“No,” Ivar said shortly. “I’m her protection detail. Period.”
The hair on the back of her neck stood up. And her abdomen did the odd flop-roll it had endured earlier. Her skin flushed and sensitized. What in the world? She recognized the feelings of physical attraction, but there was no way she was feeling something for this old-world Viking. Of course, biologically, there was some logic there. From an anthropological perspective, he appeared to be capable of protecting an entire village, and she was being told she was in danger. Naturally, that made him attractive to her body, if not her brain. All right. Her brain, too. “I can hire my own protection,” she said.
Ivar snorted. “Not as good as me.”
That was probably true. The man could stop a truck if he wanted, probably. “Even so, I can take care of myself.”
“No.” He tilted his head to the side. Studying her. There was intelligence in those hues of blue—a lot of it.
She forced a smile. “If you follow me, if you harass me, I shall call the police.”
“Is that a fact?” he drawled.
“Ivar—” Ronan warned.
She nodded. “Yes. I know your name and where you work. I could have you arrested for attempted kidnapping, and I believe you assaulted a police officer in your bid to run away yesterday.” Her mind calculated the best way to respond to him, and this seemed to be it. So she kept her voice level and matter of fact, even though her heart rate had sped up. “I suggest you leave me alone, or your entire business here could be in jeopardy.” She glanced over her shoulder at Ronan. “I have no problem suing you civilly as well.”
“Man, I like her!” Benny’s loud voice boomed from down the hallway. “She’s a keeper.”
She jolted. Who were these people? “What kind of business is this, anyway?”
Ivar pushed away from the door frame. “We manufacture certain parts for crafts. Rockets, planes, and so on.”
Yes. She’d managed to dig that up herself. The secrecy probably had something to do with government contracts. These guys looked like soldiers. Maybe ex-marines turned CEOs? She cleared her throat. “What else?”
Ronan sighed. “We’re ex-soldiers, and we provide security services to many governments and private individuals around the world. All legal and all confidential. We’re the best in the business if you need protection.”
She believed every word of that because finally something made sense. “I need to meet my colleague and return to the university,” she murmured.
Ivar smiled now, and it wasn’t a completely unpleasant sight. His features were straight and strong, his jaw firm. The darker streaks through his hair intrigued her. “Dr. Brookes left fifteen minutes ago to visit one of our facilities. We assured him we’d secure you a ride back to the campus.”
If the mathematical modeling grant was in the millions as well, it wasn’t surprising Mark had done as they suggested. Of course, he didn’t know that her would-be kidnapper was among them. “I see.”
Ronan gestured toward the door. “I’ll have my driver return you to campus. I strongly recommend you hire a security force until the grant money is awarded.”
One week. She had one week to introduce a theory they liked enough to pursue. An impossible task, really. But if everyone was under the same constraints, a mere theoretical approach was all she required. Then she could have decades to prove or disprove it. “All right.”
Ivar stood straighter. “I’m for hire.” He held up his hand before she could protest. “I’m trained in firearms, knives, swords, and strategic defense, as well as in hand-to-hand and several martial arts disciplines. I’m a former soldier, and I’ve worked security detail on people marked for assassination. Not one of them died under my watch.”
It was hard to imagine she was actually in danger just because of a grant. “You held a gun on me.”
His eyes widened. “I am extraordinarily sorry about that and will not let it happen again.”
There was something about him that just threw her off. She couldn’t put her finger on it. Sure, he was handsome and sexy and had that dangerous thing going on that so many women liked. She did not like that. Her biological clock must be going haywire all of a sudden. “I appreciate the offer.”
Three phones dinged through the room in unision.
Ronan glanced at his first. “Ah, shit.”
Kane slammed his fist on the table. “Damn it.”
Keeping her gaze, Ivar drew his phone from his back pocket