“Let me see you to your car.”

She flicked her eyes back to his, her expression carrying a hint of question but not the suspicion that had been there earlier. “That’s not necessary.”

“Yes, it is. I need to know you’re safe. I couldn’t live with myself if I just walked away and something happened to you.”

She raised her chin as if she’d figured him out. “Because I’m the new boss’s sister and an executive at Kendall?”

“No. I suppose that’s a good reason, but it’s not my primary one.” Of course, technically, protecting the boss’s sister was his reason for being there, but the words felt good on his tongue.

She tilted her head to the side and arched her eyebrows as if waiting for him to come clean.

“Let’s just say I’ll be thinking about you all night. I don’t want those thoughts to be laced with worry.” It sounded like a line, and as soon as he’d said it he’d wanted it back. The ironic thing was, it was one of the first honest things he’d said to her.

About the Author

Ever since she was a little girl making her own books out of construction paper, ANN VOSS PETERSON wanted to write. So when it came time to choose a major at the University of Wisconsin, creative writing was her only choice. Of course, writing wasn’t a practical choice—one needs to earn a living. So Ann found jobs, including proofreading legal transcripts, working with quarter horses and washing windows. But no matter how she earned her paycheck, she continued to write the type of stories that captured her heart and imagination: romantic suspense. Ann lives near Madison, Wisconsin, with her husband, her two young sons, her border collie and her quarter horse mare. Ann loves to hear from readers. E-mail her at ann@annvosspeterson.com or visit her website at www.annvosspeterson.com.

Secret Protector
Ann Voss Peterson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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To those who put others before themselves.

The definition of a hero.

Chapter One

If Natalie didn’t need an infusion of caffeine so badly she could barely see straight, she’d walk out of the coffee shop right now, despite already having paid for her latte.

She checked her watch and tried to resist the urge to tap the toe of her pump on the tile floor. She could feel the man next to her give her a once-over. Dressed in jeans, with shirttails hanging out and shoes that looked more like slippers than street wear, he was probably thinking she was uptight.

He was probably right.

Six foot, thin build, he was also kind of cute, at least in an ordinary sort of way.

What the heck? She was usually drawn to the good-looking ones. Maybe it was past time to shake things up. Taking a deep breath and curving her lips into a smile, she gave him a glance.

He looked away.

Figures. Natalie’s luck with men was right up there with her talent for finding short lines.

She peered at the darkness outside the coffee shop’s glass doors. Jolie would be finished trying on bridesmaids’ dresses before Natalie even reached the bridal shop. And Rachel would surely be finished with the fitting for her wedding dress. Natalie wouldn’t even get a glimpse. She was on schedule to let down both her future sisters-in-law and disappoint herself, and for what?

Caffeine was a horrible addiction.

“Double shot, low-fat latte?” The barista raised a pierced brow and plunked the cup on the counter.

Natalie flashed her best imitation of a grateful smile, picked up the coffee. She dodged her fellow addicts and pushed out the door, chimes jingling in her ear.

A chill wind hit her face. November in St. Louis was unpredictable, but one bit of weather that she could count on was that winter would eventually arrive. Apparently it had sometime in the past half hour. Using her free hand to wrap her trench more tightly around her, she made a mental note to dig out her wool coat before work tomorrow.

Her heels clacked hollow on the sidewalk. Dark windows stared down at her from all angles. City noises drifted on the breeze, sounding as if they were coming from the riverfront, blocks away. The temperature wasn’t the only thing to have changed in the time she’d been stuck in the coffee shop. Since she’d last walked the three blocks from the office, the business district seemed to have vacated for the night.

The bell on the coffee shop’s door jingled, as someone followed her into the cold.

She crossed the side street midblock and headed back toward Kendall Communications and the executive parking garage. The drive to the bridal shop wouldn’t take long. And Jolie would try her dress on again, if need be. The night was looking up.

The sound of footsteps shuffled behind her.

She glanced back. The silhouette of a man strode along the sidewalk. Tall, thin, shirttails flapping in the breeze. Must be the guy from the coffee shop, although on second glance, his hands were empty. Shouldn’t he be carrying a cup?

She quickened her pace.

She was being silly. She knew it. But there was something about the dark and the quiet and the cold that set her nerves on edge. She just needed to get to the Kendall building. There she could duck into the parking garage and the guy behind her would continue down the sidewalk to wherever it was he was headed.

She turned the corner, half expecting her follower to walk right past.

He made the turn, as well.

She forced herself to breathe slowly, in and out, countering the patter of her heartbeat. People walked down the same streets all the time. She was being silly. Here she hadn’t even had a sip of coffee and every nerve in her body felt like it was buzzing. Maybe she didn’t need the extra jolt of caffeine after all. Maybe tonight she was twitchy enough without it.

The darkened tower of her family business loomed ahead. She walked a little faster in spite of herself. With any luck, the parking attendant would still be at his post. He would smile his usual friendly smile, and she would chuckle to herself about how paranoid she was being. She didn’t know why she felt so afraid of a guy that just a moment ago she’d thought was kind of cute. Sure, when it came to choosing men, she was a horrible failure. But that didn’t mean just because she glanced this guy’s way he would turn out to be a mugger.

She passed the stairwell leading to the parking garage’s lower level and made for the car entrance and the attendant. She turned the corner and looked to the booth.

It was empty.

Natalie’s mouth went dry. She spun around, certain the man would be behind her, a gun in his fist or maybe a knife, his lips pulling back in a sinister smile.

The sidewalk was empty, as well.

She waited. Ten seconds. Twenty. No one appeared.

He must have turned off. He must not have been following her after all.

She was obviously losing her mind. Understandable, she supposed. Ever since Rick Campbell had been exonerated in her parents’ murders two months ago and then was killed himself, the entire Kendall clan had been on edge. Murder did that. If any family knew that, it was theirs.

On top of that, two of her three brothers, Ash and Devin, had lived through horrors of their own in the past two months. Horrors they’d thankfully overcome. Both now engaged to women they loved, her two oldest brothers had been blessed as well as challenged. But the deaths of their parents continued to hang over the entire Kendall family like a shroud.

She shook her head to dislodge shadowy thoughts she’d been trying to banish for twenty years. As if a mere shake of the head would do that. The only thing that worked was painting. Turning her childhood fears and guilt into images. Getting them out of her head, onto canvas and shutting them away in her studio where no one could see them.

She ripped open the flap on her coffee and took a long sip. Already her heartbeat was slowing. Already she was starting to feel normal again. But despite her earlier promise to herself, she didn’t feel much like laughing. All she felt was grateful no one else had witnessed her ridiculousness.

Replacing the coffee flap in order to keep her latte hot, she continued down the ramp to the garage’s lower level. A lowered garage door and smaller human-size door nestled side by side at the bottom of the ramp. The executive parking filled the whole lower level. Besides being security locked, this part of the garage also had the advantage of being heated in the winter. And it had both a street entrance and an elevator that led directly to the offices on the upper floors.

Balancing her coffee in one hand, she groped in her bag for her keys.

The door behind her clicked open.

She whirled around.

Emerging from the stairwell was the man with the untucked shirt. The door slammed with a loud clang.

The sound shuddered up Natalie’s spine and echoed off the concrete. For a moment, she couldn’t focus. She couldn’t move. All she could do was think about how alone the two of them were—no other cars, no one to come to her aid. Even if she screamed, would anyone hear?

Her phone. Instead of grabbing her keys, she pulled out her cell. She stared at the screen. Underground garage. Surrounded by concrete.

No service.

She held the phone to her ear anyway. If he thought she was calling someone, he would leave her alone. Wouldn’t he? The shuffling sound of those god-awful loafers moved toward her.

A high whistle of panic rose in her ears. Oil and concrete and old exhaust clogged her throat.

“No reception down here, I bet,” he said in a quiet voice.

He wasn’t fooled by the phone. All she could do was make a run for it. Get through the door and slam it before he could follow. She dropped the useless phone back in her bag and groped for her keys. Her fingers hit steel. She pulled the key chain out, jingling in shaking fingers. She tried to fit her key into the lock.

“Need help with that?”

His voice was right behind her shoulder. The faint mint scent of mouthwash fanned her neck.

She turned her head to look at him.

He stared at her with sharp brown eyes. His dark blond hair was mussed, blown by the wind. He looked like a regular guy. Perfectly ordinary.

Then why was she so frightened?

She turned back to the door. He hadn’t hurt her yet. Hadn’t even touched her. All he’d done was ask if he could help. That had to mean something. Right? Maybe she was doing all this panicking for nothing. Maybe she really was going crazy after all. “No, thanks. I can get it.”

“You seem … scared.”

She didn’t know what to say. Admit she was frightened out of her mind? Or just play it cool. “I was just startled.”

“Startled? That’s not what I had in mind.”

His voice sounded low, calm. Everything Natalie wasn’t. Everything she didn’t think a mugger should be, either. “I’m … I’m okay now.” She fibbed, feeling far less than okay.

He narrowed his eyes. “Do you know who I am?”

“Know you?” She turned to face him. He stood so close she took a step back, hitting the door. “You were in the coffee shop.”

“Yes. I’ve been wanting to talk to you for a long time.” He smiled. Cool. Casual. But his eyes … something about them seemed hard. Something about his smile felt less than friendly.

Was she imagining it?

“Excuse me. Hate to interrupt.” The voice came from behind the man. Someone else.

She peered past one of the skinny shoulders. Another man stood in the doorway to the stairwell, his tall, well-muscled frame filling the space. Everything about him—the expression on his face, the way he held his body, the look in his eyes—exuded calm and control. And even though she didn’t know anything more about this man than she did the guy who’d followed her from the coffee shop, she let a relieved breath escape from her lungs and sagged back against the door. “No interruption. Really.”

The man staring at her turned to face the interloper. “Who in the hell are you?”

“I’d like to ask you the same question.”

“Too bad I asked it first.”

He walked from the stairwell. His steps came slow and steady but Natalie could feel something coiled underneath. Power. Readiness. He stopped a few feet away. His eyes focused on the smaller man, hazel slits. “I’m a friend of Ms. Kendall’s. You?”

The man closest to her looked away to the door. His shoulders seemed to grow even more slight. He shuffled away from her, one step, two. “I’m … This is a misunderstanding.”

She wasn’t sure what was misunderstood. He hadn’t said or done anything. Not really. Looking at him, Natalie couldn’t quite remember why she’d felt so threatened. He seemed anything but threatening now.

“I think we understand each other just fine,” said the second man. He ran a hand over his cropped, brown hair. “Now if you don’t mind, I’d like a word with Ms. Kendall. Alone.”

The thin man nodded and made for the ramp Natalie had followed into the garage, shoulders hunched. He didn’t look back.

As soon as he climbed out of sight, Natalie focused on the man in front of her. Of the two of them, he was definitely the strongest, physically the more threatening. He even knew her name, although she’d never seen him before. She was sure she hadn’t. She’d remember. But despite the fact that she was alone and defenseless in the same position as she’d been with the other man moments ago, this time she felt inexplicably safe.

But, of course, taking her history with men into account, that was probably a bad sign. “So who are you? And how do you know my name?”

Chapter Two

As soon as Gray stepped from the stairwell, he knew this question would be coming. He also knew he didn’t have an answer for it. Not one Ms. Natalie Kendall would like, anyway. If he wanted to follow his client’s directions, he was going to have to lie. Or at least tweak the truth a little. He just hoped Natalie’s brother was ready to cover his tracks. “Grayson Scott. Call me Gray.”

She stared as if waiting for the rest.

“I work at your company.”

A tiny crease dug between her eyebrows. “I’m sorry. I don’t remember ever having met you.”

“I just talked to Mr. Kendall about the job today.”

The crease didn’t fade. Her mouth dipped in a frown and she glanced off to the side, as if she knew what he was saying wasn’t exactly the truth and she was conjuring a way to trip him up. “Which Mr. Kendall did you talk to?”

“The CEO, Devin Kendall.” At least that answer was the truth. “He’s your brother, correct?”

“Devin isn’t looking to fill any vacancies. Not that he told me about.”

He gave a shrug. “Kendall isn’t a tiny company. Do you usually know about all vacancies?”

“Usually, yes.”

He held her gaze, hoping he appeared to have nothing to hide. That was the problem with off-the-cuff lies. It was impossible to make sure your cover story held water. And stacking one lie on top of another tended to multiply the potential for leaks.

“What division?” she asked.

Best to stick as close to the truth as he could. “Security.”

“That’s convenient.”

He didn’t react. Part of selling a lie was resisting the urge to explain.

She pushed strands of her straight, blond hair back over her shoulder. “I happen to know we just hired a bunch of extra security people over the past couple of months. We don’t need more.”

“You’ll have to ask your brother about that.” And he had to talk to Devin before she could.

“I will.” She narrowed her eyes. “You’re not a bodyguard of some kind, are you?”

He’d been hoping she wouldn’t ask that precise question. The woman seemed to have pretty good lie radar. He sure hoped the acting skills he’d honed in his one-and-only grade school play performance would be enough to see him through.

He gave her an aw-shucks grin. “Nothing so glamorous, I’m afraid. I work with locks and alarm systems.”

“Really?” She looked at him harder, if that was possible.

If she didn’t blink soon, he was going to start to sweat. “You don’t like locks and alarm systems?” he tossed off, hoping a little levity would help his case.

“I thought that was Glenn Johnston’s area.”

He’d figured a company like Kendall would already have locks and alarms covered, so he was ready with a twist. “I have a meeting with Glenn tomorrow. Your brother said he’d set it up. He wants to update to the newest technology. That’s where I come in.”

She crooked one eyebrow. “And Glenn is going along with this idea?”

“I haven’t met him yet, so I have no clue.”

Her face seemed to relax, one corner of her lips turning up slightly with amusement. “Good luck with that meeting.”

“Don’t tell me, Glenn’s a technophobe.” He gave her what he hoped was a worried expression. Hell, he was worried. He seemed to have chosen just the wrong cover story. He hoped it wouldn’t be too tough for Devin to back up.

“He’s a little resistant to new things, that’s all. As long as Devin paves the way for you, it should be fine.” She nodded, her mood shifting from suspicious to encouraging.

“Thanks for the heads-up on Glenn Johnston. It helps to know I should tread softly.” So far, so good. Now to angle the conversation toward the subject he really wanted to address. “In the meantime, who was that guy you were talking to?”

She glanced at the ramp leading out of the garage, as if half expecting him to be waiting in the shadows. “I don’t know.”

“You’ve never seen him before?”

“Not before tonight. He was in the coffee shop I just left.” She held up a large to-go cup with the logo of a nearby coffee shop emblazoned on the side. “He followed me.”

“Why?”

She shook her head, looking a little lost. “I have no idea.”

She really seemed at a loss. He fought the urge to reach out and rub his hand up and down her arm. Somehow he doubted she’d see the move as supportive coming from a guy she’d just met. “Did he say anything to you?”

“Not much. He asked if I knew him.”

“Knew him?”

She gave a little shrug. “From the coffee shop, I guess.”

“And you’re sure you’ve never seen him before tonight?”

“I don’t remember him. But he might have been there before. It’s the closest coffee shop. I go there all the time. I like their lattes.” She held up her cup again as if showing him proof. “Thank you, by the way. He really didn’t do anything, and I’m not sure I actually needed saving, but I appreciate it anyway.”

“Not a problem. I am joining the security crew tomorrow. Might as well get an early start on the job. Just glad I didn’t have to install an alarm right on the guy’s nose.” He feigned giving the air an awkward punch.

She laughed, the sound tinkling off the concrete around them, frothy and fun and yet something deeper underneath.

He’d been following her for a while now, but he’d never been face-to-face like this and he’d never before heard her laugh. He’d like to hear more of it.

“Well, thank you. I really do appreciate you stepping in to help. There aren’t a lot of Good Samaritans around these days.” She started to angle her body away from him, suggesting it was time to go.

He nodded and smiled. Of course, he wasn’t a Good Samaritan, although that was what he’d wanted her to believe. He was paid to stick his neck out. Even though this case hadn’t required much stretching so far. “Let me see you to your car.”

She flicked her eyes back to his, her expression carrying a hint of question but not the suspicion that had been there earlier. “That’s not necessary.”

“Yes, it is. I need to know you’re safe. I couldn’t live with myself if I just walked away and something happened to you.”

She raised her chin as if she’d figured him out. “Because I’m the new boss’s sister and an executive at Kendall?”

“No. I suppose that’s a good reason, but it’s not my primary one.” Of course, technically protecting the boss’s sister was his reason for being here, but the words felt good on his tongue.

She tilted her head to the side and arched her eyebrows as if waiting for him to come clean.

“Let’s just say I’ll be thinking about you all night. I don’t want those thoughts to be laced with worry.” It sounded like a line, and as soon as he’d said it he’d wanted it back. The ironic thing was it was one of the first honest things he’d said to her.

She smiled.

Despite the greenish flicker of the parking structure’s fluorescent lights, he picked up a little more color in the apples of her cheeks. Encouraging. “So will you let me see you to your car?”

“I guess it wouldn’t hurt.” She looked down at the keys in her hand then returned her gaze to his. “But I’m having trouble with my keys. You’re a Kendall employee. Security, even. Do you have yours?”

He could feel his grin from the inside out. “Testing me, huh?”

“Does that seem paranoid?”

“It seems smart.” And luckily Devin had given him keys to the parking garage weeks ago. He pulled them out and made a show of unlocking the door. He held it open for her to pass through.

She shot him the kind of smile that had him thinking all sorts of things, none particularly protective. “Thank you.” If he wasn’t mistaken, there was a flirty lilt to her tone.

This job was getting a whole lot more interesting.

They walked side by side through the structure, the wide-open space feeling more intimate than it had a right to. He found himself thinking about leaning close, trying to detect a whisper of her scent over the odor of concrete and old exhaust. Of all the lies he’d told her tonight, the fact that he was attracted to her wasn’t one. Ever since he’d started following her, he hadn’t been able to help thinking of her—day and night—and not in a typical bodyguard sort of way. But none of those thoughts compared with being face-to-face.

Of course, he’d never intended to actually meet her. And now that he had, he found himself with a problem. For weeks he’d kept an eye on her without her noticing he was there. But after tonight, he had the feeling she’d notice, no matter how good his surveillance skills were. If he wanted to continue to perform as her bodyguard without her knowledge, he had to find some kind of reason to hang around.

And it seemed one had just landed in his lap. He just had to play it right.

A cherry-red sports car sat at the far end of the structure. Natalie pointed her remote at the car and the driver’s door opened with a chirp. Hand on the door handle, she offered him a smile. “Thank you.”

“Like I said, it’s not a problem.”

“Still, I appreciate your concern.”

“Do you appreciate it enough …” He looked away. “No. Sorry. I think I’m flirting with overstepping my bounds.”

“What were you going to say?” She looked straight at him with clear green eyes, as if she really wanted to know.

Just the response he was after. “You won’t hold it against me?”

“After you saved me from the notorious coffee shop mugger? How could I?”

“Okay, I was just going to ask if you’d like to meet for lunch tomorrow.”

Her smile grew to a full-fledged grin. “I think I could fit it in.”

“OH, JOLIE, YOU’RE NOT going to wear that, are you?” Natalie tried to sound serious, but the look on Jolie’s face made her bubbly good mood even better. She let loose with a smile, despite best intentions.

Jolie shot her a dry look. “It looks fabulous, doesn’t it?”

Natalie skimmed her eyes over the one-shoulder peacock silk number. Jolie’s red hair, creamy skin and green eyes looked unbelievable with the silk’s rich color, and the dress itself looked like something straight off the red carpet. Natalie couldn’t lie. Her friend and future sister-in-law looked breathtaking. “Devin is going to want to marry you on the spot.”

Jolie laughed and held up a hand. “If he does, he’s out of luck. You have to see Rachel’s bridal gown.”

Set to marry Natalie’s notorious bachelor cop brother, Ash, Rachel was the bride-to-be. The reason she and Jolie were here. But Jolie had a rock on her finger that was twice as big as Rachel’s and a wedding to Natalie’s brother Devin to prepare for, as well. “I can’t wait to see Rachel in her dress. I’m sure she looks gorgeous.”

Jolie sashayed in front of the multiangle bridal shop mirror. “I want the whole wedding thing for myself, too. Including that white dress. For real, this time. No pretending.”

Natalie nodded. As part of a plan to distract the media who had taken to following Devin’s every move, Jolie and Devin had staged a fake engagement and pretended to plan their wedding. It had been tough on Jolie, who’d been in love with her boss for a long while. But in the end, she and Devin had both realized they wanted to be married.

For real.

On the other hand, Natalie only had bridesmaids’

dresses in her future, and as fabulous as this one was, it didn’t compare to the white, fairy-tale gowns.

But maybe …

A shimmer warmed her chest as she thought of how wonderful Gray would look in a tuxedo, waiting for her at the altar. She let out a sigh and tried to tamp down the fantasy, tough since she’d had her wedding planned out since she was about seven. It was definitely too soon for marriage plans, but at least she had a lunch date to look forward to.

“What are you so happy about?” Jolie stared at Natalie via her reflection.

“It’s a great dress.”

Jolie shot her a no-nonsense look. “That’s not a dress smile. I know you. That’s a man smile.”

Natalie couldn’t help but laugh.

“I knew it.” Jolie turned away from the mirror and faced Natalie directly. “So spill. I just saw you at the office and your mood wasn’t this fabulous. What happened?”

Natalie was far more excited than she should be to tell Jolie the story of how she met Gray.

Jolie reacted in all the right ways. She gasped at the image of Natalie being followed from the coffee shop. Her eyes widened when Natalie described the man emerging from the stairwell. And she let out a relieved breath at Gray’s well-timed rescue.

Natalie paused for dramatic effect. “And my rescuer? He asked me out.”

Jolie’s lips flattened into a line.

Not the response Natalie was after. “I thought you’d be happy for me.”

Jolie glanced away.

“What is it? You said yourself that I needed to meet different men. And this one is … wow.”

“I wasn’t thinking of some guy who suddenly appears in a parking garage.”

“He works at Kendall.”

Jolie’s frown grew deeper. “How do you know that?”

“He said Devin hired him to be part of the security department, and he had a key to the garage.”

“Devin hired …” Jolie pulled in a long breath and shook her head. “Going out with him doesn’t seem like a very good idea.”

“You’re not warning me about workplace romances, are you? You, of all people?” She never would have expected this kind of response from Jolie, who had just gotten engaged to Natalie’s brother Devin … who also happened to be her boss.

“It just doesn’t feel right, that’s all. You don’t know anything about him.”

“I know he’s nice and good-looking and he saved me from a guy who was a little bit creepy and wore really bad shoes.”

Jolie normally would have laughed at a comment like that, but she didn’t even crack a smile.

“I don’t believe this. I thought you’d be happy for me.”

“I just think you should be careful.”

“Careful?”

“You have to admit, you’ve picked some losers.”

“But Gray isn’t like those other guys.” Natalie couldn’t even count the ways he was different.

“How do you know that?”

How did she know? “I don’t know. I just do.”

Once again, Jolie gave her head a slow shake. “He could be something totally different than what you think. You might really start to like him only to have him turn around and leave.”

Like all those other guys …

Jolie hadn’t said it, but she might as well have.

Natalie wanted to protest, but at the moment, the words were totally out of reach. If she was honest with herself, she had to admit Jolie was probably right. Her friend knew what kind of men she’d dated. She’d heard the horror stories, even witnessed some of Natalie’s epic fails.

She tried her best to give Jolie a smile and plucked a gorgeous midnight-blue silk dress with a dramatic draped neckline from the rack. “You’re right. He can’t be as good as he seems.”

Jolie tilted her head and offered an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry, Nat. I know you thought I’d be happy for you. I just don’t want to see you hurt again.”

She couldn’t blame Jolie. “I know. I’ve done a good job of picking jerks over the years, haven’t I?”

“It’s not only that. You know, things have so been … crazy. Call me paranoid, but I don’t want any of that to rub off on you.”

She understood where her future sister-in-law’s worry was coming from. The Kendall family had faced enough danger in the past two months to make anyone a bit wary, even someone as plucky as Jolie. She and Devin had been through a lot and so had Ash and Rachel.

She gave Jolie a smile. “You don’t have to worry about me.”

“But I do.”

“Well, stop it. I know things have been weird, but no one is going to want anything from me.”

Jolie didn’t look convinced.

“Really. Ash is a cop, Rachel a crime scene investigator and Devin is CEO of the company. Fair or not, they’re going to make enemies. And with everything we believed about the past blowing up, they’ve had a lot to deal with. But no one is going to target someone like me. I’m not part of the investigation. I was only six years old when … you know, they died.” She paused to take a breath. She didn’t normally talk about her parents’ twenty-year-old murders, not even to Jolie, and it took a second for her to compose herself and go on. “I have no power outside of the public relations department at Kendall Communications. I’m a threat to no one.”

“I’m not so sure.”

“I am. The biggest thing I have to fear is giving my heart to another man who’ll stomp on it and throw it away.” And in worrying about that, Jolie was right.

“Natalie?” Her future sister-in-law’s voice was steeped in concern. “I didn’t mean—”

“It’s okay. I know I don’t have the most reliable taste when it comes to men. But at least I do know my dresses, and this one that Rachel picked out for me is divine.” She turned the hanger of the midnight-blue dress in her hand and the skirt flowed with the movement as if dancing on air.

Jolie tilted her head to the side and studied Natalie. From the look on her face, she wasn’t falling for the dress distraction. “You’re not going on the lunch date, are you?”

She didn’t want to say the word, but she knew she had to. “No, of course not. That would be stupid.”

“I’m glad. The whole situation feels weird to me. Especially now, with all that’s been going on. I don’t think you should risk seeing a guy who conveniently shows up out of the blue like that.”

“I didn’t say I wasn’t going to see him again.”

The warning was back in Jolie’s eyes.

“I don’t have his phone number, okay? I have to see him to tell him I’m not going to lunch.”

“Natalie …”

“Don’t worry. I’ll just find him at the office tomorrow. Nothing bad will happen to me.” She started for one of the tiny dressing stalls off the mirrored salon. “How about I try on this gorgeous dress, and we’ll go see if we can find Rachel? I want to see that gown.”

She closed the door behind her and leaned back against it just in time to hide the stupid tears brimming in her eyes.

Chapter Three

The barista raised a brow, the silver hoop skewering her flesh glinting in the coffee shop’s warm lighting. “Why’re you asking about Wade? He’s harmless.”

Gray didn’t know about that. As soon as he’d left Natalie in the parking garage, he’d walked over to the coffee shop to get some information about the man who’d been following her. “Do you know his last name?”

She switched on the milk steamer and for a moment Gray couldn’t make out a single word over the loud whirring and slurping sound of the machine.

Finally she set his cappuccino on the counter. “Will that be all?”

“Wade’s last name?”

She rolled her eyes. “I said I didn’t remember it. I’m not a damn directory.”

“He followed a woman from this shop tonight. I want to determine if this could be a problem.”

“Oh, her. Yeah, I saw that. He’s been watching her for a couple weeks now. Every time they’re in here together. Coffee shops are the new pickup spots, you know.”

“You think he’s trying to ask her out?”

She tossed him a shrug. “She often comes in after work, and he’s here. Like he’s waiting for her but can’t get up the nerve to say hello. Like I said, he’s harmless.”

She might be right. He’d seemed nervous in the parking ramp earlier tonight, but there wasn’t anything overtly threatening about him. Still he had to wonder about a guy who would follow a woman through the deserted downtown streets at night. If he wasn’t trying to intimidate her, then he must be the most insensitive and clueless man on the planet. And that was saying something.

The bleat of his cell phone interrupted his next thought. He looked down at the display. Devin Kendall. Gray glanced up at the barista. “Thanks.” He grabbed his cappuccino and held the phone to his ear. “Yes?”

“Jolie just called.” The CEO’s voice sounded curt and authoritative, as always. “They’re getting ready to leave the bridal shop.”

“Okay. I’m on my way back.” He was about to end the call when Devin spoke again.

“What did you find out about the creep you said was following my sister tonight?”

He’d filled Devin in as soon as he’d seen Natalie safely inside the bridal shop. “A first name. Wade. Not much else. He could be just some aspiring Romeo.”

“In Natalie’s case, that’s reason to worry.”

Gray was curious about the statement, especially since he’d like to cast himself as that Romeo, but he resisted the urge to ask for the story behind the comment. Everything he knew about Devin Kendall suggested he was an overprotective big brother. Gray doubted he’d be eager to share stories about his sister’s love life, especially with a hired bodyguard. “Don’t worry, I have it under control. I’m heading back to the bridal shop now.”

“Good. Don’t let her see you this time.”

“I think I’ve figured out a way to deal with that problem.”

“Does this have something to do with wanting me to say I’ve hired you on as the new alarm system wunderkind on Kendall’s security team?”

“That’s part of it.” Gray had decided to tell Devin all of his plan when he’d talked to him the first time. Now he wasn’t sure he wanted to mention the rest in light of Devin’s comments about Natalie and Romeos. At least not yet.

“Fine. Whatever your plan is, just make sure it works. I don’t want to have to explain why I hired a bodyguard behind her back. She would be less than understanding.” Devin hung up.

Gray stuffed his phone in his pocket. He had a short hike back to his car. He’d better hurry.

“I thought that was you.”

He recognized her voice immediately. How could he not? Her words the day of her husband’s funeral echoed in the back of his mind every night when he closed his eyes and every morning when he opened them. “Sherry.” He turned around.

Her eyes glinted hard like shards of black glass and on her finger sparkled the ring she’d gotten from Jimbo, the man he always thought of as his brother. “You have a lot of nerve, coming back to St. Louis, Grayson.”

He didn’t know what to say to that. She was probably right. But as out of place as he now felt here, he didn’t feel comfortable anywhere else, either. He couldn’t spend his life running away. “It’s my home, Sherry. Just like it’s yours.”

“And Jimbo’s.”

He nodded, his chest aching at the bitter edge in her voice. “Yes. And Jimbo’s,” he said in a quiet voice.

She blinked as if fighting tears and shook her short, dark hair. “I hear you got yourself a job as a bodyguard. What a laugh. Does your client know that you aren’t the type to lay down his life for anyone?”

He stood straight as if taking a drill sergeant’s abuse and met her eyes full on. “You’re wrong.”

“Wrong? No. If I was wrong, Jimbo would be here right now instead of at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. I wish I was wrong about you. I wish it every day.”

The pain aching in her voice stole his breath. “I miss him, too, Sherry.”

“Yeah, right.”

He opened his mouth to protest, then shut it without speaking. Whatever he said wouldn’t change how Sherry felt about him, what she thought she knew. He wasn’t sure how she’d found him, but he could tell it wasn’t an accident. She’d come looking for him. And she looked prepared to take a pound of flesh.

He blew out a breath, and it condensed into a cloud in the cold air. Truth was, he couldn’t blame her. Whatever cruel words she wanted to hurl, he deserved them. He’d said worse to the reflection in his mirror. The bottom line was that one of the best men Gray had ever known had died and Gray hadn’t. And if Jimbo’s wife couldn’t forgive him for that fact, she wasn’t alone.

Gray couldn’t forgive himself, either. “I’m so sorry, Sherry, but I have to go.”

“Don’t want to face the truth?”

He shook his head. He felt for Sherry. And he missed Jimbo, his friend, his brother. If he could change things, he would. But right now, the best thing he could do was steer clear and focus on his job. He had to get back to the bridal shop before Natalie left. He couldn’t change the past, but he could shape the future. His future. His redemption.

And it all started with keeping Natalie Kendall safe.

NATALIE WAS RELIEVED when she finally pulled her car through the gate surrounding the Kendall Estate, the iron scrollwork closing securely behind her. It used to be that her aunt and uncle often didn’t bother to close the gate. They just left it open, the quiet upscale neighborhood giving them little reason to worry about security. But with all the trouble the family had been having, that practice had changed.

She looked up at the traditional gray stone mansion and let out a long, relieved breath. Maybe it was the strange run-in with the guy who’d followed her from the coffee shop, or maybe it was Jolie’s mistrust of Gray, but she could have sworn a car had followed her home from the bridal shop.

She let her car idle in the driveway and eyed the street through the tall fence. The street was quiet. No headlights. No car creeping past, slowing down to see where she’d turned. Nothing.

Maybe she was losing her mind.

She shifted her sports car into gear and continued past the main house where her aunt and uncle lived. She’d grown up in the Kendall mansion, and living inside its walls still made her feel like a child. That was why, after she’d returned from college, she’d moved into the guest cottage in the rear of the estate. It was easier to deal with the memories if she wasn’t living them every day.

Of course, all that had happened the past two months had brought those memories out, front and center. And even her little house among the gardens couldn’t hide her from them.

She followed the winding drive past the pool house and rose garden and cove of evergreens until she reached her cottage, nestled among tall oaks. On the verge of shedding their leaves, the trees reached twisted limbs into the night sky. A scene that reminded Natalie far too much of Halloween horrors.

Or much worse, the real kind.

She parked in her little garage and let herself into the house. She loved her cottage. With only two bedrooms, one she’d transformed into an art studio, the place was cozy, warm on nights like these, and safe. At least it always had felt that way.

Now every part of her life felt uneasy.

She switched on the light and stepped into the kitchen. The window over the sink stared at her like an unblinking eye. She pulled the blinds, crossed her arms over her chest and tried to rub warmth through the jacket sleeves.

She was being ridiculous, freaking herself out this way. And over nothing. Sleep. That’s what she needed. A good night’s sleep and the morning light would make the world look much different. Tomorrow she would be able to put everything back into perspective. The man who’d followed her … Gray … Jolie’s nerves … she just needed sleep.

She passed through the dinette and the living area, turned down the hall to the bedrooms and shivered, despite herself. A draft seemed to be moving in this part of the little house. She switched on the hall light. The flow of air seemed to be coming from her studio. Strange. And the door stood open.

A door she always kept locked.

Her heartbeat launched into double time. She reached out a hand and pushed the door open farther. Curling her arm around the doorjamb, she felt for the light switch and flicked it on.

At first she wasn’t sure what she was seeing. Shreds of canvas hung from her work easel. Red paint pooled on the floor. The glow of the moon sparkled on shattered glass.

A gasp caught in her throat, and she turned to run.

Chapter Four

“Here you go, dear.” Angela Kendall pushed a mug of tea into Natalie’s hands, plopped down on the kitchen chair next to her and studied her niece with concerned brown eyes. “It will calm you, make you feel better.”

Natalie wrapped both palms around the hot mug, grateful to have something to hold on to that would help to steady her shaking hands. The scent of chamomile wafted toward her. The tea her aunt pulled out to soothe any trauma Natalie faced, from her love life woes to the nightmares she’d had since she was six.

Natalie hated chamomile tea.

Aunt Angela leaned toward her, the kitchen light glinting off the few strands of gray that threaded her brown hair. “Is the tea all right, honey?”

“It’s great.” Natalie gave her aunt what she hoped was a grateful smile and dutifully lifted the tea to her lips. She took a sip of the dreadful brew and then returned the cup to the table. “Thank you.”

Angela gave her a smile and ran her hand over Natalie’s arm in a comforting caress. When Natalie had burst into the main house in a panic after finding the broken window and slashed paintings in her cottage, her aunt had been wearing her bright pink bathrobe and matching pajamas, ready for bed. Somewhere between soothing Natalie, alerting Uncle Craig and brewing tea, she’d changed into an orange sweater and jeans, combed her hair smooth and dashed on a bit of mascara and tinted lip balm.

The woman was nothing short of amazing.

Natalie was lucky to have her, back when she was six and her aunt and uncle had taken in orphaned Natalie and her three older brothers as their own and now. But as much as she appreciated her aunt’s nurturing, this much coddling made Natalie feel as if she was once again a weak, traumatized little girl.

Uncle Craig walked back into the kitchen before Aunt Angela had a chance to urge Natalie to take another sip. “Ash is bringing a couple of patrol officers with him.”

So now the whole St. Louis Police Department was going to get involved? Natalie supposed it made sense, but she still felt like hiding her face. “I’m sorry for all this.”

“Sorry? Why should you be sorry?” Uncle Craig’s eyes flashed blue fire. “You didn’t break into your own cottage and vandalize it. The person who did this, that’s who should be sorry.”

“That’s right, dear,” Aunt Angela chimed in. “How long before Ash gets here?”

“He was getting into the car when I hung up.”

The grandfather clock down the hall chimed loud and slow.

Natalie glanced around the kitchen. The room was immaculate, as usual. Beautiful cabinets, gleaming countertops, and just the right decorating touches. Yet nothing was stuffy or showy. She didn’t remember much about the house when her parents lived here, but since her aunt and uncle had moved in to take care of Natalie and her brothers, the house had felt like Angela. Warm, well cared for, welcoming.

She choked down another sip of tea for her aunt’s sake. She hated being so needy, so clingy. She wanted to feel strong for once in her life, confident that she could stand on her own feet. That she could love as an equal and have that love returned. She wanted to forget that night twenty years ago. That night that chewed at the back of her mind.

Before she knew it, Ash was striding into the kitchen. He wore jeans and a simple shirt. A leather jacket spanned his broad shoulders and muscular chest. With his light brown hair, glinting green eyes and confident swagger, it was no wonder he had been known as the Casanova of the St. Louis PD. That is, until he fell hard for Rachel and their unborn child and realized all he really wanted was to settle down.

He immediately crossed to Natalie. “You okay?”

The concern in his voice made her throat feel thick. She managed a nod.

“Uncle Craig said someone broke into the cottage?”

“That’s right,” Craig answered.

Natalie forced her voice to function and filled her brother in on how she’d sensed the draft and found her studio door open and the window shattered.

“Did you notice if anything was missing?” he asked when she’d finished.

“I don’t know. I ran out.” She had. Like a scared little girl.

“You did the right thing. There’s always a chance the intruder could have still been there. When the squad car gets here, I’ll go out and take a look around.”

Her throat closed. The paintings. She hadn’t even thought about the fact that her brother and his fellow officers would need to investigate. And when they did, they’d see the shreds of her canvases littering the floor.

Would Ash realize what the images were? Was she ready for him to see what she’d been painting?

“Is that okay?” He narrowed his green eyes.

She forced a nod.

“What’s wrong?”

The disadvantage of having a cop for a brother. He could sense when she wasn’t being totally up front. “Nothing. I’m just a little shaken.”

“You can stay here tonight, honey. In fact, you can move back in. We’d love to have you. You know that.”

She gave her aunt her best attempt at a smile. Her aunt and uncle were the only parents she’d ever really known. Sure she had images of her mother and father. But she’d only been six when they died. And the images she had of them were all mixed up with memories of the Christmas morning she’d awakened, excited about seeing what Santa brought her, and instead had discovered her parents’ murdered bodies.

“A squad car just pulled into the drive. Oh, here comes Devin, too.”

Natalie almost groaned. With her aunt and uncle, Ash and Devin all hovering over her, all she was missing was her third brother, Thad. Of course, she was sure he’d be here, too, if he wasn’t on assignment as a photojournalist in some remote locale. He probably hadn’t even heard about all that had happened in St. Louis the past couple of months. They’d tried to reach him to tell him their parents’ murderer had been exonerated, but hadn’t been able to find him. Devin had left a message with a woman at the news network, but they hadn’t heard a word since.

Another concern to add to the rest.

“We’ll handle this. You don’t worry.” Ash gave her a quick hug and headed for the door.

To her studio …

“Ash, wait. Can I talk to you?” She had to prepare him for what he would find.

He turned around and paused, as if he expected her to start talking right there in front of her aunt and uncle.

“In the study?” She tried not to notice the slightly hurt expression from her aunt.

Ash motioned for her to lead the way. Once he shut the door behind them, he turned to her with a spill-it-all look he’d mastered long before he’d become a cop.

Natalie’s throat felt dry as sawdust. “The paintings in my studio … I just wanted to warn you …” She tried to swallow.

“Your nightmares?”

She nodded.

“I should have known they’d come back after all that’s happened the past two months. You should have told me.”

“It’s not so bad. Not as long as I paint them, to get them out of my head.” She hadn’t told him to elicit his concern. God knew, she had plenty of that. “The paintings were slashed. I wasn’t in the house long, but I didn’t notice anything else damaged.”

“Just those paintings …”

“Do you think it means anything?”

“Maybe. Maybe not. I’ll take a look around.”

He hadn’t answered her question, but that was as good as an answer with Ash. If he could have told her this had nothing to do with their parents’ murders, he would have.

“Don’t worry. You’re safe now. Go upstairs. I’m sure Aunt Angela has your old room ready for you. Get some sleep and we’ll get to the bottom of this. It will be all over before you know it, and the situation will be back to normal.”

She pressed her lips together. Not a smile but as close as she could get. Even though she knew he was right, that she was safe, she couldn’t help feeling this mess wasn’t over.

No, she suspected it was just beginning.

“SO NEEDLESS TO SAY, I didn’t sleep much.”

Gray leaned his elbows on the too-small café table and tried his best to seem shocked by Natalie’s story. Of course, he’d followed her to the cottage from the bridal shop last night just as he followed her home every night. He’d been just about to go home himself and get some sleep when he’d seen her bolt from her cottage and dash to the main house where her aunt and uncle lived. It hadn’t taken long for Devin to call him on his cell and demand answers Gray didn’t have. Minutes after that, Natalie’s cop brother, Ash, had squealed into the drive, eventually followed by a squad car and Devin himself.

It had been a long night for all of them.

“I’m sorry for laying this on you.”

“What do you mean? I had to drag it out of you.” He had. And he felt bad about it. But since he knew the events of the night before, he was afraid he’d slip up unless he convinced her to tell him herself. This way, he didn’t have to keep as many details straight. And he had a seemingly legitimate reason to worry about her and insist he stay close.

The waitress swooped in on their table, deposited the check and two cups of coffee and removed the remnants of their lunch, panang chicken for her, pad see ew for him. It had been a stellar lunch, great Thai food and even better company. The time had gone far too fast. Gray could see making lunch with Natalie a daily ritual. The only thing that could make it better would be not having to worry about keeping his cover story intact. “Did you stay the night at your parents’ house?”

“Aunt and uncle. Although they raised us. Especially me.”

Of course, he already knew her family history, and he felt guilty at once for causing her pain, especially in service of his subterfuge. “That’s right. Your parents … they’ve been in the news lately. I’m sorry.”

She waved his apology away, but a sadness touched her eyes that suggested she couldn’t so easily dismiss the memories of her parents’ murders.

Not surprising. Who could?

She sipped her coffee, then leaned back in her chair, playing with a spoon still on the table. “You know, it’s funny.”

“Funny?”

She shrugged a shoulder as if trying to convince herself as well as him that what she was about to say was no big deal. “Funny that I’ve never felt comfortable talking about this.”

“I’m sorry.” Another dose of guilt. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. We can talk about something else.”

“No, that’s the funny part.”

He shook his head. “I’m not following.”

“I don’t feel uncomfortable. Not when I’m talking to you. Is that weird?”

“I don’t know if it’s weird. I think it’s kind of nice.” He reached across the table and took her hand before he thought to stop himself.

She accepted his touch, curling her fingers around his. “Me, too. My family likes to hover. Sometimes they act as if I’m six years old all over again.”

Six was a young age to lose one’s parents. He gave her hand a squeeze he hoped she’d read as understanding and not hovering. “It probably helps that I didn’t know you when you were six. You don’t seem to need hovering now.”

A smile curved over her lips and sparkled into her eyes.

Suddenly hovering was at the bottom of his list. Tasting those lips, watching her eyes sparkle with passion when he kissed her … he took a sip of black coffee and focused on a colorful painting on the wall behind her. “Did the police find anything last night?”

“A mess.” She shook her head. “My brother Ash is a detective. He, Devin and a couple other officers were out there half the night, but …”

“Nothing?”

“I can’t figure it out. Why would someone want to destroy my paintings? I mean, these aren’t great works of art. I don’t show them or sell them or anything. It’s just my pastime, you know?”

He knew more than she could guess. And one of the things he knew was she was more than a hobby artist. She might head up Kendall’s PR department now, but she’d been a serious artist in college. When it came to looking for someone who would want to shred her paintings, maybe that was a place to start. “You’ve never had offers to show your work? Never had art lovers looking to buy?”

She tilted her head to the side. “A few. But that’s when I was doing more commercial stuff. These paintings were just for me.”

“Just for you, huh? So you don’t show them to anyone?”

“No. No one would be interested anyway.”

“I have trouble believing you haven’t had interest.”

“One dealer who liked some of my previous work has asked. But I told him no.”

Interesting. “Who was that?”

“It’s not important. I’m not going to show them to him, let alone sell them.”

He would have to find out who this dealer was, although he wasn’t sure how to go about that at the moment. He sensed if he badgered her about a name, she’d get suspicious. He didn’t want to ruin the easy rapport that had bloomed between them. But there was another thing he was curious about. “So I can talk you into letting me have a peek?”

She looked at him out of the corner of her eyes. “What, are you a secret art collector?”

“No. But I have a certain interest in the artist. I’ve heard looking at an artist’s work is the best way to get to know her.” He knew it sounded like he was playing her, but he wasn’t. Not really. The truth was, he really was interested in seeing Natalie’s paintings. He was interested in learning everything about her. At least everything he hadn’t already seen by following her around for the past month or so.

Maybe that was his fascination. Nothing had happened in the past weeks. Natalie shopping. Natalie going to and from work. Maybe his thirst for a bit more adventure than this was fueling his need to get closer to her. Or maybe he’d spent so much time watching her, he was developing a bit of a crush. Either way, this was the most alive he’d allowed himself to feel in a long time. “What do you say? Will you show me?”

“That’s a pretty intimate request for a first date.”

“Did I cross a line?”

She gave him a little smile. “No harm in asking.”

“I could think of a more intimate request.” He didn’t even hope she would grant him what was in his imagination right now, but he didn’t try to hide the interest in his voice.

“Can you? And what would that be?” She looked at him straight on, a mischievous glint in her green eyes.

He almost shook his head. “Man, I love a woman who ups the ante.”

She arched her brows. “Well?”

He was tempted to tell her exactly where his thoughts were leading, but he sensed that might be pushing things too far. He couldn’t afford to come on too strong and risk scaring her off.

Or even worse, she might take him up on the offer. He could just imagine what her brother’s reaction to that would be. “No harm in asking.”

She laughed, the sound drawing him in as it had in the parking garage. If this was a real date, he’d lean over and kiss her. He could imagine how she’d taste. Sweet and light and spiced with Thai curry and a touch of coffee.

Instead of giving in to the urge, he grabbed the check folder off the table. “I would like you to let me buy.”

“That’s your intimate request?”

“Not intimate enough?”

She canted her head to the side. “I have an expense account here. And no, letting you buy lunch is not all that intimate.”

“Sorry to disappoint.” He slipped cash into the folder and handed it to a passing server. Then he looked into Natalie’s cool, green eyes. “Okay, if you want something more intimate, may I escort you home after work tonight?”

“To see my paintings?”

“To make sure you get there safe and no one is waiting inside.”

“Really?”

“After last night? Yeah, really. I’m worried about you.”

“You hardly know me.”

“True. But what I know, I really like. I want you to stay safe so I can get to know more.”

She picked up her coffee cup and gave him a smile over the rim, as if he’d said precisely the right thing.

THE ENTIRE WALK BACK to Kendall Communications, Natalie mentally pinched herself. Since the moment she’d opened her studio door and found the room in shambles, she’d felt so violated, so vulnerable, she didn’t think she’d ever feel strong and happy again. All night she’d been convinced someone was watching her from the darkness outside, even though the estate had been swarming with police. She could have sworn someone was trailing behind her on this morning’s commute to work. She’d even felt the hair on the back of her neck rise while she was waiting for the parking ramp’s garage door to open. So how was it possible that she felt so carefree and radiant after a simple chat over lunch?

Love was an incredible thing.

She turned away from Gray for a moment and smiled to herself. She wasn’t in love, of course. She knew she was getting ahead of herself. Way ahead. But it was nice just to entertain the fantasy for a moment. To have found someone who made her feel giddy and warm and safe and sexy all at once. To have a future before her filled with love and family and happiness like Devin and Ash did. To plan her own wedding and know her husband would be there to share coffee with her in the evening and hold her warm and safe all night.

An old dream. Maybe an impossible one. But a good one all the same.

Jolie’s warning flitted through her mind. She’d promised her friend she would call off today’s lunch with Gray. But when it came down to telling him she had to cancel, she’d changed her mind. She was glad she had, despite having now lied to her best friend. Sure, Jolie was probably right. Sure, Natalie didn’t really know Gray. Sure, her fantasies could come crashing down at any moment. But at least the dream would last over the lunch hour. After last night’s trauma, she needed to hold on to this great feeling as long as she could. “So, we’ve talked a lot about me during lunch. Tell me about yourself.”

Gray chuckled. “Believe me, you’re a lot more interesting.”

“I can’t help liking that you think so, but beyond the trauma of last night, I’m afraid my life is pretty dull.”

“There is nothing about you that’s dull.”

She let out a laugh. “You flatter,” she said dryly.

He shot her a smile.

They reached the end of the block, and Gray held out his hand, preventing her from stepping into the street without him checking it out first. Natalie had to admit that if one of her brothers had made that move, she probably would have felt he was hovering. From Gray, it made her feel nothing but special. “I have to admit, compared to having my cottage broken into, dull is looking pretty appealing.”

“I’m with you there. I’m just relieved you weren’t hurt.”

Footsteps shuffled behind them. Natalie resisted the urge to spin around and look. She shouldn’t have brought up last night’s break-in. Just a single mention and she was back to hearing things and feeling threats where none existed. She was walking down a public street, for crying out loud. Not only that, but anyone would be a fool to mess with the strapping man beside her, at least in a violent sort of way. Now, in a sexual way …

“What’s so funny?”

Oh, God, she’d been grinning at her own joke. “Nothing.”

“You sure about that? It looked a lot more interesting than nothing. And not dull at all.”

She let out a giggle despite herself. She sounded like a teen with a crush. Hell, she felt like one, too. And she had to admit, it was kind of divine.

“Beautiful,” Gray said under his breath.

Now it was her turn to be confused. She shot him a look. “What’s beautiful?”

“The sound of your laugh. I like it. I want to hear more of it.”

She laughed again. “You’re just being sweet.”

He gave her a playful wink. “On you? Maybe a little.”

She wanted to hold on to his words. To run them through her mind and focus on the warm feeling spreading through her chest.

Man, she wished she’d met Gray years ago. Or at least a couple of months ago, back when her life felt more normal. This lunch hour would be perfect if not for the anxiety humming along her nerves like the buzz of a mosquito she couldn’t swat.

She could still sense the person behind her, still there, still walking too close. Turning her head to the side, she caught a reflection in a store window. A powder-blue sweatshirt, large and slumpy enough to land whoever was wrapped in it a spot on What Not to Wear.

Natalie shook her head and directed her attention to the busy intersection ahead. The chrome exterior of the Kendall building rose over the surrounding cityscape, nearly blinding in the bright sun. Only one more block and her lunch with Gray would be over. There must be something wrong with her. A riveting man by her side dishing out compliments, and all she could focus on was paranoia and some woman’s bad fashion choices.

They reached the end of the block and stopped at the crosswalk.

“What is it?” Gray glanced around.

She shook her head. “It’s nothing.”

He gave her a relaxed smile, scanning the cityscape. “You sure?”

His muscles were tense, alert, but Natalie sensed a strange calm coming from him that belied her jumpy nerves. “Yeah, I’m sure. I’m just being paranoid.”

“In light of what happened to you last night, I don’t think you can call it paranoia.”

“That’s nice of you to say.”

“I mean it. You feel scared, whether you think it’s real or not, you just let me know. Okay? I’m here for you.”

A flutter lodged under her rib cage. He really was too good to be true. Something she’d have to keep in mind. She gave him a smile. “Thanks.”

“Being here for you is not a problem. Trust me.” He looked straight into her eyes.

A flush of heat started to pool in her cheeks. The mix of brown and green of his irises mesmerized her. The sincerity in his expression made her ache to step into his arms. She looked at the cars streaming past, not wanting him to see her melt. The curb under her toes felt like a cliff, one step and she’d be head over heels. And despite the fact that she didn’t know Gray well, despite Jolie’s warnings, despite all the disappointments she’d weathered in the past, Natalie was tempted to look back into his eyes and let herself fall.

Something hit her hard in the back and shoved her forward, into the street. She hit the pavement hard, the force jarring her knees and shuddering up through the heels of her hands.

All around her tires screeched and cars swerved.

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