't such a flake- then he could do that.

With a mild shrug, he said, "Sure."

When Quartermain smiled knowingly and stood, so did Griffin. He followed him out of the large study-style office near the front door and down the main hallway. At the end it split into two directions, and Quartermain turned right and went up a flight of stairs. Griffin followed like a puppy, looking around and scoping the place out as he trudged along behind Quartermain.

Finally, at the end of a third hallway, Quartermain stopped in front of a set of French doors. "This is Hex's personal suite. It has a bedroom, a bathroom, a small galley kitchen, and a large living area. Your room, if you had chosen to stay, is the next set down on the same side, almost identical except for the missing living area. Your suite would have connected to Hex's through a set of doors into this living area."

He waited, seeming to give Griffin time to think about that as if it might sway him to change his mind. When Griffin said nothing, Quartermain knocked twice, and opened the door. Immediately they were assaulted by loud rock music that hadn't been audible through the closed doors. The room was obviously sound-proof.

They opened into the living room, but as far as Griffin could tell, it was just a huge empty room. There were no couches, no chairs, no tables or rugs. He couldn't even see the speakers from which the music came. Just a big open area with shiny hardwood floors. Griffin saw the reason for the music almost immediately: Flipping across the big area, end over end, was a slight figure clothed all in tight black. Even the face was covered by a black hood. Griffin assumed this was Hex.

While they watched, the man- for surely this was no child- jumped into the air, impressively clearing at least four feet vertically, then landed deftly on the balls of his feet and sprang into a backward flip that took him to the wall. Griffin's mouth dropped open when Hex climbed halfway up the wall with just his feet, then back-flipped into a crouch with fists raised defensively, facing them.

Out of the corner of his widened eye, Griffin saw Quartermain smiling proudly. Griffin himself couldn't believe what he'd seen. He'd heard of men who were able to flip around like gymnasts on steroids, climbing up walls and bouncing off floors. They were called ninjas, he thought sarcastically.

He doubted Hex was a ninja, though the man definitely had the lean, muscular body of one, even if he was a little on the short side. But he likely had made gymnastics his life's work. Few others could jump around like that without breaking something.

Great, Griffin thought. Lt. Col. Burns thought he would be perfect as an assistant to a gymnast. Perfect. Well, he wasn't doing it. No way. He was a free man, after all. He could choose his own job.

Just then, Hex stood from his crouch and turned, walking to the wall farthest away from them. With the flick of a switch on the wall, a large portion of the wall folded down to reveal an amazing stereo system. A slim hand flicked out, turning a knob, and the music in the room dropped instantly to a background level.

Without turning, that same slim hand lifted, grabbing the bottom hem of the hood and pulling it up and off. Long, silver-blonde hair spilled down the man's back, surprising Griffin. Not only an adult male, but older than he'd thought, judging by the color of the hair. Definitely not working for an aging gymnast, Griffin thought, even if he could move like a ninja.

He turned toward Quartermain to tell him as much, but movement out of the corner of his eye distracted him, and he turned back to the room. His brain abruptly shut off when he met Hex's silvery-blue gaze.

Hex was no aging man. Hex was a woman. A young- low- to mid-twenties- woman, with long silver-blonde hair and large eyes that were so light blue they, too, were almost silver in color. He could see now that she had slight curves, small breasts; things he likely wouldn't have noticed when she was flipping around. But now... Now he noticed them with a breath-stealing certainty.

"Wow," he breathed as she moved closer. She had to be the most gorgeous woman he'd ever seen. Beside him, unseen, Quartermain rolled his eyes and shook his head.

Suddenly, she smiled, and his heart tripped in his chest. By the time it caught up with itself, she was standing immediately in front of him, less than a foot away.

With a knowing smile on his face, Quartermain took a half step and turned so he was facing both of them. "Hex, this is Captain Griffin Smart. Captain, meet Hex Christenson."

Hex offered her hand, and only reflex born of years of politely shaking hands in the Marines saved Griffin from the embarrassment of not taking her hand. Without thought his hand grasped hers, shaking firmly but gently. Her palm was so soft, despite the fact that she clearly used her hands a lot, and he suddenly wanted to know how soft the rest of her body would be. Her eyes still held his, and when she would have pulled her hand from his grasp, he couldn't seem to release her.

After a few gentle tugs on her part, his fingers opened almost of their own accord, and Hex straightened. "So, you're my new lackey?" The open grin she sent him had his stomach clenching tightly with lust, and he knew he had to have her. Even if that meant working for her to get to know her well enough.

Before Griffin could respond, Quartermain answered for him. "Oh, no. Captain Smart doesn't want the job." At his words, Griffin felt an inexplicable panic that an incredible opportunity was slipping through his fingers. Quartermain continued. "He said he's-"

"Wait, wait, wait," Griffin interrupted. "I didn't say I didn't _want_ the job. I said I wasn't sure it was the right job for me."

Quartermain's face conveyed his sneaky thoughts. "And have you decided whether it was the right job for you or not?"

Finally, Griffin snapped out of his desire-induced stupor, and gave Hex the grin he reserved only for women he wanted to sleep with. It had worked numerous times before, and today was no different. He saw her brow lift ever so slightly, and her friendly grin took on a decidedly interested look. Direct hit, he thought.

Nodding, Griffin said, "I'll take it."

**Hex** stared at Captain Griffin Smart and saw in him what she saw in every man that had come to work for her: A sex-crazed, egotistical, smarmy bastard who thought she'd be an easy mark because she was small in stature and easy on the eyes. Oh, how mistaken he was, she thought with an internal chuckle.

But she could play the game. Was very good at it, in fact. Had mastered it to such a fine skill that even Aleksi hadn't figured out what she was up to. It grated that he thought he could control her simply by having somebody follow her around all the time. So she made sure they quit, each and every one. She knew he would catch on eventually, but for now she just enjoyed figuring out what made them crazy and exploiting it.

That wasn't to say that she didn't find the Captain attractive. On the contrary, she thought he was extraordinarily hot. With his Marine short black hair and misty green eyes, his military-honed body and tight fitting jeans and t-shirt, he was damn near exactly the man Hex sought out when she was in the mood for company. If his hair had been just a little longer, with a few locks falling over his forehead, he'd be perfect.

And then she remembered how he'd granted her the good fortune of that grin he had, the one she suspected he saved only for women he was interested in... _Mm_. She'd had to fight a delighted shiver. Letting him see that tiny eyebrow lift, giving him that minute indication that she was interested, was her own personal way of saying, 'Game on.'

She was going to have fun with this one, Hex thought. For as long as she could. Play, play, play, then cast him aside as if he meant nothing. Or until he ran away screaming, as most of them did. The way she saw it, she had three days, four- maybe five- tops, before he took off. And she intended to make every one count.

**After** Griffin had agreed to take the job, Quartermain had left them to get acquainted. Following Hex, Griffin sat in a square of sunlight on the floor beneath one of the large windows. Hex sat a foot away, in another square, facing the sun with her eyes closed.

He watched her while she wasn't looking, examined her delicate face, her slender arms on which she leaned back, her breasts jutting invitingly against the skin-tight black shirt she wore. Her shapely legs were laid out in front of her, black-shoed feet fallen relaxed to the sides. He wondered as he checked her out how he could have thought her a man when she was leaping around the room.

Her movements were purely feminine, sleek and refined, as if she were a princess or queen instead of a gymnast or ballet dancer. He was so focused on her body that he didn't see her open her eyes to look at him, and when he glanced up and saw her watching him with a cocked brow and a smirk on her face, he gave her a shameless grin.

"Sorry," he said, though his tone was clearly non-apologetic. "You're just so... beautiful."

He meant it, Hex knew, probably more than he realized. Her smirk deepened. "That the best you got?"

He laughed once, surprised. "Yeah. For now."

Her expression said she was almost bored, and she closed her eyes again. Though Griffin wanted to talk to her, she seemed very far away, and he didn't think he could span the distance. So he sat quietly, unashamedly staring at her, imagining running his hands over her naked body.

Her eyes popped open. "I need a shower and a change of clothes." Those silver orbs found his. "Why don't you get lunch together, and I'll meet you back here?" Without waiting for an answer, she jumped up.

Startled by Hex's sudden movement, Griffin stumbled to his feet. "Okay. What do you want?"

"Fruit," she said, then disappeared through one of the doors off the room, closing it behind her.

She didn't give him long. In the five minutes it took him to slice two apples, de-vine some grapes, partially peel two bananas, and lop the leaves off some strawberries, he heard her shower and then dress.

He'd just sat down by the window with the fruit and two bottles of water when her bedroom door opened. She came out wearing a pair of black exercise shorts and a white half-tee that just reached beneath her breastbone. Griffin nearly swallowed his tongue when she walked past him to sit and he got a glimpse up her shirt at a lacy black bra.

And then she started eating, and Griffin couldn't decide if Hex was being purposely provocative or not. She first chose one of the bananas, and when she slipped it slowly between her lips, he could easily imagine it was his cock. Instead of biting it, she kind of sucked on it until a piece came off, then chewed it and licked her lips. Griffin felt the like body part jerk in reaction.

When she'd finished the banana, she grabbed a medium-sized strawberry and put it into her mouth, using her tongue to push it repeatedly against her inner cheek. The action looked like when people pretended to give a blowjob with their tongue, and it should have looked foolish, but with his mind already daydreaming, it was easy to become dazed. Once again, his erection surged.

The first strawberry gone, Hex chose another, a larger one, and neatly bit it in half, chewing slowly. Her pink tongue darted out to lap at her bottom lip, and his eyes followed its progress. She licked the bitten side of the strawberry, catching any stray juice, then suckled on it, and Griffin felt an answering pull in his ball sac.

After the second strawberry came two large white grapes. She placed them between her teeth, side by side, and slid her tongue over their smooth surfaces. His balls tingled, begging for her to attend to them the way she was the grapes. Then her lips closed around them, and he heard them pop as her teeth pierced their skin, and instead of being concerned as he should have been, he imagined himself popping, too, orgasm bursting out of him from her attentions.

Griffin had to force air into his lungs. He was being ridiculous. Hex hadn't looked at him one time, not even for a split second. She'd simply been eating, and he was sitting beside her, practically coming in his jeans from watching her eat fruit. Surely, if she had been trying to entice him, she would have let him know, by meeting his gaze at some point. Otherwise, how would she know if it was working?

Suddenly, she smiled, a knowing, flirty curve of lips, and it sparked Griffin's suspicion. Maybe she had been doing it on purpose, he thought, and she was just really good at it. Even as he thought it, her eyes slid over to his, the gleam in them obvious.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" he asked, his eyes narrowed at her.

Hex blinked slowly. "Maybe."

"What if I had acted on the feelings your actions evoked?"

As if it was of no consequence, she shrugged. "So?"

Her careless shrug annoyed him, as if she considered him not a threat. "I'm a Marine, Hex. I could easily overpower you, and there isn't a damn thing you could do about it."

She let loose an un-ladylike snort of doubt. Incensed, Griffin decided to prove his point. Just because he was working for her didn't mean he had to kowtow to her. She needed to understand he wouldn't be an easy target just because he was physically attracted to her.

Rising to his knees, Griffin loomed over her, but she barely spared him a glance, her mouth curving just slightly. Fast as lightning, he pounced on her. As gently as he could, he shoved her to the floor and pinned her arms beside her head, straddling her slender hips.

She didn't look scared, she didn't look worried, but she did look... Turned on. So be it, he thought. "You see? That took me about a second. Next time you-"

Before he could get the next word out, he felt the world spin and his head hit the hardwood floor with a smart crack. When the tiny stars cleared from his vision, he realized he was on his back, with his arms pinned at the wrists next to his head, and Hex straddling _his_ hips. _What the hell_?, he thought.

Hex grinned wickedly down at him. "You see? That took me _less_ than a second."

Griffin tried to sit up, but she held him effectively enough, barely bucking as he lifted his hips to try and throw her off, her grip on his arms holding fast even though he clearly out-muscled her. He stopped trying to fight her when the desire flared in her eyes again, double time.

Her grin softened. "I've been waiting a long time for you," she muttered, then lowered her mouth to kiss him. Her tongue slid instantly between his surprised lips, and a flash of heat shot through him at the intimate contact. Though his mind simply wouldn't engage, having gone through too much shock in such a short time, his body responded easily enough.

He let her have her way in holding him down and didn't fight her, but he lifted his head from the floor to take the kiss deeper as she ground her center over his erection. He groaned at the sensation and wished they were both naked. He'd willingly let her tie him down if he could just be inside her.

Suddenly she pulled back to stare down at him, her lightest blue eyes lit from inside with passion. She licked her swollen lips and smiled.

"Come back here," Griffin growled, but she only smiled wider and shook her head. Then he was free and she was walking away from him toward her room. Griffin sat up. "Hey!"

Hex stopped in her doorway, but didn't give him a chance to speak. "Clean up the lunch mess, will ya? Then get dressed, all in black, long sleeves and pants. We leave at sundown." She closed her bedroom door quietly behind her.

Griffin sat on the floor for nearly ten minutes, trying to figure out what the hell had just happened. First of all, he'd been incited- a rarity because he was always in control of his emotions- and then overpowered by a woman. Even with the strongest female Marines, that had never happened. He was simply too big for that to happen. The only logical conclusion was he'd been cocky, and distracted by it, and she'd taken advantage. Point for her.

Second, she'd kissed him, the way a woman kisses a man she finds incredibly attractive and just has to taste. Not that he minded, of course. But she'd ended the kiss as abruptly as she'd started it, and that annoyed him. He wanted a few more minutes of that kiss, or better yet, several hours of hot, steamy sex, but she'd walked away as if nothing had happened, and given him orders on top of it. Another point for her.

_Damn it_!, Griffin thought. She was already two points up, and they'd only been together for a couple hours. He had to catch up somehow, and at the same time, keep her from getting the best of him again.

A ray of sunlight caught his eye, and he turned his head to look out the window. The sky was already turning red, indicating sunset was only a few minutes away. If he wanted to be ready to go when she was, he had to get moving. Rising, he grabbed the half-full plate of fruit and untouched bottles of water and hurried to the kitchen.

**Hex** came out of her room moments before the last tinge of sunlight faded. She wore her favorite hunting outfit, a black leather full-body suit. On her feet were black knee-high boots that laced up the front. She carried her hood in her hand, but she didn't usually wear it when it was this warm out.

Griffin was nowhere to be found, of course, but she 'heard' him in his room, dressing as quickly as he could after having taken a shower. She'd give him two minutes, she decided. She didn't want him along, but she'd give him a chance.

Leaning against the wall beside her bedroom door, she grinned. Captain Griffin Smart was going to be a lot of fun. It had been a long time since a man had been strong enough to take her down so easily. Granted, she'd let him, but she'd felt his strength, even though he hadn't used it on her. He'd simply been proving a point.

And when she'd flipped them over, reversing their positions, he'd fought to get away. She had expected his reaction, and had easily controlled him. She imagined he hadn't used all of the strength at his disposal, and she relished the challenge he would present when he did.

She had not expected, however, the intense need she'd felt for him. Or the blast of fire that had soared through her when she'd kissed him. He'd been content enough to let her lead, to let her hold him down, and that had surprised her, too.

She glanced at her watch, saw it was time for her to go even as she wondered idly if she should be concerned that he wasn't what she had expected. She walked to the door of her suite, and had her hand on the doorknob when she heard him behind her.

"Going somewhere?" Griffin asked, walking slowly closer.

She took a split second of time to body-check him, ignoring the way her heart rate sped up at the sight of his black jeans and black ribbed sweater. Both hugged his muscular frame like skin, letting her know exactly how strong he was. No, she decided, he definitely hadn't used all of his strength earlier to fight her off.

Giving him a bored look that belied her trembling insides, she said, "I'm heading out. Ready for your first time?"

He lifted a brow at her words. "I don't know. I have no idea where we're going. But I have to tell you, you look stunning in that." His eyes roved her body appreciatively.

She smirked. "You should see me out of it."

His irises darkened. "I'd like that."

"Yes, you would." Then she turned and walked out of the room, not bothering to make sure he was following her. He would trail her, just like he was supposed to, whether it was because it was his job or because he wanted another taste of her. Either way, it didn't matter to Hex.

They went down the stairs, and just as they hit the bottom, the front door opened and a man walked in. Because she was in front of him, Griffin couldn't see Hex's face, but judging by the infinitesimal stiffening of her spine, he figured she wasn't entirely pleased to see him.

"Christian. I didn't know you were coming." Her voice was calm, cool, collected.

The man smiled and glanced at Griffin. He thought he saw the man's eyes frost over just slightly when they met his, and assumed it was because he'd seen them come from upstairs together. They met halfway between the stairs and the door.

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" Christian asked, giving Hex a falsely benign smile.

"Oh, right." Her tone said she didn't care to do it, but she did. "Christian, this is Captain Griffin Smart. Griffin, this is Christian Monroe."

The men shook hands and sized each other up. Christian wasn't as broad or as muscular as Griffin, but he was a couple inches taller, and he clearly thought this was an advantage, because the 'friendly' smile he directed at Griffin was mocking. "Captain? You own a boat?"

Griffin's return smile was cold and mean. "No. Captain, as in, Marine Corps Captain, Rifle company."

Christian's face went blank for a second, with just a tiny trace of satisfying fear, then his smile was back. Not as mocking, but just as cool. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Griffin."

"I prefer Captain Smart, thanks."

Christian's attempt at chilly amiability was failing him miserably. His eyes frosted over again as he obviously realized he wouldn't be able to win Griffin over with false friendship. "Right. Sorry."

Griffin acknowledged his apology with a nod, but Christian didn't see it, as he was quickly completely focused on Hex. "So, are you ready to go?"

"Actually, I'm already running late." She was obviously annoyed, though Griffin couldn't tell if it was directed in any way at him as she was looking at Christian. "But I won't be needing you tonight. Griffin-" She emphasized his name, sending Christian a message- "is my new attendant."

"Oh? I hadn't heard."

As if on cue, Quartermain came out of his office and walked toward them. "Christian," he said, shaking the man's hand. "I see you've met Captain Smart."

"Yes."

"I'm sorry I didn't call you to let you know you didn't have to come tonight. I've been catching up on some overdue paperwork, and it completely slipped my mind."

"No harm done, Aleksi. It gave me a chance to meet Captain Smart."

Quartermain nodded, and Griffin saw Hex's eyes narrow doubtfully as she looked at him. Griffin wasn't sure what that was about, but he intended to find out. Later, when they were once again alone, the way he liked it.

"Well, _gentlemen_ ," Hex said sarcastically, "I have to go. Christian, it was good to see you. We'll call you if we need your services again. Quartermain, I'll talk to you later." The words sounded almost like a threat. "Griffin, let's go." And just that easily, she'd taken complete control of the situation, effectively putting each man in his place.

Griffin followed her out, surprised when he saw she didn't get into a vehicle but started down the dark sidewalk on foot. He frowned as he followed her through the night. He seemed to be surprised a lot around her. He didn't think he liked it much.

Behind him, he heard a door open and close, then the same on a vehicle, and assumed Christian had left her home. _Good_ , was all he could think. Something about that man had rubbed him the wrong way immediately.

Remembering that he'd wanted to know why she was annoyed with Quartermain, he asked, "Why did you glare at Quartermain when he said he'd forgotten to call Monroe?"

She lifted a brow at the use of Christian's last name, but didn't address it. "Because Quartermain may be getting on in years, but he has a mind like a steel trap. He doesn't forget anything. He wanted you two to meet."

Griffin's brow knit in confusion. "Why?"

"I don't know. But I intend to ask him when we get back in the morning."

That surprised Griffin, too. "Morning? Just where are we going?"

She whirled on him, forcing him to stop walking or slam into her. "If I tell you will you stop following me?"

Griffin shook his head. "No."

Hex spun around and started walking again. "Then why does it matter?"

Griffin had no answer to this, so he kept silent, figuring they'd get where they were going shortly. If the walk was more than ten minutes, she would have taken her car. They had to be close already.

But half an hour and three neighborhoods later, they were still walking. They'd hit the downtown part of the city, and Hex paused long enough to buy a newspaper at a little stand. After calling the man by name and handing him exact change, which told Griffin she did this often, she moved on, opening the paper as she walked.

She read as she went, and Griffin found himself wondering how she did it without tripping and falling. He watched the area closely, mindful of pitfalls and vehicles, but she stepped around them as if she were watching the road instead of skimming the paper. Clearly, she took this path a lot.

After a few minutes of silence, he asked, "What are you looking for?"

Just then, a light of victory came into her eyes, and she folded the paper several times so she could read a specific section more easily. He watched her eyes go back and forth very fast as she perused the article, then she looked up at him. "That," she said, handing him the paper before moving on.

He was not as adept at reading while walking as she, so he followed slowly while he read the article, which took him twice as long as it should have as he had to continuously look up to watch where he was going. It said something about a shooting the night before in an area of town not far from where they were.

Frowning in confusion, Griffin unfolded the paper slightly, and saw that the section she'd been looking at contained a dozen little articles like that, each describing a different crime that had happened the night before. Still unclear as to why this was important- as crime was relatively prevalent around here- Griffin looked up to see her several feet ahead of him and moving forward with purpose.

He jogged to her side and offered her the paper back. She shook her head. "You hold onto it."

Shrugging, Griffin tucked it into his back pocket. "Why, exactly, is that significant?"

"You'll see." They crossed against a light, moving rapidly now. Griffin couldn't believe someone as short as she- she barely reached 5'6", he'd guess- could move so fast.

Though he was getting irritated with her cryptic responses, he knew by the way she moved that she knew where she was going and why. Since his job was to stay with her, he just continued stomping along beside her.

Finally, she stopped. Looking around, he saw they were near where the shooting had taken place the previous night, and he frowned thoughtfully. They had to have walked five miles at least, and as if to prove it, cars zoomed by, going every which way, whereas when they'd left there hadn't been more than one or two cruising along the road.

"Okay," Hex said, speaking for the first time in a while. "See that café there?" She gestured with her head, and he looked before nodding. "I need you to go in there and wait for me. Okay?"

Griffin's brows went up. "Yeah, I don't think so. Quartermain told me not to leave your side. Ever."

"Trust me. You don't want to come with me," she said, but he had a feeling she didn't want him along.

Narrowing his eyes, he said, "What are going to do?"

"Don't worry about it. Just go in the café and wait. I won't be long."

"Sorry. Can't."

"Why not?" For the first time since he'd known her, her composure slipped just a little, and he heard annoyance.

"I just got this job today. How would it look if I let you go off on your own my first night?"

She considered him, then sighed. "Fine. You can come with me. But before we go, will you go over to that vendor and get me a bottle of water?"

Griffin looked at the little sidewalk shop. He was suspicious, but inclined to do as she asked. It was only ten feet away, he reasoned. Where could she go? He'd catch her before she got very far. "Okay," he said, then put on his strictest voice. "But you stay right there until I get back."

She lifted a hand and made an 'X' over her left breast. "Now, hurry. We have to go!"

She did seem a little fidgety, like she was eager to go. Satisfied, Griffin turned toward the kiosk, then back as he thought of something. "Any particular brand- Hex?"

She was gone. _Damn it_!, he thought again, casting his eyes around the area. He spotted her, crossing the street. The chick moved like lightning. Griffin made to follow her, but just as he was about to put his foot into the street, he looked up and noticed the 'Do Not Walk' sign. He pulled back just as a car moved in front of him.

Lifting his eyes, he saw her make the sidewalk just as traffic moved behind her. She'd timed it just right, he thought. Damn the woman! Not only had she taken off on him, but she'd nearly gotten him killed. He would do well to remember this moment the next time he wanted to trust her.

He kept his eyes on her as he waited for the traffic light to change so he could go after her. She slipped into a dark alley across the street between two buildings, and the only reason he could still see her was that the lights from the outer street were reflecting faintly off the leather suit she wore. He felt a tiny spurt of panic that the area was so dark, and he wondered what the hell she was thinking.

Maybe she was waiting for him, he thought, having messed with him and proven she was clever enough to slip away if she wanted. Point taken, he thought. She peered around the edge of a building and looked at him, giving him a self-satisfied smile. He pointed at her, about to threaten her across the road, when he saw movement behind her.

Focusing on the shifting shadows behind her, Griffin felt his heart trip in his chest. Four figures, men if he could judge by the size of them, at least one of them holding something metal that glinted in the faint light, possibly a knife or gun. His breath coming faster, Griffin tried to signal to her to get out.

When she only continued to smile at him, he shouted at her. "Look out behind you!"

She whirled around, and stopped the first man with a sharp hand to his solar plexus. Griffin felt his breath catching as he watched her hit him over the back of the neck, knocking him to the ground. By then, though, the other three were too damn close for comfort, and she turned to the closest one.

Griffin looked at the light, saw it turn yellow, then red, in slow motion. By the time the sign lit up telling him to walk, Griffin was already halfway across the street, his stomach turning in fear. He ran to the alley, able to see better now that he, too, was in the darkness.

Though he hadn't seen the takedown of the second and third man, they were nonetheless lying on the dirty ground, and Hex was facing down the last. He started toward her to help, only to stop when the fourth man met Hex's gaze and stopped moving. Not stopped as in paused, either. Stopped as in came to a halt as if he'd hit a wall, and then stood there stupidly while Hex walked around him.

Griffin could see intense concentration in her eyes. Suddenly, the man dropped to the ground and sat on his ass in a puddle. The other three, he saw, were stirring, but none of them were trying to rise or go after her. Within seconds they were all sitting next to each other, a neat line of thugs crossing the alley, and Hex had pulled out her cell phone and dialed 9-1-1.

"Hey, Bess. How's it going?"

Griffin's brows rose. She knew the emergency dispatcher well enough to call her by her first name?

"That's great. Look, I have four criminals subdued in an alley. Off First and Main. I'll wait. Thanks. Bye." She slid the phone back into her pocket and met Griffin's disbelieving gaze. "What?" she asked defensively.

"What the hell was that?"

"What the hell was what?"

He made a face. "Come on. Don't play games with me. I saw what you did. That... whatever it was. What the hell was it?"

Hex shrugged. "It was my job. I just did my job."

"Your job is beating up thugs? Or, more to the point, _not_ beating them up and somehow subduing them anyway?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Basically."

He shook his head, then rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. "I don't buy it. But I'll wait for an explanation. Right now, I have something far more pressing to discuss."

When she raised her eyebrows in inquiry, he said, "You left when I told you to stay."

"So?"

"So you promised you wouldn't."

"No, I didn't."

"You crossed your heart. That's as good as a promise."

She snorted. "Yeah, if you're a twelve-year-old girl."

"Then why did you do it?"

"So you would trust me. Duh."

"Well, you don't have to worry about doing that ever again, 'cuz I'll never trust you."

Her face went petulant, and he didn't know whether or not she was sincere. "That's too bad. Because I trust you."

"You do?"

She took a step closer, not in the least concerned about the four large men that were still sitting as though their brains had been fried. "I do."

She came another step closer, and though Griffin wanted to back away from her to keep some distance between them, he couldn't. "Why?"

"Because you came after me. You didn't run away screaming when you saw those guys coming for me, and haven't run away screaming now that you've seen what I can do. That's twice as much as any of my other attendants. Including Christian." She wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Are you serious? These people were supposed to be helping you, and they ditched you when you needed them most?" His arms came up and around her without him realizing it, offering comfort though she required none.

She nodded and started to say something, but he interrupted her. "Wait a minute. Did you say Christian?"

She nodded and successfully fought a smile.

"That asshole! I knew I didn't like him. He seemed like the kind of guy who would run from a strong woman. Ugh! So what the hell was he doing at your house tonight then?"

"A few days after he quit, he showed up at my door, talking about how I had just freaked him out and he was sorry. He wanted me to hire him again. I said no."

"Why?" he asked, simply because he wanted to know.

"How could I hire someone to work for me who can't even stand to be around me when I'm working? How could I ever trust him not to take off on me again?"

It made total sense to Griffin. "You're right. You couldn't. But then why was he there tonight?"

"He's been coming back every night and going with me on the nights I don't have an attendant."

"How long ago did you fire him?"

"It's been about, oh, eight months or so."

"Eight months?! Persistent little fucker, isn't he?"

Hex laughed quietly. "Yes, he is. He's very touchy-feely, if you know what I mean. I can't help but think he's only coming around in the hopes of catching me on a lonely day and getting in my pants."

Griffin scowled darkly. "Well, that's not happening on my watch." Hex's eyebrows rose, and Griffin grimaced. "That sounded a little possessive, didn't it?"

She nodded seriously, then said, "I don't mind."

His startled green eyes came to hers, and inexplicably he wanted to kiss her. Not that she wasn't entirely alluring, but it was as if the idea had come into his mind on its own, instead of through him. Deciding to act on it, Griffin began lowering his head just as he heard a car pull up nearby.

Hex turned her head and dropped her arms, and only then did Griffin remember he'd been holding her. His arms fell to his sides and she stepped back right as two uniformed police officers came into the alley.

"Good evening, Cross," Hex said, shaking one man's hand before turning to the other to shake his hand, as well. "Brewster. This is my new attendant, Captain Griffin Smart, United States Marine Corps."

Griffin stepped forward and shook both men's hands, aware that they were sizing him up. He tried not to be offended by it, knowing they must know Hex much better than he did. They apparently approved, as the one she'd called Brewster said to her, "They finally sent you someone worth your time, eh?"

Hex gave him a cool glance that he couldn't read. "Yep. He's a keeper."

Griffin thought her choice of words peculiar but didn't remark on them.

He and Hex helped Officers Cross and Brewster put the four men into two police cars. Just before they drove off, Hex said, "You shouldn't have any trouble with them before you get to the precinct, but you can call me if you do."

They thanked her, and Griffin for helping, then left. He and Hex stood in the alley for another minute before heading out again.

"Where to now?"

She shrugged. "What did the paper say?"

He pulled it out of his pocket and read more of the crime section out loud. After he'd read all of them, she said, "More than half of those were done by those morons they just took in."

"How do you know?"

She paused and gave him a look. "I know." When she continued walking, she said, "That third one, though, that one bothers me. That's the third robbery like it in as many days. At first I thought it was just stupid kid shit, but now I'm beginning to think not. Let's check it out."

He followed her a few blocks down, then a few more over, wondering how someone like her could feel so safe in such a bad part of town. When they came up on a convenience store, she turned to him and said, "Stay here."

On a sigh, he said, "Not gonna happen."

She let out an annoyed huff. "Ugh! Why not?"

"It's in my job description to stay with you. Besides, you just got done telling me you trusted me back there. Why would you ask me not to go?"

"I do trust you. It's the moron inside with the gun that I don't trust."

Griffin's eyes went immediately to the storefront. Through the large glass windows, he could see the clerk behind the register, putting away cigarettes, and one customer milling the aisles as if undecided about which snacks he wanted. "How do you know he has a gun?"

She rolled her eyes. "I just know. Stay here."

She turned away, but he grabbed her arm and turned her back. "No way, Hex. You go, I go. I don't trust that guy with the gun any more than you do. Why should I let you go in there by yourself?"

She smiled softly and touched his cheek. "It's my job. Now, turn around."

Without thought or desire, he did as she asked, suddenly finding himself facing the street instead of the store. "What the hell?" he said, then turned back around to find her halfway across the parking lot and moving at a jog. " _Damn_ it!" he said a third time.

He tried to go after her, but found his foot was stuck in something and he couldn't lift it. He pulled and pulled, all the while watching her get farther away until she ducked into the store. He lifted his leg as high as he could and strained, but couldn't dislodge himself. All he could do was stand there like an idiot and hope she didn't get herself killed.

**Inside** the store, Hex wandered around, pretending to be looking for something while unable to find it. She circled the man with the gun twice, listened closely and decided he was scared out of his mind. He'd done this twice now, two nights in a row, and knew risking it a third time was just asking for trouble.

She lingered toward the back of the store, nudging him up front, wanting to catch him with the gun out so the charges would stick. She waited at the back, pretending to be interested in a selection of colas, and when he reached for the gun, she moved.

Focusing entirely on him, she knew Griffin was now free and was likely running toward the store. Knowing she had mere seconds to get to the guy and stop him before Griffin burst in, she shielded the gunman from any noise she might make and ran for him. She reached him just as he lifted the gun into the clerk's face. The clerk's eyes went wide, but Hex wasn't alarmed.

Quietly and severely, she said, "Drop it."

The man's fingers opened and the gun clattered harmlessly to the floor just as Griffin jerked the door open. He grabbed the gun off the floor on his way in and pointed it at the robber. "Don't move. I've fired one of these before, and I'll do it again, kill shot guaranteed."

The thief started visibly shaking, and Hex would have felt bad for him if it weren't for the two clerks he'd previously put in the hospital. Once more, she called the police to come get him, walking the man outside with Griffin still pointing the gun unnecessarily at him.

Once more, Brewster and Cross pulled up, this time in one car. They handcuffed the man and threw him into the back of the car, then filled Hex in on the other four perps they'd taken in a little while ago. "One of them confessed to the shooting last night, and half the other shit that's gone on the last few nights. They're looking at serious jail time."

Hex was glad to hear it and said so, and then the cops got back in their car and drove off.

After they left, Hex sighed. "I'm ready to go home and get naked."

Griffin's head whipped around to look at her, and she started laughing. "I meant, in the tub. I always like to soak after a good night of ass-kicking."

"So, you seriously do this for a living?" he asked as they headed, he assumed, toward her house. He wasn't particularly familiar with this city, and with her crisscrossing areas all night, he wasn't sure if he could find his way back even with his training.

"Yep."

"Hmm."

She was quiet for several minutes. Finally, she said, "I have tele-persuasion."

He wasn't sure he'd heard her correctly. "Pardon me?"

From behind her, he saw her cheek lift in a smile. "I'm tele-persuasive." She looked over her shoulder, and at his blank look, she explained. "I'm telepathic, where I can talk to people in their head, and hear their thoughts. But I can also make people do things they probably wouldn't want to do otherwise."

She heard him stop behind her, and turned to look at him a few feet away. He held her gaze for several seconds before speaking, trying to decide if she was serious or crazy. He wasn't sure which she was, though it was clear she believed it. "Bullshit," he said.

'Smack yourself.' He heard it, but he didn't see her say it. And even as he told himself he wasn't going to, his hand lifted and swiped smartly across his face. His eyes darkened stormily, but Hex refused to laugh.

Their eyes met, and Hex said 'I told you so' with a haughtily lifted brow.

"Okay. I believe you."

She turned and clipped down the sidewalk, and Griffin had no choice but to follow her. Slowly, he grew angry. Not only at the way she'd made him hit himself- Un- _fucking_ -believable!- but at the way she'd taken off at the convenience store.

After simmering for ten minutes, he scoffed loudly, catching her attention though she didn't turn around. "You know, you don't get it. This won't work if you don't do what you're supposed to."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, just that, maybe all your other attendants left because you kept leaving them behind like you tried to do to me tonight."

That hurt, she admitted to herself, just a little. What she'd said before was true. Her other attendants- if they'd made it to the hunt- had either seen what she could do, called her a freak and left her, or had taken the job to sleep with her and left when they'd found out how strong she was and that she wouldn't be an easy lay.

Angry, hurting, lonely, she whirled on him. Out of sheer practice, she focused only on the anger. "No, _you_ don't get it! I don't want you or anyone. You're a liability." Then she turned and stalked off, leaving him to stare after her.

Thankfully, he could see her house just down the block, so he let her go and followed at a much slower pace. He reached the door nearly ten minutes after her, and half-expected it to be locked. But it was open, as he suspected it always was.

Leisurely, as if he had all the time in the world, he walked down the hall, up the stairs, then through the labyrinth of hallways until he reached theirs. He bypassed his own suite and went straight to hers, not bothering to knock on the door.

She was inside, in the kitchen off the large living room, making herself a salad. She'd already showered and changed into her pajamas- a purple, silk nightgown that barely came to her mid-thigh and made her eyes look more lavender than blue. It took every decent part of his psyche not to stare at her breasts or legs.

He'd seen the hurt in her eyes when she'd snapped at him, something he knew she worked at hiding. But even though it was pretty well masked, it wasn't nonexistent. His only guess was that others just didn't look closely enough at her to see it, because it had been there plain as day for someone who cared enough to look.

She hadn't so much as glanced at him since he'd come in, but he was about to change that. "Hex, I'm sorry about what I said."

As he'd suspected, her eyes flew to his. Though they were guarded, he could see the surprise his words had caused. He gave himself a mental high five for finally startling her the way she'd been startling him all day.

As fast as her eyes came to his they went back down to her salad, but she didn't continue making it. "It's cool. You're not the first. You won't be the last. Some leave because I freak them out, some because they can't keep up, some because they realize I'm not as easy a lay as they thought." Her eyes flicked up to his, making him uncomfortable that she might think that was why he was here.

' _It is, you douche bag_ ,' he thought.

Before he could respond to what she'd said, she continued.

"I don't expect you to stay. No one ever does." She picked a piece of torn lettuce off the counter and tossed it into the bowl.

He took a step closer and brushed a gentle hand down her arm. "That sucks."

Her eyes closed and she swallowed. Then she shrugged, effectively throwing his arm off. "It doesn't matter. I don't care if I'm alone." She lifted her food and carried it out of the little room, sitting by the window where they'd had lunch earlier and looking out at the moon.

Griffin turned and watched her for a few moments. Though she shuffled her lettuce around in her bowl, she never actually took a bite, and he felt even worse for having put her off food when she'd worked so hard tonight.

But he wasn't letting her get away that easily. If she wanted him here- and her mood and words told him she did- than she'd have to accept that he could see through her mask and wasn't going to let her lie just because it made her feel comfortable in her loneliness.

He took a step into the room, radiating irritation, so much so that she was getting an upset stomach. "You're full of shit, you know that?"

Her mouth fell open and her eyes widened. "I beg your pardon?" Though her tone was indignant, inside she felt a beam of warmth.

No one had ever cared enough to call her out before, no one had ever made an attempt to get to know her beyond what she let them see. It gave her a new respect for him, even though she was fully aware that he'd taken the job hoping to screw her like so many others.

"I said, you're full of shit. It's not that you don't care to be alone, it's that you think you have to be. By the way, I'm not going anywhere."

Hex rolled her eyes, maintaining her tough front. "Whatever. You're weak, just like the rest of them. Eventually, you'll leave, too." She was quiet for a minute, but it was clear she wanted to say more, so Griffin waited her out. "And it's better that way. I don't want to have to take care of you out there."

Fine, he thought. She wanted to be a hard ass, so could he... Slipping out of his boots, he said, "Let's go."

"What?"

"Let's go. We kinda sparred earlier. Let's do it again. I promise you, I won't be so easy to defeat this time."

Willing, eager, she stood, dinner forgotten, and walked to the center of the room to face off with him. But he caught her by surprise by not being where she thought he'd be when she turned. He was right in her face, showing her he wouldn't be backing down, and he wouldn't be nice about it. An involuntary shiver ran through her, and Griffin smirked.

"Scared, Hex?" he asked quietly.

She shook her head and answered honestly. "Excited."

Her words caused his focus to falter slightly, and she took advantage of it by swiping his feet out from under him. He went down on his back like an upside down turtle, but planted his hands beside his head and snapped back up before she could hit him again or pin him down.

"That was your one freebie," he said, crouching slightly with his hands up.

"Good. I don't need your charity." She swiped out at him, and he dodged her arm and grabbed her wrist, spinning her into him so her back was against his chest with his arm firmly banded beneath her breasts.

The close contact had her wishing he was holding her like this for another reason. But he wasn't, she reminded herself, and planted the heel of her foot on his toes. He hissed and pulled his foot back, snapping his head back just in time to save himself from a broken nose when she flung her skull toward his face. Planting a hand on the side of her head, he shoved her away from him.

She used the momentum of his push and propelled herself at the wall, climbing three steps up before flipping backward and over his head. She landed deftly behind him before he could turn and used both hands to shove him forward into the same wall. He went with it, stopping himself with his palms and rolling along the surface, adeptly avoiding the foot she'd been aiming at his ass.

While she was trying to slow her progress, he jumped behind her and spun her around, pinning her arms above her head on the wall. Both of them were breathing heavily as he pressed himself fully against her.

She didn't fight him, didn't try to pull her arms out of his grip, though she'd have found it surprisingly simple. He was having too much fun to keep her down for long.

Instead of fighting him, though, she leaned into him, her eyes going repeatedly to his mouth, her tongue darting out to lick her lips.

Entranced, willing to forego an invigorating fight for a scintillating kiss, Griffin leaned down to kiss her. Just before his mouth claimed hers, stars shot behind his eyes as her forehead cracked into his nose. He instantly released her, stumbling back as both hands went to his face.

He checked to be sure it wasn't broken, and then snarled at her. She smiled innocently. Okay, he thought, if she wanted to use her sex appeal, so could he. He wasn't nearly as sexy as she was, but he was a man who knew how to make women purr with pleasure.

Circling with her, he waited.

After a few go-rounds, she came running at him, and he didn't try to stop her. When she got close he spun to the side, but she anticipated him and swiped at his legs instead of his head, which he'd expected. He went down once more, lying on his back and gasping for air.

When he didn't get up, she walked closer, until she stood at his side. He didn't move, didn't swipe at her, and the fire of the fight had left his eyes. When he lifted a hand, she raised a brow but waited to see what he would do. When his grasp enclosed one of her ankles, she told herself to get away. But his touch felt so good, she couldn't move.

His strong, broad hand slid easily up the side of her smooth leg, past her knee, almost all the way to her hip before sliding back down sinuously. Craving his touch, Hex stood perfectly still, afraid she'd break the spell and he'd stop. But he didn't, only stroked the other leg the same way, but on the inside this time, falling just short of touching her center through her panties.

Her breath jerked out a little at a time as her entire being responded to his touch. He reached the bottom of her second leg, and his arm wrapped slowly around the back of them. Her eyes popped open, and an instant after she realized what he was doing, she was on her ass next to him and he was grinning.

She stared down at him in disbelief. Had he really been unaffected by the things he'd been doing to her? No. No way. He'd enjoyed touching her- the proof was straining against the front of his jeans- but he had a point to prove. Touché, she thought.

Because she wanted to, she leaned over him until her breasts rested on his chest. She stretched out on top of him, lining their bodies up in all the right places and watching his mist green eyes darken to sage. Dropping her head, she touched his lips with hers ever so softly, then flicked her tongue across them.

He gasped sharply, his hands coming up to rest on her hips. She smiled down at him, then kissed him again, pressing her mouth to his more firmly. One of his hands came up to cup the back of her head, holding her to him in case she decided to pull away. But she didn't, only held his face between her palms and opened her mouth so he could plunder.

Her tongue slid silkily along his, slowly. He wouldn't have minded if Hex had gone suddenly mad and driven her tongue into his mouth like she was trying to spear him to the floor, but he was enjoying the way she took her time, angling her head this way and that to explore his mouth more thoroughly.

The hand he had at her waist slid onto her back and down to caress her silky bottom. He squeezed the perfectly rounded flesh, and she moaned softly. But the sound of her own pleasure seemed to snap her out of her sexy mood, and she pulled her head back to look down at him.

She rolled her lips, tasting him again, and smiled sweetly. "Let's call that one a tie, shall we?"

When he nodded, she moved to get off of him, intentionally sliding herself over him as she got up just to drive them both crazy. She stood beside him, wholly aware that he could see up her nightie to the silk panties that matched it. When his eyes flared with lust, she said quietly, "Good night," then went to her room and closed the door.

**Griffin** had been there for a week when the worst thing he could imagine happened: They were on a routine hunt, had cornered the criminal in a dark alley, and Hex was just about to work her magic with him standing behind her, hands crossed in front of him in a classic bodyguard pose. That was kind of how he felt about her: Like a bodyguard for a super hero.

Hex bent toward the man, the tight black pants she was wearing encasing her perfect ass like a second skin, when Griffin looked at her. Instantly, his mind had her naked before him, welcoming him inside. He must have thought it too loud.

She'd warned him about that after he'd distracted her once during her routine. If he thought something particularly strongly, especially when it had to do with her, she heard it loud and clear, enough so that it would distract her from whatever she was doing.

Tonight was no exception. As soon as he saw the image in his head, she gasped and stood up straight, turning to give him a sexy look. The man she had cornered grabbed the opportunity presented to him and had her trapped in his arms in seconds.

Griffin's heart seized in his chest. Before she could defend herself, either physically or mentally, Griffin jumped forward and slammed his large fist into the man's jaw, forcing his head sharply into the wall behind him and knocking him out cold.

Hex gasped for air and fell into Griffin, her heart going a thousand miles a minute against his chest. He had never felt such terror in his life, and wondered what it meant that he should feel it now.

Of course, he cared for Hex. She was a great woman when she wasn't being prickly, which was happening less and less.

She pulled back slightly, then lifted her mouth to his. It was the sweetest, gentlest kiss they'd ever shared.

While her lips touched his, he heard, 'Thank you.' As she sank back down to her feet, his gaze searched hers. It still freaked him out just a tad when she spoke to him that way, so she didn't do it often. But when she did, he knew it was serious.

Smiling at her, he said, "You're welcome."

Then she grinned playfully and said, out loud, "Even though it was your fault he got the drop on me in the first place."

They went home after the police picked up their prisoner. Though she'd never admit it, he knew her attack had scared Hex enough that she needed to be home so she could feel safe.

The whole walk she was at his side, where she normally walked in front of him. It made him feel good, manly, that she was relying on him to keep her safe, but he knew it wouldn't last long.

They'd just walked into the living room of her suite and removed their shoes when she shoved him up against the wall beside the door. Panic gripped him and he held her to him as his eyes searched the empty room for something that might have spooked her.

"What-"

She silenced him with her mouth on his, driving her tongue between his lips. Here was the Hex he'd been hoping for last week, he thought, the one who needed to take and be taken, who didn't want soft and easy but hard and fast. And Griffin was more than willing to give it to her.

His hands streaked over her body as he savored the taste of her. When she spun them, he liked that she wanted him on top. When she shoved him to the floor, he relished the dizziness that claimed him. And when she straddled him, he shook with the desire coursing through him.

She tore his shirt up and off, then did the same to hers so they were chest to chest. With a flick of her wrist they were skin to skin. She rubbed her breasts over his chest, gasping at the sensation of his course hair brushing her nipples.

Reaching between her legs, she undid his pants and somehow managed to get them down his legs without removing herself from his hips, leaving him in only blue plaid boxers. Her own pants were entirely too easy to dispose of, as they peeled off of her with very little coaxing. Then they were practically naked, nearly joined, the only thing separating them a thin swatch of lace as his erection had come out the front opening of his boxers.

She ground against him, rocked on him, until they both were mad with need. Rolling, Griffin placed himself between her hips and slid his fingers under the lace to prepare her. She gasped and lifted her hips at his touch. With a twist, the fabric tore, and there was nothing but air between them.

Positioned at her entrance, Griffin looked down into her silver eyes. He felt his heart break a little in his chest at what he saw there. Lust; yes, plenty of that. But also a healthy dose of fear as well. Whatever the reason for it, he couldn't make love to her if she was afraid of him, no matter what.

So he reached down between them once more and brought her to a quick and satisfying climax before lying beside her and pulling her over him. When she stopped quaking, she looked up at him. "Ready?"

"For what?" he asked, though he knew what she was talking about.

"To have sex."

"No."

She sat up slightly. "Why?"

"You don't have to do this, Hex."

"But I want to."

"No you don't. You think you have to because I've stuck around, and you think that's the only way to keep me." He climbed to his feet and pulled his pants back on. "Well, I'm not going anywhere, Hex. And you can't have this." Then he turned and strode away from her, and it was the hardest thing he'd ever had to do in his entire life.

**Another** week passed with them working together. Though Griffin knew most of her tricks after that first night, Hex continued to find new ways to slip past him, and he realized she wasn't above using her feminine wiles to get what she wanted. But because he liked her feminine wiles, he usually let her get away with it just to get a taste of her.

She wasn't angry at him for what he'd said the night they'd almost made love, and he figured it was because he'd been telling the truth when he'd guessed what her problem was, and she couldn't deny it so didn't try.

They continued sparring, whenever the mood struck. While it didn't always end in kisses like the first two times, they always had fun doing it. They discovered they were pretty evenly matched, typically calling it a tie when they were either too dazed by passion to continue or too tired to go on. Once they'd even collapsed into fits of laughter when they'd done the exact same thing to try and take each other down.

That particular time had been more special to Griffin than any of the others. When she laughed, her eyes lit up, erasing all the shadows that constantly plagued her. He could believe then that he made her happy, and that she believed that he was sticking around for as long as she'd let him.

But Griffin was determined to beat her, fair and square, just once. Every time they matched up, he learned a little more about her fighting style and her weaknesses, and while he'd probably never be able to climb walls the way she did, he was stronger than her. Now he just had to find a way to use it against her that her lightning quick moves couldn't get her out of.

He was so distracted with thoughts of combat moves that he didn't see Christian come in as they headed out that night for work. The man continued to show his face even though both Hex and Quartermain had made it clear they'd call him if Griffin didn't work out and they needed his services again. Griffin knew he was just keeping an eye on his relationship with Hex. Griffin didn't mind, as it meant that Christian considered him competition.

"So, you're still here, are you?" Christian asked Griffin.

Hex gasped at his rudeness, but Griffin spoke up before she could tear the jerk a new asshole. "Yep, still here. Two weeks and holding."

Trying to dispel the negative energy that swirled between Christian and Griffin, Hex said, "That's three times longer than I thought he'd be here." Then she laughed, though it was clear neither was really listening to her.

"It's fourteen times longer than _I_ thought you'd be here," Christian growled.

Griffin laughed once. "And it's fourteen times longer than you _were_ here."

Christian took a threatening step toward him, and Griffin grinned darkly in anticipation, but Hex jumped in front of him. "Stop. Christian, don't do this."

He looked down at her, clearly resisting the urge to shove her aside, and smiled easily. "You're right, darling. Say, how about dinner tomorrow night?"

Griffin couldn't believe his ears, but he could believe even less Hex's answer. "Okay," she said.

"What?" Griffin said loudly, glaring at her and Christian in turns, though neither of them was looking at him.

Hex glanced at him, then put a hand on Christian's arm. "I think you need to go. Now."

Christian scowled and turned to leave so quickly that Griffin wasn't sure if he'd left under his own power or because of one of Hex's mind tricks. When the door closed behind him, Hex stalked to it herself. "Let's go."

**Griffin** stayed quiet all night, staying out of Hex's way as she scoured the paper and hunted down bad guys for the cops. He even acquiesced when she requested he stay out of her way, all three times. He could see in her eyes that she knew something was wrong, but she didn't address it, and he knew it was because she was working.

He should have been prepared for the storm that awaited him when they got back to her living room, but he was so distracted that he missed all the signs until he was smack in the middle of it.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she demanded as soon as the door had closed behind them.

He shook himself out of his stupor and tried to focus on what she was saying. "What?"

"What is your problem tonight?" she snapped. "You've been acting weird since we left the house."

Furious that she had the nerve to be angry with him when she'd been the one to screw up, Griffin scowled at her. "My _problem_ is you made a date to go out with Christian tomorrow night."

Her head snapped back as if he'd slapped her, and she looked so wounded he almost felt as if he had. "A date? With _Christian_? Are you mental?"

"I was standing right there, Hex. I heard him ask you out, and I heard you say yes. Clear as day."

She had the balls to laugh. "Griffin, that is not a date. We're just going out as friends. It's just a meal, and it doesn't mean anything. _Not_ a date."

"I don't think he sees it that way."

"I don't care how he sees it. We've gone to dinner a dozen times before, Christian and I, and so far, nothing has happened beyond eating. I see no reason for that to change now. I don't even like him."

"But he likes you, Hex! A lot. Why else would he have stuck around all this time if he wasn't trying to screw you? And you may have gone to dinner with him, but that was before-" He stopped, fully aware of what he'd been about to say and how many lines it crossed.

"Before what?"

He met her gaze but didn't respond. She smiled slightly and took a step closer. "Before... you?"

He didn't answer, but he didn't have to. His crossed arms and stormy eyes said it all.

Her smile widened, and Griffin's nostrils flared in anger that she would mock him at a time like this.

Stepping close, she shoved his arms down and wrapped hers around his neck. "Are you jealous, Captain?"

He glared at her. She never called him that. "No. How could I possibly be jealous? I don't own you." But I want to, he thought, and hoped to God she hadn't heard that part.

Laying a calming hand on his chest, she said quietly, "Griffin, you should not be upset by this."

"I know that. Like I said, I don't own you."

"That's not what I mean. I'm saying, you should not be upset by my dinner with Christian, because he is no contest for you. You have everything he has in spades, and a whole hell of a lot more that he doesn't." His eyes came to hers interestedly, and she ducked her head for a moment to smile. "I would never go for a guy like Christian, especially when you are right here in front of me."

She lifted onto her toes to kiss him softly, and Griffin drank of the calmness she radiated. The kiss deepened, though he couldn't say who did it- likely both of them- and soon they were wrapped around each other and breathless.

"Griffin," she breathed, sighing his name like a prayer. "Make love to me. Please."

Griffin pulled his head back and searched her eyes, looking for the fear he'd seen there only a week ago. But he saw none, and had to know why. "You were afraid of me last week. Why?"

"Not afraid of _you_ , Griffin. I could never be afraid of you." She looked down, clearly embarrassed. "I was afraid of the act itself, because I thought that once you got what you wanted- once you had me- you'd leave."

He hurt for her, her grief was so painfully obvious. He lifted her face to his and kissed her lightly. "Hex, while I admit that wanting you had a lot to do with my taking this job, I wouldn't leave you just because I'd gotten you into bed." Trying to lighten the moment, he said, "I'd continue trying to get you there. Once would never be enough."

She smiled, then looked at him seriously. "I'm not afraid anymore, Griffin. I know you won't leave if I give myself to you. Now please make me yours."

**Hex** stared up at him, silently hoping he would do as she asked. She'd given herself- her true self, not the hard ass- to a man only once before, and he had turned out to be just like every man that had come after him. Though she hadn't remained abstinent since, she'd been a 'wham-bam-thank-you-sir' kinda gal, and putting herself out there- body and heart- the way she was with Griffin was very hard for her. If he rejected her... She didn't know what. But it would be bad for her, and she had the power to make it worse for him.

After nearly a minute, he still hadn't answered. His eyes flicked back and forth between hers, his hands clenching and unclenching on her back, as if he wanted to press her closer but was fighting himself. Hoping she was right in that assumption, she swallowed before saying, "Don't fight it, Griffin. Take what you want. Take me."

His soft green eyes were tortured. "If we do this, there's no going back." When her brows drew together thoughtfully, he said, "I'm not asking you to marry me or anything. I'm just saying that there will be no one but me as long as we're together."

"Done," she agreed instantly.

"Also, by trusting me with your body, it means you also trust me with other things. No more pretending you don't think I can do my job. No more running away from me to kick ass alone. No more hiding from me, physically, mentally, or emotionally."

That was a little harder for her to promise, but she'd already taken one giant leap. Why not another? Letting out a steadying breath, she said, "Okay."

"Great," he murmured, then dropped his mouth to hers.

_This_ , she thought as he thrust his tongue into her mouth, this was what she'd been waiting for. No patience, no gentleness, just pure, raw, demanding need. His hands were everywhere, groping roughly, pulling at her clothes, squeezing her flesh.

When she was naked, he slid a hand between her thighs to touch her silken heat, making her gasp in pleasure as her legs shook. Griffin pushed a finger inside her, swirling it around while his thumb massaged her clitoris. She cried out and nearly collapsed to the floor, but his arm held her up as he brought her quickly to peak.

She clamped her mouth over his as she came, pressing hard enough to draw blood, but he didn't mind the pain. He felt quick bursts of heat against his face from her muffled whimpers.

Hex's hands dropped from their tight grip on his shoulders to his waist. She undid his pants, then shoved her hand down the front of them to grip his straining cock, even before her body had finished quaking from his touch.

Griffin's head slammed back into the wall, and a groan rumbled from his throat. Hex smiled and stroked him with one small fist, her fingers barely able to circle him completely, while her other pushed his pants down around his ankles. Without thought he stepped out of them, kicking them away so he could move freely.

Gripping his hips, Hex pulled him a step forward, whipped off his shirt, and shoved his shoulders back until they rested on the wall and he was leaning diagonally. Then using his shoulders as leverage, she hoisted herself up and wrapped her legs around his waist, taking him in in one quick thrust.

They both groaned loudly, and Griffin's hands went to her ass to hold her up as she started rocking her hips against his, using her strong thighs to pull herself close over and over. Needing more leverage, Griffin spun, pinning her forcefully to the wall so she cried out in pleasured surprise. With his hands now free, he fondled her breasts, still pumping into her at a breakneck pace.

Hex's head lolled side to side. She was so overcome with feeling, so intensely aware of every inch of him inside her body, she couldn't focus on one single sensation. There were simply too many of them, causing her head to spin and her heart to pound uncontrollably. It freaked her out enough that she needed to get the control back.

Planting the bottoms of her feet against the wall behind her, she pushed hard and tumbled them still joined to the floor. Griffin's eyes widened when he found himself flat on his back with her straddling him. Without missing a beat, she smiled triumphantly down at him and began riding him hard.

He had no problem with a woman being on top, and if it made her happy, he would let her ride to her heart's content, at least for now. With her knees planted at his sides, her arms braced on his thighs behind her, he had an incredible view of her body: muscularly toned belly, strong thighs, sweet center mating with his, breasts pushed forward and swaying gently, inviting his mouth to take. He sat up and lapped at one pink nipple, closing his lips around the sensitive nub to suckle gently.

Hex gasped at the dual sensation of having him inside her and laving her breast at the same time. All the times she'd had sex, no one had ever taken such good care of her. She'd never given them a chance to. But Griffin didn't take no for an answer, even when she asserted herself the way she was now.

One of her hands came from his thigh to cup the back of his head, holding him to her as he moved to pay homage to her other breast. His fingers threaded into her silvery tresses, gripping and pulling her head back so he could feast on her throat. "God, you taste good," he muttered, his cock jerking inside her as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and pulled herself closer.

She rocked against him, felt one of his hands at the small of her back, the other just above it, pulling her closer when she thrust herself toward him.

Sighing jerkily, she breathed, "I've never felt this way, with anyone."

Incensed by her words, by the depth of feeling behind them, Griffin surged up into her, carrying her backward so she was on her back before him. Lifting her leg so he could run his hand flat up the length of it, triggering nerves all the way, he pounded into her, desperate for release as he'd never been before.

Hex couldn't stop the cries that seemed to her to come from her very soul every time he pierced her body. She opened her eyes, her vision distorted with desire, and through the haze, she met and held Griffin's eyes as he speared her over and over.

Her stomach tightened, her heart thudded and gave a little trip. 'Oh, no,' she thought, and fighting the emotion coursing through her every pore, she fought him for dominance. If she was the aggressor, she couldn't fall in love.

She rolled with him so she was once again on top, grinding down into him to draw him deeper inside. But Griffin was ready for it, for he'd known going into this that it would be not only a struggle between the two of them as everything was, but also a struggle for Hex to let go enough to really let him in.

Grabbing her ankles, he spun her on his staff until she was facing away from him in reverse cowgirl position. She didn't seem to mind, as to her she was still on top, therefore still in control. Then he went up on his knees, never once removing himself from her body or ceasing movement. Hex was forced onto her hands and knees or risked smashing face first into the floor.

Panic grabbed her, seized her breath in her chest for just a moment. Behind her, Griffin felt her spasm of fear, and soothed a hand down her back even as he slowed his pace.

He leaned over her back so his chest was against her, holding them closer than ever. "Shh, baby. Don't think. Just go with it," he whispered, nuzzling her ear.

Hex heard his words, wanted terribly to do as he asked and just feel, but her feelings were so strong she didn't think she could acknowledge them, let alone face them. What if she accepted it, moved with him instead of fought him, and he crushed her, destroyed her when he left? She couldn't give him that kind of power over her.

Pushing with her arms, she tried to shove him back, but only ended up implanting him deeper inside her. She moaned out loud, and heard him chuckle through his harsh breathing. "That's it. Feel how good it can be. How good it _is_. Don't fight it, Hex."

His words sounded so good, exactly what she wanted to hear, only not, as they terrified her. What was worse, she was pretty sure she'd completely lost her heart to him, and was working on handing over her soul. She had to try once more to gain control.

She bunched her whole body, and Griffin leaned over her and sort of curled around her, as if trying to protect her on all sides from some unseen force. Using the stored energy, she lashed out as strongly as she could, pushing against him to loosen his hold, and shouted with her mind for him to let her up, let her lead.

But he didn't. Instead, he said out loud, "No, Hex. You know I won't hurt you. Let me prove it."

Finally, she relented. Her mind cleared of all doubts, her body relaxed against his- as relaxed as a body could get when it was tensed from a mounting orgasm- and she let herself feel.

Love came first, strong and empowering, giving her the courage she thought she lacked. Next came need, a soul deep need for acceptance that only he could satisfy. There were a myriad of other emotions, some she couldn't even identify. Last came the fear and the doubts, though they were small and insignificant in comparison to the love and desire.

But before she gave fully of herself, she had to know he felt even a tiny amount of what she did. She knew it was cheating, knew she should ask him before sneaking a peek inside his brain, but she justified it by telling herself she wasn't doing it to be malicious. She was doing it out of self-preservation. If he felt the same way she did, even a bit, she would be okay. If he didn't, then she'd know before she made a fool of herself, and she'd deal with it.

Just a glimpse, she promised herself. She likely couldn't handle more than that, anyway, because her body was so tightly wound with her building climax that she worried she might not be able to focus enough to accomplish it regardless. And she was certain that if she failed, she wouldn't care.

Breaking her own rule, she opened her mind as she'd opened her body, and let his feelings flow into her.

"Oh, my God," she gasped, and heard Griffin chuckle again as he assumed she was talking about the way he was moving inside her. But she wasn't. What had struck her was the intensity of the emotions she'd gotten from him, and how many of them had been directly correlated to her.

The strongest, for obvious reasons, was passion. Good, solid, mind-clearing lust. Why, she wondered, couldn't she hold on to that feeling without complicating it like a typical woman? She'd done it enough in the past.

After lust was his need, the same type she'd felt herself only moments ago. She saw he had his own fears and doubts, but they were overshadowed- no, outshone- by love.

He loved her, was all she could think. Honest to God loved her!

And just that fast, she snapped, her entire being vibrating with the ferocious orgasm, her voice strong and clear as she called his name over and over. He was right there with her, grunting her name as he emptied himself inside her.

With a bone-deep shudder, he laid on the floor, pulling her down with him and tucking her against his side.

Hex didn't know what to say or do. She'd never experienced anything like that in her life, and she'd had plenty of orgasms. Apparently, what they said about sex being better with love was true. Of course, he had no idea how she felt, and he couldn't know she knew how he felt. But she knew, and that was all that counted at the moment.

Griffin buried his face in her hair and kissed her head on a sigh. "I'm sorry I was such a dick before. I just couldn't believe you'd go for someone like Christian."

She smiled. "I think it's pretty clear now the kind of guy I go for."

"Mm," he said by way of agreement, pulling her tight against him.

He'd beaten her, was all he could think. She'd tried being strong, and he'd fought her and won. She'd tried her little mind trick, and he'd fought that, too, and won. That surprised him almost as much as he suspected it had her when he'd done it. But he'd won, fair and square, proving he was worthy of her.

Now, if only he could win her heart as he'd won her body. Then everything would be perfect.

She distracted him from his thoughts when she began running a hand lightly over his stomach, making the muscles quiver beneath the skin. He looked down to see Hex staring dreamily up at him. "Griffin, I-" She stopped and looked away.

Griffin put a finger beneath her chin and forced her head up. Her eyes found his on their own. "You what?"

The half-smile on his face urged her to tell him, but she'd been alone so long that she just couldn't do it. "I... want to do that again." She sent him a sexy grin, and he clearly bought it, for he scooped her up and stood, carrying her laughing to her bedroom.

**They** made love slowly as the sun came up, Griffin treasuring her with his hands and mouth as if she were the most precious thing in the world. It was during that long hour of lovemaking that Hex realized she'd made the right choice in trusting Griffin with her body. Now her heart... That was another matter. She'd just have to wait and see.

Griffin drifted off after that second time, sprawled exhaustedly across her bed with her lying on his chest. She didn't blame him; they'd worked all night, had crazy animal sex, then lazy all-the-time-in-the-world sex. He'd given her so many orgasms that she was surprised she hadn't completely fallen apart by now.

She'd never known a more considerate or attentive lover, which just proved her theory that every man before him had simply been using her, and further proved that Griffin had been the right choice for her to try her hand at love again. Whether he admitted to returning her feelings or not.

Hex stared at the ceiling, thinking back on the last twelve hours with a blush on her cheeks. Everything had been perfect. Even the way Griffin had asserted his dominance. She'd needed to let someone else lead, needed to know it was okay to do so. Besides, what did it hurt letting him be the boss in bed?

She lay with her head on his chest for more than an hour, listening to his even breathing but unable to drift off to sleep herself. She felt too good.

Finally, she couldn't lie still anymore, so she stood, careful not to wake him, and dressed in her workout clothes.

She went out to the living room, walking to stand in the exact center. She closed her eyes, relaxed her body, and thought up an imaginary opponent. When her eyes opened once more, she saw the group of attackers as if they were actually there with her. Crouching, she prepared for battle.

Flying over the room, Hex took out one opponent after another, some with kicks, some with punches, some with weapons she didn't actually own.

She had no need for weapons, with her tele-persuasion. It was weapon enough. But that didn't mean she didn't keep her skills sharp in all areas.

After another hour, she'd worked up a good sweat and a better appetite. She gulped down a banana, just to tide her over until she could cook something, than went into her room to shower. She stopped suddenly when she spotted Griffin in her bed. For a short time, she'd forgotten he was there.

She'd never let a man anywhere near her bed, let alone allowed one to sleep there. Cocking her head to the side, she wondered what that meant. She knew she loved him, and maybe that explained it. But this was her room, her own private sanctuary, and no one intruded on it. It was curious that he had brought them here to make love, rather than going to his own room.

With a shrug, Hex went into her bathroom. She started the water and quickly undressed, then stepped into the glass cubicle. The moment the hot water hit her tense muscles, it drove everything else from her mind. Resting her hands on the tile, she dipped her head and let the water soak her hair, let it run down her face.

When the glass door slid open, Hex's mind automatically sought the mind of the person invading her space. She smiled. _Griffin_. She should have known he'd have the balls to intrude on her shower.

Turning slightly, she looked at him over her shoulder. "Can I help you?"

He yawned and grabbed the soap, getting a good lather between his hands before setting it down. "Probably: Next time you take a shower, try not to think so loudly how good it feels. I came awake out of a dead sleep with the desperate need to bathe." His large hands smoothed soap over her shoulders and down her arms.

Hex kept her back turned to him, letting him soap her up while her mind turned.

Griffin had _heard_ her enjoying her shower? As far as she knew, no one had ever heard her thoughts unless she'd specifically broadcast them for someone else to hear. How was it he was able to pick up on them? Was it because she loved him? Then she began worrying, because if he could hear something as mundane as how good her shower felt, then maybe he could hear the all-consuming thought that she loved him.

Would it be so bad if he did?, she thought. After all, she knew he loved her, and she wasn't running for the hills. How would he feel if he knew? She glanced over her shoulder, checking his relaxed features for any sign that he knew how she felt. But she saw nothing, and forced herself to relax.

She also blatantly ignored the tiny twinge of disappointment that he didn't know how she felt. It was her own fault.

"You alright?" Griffin asked, his soapy hands lazily massaging her hips in circles.

"Yeah. Why?"

He shrugged. "You tensed up a bit for a minute there. Thought maybe you'd decided you didn't want me to touch you anymore," he said with a smile.

Hex turned. "I'll always want you to touch me." Her voice was husky, and she was surprised to find herself wanting him again.

Griffin grinned and moved in close, his hands moving to her backside, squeezing gently. He pressed against her, his erection prodding into her belly as he took her mouth. She moaned softly and put her hands on his shoulders, and Griffin lifted her and set her down on his cock. She slid down with a loud groan, and Griffin pinned her against the tiles with his body, pulling her legs around his waist.

"Oh, yes," Hex sighed when he stayed tight inside her, barely jerking his hips in an upward motion, hitting her G-spot. With the attention focused so specifically on that one area, she felt her climax building almost instantly. It stunned her. "Griffin, I'm..." She couldn't continue, and her head fell to his shoulder while her hands ran all over his muscular back and neck.

"Come for me, baby," he said, his voice deep with passion.

As if he willed her to do so, she splintered, her head falling back so she was screaming out her pleasure to the ceiling. Almost at the same moment, he came, his warmth spilling into her body in short bursts.

By the time she could think clearly, he had her pressed so hard against the wall so he wouldn't fall down that she could barely breathe. But she toughed it out, loving the feel of him so solidly against her, until he could pull back and let her slide to the floor.

Hex leaned back against the wall, staring at Griffin lounging across from her, both of them gasping for air. Then he fell toward her, caught himself with his hands on the wall, and kissed her, thorough and deep. When he stepped away, it was with stronger legs and hands that didn't shake quite so badly.

Though she stood across from him completely naked, and he knew he could definitely work up a need for her just by looking, it wasn't nearly as urgent as it had been when he'd woken alone in her bed.

Figuring they could both use a break to replenish, he grabbed the shampoo to help her wash her long hair.

**A short** while later, they sat on the wooden floor of her living room in the glaring sunlight. He'd come to discover since being with her that this was her favorite spot. She enjoyed the sun on her body, the light and warmth it provided. He knew it was a stark contrast to her dark and cold past.

She'd told him- when she'd trusted that he was going to stick around- about how her parents had been poor, her father a laid off auto worker and her mother a substitute school teacher in a city that was firing full-time teachers left and right. When they'd discovered her gift at the age of twelve, they'd sold her to a research facility for a huge amount of money. Hex had taken their abandonment hard, but had hidden it for a long time.

When she was eighteen, she'd forced them to erase her file and let her go. She'd wandered the lonely streets for two weeks, trying to find a job and a place to live, until she'd come across an older man being mugged. Using just her tele-persuasion, she'd scared off the man's attacker. When he hadn't looked at her like she was a freak and offered her a home, she'd taken him up on it, certain she could handle him if he turned out to be some kind of pervert.

She'd been with Quartermain ever since. That had been six years ago. Now she sort of contracted herself out to help the police and other local law enforcement, taking on really tricky missing person's cases and cleaning up the streets when she wasn't doing that. They paid her monthly based on how many criminals she brought down. As far as Griffin could tell, they paid pretty well.

But Griffin had decided that as long as he was around, there'd be no unnecessary darkness or chilly relationships. He'd stick around as long as she let him, because he was completely head over heels for her. He wondered idly while he ate whether he should tell her, now that they'd made love, then decided no. He doubted she'd believe it anyway. She'd have to come to it on her own, based on his actions, or else she might not believe him.

"So, what time do you want to leave tonight?" he asked. Every night was different. Sometimes they left right at sundown. Others they left an hour or so later. He didn't know what made her decide on any particular time, but she knew what she was doing, so he didn't question.

"Hmm?" Her eyes lifted blankly to his, then cleared. "Oh, we're not. I'm going to dinner with Christian, remember?"

Griffin eyes lifted to hers in surprise. "What? You're still going?"

"Of course I am. Even I take breaks once in a while. Why wouldn't I go?"

Griffin threw his fork down onto his plate and stood, taking his dishes into the kitchen to slam them on the counter. "You're right. Why wouldn't you go?" As he walked to his room, he muttered, "It's not as if I've just spent _hours_ inside you."

Hex stared after him in shock, flinching when his bedroom door slammed behind him, shaking the windows. Quietly, she set her own fork on her plate, then carried them into the kitchen and began loading both their dishes into the dishwasher, her mind racing.

Should she not go with Christian tonight? It was just dinner, and they were just friends, so what was the harm?

But it seemed to really bother Griffin. However, if she gave in on something like this, what else would he stop her from doing in the future? She couldn't see him asserting himself like this about much, but it was the principle of the thing. Wasn't it?

On top of that, they'd been together almost constantly since he'd come to work for her. The longest break they had from each other was when he was sleeping. She knew that now that they were having sex, that time apart would all but disappear. So maybe this would be good for them.

She closed the dishwasher and started it, then walked to her room.

She would go. He needed to see that not only was nothing going to happen, but that he could trust her. Otherwise, it wouldn't matter how they felt about each other, because she wouldn't be able to stand him questioning her about every little thing.

Opening her closet, Hex began to debate what to wear.

**He** was still in his room when he heard her leave her suite. So, he thought with disgust, she'd decided to go anyway, even though it clearly pissed him off. Apparently, he didn't mean to her what she meant to him.

Angrier now, he cracked his door open and listened as she walked down the hallway, disappearing around one of the many corners, before he grabbed his wallet and car keys off his dresser. Going out through his own doors, instead of her living room like he usually did, Griffin stormed through the house. He was nearly to the front door when he heard her talking to Christian and Quartermain in Quartermain's office.

He slowed, listening, but all he heard was inane conversation. As he passed the room, fully intending to send the room at large a dark scowl, he saw her and came to a sudden stop outside the door.

She looked stunning. She had on a short black dress that barely covered her ass and three-inch heels that made her muscular legs look a mile long. He'd never seen her in anything like that before. On her, even leather pants and bustiers looked tough and badass. But this dress was all female, cute and ultra-feminine.

By this time, the three people in the room had turned to look at him. Quartermain looked exasperated, but resigned. Christian appeared confident and cocky. Hex's face betrayed that she felt guilt, but was determined to go with Christian. Griffin's eyes met hers, roamed her body quickly, then came back to hers and held.

"Wow," was all he said.

Hex grinned self-consciously, until Christian put his arm around her waist and pulled her tight against his side with his hand on her hip.

' _Mine_ ,' was all Griffin could think as her smile fell away.

In his head, he heard her speaking. _'It's okay, Griffin. Nothing's going to happen.'_

No, it definitely was not okay, Griffin thought. With a scowl, he stormed out of the house, slamming the door loudly behind him.

**He** hadn't known where he was going to when he left, just that he needed to get out of the house. But an hour later, he found himself driving down the street where they lived, and parking across the street in the dark. She should be home soon, he thought. How long could one meal take?

Unless they'd gone for more than a meal...

But he refused to entertain that idea. She'd told him she'd eat and that was all, and he believed her. She'd never lied to him before, not even when the truth might piss him off. Why would she lie now? If she wanted to sleep with Christian, she'd do so, and there would have been no reason to be sneaky about it.

He sat there for half an hour, and just when he thought he should go inside instead of waiting out here like an idiot, headlights appeared in his rearview mirror. He recognized Christian's red sports car, and not for the first time, Griffin thought, 'Compensating for a small dick with a flashy car, eh, Christian?'

He quickly rolled his window down so he could hear what they were saying, then slid down in his seat as Christian pulled into the driveway. He didn't want to watch them, felt like a moron, but was unable to stop himself. He had to see if she invited him in. If she did, if the lights came on in her room, the windows visible from the street, he'd know how she felt.

Christian opened her door and helped her from the car, then walked her to the door. Though Christian had been inside the house numerous times, this visit was different, and both men knew it. The next few minutes could decide the night for all of them. Because if she invited Christian in, Griffin was driving off the nearest bridge.

He leaned a little toward the window when they started talking.

"Thanks for tonight, Christian," Hex said, her voice clear and calm, not breathy and deep like it was when she talked to Griffin.

Point for me, Griffin thought.

"I don't get out nearly enough," she continued, and Griffin thought miserably, Point for him.

"It's no problem, Hex. Whenever you want to go out, just let me know. I love taking you places. You know that." Christian's voice was... smarmy, so greasy it made Griffin's stomach churn just to hear it.

Hex laughed quietly, though to Griffin's ears it sounded a tad forced. "Yes, I know. But thanks all the same. It was nice." She leaned in and kissed him, though from his car Griffin couldn't tell if it was on his mouth or his cheek.

Tell him goodbye now, Griffin thought. Please, just say good night and go inside. Alone. So I can kick his ass before he knows what hit him.

"Would you mind if I came in?" Christian asked. "For... coffee."

Though it was clear the man was asking for a lot more than coffee- and Griffin was certain Hex knew it- she said, "Okay," then opened the door and let Christian go in ahead of her.

The inside looked mostly dark from what Griffin could tell, and he assumed Quartermain had gone to bed, leaving the two of them essentially alone in the house. He decided then and there that if Christian didn't leave in less than ten minutes, or if her bedroom light came on, he was charging in there and bodily removing Christian himself.

As the door shut behind them, Griffin dropped his head into his hands in painful disbelief and wondered which bridge was closer, the Ambassador or the Mackinac.

**Inside** , Hex turned to Christian just as he was draping his jacket over the coat rack. "Can you get the coffee started? I have to find my cat."

Christian hadn't known she had a cat. Had the animal been a gift from 'The Captain'? "What cat?"

Hex gave him an absent smile as she slipped her heels off. "I'll just be a minute." Then she slipped soundlessly out the front door.

She'd known the car across the street was Griffin's as soon as she'd seen it sitting there. Like he could hide his own damn car across the street as if she hadn't seen it every day for nearly three weeks. Pfft! She also knew he was sitting in it, likely waiting for her to get home from her 'date' with Christian. She didn't know whether to be flattered or pissed. She decided on neither.

As quiet as the air, she stooped and ran toward his car, taking the long way so she could sneak up on him. When she reached his window, she saw she needn't have bothered. He was sitting with his head in his hands, not even looking her way. Poor, pitiful man. If she hadn't been in love with him before, she would be now. _Flattered it is_...

Lightly, hoping she didn't startle him too bad, she tapped on his door. He jumped slightly and looked at her, his eyes widening when he saw who it was.

"Whatcha doin'?" she asked, her head cocked to the side.

"Eh, nothing. I thought maybe you'd want to go hunting when you got back, and since I couldn't go with you on your date, I was waiting here so I'd see you when you got home."

She nodded once. "Mm-hmm. Now, how about the truth."

He hesitated, so she said, "Come on, Griffin. You know I can pull it out of you if I want to."

His eyes widened again in slight panic. "No! It's just that... I wanted to see if you'd let him in."

"Why?" _Please tell me the truth._ _I need to hear it_.

Griffin's eyes glanced around blindly as he tried to think of a reason. "Well... It's just that... He's such a sleaze."

Hex was a little disappointed, but understood why he wouldn't tell her the truth. "You never did like him," she said thoughtfully, nibbling on the inside of her lower lip.

Griffin shook his head. "I guess I'll go. He's waiting for you."

Hex nodded, then said, "Why don't you come in?"

Griffin paused as he reached for the keys to start the car. "What?"

"I said, come in. We're gonna have coffee."

Griffin's eyes hardened as he stared at the steering wheel. "You know that's not what he wants."

Hex nodded again. "I do. But what he wants is not gonna happen."

Griffin lifted his eyes to hers. "It's not?"

She shook her head, then opened his car door for him. "Come on. You can protect me from the sleaze."

She held his hand as they walked to door, and Griffin held onto her as if she were a lifeline. Before they went in, Hex felt him tense and turned to kiss him softly. "Relax. It's just Christian."

Griffin nodded and they went inside.

When they walked into the downstairs kitchen, it was clear Christian was surprised, and angry that Griffin was there.

"Look who showed up while I was looking for my cat," Hex said cheerfully.

Griffin lifted a brow at the mention of a cat, but didn't say anything.

Christian smiled darkly and lifted a brow. "Where's the cat?"

Hex shrugged. "He'll show up eventually." She moved to get mugs down from the cupboard for the coffee that Christian had actually brewed while she'd been gone.

"So," Christian said with forced cheer in his voice, "What brings you home so early, Griff?"

Griffin ignored the man's stupid nickname for him- and the smile he saw on Hex's profile- and shrugged. "Didn't really have anything to do. I knew you two were going to dinner, so I decided to check on Hex."

Christian lifted a sarcastic brow. "I think we both know she can take care of herself."

Griffin nodded. "No question. But it's my job."

Christian's eyes narrowed. "Is it? Or is it something else?"

Griffin glanced at her, saw she was biting her bottom lip, trying not to smile as she turned to them, and it annoyed him that she was enjoying this confrontation. It irritated him enough that he wasn't as careful with his words as he usually was. "Maybe it is something else. But it's none of your business, Christian, if it is."

Christian lifted a haughty brow. "Really? Well, what if I told you she invited me in here tonight for ' _coffee_ '?" His meaning was clear.

Griffin glanced at Hex again, and saw that Christian's words had wiped the smile from her face and put fire in her eyes. But she didn't correct him.

Curious, Griffin answered, "Then I'd have to tell you she had plenty of ' _coffee_ ' last night- and this morning- and her thirst is quenched."

Christian's eyes flared as he looked at Hex. She was trying valiantly not to smile, clearly enjoying the scene before her and Griffin's abnormal bad attitude.

Finally, Christian said, "Well, I see I'm not needed here. Hex, I'll see you later."

With that, he left the kitchen, grabbed his jacket, and shut the front door quietly behind him. Griffin watched him go with something like pure male pride in his chest, then turned to Hex. "I told you that guy was scum."

Hex finally gave in and let the smile bloom. She reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. "I'd say you handled him just fine." Then she kissed him.

Griffin's eyes narrowed when she pulled back. "You really enjoyed that, didn't you?"

She shrugged. "What woman doesn't like when two men fight over her?"

Griffin lifted an annoyed brow. "But I won."

She nodded, willing to play along. "You won. How does it feel?"

His hands smoothed down her back and grabbed her ass to press her against him. "Pretty damn good."

She smiled, then blushed slightly and looked away. "You lied to me."

Griffin frowned. "About what?"

She still wouldn't look at him. "You said you wouldn't leave me, but you did."

Griffin thought back to earlier in the day and how he'd left her when he found out she was still going to eat with Christian. "You're right. I did, and I'm sorry. In my defense, I was very upset."

She nodded, then lifted her eyes just enough to look at him through her eyelashes. The look drove him crazy. "You don't have to worry about him, you know."

Griffin rubbed his hands soothingly up and down her back. "I know. He's gone now. Besides, he's seen how it is between us."

She nodded, but said, "No. I mean, because... I love you." Now her eyes lifted fully to his, gauging his reaction.

Griffin was stunned. He hadn't thought he'd ever hear that from her. "You do?"

She held his gaze steadily. "Yes. And I know you love me, too."

His eyes narrowed again. "How do you know that?"

Hex blushed and looked away. "It doesn't matter _how_ I know. I just do."

Griffin's half-closed eyes regarded her closely. "Hex, did you read my mind?" His tone was full of censure.

She refused to meet his eyes once again, choosing instead to pick absently at his t-shirt. "Maybe."

He tried to be stern. "That's not fair, you know."

She nodded. "I know, and I'm sorry. But-"

"I didn't say I minded. I just said it's not fair."

Her eyes lifted a little. "I'm sorry."

Griffin was quiet as he glared down at her. After a full minute, he said quietly, "I do, you know."

She was afraid to hope he'd admit it. "You do, what?"

"I do love you. Have for a while."

Her eyes came flying up to his, wide with surprise. She was so glad to actually hear it. She threw her arms around him and squeezed. "Oh, Griffin, I love you!"

He wrapped his arms around her tightly and held her close, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I love you, too," he said quietly, joy filling him.

How had this happened?, he wondered. Captain Griffin Smart, in love. All he'd wanted was an interesting job, and he'd found love? He couldn't explain it, but he was so glad it had happened. And since it had, he figured he might as well take it all the way.

"Hey, Hex?"

"Hmm?" she hummed happily in inquiry.

"What do you think of marriage?"

She pulled her head back sharply to stare up at him open-mouthed. "You want to marry me?" she whispered.

He nodded. "Yes. But if you don't want to, that's fine. I just thought, since we love each other, and already live together..." He trailed off.

Her eyes filled with tears, something he'd never seen before. He instantly hated himself for upsetting her. "Hey, never mind. If you don't want to get married, that's-"

She leapt at him, wrapping her legs around his waist and pressing wet kisses to his face. "Yes, yes, yes! I would love to marry you, Captain Griffin Smart!" Then she took his mouth, claiming it with a fire heretofore unmatched.

With his hands beneath her bottom for support, he took a few steps and set her on the counter so he could use his hands for other things. Cupping a small breast, he rubbed his thumb over the nipple until she turned her head to gasp.

"Oh, Griffin! Take me now, right here!"

While he was ready and able to oblige, he had one concern. "What if Quartermain comes in for a late night snack?"

He watched her silver eyes darken slightly as she concentrated, then she smiled at him. "He will not be a problem."

Smiling, Griffin slid his hand up her thigh and under her dress, slipped past her lacy panties and made sure she was ready for him. When she shook in his arms, he released himself from his jeans and slid inside her, filling her with warmth, just the way he'd filled her heart.

