me out of counting the vault shipment the day you showed up, but I thought she was upset because we were so busy and she hated running a window."
He rubbed his jaw. "Train me as your new vault teller. The more access I have, the better."
She groaned. "Just what I need. I thought you'd keep an eye on me from a distance, like in the movies."
"We're joined at the hip, twenty-four-seven. So if you want to get rid of me, stay alert and help me nail these scum." He shot her a dark look before sliding the glasses back on. "This isn't the movies. One mistake can get you killed."
Her hand tightened on the mug, and she gulped.
Gabe gently extricated the cup from her death grip. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you." He squeezed her hand. "Now, where do we start? You're the boss."
"That'll be the day," she muttered, yanking her hand from his. "Follow me. I'll introduce you to the other staff and get you set up with a training manual and a window."
Two hours later, Tessa bit her tongue to keep from screaming. She scrubbed damp palms over a wrinkle in her brown tweed suit, desperately wishing she could as easily soothe her frayed composure. Gabe's constant presence, their bodies brushing, hands touching, his smooth, deep voice low and intimate in her ear, had set every nerve thrumming. Worse, she didn't know why she felt so unbalanced. He'd stayed in nerd mode and behaved impeccably all morning.
When the money delivery arrived, she picked up the bags and handed half to him. "Let's take these into the vault."
The gate slammed shut behind them. Great. Enforced confinement with a man who drove her insane. She backed as far away as the small space allowed, but his enticing scent and warm, muscled body tempted her as badly as a banquet would tempt a beggar.
"What's the usual routine?" he asked.
Her senses swirling, Tessa unlocked the inner vault. She set the cash next to a shelf holding the money counter and a tray of office supplies. "When you enter or leave, log your initials and time." She grabbed a pen from the tray and wrote on a clipboard hanging next to the shelf. "A guard delivers from the main basement vault around eleven." She tucked the pen in her pocket. "I usually verify immediately, but it depends on how busy we are."
She cut the seal on the first bag, withdrawing a bundle of fifties. "Run them through the counter, rebundle, then the money goes into a locked bin. The vault teller also fills the ATMs." She stacked the bills in the machine and pressed the button. "We have two. One at the drive-through and one in the lobby."
Gabe removed his Buddy Holly glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Why are you so patient with her?"
Tessa jerked her gaze to his. "I beg your pardon?"
"The pit bull in pearls. Lucille tried to torpedo all your ideas last night." He folded the glasses beside the tray. "I'd tell her to take a flying leap."
She busily repackaged the money. "She's going to be family. One can stand up for oneself without resorting to rudeness."
"Your fiancé is a man of few words."
"Unlike some people, he's quiet, but he's a wonderful person. He's compassionate, intelligent and treats me with respect. His father died three years ago, and he takes care of his mother. He's also a very talented musician. Evenings and weekends, he gives free violin lessons to underprivileged kids."
"A paragon of virtue."
"Don't make fun of him!"
He held up his hands. "Hey, I wasn't. He seems like a decent guy. I wonder, though—" Gabe studied her face. "When he kisses you, does your heart race?" He stepped closer and she edged away. "Your skin tingle? Your body quiver?" He took another step and she again edged away. "Like it did when I kissed you?"
Her back hit the wall. All those things were happening to her right now. Horrified by her uncontrollable reaction to him, she went rigid.
"Do you want to crawl inside him and live there?" he murmured, planting both palms on the wall on either side of her head. He lowered his face a whisper from hers.
How could she stand here and discuss her fiancé's attributes, all the while yearning to kiss another man? She was disgusting. "Congratulations, a new record. You managed to behave for two whole hours." She forced in a shuddering breath. "You promised I could trust you."