“Hello,” the thirty-something saleswoman greeted in a honeyed voice.
“Hi,” Jenna replied with a touch of boredom. It was necessary to play the part, after all. “I need a dress for a business lunch, but a little more…upbeat than your normal corporate attire. And I need some slacks, some dress shirts, and some ties for these gentlemen.”
The woman looked over all their bodies in a flash, lingering just slightly longer on Josh. Then she smiled and led the way through the women’s section first.
“Let’s have you focus on the boys for now,” Jenna said, waving the woman on. “I’ll let you know when I need a size.”
“Yes, of course.” The woman changed course immediately.
Jenna picked out some cute things, none of which she would wear to a business meeting, and had them sent to the dressing room by another saleswoman. She perused the men’s clothing, grabbing a couple of things she might like to see Josh in, and then a couple Erika would certainly want to see on Jax.
When ready, she strolled to the fitting area where the boys were trying on clothes. Josh was still in a dressing room, but Jax was standing in front of an array of mirrors with a pained look on his face as the saleswoman, who Jenna had overheard mention her name was Bernice, stood back and assessed.
“Jax, those clothes are made to be worn, not slouched in,” Jenna said severely.
“I feel like a clown.” His shoulders straightened marginally.
“If you own your appearance, you might look more like a stallion, and Erika might want a ride.”
Jax gave her a nasty look, but he did straighten up.
The curtain was pushed away, revealing Josh in a silver long-sleeved shirt and black slacks. The bottom dropped out of Jenna’s stomach. The shirt showed off his impossibly broad shoulders, highlighting the muscle throughout his chest and on his arms without making him look like he was showing off. It was elegantly cinched at his waist, giving that upper-body vee that made women drool.
She restrained herself from wiping her mouth.
His eyes met hers, heat blazing from her core and up through her body. Despite her best efforts, she couldn’t make herself look away. His eyes burned her up from the inside out, her body begging to touch him, to get up and go to him.
With her heart hammering, she resisted, barely, keeping her expression one of bored indifference. He wasn’t the only one with a stone mask.
She hoped hers was as good as his.
“Before you start talking about Josh owning his clothes, Jenna,” Jax said, drawing her attention if not her eye, “it’s only fair to point out that I didn’t come from a rich family.”
“Excuses, excuses,” Josh drawled, tying his tie expertly.
“Josh, keep that on—we’ll take it,” Jenna said, standing. “We need two more shirts like it, in different colors, and another pair of slacks. How about a gray.” She nodded to the saleslady, who scurried away. “Jax, for God’s sake, stand up straight so I can see if that shirt fits.”
It didn’t.
She turned to Josh, who lounged against the wall looking relaxed and mouthwatering. Now, if he would just smile, Jenna’s panties would melt. “Josh, can you help Jax find something he doesn’t look ridiculous in?”
His eyes, unwavering, regarded her openly. It was as if he could sense her desperation to touch him. He gave one nod before starting forward, his body straight and tall, hard and powerful.
She half ran to her dressing room to get away from his stare.
Kicked out of the hot guy trance, she noted the time, then flinched. Time was wasting away. A few moments later, silky fabric rustled as it pooled on the counter.
“Is everything here?” Jenna asked Bernice, checking over the garments. “Are the men finished?”
“Yes. They’re waiting outside. Would you like to check it?” Bernice brought forward two packages.
“Did Josh—the bigger one—check it over?”
“Yes, he did. He also chose for the other gentleman.”
Jenna didn’t know if it was how Josh held himself in those expensive clothes, or that he seemed so comfortable choosing clothes that worked perfectly with his size and frame, but she trusted his taste. If he had checked it over, knowing what she was going for, Jenna had to believe the clothes would work.
“Great, then that’s—” A pair of boxer briefs caught her eye. They would look delicious on Josh, with his defined legs and large package…
A surge of heat made her flush. Knowing it wasn’t practical, since it would be some other girl who’d get to see them instead of her, she snatched a pair in his size and threw them in. Then, knowing how that would look, she grabbed a pair for Jax. Erika would thank her. Or exchange them.
“Did you find everything you needed?” Bernice asked with a smile, delicately placing the boxer briefs with the other things.
“I did, thank you,” Jenna replied, handing over her card.
“You know, this would look really good on yours.” Bernice held up a black short-sleeve shirt. “Maybe to an opening or event?”
“Mine?”
“The larger of the gentlemen—Josh? Is he not with you?”
The way she said with you implied boyfriend. Jenna was certain she treated both guys equally, but she was also certain this woman was checking him out. She didn’t want to give the impression he was on the market. So she was immature—so what!
“Seems a little tight,” she said.
“It stretches, which is why you have to pick the occasion, but worth it. NFL players buy it. It looks best on the bigger guys. I think your man will fill it nicely.”
Jenna nodded, wondering how she would get him into it. She also doubted he’d wear it by choice. There was a difference between wearing nice clothes and putting himself on display. Couldn’t hurt to try.
She paid the bill and hurried outside. They had a few more places to hit and were already behind schedule. She handed a couple of bags to Jax and asked where Josh was.
“He was waiting for you inside.”
Jenna’s intestines filled with ice. She turned slowly.
He was right behind her.
Damn it! She hadn’t noticed him. Where the hell had he been hiding?
His eyes were twinkling as he looked down at her. “But how will you get me to wear it?”
She felt her face heating up as he repeated her inner monologue. There was absolutely nothing she could say to dig herself out of this one. He’d heard her claim him. Not even she was good enough to make light of that.
So she ignored him. She also ignored the dark chuckle he gave in response for ignoring him in the first place. She ignored Jax asking what was going on, and she ignored the random street urchin that veered toward her in the hope of a dropped coin.
It was the last that she shouldn’t have ignored.
Without hesitation, the boys reacted. Josh grabbed her around the waist and reeled her in while Jax formed a wall in front of her and grabbed the kid, marshaling him off to the side of the street. Before Jenna knew what was happening, the kid was getting a shakedown.
In classic NYC fashion, everyone who wasn’t directly involved kept their eyes straight ahead as they hurried past.
Jenna struggled against Josh, trying to get her arm out of his vise grip. “Jax, leave the kid alone. He wasn’t hurting anyone.”
“Why did he step up to you?” Jax slammed the kid against the wall to stop him from struggling, and then patted him down.
“He was probably looking to see if I was an idiot tourist. He wasn’t going to bother me, Jax. Let him go.”
Jax held up a wallet. And then took out another. “This kid is robbing people.”
“But not us,” Jenna said when Josh finally let her loose. “Leave him be. He’s no concern of ours.”
“But Jenna.” Jax showed her a wristwatch of questionable fashion. “He is stealing.”
“But Jax”—Jenna used the same mock-reasonable tone—“you are out of your jurisdiction. Bodyguards don
’t arrest people.”
Jax scowled at Jenna before looking at Josh. Josh minutely shook his head.
Tilting his head at the teen, Jax stepped back. “But I’m keeping these.” He shook the items at the kid, who took the opportunity to sprint out of there.
“Now what are you going to do with the wallets?” Jenna demanded.
“Give them to the cops.”
“They’ll ask how you got them. Look, Jax, we don’t have time.”
“Jenna, these are stolen wallets. People will want these.”
“They should have thought of that when they had possession of them.”
“Jenna,” Josh said, softly chastising her.
Jenna threw up her hands in aggravation. “Fine, Jax. Mail ’em back or give them to the cops, but can you wait until later? We’re crunched for time.”
Jax looked at Josh in surprise, but didn’t press his luck. He nodded and pocketed the wallets.
She ignored the do-gooders as she led the way to the next store, but she stopped ignoring the street around her. She wasn’t worried what might happen to her, but about what the knuckleheads trailing her might do.
In the next store, an older lady who’d clearly had a lot of plastic surgery welcomed them. “Hello.” She smiled, showing off a perfect set of pearly whites. “I’m Genevieve. Are you looking for anything in particular?”
Jenna scanned the shelves, not seeing anything new. She settled for going over some things she had seen last time, but hadn’t had occasion to buy. Just so happened, today was an occasion.
“Josh, will you take the lead?” Jenna asked, wandering away.
“Hooyah.” Josh grunted.
Grinning, because he responded like this was a Navy operation, she nodded at Genevieve. “Josh will let you know what they’re after.”
Leaving the boys in the capable and excited hands of Genevieve, she tried on a few dresses and skirts. She picked out two dresses that would do, and found the boys in the same state of disarray as last time. Genevieve was making it her mission to find something that would look perfect on Jax, but he was trying to block her at every turn. Josh already had a few garments and was sitting idly by, watching the show.
“Miss?” she heard behind her.
Jenna turned to find a tall man dressed all in black with a stylish poof of hair on the top of his head. He posed flamboyantly with an expectant air about him. He was striking, he was confident, and he probably drove all the boys wild. Jenna loved him immediately.
“Yes?” she asked.
“I have a dress in the back that would look fabulous with your legs.”
“Well, then, I’d better try it on.”
“It would be a pity not to, honey. You just wait here and I’ll be right back.”
He was back in a flash with two different sizes. Jenna let him shepherd her to a dressing room and hand her the first dress. It was a size smaller than she usually went for, but when she tried to tell him this, she was met with, “They run large. Just give it a whirl.”
She knew it was perfect when it fell around her body in a cascading whoosh. While she didn’t usually go for fire-engine red—she didn’t need more people staring at the tall, strutting blonde—the expensive material hugged her in all the right places, showing off her body. It was elegant while whispering “do me,” and it begged to be taken out on the town.
Tossing aside the curtain, she approached her image in the full-length mirror. The salesman, who’d been watching Genevieve try to force Jax into a suit, turned at her movement before giving a whistle.
“Yes.” He clapped. “That was how that dress was made to be worn. You look better than the runway model I saw it on!”
Jenna couldn’t stop smiling. She felt pretty and desirable and all the things a woman always wanted to feel. “Do you have some heels I could try?”
“Oh yes, definitely. Taller the better. Your legs will make all the women scream with jealousy! Scream, I tell you. Hold on.”
He came back with strappy four-inch silver sandals that graced her foot and wrapped around her ankle. They made the dress.
“Shall I show you a strut?” she asked with a giggle.
“You better!”
Like she was walking down a runway, Jenna gave that dress everything it needed, having it swirl and sigh through the store. When she reached the boys, they looked up, Jax half into a jacket, and froze. Josh’s eyes went wide as she did a turn. She laughed at his shocked expression, then walked halfway back to the salesman.
“You own it, girl. Shall I wrap it up?” he asked, meeting her in the center of the store.
“Absolutely.” She giggled again. “The heels, too. They make the dress.”
“It’s your legs that make that dress. But the heels don’t hurt.”
She changed, sad to see the dress go, and put on one of the outfits for the meeting. She loved to shop. Loved trying on things and imagining she was someone else. Someone that didn’t have to deal with the stresses of her life.
She handed Genevieve her card and saw it come right back to her. She came out of her daydream in confusion.
“The gentleman picked up the bill,” Genevieve said with a kind smile.
“Which…” She caught Josh’s eye as he lounged in his new attire, looking for the entire world like a rich hotel tycoon without a worry in his head.
“No, please undo his charges.” Jenna pushed her card back on the woman.
She felt a warm hand on the small of her back. “You got the first batch of armor—let me pick up the second.”
“Josh, this store is expensive. This is all work related. You can’t afford it on a woodsman’s salary.”
Her face heated. She hadn’t intended to say the last part—not meaning to embarrass him. It was true, though. She had plenty, and didn’t mind dropping it on clothes.
Josh just smiled. “I’m not a guide because I need the money. I’m a guide because I need something to do. Now I have something to do. Watching over you. Let me buy you that pretty dress. All your pretty dresses.”
“But you are working for Don. This isn’t— We aren’t— You shouldn’t—”
And it happened. Josh’s lips hit hers in a flurry of butterflies and sparks. She fell into him as though she hadn’t made the pact against it. She opened her mouth and let him fill it, quickly, fully. Spices and coffee and man. Her head swam and her heart surged.
She pushed away from him slowly, breaking the lingering kiss. Dizzied with his taste.
When her mind slowly came to, the gravity of the situation hit her. Without thinking, she slapped him.
“Oh my—!” she heard Genevieve exclaim behind her.
“They probably have great sex,” whispered the salesman.
Jax was smirking outside.
“Fine. Thank you. You can carry the bags. I need to get ready for my meeting.” She stomped out of the door, putting all the insanity behind her. It was only her first day with him on duty, and already she’d made a blunder. Goddamned good looks.
She heard Josh say, “It was worth it.”
“Oh, you just need to bring her around, is all,” said Genevieve helpfully.
“Why spoil the fun?” That from the salesman.
Jenna shook her head and balled her hands into fists. So much for feeling in control again. She couldn’t keep her head straight around that ass.
Chapter Five
They deposited Jax and all the bags with Erika. Jenna didn’t know what was where, so left it for Jax to figure out in his own time, with a warning that nothing had better find its way into the wastebasket.
Jenna stepped into the bathroom to fix up her makeup and hair before heading into Don’s office. Since she had license to barge in, but Josh didn’t, she waited impatiently for the assistant to announce them.
“Miss-us An-der-son,” the irritating assistant said in the Matrix drawl. Jenna ignored her, as usual, until she saw the assistant’s eyes flicker toward Josh in appreciation.
“Is ther
e a problem?” Jenna asked, snapping the wandering eyes back to her.
“No, ma’am,” was the chipper response. “I’ll just get him right on the phone for you.”
As the assistant waved them in, Josh stepped close to her and whispered, “I’d have an easier time believing you wanted nothing to do with me if you stopped being so territorial.”
“I never said I didn’t want you to be with someone else, but I have no intention of watching it happen.”
She heard a muttered “stubborn” as they walked into Don’s office.
Don was bent over his desk with a furrowed brow. He looked up when they walked in.
“Ah, good, you’re ready. That dress is perfect.” He noticed Josh, and his brows crawled up his forehead. “She tamed you, huh? That didn’t take long. Christ, you look like a GQ model. All the better. I wanted to talk to you two about your arrangement.”
Jenna got a shock of worry that Don knew about their past week together. It would…complicate things.
Don moved around the desk in his expensive suit. “I don’t want anyone to know about our problems. I want to move behind the scenes as much as possible. Someone plays dirty with my crew, I don’t want a bunch of eyes watching while I deal with it.”
Jenna sighed in relief.
“So we’ll play this from the angle of an eccentric, though genius, architect that wants her lover with her at all times. It’s a little clichéd, but guys forgive pretty girls most anything, so it’ll be fine.” Don looked sternly at Jenna. “That means you have to act like you like him. None of this bitter nonsense. A kiss or two wouldn’t hurt, either, but I won’t push. Although I’m sure you’ve kissed uglier.”
Jenna rolled her eyes. “You want me to get caught with his dick in my mouth in the bathroom?”
Don laughed. “Always the career woman. If you could arrange that it would be ideal, yeah. Mr. Williams— Can I call you Josh?”
Josh nodded.
“Great. Josh, the threat, as you called it, won’t come from those attending various meetings she has for the next week, but watch the sidelines and watch me. I know the underbelly of this city. I know how things work. I’ll probably notice something out of place before you do. And if she’s in danger, get her the hell out of there. Don’t worry about anyone else. Got it?”
Unexpected Guardian (Skyline Trilogy Book 3) Page 4