The Troubleshooter: An Enemies-to-Lovers Romance (Norcross)

by Anna Hackett

  “Saxon,” she murmured.

  Damn, when she said his name like that, it was easy to forget everything. He rose. “You need to call your insurance company.”

  She nodded. “And my office. I need to get Ashley to reschedule my meetings, and go over what’s on the agenda for the next couple of days.”

  And Saxon needed to find Willow and the gems.

  Chapter Five

  Gia leaned back in her chair at the end of the day and let out a long breath. She’d popped in and out of the Norcross office to visit her brothers before, but she’d never really seen the guys doing their thing. They were clearly out a lot. They all preferred action to desk work.

  But today, Saxon and Rhys stayed in, working the phones and laptops hard. She wouldn’t lie—watching Saxon work was sexy.

  Gia licked her lips. She glanced through the glass wall and saw that his office was empty right now, but he was around somewhere.

  He’d vowed to keep her safe.

  He’d vowed that he was claiming her as his.

  Her belly jittered and she pressed a hand to it. God. She was attracted to him. Insanely attracted. Any woman between the ages of five and ninety-five would be. But she’d seen him and her brothers blow through women. They attracted women like bees to honey, but they never kept them long.

  Saxon Buchanan was a risk. Gia liked to calculate risks in everything she did—her work, her personal relationships. The odds didn’t stack up here.

  She shook her head and looked back at her desk. Work. She needed to focus on her work.

  She thought of Willow and the gems, but shoved that thought away. There was nothing she could do to help right now.

  Surprisingly, even though she was running on low-level anxiety, she’d gotten a lot of work done. Without endless meetings, or people needing her help, she’d powered through some projects. She’d also called her insurance, and gotten a cleaning company in to fix her apartment.

  Her cell phone rang. “Gia Norcross.”

  “Ms. Norcross, it’s Diamond Fresh Cleaning. I’m just letting you know that we finished your apartment. It’s clean, and the basic furniture has been replaced as you requested.”

  “Oh, thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. I’m sorry you needed us in the first place, but I hope you’re happy with our work.”

  After she ended the call, Gia stood. The sun was setting, the water of the bay darkening and the lights on the Bay Bridge twinkling like stars.

  She headed out to find Vander and Saxon. Vander’s office was at the end of the warehouse. Unlike everyone else, his office had real walls.

  As she approached, she saw the door was open and she heard Saxon’s voice. The deep tone sent a shiver through her.

  What would it be like to have all Saxon’s focus on her, her pleasure? To strip those custom suits off his hard, muscular body? A rush of desire arrowed between her legs and her nipples went hard.

  She realized now how many times, when she’d been busy with her vibrator, that it had been Saxon’s face and body she’d imagined. Saxon’s cock she’d pictured filling her.

  She paused and pulled in a deep breath. She hadn’t acknowledged the depth of her hunger for Saxon consciously before. But his kiss had ripped those blinders off.

  She walked toward Vander’s office.

  “Keeping Gia safe is our top priority,” Saxon said.

  “Agreed,” Vander replied.

  Warmth bloomed in her chest.

  “The biggest obstacle to that is Gia.” Saxon sounded annoyed. “She’ll risk herself for Willow. We need to keep her from doing anything stupid.”

  Her steps faltered, the warmth turning to molten anger. But under it was pain. Clearly, Saxon might be attracted to her, but he still saw her as stupid and reckless.

  So, he’d been charming her, lulling her. Telling her he liked her just as a big fucking ploy to keep her in line. Manipulative bastard.

  She stormed into the office. “How dare you?”

  Saxon turned, his face hardening. “Gia—”

  “Poor, stupid Gia. We need to babysit her. Make sure she doesn’t make dumb decisions.”

  “I want to keep you breathing,” Saxon snapped.

  “I’ve done just fine for thirty years, Saxon Buchanan. I don’t need you running roughshod over my life and treating me like a child.”

  “Gia—” Vander started.

  “Stay out of this, Vander.” She glared at Saxon. “You’re off the hook, Saxon. I’ll take care of myself, somehow, despite being so stupid.”

  “I don’t think you’re stupid.” He sounded like he was talking between gritted teeth. “You’re the sharpest woman I know.”

  She made an angry sound. More placation and manipulation.

  Saxon strode up to her and grabbed her arms. “I do.”

  “As if I’d believe anything that comes out of your mouth.”

  He gave her a small shake. “You care too much. You make these poor decisions not because you’re not intelligent, but because you put the people you care about before yourself.”

  Oh. Well, that was actually a nice observation. Still…

  “I’m an adult. I won’t let you alpha males with an overabundance of testosterone make all the decisions for me, or boss me around.” She took a deep breath and stepped back. Saxon’s hands fell away. “I’ve no plans to run into danger. I will take security advice from you both, since you’re the experts. Now, I need to be at my office tomorrow—”

  “No.”

  She glared at Saxon. “Security measures can be taken. I’ll allow a bodyguard to keep me and my staff safe.”

  Saxon shoved a hand through his hair.

  “My apartment’s been cleaned and—”

  Saxon shook his head. “You’re staying with me.”

  Oh no, she wasn’t. “No. I’m going home. I won’t let these assholes chase me out of my own home.”

  Saxon’s jaw hardened and a muscle ticked beside his eye. “Then I’ll stay at your place.”

  She put her hands on her hips. “I have security—”

  “Someone stays with you,” Vander interjected.

  Gia knew the hard stare. Vander wouldn’t budge on this. Dammit.

  “Fine. I take it you haven’t found the gems.”

  “We’re following some leads,” Saxon said.

  Vander rose. “I did get some intel. Nothing definite yet.”

  “What?” Her pulse skittered.

  Saxon stepped closer, the heat of him washing over her. All the thoughts flew out of her head.

  “Dennett’s after a particular stone,” Vander said. “It seems something very valuable ended up in that bag.”

  Gia gasped.

  Saxon’s brow creased. “Something worth more than two hundred and fifty grand?”

  “Yeah,” Vander said.

  “What?” Gia asked.

  “I don’t know yet. But Dennett will kill to get it back.”

  God, Willow, what have you done? Surely, she hadn’t known this. A wave of exhaustion hit Gia. “I want to go home.”

  “I’ll get your things,” Saxon said.

  “I can get them myself. I’m more than capable. I don’t need a man to do everything for me. I can even take care of my own orgasms.”

  Vander made a strangled noise. “Out.”

  Gia turned, tossed her head back and strode out.

  Take that, Saxon Bossy-as-hell Buchanan.

  Saxon woke in Gia’s guest room, in a bed with a white, feminine cover and about a thousand pillows on it.

  He shoved one of them under his head and scraped a hand over his stubbled chin.

  He’d brought her home the night before, and she’d given him the silent treatment. Nobody did the silent treatment like Gia Norcross. The only thing she did better was losing her temper.

  As they’d eaten some dinner, she’d ignored him. But he’d watched as she’d wandered her now clean, but very bare, apartment. She’d grieved for what had been destroy
ed, and seeing her pain had gutted him.

  She had very few ornaments and decorations left. He knew that Gia loved art and pretty things, and had collected each one lovingly.

  Saxon shoved the sheets back. Well, she hadn’t let him comfort her last night, clearly still pissed at what had been said in Vander’s office. He didn’t care if she was angry, as long as she was unhurt and alive.

  Gia had always been so independent, forging her own way. Saxon didn’t get it. She had a supportive family to lean on, and yet she tried her hardest not to.

  Naked, he rose and headed into the adjoining guest bathroom. After pulling on some suit pants and a clean, pale-blue shirt that he’d brought with him, he headed into the hallway, hands going up to fasten the buttons.

  Then his fingers froze. He heard a buzzing sound. What the hell?

  A deep, throaty female moan came from Gia’s room.

  His cock rose, pressing hard against his zipper. You’ve got to be kidding me. He walked closer to her door, and heard more moans and that incessant buzzing.

  The little minx was lying in there, pleasuring herself. Images filled his head like a damn sexy movie. Gia, naked, sprawled on her bed, all that hair spread everywhere, working her vibrator between her legs.

  His cock throbbed, and he swallowed a groan.

  Then he heard her cry out, followed by her gasping a name.

  “Saxon.”

  Fuck. His hands balled into fists and he strode back to the guest room. He closed the door and leaned back against it. Then quickly, with desperate moves, he flicked open his pants and shoved his boxers down. His swollen cock sprang free and he fisted it, and started working himself with long, rough strokes.

  Fuck. Fuck. Far too fast, his orgasm rose, his mind full of Gia and what she was doing next door.

  With a groan, sensation like lightning ran down his spine. Saxon came, spilling on the floor.

  Damn. He stayed slumped against the door, panting. He had to have her soon or he’d lose his mind.

  Saxon quickly cleaned up. When he strode into the kitchen, she was dressed in a sleek dress of stone gray—sleeveless and fitted—that hugged those sensational curves.

  She looked at him, but stayed silent.

  Oh no, Contessa, we’re not doing any more silent treatment. He circled the island. “Good morning.”

  She turned to the coffee machine.

  Saxon came right up behind her, smelled her floral shampoo and her perfume—something rich, sexy, and spicy with vanilla undertones.

  “Did you enjoy coming with your toy this morning?” he murmured.

  She stiffened.

  “Did you enjoy imagining it was me touching you?”

  She whirled. “I did not imagine you.”

  “Heard you say my name.”

  She made a strangled sound, red color streaking her cheekbones.

  Grinning, Saxon headed to the island and sat on a stool. She’d already cut up some fruit and he popped a piece of orange in his mouth. At least he wasn’t getting the silent treatment, anymore.

  “I do not fantasize about you, Saxon Buchanan. Henry Cavill is my choice of fantasy material.”

  “Right, but I heard ‘Saxon,’ not ‘Henry.’”

  She shot him one of her trademark, scorching-hot glares.

  Was it wrong that he felt this woman’s glares in his cock? All that passion inside that gorgeous body. He wanted to taste it, set it free.

  “I can’t believe you…” She blew out a breath, the color still in her cheeks.

  “That I listened to you getting off?”

  “Be quiet.”

  “You’re awfully tense for someone who just had an orgasm. Must not have been a good one.”

  That earned him another glare. “Just stop talking.”

  “I went straight back to my room and stroked my cock until I blew. It was hot, Gia.”

  She stilled, her lips parting.

  Saxon nabbed a bit of pineapple. As he chewed it, she was still staring at him, and he knew she was running some X-rated images through her head.

  He picked up a piece of cantaloupe. He knew she loved it.

  “Come here, Gia.”

  She hesitated.

  “You know you want to. I know you’re pissed at what I said yesterday, but nothing I said was bad. You put yourself out there for the people you care about. It’s fucking admirable, even when I want to shake you for putting yourself at risk. Hell, Vander’s the same. I’ve watched him risk himself for strangers, over and over. I never knew people cared like that until I met your family.”

  Something moved over her beautiful face. “Saxon…”

  “Come here, Contessa.”

  She moved. On the stool, he shifted his legs and pulled her between them. He rubbed the cantaloupe over her lips and her chest hitched.

  “You need to get over what I said and quit the silent treatment.”

  She sighed.

  He pushed the fruit into her mouth, and she chewed and swallowed.

  “I’m over it. You know I have a temper.”

  He raised a brow.

  Her mouth quirked. “Don’t make me mad again.”

  He rubbed his thumb over her lips and she grabbed his wrist, then sucked his juice-covered thumb into her mouth.

  Damn. His cock was hard in an instant. “Wish I could have watched you come earlier.” His voice was guttural

  “Saxon,” she moaned.

  “Can I watch you come, Contessa?”

  His hand gripped her leg, sliding up her thigh, dragging her dress up with it.

  Her brown eyes widened, her breathing choppy.

  “I bet I can do a better job than your toy.”

  Desire glazed her eyes. “We shouldn’t do this…”

  He paused. “You want me to stop?”

  “No,” she breathed.

  Saxon slid a hand inside the tiny scrap of lace she called panties. He found her clit—still swollen—and stroked.

  She jolted against him, air rushing out of her.

  “You like that?” He started working at that little nub, pulling her closer, spinning her around so her back pressed against his chest.

  She tilted her head so her face was in profile, her lips parted. “Oh.”

  He watched her, reading every little flicker on her face. He found exactly what pressure she liked, then stroked his fingers through her folds. He felt how wet she was, loved every little cry she made.

  “Saxon!”

  “Ride my hand, gorgeous.”

  She obeyed, her hips weaving wildly. She grabbed the edge of the island in front of her. She was close.

  “Look at me, Gia.”

  She tilted her head back, desire on her features, her eyes fever bright.

  “Come, Contessa.”

  He pinched her clit and her body arched. She cried out.

  “Say my name,” he growled.

  Her gaze locked with his. “Saxon.”

  Fuck. He was close to coming in his boxers.

  He held her as she shuddered through her release, and then still held her as she came down. He pulled her more tightly into his arms, her head resting on his shoulder.

  After a while, she finally pulled back, and her gaze dropped to his rock-hard cock tenting his pants.

  She licked her lips. “Um, can I—?”

  Saxon groaned. “Baby, you’re due at work in fifteen minutes. Unfortunately, I think we need to go.”

  She squeaked and looked at her watch. Then she yanked her dress back down into place. “Dammit, I have a meeting—”

  “Go. Clean up and we’ll head off.”

  She paused, her gaze running over his face.

  He couldn’t stop himself from reaching out and stroking her jaw. “Get moving, Contessa.”

  Or he’d drag her into her bed, and they wouldn’t leave all day. Maybe all week.

  With a nod, she flew into her bedroom, no doubt to change her soaked panties.

  Saxon blew out a breath. It was going to b
e a long day.

  Chapter Six

  Gia strode into the Firelight PR offices, trying to pretend Saxon—sauntering one step behind her—didn’t exist.

  Yeah, right. Ever since she’d met him, it was as if her body was designed to notice Saxon Buchanan.

  At the front reception desk, Janine’s eyes popped wide.

  “Morning,” Gia said.

  “Hi,” Janine breathed.

  “Ignore him, he’s my bodyguard.”

  Janine eyed Saxon. “Gia, that is impossible.”

  Saxon chuckled, but Gia kept walking. “Ashley, tell me you have a latte for me.”

  Ashley held out a cup, but her gaze was on Saxon.

  “Ashley, this is Saxon, my bodyguard. Saxon, Ashley is my bossy, over-organized assistant.”

  Gia sipped the coffee. It was hot. Not for the first time, she wondered how her assistant managed that, especially when Gia was a fraction late today. Late because she’d been busy letting Saxon give her a delicious, breath-stealing orgasm in her kitchen.

  No. Don’t go there.

  “A pleasure, Ashley,” Saxon drawled.

  “Wait, Saxon. Saxon Buchanan?” Ashley glanced at Gia. “The same Saxon you said was—” Ashley clamped her mouth shut.

  Saxon laughed. A deep, sexy sound that skated through Gia.

  “Don’t worry, Ashley, I’m well aware of everything Gia says about me. She’s never been afraid to say it to my face.” He glanced sideways and smiled at Gia.

  “Well, when you’re as arrogant, bossy, and annoying as you are, you must be used to it.”

  “Ah, there’s that sweet tongue of yours, Contessa.”

  She poked it out at him. “Enough. My staff know me as levelheaded, professional Gia.”

  “So, you’ve been lying to them?”

  “Enough.” She sailed into her office. She set her belongings down and Saxon followed.

  She straightened. “Ashley will find you a place to sit.”

  He shook his head. “I’m staying close to you.”

  “No, I can’t concentrate with you looming.” Because she’d stare at him and be highly aware of him, and wouldn’t get any work done.

  He grinned, and it lit up his handsome, aristocratic face. He scanned her office. “I like your desk.”