Protected by a Hero

by Susan Stoker, Cristin Harber, Cora Seton, Lynn Raye Harris, Kaylea Cross, Katie Reus, Tessa Layne

  Wood cracked and splintered under the force of the blow, and the edge of the counter came away from the wall a little. Everything feminine in her sighed and tingled at the blatant display of raw male power from such a tightly controlled man. What would it take to destroy that control?

  She imagined stepping up behind him and pulling that shirt over his head, then sliding her hands up his ribs, over his chest and stomach. With his back to her she had no qualms about staring at the way the muscles in his arms and back flexed with each movement, or the way his jeans hugged his fine ass.

  Over the past couple days, she’d thought a lot about that moment on his front porch after Piper’s ex had driven off. It might have been a long time since she’d been interested in a man, but she recognized the signs when one was attracted to her and Wyatt definitely was.

  Or at least, he had been.

  Since the other night he’d kept a careful, professional distance from her. But she knew she hadn’t imagined that leap of heat in his eyes when he’d stared down at her on his front porch. Watching him now, she was tempted to find out what would happen if she pushed him, stoked that hunger inside him.

  Probably best if she avoided temptation, however, she thought as he continued dismantling the vanity blow by blow. They worked together and she depended on him and his crew to help her get this done. Despite his distant exterior he was solid and reliable and kept everyone on task, even her. If they hooked up and things went bad, it would be awkward. Maybe even awkward enough that they couldn’t work together anymore.

  She was curious about him though, wanted to know more about him and why he tended to avoid society. She liked him and could use a friend here…except she wanted to be more than his friend.

  Part of her felt guilty for even thinking it, but John had been gone a long time and he wasn’t coming back. He’d want her to move forward and get on with her life. He’d want her to be happy.

  If Wyatt was to ask her out, she’d say yes without hesitation. She’d ask him out herself if she wasn’t so afraid he’d turn her down flat. Would be nice if he did the pursuing though. Not that she’d hold her breath on that one.

  Eight more blows from the sledgehammer and the countertop came away from the wall. “Think that did it,” Wyatt announced, setting the hammer aside to look at her, barely breathing hard. “Gimme a hand?”

  She jumped up, slipped on her gloves and grabbed the far end of the counter, the two of them yanking the framework away from the wall. One last pull and it came free, clattering to the floor…right on Wyatt’s right boot.

  “Oh!” Austen scrambled to her knees and grabbed it, tried to lug it off.

  “No, it’s—”

  Ignoring him, she managed to pry it off his boot. When she looked up to check on him, Wyatt was grinning at her. She blinked. “Are you okay?”

  He nodded. “No foot in there. Didn’t feel a thing.”

  She flushed as his meaning sank in and floundered for a moment, trying to think of something to say. She couldn’t believe she’d forgotten. But with him grinning at her like that, she couldn’t help but laugh. “Okay, awkward moment over with, let’s move on.”

  He held out a hand, palm up. She took it, allowed him to help pull her to her feet and the feel of that strong grip around her gloved hand sent another flutter through her. With them standing so close the bathroom suddenly seemed twice as small. And ten times as hot.

  She lowered her gaze. “Thanks, I’ll take this downstairs.”

  “I’ll help you.”

  “No, I got it.” Grabbing the countertop, she turned it sideways and tried to step by as she hefted it off the floor, her ass and shoulder blades rubbing against him as she squeezed past him and out into the hall.

  God, the man was playing hell on her libido and she was pretty sure he had no idea. By the time these renos were done she might explode from unrequited desire and sexual frustration.

  Lugging the counter through the front door, she heaved one end into the Dumpster before shoving the works into it. Just as she was dusting herself off, a car turned up the driveway. When the driver pulled up behind her truck and got out, alarm leapt inside her when she recognized Greg.

  Her spine stiffened. She moved to the top of the stairs to bar him from coming any closer and put her hands on her hips. She wasn’t going to let him go after Wyatt again.

  Greg stopped at the bottom of the front steps and pulled off his sunglasses. “You Austen?”

  She didn’t answer verbally, just nodded. Why was he even out of jail?

  “Is Wyatt inside?”

  “He’s busy.” No way in hell she was allowing a repeat of the other night. “What do you want?”

  He broke eye contact, glanced around the cluttered yard rather than look at her. “I wanted to apologize for the other night. I…wasn’t myself.”

  Oh, from what she’d been told about him from two reliable sources since then, he’d been exactly himself the other night. “Anything else?”

  He stared at her a moment, then shook his head. “No. Again, I’m sorry. If there’s anything I can do, let me know.”

  You can get the hell off my property before Wyatt sees you, and not come back. Clearly he had issues, but part of her still wondered if there was any truth to his accusations about Wyatt and Piper. There was no denying they were close, and real fond of each other. “I’ll tell him. Now leave.”

  Surprise flared in his eyes, as though he took offense at her ordering him off her property. Well, too bad. Her property, her rules. He could fucking deal.

  To her relief he turned and headed for his car without another word, then got in and drove away. When he was halfway to the road, Wyatt came outside. A dark scowl lined his face as he stared after the retreating car. “What the hell did he want?”

  “To apologize. I told him I’d pass on the message. As far as I can tell, he was sober.”

  Wyatt wrapped a hand around her upper arm and turned her to face him. The stark concern in his eyes sent a shiver of unease through her. “Stay away from him. I mean it. If he shows up here again, come get me and I’ll handle it. If I’m not here, then call the cops. Don’t talk to him again.”

  Concern for her safety was one thing, but she bristled at the blatant command in his voice. She wasn’t one of his Marines to be ordered around. He wasn’t a captain at her fire hall who got to tell her what to do and how to do it. She’d seen how Greg had behaved the other night. Just because she was a woman didn’t mean she was weak and couldn’t defend herself.

  “I can look out for myself,” she told him, a bite to her tone.

  Jaw tight, he shook his head, his grip firm on her arm. “Not with him.”

  She jerked her arm free of his grasp and stepped back. Didn’t matter that she knew he was worried about her. Nothing rankled her faster than someone bossing her around. “Okay, think I’m done for the day.”

  Turning away from him, she dug in her hip pocket for her keys and started down the steps to her truck.

  “Austen.”

  Nope. She was tired and sweaty, pissed off by his heavy-handed attitude, and increasingly sexually frustrated by just being near him. She needed to get away from him for a while. A long cool shower followed by a cold drink and a nap sounded a lot more preferable to sticking around here with him.

  “Text me if you need me to answer anything,” she threw over her shoulder, not even bothering to look at him as she got in her truck and drove to her motel.

  * * *

  Standing outside the second floor motel room door, Wyatt resisted the urge to fidget as he waited for Austen to answer. It had been five hours since she’d jumped in her truck and driven away from the jobsite. He’d thought about texting her rather than just showing up here but even he knew that wasn’t going to clear the air between them.

  When he’d seen Greg’s car driving down her driveway he’d reacted without thinking, only worried about her safety because he knew what a piece of shit Greg was, and what he was capable of
when he was wasted. He hadn’t meant to sound overbearing and domineering, but he guessed he had.

  The door swung open and Austen stood there with an unreadable expression on her face and wearing a red wrap-around dress that hugged every curve of her long, lean body, the low neckline displaying the tops of her breasts.

  Tearing his gaze from her cleavage, he met her cool stare. “I came to apologize,” he blurted, thrusting the bouquet of flowers he’d bought at her.

  She took them, lowered her head to smell them even as she held eye contact. For some reason he found that direct gaze sexy as hell. “Wow, that’s two men who’ve apologized to me in the space of a few hours. Not sure that’s ever happened before.”

  He couldn’t tell if she was still pissed at him or not. “But mine was better, right? More sincere.”

  She nodded, one side of her mouth curving upward. Okay, she couldn’t be too mad if she was smiling. “And you brought flowers. So yes, yours is better.”

  “So…I’m forgiven?” He wanted to make sure. Sometimes with women, he couldn’t tell.

  She gave him a considering look. “Mostly.”

  He frowned. “If I took you to dinner, would that do it?”

  Her eyebrows went up. “It might. Couldn’t hurt to try it, anyway.”

  Damn, he was torn between wanting to squirm and pulling her into his arms to kiss her until she couldn’t stand up on her own. “Can we go tonight?” It was already after six. The woman had to eat sooner or later.

  “We could,” she hedged. “What did you have in mind?”

  “There’s a place on the river I’d like to take you to.”

  She straightened, cocked her head. “Is this a date?”

  “No,” he said quickly, because that would be totally inappropriate. She was his boss. Well, technically she was, according to their contract. Didn’t matter, because right now he was all about inventing excuses to help him maintain his distance from her.

  “No?” She lifted a dark eyebrow.

  He could feel the heat rushing into his cheeks and was grateful that his beard would hide most of it. Wait. “Do you want it to be?”

  “Do you?”

  Shit, he didn’t know what to say to that. He was so far off his game it wasn’t even funny. He’d been out of the dating scene for a long time and Austen threw all the rules he’d thought he’d known completely out the window. He was off balance and flailing. “We work together.”

  “We do,” she agreed, then grinned. “Doesn’t have to be a date. But I wouldn’t mind if it was.”

  Damn. He hadn’t been prepared for that one, or the rush of desire her words triggered.

  She let out a light laugh. “You’re so cute when you get flustered.”

  Flustered? He frowned. “I’m not flustered.”

  “Sure.” Her grin widened. “Are you driving?”

  Sure as hell didn’t feel like it at the moment. “Uh, yeah.”

  “I’ll be down in two minutes.” Shooting him a mysterious smile that made him want to follow her inside and press that luscious body against the wall so he could feel her as he kissed her breathless, she shut the door in his face.

  He’d barely pivoted on his heel when his cell dinged with an incoming text from another number he didn’t recognize.

  What are you most afraid of?

  His pulse skipped. The asshole was back.

  Another ding. I’m going to take away the thing you love.

  All right, who the fuck was this? Frustration pulsed through him as he tightened his grip on the phone.

  That red dress is so sexy on her. Your girl is hot. I think I’d like to feel her from the inside out.

  Wyatt’s blood chilled. His head snapped up, his gaze automatically scanning the parking lot and surrounding area. Whoever sent the texts had seen them just now.

  He didn’t see anyone. This being a parking lot, there were plenty of places for someone to hide. Dammit.

  He scowled. Fuck you, asshole. He dialed Charlie as he stalked toward his truck, keeping an eye on Austen’s door just in case.

  “Hey, you,” his sister answered. “How are things?”

  “My psycho stalker just upped his game,” he answered. “He was watching me as of a few minutes ago.”

  Charlie sucked in a sharp breath. “Did you see him?”

  “No, but he saw me and the woman I was just talking with. He mentioned the color of her dress to let me know.” Now he was worried about her.

  “What the hell? Who would be playing with you like that?”

  “Not a freaking clue. Can you help?”

  “Sure, send me screenshots of the texts and the number they came from. I’ll have my guys run the number when they get a chance. Might not be for a few hours.” She paused. “I hate to be a downer, but you know it’s probably another disposable phone, right?”

  “Yeah,” he ground out, checking around him again. If he got lucky, the guy had paid for it by credit card and Charlie would be able to trace it. God, it pissed him off that anyone would threaten him, but even more that someone would threaten Austen. He shouldn’t have to watch his back here at home, where he was supposed to be safe again, and neither should she. “Call me if you find out anything, okay?” Austen was just coming down the stairs, looking delectable in that sexy red dress.

  “I will. Be careful.”

  “Roger that. Bye, Charles.” Tucking his phone away, he slid out to give Austen a smile as he opened her door for her.

  CHAPTER TEN

  The restaurant Wyatt chose was beautiful, in an old heritage house set right on the river. Austen eyed him over the top of her wineglass as he perused his menu. He might not want to call this a date, but it sure as hell felt like one to her. A cozy table for two at the back of the restaurant next to the window, candlelight, wine. Romantic.

  He glanced up from his menu, those gorgeous hazel eyes connecting with hers. “See anything you like?”

  Oh yeah, several things, only they weren’t on the menu. “Food looks great.”

  He set his menu down. “We can go someplace else if you’d rather.” He glanced around once before looking back at her. “I thought you’d like it.”

  She knew he was uncomfortable enough going out in public, let alone to a new place. He seemed a little stiff, even for him, and she wondered if it was because it made him uncomfortable for strangers to see his scars. It hadn’t escaped her notice that he’d seated himself with the scarred side of his face toward the window, where no one could see it.

  “Would you rather go somewhere else instead?” she asked.

  “No, it’s fine. But I should have warned you that by morning rumors will have spread all over town that we were here together.”

  She shrugged. “I don’t care what people say. I’m done with worrying about what others think of me and my decisions.”

  He looked down at the candle burning between them. “Sorry, I’m not great about being out in public. I hate the stares and the whispers. Makes me feel like a freak of nature.”

  She hadn’t thought he’d be that self-conscious—he seemed so confident and alpha all the time, it hadn’t even occurred to her, and now she felt bad for putting him in this position. She glanced around them, spotted a couple people looking at him. “We could order something to go then take a drive and eat in your truck.”

  “No, it’s okay.” He was clearly making an effort for her sake and while she appreciated it, she didn’t want to make him uncomfortable. “Just glad they don’t bother you.”

  “Honestly I don’t even notice them anymore.”

  He met her gaze, his eyes assessing, then glanced away.

  She toyed with the stem of her wineglass. “How did it happen?” she asked softly.

  He stilled, his jaw clenching, and just when she was sure he wouldn’t answer, he spoke. “On patrol in Afghanistan. We got into a tight spot.”

  She waited, not saying anything.

  “I was leading my squad and we walked into an ambush. Wh
en the shooting started, I missed an IED alert.”

  “Raider.”

  He nodded. “She was trained to alert me to explosives by sitting. I had her leash attached to my belt but with everything going on my attention was divided. By the time I realized what she was trying to tell me, it was too late.”

  Part of her felt like she should change the subject, but another part was worried that if she tried, he’d feel like she was trivializing or brushing off what had happened. “But they got you out.”

  “Yeah.” He leaned back in his chair. “I was pretty out of it. I lost consciousness on the flight back to Kandahar. My next clear memory is waking up in Germany with my brother, Brody, standing next to my bed.”

  “I’m glad he was there for you.”

  “They all were. My dad, Easton, and my sister, Charlie, were all waiting for me when I landed in D.C. One of them stayed with me every single day through those first three months.” A smile tugged at his mouth. “No matter how much of a pain in the ass I was or how hard I pushed them away, they always stayed.” His eyes held a faraway look. “I’ll never forget that.”

  After a moment his eyes cleared and he focused on her. “That’s partly why I was such an asshole to you the day we met.”

  “Oh?”

  “I’d just come from a…family situation and I was still pretty upset. I’d barely walked in the door when Piper called to tell me you’d bought the house.”

  She winced. “Wow. Sorry.” Though she was curious about what he meant by “family situation”, she decided it was best not to ask.

  “I’m not making excuses for the way I acted. Just wanted to explain. You close to your family?”

  “Just my mom, although I don’t see her as much as I’d like. My dad left us when I was just a baby and she remarried when I was in my teens. She lives in Mississippi with my stepdad, who’s not my favorite person, but at least he treats her well.” She sipped her wine. “I’m still close with John’s sister and parents. They live up in Philly and I talk to them a few times a week. They hate that I moved away, but I just really needed the space to start fresh.”