Chapter One

"Duck!"

Anna twisted slightly, bobbing her head to avoid the basketball whizzing past her ear.

"Revisiting your childhood?" she asked sardonically.

"Nah, I don't think basketball had been invented when I was a kid."

Anna ignored him. "And did you really have to set your hoop up directly above my desk? I know I've been away for ages, but really..."

Her sometime-partner Jim ruffled her hair as he squeezed behind her chair, scooping up the ball, before he bothered replying. "Yep. It was the only good spot available."

"Hmmpf!"

"Show some respect for your elders." He waggled his finger, purposely taunting. "Besides, you don't really mean it, you know."

"I do too!" She couldn't hold the scowl any longer, and grinned up at him. "Anyway it doesn't matter. I'll only be here a couple of days before I'm off on holidays."

Generally speaking, Anna enjoyed her job, hectic as it often was. Since she'd finished training at the police academy eight years ago she'd worked almost entirely undercover, most often with Jim. More recently, the bosses had been sending her out on her own and she really did miss having him around. She'd been out of the office for almost a month this time, playing bodyguard to a visiting diplomat, and she was almost regretting that she was about to go away again. Almost, but not quite. After all, she hadn't had more than a weekend off in over two years, and she was long overdue for some serious relaxation.

"Some people get all the luck," he teased. "Cushy jobs, long holidays..."

"Yeah, yeah. Same old, same old." She was used to him baiting her and he'd have to try a lot harder than that if he wanted her to bite.

"Was he okay?" Jim was serious now. "I heard a rumour about him being a giant pain in the ass."

"Who? The diplomat?" She laughed at his concern. "Nothing I couldn't handle. He did think he was the gift to all women," she conceded, "but he got used to me after a while." After the first fifty or so rejections, she added to herself.

"So long as you're alright." He sounded unconvinced.

"Big worry wort! Anyone would think you were my dad."

Jim grinned sheepishly, his eyes giving away the genuine concern he felt for her. "Well, you are fairly young to be out by yourself, and you look so...girly. An easy target," he added as her brows shot up in query.

"Exactly why Helen keeps sending me out on the assignments she does," Anna agreed. "I'm a lot less obvious hanging around than you, you old codger." It was true too. No one ever suspected she was a bodyguard. A girlfriend, a granddaughter, or sometimes even a sister, but never a bodyguard. She just didn't look like your typical Hollywood tough guy.

"Yeah, well..." He shrugged.

"You're cute when you're worried," she teased, breaking off to answer the phone that started to ring on her desk. "The boss calls," she told him a few seconds later. "I'll catch you round."

"If you're lucky," he said darkly, and she swung on him.

"Do you know something I don't?"

He gave her a gentle shove towards the corridor. "Off you go. She doesn't like to be kept waiting."

* * *

Anna straightened her skirt as she headed down the hall, tugging the mini to a more respectable height. She'd come straight from the last assignment and was still dressed the part in a neat linen business suit and designer heels. None of the other agents would laugh--well, not other than to tease the girl who was most comfortable in jeans about what great legs she had--but Helen Peterson wasn't the other agent. She was reserved enough, and old enough, to object to women showing off their knees, yet in other things she had absolutely no scruples at all. Probably why she'd held onto the job for all these years, Anna thought. She could admire her, grudgingly, but she didn't want to be her. Anna figured she still had to live with herself after each assignment was over. She sometimes wondered how Helen slept at night.

As usual, Helen's door was wide open so she could watch exactly what was happening in the outer office. Her head sprung up as Anna paused in the doorway.

"Ms. Cameron. Come in."

"Thank you." Anna pulled out the seat in front of her desk without being asked, and crossed her ankles delicately. With luck, Helen wouldn't even notice the ultra-short skirt.

Or not. Helen glared briefly at Anna's knees before dragging her gaze back to her face. "You received a good report from the Portuguese embassy. Well done."

"Thank you."

"Mmm." She looked at her legs again. "Did you dress like that the whole time?" From the expression on her face, it looked like she thought Anna's legs were the entire reason for the positive feedback.

"I did." Anna's voice was level. She'd had plenty of practice at being emotionless. "It worked," she added.

"Obviously." Helen shuffled a stack of papers, tipping the majority of them straight into her out tray, before separating a slim manila folder from the pile and passing it across the desk.

Anna reached out for it, her heart sinking. This wasn't looking good for her holiday.

"New job for you." Helen's face was as expressionless as Anna's had been moments before. "Female university student needs to be protected for a week or so until she leaves the country. Her older brother's received threats against the family. She's being sent overseas but, until she goes, she's all yours." She looked back to the paperwork scattered across her desk, the interview apparently over, and raised an eyebrow in enquiry when Anna didn't move.

"I'm, um, supposed to be on leave as soon as I file the report from this last job."

"Defer it. I need you on this one."

"Jim's not on anything at the moment. Maybe he could..."

"No." Helen's eyes flashed. "You. And only you."

Anna could sort of see her point. She just didn't want to. Jim was fifty-something and had "cop" written all over him. He wouldn't exactly blend in on a university campus, or be at home nightclubbing.

"Fine. Anything else I need to know?"

"It's all in the file." Helen stared at her for a moment before looking back to her paperwork, pen already in hand. "Use a bit of discretion," she said. "This one could be a media nightmare if you get it wrong."

"Great." Anna sighed. "I'll be off then."

* * *

Kel MacKenzie tried not to thump the table in frustration. His sister was sitting opposite him, staring at her fingernails and apparently not paying him the slightest bit of attention.

"Hilary! For once in your life, would you listen to me? Please?" he added as an afterthought, hoping his bemusement wasn't obvious.

His employees had no problem following his instructions. His companies ran like clockwork, but he had no idea how to control his sister. Surely there was an instruction manual somewhere no one had told him about.

Her eyes met his briefly, the boredom in them obvious. "Look Kel, we've been through all this before. I'm not going to have my life disrupted by some macho guy in a suit following me everywhere and telling me what to do."

"Don't you believe the threats are real?"

"Of course I do." She didn't bother looking at him again, fascinated by the movement of her fingers. "But the threats are against you, not against me."

"And anyone with half a brain can work out that the easiest way to get to me is through you. You may not believe it but I don't want anything to happen to you." Especially because of me, he added silently.

Their father was long gone, and Kel had stepped in to take that role wherever he could for his little sister. She hadn't even had a particularly useful mother figure around in the last couple of years, not since their mother had moved to Switzerland to be near her new husband. That had left Kel running the family business, and Hilary still at school in Sydney. She'd refused to go with their mother, leaving Kel in the unenviable position of father and mother to a headstrong teenager. He'd done his best but it obviously hadn't been enough. Hilary was a brat. A rich brat, unfortunately, with access to her own trust fund. In the past, threats to withhold her pocket money had sometimes worked--but not anymore.

Now she was in her second year of a psychology degree at the University of Sydney, and he hardly ever saw her. She was at uni most weekdays--at least he hoped she was--and she was out clubbing and partying every weekend. Midweek, he rarely made it home before ten or eleven so he hardly ever saw her even then. She'd be curled up in front of the telly, shushing him if he tried to make conversation, and he'd tended to just give up.

But she was his sister. You could tell simply by looking at them. She had the same dark blue eyes with long lashes and the same thick dark-blonde hair. And definitely the same stubborn streak! He ran his hand through his hair in exasperation, annoyed at himself for the unguarded gesture almost as soon as he'd done it.

He could imagine what she was thinking, and knew she was at least a little bit right. Control freak, control freak. When they were kids, she'd used to chant it, laughing at him as he'd tried to organise her life. And she'd been right then too. But a little bit of nostalgia didn't stop him from being instantly suspicious when she softened her stance ever so slightly.

"Look, sweetie. Don't worry about me. Only a couple more days, then I'm off to Switzerland to stay with mum. Nothing's going to happen." She attempted to smooth the cowlick he'd rubbed into his hair, laughing gently as it sprung straight back up.

"I'm sorry Hilary, but you're going to have to trust me on this one. "

Her milder mood evaporated. "No chance. No bodyguards."

"Whether you like it or not, you are going to have one..." He held his hand up as she started to interrupt. "No, listen to me. I've gone out of my way to get someone you'll be happy with, but you're going to have them with you for the next week, no matter what. The last threats specified you."

"You never told me that!" Her eyes widened almost imperceptibly. Maybe he was actually starting to get through to her.

He shrugged. "I didn't want to scare you, but this morning's message was pretty specific. Personally, I'd rather you left the country right now, but I know you need to stay for your exams. If I've got to put up with you staying here, you've got to put up with the inconvenience."

The news she'd been targeted with might have rattled her but he knew she wouldn't admit it and wasn't surprised when she kept her tone hard. "Fine then, since that's the only thing that's going to make you happy."

"Thank you." He relaxed slightly. "We're meeting with them here in an hour. Please make sure you hang around until then."

"Sure."

Kel watched her stomp upstairs to her rooms. He couldn't believe just how frustrating she was. Who'd want to have kids when you knew they'd turn into teenagers? Go figure.

Considerably more sedately, he followed her up the stairs towards his bathroom to stick his head under the tap. It was a fact of life that bad hair detracted from the authority he always exuded, and that authority was one of the things that made his businesses run so well. He looked powerful, and sounded powerful. People respected him. But it was damn hard to get someone's respect when they were busting themselves trying to hold in their laughter because your hair was sticking up on end.

* * *

"So he mainly works from home? Odd, I thought he was mega-rich, but I guess not." Jim shrugged as he flipped through the MacKenzie file Anna had laid on her desk.

"He is. Mega-rich, that is," she amended as she pointed out the company balance sheets from the last financial year. "It's a private company so the profit's all his."

"Shheesh." Jim whistled through his teeth. "And he mostly works from an office at home? Must be a serious miser."

Anna shrugged. "I guess I'll find out soon enough. I'm heading around there now. Just wanted to give you a hug before I left again." She wrapped her arms around his chest and squeezed. "Say hello to Irene for me."

"Sure. I'll let her know you won't make it round for dinner this week. She'll excuse you--she always does."

Anna smiled complacently. "I know. She's a darling."

And it was true. Jim's wife was nice. What could he do except nod his agreement, and return the hug?

"Now get out of here!" He smacked her playfully. "You're in the way of my basketball hoop."

"Don't remind me!" She laughed as she shoved the file under her arm and grabbed her bag with her free hand, waving awkwardly as she disappeared out the door.

* * *

At exactly 3: 00 p.m., the doorbell chimed, echoing loudly through the large north shore house. Ridiculously large with just the two of them rattling around in it, Kel had often thought, but there was no way his mother would ever agree to selling the family home. It was where she'd raised her children and she refused to let it go--despite the fact she was now on the other side of the world and hadn't been 'home' for over two years. About the only good thing Kel could see about what he thought of as a bloody great museum was that it kept two staff in full time work. It made him feel like he was doing his bit for the unemployment figures. That was if you ignored the three hundred-odd staff he employed in his own business, of course. But, by his reasoning, they were an essential overhead and they made money rather than costing it. The only thing the old house made was bills.

Kel answered the door himself, briskly pulling it open, a polite welcome forming on his lips before he realised it wasn't his appointment waiting on the verandah.

It was a woman, or maybe he should have said it was a girl, and she smiled nicely as she held her hand out to him. She wasn't particularly striking except in her height--she was only a fraction shorter than him and he was just on six foot tall--but there was something else about her that caught his eye. She had dark shoulder-length hair, swept back off her face and caught at the nape of her neck in a tortoiseshell clasp, and cheerful brown eyes. Her smile was pretty, if polite, but that wasn't it either. It nagged at him, but he didn't have time for that sort of thought right now, so he pushed it to the back of his mind, returned her smile and accepted her outstretched hand.

"What can I do for you?" He concentrated on ignoring the softness of her skin and the little tingle her touch sent shooting up his arm. In other circumstances he may have been interested, but today he needed her gone as quickly as possible.

"You must be Kel MacKenzie. I think you're expecting me."

Her smile hadn't slipped, but his carefully cultured calm went scurrying for cover. Surely this slip of a girl wasn't the bodyguard Helen had promised him? And if she was, what sort of game did Helen think she was playing?

He shook his head abruptly. "No. I don't think I am."

"You're not Kel MacKenzie, or you're not expecting me?" The young woman smiled pleasantly before glancing at her watch. "I was asked to meet you here at three. Perhaps the times got mixed?"

"No." His eyes were cold, his body language distant, but he didn't release her hand straight away. "I'm expecting someone called Cameron for a three o'clock appointment, so if you'll excuse me..."

"That's right," she agreed, stepping forward before he could close the door in her face. "I'm Anna Cameron."

* * *

This was not a good start. Anna hadn't wanted to be here in the first place, then the brother turned out to be a giant jerk--condemned by his own first few words--and add to that the fact he'd tried to shut the door in her face, and she was one very unhappy camper. And an angry one as well.

What was making things even worse was, mad as she was, she couldn't avoid the very unbusinesslike flash of awareness that had gone coursing through her body as soon as she'd laid eyes on him. His gaze hadn't moved from her face and she'd had the uncanny feeling of being trapped, that she couldn't have looked away if she'd wanted to. His eyes were dark blue, fathomless, and gave no hint at all of what he was thinking. She dragged her own eyes downwards, and caught herself staring at his chin. Even pulled tight with displeasure, his features were classically handsome. He had a strongly drawn jaw, softened by a tiny cleft she longed to reach out and touch. And his mouth. Oooh, his mouth. She almost sighed at the thought of those firm lips on her, tracing a damp line around her collar bone and up behind her ear...

Where the hell had that thought come from?

It took superhuman effort but she pulled herself together and looked away. Cranky at letting her hormones rule her head, even if it was only for a split second, she let her eyes flash with annoyance as he hesitated on the threshold, but kept her social smile pasted on her face. Surely it was cracking at the edges with her attempt not to let it turn into a snarl, but he didn't seem to notice. Thick skinned too, apparently!

"Are you planning on inviting me in, or shall we discuss our business out here in the street?" she asked sweetly, the saccharine dripping between each word.

He looked beyond her, out to the car she'd parked at the curb, apparently expecting someone else to materialise even as he wished it.

"Nope, it's just me," she added dryly, very unamused. Adding 'sexist' to his charge sheet, she gave up on waiting for the invitation and stepped through to the hall behind him, pausing there while he caught her up.

She waited for the door to close and the bolt click home before turning back to face him. The few seconds had given her time to glance around the entry, mentally adding the cost of the parquetry floor to the antique telephone table to the crystal chandelier hanging above the stairs. Old money, she decided. Too tasteful to be the nouveau rich. And Mummy must have done the decorating, because she couldn't see this mannerless oaf ever choosing colours as restful as the eggshell and powder blue that was on the walls.

The pause had given him a chance to regroup too, because he had an equally practised social smile on his lips when she looked back at him. He held his arm out to direct her to a room off the hall, and waited as she preceded him through the door. Maybe he had learnt something at the expensive boys' school he'd attended, after all.

He ushered her to a comfortable wingback chair before seating himself directly opposite. "I must apologise for my rudeness." His tone was cool. "I was expecting a man."

"I could see that." Anna's voice was neutral.

"May I get you a drink?" He stood again, moving to a small table holding two decanters and a collection of glasses. "Sherry, scotch? Tea or coffee perhaps?"

"Only if you're having one."

"I put coffee on to brew just before you arrived."

"That will be fine, thank you."

Anna stayed relaxed in her chair, watching him idly as he disappeared from sight. He seemed to be quite well-built under his slightly stuffy suit. He wasn't wearing a jacket and his shirt fitted so well it had to have been tailored. She doubted any shirt bought off the rack would sit so well over those broad shoulders. It was a shame about his poor manners though, because he was certainly good looking. Even the social smile was kind of cute, and she wondered what the real one would be like.

Anna didn't move, wanting him to understand she was perfectly comfortable here, no matter what his feelings were. She was too used to convincing all kinds of people to do whatever she wanted them to do to worry about him being much of a challenge. For someone with his ruthless reputation, he was certainly easily shocked. Usually, business people were better at keeping their emotions in check. It made negotiating easier if no one knew what you were thinking.

* * *

"Helen?" Kel juggled the kettle while he spoke, the phone crammed awkwardly under his ear. "I know it would be suspicious if I was the one to follow my own sister around--" he winced at the sharp response from the other end of the phone. "But Anna Cameron? Are you sure she's much of an alternative?"

"Just put up or shut up." Even over the phone, Helen managed to sound acerbic. "Anna's good at what she does, and I have my own reasons."

"Are you planning on sharing those reasons?" he queried, not bothering to hide the sarcasm.

"When I'm ready. And don't give the poor girl a hard time either."

Helen hung up with a sharp click, once again leaving him wondering just why he put up with all this. He was still shaking his head wearily as he headed back to the lounge room and the girl he was supposed to be nice to. Huh!

* * *

Kel returned with a tray in his hands which he carefully placed on the low coffee table between them. When he turned his back for a moment, arranging the cups, Anna couldn't help her eyes straying. As he bent, his trousers stretched tautly, outlining a very well-toned butt. The sort she wouldn't mind seeing with a whole lot less clothing. She let her eyes drift up to his shoulders, measuring their width, but had them firmly focused on his face by the time he turned back to her.

"Milk? Sugar?"

"Just milk please."

He handed her the cup then re-settled himself, this time leaning back comfortably and mimicking her relaxed pose. "Now, I don't wish to be rude, but I'm afraid I find it rather difficult to understand why you're here." He eyed her over the rim of his cup, and she took a thoughtful sip of her own coffee before replying.

"You requested government assistance in handling the threats you've been receiving. Simply put, you got me."

He held eye contact, his voice reasonable even though his words weren't. "That's correct, yes. But I was assured the person who was sent out to assist us would be highly experienced in this sort of situation. You look a little...young."

"Yes?" She wasn't going to help in the slightest.

"I'm afraid I really do need to get the best help available. My sister is at risk, and I can't stand the thought of anything happening to her."

For the first time, Anna noticed a touch of honesty in his words, but his worry for his sister wasn't about to soften her attitude towards him. She'd been pulled away from her holiday and, as far as she was concerned, he could just start showing some suitable gratitude.

She placed her cup neatly on the coffee table before straightening and holding his stare. "I've been working in the field of personal protection for eight years. My assignments have included heads of state, diplomats, business people, witness protection programmes and socialites. I dare say I can manage your sister."

He snorted unthinkingly. "Good luck to you. No one else can!"

Pretending he hadn't just said what he had, he looked at her assessingly and she gazed back, ignoring his open inspection. His eyes lingered a fraction too long on her legs and for an instant she really wished she'd chosen a pants suit this morning. On the other hand, now she knew he was interested in her legs, she might be able to use that little bit of information to her own advantage. She'd also noticed the awareness in his eyes when he'd first seen her on the verandah--before he'd realised who she was. As the saying went, knowledge was power.

His eyes came back to meet hers. "I find that a little hard to believe Ms. Cameron. After all, you are a..."

"Woman?" she supplied silkily, the anger that had been simmering in the background starting to boil.

He shrugged. "Yes."

"Have you ever heard the term 'misogynist'?" she asked nicely, forcing herself to stay calm. She continued over him as he started to interrupt. "Or perhaps you prefer 'sexist', or maybe even 'chauvinist'?"

"Now really, that was quite uncalled for."

"No, I think not." Anna stood up, stretching her back elegantly as she did so and enjoying the tiny rush of feminine power as her movement caught his attention. "I haven't had a vacation in two years, Mr. MacKenzie. I was due to fly out this evening, but I gave it up in order to take on this job. We were told you'd asked for the best, but apparently you're not quite so discerning after all. I still have time to make my flight so, if you'll excuse me..."

She headed for the door, her walk easily sensual in her spike-heeled shoes. She knew damn well that her legs were one of her best assets and he wouldn't be a male if he wasn't taking a good gander at them under her mini skirt right this minute. She paused at the door, twisting to glance at him over her shoulder and making her hair fall in a luxurious cascade. So far, she hadn't raised her voice in the slightest, or let her inflection go to anything beyond the carefully neutral tone she preferred. It usually threw people off balance, and today was no exception.

"Don't worry about seeing me out, I'm sure I can find my own way." She grinned to herself as she turned to grasp the door handle, then added in a cutesy little-girl voice, "Oh dear, I do hope I don't get lost. I'm sure you know how utterly hopeless girls are at reading maps." Her shoulders wiggled as she twisted the knob, and she wasn't surprised to find him hovering at her elbow before she'd even put any pressure on the door.

* * *

"All right, I was out of line. I apologise." Kel was gruff. He could only hope he sounded like he meant it. Embarrassingly, she was right. Despite what Helen had said, he'd still assumed a youngish woman couldn't possibly be a competent professional.

She paused, her hand still resting on the door handle. "And?"

"And?" He hesitated before venturing, "It won't happen again?"

"Good." Her voice was suddenly business-like and she strode back to her chair without even glancing at him. "Now that we've got all this out of the way, can we actually start talking about the reason I'm here?"

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

Her eyes were wide and she radiated innocence. "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."

Kel slammed himself into his own seat, choosing to ignore the way she'd manipulated him so easily. She'd even made him apologise--twice!--and that wasn't something he ever did. Dammit! He'd worked out now what it was that had fascinated him about her when she was standing on the verandah. It was her self-confidence. He could tell that she just knew everything was going to turn out her way. There was only the tiniest glimmer of satisfaction in her eyes, but it was enough. A dangerous fascination, he thought to himself, shaking his head slightly as he tried to focus on the topic at hand.

She took over the conversation at that point, drawing details from him about the threats and what his thoughts on them were. "So you don't have any idea of who's sending them to you? They seem to know plenty about your personal life." Anna was justifiably disbelieving, but he kept to the same line he'd given everyone else.

"I really don't know." It wasn't a total lie. He didn't know the individual who'd penned the notes, even though he was pretty sure he knew who they worked for. "As I keep on saying, everyone in my position tends to have a few pet cranks who blame us for what's gone wrong in their lives. I'm assuming that it's just one of those people."

"Jealous of your wealth, your position?" Anna's voice was neutral again, spurring him to exasperation.

"Ms. Cameron, is this really necessary? I was under the impression you were hired to protect Hilary. Surely this isn't relevant."

"It's very relevant. How am I supposed to protect her if I don't know where the threat's coming from?" She shrugged expressively, the careless shoulder movement telling him exactly what she thought of his input. "There're plenty of police investigating the threats, but I need information for different reasons. I've read the file," she gestured towards the manila folder she'd left lying on the coffee table, "but all it gives me is black and white. It doesn't tell me anything about you as an individual, or about your sister."

Damn! As he'd glanced towards the folder, he'd realised something even more annoying. The little vixen had been so sure of herself she hadn't even picked up the file, or her handbag, when she'd made such a show of walking out on him.

He couldn't help himself. "Are you always this arrogant?"

"Me?" She raised an eyebrow in polite enquiry. "I'd have thought you were talking about yourself when you use words like that."

"Ms. Cameron, I really must object to your abusing me like this..." Kel was losing his cool and knowing it was making it worse.