Page 12 of What Doesn't Kill You…

"We're shutting the curtains?" he said. "What about the view?"

"I've seen the sea before," Violet said as she went around closing the curtains and checking the windows and doors were locked.

He followed after her. "People are going to be suspicious if the drapes are closed. They're going to wonder why we've come all this way not to admire the Caribbean."

"People will think we're jet lagged and need sleep. Or we're horny and want to bonk in privacy."

Max had been drinking a bottle of water he'd found in the mini fridge. He spat it over the wooden floor.

"You might want to wipe that before someone slips," Violet told him as she went on to the next window.

CHAPTER FOUR

He'd been warned about his bodyguard. Rodrigo had gone over and over and over again that Violet was highly trained, had anger management issues, and a tendency to deal with her problems the fastest way possible—by disabling them. Nobody had said anything about the things that would come out of her mouth. Max didn't know whether to laugh in delight or stare at her in wonder, because he had no idea what she would say next. It was awesome.

"You want some water?" he asked, after he'd cleaned up the mess he'd made.

She took the cold bottle from his hand with a nod of thanks and promptly downed half the contents in one long motion, briefly closing her eyes in ecstasy as she drank. Everything within Max stilled as he watched her.

Sexy.

The word whispered over his senses. Naturally, unconsciously, and effortlessly sexy. There was nothing studied in her movements or her intent. This was just Violet, being herself, and it was mesmerizing. She opened her eyes, blinked several times, and then gave him a dismissive glance. Just like that, the moment passed, and she was back to securing the bungalow.

At this rate, his bodyguard was going to give him whiplash purely by being herself.

While Violet went around the building, locking it up tight, Max explored. The bungalow was basically one big square structure, that was mostly open plan. You walked in the front door and straight into the dining area. That led into the living room, which held a large sofa and big screen TV. To the left of the living room, through an open archway, sat the bedroom, complete with massive four poster bed. Off the bedroom, was the ensuite and dressing room. The back wall, running across the bedroom and living area, was filled with floor-to-ceiling windows with doors out to the patio, and a panoramic view of the ocean.

It would have made the perfect romantic getaway. And his mind couldn't help wandering to the thought of bodies entwined in white sheets, looking up through the skylight to the stars overhead.

"Where are all the bloody doors?" Violet's mind was clearly on other things.

"It's open plan," he said, like it wasn't obvious.

"I know." Her tone dripped displeasure. "But where is the bathroom door?"

He followed her into the large bathroom, with its tiled walk-in shower and twin sinks.

"There's a door here." Max opened it. "Found the toilet. At least that's private."

She wasn't amused. Also, her attention had drifted. Again. "Why is the bath outside?" she asked.

Max came up beside her. Sure enough, a large, white, porcelain tub sat in the middle of the patio.

"That's cool. You can have a relaxing bath under the stars. And look, it's big enough for two." He flashed a smile in her direction. The one most people thought was charming.

Violet wasn't most people. "Don't get any ideas."

"I wouldn't dare." Although, as he said the words, he realized they were a lie. He could get all sorts of ideas about his bodyguard.

Violet was now frowning at the floor-to-ceiling glass doors facing out onto the patio. "How are we supposed to shower with no door on the bathroom and a giant window exposing the whole room. Is this a rich people thing? You make a certain amount of money then don't care who sees you naked?"

Max wondered if she was trying to be funny again, but it was impossible to tell. "Nobody can see in. Look how high that wall is around the patio. You'd need a ladder to look over it."

"Or you could climb one of those palm trees." There were several on either side of the wall.

"Who's going to do that, Vi? I mean, maybe if we were celebrities, I could see it, but we're nobodies."

"Don't call me Vi," she said. "And there are plenty of perverts in this world. Most of them don't fixate on celebrity, they'll spy on pretty much anybody to get their rocks off."