by Katie Reus
The man opened his mouth to speak but Julieta held up a hand. Without her heels on, she looked adorable. Wearing skimpy black shorts he thought were called yoga shorts and a formfitting T-shirt with her store’s logo on it, she was more beautiful than he’d ever seen her. Because he knew this was what she looked like right before she went to bed. Ivan bit back a groan at the thought that brought to mind. If she was going to bed with him, she wouldn’t be wearing anything.
“Ivan, this is Sandro, my youngest brother. He lives three houses down and texted me to let me know he was stopping by after work. You’d already left and I didn’t know you were staying or I would have let you know. Sandro, this is Ivan, my…friend.”
Ivan raised an eyebrow, but nodded politely at the man who still seemed to be fuming.
His lips were pulled into a thin line as he looked at Ivan. “I would say it’s nice to meet you, but you just pulled a gun on me. Somebody better explain what the hell is going on.”
“Your sister has a stalker.” When Julieta cringed, Ivan lifted his shoulders. It was clear she was close to her family and they needed to know. The more people who were aware of the situation, the better.
All her brother’s focus instantly turned to her and he started talking to her in rapid fire Spanish until she let out an annoyed sound and cut him off with her hand. Ivan loved when she did that. “English for our guest. And sit.” She pointed to the nearby kitchen table and gave her brother a hard stare. “If you sit and calm down I’ll make you my special hot chocolate.”
To Ivan’s surprise her brother muttered under his breath but moved to sit at the rectangular table. It was higher off the ground, more like a cocktail table, with high-backed bar style chairs and seated four.
“You too,” Julieta said, and Ivan realized she was talking to him.
He blinked, taken off guard by her bossy tone until she gave him a cheeky grin.
“If you sit I’ll give you some hot chocolate too,” she murmured before turning her back on them and pulling milk out of the dark wood-paneled, likely custom-made refrigerator.
“It’s worth it, man,” her brother grumbled good-naturedly as Ivan sat across from him. “So, a stalker and this is the first I’m hearing about it?”
“We don’t know if it’s a stalker.” Julieta’s voice was strained as she pulled a bag of chocolates from one of the cabinets.
He could hear the lie in her voice and had no doubt her brother could too. Ivan cleared his throat and she shot him a glare over her shoulder.
“Fine, it’s definitely a stalker.” Next she pulled a pan out but refused to look at her brother or Ivan. It was clear she wanted to keep busy. “I’ve received some sexually suggestive texts and someone vandalized my store today.” Her brother cursed but she continued without missing a beat. “I’ve talked to the police and Lizzy is helping me out and you know how good she is. It’s under control. I was going to tell the family but wanted to do it at once so I didn’t have to explain everything ten different times.”
“When did you receive the first text?” Sandro asked.
“A couple days ago. And I don’t want to talk about what it said or anything else right now. I’ve told you what’s going on and I’m just exhausted thinking about it.” The strain in her voice was clear.
Her brother’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t comment. Instead he looked at Ivan. “So where do you come in to all this?”
“I’m helping out with her problem. I work for Red Stone Security and have a lot of experience with this type of situation.” Normally he wouldn’t explain himself to anyone, but this was Julieta’s brother. “And I’ll be Julieta’s shadow the next couple days, sleeping in her guest room and making sure she’s okay.” Because he couldn’t go home after this. And camping out in her driveway wasn’t a long-term option.
Her brother’s eyes widened slightly. “Red Stone?”
Ivan nodded as Julieta dropped a wooden spoon and turned to stare at him.
“That’s a good idea,” her brother murmured thoughtfully. “Or I could just tell Mama and she’ll move in with you.” He swiveled to face his sister.
Ivan was under the impression that an unspoken conversation was taking place as the two engaged in a staring contest. Finally Julieta let out an annoyed sigh then turned to Ivan, her expression for once unreadable. “You can sleep in the guest room tonight. Tomorrow we’re talking more about this.”
They could talk all they wanted, but she needed protection and he was trained and capable of doing it. Simple as that. He hadn’t taken a vacation in too many damn years and since being hired by Red Stone Security he had a lot of it piled up from when he’d been a private bodyguard for Warren Hollingsworth.
“How long have you been with Red Stone?” Sandro asked.
Julieta turned back to the stove, muttering something under her breath about annoying men, but Ivan didn’t mind. He’d rather her be annoyed at him than something happen to her when he should have been watching her.
“A few months, but I was in private security before that and in the Rangers before that.”
Sandro’s eyebrows raised and he held out his hand in a friendly gesture. “Thanks for your service.”
Surprised yet again, Ivan shook the man’s hand.
“Our brother Montez was in the Marines. Years ago. I’m sure he’d like to meet you, even if you were Army.” His lips curved as he spoke.
Ivan half-smiled and simply nodded.
Frowning, Sandro turned to where Julieta was breaking up pieces of chocolate and putting them in the pan. “I’m hungry, Jules.”
Without turning around, she snorted. “Your legs aren’t broken and I’m not Mama.”
“It was worth a try,” he muttered, sliding off the seat. “Speaking of Mama, got a call from Jaidyn earlier. Said Mama knows you brought a man to the restaurant tonight.”
Julieta started muttering in Spanish and while he caught some words, he couldn’t translate them all. Her tone made it clear enough she was annoyed. After a few moments she caught herself and started speaking in English again, the camaraderie between her and her brother vivid.
Ivan sat back and watched, taking in their teasing. Growing up it had just been him and his dad. His mom had died in childbirth and his dad had been in the Army. A lifer until pancreatic cancer killed him. Neither of his parents had had siblings so he didn’t have any relatives. Maybe some far flung family somewhere, but he didn’t know of any. Watching Julieta and Sandro’s interaction warmed something inside him. And reminded him how damn lonely he’d been since his dad died.
An hour later her brother left after being fed, with promises of keeping what he knew to himself for at least one more day. He’d made it clear the only reason he wasn’t saying anything was because of Ivan’s involvement.
As soon as Julieta closed and locked the door behind her brother, she turned to face Ivan. “You don’t actually have to stay the night. I really appreciate that you were watching the house. That’s so incredibly sweet, but I know you have a job and I’m sure other things you should be doing. I can’t expect you to watch out for me. I have a security system, the police and Lizzy are involved and I know to be more vigilant now. I’m going to talk about everything with Ruby and make sure she’s aware of how careful to be at the store. And I’m going to tell my family.” The words all came out in a rush, as if she’d been practicing them.
Ivan slid off his seat and slowly stalked toward her. He still couldn’t get her taste out of his head or the way she’d felt as he’d held her arms above her head, arching into him as if she couldn’t get enough.
Leaning against one of the counters, she crossed her arms over her chest. “What’s that look?” she asked almost defensively.
Moving in on her, not giving her a chance to slide away from him, he placed both hands on the counter on either side of her, but didn’t touch her. Her scent immediately teased him. She must have showered after he’d left earlier because it was slightly stronger now. Something flo
wery with a hint of vanilla and something that was all Julieta. Pure and sweet, and it drove him crazy.
Julieta immediately placed her hands on his chest. Maybe to push him away at first, but her fingers tightened against his shirt.
“You need help right now and this is the kind of situation I’m trained to deal with. What kind of asshole would I be if I left this in someone else’s hands?” He couldn’t live with himself.
“So…is this an obligation to you?” There was more than a hint of hurt in her question. She dropped her hands and he immediately missed the feel of her touching him, even if it wasn’t skin to skin. Soon though.
His lips pulled into a thin line and despite his promise to himself to not touch her, he cupped the side of her face, gently stroking his thumb over her soft cheek. “Hell no. I like you, Julieta. A lot.” Way more than was smart. The beautiful woman had already gotten under his skin and into his head, taking up most of his waking thoughts. “I want to help, but I don’t feel obligated to.”
She let out a sigh and slightly leaned into his touch before straightening. “Okay, thank you then. I’ll admit I’ll feel a lot safer with you sleeping under the same roof.”
He wished it would be in her bed, not the guestroom, but it was too soon for that. His gaze automatically dipped to her mouth and when she licked her lips almost nervously, he groaned.
His cock was hard but he stepped back. “I just need to grab my bag. I always carry a spare bag of basic clothes in my SUV,” he rasped out, looking away from her and heading for the door, his pants pulling uncomfortably tight.
No touching, he ordered himself. At least not tonight.
Chapter 7
The scent of coffee was strong as Julieta descended the stairs. She’d heard Ivan moving around about an hour ago but coward that she was, had decided to shower and get ready before facing him. The thought of coming down to see him in her skimpy PJs from the night before had just seemed like a bad idea. Especially since the mere thought of him got her all hot and bothered and it was impossible to hide her body’s reaction. No, she knew that whatever happened with her and Ivan would be short-term so she didn’t want him to know just how much of an effect he had on her.
Now she was wearing a halter-style red and white gingham retro dress. She loved wearing vintage style clothing, especially with her curves. Her clothes and heels were more armor than anything else ever could be, especially against a man that radiated such a raw sex appeal. Carrying her heels and purse, she froze in the doorway of her kitchen.
And nearly swallowed her tongue.
Ivan leaned against the counter, wearing nothing but dark jogging pants and holding a cup of coffee. His blond hair was spiked adorably, as if he hadn’t combed it yet. The sculpted muscles of his chest and shoulders stood out as he raised the cup to his mouth, a bright tattoo of intricate artwork wrapping around one shoulder and over one pec.
What she’d imagined he might look like was nothing compared to the reality of the Viking god in her kitchen. Her gaze trained on that ridiculously muscular chest and it was like she’d lost the ability to speak. Or breathe. Or, you know, think.
He had a smattering of pale hair on his chest that trailed down to his eight pack. The kind of washboard stomach she’d only seen in ads. But he wasn’t bulky or beefed up like those workout junkies. He was more toned and lean, as if he was a runner. Her abdomen tightened with a sharp punch of need as she followed the trail of pale hair to the waistband of his pants.
Just like that, her face flamed because all she wanted to do was tug those pants down and see all of him. Every single delicious inch.
What. The. Hell. This unbridled reaction was so unlike her.
She enjoyed sex, even if it had been a while. But she’d always been a take it or leave it kind of girl. When it was good, it was good, and she savored it. Living without it wasn’t a problem because, hello, toys. But looking at this perfect specimen of man, she knew her stupid toys weren’t going to cut it anymore.
When Ivan cleared his throat, her gaze snapped up to meet his and her cheeks warmed even more. His lips were quirked up a fraction, as if he was fighting a smile. Because he undoubtedly knew the reaction he had on her.
Probably because any female with a pulse who saw him without a shirt on would have the same reaction. Oh yeah, Mr. Player undoubtedly got this reaction all the damn time. Ugh. That thought doused some of her desire.
“You made coffee?” she asked, setting her shoes by the door and her purse on the counter as she moved toward the full pot. It was kind of a dumb question since it was obvious he had, but her voice was working at least. And she managed to sound normal.
“Yeah. Saw different creamers in the fridge but wasn’t sure which you wanted.” He was already opening the door, his intense gaze on her as he spoke.
“The cinnamon vanilla one is fine. Thanks for making it.” She avoided his gaze as she grabbed the creamer bottle from him. She tried to think of something intelligent, or at least coherent to say, but kept coming up blank. Probably because what she really wanted to ask him was if he would please kiss her again. And she didn’t want to stop at kissing. Which was ridiculous since they hadn’t even been on a date. Not a real one anyway.
“No problem. I just need to jump in the shower, but I won’t take long. Figured I’d head to your store with you and meet the crew installing the new glass window. Did you hear back from your insurance company?” he asked.
She knew he’d planned to shadow her, but she wondered if that meant he’d be with her at work too. That thought was a little disconcerting, but she met his gaze. “Thanks. And yes, I checked my email about an hour ago and the company your friend found is covered so I’m good to use them.”
His eyebrows raised a fraction. “That’s fast work.”
“I use a local company, the same one my parents have been using for decades. My dad is actually friends with the owner so I’m not too surprised. Did you sleep okay?” she asked, changing the subject.
His ice blue eyes seemed to darken, his gaze growing heavy-lidded for a moment. “Good enough. I couldn’t stop thinking about the way you tasted.”
His words set off a nuclear bomb inside her. Her entire body pulled tight, a rush of heat flooding between her legs as she looked up at him. She’d thought about him all last night too, but she hadn’t expected him to admit the same thing. “Me too—the way you tasted, I mean. Not me.” Her cheeks flushed as she rambled on so she snapped her mouth shut. Their date tonight couldn’t come soon enough.
He opened his mouth to respond when she heard a buzzing sound. Frowning, he pulled his phone out of his pocket. He looked at the screen, swiping it with his thumb as he scrolled through a message. Suddenly his frown faded to be replaced by a smile. Sort of. He looked like a predator who’d gotten prey in his sights. It was startling and sexy.
“Everything okay?” she asked as he slid his phone back into his pocket.
Expression shuttered, he nodded. “Yeah, just Lizzy with an update. Nothing much yet. Let me get ready and we can head out together. But first…” He moved to her kitchen table and reached into a small, brown, paper bag. She’d seen it when she walked in and had been curious about it.
“I had a friend drop this off this morning when you were in the shower.” He pulled out a canister of pepper spray. “I wasn’t sure if you had any and wanted to make sure you carry this with you from now on. It’s the best on the market and you can easily slide your fingers through this strap to place this in your palm. It gives you perfect access for your forefinger.” He handed it to her. “Try it.”
She did as he said and slid her fingers through the opening. Sure enough it fit perfectly in her palm. She twisted the plastic red safety cover to the side and touched her finger to the button but didn’t press down. “Thank you.” Before slipping it off her hand she put the safety back on.
“I just want you safe,” he murmured, his voice an octave lower than normal. Taking her by surprise, he leaned down and b
rushed his lips over her forehead, lingering there for just a moment, as if he wanted to do more, but he didn’t.
With a sigh that sounded as if it was filled with regret, he pulled back and strode from the kitchen. She understood how he felt because she was disappointed too. She wanted to ask him what Lizzy had said, and planned to call her friend anyway, but was mesmerized by the sight of Ivan’s tight backside and ripped back as he left.
The moment he’d exited the room it was as if she could think and breathe straight again. Oh yeah, she was so screwed where this man was concerned.
* * *
Julieta set the portable phone in the cradle, unable to believe how many calls they’d received at work this morning. It was a Monday, not a typically busy day, but she’d been receiving calls from all the concerned shop owners in the neighborhood in addition to normal customer inquiries. Straightening, she glanced around to find Ruby helping a customer and Ivan talking to one of the men who’d helped install the glass pane.
She’d never seen him so casually dressed, but today he wore jeans and a Polo shirt. He stood with his feet slightly apart and his arms crossed over his broad chest as he nodded at something the other man said. His posture was relaxed enough, but everything about him screamed that he was ready to act if anything dangerous should happen. Like a caged lion, waiting to strike anyone who got in his way.
As if he knew she was watching him, his head turned and that icy gaze immediately landed on her. His lips curved up a fraction and his eyes dipped to check her out with no shame, trailing down her face all the way to her bright red high heels then back up again. Just like that her body erupted in flames, going from zero to a hundred and twenty in mere seconds. Her nipples tightened against her bra cups as if he’d actually stroked her. The way he watched her made her feel sexy like nothing and no one else could.