She knew the chivalrous move was ingrained, locked somewhere deep in Mark’s protective DNA. Still, despite the mistakes she’d made she didn’t need a champion. Having Ben see her as weak would only make her job tougher.
Callie stepped out from behind Mark’s shadow and took her position beside him, putting her directly in front of Judge Grumpy Pants. “I’ll be your new assistant.”
“I have a clerk.”
“Did I say clerk?”
Ben’s lips thinned until they almost disappeared. “So that you know, I don’t accept that sarcastic tone from my employees.”
Talk about an ego problem. “Do you want me to call you Sir? Maybe I should bow when I see you. Wipe your feet when you come in from the outside.”
“The feet part is unnecessary.”
Mark slapped his palm against the desk. “Would you two get serious?”
She had a few insults stuck in her throat but decided to save them until later. “Mark’s right. You have a stalker. That’s what this protection detail is about. We’ll figure out the rest as we go.”
Mark nodded. “I already cleared the assignment with Judge Samson. Callie will move in here under the guise of a new judges’ assistant program. She’ll share your office—”
Ben’s head snapped back. “What?”
“Where else would I put her?”
Callie really wasn’t in the mood to be “put” anywhere. “Could we not refer to me as if I were a plant?”
Ben ignored her. He was too busy grabbing the edge of his desk with enough force to snap off the wood trim. “That is never going to happen.”
“I can’t really protect you effectively from the hallway,” she pointed out.
“No one will buy that you’re working for me.” Ben held up both hands and shrugged his shoulders in what Callie assumed was some sort of peace offering. “No offense.”
“How could I possibly be offended by that,” she mumbled.
He shook his head, refusing to give up the fight. “There’s security here. We’ve got a metal detector and there are emergency call buttons hidden everywhere in the office.”
“Which will be very helpful if you’re shot in the head before you can reach it.” Callie knew the guy had to be smarter than this. He passed the Bar and managed to get appointed by the governor. That suggested there was a working brain in that head somewhere.
Ben glared at her before continuing his brother-to-brother negotiations. “There’s no need for additional protection.”
“Your car blew up in a locked government parking lot.” Mark folded his arms in front of him. “That changes everything.”
She glanced at Mark. When he nodded, she took the lead. “It means the person who planted the bomb had access to the facility. Probably has a badge and can come and go in the courthouse without being noticed. He or she is on the inside, which makes you vulnerable even with all the uniforms around you all the time.”
“Which is why Callie is your new right arm. Where you goes she goes. Work or work function, she’s with you. I’ll handle the at home part,” Mark said.
Ben closed those chocolate brown eyes of his for a second. When he opened them again, some of the fight had left him. Even his shoulders appeared more relaxed. “We haven’t shared a bedroom since we were eight.”
“And we’re not going to now.” Mark glanced at his cell and started talking faster. “Look, I know this is a pain in the ass, but I need you to listen to me.”
Ben tipped his head back against the chair. “I get it.”
An unspoken emotion passed between the brothers. Callie had no idea why Ben caved, but the verbal and psychological battle had ended. Both men wore grim lines of resignation on their mouths.
She suddenly felt as if she were intruding. “I can wait outside.”
Ben shook his head. “No need. We’ll set you up here somewhere.”
It was Mark’s turn to smile. “Nice try. She’ll be in here with you. I’ve taken care of that part and you are not going to overrule me. I get paid to do the tactical stuff, so let me do my job.”
Out of nowhere, Ben turned on her and flashed a smile full of perfect white teeth. “So, you ready to spend ten hours a day with me?”
She shook off the feeling of being in the spotlight. “No.”
“If it’s any consolation that makes us even.”
Funny, but that didn’t make her feel one ounce better.
Chapter Two
Ben walked into his private chambers the next morning at his usual seven-thirty start time to enjoy a half hour of quiet before the workday madness descended. He had to wait until Mark checked the suite, but Ben wasn’t even a little surprised to find Callie there waiting for him. Not in the receptionist’s waiting room outside. Not in the front area of his office, where the sofa and chairs were arranged for informal meetings. Not by the bookcases that lined the walls. No, she actually stood behind his desk looking out the window to the concourse seven stories below. He guessed he should be grateful her butt wasn’t actually in his chair.
Some guard dog she turned out to be. She hadn’t even noticed him or seen Mark do his check. What if someone had come in carrying a gun instead of a paper and a coffee cup, then what—
“Have a good night?” She asked the question without turning around.
Or maybe she was paying attention.
Still, Ben appreciated having an uninterrupted minute to study her. From a pure male appreciation standpoint he had to give her points. She stood about five-eight with a body more curvy than athletic, which was just his preference. He took in her nice round ass and the way her black pants showed it off. A matching short blazer highlighted her trim waist and straight blond hair pulled back in a ponytail at her neck hung partway down her back. Even though those soulful brown eyes weren’t glancing at him right now, he’d bet that same mix of pissiness and frustration remained from their meeting yesterday.
Yeah, staring at her every day wouldn’t exactly be a hardship.
Dealing with that mouth would be the challenge.
Protecting that fine ass of hers from whomever seemed so determined to chase him down and take him out would be the biggest issue. No way was he letting her step into danger over him. That meant he’d have to watch over both of them, make sure Emma stopped drawing attention to herself, run his office, and hear a case or two. Not exactly what he had in mind when he left the military for the calmer life of a practicing law.
“Uh, hello?” Callie turned around to face him as she talked.
There it was. Flat lips and angry eyes. The look of pure pissiness she did so well. “Sorry.
