Tempest - Kris Michaels Page 0,38

mother. Guardian was after her mother, and Luke worked for Guardian. His words played back through her mind in Dolby surround sound. "And what if she's involved with more than you know?"

He knows Regina is involved in more, and they are looking for a way to bring her down. Pilar drew a deep breath and chased away the thoughts and the scenarios it brought with it. She felt oddly... relieved. Guardian was building a case against others with which her mother was involved. It was a relief she wasn't the impetus of the entire investigation. She was the conduit, a channel marker giving Guardian directions to look. The small separation from the self-condemnation which had hung around her neck since she’d agreed to reveal her privileged attorney-client information was the breathing room she needed.

With a lighter and now flip flop free step, she gathered a bathing suit and cover from her suitcase, slung her bathroom case over her shoulder, and carefully step-heeled it into the bathroom.

The shower took a few moments to figure out, but she cleaned up and changed into a lemon colored, one piece swimming suit which dipped drastically low in the back and was cut to the waist in the front. Her gossamer wrap draped to mid-thigh, and was almost see-through, but it veiled the important parts of her. She wound her hair into a quick French twist and secured it with a wide barrette instead of the multitude of hairpins she usually pushed into her hair. That accomplished, she refreshed her lip balm and grabbed her planner.

So… Luke had no interest in her beyond the information she could provide against her mother. Guardian had been conducting an independent investigation on her mother, and her personal input was simply a boon. How… sad and liberating.

She rolled her eyes at her school-girl infatuation. She'd give Luke the information he wanted and spend fourteen glorious days lounging in the sun and mending her toe. Not a shoe in sight, no reasons to stress, and no more reasons to worry. She'd made the right decision in confiding in Luke. She chuckled as she exited her cabin and shut the door behind her.

Her imagination had played the worst-case scenarios for so long. Really? How bad could it be? Worst case, for her... disbarment and jail. But Guardian would never sully their pristine reputation of protecting their sources, so she wasn't in fear of that scenario playing out. The worst thing for her mother? Incarceration. Her knowledge was limited, on purpose, but if the right questions were asked and if Regina was involved in any way with the deaths of those wealthy donors? Well, if she was involved, then she would be sentenced as appropriate by a judge and jury.

She knocked on Luke's door and nearly choked on her tongue when he answered it. He wore a pair of black board shorts and nothing else. Granted it was just like what he’d been wearing earlier, but damn... "Ah, hey. Ready?"

"Yeah. Let me get a shirt. Come in. I'll re-tape your toe."

She looked down at the tape which flopped like a limp noodle against the top of her foot. "Ah..."

"Come on. You know I don't bite." He winked at her and tugged a black t-shirt over his head.

Oh, my heavens. Drool worthy shoulders, chest, abs, and the happy trail of dark hair leading down past the waistband of his shorts. She popped her eyes back up to his. He smiled and waggled his eyebrows a couple of times. Shit. Had he caught her checking him out? "Come in. Let's get you taped up so we can get down to business."

Business. "Right. Okay." She heel-toed it to a chair in the corner.

He returned from the bathroom with a small red box and motioned to the king-sized bed. "Here. The light is better."

Of course it is. With a smile plastered onto her face, she squeezed her planner to her chest with a death grip as she limped to the bed and sat down. He kneeled in front of her and moved her foot to his thigh.

Oh, my god.

Her foot absorbed the warmth of his flesh like a dry sponge absorbed water. She started to shiver and not because she was cold. No, looking down at him holding her foot with such care sent a thrill through her. She closed her eyes and groaned.

"Did I hurt you?"

She popped her eyes open. What? "Ah... no. Not really. I'm fine."

"Let me know if I cause you any pain."

He