His Holiday Bride
Elaine Overton

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To the light of my life,

My son

Contents

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Acknowledgments

First, to the creator of all, my Father, my Savior, my Comforter…thank you.

Second, to my editor, Demetria Lucas. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to work on this project, and be a part of this terrific series.

Finally, to the wonderful authors who worked with me on this project, Brenda Jackson, Jacquelin Thomas and Gwynne Forster. Thank you, ladies, for your help in understanding how the pieces fit together, and for your willingness to share what you know.

Chapter 1

“I’m not really sure what you expect me to do, Luther. I mean…how old is this girl?” Paul Gutierrez spoke into the wireless headset even while continuing to type away on the laptop braced against the steering wheel, and monitoring the activity of those leaving the back entrance of the posh L.A. nightclub across the street.

“Twenty-one.” His friend, and former Navy SEAL commander, Luther Biggens, practically groaned on the other end of the phone line, already sensing defeat.

“Twenty-one? She’s a legal adult. If she wants to be with this basketball player there is nothing you can do about it.”

“Try explaining that to her sisters.”

“Listen, man, I really wish I could help you—” Paul suddenly snapped to attention when the person he’d been looking for peeked his head around the door.

Paul sat completely still while he watched a member of his personal protection team, Barnett Roberts, look up and down the alleyway before stepping out.

Like most of the members of his personal security force Barney was a large, muscular man. His smoothly shaven head and creamy chocolate skin made his age indeterminable at a glance. He was a former Army Special Forces soldier, and had been with G-Force Security for almost two years, which was why Paul had resisted believing the signs that led him to the most obvious conclusion.

Luther continued to plead his case. “All I’m asking is that you check out the situation. This guy is no good. If anything happens to this girl…”

“I understand.” Paul watched the scene unfolding across the street with narrowed eyes. Barney was now signaling to someone at the other end of the alley. “Tell you what, I’ll find her and make sure she’s okay. Beyond that, there’s not a lot I can do if she doesn’t want to leave.”

“Thanks, man. I really appreciate this.”

“No thanks necessary. We’re brothers.” Paul spoke of the emotional bond between men-in-arms, not the genetic one, but he knew Luther would understand. There was a time he would’ve thought Barney understood, but not anymore.

As a van began to slowly pull toward Barney, Paul sat up in the bucket seat of the nondescript vehicle he often used for surveillance and gently placed his laptop on the passenger seat. “Luther, I gotta go.” He never took his eyes off his employee.

“All right. Just give me a call as soon as you find her.”

“I will.” Paul pressed the end button on his cell phone, unlocked the car door and slowly began to get out. The van came to a stop several feet from the back door of the club, and a small-framed, young white male stepped out. He exchanged a few words to Barney before reaching into the side of the van.

For all the high-tech, million-dollar equipment he used in his line of work as a security consultant, Paul felt few things served him better than the fleet of Motor City subcompact cars his company routinely used. So common and ordinary, no one ever noticed people getting in and out of them. It was this blandness that allowed him to cross the alley in plain sight of both men without drawing their attention.

It wasn’t until he’d almost reached them that they spotted him. He watched Barney’s eyes widen in surprise as the other man turned from the van holding a small video camera.

“B-boss, what are you doing here?” Barney managed to stutter out. The sweat was already beginning to form on his forehead.

“I could ask you the same thing.” Paul’s deep baritone voice was intimidating under usual circumstances, but with the hint of menace lacing each word there was no mistaking the hidden threat. “Aren’t you supposed to be inside watching Lacy Hill?”

The man with the camera looked from his informant to Paul and correctly surmised the situation.

He extended his hand with a bright smile. “You must be Paul Gutierrez, the mastermind behind G-Force Security Systems. Tom Stringer, National Examiner. What an honor to meet you, sir.”

Paul had also taken inventory and fully understood the situation. He’d come here tonight based on a suspicion that had just been proven true. He glanced at the extended hand before turning his complete attention back to his employee. “What are you doing out here in the alley with a reporter when you’re supposed to be inside looking after our client?”

“Um, I can explain everything.” Barney’s eyes darted in every direction like a cornered animal.

Just then the back door to the club opened, and rising pop star Lacy Hill spilled through the door surrounded by an entourage of colorful bodies. The top of the petite singer’s curly brunette head was barely visible amongst the barrage of people whom she insisted be allowed to follow her everywhere. As a precaution, Paul had had each of the flunkies thoroughly investigated and was satisfied that beyond suffocating her no one in the group posed a serious threat. A black-clad bodyguard closed in the small gaggle of people on three sides. Barney made up the fourth man of the detail.

The three large men were each looking around their positions for overzealous fanatics and ruthless paparazzi. None commented on the fourth member of their team and their boss standing off to the side.

Paul, who believed in complete honesty amongst his team members, had already explained the situation with Barney, and what he planned to do about it.

The crowd moved along like a giant, nosy beast pushing at a snail’s pace with each vying for Lacy’s attention.

Apparently Tom Stringer wasn’t about to let this opportunity get away. He lifted his camera for some exclusive closeups of Lacy Hill. His eyes glistened greedily as he no doubt heard the chiming of a cash register.

Suddenly, Paul collared him and held him in a vise grip. “Not so fast,” he growled, holding the reporter slightly off the ground.

Two limousines stopped in front of Lacy and her group. The drivers hurried around and opened the doors. The dozen or so people tried to push their way into the car with Lacy, but the ones who couldn’t get in rushed back to the second car so as not to be left behind.

Paul couldn’t help thinking the whole thing looked like some strange version of musical chairs. Within seconds, the limousines pulled away, back out onto the street, without Lacy or her friends ever knowing how close they came to being ambushed.

Once the limousines were out of sight Paul released his hostage. Tom gave him a quick, assessing glance and no doubt concluded that his life was not worth the videotape. So when Paul held out his hand for it, Tom quickly reached into his camera and pulled the cassette out.

“No hard feelings, right?” Tom swallowed and handed over the tape. Like everyone else in L.A., he’d heard the stories surrounding the owner of G-Force, the premier security company in town. But now looking into feral, dark brown eyes, he knew with certainty this was not a man he wanted to have as an enemy. “I mean, you can’t blame a guy for trying.” He began backing toward his van. “After all, I’m just doing my job.”

“Get out of here,” Paul snarled between his teeth.

Tom did not need a second warning. He hopped in the van, which was still running, and sped out of the alley, never looking back.

Once the van was out of sight, Paul turned back to his once trusted employee. His mouth twisted in disgust. “If you needed more money all you had to do was ask me for a raise.” He huffed. “Up until recently you were one of my top men. So…why?”

Barney slanted his boss a dark glance. “Am I fired?”

Paul just stared at him, amazed that the question was even asked. “What do you think?”

He started to turn away, then paused, feeling the need to express his deep disappointment and regret. “This business is all about trust, Barney. Our clients depend on us to protect them from people like Tom Stringer. You not only sold Lacy out, you sold me out.” Paul shook his head in disgust and started back toward his car.

“Sold you out!” Barney’s angry snarl stopped him in his tracks. “You sell us out every time you take on one of these celebrity brats. You don’t know what it’s like out here, man! You sit in your office punching that damn computer and you think you have a beat on things?” He gave a harsh laugh. “You have no idea what it’s like following someone like Lacy Hill around. She thinks we’re her slaves. Always trying to order us around. She treats us like crap.” He shook his head with such determination Paul was beginning to realize this wasn’t just about money. “There’s not enough money in the world to compensate for the way she treats us. Just a spoiled little tramp with no real talent. She uses us, so yeah, I used her back!”

Paul tilted his head and looked at the man he’d once called friend with a somewhat bemused expression. He quickly closed the distance between them. “You don’t get it, do you? You didn’t use Lacy Hill, Barney. You used me.” With that, Paul walked away, only hoping Barney realized he’d made the mistake of a lifetime.

Amber Lockhart watched the buttons light up on the elevator of the elegant Mondrian Hotel as it climbed to the penthouse. Her heart was pounding against her chest as she envisioned the evening ahead of her. A night spent in the arms of Detroit Chargers basketball player Dashuan Kennedy.

She was feeling so good she wanted to drop the shopping bags she carried in both hands and hug herself. Finally, she’d found Mr. Right. She glanced down at the small pink lingerie bag and smiled as she thought of the little piece of nothing she could not resist purchasing. On the charter flight from Detroit to L.A., Dashuan had revealed that green was his favorite color. If it wasn’t it soon will be, Amber thought with a little smirk. She sighed in satisfaction, imagining the look of lust she would see on his handsome face when she came out of the bathroom wearing the slinky lingerie.

Everything was working out so wonderfully it almost seemed too good to be true. But here she was on her way to Dashuan Kennedy’s penthouse suite to spend the evening with him. The first night of the rest of their lives together.

Up until now their relationship had been pretty chaste much to her dismay, just a few stolen kisses here and there. But Dashuan had explained that he hadn’t felt comfortable being with her in Detroit under the nose of her close family friend, D’marcus Armstrong, who also happened to be one of the Chargers owners.

But when Dashuan called her on her cell phone late last night inviting her to fly out to L.A. with him, there was something in his voice that said he was ready to take their relationship to the next level.

She’d answered yes without hesitation and packed her bags in even less time. A half hour later Dashuan’s car and driver arrived to pick her up and she was off on the adventure of a lifetime.

The elevator finally reached the penthouse level and she stepped off thinking about all the funny stories they would have to tell their children about how they came to be together against the greatest odds.

As she approached the door of the suite, she dug around in the bottom of her purse for the entry key and mentally ran through the final preparations of their special night. First she would call room service to order a romantic, candlelit dinner. Then she would slip into her new negligee and tease him by wearing it while they were eating dinner. After that, she planned to run a nice, warm bubble bath for two in the large outdoor hot tub on the penthouse balcony. Of course, by then, he should be close to crazy with lust. She smiled to herself. From there she would let Dashuan take the lead, although she was pretty sure his destination would be the bedroom.

As she entered the penthouse suite, the foyer was empty but she heard music and noise coming from the adjacent living room. She sighed in frustration, remembering the gang of hangers-on she’d been surprised to see when she’d arrived at the airfield last night. There had been a slight tinge of disappointment when she realized she and Dashuan would not be traveling alone, but she understood that was the cost of fame. The retinue included everyone from his agent, Skip Nelson, to his personal trainer, Kelvin Landy.

Dashuan had sent her on an all-expenses-paid shopping spree earlier that afternoon while he discussed a couple of endorsement deals with his agent. He’d told her that by the time she returned, all the business stuff would be out of the way and they could concentrate on cementing their relationship.

He’d promised to get rid of his friends so they could be alone, but given the noise coming from the other room, his soft heart had surrendered.

Well, Amber thought, tucking her bags in the front closet, if Dashuan did not know how to get rid of the party crashers, she did. It would be good practice for when they were married. Dashuan was much too sweet and kind to tell his friends when they were not welcome. Apparently that would be her job.

She checked her appearance in the mirror once more. She was pleased with what she saw. Her long, golden mane was just windswept enough to give her a natural sensuality, and combined with her large, golden eyes and full, pouty lips there was no denying her allure.

Her smile faded a little as she considered her belief that her beauty was her greatest asset. She had no special skills to speak of. She couldn’t sing like her sister Pearl, nor was she supersmart like her sisters Opal and Ruby. But she was beautiful. She knew this with certainty because she had been told so all of her life.

She’d always felt awkward and out of place in her family of exceptional and dynamic women—until in her early teens, as a girl on the verge of womanhood, she smiled at a man and watched as his whole body reacted. There was a sense of power and euphoria that raced through her, and from that moment she was addicted. She knew being beautiful was her special skill. She didn’t kid herself into believing Dashuan would’ve ever noticed her had it not been for her pretty face and shapely form.

Amber reached up and touched her flawless, bronze skin, looking at her reflection in the mirror. The only problem with her particular skill was that it was hers for a limited time only. As time passed she would grow old and her beauty would fade away.

And so will I…

Shaking off the melancholy mood that sometimes struck out of the blue, she pasted on a smile and prepared to get rid of Dashuan’s unwanted guests. From the sound of drunken revelry that became clearer and clearer, she knew it would not be an easy task.

But like it or not, they had to go. She had a basketball player to seduce.

As she rounded the corner leading into the living room, she heard something that sent a chill up her spine. It sounded like a woman moaning in sexual pleasure. Amber slowed her steps upon hearing the noise, which was followed by a deep, satisfied, masculine groan. She paused, feeling the hair on the back of her neck stand up. Every instinct in her was telling her to turn around and flee.

Instead, Amber forced one foot in front of the other and continued until she was standing in plain view of the large living room. Then she felt the blood drain from her pretty face.

Chapter 2

With Paul’s connections, finding Amber Lockhart had been a matter of a couple of phone calls. Of course, the fact that she was staying in the penthouse of a five-star hotel with a famous athlete who was recognizable on sight didn’t hurt matters.

Paul entered the lobby of the Mondrian Hotel and headed in the direction of the check-in counter. Although he had no desire to disappoint Luther, Paul was pretty sure he already knew how this was going to play out. After all, the girl was twenty-one and, from what Luther told him, something of a wild child. He doubted seriously if she would willingly leave Dashuan Kennedy’s penthouse.

Paul’s plan was simple. He would find the guest phone, call the penthouse and ask Amber to come down and meet him. If she agreed, he would express the concerns of her family and friends. She would probably tell him to mind his own business and return to the penthouse suite.

Then Paul could tell Luther she was okay but refused to leave, and that would be that. Paul sighed in exasperation, thinking that between Lacy Hill and Amber Lockhart he’d had his fill of spoiled brats for one night.

After the desk clerk pointed him in the direction of the guest phones across from the elevators, he glanced at his watch, surprised to realize it was after midnight, not that that meant much in a town like L.A. He decided he would catch a late dinner once he finished up here and head home. He picked up the guest phone and dialed the extension the clerk had given him for the penthouse. He leaned against the counter and listened to the ringing.

The elevator doors parted in front of him and there stood an angel. Paul tilted his head to the side as if considering what his eyes were seeing. She wiped at her nose with the balled-up tissue in her hand, and blew loudly into it. The uncouth gesture was enough to make her real.

Paul watched as she stepped forward out of the elevator with slumped shoulders and fresh tears in her eyes, and he wanted nothing more than to drop the phone and take her into his arms. She looked around the large lobby as if surprised to find herself there.

Her golden eyes settled on him and ran the length of his long body in quick assessment, before returning to his face and moving away. She sniffed again, and Paul frowned, wondering what kind of monster would make an angel cry.

She just stood there holding shopping bags in each hand and looking so lost and forlorn, it touched his heart. The penthouse phone had rung several times. Paul was tempted to hang it up and go offer his assistance to the angel. But he’d promised Luther he would find Amber, and that had to come first.

Seeming to finally get her bearings, she began moving away from the elevators. Just then, the doors on another elevator opened, and out stepped Dashuan Kennedy. Paul only recognized him from sports clips on ESPN and newspaper write-ups. Paul himself wasn’t exactly a Chargers fan.

Dashuan raced across the lobby and headed straight for the angel. Paul twisted his mouth. Of course the angel would be with the pro athlete. He slammed the phone down on the receiver and followed Dashuan Kennedy. By the time he reached them, Dashuan had the woman’s arm in a vise grip and they were arguing loudly enough that people were beginning to stare.

“Just come back upstairs and let’s talk about this!” Dashuan was hissing at her.

The woman’s golden eyes were wide with anger and some other unreadable emotion. “Let me go! There is nothing to talk about. I saw what I saw!”

“What do you think you saw, Amber? What are you going to tell people?” Dashuan was holding both her arms so tightly, he was slowly lifting her off the ground.

“Let her go.” Paul’s deep baritone seemed to ripple on the air.

Still holding Amber tight, Dashuan spun around to confront whoever would dare to get in his business. “Keep walking, man. This doesn’t have anything to do with you.”

Ignoring Dashuan, Paul looked directly into Amber’s startled eyes. “If that’s Amber Lockhart you’re holding, then I’m afraid you’re wrong.”

Her thin sandy brown eyebrows crinkled and she tilted her head. Paul realized that a confused angel was as adorable as a sad one.

“Do I know you?” she asked. Her soft voice cracked on the tears that continued to form no matter how she wiped them away.

“I’m a friend of Luther Biggens.” Paul paused, realizing this was going to play out a lot differently than he had first assumed. “He sent me to get you. That is…if you are ready to leave.”

She nodded her head frantically.

It was all the authorization Paul needed. His attention swiveled back to Dashuan. “I’m only going to say this once more. Let her go.”

“I don’t give a damn who sent you. This has nothing to do with you.” He turned his attention back to Amber. “We need to talk about this.”

“There is nothing to talk about, Dashuan. It’s over! You’ve made your preference perfectly clear!” Her mouth twisted in disgust. “And to think…I thought you were the one.”

Something like hope came into Dashuan’s light brown eyes. “Baby, don’t you see? Now that you know the truth, I can be the one. We can give each other just what we need. I’ll take care of you, Amber, I swear—”

Dashuan’s oath was cut short when Paul karate-chopped him on the shoulder. He released Amber and turned on Paul.

Paul stood in a battle stance, his muscular legs solidly placed. Even as his hand reached out for Amber, his eyes narrowed on Dashuan’s face.

Amber saw the large hand being lifted toward her and apparently needed no further coaxing. She rushed past Dashuan right into the arms of the stranger.

Paul’s strong arm closed around her waist as he pulled her close to his chest. He watched Dashuan Kennedy transform into some mad animal right before his eyes.

Dashuan reached behind him and pulled out a small handgun from the waistband of his slacks.

Paul huffed, looking at the small cap gun. Someone’s been watching too many movies. Still holding Amber against his side and trying to ignore how good her soft body felt nestled against his own, Paul lifted his jacket to reveal the long-barreled Magnum tucked neatly at his side. There was no mistaking the message. My gun could eat your gun for breakfast.

He glanced around at all the people who’d stopped to watch the confrontation, including several of the hotel staff. He wondered if 911 had been called yet. Probably so.

Paul quickly regretted letting his temper get the better of him and striking Dashuan. Now he realized this thing could get real ugly. He had to try and reason with the man before someone got shot. Given the way Dashuan was shaking, he hadn’t ever used the weapon. Probably just a showpiece, Paul thought.

“Now come on, Kennedy. Think about it. Do you really want to get into a shootout in a hotel lobby? Your face will be on the cover of every gossip rag in L.A. by morning. From what I hear your career is struggling as it is. Is this really the kind of publicity you want?”

Dashuan looked around, as if noticing for the first time that they had drawn a crowd. He quickly tucked the gun back in his pants but it was too late. Everyone had already seen him with it.

“Amber, please!” Dashuan pleaded. “Stay and talk to me. It’s not what you think.”

Seeing the desperation in his eyes, Paul could almost feel sorry for the guy. He looked down at the top of the golden head of the woman in his arms, feeling her soft breasts rise and fall with every heartbeat. Okay, he did feel sorry for the guy.

“I know what I saw, Dashuan. No amount of conversation is going to change that.”

Paul saw the elevator doors open again and a group of burly men step out. They came up behind Dashuan, and Paul took them for the basketball player’s bodyguards.

He looked into the faces of the men, sizing them up and knowing he might have to fight his way out of here. “We’re leaving. If you try to stop us this could get ugly, Kennedy. Just let us go.”

Dashuan was glaring at Amber. “Keep your mouth shut, bitch,” he said under his breath, but he never moved.

Paul felt Amber’s small, fisted hand dig deeper into his shirt. Don’t worry, I won’t let you go. He resisted the urge to kiss the top of her head in reassurance. Taking her hand, he turned and headed toward the door.

Halfway there he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. With lightning fast reflexes, he pushed Amber to the side. Paul swung around and saw Dashuan charging toward him. He was holding the small gun backward with the butt extended high over his head.

Paul heard someone scream “Look out.” He went in low tackling Dashuan right in his midsection. The ball player let out a whiff of air and collapsed on his side. In a second, Paul was back on his feet in a defensive posture as he watched Dashuan’s boys slowly moving in, determined to finish what he’d started.

He reached in his pocket and tossed Amber the car keys. “Get in the blue Focus parked out front.”

“What about you?”

“Don’t worry about me. Just go!” Paul watched the guys closing in on each side. There were six of them and one of him. He would have to take out the ones standing between him and the door first. Then…

The six men stopped moving. Their attention had been drawn to something over his shoulder.

“Is there a problem here, Paul?”

Paul recognized the voice of his friend, LAPD detective Keith Montfield. He glanced back to see Keith and the four uniformed officers who had quietly come up behind him.

“Nothing I can’t handle, Keith.” He relaxed his stance.

Keith chuckled. “I know, but how about you let us lend a hand anyway?”

Paul stepped back, and gestured in front of him. “Help yourself.”

The officers closed in on the six bodyguards, and one stopped to pick Dashuan up off the floor.

Paul patted Keith on the shoulder before he turned to leave. “Can I give you a call tomorrow to explain?”

Keith nodded and looked his friend over. “Sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah. I’ll fill you in tomorrow.”

As Paul headed toward the exit he heard one of the bodyguards ask, “Why does he get to go?”

He heard Keith’s laughter. “Who, that guy? He’s harmless.”

Paul couldn’t help smiling. He turned and winked at Keith, seeing the humor in the detective’s eyes. Everyone in L.A. knew that statement was the furthest thing from the truth.

Paul hurried out to the car he’d double-parked in the luggage loading area. Try as he may he could not stem the growing excitement he felt remembering the beautiful woman who would be there waiting for him.

Feeling ridiculous even as he did it, he checked to make sure his shirt was tucked neatly in his slacks. He ran his hand over his short, curly hair. What the hell am I doing?

He should be thinking about reassuring the girl. He wasn’t sure what had happened between her and Kennedy, but whatever it was apparently upset her a great deal.

He reached the car and stopped short realizing the passenger seat was empty except for the small key ring lying in plain sight. He looked in both directions but did not see her. His mind quickly calculated the possibilities that one of Dashuan’s guys had gotten by him when he wasn’t looking. But no, he was fairly certain there were only six of them and they were all accounted for inside.

A young valet was standing not far from where he was parked. Paul approached him with a description of Amber and asked if he’d seen her.

“Yeah, she went walking that way.” He gestured toward West Sunset Boulevard. “I offered to get her a cab, but she said no thanks.”

Paul quickly tipped the guy for his help before climbing into his car. Taking the keys from the passenger side, he started the engine. Amber was distraught, Paul thought. In her current state of mind who knew what she might do.

He caught up with her within three blocks. “Amber! Amber!” He rolled along slowly, ignoring the horns blaring behind him and the foul language of those that managed to get by him. “Amber, get in the car!”

She glanced at him. The golden eyes that had pleaded for help in the hotel were now glaring with cold intensity. She was an angry angel, Paul thought, unable to stop himself from making the comparison.

“Where are you going?” he called out the passenger-side window.

“Somewhere away from you and my meddling family!”

Paul forced his way out of traffic and pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store several feet in front of her. He hopped out of the car and came around to wait for her to catch up.

Amber just ignored him and continued to walk right past, as if she didn’t even see him.

Paul fell into step beside her. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but when I asked you if you wanted to leave did you not nod your head?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Of course I did. But that doesn’t mean I wanted to leave with you.” She gave him a sidelong glance. “What is your name anyway?”

Paul closed his eyes and shook his head, realizing in the mist of all the confusion he’d never introduced himself. “Paul Gutierrez.” He extended his hand but she ignored it.

“Look, Amber, I know you’ve been through a lot tonight, but if you would just—”

She stopped dead in her tracks and slowly swiveled around to face him. Her golden eyes were dark with some unidentifiable emotion. “You have no idea what I’ve been through this evening. So don’t even stand there and pretend like you understand!”

Paul frowned, seeing the tears begin to form in her eyes again. What did Kennedy do to you? He knew he could not ask the question no matter how it ate at him. As far as she was concerned he was just a meddlesome friend of a friend.

“Fair enough,” he said softly. “So, where are you heading?”

Amber looked at the endless sidewalk ahead of her and realized she really didn’t know. When she’d left the hotel all she wanted to do was get away from Dashuan, the handsome stranger whose name she now knew was Paul, her family and anyone else who knew her. She wanted to go off by herself and cry into a pillow. She felt like a complete fool and that was not something she wanted to share with anyone.

How could he? It was the question she’d been asking herself repeatedly for the past hour. How could Dashuan betray her like that? He was supposed to be the one. Mr. Right. When, in fact, he was Mr. Incredibly Wrong.

She sighed. “I’m just going to check in to another hotel.” She glanced up into his concerned brown eyes. “Don’t worry. I’ll call my family as soon as I check in and let them know I’m okay.”

“What hotel? I’ll give you a ride.”

She frowned, getting a little irritated by the man’s insistence to help where none was wanted. “Really, it’s okay. I’ll be fine.”

“You’re kidding, right? Two o’clock on a Saturday morning and you’re out walking the streets of downtown L.A. You’re lucky if you don’t get picked up for prostitution.”

“You son of a—” Without a thought of the consequences, Amber took a swing at the man and it felt good. She put into it all the anger and frustration she was feeling and still missed by a mile as he ducked neatly out of the way of her arm.

“I’m sorry. That came out wrong.” He grabbed her arms to hold her still. “I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”

She struggled for a few moments more, before realizing it was getting her nowhere.

He whispered her name close to her ear and she felt her whole body melt. “Let me help you.”

“You can help me by taking me to a nearby hotel.”

Paul was sure Luther would not appreciate him dumping the girl at some anonymous hotel and abandoning her to her fate. But if she was determined, there was nothing he could do to stop her. “All right.” Reluctantly he released her. “I’m parked right over here.”

He led her back to the car and watched her pretty little nose twitch as if she suddenly smelled something bad.

She studied the modest car as if seeking some secret message. “What exactly do you do for a living?” she asked. Accepting the open door he offered, she climbed into the passenger seat.

Paul quirked an eyebrow, suddenly remembering that this was a girl who chased a wealthy basketball player all the way from Detroit. Just another gold digger.

“I’m in security,” he answered vaguely, having no desire to replace Dashuan Kennedy’s checkbook with his own. She was beautiful, there was no denying that. And probably as shallow as a saucer, he thought, as he pulled away from the curb.

“So, where do you want me to take you?” he asked, pulling back out into traffic.

“I don’t care, just somewhere nice and…reasonably priced.” She yawned, relaxing back into the seat of the small car.

Paul headed in the direction of the airport, thinking to drop her someplace that had shuttle service to the airport terminals, so she wouldn’t have far to go later that morning. He still didn’t like the idea of leaving her alone in a hotel, but he didn’t want to stay in her line of vision too long, either.

He’d met women like Amber Lockhart many times. Women who used their pretty faces to manipulate men. He glanced at her again and wondered what man would be strong enough to resist an angel. Certainly not himself. No, it was best to leave her at an airport hotel and wish her a safe flight home.

He glanced at the shopping bags and purse she’d tossed in the backseat and wondered where her luggage was. She’d probably left it behind at Kennedy’s penthouse. What had upset her so badly that she would leave without her luggage?

“I know it’s not my business, but what exactly happened between you and Kennedy?”

She snuggled into the car seat and yawned again. “I caught him in bed with someone else,” she said drowsily.

Paul knew the confession was a sign of just how exhausted she really was. The woman he’d met earlier would’ve never revealed that embarrassing information. Paul knew she was too tired to edit out what she was saying, and he ruthlessly took advantage of it.

Of course, finding her boyfriend in bed with another woman would be devastating to a woman like Amber, a woman so sure of her appeal. But something about the whole thing just felt more intense than a casual one-night stand. “Did you know her?” he asked.

“Yes.” She yawned and he could tell she was fading away.

“Was she a close friend of yours?” he asked, sure he was on the right track. Nothing hurt worse than a close friend sleeping with your mate.

“No.” She yawned one final time. “It was his personal trainer, Kelvin Landy.”

Kelvin? Paul’s eyes widened, realizing the implications of the statement. Dashuan Kennedy, the famous basketball player, caught in bed with another man! His mind quickly sifted through everything that happened earlier. It explained the fear Paul had seen in Kennedy’s eyes. Something like this would ruin the guy’s reputation and possibly his career.

Keep your mouth shut, bitch. Dashuan’s last words to Amber kept replaying in his head. He glanced over at his passenger, who was now asleep, She was so helpless, alone in an unfamiliar city, and yet her pride refused to accept his help.

With one final glance at the vulnerable form, he made his decision. He pulled all the way over into the right lane and took the next exit. They were no longer headed toward the airport. Plans had changed. He wondered briefly what she would say when she woke up and realized what he’d done. He was not looking forward to it.

Chapter 3

Why, Amber thought, did the greatest revelations in life come too late to be useful?

She sat curled in a ball in the car with her eyes pressed tightly closed. She wanted to continue to appear asleep even though she’d been awake for several minutes now. Soon, she thought, they should arrive at a hotel and she would be free of Paul Gutierrez, the handsome stranger who’d appeared out of nowhere to rescue her.

She made a mental note to thank him when they parted company. Looking back on the situation she wasn’t sure she would’ve been able to get away from Dashuan so easily without his help. And all she’d given him in return was attitude, which was strange considering men like him usually brought out only the best in her.

A flirtatious smile, the wink of an eye—that was how she would typically greet gorgeous men. Not with tear-filled eyes and a flippant tongue. She could still see the concern shining in the depths of those soft brown eyes. As nice as he was to look at, Amber could only hope never to see him again after tonight.

She would check into an anonymous room tonight and be on a flight to…somewhere tomorrow. Not home. The humiliation of returning to her family under these circumstances would just be too great.

No, she needed some time alone, maybe on a tropical beach somewhere far from Opal’s self-righteous “I told you so.” Far away from Ruby’s temper, and Pearl’s sympathetic eyes. In other words, far, far away from her sisters.

The image of what she’d seen earlier that night was not only seared on her brain, it seemed to be on some kind of auto replay that she could not stop.

The look of horrific surprise on Dashuan’s face when she’d thrown open the bedroom door to find his naked body kneeling over another. The look of shock on the face of his lover. And she could only imagine her own frightful expression as her brain tried to reason out exactly what her eyes were seeing. It wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real. It was like a magic trick, she thought. When the mind knows that what it is seeing cannot be and yet there it is…right in front of you.

She felt her whole body stiffening, remembering the vision that had greeted her as she rounded the corner and come to a halt in the entrance to the living room. It was a scene straight out of a graphic porn movie. Clothes were strewn all over the floor as naked bodies twisted and contorted in every imaginable way. Men and women coupled, and in groups having sex all over the large room. Women with men, women with women, men with men—she simply could not believe it. The air was pungent with the smell of sex and Amber felt herself getting sick.

No one seemed to even notice her standing in the doorway too stupefied to move. Or if they did notice they didn’t seem to care. She forced herself to look into each and every face, recognizing many of them as friends of Dashuan’s, but there was no sign of Dashuan in the midst of the orgy. Amber remembered feeling overwhelming relief when she first discovered he was not among the bodies.

Her eyes fell on Skip, Dashuan’s agent, the man he was supposed to be spending the evening with discussing business. But the only business Skip seemed interested in was what the two young female groupies were doing to his genitals.

His eyes met hers over the tops of their heads and there was something dark and sinister in the way he looked at her that told her she had to get out of there in a hurry, or she could become an unwilling part of this whole disaster.

She had to find Dashuan and let him know what was going on. He would put a stop to this. Of that she was certain. She made her feet move in the direction of the bedrooms lining the back hall of the suite, hoping that Dashuan had fallen asleep in one of them and was unaware of what was going on in the other rooms. She threw open the double doors of the master bedroom and surprisingly it was empty, as were the next two bedrooms. She was almost convinced that Dashuan was nowhere in the suite when she came to the fourth bedroom.

She heard the muffled groan too late, because by the time the noise registered she had already thrown open the door and surprised the two men coupling on the bed. Amber knew she would never forget the look of intense pleasure on Dashuan’s face, or the sight of his strong, muscular arms bracing his body over his trainer. She knew she would never forget because he looked exactly as she’d always imagined he would look. Only in her imaginings, she had been the one beneath him.

She felt the car make a turn, and the shifting movement brought her back to the present. Slowly, the car came to a halt. Amber felt her heart pounding as she remembered the man sitting next to her. They had finally reached the hotel. Now all she had to do was get away from him with what was left of her dignity intact.

“I know you’re awake, so you might as well open your eyes.” A gentle voice broke the silence.

So much for dignity. Amber opened her eyes and found herself staring into a pair of soft brown ones again. The man really was beautiful, she thought. Too bad they had not met under different circumstances. Looking out the driver’s side window beyond him, she realized they were in some sort of neighborhood. She sat up and realized they were sitting in the driveway of a large, newly built home. She continued to look all around. A subdivision? she thought. What happened to the hotel?

“Where are we?” Amber felt the first stirring of unease since Paul Gutierrez had appeared, reminding her that she did not know this man.

“I thought you would be more comfortable here than in a hotel.”

She narrowed her eyes and studied his face, trying to see any signs of deceit or ill intentions. “I asked you a question. Where are we? Whose house is this?”

Paul arched an eyebrow, realizing she did not assume it was his. Of course not. He reminded himself of her reaction to his little compact car. What exactly do you do for a living? He could still see the slightly contemptuous expression on her pretty face. Gold digger.

“A friend of mine. I’m house-sitting.”

She scooted back against the door of the car. “I asked you to take me to a hotel. Why did you bring me here?”

“I just told you. I thought you would be more—”

Suddenly she threw open the door and stood. Paul matched her step for step.

“Amber!” he called to her realizing she was now trembling. “Calm down, I should have told you what I—”

“Do you really know Luther?”

“Of course. How else would I have found you?”

“How do you know him?”

“We were in the Navy together. Look, I know you’ve been through a lot tonight but you’re going to have to trust me.”

“I don’t know anything about you! All I asked was that you take me to a hotel and you brought me here. Where are we, anyway?!”

He sighed. “Moreno Valley, about an hour southeast of L.A.”

“We’ve been driving for over an hour?” Her eyes widened, and she glanced at the small gold watch on her wrist for the first time since she’d climbed into the car. It was almost 3:00 a.m. “Oh, my God!” She grabbed her head with both hands. “What was I thinking? Getting in a car with a total stranger?”

“Amber, calm down. You are perfectly safe here.” Realizing she was about to bolt, Paul held up his hand. “Stop and think for a minute. How else would I have known where to find you? Your name? Think about it.”

She did, but she did not draw the conclusions he wanted. “For all I know you could just be some creep who hangs around hotel lobbies trying to pick up women. As for my name, you heard Dashuan call me.”

His mouth twisted in frustration. “You name is Amber Lockhart. You are twenty-one and you grew up in Detroit. From what Luther told me, your family is worried about you right now. So, why don’t we go into the house and give them a call to let them know you’re safe and sound.”

Her heart slowed considerably as he recited information that could’ve only come from someone who knew her. “Okay, I believe Luther sent you.”

“Thank you!” He threw up his hands in relief, believing the battle had been won.

“But that doesn’t change the fact that you took me an hour outside of town without my permission when all I asked is that you drop me off at a hotel.”

“Stop obsessing about the damn hotel. You’ll be much more comfortable here, all the same amenities and more. This is for your own good.”

“How would you know what’s good for me?” She shook her head in defeat. “You know what—Never mind. I’ll find a hotel on my own.” She quickly opened the rear door of the car and grabbed her bags and her purse. Slamming the door shut, she turned and headed down the driveway back toward the street.

“Where are you going?” Paul asked, wondering if his friendship with Luther was really worth this headache.

“I told you. I’ll find my own hotel,” she called over her shoulder.

“You don’t even know where you are!” he shouted and instantly regretted it when he noticed the front room curtains moving on the house across the street. Apparently they had an audience.

Amber did not even bother responding. She just kept walking. The plan was simple. She would hail a cab. Cab drivers always knew hotels and restaurants in their areas. In the morning she would find some way back to L.A., and from there on to…wherever. I’ll worry about that tomorrow. Right now all she wanted was a bed, and sweet, sweet sleep.

Paul stood and watched her leave and was determined not to follow. He knew she would be safe enough inside the large subdivision, but what if she did manage to find her way out onto the main street? What if the dizzy broad got herself run down or mugged? Of course, Luther would hold him responsible.

He rested his head on top of the small car, wondering what crazed compulsion told him to bring her back to his home. The girl was nothing but trouble. Look at the situation he had to bail her out of tonight.

She wasn’t the only one with troubles, he thought, remembering that only a few hours ago he’d been forced to fire a man he had considered a friend.

He shook his head and decided to let her go for now. Maybe she would be more reasonable after she cooled off. A couple of hours on the hard concrete in those heels she was wearing, and she would regard his compact car like the finest of limousines.

Paul opened the front door of the house as quietly as possible, not wanting to awaken Rosalie, the sixty-seven-year-old Hispanic woman who took care of his eight-month-old son, Joachim, during the day. But that proved pointless as he entered the large kitchen and found her sitting at the table.

Rosalie often volunteered to spend the night when Paul needed to do late-night surveillance, such as tonight. Being that all of her children were adults, there was only Rosalie and her elderly husband, Enrique, at home. Paul knew that taking care of Joachim was more than just a job for Rosalie, and he was grateful for whatever intuition had led him to hire her.

The older woman was usually never without a smile or kind word for anyone. But now a worried expression marred her light brown face. Her worn, wrinkled hands were closed around a mug and Paul knew instinctively this night was about to get even worse.

“Paul!” Hearing him enter the room she sprung to her feet with the agility of a woman half her age and ran to wrap her robust arms around his lean form. “I was so worried about you. I know you said you would be late tonight, but it’s almost morning, and I was so afraid. And Enrique, my Enrique has to have emergency surgery—”

“Shhh, shhh.” Paul stroked her back, trying to calm her. “Now, slowly, tell me.”

“My Enrique has to have emergency heart bypass surgery in the morning.” She began wringing her hands in agitation. “Oh, Paul, I am so worried. What am I going to do?”

Paul guided her back to the table. “First, you are going to slow down before you have to join Enrique in the hospital,” he said, in a poor attempt to lighten the mood.

Rosalie smiled, grateful for the effort. “You’re right. He’s always been such a strong, healthy man. I don’t understand how this could’ve happened to him.”

“What hospital is he in?”

“Riverside County,” she managed to say before the tears began to flow. “Oh, Paul, I am so scared.” Her eyes widened as she remembered the important conversation she needed to have with him. “I have to go be with him, Paul. But I don’t know what to do about Joachim.”

“Don’t worry about Joachim. I’ll just work from home for the next few days. You go be with your husband.”

She leaned across the table and hugged him again, and Paul knew in some way she needed the affection more than he did. She stood and hurried toward the hall. “Thank you so much,” she called over her shoulder.

She paused in the entryway and returned to the table to take one of his large hands between hers. “Please say a prayer for us.” She smiled and touched his lean cheek. “Your prayers will be heard. You are touched by the angels.”

Paul forced a smile and regretted the many mornings he’d sat sharing his war stories with her over a pot of coffee. But during those early days when she’d first come to work for him he had needed someone to talk to, and Rosalie had been a kind and compassionate listener.

She was also a deeply religious, yet superstitious woman. After hearing how many times he’d barely escaped being captured by the Taliban, she’d concluded that he had “special favor.” An opinion he’d yet been unable to change.

He looked into her eyes, trying to determine how to pose his question without offending her. “Rosalie, Enrique’s hospital stay…is it going to pose a hardship for you? Because I can—”

She quickly covered his lips with her finger, and much to his dismay her eyes once again filled with tears. “Such a generous offer, but we are fine. Enrique has insurance and thanks to you, so do I. With our savings, we’ll be just fine.” She glanced at the clock on the wall. “It’s time for Joachim’s feeding. I’ll leave right after that.”

“You don’t have to—”

“No, no, I want to.” She crossed the room to where a bottle sat cooling on the stove. “I’m going to miss him so much. I just want to spend a little time with him before I have to leave.” She hurried out of the room and a few minutes later Paul heard the door to the nursery gently open and close.

Paul rose tiredly and picked up the cordless phone. Running through the numbers on the speed dial he finally found the one he wanted. He dialed and leaned against the counter, waiting for an answer and wondering if he should describe the mission as accomplished or failed.

“Hello?” The drowsy voice of Luther Biggens answered on the other end.

“I got her.” Paul decided to cut straight to the chase. He rubbed the bridge of his nose feeling the pressure of recent events coming down on him.

“Thanks, man. Can I talk to her?”

“Um, let me rephrase that. I don’t exactly have her have her.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“She’s in the neighborhood, but not in the house.”

“What?”

Paul sighed. “It’s a long story. Out here it’s almost three in the morning and neither of us has slept all night. Can I have her call you back when she wakes up?”

Luther paused for a long moment as if attempting to understand his old friend. “All right, I guess. And when you wake up, I’d be interested to hear this long story.”

“You got it.” He yawned, unable to hold back his exhaustion any longer.

A few minutes later he grabbed his keys off the foyer table in preparation to go search for Amber. He needed to find her and talk some sense into her quickly. Now that Rosalie was leaving he couldn’t stay away long.

Just as he opened the door, he saw a dragging, drunken figure weighted down with shopping bags wandering up the driveway. He shook his head, amazed that she was still on her feet. He wanted to rush toward her and help her, but knew the help would be rejected.

She stopped just outside the doorway. “What the hell kind of freakish community is this? There’s no way out!” She glared at him as if it were his fault she’d spent the last thirty minutes wandering in circles.

He bit his lip to keep from laughing and waited. She looked so disgruntled he almost felt sorry for her.

Finally she placed one foot inside the door and paused. “I’ll stay tonight, but first thing in the morning you’re taking me to the airport.” She wagged a finger in his face that told Paul that, despite her ranting about strangers, she was not the slightest bit afraid of him.

He stepped aside to allow her inside. Amber entered looking around at the bare walls and the staircase leading to the second level. The only light was the foyer table lamp, so she couldn’t see much.

“So? Where do I sleep?”

“The second bedroom at the top of the stairs.”

Without another word she turned and, weaving back and forth, finally made her way to the top of the stairs. Paul just shook his head, realizing the only thing keeping her exhausted body upright was pure determination. From where he stood at the bottom, he could just see her shadow as she entered the room and closed the door.

He was sitting at the kitchen table fifteen minutes later when Rosalie came back down. “Okay, his bottom is dry and his belly is full.” She smiled. “He should sleep until around seven now. There are several bottles already prepared on the refrigerator door and the directions for mixing his formula are on the tack board over there.” She made a gesture over her left shoulder.

After watching her drive away, Paul quickly locked the door and set the alarm. Happiness began to grow as he came closer and closer to the master bedroom. He threw open the double doors and without even undressing just stretched out across his large four-poster bed. He sighed heavily, yawned once and quickly faded away.

Ten minutes later, a baby’s angry howl brought him back to his feet once more.

Chapter 4

Amber glanced at the clock on the side of the bed and decided she couldn’t wait any longer. She had to go in search of a bathroom. She cracked the door open and crept out into the hall. Even with just two hours of sleep she was feeling much better and could see things much clearer. She realized the house was even bigger than she’d originally thought. The entire second level was almost circular in design. In the center of the opening there hung a large chandelier.

It was a beautiful house, Amber realized, despite the boring white walls and lack of decorative creativity. Paul had said he was house-sitting for a friend of his and Amber knew immediately the friend was a man. The house had that kind of sterile “place of residence” feel to it that men seemed to favor instead of the hominess that women tended to create in even the smallest of places.

Her body reminded her of why she’d come out of her room and she continued the search for the bathroom. She found it down the hall.

When she came out a few minutes later, she stood completely still, hearing what sounded like voices coming from downstairs. Telling herself that she needed to know as much as possible about this man who’d basically kidnapped her, she decided to investigate.

At the bottom of the stairs she leaned around the corner and saw a light coming from the living room. Stealthily, she moved along the wall until she was almost standing outside the entryway. Her lips twisted in disappointment when she recognized the voices of Roseanne Barr and John Goodman, and realized the voices were coming from the television.

Looking around the corner, she could see someone on the couch. Edging away from the wall, Amber tiptoed across the floor until she was standing just behind the end of it.

Paul’s head was resting against the back of the couch and his mouth was wide open. He was sound asleep.

Perfect. She leaned against the end of the couch and did what she’d wanted to do since the moment the hotel elevator doors opened. She looked at him. Really, really looked at him, soaking up that gorgeous face and slightly muscular body. She decided her initial assessment had been correct; it wasn’t just a trick of the light. He was beautiful.

His perfectly chiseled features defined every inch of his flawless olive skin. At first glance she’d thought he was maybe mulatto, but now she could clearly see he was of Hispanic decent. His soft brown, almond-shaped eyes were now shielded by long, thick lashes. As she visually outlined his full, pink lips, she subconsciously licked her own. Feeling bold, she stood and edged around in front of the couch to see if the muscles she remembered from earlier were real or imagined. She tiptoed closer and closer and stopped suddenly, seeing the small bundle that was cradled tightly against his chest.

All she could see above the blanket was a crop of dark curls, but there was no mistaking he was holding a baby. Her mouth fell open and she stood there in stunned silence for several minutes just…staring.

Not knowing what to think, she quietly returned to her bedroom and crawled back between the cool covers. She lay there for a long while before beginning to feel sleepy again. She had had enough surprises in this one night to last a lifetime.

Amber had always considered herself the more adventurous and daring member of her family, a title which up until now she’d worn proudly. She knew that after this night she would definitely have to reconsider her opinions on the matter.

Amber awoke to the wonderful smell of bacon the next morning. She turned over in the comfortable bed, surprised by how well she’d slept in it. Normally, she did not fare well in strange beds.

She lay staring at the white ceiling overhead, trying to get her bearing on her surroundings. Slowly, she sat up in the bed, holding the covers close to her chest.

Because she had torn out of Dashuan’s penthouse so quickly, she’d left her luggage in one of the guest bedrooms. All she had to sleep in was the negligee she bought during her shopping spree for their special night.

She huffed to herself, deciding that the three hundred dollars she’d spent on it had been a big, fat waste of money.

“Could’ve spent that on the cost of a ticket home,” she muttered, turning to put her feet on the floor.

She stretched and yawned as her feet sunk into the plush carpeting. She heard a low voice talking, and the image of Paul Gutierrez instantly came to mind. Luther’s friend, and now her personal hero.

She remembered what she’d seen last night, and the desire to solve that mystery brought her to her feet. She quickly slipped back into the slacks and blouse of the previous day. She pulled her hair back and finger-brushed it, finishing it up with a loose, french braid that fell midway down her back.

She started to leave the room and paused when she noticed a partially opened door on the other side of the room. Her head tilted in confusion, she crossed the room and pushed the door open.

“I’ll be damned.” She frowned, and then chuckled at her own foolishness. She’d stumbled around the large house looking for a bathroom, when there was one in the bedroom all along.

She shook her head, and started to turn away before catching her own image in the mirror. Although she was undoubtedly thrown together, she was still lovely. If Paul Gutierrez was like any other man, he would find no fault in her haphazard appearance. Well, any man except Dashuan Kennedy, she thought, and felt her confidence fading.

She headed toward the bedroom door and stopped again with a frown when she remembered that all of her personal hygiene items were in her suitcase in Dashuan’s suite. She briefly considered not going downstairs, until the wonderful smell of bacon once again filled the air.

When she reached the large kitchen, the image that greeted her was that of Paul’s broad shoulders as he leaned against the island counter in the middle of the room. He was on the phone, but speaking low. Amber paused in the doorway when she realized the conversation was about her.

“Yeah, Luther, she’s okay, just worn out, but given everything she’s been through that’s understandable.”

Amber’s mouth fell open and her heart accelerated as she imagined her worst fear. He’s telling Luther about Dashuan and Kelvin!

She came into the room, intentionally bumping into a chair at the round dining table, hoping to halt the conversation. As expected Paul turned at the sound, and their eyes locked.

Amber was surprised to see her memory had failed her. She’d remembered him as being good-looking, when he was in fact exquisite.

She smiled, but it felt strained and artificial on her face. She needed to get him off that phone, on the off chance that he had not said anything yet.

“Here’s the lady of the hour now.” Paul never took his eyes off her. “Hang on.” He extended the cordless phone receiver to her. “It’s Luther. Want to talk to him?”

Amber quickly crossed the room and took the cordless phone, covering the receiver with her hand. “Um, did you…tell him about, um…”

Paul shook his head slowly. “Just told him about what happened in the lobby, and that I brought you back here.”

Amber felt relief course through every vein in her body. She wanted to wrap her arms around Paul and thank him, but that would be pathetic.

Instead, she just nodded in acknowledgement, and took a deep breath before speaking into the phone. “Hi, Luther.”

“Amber! What the hell were you thinking running off with someone like Dashuan Kennedy? Your sisters went crazy wondering if you were okay.”

“I’m sorry. I never meant to worry anyone. Tell them I’m okay.”

Luther paused. “Are you okay?”

Amber smiled at the subdued tone. She and Luther usually went head to head, and she knew her easy surrender had caught him off guard.

“Yes.” She smiled at Paul standing nearby. “Thanks to your friend here.”

“Paul’s a good guy. I told your sisters that you were safe and sound with him. But of course, they want to hear from you themselves.”

“I know.” She turned her back to Paul just slightly, feeling tears forming in her eyes and not certain why. “I will, just…I’ll call them later.”

“When are you coming home?”

“I don’t know.”

“Amber…”

Amber felt a tear slide down her face, at the same time she felt a hand press against the small of her back as Paul lifted the receiver out of her hand. The small gesture seemed to be some kind of signal to her body, because as soon as Paul had the phone again, the tears began to run down her face in a steady stream.

“Luther, it’s still really early here, and Amber is just waking up. Let her get some breakfast and we’ll call you back.”

Amber pulled a couple of paper towels off a nearby roll and went to look out the window into the backyard. She quickly wiped her face and blew her nose. She only caught snippets of the conversation after that, but by the time she pulled herself together Paul had hung up the phone and returned to cooking the bacon.

“I hope you like bacon,” Paul said, while flipping the partially cooked meat. “It’s the only breakfast food I know how to cook.”

Amber chuckled. Just then she heard the clanking of something plastic. Turning toward the sound, she noticed the playpen in the corner for the first time. She crossed the room and looked down at the most adorable little face she’d ever seen.

The chubby baby boy lying on his back was dressed comfortably in a light blue onesie. His small head was covered with large, fluffy curls, and he seemed to be completely absorbed in the plastic key rings trapped between his tiny toes. That was, until Amber’s face appeared over his playpen. His perfect round face spread in a wide grin at the sight of the visitor, as if he had been fully expecting her.

Unable to resist, Amber reached down and lifted him up. “Well, hello there, aren’t you the sweetest little thing.”

The baby looked back and forth between Amber and his plastic toy, which fell off his feet when he was lifted. He was obviously torn.

Deciding his toy could wait, he focused his complete attention on Amber, his large brown eyes running over every detail of her face in complete concentration.

“He’s beautiful. Is he yours?” Amber asked Paul, who was scooping bacon out of the skillet.

Paul gave the pair a cursory glance. “Yes. His name is Joachim.”

“Hello, Joachim.” Amber wiggled her fingers, as the baby playfully tugged at them.

Joachim’s eyes widened in surprise, and his pink, heart-shaped mouth fell open in fascination as Amber laughed.

“Oh, he is a darling.” Without really thinking about what she was doing, Amber wandered over to the table and sat down with the baby in her arms. “How old is he?”

Paul tilted his head, considering the question. “He’ll be eight months exactly, in two days.”

Amber bounced the baby on her lap. “Happy birthday, Joachim,” she said cheerfully, and Joachim smiled and gurgled in return.

“I think he likes me,” Amber said proudly. She frowned as she saw the smirk flash across Paul’s face. “What?” she asked suspiciously.

“My son’s no fool,” he said, dishing several perfect strips of bacon on two plates. “If a beautiful woman coddled me and bounced me on her lap, I’d be happy, too.”

Amber made a face, and turned the baby away from the heat of the skillet. “Um, look, Paul, about last night.”

“Yeah, what about it?” Paul placed the skillet in the sink.

“I just wanted to say thanks.”

“No thanks necessary.” He gently took the baby from her arms.

Joachim quickly protested until his father began to lower him into the playpen and he spotted his plastic key ring. Sitting on his diapered bottom, he reached over and grabbed the toy with his chubby hand and immediately put it to his mouth.

“I’ll be out of your house as soon as I can.” Amber glanced around the room as a thought occurred to her. “Nice digs for a security guard,” she said absently.

“Look, Amber.” He grabbed a piece of bacon, and looked directly at her. “What you told me last night is between you and me. Your family will only know what you tell them. They won’t hear anything more from me.”

Embarrassed at how easily he’d read her thoughts, she quickly returned her attention to the plate. “I’ll be out of your way by noon. Can you tell me where the closest airport is?”

“There’s no one here but me and Joachim. You’re perfectly welcome to stay as long as you like.”

She bit her bottom lip, refusing to accept the tempting offer. Staying here with her hero and his sweet baby would mean not having to face her family, or Dashuan. “That’s a generous offer, but I couldn’t—”

“Just think about it. If you still want to leave later, I’ll take you to the airport. Deal?”

She nodded, and glanced around the large kitchen. “You said there’s no one here but you and Joachim?”

“Mmm-hmm.” He took another bite of bacon.

“What about Joachim’s mother?” she asked with the lift of an eyebrow.

Paul’s dark eyes honed in on her face like a predator. He slowly wiped his mouth with a paper towel and stood. “We’re not together.” Paul grumbled as he went to scrape the crumbs into the garbage before putting his plate and the skillet in the dishwasher. Then without any warning, he walked over and picked the baby up from the playpen.

“There’s some guest towels and washcloths in the hall closet, also a new toothbrush and toothpaste in the guest bathroom,” he called over his shoulder, as he headed for the doorway.

Amber frowned down at her plate, wondering if her breath was worse than she thought. “Thank you,” she muttered.

No longer hungry, she pushed her bacon around on the plate, and listened to Paul and Joachim climb the stairs. The room temperature had gone from comfortable to freezing cold in a matter of seconds. What had she said wrong?

About an hour later, after she’d taken a shower, Amber finally mustered the nerve to call her sisters.

She sat down on the side of the bed and picked up the phone. She decided to call Pearl first. They had always been close, and she was pretty sure Pearl was the least likely to judge her.

Pearl answered on the first ring. “Hello?”

“Pearl?”

“Amber! Where are you? We’ve been worried sick about you. Are you all right?”

Suddenly, Amber heard the sound of Opal on the other end. “Amber, is that you?”

Amber covered her face. So much for approaching Pearl first.

“Really, I’m okay.” She heard Ruby in the background, trying to get the phone from one of her sisters.

“What were you thinking?” Opal said with frustration. “Running off with someone like Dashuan Kennedy?”

“I know. It was a stupid thing to do.”

“Are you coming home today?” Pearl asked, before the phone was taken out of her hand.

“Amber, are you okay? Did that man hurt you?” Ruby said.

“Really, everybody, I’m fine.”

“Where are you?” Opal asked.

“I’m with Paul, Luther’s friend, somewhere outside of L.A.”

“Somewhere outside of L.A.? You don’t know where you are?” Ruby asked in alarm.

“Ruby, I’m perfectly safe. Paul’s a really nice guy, and he has this adorable baby boy.”

“Yes, Luther told us all about him. He’s a security consultant, that’s why it was so easy for him to find you.” Pearl was back on the line again.

Amber snickered. “A security consultant, huh? That’s a nice fancy title for it. Anyway, he’s house-sitting for a friend, and we’re staying there.”

Suddenly, the line went silent, and Amber wondered if they had somehow gotten disconnected. “Hello?”

“House-sitting for a friend?” Opal said in confusion.

“Do you have money to come home today?” Pearl interrupted. “I can wire you some again, if you need me to.”

Amber shook her head as if they could see. Once again she had to fight back tears. It seemed as if her sisters were always bailing her out of one mess or another. Dashuan was supposed to be her new beginning, her fresh start, and instead he turned out to be a same old-same old.

“I have money.” The first tear slid down her face and she wiped it away. “Look, guys, I have to go, but I’ll let you know as soon as I’m headed home. Okay?”

Amber knew her sisters all took that to mean she’d be calling later that day. With that, Amber hung up the phone and stretched out across the bed.

In truth, it really shouldn’t have been that hard for her to pack up and return to Detroit with her tail between her legs. Goodness knows, she’d returned to the bosom of her family after worse disasters than this. There was that time last spring break when she and some of her college friends pooled their money for a Caribbean cruise. She’d met a gorgeous Jamaican guy in the ship’s bar. Mason, he’d said his name was.

Even now that night was fuzzy. All Amber remembered was waking up in her stateroom without her purse, which contained all her money and credit cards. That was the again Pearl referred to when she spoke of wiring her money.

She spent the rest of the cruise trying to find Mason, and some kind of redemption, without luck. It was as if he’d disappeared into thin air. It wasn’t until she’d returned home that she found out about the con man that took advantage of tourists on such cruises.

Then there was the incident in Mexico with the local police, but Amber was convinced that that could’ve been taken care of much quicker, and she would not have had to spend a night in their prison if it wasn’t for the language barrier problem.

And the ill-fated affair with her statistics professor two semesters ago. The man wore no wedding band, nor was there a line on his ring finger to indicate he was married. Although, his wife had no doubts whatsoever about his marital status when she came after Amber that night in the hotel.

The list went on and on. Unfortunately, her family was well-versed in the art of bailing her out of trouble. Why should this be any different? But for some reason, she was finding the idea of going home distasteful.

She heard a quick knock on the door.

“Just a minute.” Using her hands, she wiped away the tears and sat up in the bed. “Come in.”

Paul cracked the door and came in with the baby in his arms. “I was about to put him down for his nap, but wanted to check on you first. Everything okay?”

Amber was pretty sure he knew she’d just talked to her sisters, but he said nothing about it.

She smiled. “Yes, I’m fine.” Humiliated beyond belief, but fine.

“Well, okay.” He started to close the door. “Just let me know if you need anything.”

“Paul!”

He opened the door wider, and waited.

“Is that offer to stay for a while still open?”

His dark brown eyes searched hers. “Yes.”

She nodded. “I’d like to take you up on it, if you don’t think your friend will mind.”

Paul smiled with such understanding, Amber wanted to climb into his arms with Joachim. Instead, she sat holding herself still on the bed.

“He won’t mind. You’re welcome to stay as long as you like.”

“Thank you.”

He smiled and winked. “Enough already with the thank-you’s.” With that, he closed the door.

Amber stretched back out on the bed, wondering if she was doing the smart thing by accepting an offer of hospitality from a man who was little more than a stranger to her. She decided, with her track record, she had nothing to lose.

Chapter 5

Paul stood at the window overlooking the majestic mountainous Moreno Valley waiting for Vanessa, his receptionist, to answer the phone at his office.

After three rings a familiar voice answered.

“G-Force Security, the only name you need to know for all your personal protection needs. Vanessa speaking, how may I assist you?”

“Vanessa, it’s me.” Paul braced his long body against the windowsill.

“Hey, boss, where are you? I checked your calendar and didn’t see any appointments. Karen’s been going crazy getting the home system prototypes tested and keeping up with her cold calls, and with Ryan on vacation and you out of the office she’s swamped. And Matt’s crazy girlfriend stole his car again.”

“Vanessa—”

“I swear, boss, Karen may be a wonderful salesperson, but—”

“Vanessa!” Paul regretted the harsh tone when the line went silent.

Vanessa Willis was a sweet teenager who’d come to work for him almost a year ago. She had no previous work experience, but five minutes into the interview Paul knew everything there was to know about the unexpected pregnancy that resulted in the birth of her little baby girl, Anna. And how her mother had given her the ultimatum to find a job or get out.

Although her story had tugged at his heart, Paul had decided to give the girl a chance, not because of her hard luck story, but because of her enthusiasm. He figured anyone who could be bubbly and upbeat while reciting such an account of her life would be described as an optimist.

As it turned out, hiring Vanessa was the right decision. She had energy and enthusiasm to spare, she was also bright and eager to do a good job and, most important, the customers loved her. But she did have one fatal flaw that Paul had not figured out how to handle. Vanessa loved nothing better than a few tidbits of juicy gossip. She was also sensitive to criticism.

“I’m sorry,” he said on a sigh.

“It’s okay,” she muttered. “I know I talk too much. Where are you, anyway?”

“I’m working from home today. Where’s Karen? I tried her cell phone, but she isn’t answering.” Paul knew in her current depressed state, it was too soon to abandon Amber. Which meant he would have to rely on his lead salesperson, Karen Grable, to keep things moving forward in his absence.

“It’s Saturday, remember? She’s out doing cold calls. She probably turned her cell phone off.”

“Damn, I forgot all about that.”

“Why are you working from home?”

Paul knew better than to answer that. News of his houseguest would be all over the office within the hour. “If Karen calls in, tell her to call me here.”

“All right. Is Joachim okay?”

“Yes, I’ve got to go.” With that, Paul pressed the button to hang up.

He sighed. Amber Lockhart could not have shown up at a worse time. He was right in the middle of developing a line of home security products to market to the public—in fact, his own home security system was a prototype for the line—and the commitment date to have it on the shelves was coming fast. The prototypes Vanessa mentioned were the second batch to be tested so far. And there had been countless other complications. There was so much to do, and so few hours in a day.

He tossed the cordless phone on the desk, braced his arms on the windowsill and continued to stare out the window, wondering what the hell he was thinking telling Amber Lockhart she could stay as long as she liked.

You were thinking that she would never take you up on the offer. That’s what! Now he was stuck with an unwanted houseguest. He let his head drop and his shoulders sag. His sanctuary had been invaded. But there was nothing to be done about it now; the offer had been extended and accepted and now he had to live with the consequences of his actions. Hopefully, she would not want to stay too long. He shook his head, before sinking down into his black leather office chair.

About an hour later, Paul was on the phone with one of his manufacturers when the soft whimpering of Joachim’s cry came through the door. By the time Paul ended the conversation and hung up, the whimper had become a full-fledged cry. Paul shot up out of the chair and headed toward the door. When he reached it, the crying had stopped, which alarmed him even more.

Taking the stairs two at a time, he reached the top landing in no time and hurried down the hall to Joachim’s room. The image that greeted him was a complete surprise.

Amber was bent over the diaper-changing table, where Joachim lay with his feet in the air, playing with his toes.

Paul stood in the doorway, listening as Amber hummed a song. It took a couple of bars for him to recognize “Amazing Grace.” With precision, she removed the soiled diaper and had another on his little bottom in a flash.

Joachim was so occupied with his feet, he barely noticed what she was doing. But the instant smile he gave her when she picked him up again told Paul that his bottom not only recognized the difference, but he was glad for it.

He stood silent as she rocked the baby in her arms and continued to hum. Turning in a slow circle, Amber froze when she turned toward the door and found Paul standing there.

“Oh, I hope you don’t mind. His little bottom was wet, and he was crying so, and you were in your office. I figured, why bother you for something I can do myself.”

“I’m sure Joachim is as grateful for your quick response as I am. Diaper-changing is not something he and I have mastered yet.” He came toward them, but stopped a few feet away when he realized Amber was not going to hand the baby off to him.

“It’s easy. You just have to stay out of the way of the waterfall.” She laughed, and Paul felt the sensual sound from the tip of his toes to the top of his curly head.

“The waterfall?” he asked, picking up a nearby stuffed giraffe. He needed to do something with his hands. For some reason they were itching to wrap around Amber and Joachim.

“Oh, yes, the waterfall. Every baby boy’s secret weapon.”

Paul chuckled. “Ahh, the waterfall.” He nodded. “I am well aware of the danger.”

Amber walked across the room, still holding the baby in her arms, and Joachim seemed to be content to stay there, even as she lowered herself into the large rocking chair.

“You have to be careful when removing a dirty diaper as soon as you lift the second flap and the air hits his little wee-wee.” She snapped her fingers.

Paul smiled. “Waterfall.”

“Exactly!”

Amber bounced the baby, and Joachim giggled.

“You’re a natural nurturer,” Paul said.

“Not really,” she answered. “It’s just that babies are easy. They have a few basic desires—food, clean bottoms, toys and love.” She turned the baby, prying his fingers off the thin, gold chain she wore around her neck. “It’s adults I have a problem understanding,” she said.

Paul watched the conflicted emotions run over her face. He knew that she was thinking of Dashuan Kennedy, but was unsure whether he should say something to her about it. Should he offer some kind of reassurance or would she rather he pretend not to understand?

“You know, Amber, you’re not the only woman that something like that has happened to.”

Her golden eyes narrowed on his face, and Paul knew he’d made the wrong decision. He’d gone too far to stop. “I mean, there are a lot of gay men out there dating straight women.”

“Oh?”

There was something so vulnerable in her expression, Paul felt his heart twist inside his chest. All her insecurities, all her uncertainty was right there, exposed in her eyes. Paul felt her need for reassurance reaching out to him across the room. Her need to be desired, to be made to feel like a woman, was so strong it was almost tangible, and Paul felt it pulling him across the room. As if being drawn by a giant magnet, Paul found himself walking until he stood right in front of her.

He sank down on his knees before the rocking chair, looking up at her. “You are a beautiful, desirable woman, and Dashuan Kennedy is a fool.”

Amber’s eyes dropped as her lush brown lashes shielded her eyes. “Considering some of the decisions I’ve made in my life, I have to wonder if Dashuan is the fool.”

Paul rested both his large hands on her warm thighs, and felt a jolt of desire course through his whole body. The way Amber sat straight up in her chair, he knew she felt it, too. His fingers tingled with the sensation of warm flesh, and he fought the urge to squeeze her soft flesh in his hands.

She lifted her lids until her tawny lioness eyes were looking into his. So lost in them, he didn’t even feel his son’s hand reaching out to touch his face.

Paul felt like a helpless animal trapped by her mesmerizing gaze. Like lightning to a rod, he sought her, powerless to resist.

Amber was a beautiful woman, but that wasn’t what was making her so damn attractive. In his business, beautiful women, celebrities and socialites surrounded him. And more than a few had made a play for him. But being a single father was hard enough without trying to juggle a social life, so Paul declined invitation after invitation. But beauty and availability were not the things that had his whole body wired right this moment.

No, the something special about Amber Lockhart, the thing that had him breathing hard and growing harder, was something else. It was his one weakness when it came to women. The thing that drew him to Michelle, and tore them apart.

Paul had always been a sucker for a passionate, hot-blooded woman. And looking into her eyes, he could see that Amber Lockhart was burning with passion. It was straining, aching to be set free, and the man in him wanted nothing more than to open the floodgate.

He knew he shouldn’t have, but he could not help himself. Paul leaned forward, wanting to taste her lips. At that moment, he honestly wanted a taste of Amber more than air to breathe.

Sensing his intent, Amber stood. “Isn’t it time for Joachim’s feeding?”

Paul, still kneeling, still hungry, his eyes level with the crotch of her slacks, was unable to comprehend her words.

“Paul?”

He took several deep breaths through his nose, and stood. Taking the baby from her arms, he licked his lips and tried to speak. “Yes. I’ll do it.”

He knew Amber did the right thing by standing; he knew it was for the best. The way he was feeling, who knew where even the smallest little kiss could’ve led?

Yes, denying the attraction was the smart thing to do, but somehow knowing that didn’t make the acceptance of it any easier.

Paul paused in the doorway. “Thanks again for changing his diaper. I appreciate the help.”

“That was my pleasure. He is such a sweet baby.”

Paul tried to force a half smile before walking out of the room.

When she heard his footsteps on the carpeted stairs, Amber sank back down into the rocking chair. She could still feel Paul’s large, warm hands on her thighs. For a moment there, she was almost certain he was going to pull her legs apart and come between them. Truth is, if he’d tried, Amber wasn’t at all certain she would’ve stopped him.

She laid her head back against the hard, wooden chair and released a deep sigh. Amber wanted to stay with Paul another day or so, just long enough to get the courage to face her family and their guaranteed criticism. But now, there was no denying the sexual attraction she felt pass between her and Paul. Staying with him meant running the risk that those feelings would crop up again, and next time…there was no saying what might happen.

She could not let herself forget that this man was a friend of Luther’s, who was like a brother to her. If she slept with him, even on the rebound, it could change her relationship with Luther forever.

She nodded, deciding on a plan. She would just have to make sure she stayed as far away from Paul Gutierrez as possible—if possible. Lord, when will I learn to stay away from pretty men?

Chapter 6

Later that same evening, as he chopped onions for the pot of chili that was boiling on the nearby stove, Paul glanced at the clock hanging on the wall over the dinner table and realized it was almost seven o’clock. He had not seen his houseguest in almost seven hours.

He looked at Joachim, who was bouncing in his swing, trying to grab the overhanging mobile that was just out of reach.

Paul’s mind replayed the image of walking into the nursery and finding Amber huddled over the dressing table. She’d looked so natural there, so comfortable with the task, a person would think she changed dirty diapers on a regular basis. Of course, for all he knew about her she well may have. But from what Luther had told him about her, and what he’d seen himself, she did not strike him as the nurturing type. Then again, there was the indisputable proof of how well she handled Joachim. Maybe some women were just natural mothers. Give them a baby and they just knew what to do.

Then there were those who should never be mothers. His mind conjured the image of another beautiful woman, and the most horrific experience of his life.

The day he found Joachim’s mother, Michelle, dead from a drug overdose. His infant son sat strapped in his car seat wailing from a combination of a soiled diaper and an empty stomach.

Paul was no innocent to scenes of death, having served on the front lines of a war zone. He’d seen his fair share of dead men, some of whom had been killed by his own hands. But nothing in his experience had prepared him for the traumatic experience of finding his former lover, the mother of his child, prone on a motel bed, her cold, dead body already beginning to stiffen.

Shaking off the melancholy image, he scooped the onions and hot peppers he’d chopped earlier into the boiling pot. Wiping his hands on the dish towel, he glanced back at his son once more before he turned and headed up the stairs to the guest room.

He stopped outside the door and lifted his hand to knock, but paused. Maybe I should just leave her alone, he thought. He knew the impact of what she had experienced had taken its toll. Paul could not even imagine how a woman would begin to get over finding her boyfriend in bed with another man. He could almost see her sitting on the side of the bed, replaying the image over and over again in her head.

He knocked, and heard movement in the room.

“Just a moment.”

He listened to the sound of a nose being blown into a tissue. A few muffled sniffles, and then some more shuffling around. Paul assumed she was getting rid of the evidence of her misery.

“Come in.”

When Paul opened the door, it took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. The only light was coming from the moon outside the large picture window.

Instead of the bed, Amber was perched on the pillows of the window seat, staring out over the large wooded area behind the house.

Paul came to stand beside her.

“Is this real?” She spoke in almost a whisper.

Since he had been wondering pretty much the same thing all day, Paul had no answer for her.

“Are you real?” She glanced up at him before returning her attention out the window. “Because if you are, and if this house is real, that means that everything that happened, the trip to L.A., Dashuan…that means that all of that is real, too.”

It was just as he suspected. She was sitting in the dark room, feeling sorry for herself. Paul sat down on the seat beside her. “Sorry, angel, I’m afraid it is all too real.”

She slanted her head just the slightest bit, and it revealed the single tear flowing down her face. Paul lifted his hand, and let it fall. Although every ounce of blood in his body wanted to console her, he knew if he took her into his arms, in her vulnerable state, things could easily get out of hand.

He folded his hands together. “So, is this what you plan to do all evening?”

She swiped at the tear. “Pretty much. Except, I thought maybe later, I’d let loose and cry myself to sleep.”

He shook his head and made a ticking noise with his mouth. “I’m afraid that’s not acceptable.”

“Oh?”

She quirked an eyebrow in indignation, and Paul hid the smile that came to his lips. She may be a little battered, Paul thought, but she wasn’t broken.

“See, there’s a house rule that all houseguests have to do their fair share of the chores.”

The other eyebrow went up. “Chores?”

He nodded. “I’m cooking dinner, even as we speak, which leaves the cleanup for you.”

She folded her arms across her chest, and Paul took it as the clear sign of rebellion that it was.

“And if I don’t?”

Paul stood. “Then you don’t eat.”

He walked across the room without ever looking back. He had started to pull the door closed behind him when he felt a pillow hit the side of his head.

“You know, I was wondering when the tyrant I met last night would resurface. This whole Mr. Mom thing you’ve got working here is just a front. In a way, I’m grateful you’re showing your true colors. It’s comforting to know I was at least right about you.”

Paul glanced back over his shoulder with a wolfish smile. “Glad I could help. We’re having chili for dinner, and it will be ready in about thirty minutes. And don’t worry. I have rubber gloves to protect your delicate fingers.” He quickly exited, and chuckled to himself as he heard the thump of another pillow hitting the door.

“No, sweet angel,” he muttered under his breath, “you’re not even close to being broken.”

At seven-thirty, Amber appeared in the doorway of the kitchen. Paul felt her presence as soon as she arrived, but continued to stir the pot without acknowledging her. Out the corner of his eye, he watched as his normally easy-tempered son began to squirm and wiggle in his walker.

Joachim became frustrated with his inability to make the walker go where he wanted. He began bouncing up and down and whimpering in earnest, his short chubby arms reaching for Amber.

Amber crossed the room and picked up the baby and he settled down, having gotten what he wanted. He tugged at a lock of long, golden brown hair that had come loose, and chatted in baby gibberish. It was obvious he’d missed his new friend and wanted to fill her in on the hours they’d been apart.

Paul glanced over his shoulder at the pair. “You’re spoiling him.”

“It’s the other way around. I can’t remember the last time any man greeted me with this much honest enthusiasm.”

Paul smiled to himself and continued to stir the pot. “The chili is not quite ready, but there are dishes in the sink…if you want to get started now.”

“No thanks, I’ll wait.” She gave him a smug smile as she passed by the stove and headed toward the dinner table. Amber sat down and began playing with the baby on her lap. She glanced around the large kitchen.

The room was large enough to fit thirty people comfortably. The walls were all covered in lacquered wood overlay and, combined with the stainless-steel appliances and the redbrick tiled floor, the effect was stunning. “Your friend has a nice house. What does he do for a living?”

Paul’s mouth twisted. “Why do you ask?”

She shrugged. “Just wondering.”

Satisfied that the chili was coming along okay, Paul wiped his hands on a nearby dishtowel. He folded his arms across his chest and leaned a hip against the counter. “Can I ask you something?”

Amber shrugged, her attention focused on the laughing baby in her arms.

“How did you end up in L.A. with someone like Dashuan Kennedy?”

She glanced at his face, then looked away. “I thought Luther would’ve filled you in.”

“No, he was too concerned with your safety to worry about details.”

“So, now you want all the gory details?”

Paul stood straight and began to put away his seasonings and spices. “Look, it’s your business, if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s okay.”

“No…it’s no big deal. Hell, thanks to Dashuan’s entourage, most of Detroit probably already knows the story, anyway.”

She crossed the room and put the baby down in the playpen. Joachim started to protest, until he realized all his toys surrounded him. He rolled over on his tummy, and then up on his knees like a pro, crawling toward his favorite.

Amber wrapped her arms around her body and walked to the large window that looked out on the night, framing the mountains silhouetted in the background.

Paul just stood watching her, giving her time to decide if she wanted to share what was obviously an embarrassing memory.

“My sister Opal works for the Chargers owner D’marcus Armstrong. He gives me tickets to the games. The seats are so close to the team I could smell their sweat.”

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