Protecting What’s Mine (Alpha Security 2)

“So I think that’s it. Everything is set up. You have the same system at your restaurant downtown, so I assume you don’t need me to show you the cameras and how to view them?” she asks me.

“Uh, do you mind showing me? Just to make sure I have it.”

“Absolutely. Can I use your computer?” she asks me as she gestures to my desk.

I nod at her and stand to the side so she can sit down. “You just log in here. I have your username and password on the paperwork. Once you’re logged in, you click here to see the different camera angles.”

I bend down and lean over her shoulder to watch her move around on the screen. I know this software. We have used it for the last year at our other location, but I needed a reason to keep her here longer. I breathe in the scent of her and I swear she smells like coconut and sugar.

“Have you got it? Any questions?” I would think she felt like I was just another client, until I see the telltale sign of her desire when she is holding her breath and her tongue darts out and slides across her lips.

“Yes, I got it.” I have her caged in, one hand on the desk and one hand on the back of her chair. I’m holding her gaze with mine and all of a sudden she looks away.

“Okay, I’m going to go then. If you will sign this I will be out of your way.” She hands me a paper and pen.

Holding the paper in my hands, I look over at her and a blush covers her cheeks.

“Are you in a hurry to go home?” I ask her while I bend down to sign the paper.

“No, no hurry, but I’m going back to the office.” Our hands touch when I hand her back the pen. Her eyes snap up to mine and I know she felt it too. The attraction is there, no doubt about it.

“Will you go out to dinner with me?” I ask her. I tell myself if she says no, that I won’t pressure her. But a part of me knows that I can’t just let her walk out of here.

I see the surprise in her eyes and she starts to say, “Uh, I don’t think that’s a good…”

But I interrupt her. “Please, just dinner. I owe you for everything that you went through yesterday.”

She looks disappointed for a minute, but then pulls herself together. “I’m used to men like Kevin. I haven’t thought about him since. There is no reason to apologize for his behavior. Now, if that’s why you want to take me out, I have to say no. Thank you, but no.”

She’s feisty. And I like it. I put my hand on hers and pull it between the two of mine. “That’s not the only reason I asked you out. I want to go out with you. I want to take you to dinner.” I want to bend her over my desk and make her mine, but decide to leave that part out. I feel like I need to move slowly with her and I’m determined not to mess this up.

3

Charlie

I can’t believe I agreed to go out with him. I never date a client. I’m sure there is some kind of rule against it, but when I asked Mike about it, he said that Brody had already called him and threatened him to not discourage me from going on a date with him. So Mike assured me it was okay, no rules are being broken. It makes me smile thinking that Brody was worried I would try to back out of the date.

I go through my closet and decide on my green A-line dress, the one that matches my eyes. It’s not like I haven’t dated before. I have. But this seems different and it sort of freaks me out. I don’t want a commitment. Yes, I’ve had sex before, but honestly just to scratch an itch. I’ve never been in a relationship before, and I don’t want to be.

The doorbell rings and I take one last glance at myself in the mirror, blow the hair out of my face and go to answer it.

Brody is leaning against my door jamb and I take in his holy hotness with my mouth hanging open. He’s wearing dark jeans, a white T-shirt that is stretched across his muscled chest and a leather jacket. Almost instantly, my body tingles and my panties are wet. Damn, I hope I can make it through dinner without jumping on him.

“You look beautiful, Charlie,” he tells me as he glances down my body, stopping briefly at my cleavage on display.

“Thank you. You look… handsome.” Heat floods my face because I almost told him he looked hot.