She turned her head and opened her eyes to gaze at John. This was their last day together. Once he drove her home and dropped her off, he would no longer be her bodyguard. Officially, he was finished with the job, but he’d insisted on taking her back to New York.

John Knight always completed an assignment.

The bitterness in that last thought surprised her and she realized she didn’t want to just be another job for him. She turned her head away, sighed and stared out the window, watching the rugged landscape pass by. Now she was just being stupid. She and John might have set the sheets on fire that one afternoon last year, but there wasn’t much between them to sustain a long-term relationship.

“That was a big sigh.”

His deep voice slid over her skin like a lover’s caress and she shivered. Topaz pulled her coat more tightly around her. “It’s hard to believe it’s finally over.” The long months of media coverage and speculation would finally end. She gave it a week before the reporters and photographers were on to another juicier story.

He was the most observant man she’d ever known and she wasn’t surprised when he reached out and turned up the heater, angling the vent so it blew toward her. He’d seen her shiver and had misinterpreted it, for which she was supremely grateful. Better for him to think she was chilly than turned-on by the sound of his voice.

“It’s been hard on all of you.” He gave her arm a gentle squeeze. “Why don’t you try to get some rest? It’s a long drive.”

The sleepless nights were catching up with her and the heat only added to her lethargy. Topaz closed her eyes and let the steady roll of the tires on the pavement lull her. She yawned once, settled more comfortably against the seat and drifted off.

John glanced over toward Topaz a few minutes later and was satisfied she was asleep. He didn’t like the dark circles beneath her eyes and worried about her overall health. Whether she knew it or not, she needed a few days of rest and relaxation before she stepped back into the busy grind of her normal life.

He grinned when he imagined her reaction to his plan. She wasn’t going to like it. Not one bit. But she needed it. She’d pushed herself hard these past weeks, trying to juggle a successful business and the hoopla surrounding her family. She was one classy lady and he admired the hell out of her.

She was also the most frustrating woman he’d ever met. He knew that better than anyone, save maybe her sisters, and he could practically see the walls she was rebuilding between them. She was getting ready to boot him out of her life again. This time he wasn’t going. Not without a fight.

His fingers tightened around the wheel and he took a deep breath. Immediately, he caught a whiff of her sweet scent. It was some light, floral blend that he always associated with Topaz and it never failed to give him a hard-on. It wasn’t perfume, but the lotion she used after she showered.

He’d spent many hours listening to the water running in her bathroom and picturing her wet and naked in the shower. And he didn’t have to stretch his imagination. He knew what she looked like with no clothes on.

He cursed under his breath as his cock sprang to life as if on cue. Only Topaz could do this to him. He was forty years old, for fuck’s sake. His body didn’t do anything without his express permission these days. But his dick didn’t listen to him one bit. Not when it came to the beauty sleeping next to him.

Traffic was thick, but he maneuvered the vehicle easily, making the unscheduled turnoff. Oh yeah, she was going to be spitting mad when she woke up. His jaw tightened with determination. She’d have to get over it. He deserved a chance to show her how good they could be together. They deserved a chance.

John had no idea why she dated men she could easily keep at a distance. He’d watched her flirt and smile at men, but she never let her emotions become involved. She remained unruffled and always in control of the situation.

Except for that one day last year, where she’d lost control and given herself to him in one glorious afternoon of loving. It was the memory of that fateful afternoon that gave him hope and assured him he was doing the right thing.

He rubbed the back of his neck as he turned off onto a secondary rural road. Traffic was almost nonexistent now and the distance between towns grew. The forest seemed to reach out for them and the road narrowed even more as he drove.

He could only hope she wouldn’t have him arrested when all this was done. After all, it wasn’t every day that a bodyguard kidnapped his client.

Topaz was jarred awake and it took her a few minutes to remember she was in a car on her way home. They hit another bump and she opened her eyes and peered out the window. She frowned as she looked at the surrounding area. There were rolling hills and forests and a low mountain peak in the distance.

“Where are we?” She rubbed her face, trying to fight off the muzzy feeling that clung to her. Had they had to take some kind of detour?

John ignored her and wrestled with the steering wheel, moving them along the rutted path.

Amusement pulled at her lips. Maybe he was lost and didn’t want to admit it. Men were like that. But that didn’t make sense either. The car was equipped with the latest in GPS technology.

“John?”

“We’re almost there.” He glanced at her and his stern expression softened slightly. “How are you feeling?”

She ran her fingers through her short hair and rolled her shoulders. “Good. I didn’t mean to sleep for so long.” The sun was sinking in the sky and night would soon be upon them.

A small, rustic cabin came into view, the car headlights reflecting off the weathered wood. A porch ran the length of the house and there was a swing situated on the far end. It was quite charming, if you liked that sort of thing. She was more of a city girl.

Or she was now. She’d grown up with hippie parents on a large rural estate. She and her sisters had run wild in the surrounding woods. Plus, her parents had loved camping and, when they were kids, the family had often done so.

Shaking off the sense of nostalgia, she frowned when John stopped in front of the cabin. “Where are we and why are we here?” What had happened while she’d been sleeping?

He turned off the ignition, pulled out the key and pocketed it. “We’re in upstate New York and this place belongs to me.” He opened the door and slid out, stretching after the long drive. He closed the door and came around to the passenger side.

Dusk was falling quickly and with the car lights off it was getting harder to see. John pointed at her lock and she reluctantly opened her door. “I don’t understand. Why are we stopping here? We should be on the road home to the city.”

He scowled and a muscle in his jaw twitched. “We’re not going to the city.”

Topaz pulled her wits around her, thankful for the brisk breeze chilling her skin. It pushed the remnants of her long nap away and left her more levelheaded. “Of course we are. I have to work in the morning.” She’d been away for almost a week now and was eager to get back. Yes, she trusted Susie, her assistant manager, to run the boutique. But she longed to get back to what was familiar, what she knew.

He clasped her hand with his, tugged her out of the car and toward the cabin. “No, we’re not.”

Topaz dug in her heels until he had no choice except to stop. “What is going on? I want an answer and I want it now.” In her experience, it was better to be firm when dealing with men. She shifted her weight and one of her heels sank into the soft dirt. She stumbled slightly and his arm came around her shoulders, catching her before she could fall.

“Careful. I don’t know how you walk in those things in the city, but those shoes definitely weren’t made for the country.”

Before she realized his intent, he’d swept her off her feet and into his arms. He strode toward the front porch of the cabin and up the two steps to the door. He set her on her feet again, but kept one of her hands gripped in his. She could feel the tension in his muscles, sense the underlying unease surrounding him.

Now she was starting to get worried. What in the name of God was he doing?

John pulled out his keys, fitted one of them in the lock and opened the door. He pulled her inside and shut the door with a heavy thunk. The air inside was fresh, not musty, as though someone had recently aired the place out. The scent of pine-scented cleaner filled the room.

He released her briefly to turn on a switch. At least there was electricity. For that, she was extremely grateful. The room was large, a combination living area, kitchen and dining room all in one. The furniture was overstuffed and looked well-worn but comfortable. There were no knickknacks or personal items to soften the stark space. No pillows on the sofa and only a few tattered paperbacks on the shelf. It was spartan and obviously male.

Topaz’s patience had run out. She crossed her arms over her chest, drew herself up to her full height, using every inch of the three-inch pumps she was wearing to make herself even more authoritative. “I want to know what’s going on, and I want to know now.”

John stood before her in a pair of jeans that he’d obviously had for a while. They fit him like a second skin and were slightly faded in the knees and crotch area. Not that she was looking there. Of course, she wasn’t.

She pulled her gaze up toward his face. His leather jacket creaked slightly when he moved, revealing a tight black T-shirt beneath. His face was half in shadow and half in light, giving him a menacing look. She swallowed and took a half step back before she stopped herself.