asked.
With a fierce growl, Gabriel strode into the other room. Joey wore jeans and nothing else, but Jayla was fully dressed. She hadn’t unpacked her suitcase, which was a pretty good indication she had no intention of staying very long. Maybe Gabriel was wrong about things. Then again, they were moving pretty fast. And to her, it was just sex. She wouldn’t know his and Joey’s fantasy of having a soft, giving woman in their lives.
Joey was right—she wouldn’t know anything unless they told her.
“What’s going on?” he demanded.
She turned those big blue eyes on him. “I’m going out today and investigate.”
Gabriel was shaking his head before her words were all out. “Not alone.”
“Yes, alone. Look, I investigate fraud for a living. I know where to dig for dirt that people try to hide. I keep the insurance companies I work for from writing fat checks for things they shouldn’t. I can find Blaine and hand him over to the police.”
He didn’t like the way she said that—did she intend to apprehend him all by herself? “Like hell.”
She settled her hands on her hips, and he final saw it. The feisty attitude she’d been hiding from them. Or maybe she’d only been waiting for the best moment to reveal it. Either way, the glimmer in her eyes and the tilt of her jaw did bad things to his control.
He took a step toward her.
She tensed. “Look, I know what I’m doing. You can’t protect me forever.”
“Two days is hardly forever, sweetheart.”
“You can’t call me that.” She stomped her bare foot onto the hardwood floor.
The corner of his mouth tugged upward, or threatened to. He brought it down into place so she didn’t turn more of her anger on him. Then again, it could be fun.
“You don’t want me to call you sweetheart, fine. But Jayla,” he drawled her name as he took another step closer, “I know how you taste. And how your eyes widen when you’re about to come.”
She wrapped her arms around herself. “Oh God.”
“We’ve asked you to stay here for your own good, sweets,” Joey added, inching toward her as if she were a spooked animal.
“A woman is just as strong and capable as you are.”
Damn, she was cute when angry. His wayward lips quirked up again, but this time he didn’t bother to hide it. “We’re not saying you’re incapable.”
“Then what are you saying?” Her gaze latched onto his smile, and her brows jerked together like exclamation points.
Joey settled on the bed and she swayed in his direction. Taking Joey’s cue, Gabriel sat next to him. Jayla came near, and triumph burned in his chest. They’d managed to tame the kitten.
“I don’t do games, guys.” She cocked her head to the side and glared them down.
Almost tamed.
“No games here. We want you safe. That’s all. So if you want to go out and do this investigation, one of us will be with you at all times.”
“Oh no. No, no, no. How do I explain bodyguards when I’m going into Blaine’s workplace? Or show up on his mother’s doorstep with you in tow?”
“We’ll keep our distance.”
“Absolutely not. Look, I’m grateful for the place to stay. I can’t deny I felt pretty creeped out when I was in my apartment yesterday. Blaine had a key, and he returned it to me, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t make a duplicate.”
Gabriel clenched his fist. “Why didn’t you tell us this?”
“It seemed unimportant. Besides, I’m here, not there.”
Yeah, and the monster had no idea where they lived. Gabriel had been very cautious about approaching and entering her building, making sure nobody was watching or in the vicinity. He didn’t want a man like Blaine having more power
If Gabriel ever got his hands on the guy…
The heavy beat of his heart as he looked into Jayla’s eyes spoke louder than a fire whistle. This attraction, desire to protect, and need to bring her into their world wasn’t going away anytime soon.
He had no choice but to make her understand his
With a fierce growl, Gabriel strode into the other room. Joey wore jeans and nothing else, but Jayla was fully dressed. She hadn’t unpacked her suitcase, which was a pretty good indication she had no intention of staying very long. Maybe Gabriel was wrong about things. Then again, they were moving pretty fast. And to her, it was just sex. She wouldn’t know his and Joey’s fantasy of having a soft, giving woman in their lives.
Joey was right—she wouldn’t know anything unless they told her.
“What’s going on?” he demanded.
She turned those big blue eyes on him. “I’m going out today and investigate.”
Gabriel was shaking his head before her words were all out. “Not alone.”
“Yes, alone. Look, I investigate fraud for a living. I know where to dig for dirt that people try to hide. I keep the insurance companies I work for from writing fat checks for things they shouldn’t. I can find Blaine and hand him over to the police.”
He didn’t like the way she said that—did she intend to apprehend him all by herself? “Like hell.”
She settled her hands on her hips, and he final saw it. The feisty attitude she’d been hiding from them. Or maybe she’d only been waiting for the best moment to reveal it. Either way, the glimmer in her eyes and the tilt of her jaw did bad things to his control.
He took a step toward her.
She tensed. “Look, I know what I’m doing. You can’t protect me forever.”
“Two days is hardly forever, sweetheart.”
“You can’t call me that.” She stomped her bare foot onto the hardwood floor.
The corner of his mouth tugged upward, or threatened to. He brought it down into place so she didn’t turn more of her anger on him. Then again, it could be fun.
“You don’t want me to call you sweetheart, fine. But Jayla,” he drawled her name as he took another step closer, “I know how you taste. And how your eyes widen when you’re about to come.”
She wrapped her arms around herself. “Oh God.”
“We’ve asked you to stay here for your own good, sweets,” Joey added, inching toward her as if she were a spooked animal.
“A woman is just as strong and capable as you are.”
Damn, she was cute when angry. His wayward lips quirked up again, but this time he didn’t bother to hide it. “We’re not saying you’re incapable.”
“Then what are you saying?” Her gaze latched onto his smile, and her brows jerked together like exclamation points.
Joey settled on the bed and she swayed in his direction. Taking Joey’s cue, Gabriel sat next to him. Jayla came near, and triumph burned in his chest. They’d managed to tame the kitten.
“I don’t do games, guys.” She cocked her head to the side and glared them down.
Almost tamed.
“No games here. We want you safe. That’s all. So if you want to go out and do this investigation, one of us will be with you at all times.”
“Oh no. No, no, no. How do I explain bodyguards when I’m going into Blaine’s workplace? Or show up on his mother’s doorstep with you in tow?”
“We’ll keep our distance.”
“Absolutely not. Look, I’m grateful for the place to stay. I can’t deny I felt pretty creeped out when I was in my apartment yesterday. Blaine had a key, and he returned it to me, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t make a duplicate.”
Gabriel clenched his fist. “Why didn’t you tell us this?”
“It seemed unimportant. Besides, I’m here, not there.”
Yeah, and the monster had no idea where they lived. Gabriel had been very cautious about approaching and entering her building, making sure nobody was watching or in the vicinity. He didn’t want a man like Blaine having more power
If Gabriel ever got his hands on the guy…
The heavy beat of his heart as he looked into Jayla’s eyes spoke louder than a fire whistle. This attraction, desire to protect, and need to bring her into their world wasn’t going away anytime soon.
He had no choice but to make her understand his
Similar Books
