by Crissy Smith
She smiled wide when their gazes met. “Wow! You grew up.”
Max opened his mouth to respond then closed it again quickly. There was no way this sexy creature in front of him was Cassie Wilson. Gone were the braids and the crooked teeth. Instead, she had a pixie cut of short brown hair with streaks of blond. She had to be only five foot five or so. She was tanned and had a body built for a man’s hands. He actually had to clench his teeth to keep from reaching out for her.
He groaned mentally. Not what he had expected.
Cassie Wilson was an attractive woman. Her soft, chocolate eyes sparkled with amusement as she licked her lips.
Fuck! His cock hardened painfully. Max struggled to push aside his carnal needs and remember there were two other people in the room.
Chapter Three
Max’s reaction shot a thrill through her. The way his gaze traveled up and down her body pushed a strong tingle of lust through her. Heat flushed into her face as she watched his eyes lighten with arousal. His appraisal of her also gave her the opportunity to stare back at him. She’d suspected Max would be good-looking since Chase and their dad were both attractive. Still, the hot, heavily muscled man across from her was not what she’d been expecting.
He was taller than both her brother and his, so that had to put him a few inches above six feet. His short black hair was a reminder that he’d just gotten out of the military. Wide hazel eyes stared into hers and his massive chest expanded with each breath. A tight black T-shirt, faded jeans and heavy boots made up his wardrobe. She wanted to see what was underneath those garments.
The tattoos covering both arms intrigued her. She wondered how he would respond if she ran her tongue along them—and wherever else he might have ink. How much of him was covered in ink?
She flushed and had to tear her gaze away from his body. She turned back to the mini fridge. “So…a beer?”
Alex chuckled and she wanted to sink into the floor. Of course her brother had caught her attraction to Max. There would be no living with him now.
Alex was always trying to get her to step away from her studio and date. But until she’d gotten a look at Max, dating hadn’t been a high priority. She’d grown up in a small town. Sure, she’d gone out with a few of the guys, but she had never been serious about any of them.
She popped the tops to four beers and strolled around the bar.
Max had settled on one of the couches and Alex and Chase took the one closer to her. So she was going to have to take a seat next to Max.
Her heart pounded frantically as she moved farther into the middle of the room.
She passed the bottles to Chase and Alex, ignoring the gleam in her brother’s gaze. She walked over and held out another beer to Max. Their fingers brushed as he took it from her and she barely held in a gasp at the electricity that sparked between them. A glance at his lap showed he was indeed as attracted to her as she was to him. The heavy aroma of arousal and need surrounded them. His erection pushed at the zipper of his jeans. A nice-sized package, she believed.
Since dropping to her knees to help him out probably wouldn’t go over well with the other two men in the room, she backed away slowly.
When she’d agreed to have Max hang around as security, she’d had no idea what she was getting herself into.
“Thank you.”
His deep voice sent a thrill down her spine. Cassie managed a smile and nodded. She sat gently on the edge of the couch as Max took a long pull on his beer. She watched his throat work. Who knew a throat could be so damn sexy?
She caught herself staring and quickly looked away. Her gaze passed over Alex, who still smirked. She needed to get control over herself and stop fantasizing about what Max’s large hands would feel like on her body.
Especially under the watchful attention of her brother.
“Shall we get started?” Alex asked with amusement.
She shrugged.
Alex, Chase and Max started going over the plan to beef up security on the property. Since she wasn’t hearing anything that she objected to, she just listened. Listened and watched.
Max reclined back with the bottle held loosely between his fingers. He was a big guy but appeared comfortable. He had a certain amount of power surrounding him. The wolf inside her recognized it and wanted to present herself for him. The only other person she’d ever felt that kind of radiating dominance from was her Alpha.
The inner strength that she was picking up on could very well be why she was so attracted to him. Constantly surrounded by such domineering men, she had found herself more and more comfortable around the type. Although her reaction to Max was very unique from anyone else she’d ever met.
Across from her, she studied her brother as his voice rose and fell in a calming manner. Alex was leaning forward, speaking directly to Max about the alarm system. She’d grown up in a loving home. Every day she had known she was loved and her parents had doted on each of their children. Alex had become her parent after their real parents’ deaths in a car accident on an icy road. He’d just graduated from college and had returned to care for her and their younger brother Jacob.
While he had a business degree and did in fact make a lot of money at the gallery, she knew that it was the ranch, the horses that Alex truly loved.
The money that the family had, that Alex had made, always went to the animals first. Alex put everything he had, every free minute into the horses. Back when he’d first returned, Alex had been involved with a woman in college. Cassie had met her once. Right after the funeral of their parents.
She didn’t know what had happened between Alex and the woman, but she’d never seen her again and Alex refused to talk about it.
Instead, Alex spent his time trying to get her to settle down like Jacob. So far Cassie had managed to turn the tables on him about settling down, but now she wasn’t sure she would be able to anymore.
Chase picked up where Alex trailed off, getting into the security cameras and how more should be added.
At the moment, they only had cameras outside the house and stables. Chase wanted some installed in the interior of the buildings too.
“I don’t want cameras in my studio,” Cassie spoke up.
The three men turned to her.
“The studio was the target,” Chase responded. “It makes the most sense to cover that area.”
Cassie shook her head. “No, I can’t work knowing someone is watching me.”
“They will only be there for your protection. It’s not like we’ll be watching them all the time,” Alex assured her.
There was no way she could handle even that. “No, please.”
Alex opened his mouth, but beside her, Max held up his hand. “Let’s wait. We can go ahead and order some more cameras. If Cassie doesn’t want them inside maybe we’ll place them over the entry doors. We can work it out so everyone is comfortable.”
Relief washed over her. She was glad that Max seemed to understand. She nodded in acceptance.
“Let me look though the houses and I’ll make a map of where I think the new cameras should go. I assume we’ll do both the main house and Cassie’s?”
“Jacob’s too,” Alex added. “I want them covered.”
Max inclined his head. “I agree.”
Chase stood. “It seems like you all have everything under control. I need to stop back by the Alpha’s place and make sure the new shifts in town have been sorted out. I’ll update him on the situation here.”
Alex and Max both rose with him.
“I expect you’ll hear from the Alpha soon anyway. He’ll want to check on things himself.”
“I’ll walk you out,” Alex offered.
“If you’re ready to take me over, I’d like to see the studio.” Max turned to her.
Cassie placed her beer on the side table then wiped her hands down the legs of her jeans. Suddenly she was very nervous about having Max in her personal space. She spent the majority of her time in the studio. It was her heart
and soul. Only a few people had ever been there.
“Yeah, sure.” She climbed to her feet. “Uh, thanks, Chase. We’ll see you later, Alex.”
She waited while Chase hugged his brother and he followed Alex out before she turned to Max.
“Ready?”
He nodded.
She led the way out the patio door and down the steps. Alex hadn’t wanted her to leave the ranch so he had been the one who had suggested that she take the guesthouse and make it her home. She’d been thinking about getting her own place.
He’d offered to have a house built like he’d done for Jacob and Peyton, but that hadn’t made sense since the guesthouse sat empty. Instead, they’d remodeled it to fit her needs.
It was only a few yards from the main house’s porch to the front of her place. Since the break-in she had been better at locking and setting the alarm whenever she left.
Alex still hadn’t forgiven her for forgetting the night before. But in all honesty, she was never the best at remembering.
She’d never been worried about someone breaking in. They would have to get into the canyon, go through the property then get in and out without anyone seeing them. And why would anyone want to destroy her art anyway?
All the questions that she just couldn’t answer, no matter how much she thought about it, weren’t really helping her not to worry either.
She unlocked the front door with Max staying close behind her. Her hand shook slightly, but she didn’t think he noticed.
After she pushed the door open, the long beep from the alarm alerted her it was still armed. She punched in the four-number code and turned to face Max.
“Who all has the code?”
“Me, Alex, Jacob and Peyton. Oh, and James.”
“James?”
“He’s been working as my assistant He just graduated and is trying to get his own showing. He’s very talented.”
“How long has he been working for you?”
“About six months or so. He applied at the gallery and Alex hired him for the reception desk. We met and started talking, and he now works part-time for Alex and part-time for me.”
“Last name?”
Cassie frowned at him. “James wasn’t involved.”
Max lifted a brow.
“Strut. His last name is Strut.”
“Is he part of the pack?”
“No, he’s not a shifter.”
Max nodded, but Cassie couldn’t let it go. “He’s a good kid. There is no way he was involved.”
The look Max sent her said he wasn’t convinced. “Then he has nothing to worry about.”
She sighed and figured he was right. She knew James was too dedicated to art for him to ever get involved in something like the break-in.
Max was glancing around and Cassie wondered what he saw. The entryway was open and painted a bright white. There were three wide archways that led farther into the residence.
“Through there is the kitchen.” Cassie waved a hand. He would be able to see the stainless-steel appliances from where they stood. She pointed behind her. “Living room and patio door.” Then she faced the hallway opening. “Back here are the rooms.”
He motioned for her to go ahead, so she stepped around him.
“The first door is the second bedroom,” she told him as she turned the knob. The room was sparse with only a bed, dresser and nightstand. “So I guess this is where you’ll be staying.”
Max walked in and placed his two bags on the bed. He spun in a circle. “Okay, show me the rest.”
Cassie didn’t respond right away. It had just dawned on her that she would have a man staying in her house with her. A very attractive man who she wouldn’t mind seeing naked. And just a couple of doors down from her bedroom.
When her palms started to sweat, she rubbed her hands down her thighs again.
Max’s presence was a big deal in her life. He would see everything she was. There was no way she could hide her quirks from him.
“Cassie?”
She jumped, not realizing he had moved so close. She tilted her head back to look up at him. Damn, he was tall.
“It’ll be all right,” he assured her with that deep tremble.
Cassie found herself shivering. She wanted to reach for him, have Max pull her into his arms. Have the press of his lips against hers. She swallowed and took a step back.
“Uh, I’m…uh…”
He smiled, his hazel eyes bright.
She was losing her mind. She whirled back around into the hallway and took several deep breaths to calm her racing heart.
“Okay,” she said. “Next door is the bathroom. Then the office.” She moved forward as she spoke. Then paused again. “My bedroom.”
That took care of the three doors that were on the east side of the house and left her standing in front of the large door to the studio.
She hadn’t been back inside since she’d first discovered the incident. Cassie placed her hand on the wood. “The studio,” she whispered.
“Has it been cleaned up?” Max asked behind her.
She nodded. “Alex took care of it.”
Max’s chest pressed into her back and she felt him lift his hand. “Deep breath,” he spoke softly, his mouth close to her ear.
She inhaled through her nose then let the air out.
“Good,” he said and opened the door.
In her mind, she could see the ripped canvases, the paint spilled over the floor and walls and her brushes in pieces.
Max held his hand down on her shoulder and she blinked.
None of that was there.
Alex had come through like always. The walls had been repainted the mint green that she’d had before. The hardwood floors were glistening and clean. The room was also restocked.
Slowly, she stepped forward, one foot in front of the other. Her easels stood with blank sheets, her paints were lined up in their holders along the walls and her desk held a variety of brand new brushes.
She made it to the middle of the room as tears filled her eyes.
It looked good, but it also reminded her of what had been taken from her. Months of work ruined. She’d put her entire being into each piece. Now there was nothing to show for it.
Cassie sobbed and Max wrapped his arms around her.
“Shh,” he cooed. “It will be okay.”
Sure, she knew it could have been worse, but her heart ached. She clung to Max, allowing him to rock her gently. He felt good pressed to her body. As she soaked up the comfort he offered, peace filled her. Closing her eyes, she rested her cheek against his chest and just breathed in Max’s spicy scent.
Her body started to respond and it was with regret that she forced herself to pull away. “I’m going to lie down for a little bit.”
He released her. Their gazes locked, causing her breath to catch. His sparkling eyes were kind and called to both the woman and wolf inside her.
She spun on her heel, escaping into her bedroom. She had a lot to think about, because all signs were pointing to Max being more than just a bodyguard or security for her. The connection was so strong between the two of them that Cassie was unsure how she would let him go when everything was resolved.
Chapter Four
Max woke up with sweat pouring off him and his heart beating frantically. He had been back in that house, the room where he’d thought he was going to die, where his best friend hadn’t made it out alive.
He clenched his eyes closed and tried to get control of himself and regulate his breathing.
Once his heart rate had slowed to almost normal, he knew he wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep, so he swung his legs over the side of the bed. A glance at the clock on the nightstand told him it was two in the morning.
It had been so long since he’d gotten a full night’s sleep. He should probably take one of the sleeping pills that the doctor had given him, but he didn’t like how they made him feel the next day. Needing to keep an eye out for Cassie and the Wilson family,
he couldn’t very well be stoned during the day.
Max pushed himself off the bed then pulled on the jeans from earlier. He would get a bottle of water from the kitchen and look over the plans for the Wilson ranch. He’d already gone over everything with Alex the night before, but another look wouldn’t hurt.
He opened his bedroom door quietly, not wanting to wake Cassie, who slept only a few doors down.
There was no doubt he’d been shocked when he’d first seen her again. He wasn’t sure why he’d still pictured the young girl from his memories, but Cassandra Wilson was in no way a little girl.
She was a beautiful woman.
It had thrown him off balance when she’d looked at him with those expressive chocolate eyes. He hadn’t been prepared for the punch he’d felt from the pixie woman.
She was much smaller than his big frame. And every single part of him had wanted to wrap her up and protect her.
It had just about killed him when they’d entered her studio and he’d seen the devastation on her face. Yes, the room had been cleaned, but he could see that she was picturing the way she’d found it before.
With her in his arms, he’d wanted to kill whoever had hurt her. His normal quiet and calm wolf had not been any happier. The itch under his skin had been an experience he had only felt a few times in his life.
Since he couldn’t actually shift into his animal, he could sometimes pretend it wasn’t even there. But sometimes, when he was stressed or emotional, there was an extra awareness of his wolf.
Just as he’d started to wonder about his wolf’s response to Cassie, she had shut down.
She’d excused herself from the room and told him she was tired and wanted to lie down. A door inside the studio apparently led to the bathroom that then connected to Cassie’s bedroom.
Alex had shown up about thirty minutes after Cassie left him. When he asked about Cassie, Max explained what had happened. Alex had finished the tour and told him about the adjoining doors to Cassie’s rooms.