by Lori Foster
“It’s nothing.”
“Ohhh,” she cooed in a dramatic voice, “I just love a humble martyr.” She batted her eyes at him, laughed, then said, “No really. What happened?”
“You are such a pushy woman.”
She stopped, which caused him to stop since he still had hold of her arm. Realizing that, he let her go and propped his fists on his hips.
“What?” he asked, when she continued to look at him.
For the first time that he could remember, she actually looked sheepish. “I didn’t mean to be pushy,” she muttered, and her face heated. She didn’t blush well, Zack decided, seeing her entire face, neck and even her ears turn pink.
“It’s a…well, a bad habit I guess. Sorry.” She started to say more, shook her head, and stepped around him. Zack caught her arm again.
“Wynn.”
She stopped, but rather than face him she looked down at her feet.
Zack stared at the back of her head where frazzled strands stood out on end, having escaped the band she’d used to contain her hair. The curls resting against her nape actually looked kind of cute, maybe even a little sexy. She had an elegant neck and broad, sexy shoulders…
Suddenly Zack felt a searing scrutiny.
He looked up and caught all three of the hulks watching him. One man had a large wrought-iron chair held aloft in his arms, which he continued to hold with seemingly no effort though the thing looked awkward and heavy.
The other two had a cumbersome settee between them, with yet another chair balanced in the middle of it. They, too, seemed more than comfortable with their burden.
Zack tugged on Wynn’s arm. “That’s some massive furniture you bought.”
She shrugged, still staring at her feet. “I’m a big girl. I need big furniture to be comfortable.”
“True. Those are also big, apparently protective guys you’ve got hauling it.”
Wynn caught his meaning and looked up. Whatever dejection she’d been feeling fell away to be replaced by her natural arrogance. “Oh, for goodness’ sake. Are you three going to stand there all day?”
One of the men, an artificially tanned behemoth, smirked. “Only until we see that you’re all right.”
Sounding incredibly surprised, Wynn asked, “You’re worried about Zack?” And to compound that insult, she hitched her thumb over her shoulder toward him, then chortled. “Don’t be silly.”
One of the men holding the settee bared his teeth in what might have been loosely termed a smile. “Only Wynn would call us silly,” he said to Zack, then added, “I’m Bo. A…friend.”
The other two grinned at that, which made Wynn bristle, and Zack scowl. Just what the hell did Bo mean? Was it an inside joke? Did Wynn and Bo have some sort of understanding? Were they involved?
The guy on the other end of the settee said, “Bo, Wynn is going to get you for that,” and then to Zack, “I’m Clint and that over there is Marc.”
Zack nodded. “I’m her neighbor, Zack Grange.”
“Yeah right.” They all chortled again, looking between Wynn and Zack. “Just a neighbor.”
Zack clenched his teeth. “The little one running around is my daughter, Dani.”
Bo winked. “She’s a sweetheart. And hey, Wynn just loves kids.”
Wynn cast a quick look at Zack, then under her breath said, “You guys are in for it.”
They pretended great fear, gasping and sharing worried glances—ludicrous considering their impressive sizes. Growling, Wynn took a threatening step forward and they quickly dispersed, rushing to the patio to put the furniture down.
Zack pulled her around to face him. She looked braced for his anger, until he asked, “Is Bo a boyfriend?”
Her eyes widened and she choked on a laugh before saying, “No! Of course not.”
“Then what was all that inside snickering and shared looks?”
She waved that away. “Bo flirts with all women, sort of like your friend Josh. He’s got about a dozen girlfriends and yes, he pretends to want to add me to the list, but it’s all just in fun. I’m not an idiot and he knows it.”
That brought up another issue that nettled, and Zack said, “You acted plenty interested with Josh.”
“Ha! He’s gorgeous and he took me by surprise. I’m used to Bo being outrageous, but not other guys. That’s all.” She looked Zack over and asked, “What about you? Any steady girlfriends?”
“No.” But not for lack of trying on his part. He just hadn’t met a woman yet who was right for him and Dani, and he saw no reason to get involved in a wrong relationship.
Except that with Wynn…he was tempted.
She looked skeptical, but said only, “You don’t have to worry about those three. They’re just a little overprotective, but now that I’ve assured them you’re harmless, they’ll let it go.”
“Harmless?” He stepped closer to her, until they almost bumped noses. “One of these days I’m going to make you eat all these insults.”
Her eyes brightened and filled with fascination. “Is that right? How?”
“A number of ideas are zinging through my head.”
In the vein of being helpful, she suggested, “We could wrestle again. Next time you might win.”
Damned irritating, irrational… He let her go and stalked away. He heard her satisfied snicker before she suddenly went quiet, groaned, and then began tromping after him.
And here he’d actually thought he’d missed her. Ha! He couldn’t be that stupid.
But he was smiling.
THE PATIO BEGAN to look just as Wynn had pictured it. She’d had the furniture rearranged three times, despite all the guys grumbling, but now everything worked. Including the beautiful new gas grill, which Zack had suggested she move away from the window, to keep smoke from coming into the house.
About half an hour ago at the hottest part of the afternoon, Zack had removed his shirt. His back and shoulders glistened with sweat, as did the straight, light-brown hair clinging to his nape and temples. His blue eyes looked even bluer in the bright sunshine, and the flex of his lean, athletic muscles made Wynn more aware of him than she’d ever been of any man.
She saw Zack lift his head and look around for Dani. He was good at doing that, at always being aware of his daughter and what she was up to. Wynn couldn’t imagine a more attentive or caring parent.
Zack shaded his eyes until he located Dani sitting in the grass beneath a large tree. She was hunting for four-leaf clovers with Clint, who appeared suitably impressed with her skills while he drank an ice-cold cola.
Zack smiled, his face lit with so much love and pride, Wynn thought her heart might burst.
She needed to be with him again.
A week had gone by where she’d done her best to give him time and space, but she didn’t think she could take it anymore.
Bo walked up and thwacked her on the behind. “I need sustenance after all my toils. You got any lunch meat?”
A quick peek at Zack showed his attention had shifted and he now had that scowling, disapproving look on his handsome face again. Resisting the urge to rub her stinging behind, Wynn huffed. It wasn’t exactly her fault that her brother’s friends were all too familiar. “I thought I’d order a pizza.”
“No need, darlin’,” Marc told her. “We can’t stay that long. But a sandwich would hit the spot.”
She flapped her hand toward the kitchen. “There’s all kinds of lunch meat and fixings in the fridge. Go help yourself.”
Bo thwacked her again, almost knocking her off her feet with the sharp swat. She was just irascible enough to give him a reciprocal punch to the shoulder, which he most likely didn’t even feel despite his cringing facade of pain.
Clint called out, “Fix me one, too!” and Marc nodded as he went inside with Bo.
Wynn walked to the other end of the patio and dropped down into her settee. The forest-green and cream striped cushions were soft and plush and she smoothed her hand over them with deep satisfaction.
This was hers, all of it, the house, the tree-shaded yard, the hammock and…her neighbor. All hers.
She caught Zack watching her and she smiled. “It looks good, doesn’t it?”
Zack appeared to be so annoyed she wasn’t at all sure he’d answer. Then he sat down beside her. “It’s very nice. You have good taste.”
As he spoke, he stared out at the yard toward his daughter, giving Wynn his profile. She sighed, knowing his thoughts when he hadn’t shared them. “Bo is just…Bo. I’ve known him almost as long as I’ve known Conan. They went through school together and stuff. He really doesn’t—”
“Show any hesitation at touching your behind? Yeah, I noticed. I also noticed that you don’t seem to mind.”
Her lips tightened as her temper rose. “He treats me like a kid sister most of the time.”
“Uh-huh.” Zack turned to face her, his expression set. “I don’t know why I’m even surprised, considering…” He made a disgusted sound and turned away again.
Her heart thumped hard and her stomach roiled. “Considering what?” When he didn’t answer, she said, “Zack, don’t you dare be a hypocrite. I wasn’t the only one out there that night. We both got carried away.”
He ran a hand through his hair. “I’ve never in my life done anything like that, so it had to be because of you.”
He said that so casually, casting the blame without hesitation, that she wanted to throttle him. “You snuck up on me that night!”
“I did not sneak,” he grumbled.
“Ha! I was asleep.”
“Yeah, and what woman does that?” He jerked around to face her, looking angry and befuddled and very much like an attentive male. “What woman sleeps out in her backyard at night, exposed?”
“I wasn’t exposed, you ass. You make it sound like I was naked or something.” She shook her head, realized she’d just insulted him again, and wanted to bite off her tongue. She drew a breath and tried to sound reasonable. “Zack, I was just—”
He didn’t let her finish. “I don’t get carried away like that. Ever.”
To Wynn, he still looked accusing, and all she could think to say was, “You did that night.”
His eyes narrowed, then his gaze flicked over her. “Yeah. Bad judgement on my part.”
Wynn sucked in a breath. Damn, that hurt. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to punch him or cry. She wasn’t much of a crier and seldom indulged, but now she felt dangerously close to giving in to tears. Her bottom lip even quivered before she caught it between her teeth.
For a brief moment, Zack looked guilty. “Look, Wynn, it’s really none of my business what you do.”
“I want it to be your business,” she admitted softly.
His spine stiffened—and Bo shoved a sandwich into his face. “I figured you had to be hungry, too.”
Zack studied Wynn a second longer, then warily looked up at Bo. “Thanks.”
“No problem. ‘A friend of Wynn’s,’ and all that.” Bo pursed his lips and continued to glare down at Zack. “You are a friend, right?”
Wynn quickly stood and placed herself between the two men. “Back off, Bo. I mean it.”
In the next instant, she yelped as she found herself yanked back down onto the soft settee. Zack had grabbed the waistband of her shorts and literally jerked her off her feet. She sat gawking at him while he stood and met Bo eye to eye. Zack wasn’t as bulky as the bodybuilders, but he was all lean hard muscle.
“Actually,” Zack said, “I’m more of an acquaintance at this stage.”
“A friendly acquaintance?”
“You got reason to think otherwise?”
The male posturing had Wynn on edge. She would definitely strangle Bo later, and what in the world was wrong with Zack? She thought him to be a sweet, considerate, passive man. Not one to indulge in games of male one-upmanship. Yet he’d brought on as much attitude as Bo, and that was saying a lot.
A new voice intruded, full of good humor and mocking concern. “Making yourself the center of attention again, Zack?”
Wynn twisted in her seat, and found herself almost face-to-belt buckle with Josh, who stood just at the end of the patio, right behind the settee. He wore tight faded jeans and a white T-shirt that read: Firefighters Take The Heat.
Zack, too, turned to face him. “What are you doing here?”
Josh smiled and leaned down, bracing his arms on the settee back, looming over Wynn. She wanted to scoot away, especially with the dark frowns Zack sent her way, but she was a bit too surprised to move.
“I came to let you know that lunch is cancelled for today,” Josh said. “Mick insists on escorting Del to a coroner’s for some research she’s doing.” He nodded at the sandwich still squeezed into Zack’s hand. “But I see you’d forgotten all about our lunch.”
Wynn lurched to her feet, feeling dreadful. “Ohmigosh. I interrupted your plans?” She looked between Josh who was smiling and Zack who was scowling. She ignored Bo.
Josh skirted the settee and again placed himself close to her. He even slipped his arm around her waist. She wasn’t sure what to do. “Don’t worry about it, Wynn. We meet nearly every week for lunch, so missing one now and then isn’t a big deal.”
Zack handed the sandwich to Wynn, who accepted it without thinking. Then he crossed his arms over his chest in a confident pose and said, “Josh, meet Wynn’s erstwhile protectors. Bo and Marc and out there in the grass with Dani is Clint.”
Bo and Marc nodded, but Clint was unaware of the additional guest. He was a grade school teacher with three daughters of his own and loved children in general. Wynn thought of him as a gentle giant, and smiled when she saw he was making Dani a flower garland out of clover buds.
Josh reached out to shake hands. He had his engaging grin in place, but his dark green eyes were alight with mischief. “Josh Marshall. How’re you all doing?”
“They were just about to leave,” Wynn said, trying for a not-so-subtle hint.
Bo just rolled his eyes. “Quit worrying, doll. We’re not going to manhandle your neighbor.”
Josh sputtered on a laugh. “Manhandle Zack? Of course not. You know he’s a paramedic, right?”
Blank faces stared at Josh.
“Well he is, and paramedics have to stay in great shape. So, don’t let him fool ya. I’ve seen Zack lift three-hundred pound men and carry them like they were infants. I’ve seen him work tirelessly through frozen snow for hours when cars piled up on the highway, and I’ve seen him go twenty-four hours without a single sign of exhaustion. He’s got more dexterity and physical coordination than you can imagine, and he—”
Zack interrupted to say, “Can leap tall buildings in a single bound? Is faster than a speeding bullet?” His tone was dry, his expression chagrined.
Josh laughed. “I don’t know about jumping buildings, but I’ve seen the bullet wound on your arm, so no, you’re not all that fast.”
Wynn jumped on that verbal opportunity. “I’ve seen it, too. How did it happen, do you know?”
“Sure I know. I was there.”
“Josh,” Zack warned, but now that everyone had redirected their attention from animosity to curiosity—all but Zack who still looked plenty defensive—Wynn wasn’t about to back down.
And neither was Josh. “We were called to the scene of a riot. Buildings burning, glass everywhere, people down in the street.”
“Dear God,” Wynn muttered, easily able to picture the chaos. She’d never thought of Zack being involved in something so violent, and now that she did, fear swamped her.
Josh nodded. “Innocent people were cowering in alleys, afraid to move, unable to move. A woman had caught a stray bullet in the chest and she was just lying on the ground right in the middle of the worst of it, literally bleeding to death. Police were everywhere, SWAT teams were on the way. But we were afraid she’d die before we could get to her.”
Wynn already knew what Josh would tell her, and in that moment she felt herself tumbling head over heels in love.
To hell with logic or time or background. Her heart knew all it needed to know; she sank down onto the settee with her very first case of weak knees.
Zack shook his head. “It wasn’t nearly so dramatic. Plenty of officers provided cover for me.”
“Not well enough,” Josh pointed out. “You took that slug to the upper arm. Actually,” Josh continued, “he got shot when he covered the woman with his own body, trying to protect her from getting hurt worse. No doubt her body couldn’t have sustained another serious injury.”
“It was all fine in the end,” Zack grumbled, and he started looking around for his shirt.
“Yeah.” Josh grinned. “As I recall she was so grateful to Zack after that. Really grateful, if you get my meaning.”
Marc and Bo chuckled in male understanding. Wynn rolled her eyes.
Zack said, “Shut up, Josh.”
“My lips are sealed.”
Zack finally found his shirt and pulled it on. Wynn mourned the loss of seeing his sexy naked chest, and she really wanted to examine that scar from the bullet more closely. “Dani said you were a hero.”
He grunted. “Dani is four years old and adores me, which is only right since I’m her father. Truth is I just do my job, the same as anybody else.”
Josh, still pretending to have zipped his lips, hummed a reply to that.
“Oh, knock it off,” Zack snapped. He took his sandwich back from Wynn and took a healthy bite.
Wynn shook herself. “Since I interrupted your lunch, Josh, can I make you a sandwich, too?”
Bo clutched his heart. “You’re going to make him a sandwich? Hell, we’re the ones who worked for you all afternoon and you didn’t offer to serve us.”
Wynn elbowed him hard. “All of you behave,” she said, and she encompassed Zack in that order, before heading toward the patio door. She caught Josh’s arm as she went and dragged him along with her. “We’ll be right back.”
7
WYNN GOT JOSH inside the door, pulled him around the corner and flattened him against the wall. “I’m so glad you dropped in.”
Josh, looking startled, said, “Uh,” and clasped her upper arms to keep her from getting any closer. “Yeah, see, I sorta thought…well…” He looked around and to Wynn, he appeared hunted.
