by Lori Foster
Elton Pascal . Ashley closed her eyes for only a second, then snapped them open again. “It’s nothing, Denny.”
“Bullshit.” Denny’s graying brows bunched down over shrewd eyes. “You said you were followed.”
“Only because I thought you were following me. I didn’t actually see anyone.”
Tired of having his presence discounted, Quinton lost his temper. “I have no idea who this Elton Pascal person is, but Ashley was a little jumpy when she got to work last night, and she told me then that she felt like someone had been tailing her.”
Of all the nerve! The last thing she needed was someone to fuel Denny’s mothering instinct. “Stay out of this, Quinton.”
His glare plainly said not on your life . “By the time I got here this morning, Ashley was already inside. As you said, her Civic is easy to spot. I started in, but I noticed a car across the street just watching the diner. It was an ancient Buick, white but covered in rust and dirt. When I started to approach, it pulled away.”
With each word Quinton spoke, Denny seemed to get bigger. Ashley figured it was the bulging of muscle that gave that impression.
The fury built in his scarred visage. “ Why didn’t you call me ?”
Alarmed at the outburst, Quinton again started to stand. Ashley shook her head at him. Denny didn’t scare her, but the rest of the folks in the diner were getting nervous.
“Calm down, King Kong. You’re making the natives restless.”
Denny peered around, scowling at one and all, until his gaze landed on Quinton. With a roll of his eyes—but in a quieter voice—he said, “I respect the intent, son, but she doesn’t need protection from me.” Then to Ashley, his tone moderated, “You damn well should have called me right away.”
“Don’t come in here bossing me around, Denny. You might be known for bullying fighters into shape, but I’m not that easy. And don’t you dare go upsetting May with any of this. This is her time, and God knows she deserves it. If someone is following me, which I doubt, there’d be absolutely no reason to assume it’s Elton. He doesn’t even know me so—”
Suddenly Quinton snapped to attention. “I knew I recognized you. You’re Denny Zip, DZ, the legendary trainer of the SBC.”
The smoke settled around Denny, and he actually preened. “That’s right. You’re familiar with the sport?”
“What red-blooded man isn’t?”
Denny went from ignoring Quinton to admiring him. “When you approached that car, what did you plan to do if he hadn’t driven away?”
He shrugged. “Whatever I had to. Something about it didn’t feel right, and with Ashley inside, I wasn’t going to take chances.”
New respect brought a smile to Denny’s face. “You’ll do.”
Quinton gave a droll, “Thank you.”
Ashley stared at the ceiling. She had a feeling that with Denny’s stamp of approval, Quinton would be in her life whether she wanted him there or not.
Crossing his arms on the table and leaning in, Denny said, “Hey, do you realize you’re dating—”
“We’re not dating,” Ashley clarified. Not yet, anyway. “We’re only sharing one breakfast.”
“The future sister-in-law to Jude Jamison?”
“Damn it, Denny.” She had really wanted to keep that to herself for a while longer. As a movie star and celebrated cage fighter, Jude’s name was well known.
“No shit.” Quinton blinked at Ashley. “ That’s the wedding we’re going to tomorrow?”
Ashley twisted her mouth in disgust. Men. In so many ways they were all the same. They shared an admiration for cars, boobs, and brutal sports. “Jude’s marrying my friend May, but May and I…” She tripped over the words, then finally spit them out “We aren’t sisters, so I won’t be Jude’s sister-in-law.”
Denny blustered a moment, his expression odd. “Yeah, well…” With palpable discomfort, he insisted, “You’re just like sisters, anyway.”
What they had was better than a blood bond, and that was what mattered most. Ashley nodded. “You’ve got me there.”
Quinton again glanced at his watch. “I’m sorry, but I’ll need to get going soon or I’ll be late.” He, too, leaned in to speak privately. “Can you quickly explain to me what’s going on? Who’s Elton Pascal and why would he bother Ashley?”
Denny gave a furtive glance around before divulging the details. “You know Jude was accused of murdering that young starlet?”
“I read about it, yes, but he was acquitted some time ago.”
“Damn right he was, because Jude would never hurt a woman.” Just talking about the accusation had Denny bristling with fury all over again. “Elton Pascal is the murderous bastard who killed both her and Jude’s driver at the same time. The sick fuck has an affinity for homemade bombs.”
Ashley reached for Denny’s hand and gave it a squeeze. He could not be dispassionate when it came to this topic.
Denny calmed, saying in a more controlled tone, “Elton hates Jude and anyone who knows Jude. He had some of his goons work over May’s brother, Tim, who I reckon you’ll meet at the wedding.”
“Lucky you,” Ashley said.
Denny slanted her a look. “Tim’s working on changing, girl, so cut him some slack.”
Not likely. She didn’t tell Denny that the last few times she’d seen Tim, he’d come on to her, and it really creeped her out. He was such a weasel. But again, for May, she tolerated him.
“Anyway,” Denny continued, “Elton had drought to use Tim to get to Jude, but his plans backfired. They caught one of Elton’s henchmen, who spilled his guts on Elton’s involvement in the bombing, and now the cops from Hollywood, where it happened, the local police, and the ATF all want him for questioning.”
“This is unbelievable,” Quinton muttered, watching Ashley with growing concern.
“They should have had Elton by now, but he’s disappeared, and it seems no one can find him. Until he’s behind bars, our little hedgehog here needs to show more caution.”
Ashley tried to slug Denny in the shoulder, but with hardly any movement at all, he dodged the blow and she ended up sprawled over his lap.
“Easy, now.” Grinning like a loon, he dragged her upright again. “Was it the hedgehog remark?”
Mortified, she shrugged off his hands, smoothed her hair out of her face, and reseated herself. “Listen up, Gramps—”
He laughed, then pulled her into a bear hug that squeezed all the breath out of her lungs. In the next second, with Ashley still snuggled up to his side, his gaze pinned Quinton to the spot. “Ashley recognized Elton having dinner here in town. She called Jude, and like dominoes, it all fell apart for him.”
“So I know how to use a phone,” Ashley murmured. “You might as well call me Superwoman.”
Quinton still watched her, now with purpose as well as amazement.
Denny put his elbows on the table and leaned in. “So. What’s up between you two?”
It needed only this. “Back off, Denny.” Again she took her own seat.
“I’m just lookin’ out for you. For all you know, Elton could have hired him.”
Such an active imagination. “Since he’s as rich as Elton, that’s not likely.”
“Really?” Denny sized up Quinton in a long perusal. “What business are you in?”
“Consulting.”
“On what?”
“Everything. I show businesses how to make more money by cutting out unnecessary expenses, maximizing for efficient human capital composition, and at the same time providing better benefits to employees.”
Denny blinked. “Helluva mouthful.”
“I’ve rehearsed it.” Quinton’s lazy smile showed loads of confidence. “Basically it means that my employees help clients to determine problem areas through employee interviews, computer analysis and projection, competitor comparisons, market research, and historical trend research.”
“And you own this business?”
“With my uncle, but I
’m the CEO and major stockholder. We have a couple hundred employees and multiple locations.” With satisfaction, he added, “And I’m not working for Elton.”
Denny’s fingers tapped on the tabletop. “I might do a background check anyway.”
Ashley groaned.
Quinton merely stared him down. “I might do the same.” His eyes narrowed in what Ashley now recognized as determination. “For a mere friend, you’re awfully involved in her welfare.”
Denny’s jaw tightened. “Now don’t go speculating on things, boy. I won’t like it.”
“And I don’t like being threatened.”
Both men rose from their seats, but damn it, Ashley didn’t want Quinton mauled before she could enjoy him.
She elbowed Denny in the ribs. “Don’t even think it.” He was so involved in his intimidation tactics that she caught him off guard and he stumbled.
“Brat,” Denny complained, rubbing where her pointed elbow had landed.
“Bully,” she countered right back.
Quinton looked from one to the other before coming to some private conclusion. “All right, children, play nice.”
Denny huffed at him, but Quinton extended his hand as an olive branch. “I like Ashley,” he admitted, and even though she’d already heard it, Ashley’s heart fluttered. “I’ve asked her out but she keeps turning me down.”
Denny took his hand. “Yep, that’s our Ashley. Stubborn to the bone.”
“I finally managed to finagle an invitation to the wedding as her escort, but I had no idea it was Jude Jamison’s wedding. I’ll understand if the security is tight and you’d rather no strangers be there.”
Odd, how the idea that he might not accompany her deflated Ashley. She didn’t want to go alone. “Denny,” she said with cool insistence, “tell him that it’s fine.”
Denny grudgingly did just that. “If she vouches for you, then I’m sure you’re okay. Ashley’s no dummy. Just pigheaded and prickly and strong enough to carry around a mighty big chip on her shoulder.”
“I noticed.” Quinton turned to her while digging a business card out of his pocket. “Here’s my number. Call anytime, okay?”
“I’ll be busy.”
He gave a sigh of annoyance. “Come on, Ash, you’ve worn that line out. How busy can one woman be?”
Denny opened his mouth, but Ashley slapped her hand over it. “Busy enough, okay?”
Quinton quirked a brow. “More secrets, huh?”
Denny, with his mouth still covered, managed a shrug.
Left-handed, Ashley tucked the card away in her back pocket. “Don’t push your luck, Murphy.”
Openly pleased with the exchange, Denny pried her hand away and said, “Don’t worry. I’ll see that she gets home safely.”
Ashley’s jaw dropped. He had to be kidding. She’d be on a busy road, headed to her busy apartment complex. No way would Elton try something out in the open. “I don’t need—”
“Thank you.” Quinton returned her feral expression with one of his own. “I agreed to your terms, now agree to mine.”
Relationships sure were troublesome. She waved a hand at him. “Let’s hear it.”
“Promise you’ll call me if anything even remotely suspicious happens or if anything spooks you.”
Denny took exception to that. “She can call me.”
In a magnanimous concession, Quinton nodded. “If you can’t reach me, by all means, call Denny.”
“Or Jude,” Denny added.
“Call someone—but me first. Promise me, Ashley.”
Denny started to object, and Ashley put the back of her hand to her forehead. “First no men, now two are fighting over me. How dramatic.”
Quinton leaned across the table, caught her shoulders, and pulled her up. Ashley thought he was about to curl her toes again, but he only put an affectionate peck on her forehead. “Promise?”
“Yeah, sure. I’ll put you on speed dial.”
“Thank you.” He kissed her once more. “Be very careful, and we’ll talk soon.”
With that, he left.
Slowly, Ashley sank back in her seat. “I need some ice water.”
“All that growling give you a dry throat?”
“No. I think I have a fever.”
Denny eyed her while switching over to Quinton’s side of the booth. “So you like your new beau, huh?”
“He’s not a beau.”
“I think he’d tell it differently.” Denny signaled the waitress in a request for coffee.
She hustled over, her smile too bright, her eyes dreamy. After she’d produced another cup and filled it, Denny thanked her with more affection than necessary, and she floated away on a sigh.
Another woman smitten. Amazing. Denny made the whole woman/man game look so easy. If only she didn’t struggle so badly with it “For an ornery old codger, you sure rack up the babes.”
It’s my charm.”
It’s something, all right.” Ashley considered him, then asked, “So what about Zara?”
“What about her?”
“You still seeing her?”
“Here and there. She won’t be at the wedding, if you’re worried about Quinton running into her.”
That made her laugh. “After seeing her with you, I haven’t given it another thought. I figured you’d ruined her for all other men.”
“I’m sure you’re right.”
Grinning, Ashley glanced at the clock on the wall. “I wonder where he’s going so early.”
“Who? Quinton?”
“He’s dressed all casual when he usually wears suits, and it’s too early for him to be going to the office.”
“Want me to find out?” When she just stared at him, Denny said, “Well, I can, you know.”
“Don’t even think about actually checking up on him.” Her order didn’t faze Denny one bit. “I mean it, old man. He’s driving me nuts, but—”
“He’s bothering you?” And then in a growl, “Maybe I don’t like him after all.”
“Oh God, don’t start cracking your knuckles. It’s not like that.” Quinton was a handful all on his own. She didn’t need to juggle Denny now, too.
“Then how is it?”
“You’ve got gonads. Put it together.”
“Ah.” Denny’s ears actually lifted, he smiled so big. “He’s bothering you that way. I get it.”
In that moment Denny seemed like a damn fine confidante. She didn’t have anyone else to talk to except May, and May had an upcoming wedding to deal with. She was euphoric, and Ashley didn’t want to bring her down with her petty concerns. “If you stop grinning like the village idiot, I’d like to get your thoughts on this mess.”
“Mess?”
“Exactly.” She propped her head in both hands. “Before meeting Quinton, I liked my life just fine.”
“No, you didn’t. You just accepted it.”
Because she’d never envisioned anything different. “Maybe.”
“So what’s the problem? Quinton putting a kink in the works?”
“In a big way. Since meeting him, I feel half sick most of the time. I can’t get him off my mind, which means I’m falling behind at work, and I can’t study worth a damn, and—”
Very matter-of-factly, Denny said, “Hey, if you’re feeling froggy, leap. It’ll solve your problems, and then some.”
Such a down-to-earth way of looking at all things sexual boggled her mind. “You think sex is a regular cure-all, huh?”
He saluted her with the coffee cup. “I guarantee it’ll cure what ails you.”
“Maybe, but it’s not that simple.”
“Seems simple enough to me. You’re a grown, intelligent, independent woman.”
“Well, hallelujah, you’ve finally admitted it.”
“And he seems like a responsible guy.” Denny shrugged. “Go for it.”
“It’ll complicate things.”
“Baloney.” He rubbed his jaw, scrutinizing her. “You’re not an inhibited girl.
You obviously want the man. I’m surprised you haven’t used him up already.”
“Do I look like a hoochie or something?”
He ignored that to ask, “What’s really going on here, Ashley? Why all the hesitation?”
“We’re as different as night and day.”
“Since you’re like the Tasmanian devil in neon, no one is like you. You might as well get used to it and not let it stand in the way of some fun.”
Ashley wrinkled her nose at him. “That’s not what I mean, smart-ass. He’s filthy rich. Socially affluent. And so damned cultured.”
“Ah. He scares you.”
“Get outta here.” Actually, it was her reaction to him that left her frightened.
Denny’s gaze, filled with understanding, settled on her face. “You know, you don’t have to be a hard case all the time. Everyone is entitled to be a chickenshit every now and then.”
“Including you?”
“Sure.” He fashioned a lofty look. “I’m secure enough to admit to my weaknesses.”
Clutching her chest in melodrama, Ashley gasped. “You have weaknesses, Denny? Say it isn’t so.”
“I do.” He nodded toward her. “And you’re one of them.”
Her heart expanded. She wasn’t used to anyone being so open in his feelings. “If that’s your excuse for bossing me around, you can forget it.”
He flashed his silver-toothed grin. “As to differences, look at May and Jude. She didn’t let a little thing like Jude being a wealthy, well-known fighter and movie star get in her way.”
May had never let the opinions of others get in her way of being Ashley’s friend, either. But in so many ways, May was stronger. “I’m not looking to marry the man, Denny.”
“Start at step one and go from there.”
Step one. She wrinkled her nose. “The thing is… I told him to keep his hands to himself until after the wedding.”
One bushy brow lifted. “He’ll need his hands to make you happy, girl.”
Ashley shook her head at him. “God, Denny, you are so…”
“Earthy?”
“I was going to say full of it.” She softened that insult with a smile but quickly grew serious again. “I’ve never talked about this stuff with anyone before.”
