Defended & Desired (5 page)

“Then Trey bought the bodyguard business from Logan. It all comes full circle.” Devon appreciated stories like this, reminders that there just might be a greater plan for people’s lives. And maybe fate actually knew what it was doing. A comforting thought.

“Yes, and when Logan sold the business, he added one proviso. He made sure you came with the package.”

“What? Me?”

Allison grinned. “If you hadn’t noticed, the Sorens aren’t your typical captains of industry.”

Flattered by the news and amused by Allison’s observation, Devon thought of the two sets of brothers, as well as Trey and Adam’s…unconventional approach to solving business disputes. “Oh, I noticed. But what does that have to do with me?”

“You know what you’re doing. You can walk into a room and take charge. People respect you, and Logan knew the guys needed someone with your expertise in the security field.”

Devon’s shoulders slumped. “I wish you’d told me this before I agreed to an interview somewhere else. Now I’ll feel like I’m abandoning them.”

Allison glanced at her wryly. “The company went public this week. Logan loaded his portfolio with IPO shares. Their projected profits, along with stockholder investments, ensure they’ll have a long, healthy, rich future. I wouldn’t worry.”

Devon tapped her chin in consideration. “How rich?”

“You work for a team of billionaires.” Allison narrowed her eyes. “Oh, now you’re suddenly interested in Trey?”

“Who said I wasn’t before?”

Allison snapped her fingers. “I knew it! Logan said you’d be into him, and I agreed. Trey is the perfect guy for you.”

Annoyed, Devon crossed her arms. “Attraction doesn’t equal a relationship. Besides, it’s pointless to get involved with someone now, if I take the job in Phoenix.”

“Phoenix?” Allison’s face fell. “Then you’ll be leaving?”

“
If
I take the job. I haven’t completely made up my mind.”
Though if they presented her an offer, she would probably take it.

The disappointment in Allison’s expression touched a chord of distress in Devon, because the fact that she’d have of leave all her friends, and the place she’d come to think of as
home,
hadn’t sunk in yet.

“Keep me posted, okay?” Allison asked.

“I will.” Devon stood and hugged her friend. “I get an invitation to Logan’s birthday party next weekend, right?”

Allison smiled. “Of course. I’ll drop it at the front desk of Soren Security. In the same envelope with Trey’s,” she added with a conspiratorial glint in her eye.

“You aren’t going to leave this alone, are you?”

“Not a chance. I have a good feeling about you and Trey.”

“We’ll see,” Devon replied vaguely.

Allison walked her to the door. “Yes, we’ll see you next Saturday—with your date.”

Devon chose not to mention that Trey was coming over to her house Friday. And they’d be alone. Together.
All night.

The thought was both troubling and arousing. As she traveled down their long driveway toward the main road, she considered her options for Friday night. She might have to organize a distraction to take her mind off his tall gorgeousness and heaving testosterone, or she’d invite him inside and lead him straight to her bedroom.

Then again, so what if she did?

Trey was obviously interested in more than a professional relationship. His kisses held the unspoken promise of steamy pleasure. She couldn’t stop thinking about him, and her body came alive in his presence, ached for his touch.

Should I…or shouldn’t I?

It wasn’t as if they’d have time to take a relationship deeper than quenching their desires. Normally, if she both liked a man and was attracted to him, she ran in the opposite direction. She’d learned to keep men at a distance emotionally. No strings meant no disappointment when the guy learned she couldn’t have kids, the ultimate relationship deal breaker.

But in this situation, she was pretty sure she’d nail her upcoming interview, and ActionNet would offer her the position in Phoenix. What could it hurt to enjoy a sexy fling until then?

The thought of his big muscled body tangled with hers made her inhale a sharp breath.
Yes.

Anticipation tugged at her core.

She knew what—and who—she’d be doing Friday night.

Chapter 3

When Trey rang Devon’s doorbell Friday after work, he had his hands full. A dozen roses, a hand-selected bottle of pinot noir, and Chinese takeout.

A flurry of commotion came from within. The sound of four paws scampering across hardwood floors and the incessant barking of a pint-sized dog surprised him. Devon never mentioned she had a dog.
Then he frowned. Unless her dog had the teeth and bite strength of a great white shark, it wasn’t going to defend against burglars or evil genius hackers, but Trey gave him high marks for enthusiasm.

Hopefully, Logan had hooked Devon up with a stellar security device when she’d worked at Stone Security.
While she lived in a nice neighborhood with newer townhouses, a single woman couldn’t be too careful, and he’d make it a point to investigate the extent of her alarm system.

Her miniature guard dog approached the screen door, baring its equally miniature teeth.

“Peanut, knock it off.” Devon opened the screen door with one hand, while holding her dog back with the other. “Come on in, Trey. Don’t mind Peanut. He likes to assert his authority for a few minutes, but eventually he’ll calm down.”

Trey entered, and the scent of vanilla and peaches greeted him. He stared down at the barking white furball. When the dog reared onto its hind legs to get a better sniff, it barely reached Trey’s
knees. “Hey there, killer.”

“Yeah,” Devon snorted. “In his dreams.”

“At least he has high aspirations. About knee-high.”

“Hey, don’t knock his manhood with short jokes. He gets testy.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Trey
stared at the little dog with bemusement. As a bounty hunter, he’d encountered plenty of pit bulls and junkyard dogs out for blood. A stab of phantom pain shot through his forearm, where a scar remained from a wicked dog bite. He was used to ferocious, but he had no idea what to do with this small bouncy thing. Except try not to step on it. “My ankles won’t know what bit them.”

“Clever,” Devon remarked on his pun. His breath caught in his chest when she smiled at him and her eyes sparkled like a deep lake in the moonlight. Then her smile molded
into an “o” of surprise when she took in the extent of his gifts. “What’s all this?”

“A few things I picked up along the way.” He raked a long, slow gaze over her.

Devon looked ready for a night on the town. She’d straightened her shiny dark hair, the ends brushing her bare shoulders. Her black slinky tank top clung to her slender curves, highlighting her small pert breasts—and the fact that she wasn’t wearing a bra. Her jeans hugged her ass perfectly, and he followed the long lines of her legs to her high heels showing a hint of her red polished toes.

He swallowed, his mouth going dry.
My God, she’s gorgeous.
There was no way he could keep his hands to himself tonight. If she was going for that effect, she’d succeeded.

“You look insanely hot.” He paused, realizing how crass that sounded. “Sorry. I seem to lose my mental filter around you.”

“Do you hear me complaining?” Her teasing smile sent his blood rushing south, and he had to shift to ease the sudden tightness in his pants. When she touched the soft tips of one rose, her expression melted into pleasure. Trey experienced a sense of victory. Then she shifted her focus to the wine, and a sultry look stole into her eyes. “You had me at the roses. But Martinelli Pinot Noir? Now you’ve earned bragging rights.”

Trey
needed to distract himself, or he’d blow his chance of seducing her by slinging her over his shoulder and hauling her to the nearest bed. Or couch. Or horizontal surface. “Do you have a vase and a wine opener?”

She nodded. “Why don’t you wait in the living room? I’ll put the flowers in water and pour two glasses of wine for us.”

She disappeared into her bright, white-on-white kitchen. On his way to her living room, he wandered through her first floor. Her home appeared
well-kept and stylish, with cream walls, pastel contemporary art, and warm hardwood floors. A stark contrast to his 1970s, outdated ranch-style house. He hadn’t bought it for the décor, but for the view, and he’d already met with several contractors to redesign the floor plan and build an addition.

On first impression, he found her home spacious and welcoming. He wondered if her heart held similar attributes. From the moment he met her, he’d been attracted to her sexy legs and beautiful smile. When he’d come to know her, that attraction had morphed into something beyond lust. Something that screamed permanence. Something that scared the hell out of him, but for whatever reason, he refused to walk away from. He wanted Devon. Not just in bed, but in his life.

He passed her front room office, almost as decked out as her workspace at his company, then entered the dining room. An assortment of antique-looking spoons hung on racks on the wall. He wondered about their history, if she’d inherited them or collected them. He also noticed a display of sepia-toned prints showing women dressed in outfits from the ’20s or ’30s. A smile touched his lips.

Maybe for Halloween he’d buy her a real vintage flapper dress, hand-sewn beads and all. He enjoyed being generous and missed purchasing gifts for the woman on his mind. Now he had Devon. Once he’d bought the dress for her, he’d find himself a pinstripe Zoot
suit, slick his hair back, and wear a classic fedora. Considering his past, the gangster persona would feel right at home.

Memories of his old life surfaced.

The daredevil danger. Car chases. Dodging sprays of bullets. Renegade justice.
An eye for an eye. All that crap. Mercenary glory hadn’t worked out so well for his dad—gunned down and murdered in cold blood, a case the police had never solved.

No life for a man who wanted a secure future. Especially one that included the smart, sophisticated woman a few rooms away. The type of woman Trey had hoped, believed, one day he’d meet. Now that he had, he intended to protect the future he envisioned. Separate and safe from the garbage heap he’d left behind.

With the exception of a lone, obsessed hacker, Trey was so close to everything he wanted, he could taste it. And he planned to taste Devon’s lips again by the end of the night.

An ear-piercing yip startled him.

“Jesus!” Trey leaped back, praying he hadn’t flattened her dog. He bent to investigate, and, to his relief, Peanut appeared intact. “Dude. You can’t sneak up on me like that.”

Peanut’s tongue lolled out the side of his mouth and he rapidly pawed at Trey’s calves.

Trey sighed. He lifted the ten-pound fluffball and held the dog against his palm and forearm.
“I’m doing this so I don’t squish you.”

Peanut seemed fine with that arrangement. He blinked behind bangs of white fur, then settled his tiny jaw against the tips of Trey’s fingers. His pink tongue stuck out slightly as though making fun of Trey. He heaved a big sigh for a little dog and closed his eyes. Instant snooze.

Trey took a seat on her white leather sofa, resting his occupied arm in his lap. A minute later, Devon stood beside him and handed him a glass of red wine.

Her eyes glittered with amusement. “You and Peanut look cozy.”

He glanced at his lap, then back at her, and arched an eyebrow. “Jealous?”

“Not as long as I get to sit in your lap later.” She winked.

Hell, yes.
Trey considered pitching the dog, grabbing Devon’s waist and pulling her down onto him. But he’d probably offend her and spill wine all over her nice white couch.
Later,
he promised himself, talking down his erection. “For you,” he said, “there’s an open invitation.”

“Good to know.” A wicked little smile tugged her lips as she reached for her dog. “Let me take Peanut off your hands.”

Peanut gave a disgruntled snort, followed by a pitiful whine. “Ooh, I know, poor baby. Your life is so hard.” She sat beside Trey, and her dog pawed in a circle then collapsed on her thighs. “He likes to snuggle, and we haven’t had guests in a while, so you’re a novelty.”

His glance wandered over her, pausing at her breasts before he met her eyes. “That’s surprising. I figured men would be lined up outside your door.”

She rolled her eyes. “Yeah, it must be a slow week.”

He moved closer to her on the couch. “I don’t mind competition, as long as they know I have first dibs.”

“First and only.”

He clung to a few threads of etiquette, forcing himself not to jump her bones right here. “Lucky me.”

“So I was thinking,” she said, changing the subject. “This hacker isn’t likely to respond to the Hacker Forum posts I planted until later. My favorite band, Voyager, is playing tonight. We should go, get out for a while.”

“You’re sure he won’t be trolling for you now?”

She shook her head. “These online hotspots don’t gain traction until late. Imagine a bunch of nerds gearing up for the weekend, hopped up on Redbull and settling in for an all-nighter. Besides, we won’t be gone that long. It’ll be fun.”

The invitation sounded like a date, like she was asking him out. “You want to leave now?” he replied without a second thought. He’d wanted to ask her out for months.

“We can finish our wine.” She gestured at his full glass. “Oh, and I put the take-out in the fridge for later, if that’s okay.”

The only thing he was hungry for was sitting next to him. “Fine by me.”

“Thanks for bringing dinner.”

“Figured we were in for a long night, though I like the idea of going out someplace. But only if you agree upfront that I’m paying.”

She nodded, glancing at him with a hint of shyness he’d never seen before. “You’re quite the gentleman, aren’t you?”

“That’s the way I was raised.” He thought fondly of his dad and the cracks to the back of his head when Trey missed the opportunity to put a lady first. “My father would roll over in his grave if I ever forgot to open a door for a woman.”

Intrigue glowed in her eyes. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure. Anything.”

“What made you leave your bounty hunter business in Las Vegas to come here and buy Logan’s bodyguard company?”

Caught off guard, he ran a hand through his hair. She was the first person to ask that since he’d arrived in Denver. “To be honest—necessity.”

She tilted her head. “How so?”

He liked that she wanted to know more about him, that maybe it meant her attraction to him went beyond the physical.

Thinking about how to phrase it, he slid his palm down his thigh, smoothing the center crease of his suit pants. “Things were getting dark.” He stopped and realized how lame that sounded. He tried again. “You have to understand, we grew up in the environment. Adam and Liam’s dad was my father’s brother. At twenty and twenty-two, they went from blue-collar mechanics to owning their own business. They had young wives and small mouths to feed, and they wanted a better life for us than what they had growing up.”

“I respect that a lot,” Devon said, running her finger along the rim of her wineglass. “My single mom worked in a sewing factory, then came home and started her second job as a seamstress on the side for extra money. It isn’t easy to raise a child on minimum wage, and somehow my mom managed to save enough for me to go to college for two years and supplement my ROTC financial aid.” With the hint of a smile, she held up her hand. “Before you ask, I can’t sew to save my life.”

He shrugged. “Neither can I.”

She threw her head back and laughed. “Well, I won’t hold it against you. Okay, go on. You grew up in that world…”

“Starting their own business was a huge leap for them. We all walked around with that badge of honor.”

“I take it you inherited the family business.”

He nodded. “Dad gave me my first job the day I got my driver’s license. I became a repo man.”

Devon swallowed the sip of wine she’d taken. “Wait. You repossessed somebody’s car at sixteen?”

“That’s not the best part.” He grinned at the memory. “Keep in mind my dad dropped me off at the site then waited for me down the street. So I sneaked onto the property of the guy who’d defaulted on his payments. He had one of those wide-open yards in the desert littered with half-stripped cars on cinderblocks, engines and mufflers and spare parts scattered everywhere. I spent an hour moving scrap out of the way so I could make a clean break with his car.”

Her eyes gleamed. “You were out there in the desert at night? Did you even have a flashlight?”

“Hell, no. I wasn’t about to give myself away. People go crazy when you try to take something they think belongs to them. Anyway, I finally tiptoed up to the car, picked the lock—you could do that back then—and managed to hotwire the engine. When the beater roared to life, this guy bursts out his front door wearing boots and a robe and ran toward me. I slammed the car in reverse and punched the gas. Then he opened fire.”

Her hand flew to her mouth. “He shot at you?”

“Pumped about six shells into the trunk before I peeled out onto the highway. My dad could barely keep up with me on the drive home.”