by Lori Foster
Lexie hugged her. “You can come home with me.”
That’d be the coward’s way, and even though at the moment it sounded pretty good, she knew she couldn’t.
Honor didn’t have to announce a decision right then. Looking somehow bigger and badder than he had just moments ago, Nathan stated, “I want you and Lexie to go next door. Stay there until Jason comes for you.”
She nodded fast. “Okay.” She was capable, but she wasn’t stupid.
Lexie agreed. “Sure.”
Neither of them actually moved.
“Jason, you and Sullivan stay here in case anyone tries to slip back out the window. But if you see anyone, no matter what, get the hell out of the way.”
Sullivan made a rude sound.
Turning on him, Nathan said, “No fucking heroes,” with iron command. “I mean it.”
Sullivan, however, appeared unimpressed.
Lexie whispered, “When Alphas collide...”
“Shush,” Honor told her.
“Go on, Nathan. We’ll be fine.” Jason turned to Honor. “Back door is unlocked.”
The prompt got her moving. “Right.” Dragging along Lexie, who kept looking back at Sullivan, Honor hurried to Jason’s house. Nathan headed to the front.
Thinking of the significance of the black gun in his holster, she gulped as she moved behind some bushes bordering the back patio. If necessary, they could duck into the house quickly enough, but for now, anxiety gripped her.
Jason and Sullivan stood at the back corner of her house, able to see the open window but not in the direct line of anyone who might try to scuttle out. Honor could hear their quiet murmurs.
A dozen different what-ifs raced through her brain.
Lights came on inside, and with each one her heart lurched as she waited to hear a conflict or even possible gunfire.
Hunkered down next to her, Lexie whispered, “You didn’t leave out anything personal, did you?”
Gaze continually sweeping from the windows to the front door, and then to the men at the back, she replied just as quietly, “What do you mean?”
“You know.” Lexie nudged her. “Personal.”
“Like my toothbrush?”
Aggrieved, Lexie sighed and started to speak.
But from behind them someone said, “She means a vibrator.”
Screeching, Honor whirled to face the threat and ended up falling into the bushes.
Hogan, Jason’s brother, frowned at her.
“Damn it,” Lexie hissed at him. “Why are you creeping up on us?”
“I didn’t creep,” he said, lowering his voice theatrically to match hers. “You were too busy being nosy to hear me.”
“Nosy?”
“Getting all up in Honor’s business,” he explained. “You should worry about your own vibrators and leave hers alone.”
When Jason suddenly loomed over her, Honor groaned in mortification. How much had he heard? And how difficult was it going to be to explain?
Gaze carefully neutral, Jason took her hands and pulled her to her feet. “Are you okay?”
Honor jerked back around to the house and saw Nathan joining Sullivan, both of them on their way over, their steps unhurried, their posture casual.
Her heart thumped so hard she had to grope for a chair. “It’s clear?”
“Apparently.” He turned her to face him again. “I came to see why you screamed.”
“Hogan snuck up on us,” Lexie accused meanly. “That’s why.”
A wicked smirk spread over Hogan’s face. “Actually they were whispering about sex toys, so they didn’t hear me walk out.”
“I didn’t say a thing!” Honor protested in a shrill voice.
Jason glanced at his brother. “Quit heckling her.” Then his speculative gaze landed on Honor and she just knew where his thoughts had gone.
Propping her elbows on her knees and putting her head in her hands, Honor ignored them all to catch her breath.
“Problem?” Sullivan asked as he rejoined them.
Hogan said, “They—oof.”
Honor looked up to see Hogan clutching his ribs while Lexie glowered. Then she shocked Jason’s brother by explaining.
“Since Nathan had to go through her house, I asked Honor if she’d left out anything personal.”
“And I,” Honor assured them all, “was about to tell her that I don’t have anything that personal.”
“Seriously?” Lexie asked.
Hogan said, “See what you did? You embarrassed her.”
Sullivan ran a hand over his face.
Nathan stepped forward to regain everyone’s attention. “The house is empty, but someone was definitely inside.”
“Oh God.” Slowly Honor forced herself to stand again.
“I’m sorry,” Nathan said, “but they did a little damage. I can’t say if anything’s missing, since I was never inside before, but—”
Not waiting around to hear anything else, Honor headed for her house. They did some damage. She felt violated, exposed, wounded; every step toward the property made her more anxious.
Jason stayed at her side, matching his pace to hers. They’d just reached her front yard when he took her hand. “I’m going in with you.”
Like a lifeline, she held tight, grateful for the support. “Thank you. I have to see, but it sort of feels like I’m walking into danger. I know that doesn’t make any sense.”
“It makes perfect sense.” He lifted her hand and kissed the back of her knuckles. “We’ll figure this out, okay?”
The press of his mouth and his caring tone nearly unraveled her control. Throat thick, she nodded, because agreeing seemed easier than attempting to explain, yet again, that this was her responsibility and good or bad, she could and would handle it.
They went up the porch steps together. Dread clawed inside her.
“Take a breath.” Jason put one hand to the middle of her back. “Do you want me to go in first?”
“No.” She made herself say the lie. “I’m fine.” Shoulders tight, she reached for the doorknob.
Nathan hadn’t bothered locking back up, so the door opened easily, silently.
“Damn.” Jason stepped ahead of her and righted the large plant Lexie had given as a gift. Leaves were broken and dirt had spilled on her floors, but otherwise the plant had survived.
Bastards. Unable to bend her mind around such useless destruction, Honor wondered aloud, “Why would anyone do that? How does knocking over my plant accomplish anything?”
“Who knows what motivates idiots?” He sounded enraged and held himself stiffly.
On her behalf? “Jason?”
He flexed his hands. “For once I’m glad you weren’t home at a normal hour.”
The mess momentarily forgotten, she stared at him in incredulous wonder. Only Lexie had ever reacted like that for her. Her family, what existed of it now, usually went the other way—outraged at her, not for her.
More than the vandalism could, his backup rocked her foundation. Breathing was harder, focusing on the damage almost impossible.
Was she really so starved for genuine emotion? No, she didn’t want to believe that about herself, because that would make his initial assessment of her true—it would make her weak. She swallowed the lump in her throat, blinked the daze from her eyes and finally managed a nod. “Me, too.” Her heart continued to beat too heavily, but Jason couldn’t see that.
With a visible effort, he drummed up a reassuring smile. “It’s just a little mess.” He returned couch cushions, straightened a chair. “Nothing permanent.”
“My TV is gone.”
He rubbed the back of his neck. “It can be replaced.”
Still staring at him, overwhelmed, she admitted, “It was small. Cheap. It wasn’t worth this.”
“I’m sorry, honey.”
Honey?
“Come here.” When her feet refused to move, he strode to her and pulled her in close to his chest, one big hand stroking down her sp
ine, the other keeping her head against his shoulder.
He pressed a warm, firm kiss on her temple.
Honor felt that kiss everywhere—and though she knew it to be foolhardy, she wanted more. The conflicting emotions left her confused.
Mistaking her reaction, he hugged her once more. “Let’s see the rest and get this over with.”
Being pathetic, especially in front of Jason, infuriated her more than the damage. Straightening away and squaring her shoulders, she looked around again and saw it was all superficial. As to the television...well, she rarely had time to watch it anyway.
Taking Jason’s hand, she went through the kitchen, the bedrooms and the bathroom. There was nothing too terrible except for her dumped jewelry box in the bedroom and her ransacked dresser drawers. A bra, panties and a few other pieces of clothing littered the room. Winter boots she’d stored at the top of the closet were now strewn across the floor.
Without a word, Jason pitched in, helping her to put things away. Honor went after her underwear first; they were mostly plain, utilitarian and very uninspired. She owned only a few sexier pieces—not that she ever had much opportunity to show them off.
When she reached for a boot sticking out from under the bed, her stomach clenched. Drawing back, she paused, swallowed, then made herself look.
Nothing under there except some dust.
She grabbed the boots.
“It’s understandable to be nervous.” Jason took the boots from her and easily stored them in the top of the closet before again looping his arm around her.
She was rattled enough already, but with Jason now upping the ante on familiarity, it was no wonder she still felt off-kilter. “Do you think Nathan checked everywhere?”
“Yes, but we can do it again right now if you want.”
She did, but she hated for Jason to see her being such a weenie about things.
“For me,” he said. “I’ll feel better knowing for sure.”
Her grateful smile made him smile, too.
Room by room, they checked every closet, nook or possible hiding place while also ensuring that every window locked securely.
When they’d finished, Honor finally felt some of the stress ease from her muscles. “For once, I’m glad I don’t have a basement.”
“In these old houses, believe me, there are other reasons to be grateful.”
“Leaking?”
“That’d be number one.” Again with his arm around her, they left the house. On her porch he stopped and turned her toward him. Hands loosely laced at the small of her back, he kept her very close—right where she wanted to be. “You look nice, Honor.”
For some insane reason, she blushed.
That made his mouth inch up in a sly smile. “Don’t misunderstand me, you always look hot.” His gaze narrowed on her eyes, then her mouth. “With or without makeup.”
“Bull,” she teased. “You almost didn’t recognize me.”
He lifted a hand to toy with her hair. “I’m used to your cute ponytails.” Taking her by surprise, he brushed his mouth gently over hers. “Now,” he whispered against her lips, “I know what you look like with your hair loose, and it’s even better than I imagined.”
He’d imagined it? She wanted to ask about that, but she mostly wanted to kiss him. Unable to resist, she closed the scant inch between them so that their mouths touched again. It was gentle, tentative, searching—until suddenly Jason’s hand cupped the back of her neck and he turned his head for a better fit.
His tongue...oh, wow. The man knew how to do wicked, wonderful things with that tongue.
True, she didn’t have a wealth of experience, but she had been kissed. Just never like this. Never with a guy like Jason.
He teased, stroked, made her breath catch and turned the kiss scorching.
Holding on to him, Honor lost herself in the pleasure of his touch, his hot scent, the comfort of his strength. It was so much better than fretting over minimal damage caused by a stupid prank, or the fact that it was going to take her a very long time to again feel secure in her own home.
Beneath her hands on his chest she felt muscles shifting and his steady heartbeat. One broad hand traveled down her back, lingered at her hip, caressed, then scooped over her bottom, cuddling, squeezing.
Honor gave a low groan.
Slowly Jason ended the kiss but stayed near, his forehead to hers. “Damn,” he whispered. He caressed her behind one last time, gripping her in close to his body, then loosened his hold and instead lifting his hand to the side of her face. “I’m a bastard for taking advantage of you.”
“You didn’t.”
His half smile melted her heart. “Are you okay?”
It took a second for Honor to realize she had her hands fisted in his shirt, holding him with near desperation. “Right now?” Intoxicated with lust. “I’m fine.”
“Very fine.”
Her face warmed. “I guess we got carried away.” Although she never had before.
With a rough laugh, he hugged her. “Kissing you is a revelation.” He came back for another warm taste, saying gruffly, “You burn me up, Honor.”
Oh. Nice. “Same here.”
“Perfect ass, too.”
She had no idea what to say to that. I’m glad you like it didn’t seem appropriate.
His thumb teased over her jaw. “Is there a reason you fixed yourself up?”
So much attention to a little makeup and styled hair left her even more flustered. “I was hoping for a date.”
His brows came down and he asked, low, “With who?”
“You.”
Surprise pushed his brows back up. “Yeah?”
Now she felt forward and rushed into explanation. “You had mentioned Screwy Louie’s, remember? I thought maybe—”
Another kiss, then one more, and he said, “Great idea. Let’s do it.”
“But...” She gestured at her door. “My house...? And it’s probably getting late—”
“Come on.” Holding her hand, he led her off the porch and around to his backyard.
Lexie and Hogan were still at it, ribbing each other mercilessly while Sullivan did his best to referee.
Nathan stood a few yards away on his cell phone. Agitated, he paced the yard, but when he noticed Honor, he ended the call and pocketed his phone.
When he reached them, he asked, “Anything important taken?”
Sadly she didn’t have much of importance. “Not really, no.”
“Good.” He turned to Jason. “I take it you weren’t around today?”
“Unfortunately no.” In front of everyone, Jason put an apologetic kiss on her temple. “One damn day I’m off looking at an on-site project, and this happens.”
Bemused at this new intimacy, Honor didn’t know what to say or do, so she chose to do nothing. Lexie grinned hugely at her.
Seeing nothing amiss, Nathan asked Hogan, “What about you?”
“Colt was working, and I had a meeting. Got home just a few minutes ago. Sullivan filled me in on what happened.”
“Someone must’ve realized you were all gone.” Nathan gave his attention back to Honor. “At a minimum, you need security lights and better locks on your windows.”
“Trust me. It’s on the list of things to do first as soon as I get my next paycheck.” Which wouldn’t happen for another week, and until then, she’d figure out a way to make every ingress more secure.
Hogan tipped his head. “You look different.”
Rolling her eyes, Honor brushed her hair back. “I had hoped to take the night off, maybe visit Screwy Louie’s.” Very aware of Jason beside her, knowing he thought her plans shouldn’t change, she said, “But now it’s getting late, and I’m thinking of nailing all my windows shut.”
Hogan checked his watch. “You have hours yet before they close. And seriously, you don’t want to go damaging the window frames.”
“Definitely not,” Nathan said. “The wooden trim is original to the house.”
<
br /> Jason added, “And there are better ways to secure them until we get new locks.”
We? Absently Honor said, “I can get my own locks.” Then she looked from one concerned male face to another. Without an ounce of humor, she laughed. “Someone was in my house, and you’re all worried about the preservation of my window frames?”
Wearing identical worried expressions, the guys all deferred to Jason. She shook her head in disbelief. Did they expect him to reason with her? To calm the hysterical woman?
She supposed he could kiss her again. She tended to forget everything when he did that, even scary intrusions.
Jason reassured the others, saying, “She’s not going to do anything drastic. Honor doesn’t operate that way.”
Well, damn it, how could she be extreme now, after he’d given her a vote of confidence?
“Why don’t you go on?” Lexie sidled over next to Sullivan. “I can hang around to keep an eye on things.”
Sullivan frowned over that.
“We have those extra floodlights in the garage,” Hogan reminded Jason. “Colt will be home soon, then he and I can mount them on poles. Won’t look great, but at least the yard will be lit up.”
“If you don’t mind,” Nathan told her, “I can secure the windows temporarily.”
“I’ll lend a hand,” Sullivan said.
Honor didn’t know what to think. They were all so sweet, so caring. Her neighbors. She realized that meant something, but it wasn’t anything she was used to and she seriously didn’t know how to react so she reverted to old tactics of independence. “I can’t impose that much.”
Immediate arguments countered her statement. They were each insistent, and she felt very unsure on what to do.
After being mostly alone for so long, she suddenly felt like she was part of something bigger. It was a little scary, and a whole lot amazing.
Smiling, Lexie reminded her, “One step at a time, honey.”
She didn’t want the men questioning her about that, so she shook her head. “I... I don’t know what to say.”
Jason squeezed her. “Let them feel useful. Say you’ll let them help.”
“Do,” Lexie encouraged.
Overwhelmed, Honor felt the wetness in her eyes and willed it away. She absolutely would not cry in front of them. They were all strong and intelligent and she wanted, needed, their respect.
