Where the hell was Wyatt? He’d be late if he didn’t get a move on. Then again, good. She wouldn’t wait, if he didn’t show up by seven then she wouldn’t have to sit across from him, wondering what it would be like sleeping in the same room with him later that night.

Yeah, right. That thought had been on her mind all day to the exclusion of all else. She didn’t have time to daydream about a man. She needed focus.

Fiona checked at the front desk to see which of the delegates had arrived, marking them off the list she kept on her cell phone. So far everyone who was supposed to arrive by now had.

With five minutes to spare, she stepped into the lobby.

It was D minus twenty-four. The kickoff started at seven o’clock the following evening with all the major players for this convention milling around, meeting, greeting and networking. Everything had to go exactly as planned. No hiccups. No distractions. No security issues and no thinking about Wyatt Magnus sleeping in the nude.

There she went again. Fiona closed her eyes, drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

“Thinking about me?” a warm deep voice whispered against her ear, melting her like chocolate in the hot Texas sun.

For a moment Fiona leaned toward Wyatt until she realized what she was doing. She pulled herself together and faced him with her best, no-nonsense poker face. “Of course not.” She frowned. “Weren’t you just in the sauna?” Her gaze swept his length.

His hair was damp and his clothes were clean and dry. And he was as sexy in khaki slacks and a polo shirt as he was in shorts. Damn the man.

Wyatt grinned. “I brought my clothes and showered down there to give you some space.”

“Oh.” She blinked, pleased at his thoughtfulness and at the same time, a little disappointed. The latter emotion surprised her. She shook it off and got down to business. “I’m going over the itinerary of the next twenty-four hours.”

“Including who gets the bathroom first tonight?” A grin lifted the corners of his mouth. “I don’t even know if you snore.”

“That’s it.” She started toward the reception desk. “I can’t do this.”

“Wait.” He snagged her arm. “I checked before I hit the sauna. They were scrambling to figure out where they’re going to put the other double-booked guests. I promise, I’ll behave. You won’t even know I’m in the room. And as far as I know, I don’t snore. We’ll be okay. Scout’s honor.”

She gave him a narrow-eyes look. “Were you even a scout?”

“As a matter of fact, yes.” He grinned. “My father made me join to keep me off the streets. I was a very active child and he saw what kind of trouble I could be at an early age.”

“I can see that.” She sighed. “Very well. Looks like we’re stuck with each other. But understand this, I have too much riding on the convention. I don’t need any distractions.”

He raised his hands. “I wouldn’t dream of distracting you.”

Yeah well, you already are. Fiona bit down on her tongue to keep from saying it out loud.

“Fiona, there you are.” Maddie, dressed in a summery, floral dress in soft pink, yellow and green, hurried through the front door of the hotel. “I thought I was going to be late.” When she spied Wyatt, her eyes widened. “Well, well, who do we have here?”

Fiona’s teeth ground together as Maddie’s gaze swept Wyatt’s length from gorgeous brown eyes down to the tip of his cowboy boots.

“Maddie Wells, meet Master Sergeant Wyatt Magnus, on loan from the Army to Homeland Security. He’s been placed in charge of the security of this convention.” After making the introduction, Fiona held her breath, waiting for Maddie to gush.

Wyatt took Maddie’s hand and lifted it to his lips. “The pleasure is mine.” He winked at Fiona as he pressed his lips to her assistant’s fingers.

A pretty, rosy blush rose up Maddie’s neck into her cheeks. “You didn’t tell me he was so handsome and charming.”

“I can be, when I want to.” He straightened, holding Maddie’s hand far longer than Fiona deemed necessary.

Her chest tight with a flare of unbidden anger, Fiona stepped out to greet Preston and Joe as they entered the hotel lobby.

“Preston, Joe, glad you made it. Arthur called and said his wife had plans for him, so he won’t be joining us. Shall we go find a place to eat?” She hooked her arm through Joe’s and stepped through the doors leading directly out onto the River Walk.

Preston, Maddie and Wyatt followed.

Fiona tried not to think about Wyatt behind her. But the nape of her neck tingled as if she could feel his gaze on her backside. She hoped her dress wasn’t hitched up in her panties. And if she put a little more sway in her hips, she chalked it up to the high-heeled, strappy sandals. They almost always made her walk like a model on the runway, one foot in front of the other.

They settled on one of the Tex-Mex restaurants with patio seating overlooking the river and a band playing an eclectic mixture of Latin American and soft rock music in the corner by the bar. As the sun set, the twinkle lights adorning the trees and bridges along the River Walk blinked to life. With the soft lighting, the background music and the warm summer night, it would have been a perfect evening for a romantic dinner for two. Glancing across the table, Fiona caught Wyatt’s gaze on her. A perfect evening for two if she wasn’t working through dinner, and if she didn’t have a convention to keep on track.

After everyone had placed an order, Fiona pulled out her work tablet and started the discussion. “Are we set for tomorrow?” Without waiting for a response, she turned to Joe. “The dogs will start through the convention center at nine in the morning, complete by two in the afternoon, at which time you’ll bring them to the hotel.”

Joe smiled. “That sounds about right.”

Wyatt turned to the supervisor of the hired security team. “Preston already has people in place, augmenting the convention center permanent staff.”

Preston nodded. “I’ll have additional staff at the entrances when the vendors arrive tomorrow and the day the convention starts. I’ll also have eight of my personnel at the function tomorrow night. They will be dressed as wait staff or businessmen, to keep it from appearing too obvious.”

Fiona stared down at her tablet, her list of notes blurring as she internalized the schedule. “The meet-and-greet is at seven o’clock tomorrow night. Maddie, you and I will arrive in the hotel ballroom an hour early and stay until the last person leaves.”

“Got it, boss.” Maddie gave her a mock salute.

“Which leaves you.” Fiona stared across at Wyatt. “Mr. Magnus, what exactly will you be doing during all this time?”

Wyatt’s eyebrows dipped and then smoothed. “I’ll be looking for weaknesses.” His lips tilted upward on the corners. “And you?”

A shiver of excitement rippled across her. She had to swallow hard to loosen her vocal cords. “I’ll be circulating through the meet-and-greet and then through the convention center the next day. Some of the delegates have a known propensity for drama. I want to curtail any scenes before the press gets wind of it.”

“You can’t be everywhere at once,” Joe said.

Fiona nodded. “Precisely. That’s why Maddie will be assisting me in circulating. Each one of us will be equipped with a radio headset. If anything happens, we’ll be able to call on each other immediately.” She smiled at Joe. “I’m not certain you’ll be there throughout, but if you are, you will be rigged with radio communications as well.”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Joe grinned at Wyatt. “It’ll be like on active duty, only our teammates will be dressed to the nines, not covered in sand and smelling like last week’s sweat socks.”

Maddie turned to Joe. “What branch of service, Joe?”

“Army Special Forces.” His chest puffed out. “Three tours to the sandbox, and I was lucky enough to live to tell about it.”

Wyatt’s jaw tightened as his gaze rested on his friend.

“What about you, Preston?” Fiona turned her attention to the man beside her. “I understand you are prior service.”

Preston’s gaze narrowed. “Yeah.”

“What branch?” she pressed.

“Marine Corps,” he answered, his voice clipped, a frown settling between his brows. The man obviously didn’t want to talk about it.

Fiona smiled. “My stepfather was in the Marines for twenty-six years. He always said it was the toughest job you’ll ever love.”

Preston sat in stony silence.

“Wyatt?” Maddie piped in. “What’s your background?”

Yeah, Wyatt? What makes you so intense and sexual? Fiona wanted to ask, but she remained quiet, awaiting the man’s response.

Wyatt seemed to be working through his answer in his head. “Army,” he finally spit out.

Joe chuckled. “Don’t let him kid you. He’s one of the most decorated soldiers you’ll ever meet. He saved my butt a time or two.”

Wyatt shrugged. “So, I assume you’ll want to meet at the hotel when the dogs have made their sweep?”

Fiona recognized the diversionary tactic and let Wyatt have it. “I’m spending my morning at the convention center and from noon on, I’ll be at the hotel managing the details for the evening’s event. Find me when you get there. I’d like to hear what you think are the soft spots for security.”

The food arrived, thus ending the business portion of the meeting.

After the waiter removed the plates, Fiona ordered a frozen margarita and sat back to enjoy the music and the soft-scented breeze.

The band struck up a song with a lively beat.

Maddie leaped to her feet. “Come on, Wyatt, the music is moving me.”