Torch (Unbreakable Bonds 3)

Rowe flexed his arm. “But I’m a lot bigger.”

Shaking his head, Ian scowled. “I don’t want a bodyguard. Not yet. Let’s wait and see what Lucas finds out about the fire.” He jerked in his seat when someone yelled and he realized that a new training session had started. He stood and walked to open the door so he could look over the rail to the sparring mats below. He had to get out of that office, get some fresh air. Talking about Jagger and Gratton had stirred up too many ugly memories, leaving his stomach queasy and his palms sweaty. He was fighting back an onslaught of ghosts from his past and he was not reliving those moments.

The bodyguard Andrei hired nearly a year before was obviously settling well into Ward Security. Ian had spent a lot of time with Sven in the months after the accident and he really liked the quiet, wall-sized man. His long, thick blond hair was up in a haphazard bun, his matching beard trimmed into a point on his chin. He wore basketball shorts over compression pants and a tight black T-shirt that showed off the massive muscles in his shoulders and arms. White teeth flashed in a grin as another man rushed him, showed off some fancy spin move before trying to take him down.

Sven had the guy on the floor in seconds.

All of Ian’s earlier horniness returned. “Got any gay bodyguards who happen to be really nice guys, Rowe?”

“I’m not running a damn dating service here. No matter what Lucas and Andrei think.” Rowe came around the desk and leaned against the other side of the doorjamb. “You ever hear from that cop?”

“Not since the last time he came to Rialto to eat. He acted really strange. Stared a lot.”

Rowe snorted. “He always did that. Ian, the man likes you.”

“It was different the last time.” He couldn’t explain it. Hollis had sat there, eating his favorite bolognese and barely said a word. He’d looked…sad. If Ian hadn’t been so busy that night, he would have sat down and tried to cheer the man up and had, in fact, been planning to take him a dessert and do just that, but he’d been gone when Ian had come out with the dishes of crème brûlée in his hands.

“I’m surprised,” Rowe said, breaking into his thoughts. “I thought he would have called. Checked in if he was off doing something for work.”

“Why would he? It’s not like we ever got together.”

Ian watched another guy try to take Sven down, but the man stood firm and solid. Like a massive tree trunk. Sweat had started to darken his shirt and strands of silky-looking blond hair had pulled free of the bun. Ian sighed. After spending time with Sven, he knew he wasn’t the man’s type. He had no idea what type Sven went for because he’d been the epitome of a professional bodyguard, silent, unobtrusive, yet willing to step in and help. Especially in the kitchen. But there’d been no spark between them. Not like he’d had with…

He broke off the thought and scowled. It really was time he went out and started meeting people. He didn’t want to live alone forever.

Realizing Rowe had been silent a long time, Ian finally looked at him to find him staring.

“What?”

“You wanted to get together with him. The cop. I could tell, Ian. And it’s not like you to wait to ask someone out once you…once you…”

“Once I what?” Ian didn’t mean to snap the question and he immediately felt bad. “Sorry again.”

A heavy hand clasped his shoulder. “It’s a miracle you want to be with someone at all, Ian, so don’t ever apologize for being picky.”

“Picky is a nice way of putting it,” he muttered as he watched Sven turn toward someone new who’d just crossed the large open expanse of the first floor. When the black hoodie came down to show golden curls, Ian smirked. He couldn’t help it. “Geoffrey been coming here long?”

Rowe walked to the rail and leaned his elbows on it. “He’s never been here before, but I told him to come in and try a class for free last night.”

Ian joined Rowe and couldn’t stop his grin as Geoffrey stared up at Sven with his mouth open. “There’s no way Sven will spar with him. The kid looks frail.”

“That kid is your age. Besides, I heard Sven was real gentle with you, carrying you around and all.” He smirked. “Snow said he thought the cop was going to find a reason to arrest my employee.”

Ian couldn’t stop the heat that climbed his neck. Yeah, he’d enjoyed that quite a bit and from the look on Geoffrey’s face, it was possible he’d found someone besides Snow to fixate on. He didn’t bother to respond to Rowe, just watched as Geoffrey pulled off his hoodie to reveal a black tank over loose black sweats. With his arms over his head, the tank lifted, showing a strip of golden skin at his abdomen.