Page 14 of Blake

“Fair point. Now, what have you told Zenobi about your absence?”

She watched him lean into the couch, the breeze from the fan making his hair move like a lover was running her hands through it. “I told Roz I have a stomach bug.”

“And she believes you?” Blake asked looking slightly incredulous.

“Yes. Why?”

“Did you not leave any evidence of the beating you took?”

Pax thought back to the previous night and tried to figure out if she had removed all the evidence. She thought she had but he had her doubting it now. “No. I was pretty careful about cleaning everything up.” she replied her brow furrowed.

“Impressive. Not many would think to clear away all the evidence.”

“Yeah, well, attention to detail is my thing.” She knew her voice was filled with pride.

Blake ran his eyes over her and nodded. “Yeah I know,” he said somewhat cryptically. “So, tell me everything you can remember about the men who attacked you. Every little detail might help.”

She told him everything from just before Bebe left to her getting home and falling into bed.

“Will Jack be okay with you leaving to go to the US on some mercy mission with me?”

“It’s hardly a mercy mission. But I’m on leave still with this knee injury. He only has me doing torture physiotherapy with Waggs anyway. As long as I keep that up in some way while I’m away, he’ll be fine with it.”

“Okay,” she said trying to hide a yawn. It was mid-afternoon already and after only getting a couple of hours of fitful sleep last night she felt exhaustion pulling at her.

“You should get some rest,” he said softly, a look of tenderness in his eyes.

“I need to get a shower.” She wanted to be clean but didn’t have the energy for that either.

“How about you get a few hours’ sleep and I’ll help you shower afterwards?” Pax raised an eyebrow at his suggestion. “All in the name of getting you clean and comfortable. I won’t look I promise.” She could see the slightest twinkle in his eyes.

“Hmm, we’ll see?”

Blake stood and moved away, and she had a sudden desire to ask him to stay. She didn’t want to be alone. It was silly and weak, and she almost bit her tongue off trying to stop the words from spilling out.

He got to the door and turned to her. “You a heavy sleeper?”

“Mostly, why?”

“I’m going to go and cut your lawn. It’s like a jungle out there.”

He pointed to her front and back garden that she hadn’t had a chance to cut yet. She had planned to do it one evening this week, the grass grew so fast in this heat she had to do it weekly. Pax had actually found she enjoyed it but had been so busy she hadn’t had time.

“Oh, okay. Then, yes, I can sleep through that.” She didn’t add the sense of relief she felt knowing he was sticking around would help her sleep. No need to act like a complete wet fish.

“Get some sleep, Pax. Shout if you need me.” He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and gave her a grin that practically melted her clothes off it was so hot.

She grinned to herself as he walked away and then settled as best she could with her arms around a cushion and fell into a dreamless sleep knowing she was safe.

Chapter Seven

Blake stripped his shirt and threw it on the rattan chair which made up part of Pax’s impressive garden furniture set. It was nearly thirty degrees Celsius and he was sweating like a whore in church. He wiped his brow and pushed the mower towards the front of the house to do the front lawn.

He had checked on Pax a few minutes earlier, and she was out for the count. He had been planning to go into the office and talk to Jack but had seen the hesitancy on her face when he’d stood and knew she felt vulnerable. So he’d decided to stay and mow her lawn. He could have chatted with her all day. He found her interesting, funny, and witty. She also had an air of vulnerability that intrigued him.

Pax was outwardly confident, composed, take charge, and full of attitude, but he now saw a side he hadn’t noticed before and he found he liked that almost as much. He wasn’t sure how helping her shower was going to work out later though. He was entirely in control of his own mind and body, but he’d never achieve sainthood was never in the cards for him.

Pax intrigued him in a way that went beyond the sexual desire he felt for her. Yes, he wanted her with a need he had never felt before. He had fought it in Monaco, had tried to hide the need he felt, but now he was loath to do that. Was it love? No, it wasn’t love but it was something more profound than attraction. He wanted more from her.