by Crespo, Nina
Below, Jack trotted down the curved staircase on the left from the upstairs offices. He waved to the receptionist behind the desk situated in the center of the blond-wood-floored loft space on his way out. He no longer lingered in the office after five o’clock, looking forward to going home to his family. Last week, he’d mentioned that half his paycheck was being spent on diapers, but he’d still smiled. What had he said? A shrinking bank account couldn’t compete with double the love?
To the right of reception, Olivia and Ned sat on a blue couch, deep in conversation over their laptops, which were sitting on a lift-top coffee table. The area was one of two collaborative spaces on that side set up like comfortable, modern living rooms with multi-hued blue sofas, side chairs, and functional furniture that converted into work stations.
They didn’t have children to provide for, but Olivia had just bought a new townhome, and Ned still had student loans to pay.
It was up to her to get the team on the radar of her boss, Spencer Lane, in a good way. He determined which of the four creative teams got which projects. The more lucrative the project, the higher the bonuses for her group.
Her thirty-something, light-haired boss came down the steps dressed in a green-and-white cycling jersey and shorts, carrying his pride and joy—his new Bianchi bike. A hardcore nutrition enthusiast, when he’d arrived from California as the new division head of the Alexandria office a year ago, he’d insisted the small café in the lobby, open in the mornings, add wheatgrass and beet juice shots to the menu.
A couple of the account directors downed the shots with Spencer in the mornings on a regular basis. Not because they enjoyed them, but as an obvious move to buddy up to the boss. Funny. Some people had accused her of doing that with the previous division head, Jada Andrews.
Jada had become her mentor when she’d interned with her at Crawford’s Chicago office. When Jada had been promoted to division head in Alexandria, she’d brought Natalie on as a design specialist and groomed her for a director’s position.
It had been a tough decision to not follow Jada when her promotion to the New York office happened, but both she and Jada had agreed that Alexandria was the best place for her to grow her experience in leading a team.
But Spencer seemed to favor the more seasoned account directors over her, assigning them the more prestigious accounts. When she’d asked about it during her midyear review, Spencer had said he needed to see more initiative from her. That she had to sell herself and her team as the right fit for bigger accounts. Admittedly, the divorce had distracted her some at work, but now, she was back on task.
Natalie took a seat at the table. She opened her laptop, and calendar reminders, including the one for tomorrow night’s dinner with Rome, popped up on the screen. As much as she liked the prospect of seeing him again, anything beyond that wasn’t a good idea right now. Her team and their next project had to be her priority, not an extended fling, no matter how good it was. She sank back in the chair. At times like this, adulting really sucked. It wasn’t fair that to get ahead in her job, she had to give up what little time she’d have with Rome, along with the best orgasms of her life.
Chapter Thirteen
As Rome pulled up in front of Natalie’s home, the late-evening sun reflected on the hood of his SUV. He grabbed a blue folder from the front passenger seat and got out.
Her block remained fairly quiet, with only a couple of cars driving down the street. The neat, well-tended appearance of the subdivision made it easy to become lax about security. People often believed that only “bad neighborhoods” experienced problems. Truthfully, the middle- to upper-class guy wearing a designer suit with possessions and money in the bank could easily decide to become a thief with the right inspiration. Had someone in Natalie’s own neighborhood made note of her moving in and clocked her comings and goings? It was possible. The alarm system he’d detailed for her would be a deterrent, but did she need more?
Stop. This wasn’t a client meeting, and he wasn’t protecting her. He’d offered, and she’d agreed to hear what he had to say about security systems. Once he passed the information along, he’d leave the rest up to her. Rome walked up the path to her front door. Before he got to the porch, he could hear Betsy’s barks. He rang the bell.
Seconds later, Natalie opened the door.
A white fitted T-shirt molded to her breasts, and snug jeans hugged her curves. “You’re right on time.” She smiled. “Come in.”
“Thanks.” Rome stepped inside, and she shut the door.
Betsy obediently sat in the entryway, but her wagging tail gave away her excitement to see him.
But his interest lay with her owner.
Drawn as if pulled by gravity, he couldn’t stop himself from moving closer to Natalie. He stole a kiss, and the brief contact sparked lust. At the last minute before walking out the door of his apartment, he’d stuffed the last of the “Do Me” condoms in his pocket, hoping the night wouldn’t end with just a discussion about her security system.
But despite her heart beating in her throat, Natalie moved back. “It took longer than usual to calm Betsy down. She’s happy to see you.”
And what about her owner? “Hey, girl.” Rome leaned down to pet Betsy, and she gave him a doggy smile and licked his hand.
“Hope you like your steak medium well.” Natalie’s ponytail swished just below her shoulders as she walked away.
“Love it.”
Betsy trotted beside him as he followed Natalie.
The succulent smell of food wafted in the air, but as she strode toward the kitchen archway in her bare feet, her jeans forming to her ass dominated his attention.
Natalie glanced back and caught him staring. She paused and gave him a faint knowing smile. “Are you equally in love with potatoes?”
When she’d greeted him at the door, she’d kissed him but moved away. Was that a sign that the physical part was over between them?
Testing the waters, he walked over to Natalie. Her perfume lured him closer as he rested his hand along the curve of her waist and pressed his lips below her ear. “Yeah, they’re good, too.”
“Great… Everything is ready.” For a few brief seconds, she leaned into him, but once again she slipped from his grasp. She opened the refrigerator and took out a bowl of mixed salad greens and a bottle of dressing. “Can you take these to the dining room? I thought we could talk about business while we eat.”
Business. Disappointment settled in with Rome’s exhale. Natalie was obviously setting new parameters that no longer included sex, and he’d respect what she wanted. “Sounds good. Give me a sec to wash my hands.”
In the dining room, two blue placemats with plates, silverware, napkins, and glasses sat at the head of the polished oval dark-wood table.
He set the bowl and the bottle of salad dressing on one of the four square silver pads on the table for food and his folder next to the place setting on the left.
Seconds later, Natalie carried in a medium-sized platter with grilled steaks and another with grilled potatoes, along with serving tongs in each.
“Let me help.” Rome reached for the steaks.
“Careful. This platter is pretty warm.”
As she handed it over, their hands brushed, and faint electric-like tingles jolted through his fingers.
“Oh.” Natalie bobbled the steak platter, but he held on to it. She gave a breathy laugh as she put the potatoes on the table. “Told you it was hot. I’ll grab us something to drink. Iced tea okay?”
“Yep.”
As she hurried out, Rome put the warm platter of steaks on the table. His instincts weren’t wrong. He wasn’t the only one affected by their attraction, so why was she blocking him?
She came back in with a covered pitcher of iced tea with ice cubes inside of it. “I forgot to ask about lemon and sugar. The cubes are made from tea and lemon juice, and the tea itself has sugar in it, but I don’t make it overly sweet.”
“I’m sure it’s fine.”
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“Good.” Natalie flashed a brief smile as she put the tea on the table. She avoided his gaze as he held out the chair for her before he sat down. “We’re ready, then. Let’s eat.”
They both filled their plates with food.
He ate some of the steak. Perfect seasoning enhanced the rich, smoky grilled taste. “This is really good.”
“Thanks.” She smiled. “I use this herbal packet that I found at a gourmet market in Dallas a few years ago. I have it shipped to me. The rest is you being on time for dinner.” She opened the bottle of dressing and poured some of the raspberry vinaigrette over her mixed salad greens. “Reheating them would have turned a good steak into an overcooked one.”
“Well, you definitely nailed it.” Rome glanced around, expecting to see another addition in the room. “Where’s Betsy? Doesn’t she beg for table scraps?”
“She had her own gourmet feast earlier, and she knows begging for scraps is a no-no.” Natalie offered him the bottle, and he accepted. “My ex put her in training when she was a puppy.”
Rome topped his salad greens with dressing. “Huh. That explains why she’s so well-behaved.” Was her ex also the reason Natalie was keeping him at a distance? Maybe she wasn’t completely over the guy yet.
After enjoying more of the food, he took a list from the folder. “These are the components of a basic system that I think will be a good fit for your home. Motion sensors on all of the doors and windows, plus cameras in key areas, along with floodlights outside. I also recommend two panels—one on the wall near the front door and another one in your bedroom.”
She nodded. “I like the idea of an additional panel. If I heard something in the middle of the night, I could trigger the alarm and contact the company from the panel without leaving my bedroom.”
“Exactly.” Rome leaned in. “You’ll also have direct access to all emergency services, along with a panic button feature. In fact, as a woman living alone, you may want to consider outfitting that space as a panic room with reinforced doors, walls, and windows.”
“What about flaming arrows and spikes shooting from the floor? Do I need those, too?”
It took a moment for her comment to register. Flaming arrows…spikes in the floor. That’s what she’d said the night her house was robbed, but then, she’d been angry. Now, humor sparkled in her eyes.
He did sound pretty intense. She just wanted a basic alarm system, and he was building her a fortress. He needed to lighten up.
As Rome ate more of the steak, he kept his expression serious as he feigned deep thought. “I think we can skip the spikes in the floor, but you really may want to consider the arrows. I think I can have them added on at a discount.”
She laughed. “Sounds like you have a lot of experience with home security. Did you used to work for an alarm company?”
“No. A company that specialized in personal security.”
As an executive protection specialist, what laypeople called a bodyguard, he’d been assigned to protect corporate executives and, sometimes, government officials. Understanding the ins and outs of setting up extensive security systems had been a part of the job. A job he no longer talked about, but, judging by the interest reflected in her expression, she expected him to say more.
One explanation always led to an another, which, inevitably, opened the door about his injuries. He wasn’t ashamed of his scars, but that conversation never ended in a good place. Appetite gone, he slid his plate away from him. Pity. Praise for doing his job. Telling him how lucky he was to be alive. In truth, others had paid a heftier price because he hadn’t followed his instincts sooner.
Rome mentally tamped down his recollections in the place he’d reserved for them and sealed it shut. “So, what do you think? Have any questions?”
“A few.” She sipped the tea. Natalie set down her glass. “Which company is it, and how much are they charging for all of this?”
He slid over a pricing sheet. “It’s a private company. They set up the alarm system at the club, and most of the executive protection companies in the northeast use them to set up their client’s alarm systems. The installation includes labor. Their earliest install appointment is the day after tomorrow. If you need a weekend, they can’t do it until next week.”
Her brow rose. “Hold on. This figure at the bottom of the page. Is that the monthly cost?”
“Yes.”
“But it’s way cheaper than what I paid in the past for just a basic alarm system.”
“It’s the Friends and Family discount. The head of security at Escapade is a friend. He recommended them.” Rome’s pride dissipated as her expression faded to a slight, almost-sad smile. “If you want to go with another company, that’s fine, but I’d still suggest that you consider setting up what I recommended.”
“No. It’s not that. You’ve just done so much for me.” Natalie glanced at the platter and plates on the table. “One dinner doesn’t begin to cover what I owe you.”
“Hey, hold on.” He grasped her hand. “There are no strings attached to any of this now or ever. If you need more time to decide, that’s fine, too.” Her hand relaxed in his, but he resisted the urge to intertwine his fingers with hers. “You need to be comfortable with this. You live here.”
Betsy wandered into the dining room and laid down at Natalie’s feet.
Natalie’s expression softened with a loving smile as she glanced down. “Yeah, I need to do everything I can to prevent someone from breaking in again.” She looked to Rome. “What about the cameras from the DIY system I was going to put in? Can they be used with this one? I can’t return them, and I’d hate to see them go to waste.”
“If the specs are close to the ones they use, maybe. Do you have installation instructions? The information on the specs will be there.”
“Sure. The instructions are in the box.”
They made quick work of clearing the table, storing the extra food, and putting their plates and utensils in the dishwasher.
Once they finished, Natalie took him to the hall closet, where the boxes were stored.
Rome took one of the cameras out of the box and scanned the instructions. “My guess is that they could be added on, but one thing you may want to consider is appearance. These are larger and may really stand out. The ones that would come with the new system are smaller and less conspicuous. Did you have cameras like this in your other house?”
“Yes, but they were only installed in the garage and near the back door. Not anywhere they were really noticed.”
“Would it help if I held it up in the corner of the hallway so you can get an idea of how it looks?”
“Yes, it would. I’ll grab the step stool.” As she walked away, Betsy followed her to the kitchen.
Rome studied the area. The best spot was the corner near Natalie’s bedroom.
A vision sprang up in his mind of her on Saturday in her skimpy sleep shirt. His dick hardened with the memory of her toned legs on display and the curves and nipples of her bare breasts, which had been clearly visible through the thin fabric.
He breathed away the image. Yeah, she’d definitely want to be aware of the cameras when she was home. No one else should see the footage, but if she was his girlfriend, he wouldn’t chance it. But she wasn’t his girlfriend, and it wasn’t likely she would become his—she’d made that clear.
Natalie returned with the silver-and-black step stool.
He climbed onto the top step. Facing the wall, he stretched up his arm and held the camera in the corner. “How does it look?”
“Hard… I mean it’s hard to tell.”
“You may want to go to the end of the hall so you can really see it.” When she didn’t answer, he glanced down at her still standing beside him.
Her focus wasn’t on the camera but riveted to the front of his jeans, in the vicinity of his zipper.
Her expression of longing sent a rush of lust through him so fast it pushed out a breath. “Don’t look at me like that unless you
plan on following through.”
She stared up at him. “What are you talking about?”
Rome climbed down the ladder, set the camera on the step, and faced Natalie. “I’ve only known you a few days, but from what I’ve noticed, you go for what you want.” He stepped closer, fueling body heat and newly charged sexual energy. “You want me as much as I want you. So why are you pushing me away?”
Chapter Fourteen
The intensity and want in Rome’s gaze drove Natalie’s focus to the middle of his chest. It was just one of the parts of him that she’d been envisioning without clothes obstructing her view. And now she’d gotten caught staring at him. What was she supposed to say as an excuse? That’s what she got for wading into singlehood without a plan. What were the standard get-out-quick lines? I want to play the field and date around. I don’t think we’re compatible. I’m not over my ex yet.
Rome tipped her chin up. “Is it your ex? Are you still not over him?”
Not over Dorian? No way in hell could she jump on board with that excuse. Just hearing it made her head hurt.
Natalie laid her hands on Rome’s chest. “I’m definitely over my ex, but I can’t invest emotionally in anyone, right now. The divorce was a distraction. I owe work my full commitment. My team has to come first.”
“Is that what the problem is?” Rome’s chest deflated with a laugh. “Trust me. I get it.” He held her by the waist and brought her close. “I was a team leader when I worked executive security. My work had to come first then, too, and because of that focus, I stayed away from serious relationships. But I always made room for down time. Let me be that for you.” He punctuated his sentences with kisses so tempting, she looped her arms around his neck, prolonging the contact with his lips. “Nothing complicated. Just the two of us enjoying each other.”
His mouth capturing hers made his proposition even more irresistible. Maybe she could indulge for a little while longer. He was like a liaison between her and the alarm company, and questions were bound to come up during the process. Lots and lots of questions that he could answer during whatever down time she could squeeze in over the next week or two.
