He was using that smile on her now—until he looked into her eyes. Then it faded into concern. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
What’s wrong is you know me too well.
“I wasn’t expecting you to be here either,” she replied weakly. “You hate this kind of thing as much as I do.”
Ken was a dear friend and a master with rope, and they’d bonded years ago over Ruby’s lasagna and their common status as mutts—he was Scottish and Japanese, a devastating combination.
He grimaced. “Yes, well, I’m not here for my own enjoyment. Unfortunately I take my job as mentor seriously, and Burke specifically requested more demos than usual for this party. Variety. The man I’ve been working with begged me to come. It would have been irresponsible not to.”
Ken took his rope work very seriously, but Tasha still smiled. “Is he cute? This man you’re training?”
Her friend raised his eyebrow. “Of course he is. He’s also straight and too short to be my type. The beast watching you from the doorway, however, has a body that was made to be worshipped. I might hate you if you tell me he’s yours.”
Tasha turned, thinking he was talking about Stephen, and instead found Brady in full bodyguard mode, his arms crossed over his massive chest, his narrowed gaze trained on them. She gestured for him to come over. “That’s my boyfriend’s bodyguard.”
“Your boyfriend?” Ken sounded mildly surprised. “I didn’t know you did boyfriends. What happened to your buddy system?”
“He happened,” she answered softly, wishing it didn’t have to be a lie. “A while ago. He’s kind of a public figure, so we don’t advertise our relationship.”
Ken gripped her chin with his fingers and forced her to look up at him. “You’re talking about the senator,” he said softly, his eyes narrowed. “I heard he was here. You came with him? You’re dating him?”
His direct gaze was making her nervous. “I did. I am. I know he doesn’t seem like my type, but I’ve known him for years. Trust me, he isn’t as vanilla as he seems.”
“I wasn’t expecting that,” he murmured, almost to himself. “But I can see it. Why wouldn’t he advertise? You’re a catch.”
“You’re sweet, but think about it, Ken. As soon as anyone got wind of the two of us together? Senator Squeaky Clean with someone like me? The media feeding frenzy could ruin his career.”
Ken frowned. “I don’t like the sound of that. I thought Owen’s brother was supposed to be smart. What kind of man cares about reporters when he gets to come home to you? Nobody hides Natasha Rivera in a corner.”
“Don’t throw Dirty Dancing quotes around or I won’t introduce you to Hot Body Man.”
Brady announced his presence by wrapping his fingers around Ken’s wrist and gently removing his hand from Tasha’s face. “Is this man bothering you?”
Ken’s laugh was a little breathless as he looked down at the strong fingers on his arm. “Now that’s a grip. Hurry and tell him we’re friends before he wrestles me to the floor and frisks me for weapons.”
Brady dropped Ken’s arm as if it were on fire.
Tasha leaned her head on Ken’s bare chest and smiled at the overprotective Finn. “We’re friends. Ken, meet Brady Finn, former Marine, bodyguard, sexy, single man about town.”
Brady glared, but she was undeterred. “Brady, meet Kenneth Tanaka, expert in basically every martial art in existence, host of the local strongman competition, computer hacke—computer genius and highly sought after rope master.”
She studied them both and sighed. You’d have to be dead not to respond to those gorgeous specimens. “Look Ken, someone taller than you. How often does that happen?”
“Not that often.” Ken held out his hand to Brady and smiled his magical smile.
Brady hesitated before giving it one shake and taking a telling step back. “If I’m not needed…”
Stephen put a hand on his shoulder as he appeared at his side. He didn’t look happy. “Brady, we’re going to our room.”
Obviously relieved, Brady nodded and marched away from them, heading up the stairs. Was he planning to sweep the bedroom again? Tasha didn’t have time to ask before Stephen wrapped one arm around her waist and started after him.
“Wait, I wanted to introduce you to—”
“No.”
“No?” She looked over her shoulder to see Ken shaking his head, a thoughtful expression on his face. “That was rude, Stephen. Ken is a good fri—”
His arm tightened so he was practically dragging her up the stairs. “Not another word, Natasha. Not until we’re alone.”
When they were alone, she was going to give him a piece of her mind. And then another, and another, until he agreed to apologize to her friend.
Brady was walking out of the door as they arrived. “Clear,” he said quietly.
Stephen nodded. “Keep your eyes open.”
He pushed her inside, less gently than she would have liked, and closed and locked the door, leaning against it in silence.