Rebecca Zanetti - Sweet Revenge

“What’s wrong?” She frowned, angling closer to the camera.

“Nothing.” He opened his eyes wider.

“You’re pale. Did you get hurt?” She took Shane’s arm, and his face ended up next to hers. As a couple, they were striking as opposites. Shane was all angles and hard strength, while Josie was tiny and soft. She squinted. “We can be there in a few hours.”

Warmth wandered through Matt’s chest. “I’m fine, I promise. You stay right where you are.” He admired Shane for taking such a risk with Josie. Matt was merely her brother-in-law, yet the idea of keeping her safe kept him up at night. How the hell was Shane sleeping? No wonder the guy looked tired. “We’re going to finish this and stop running, Josie. I promise you’ll be safe.”

She rolled her eyes. “We’ll all be safe. Now, you get some sleep, or I will head over there.”

“Yes, ma’am.” With a genuine grin this time, he shut down the laptop. Oh, Josie could be tough when needed, but Matt hoped she’d never be in danger again. What would it be like to have somebody so kind in his life? His mind shot instantly to the woman who’d ignored all safety and rushed to his aid in the alley. Of course, within seconds Laney had fainted from the sight of blood.

She was truly a temptation, but the last thing he had time for was rescuing a petite bartender with a voice that heated his cock. Besides, warning tickled the base of his neck from her reaction upon discovering Greg the pharmacist had stolen her keys and broken into her apartment.

Without a doubt, that had been relief in her pretty eyes.

Laney straightened the fork on the napkin, bustling around the long table in the party room of the bar. She’d moved the tables together the previous night and now needed to set up the tableware for the luncheon.

She loved her routine and relied heavily on it. Maybe now that Matt could take over as bouncer, she could get back to normal. The need to stick to the familiar had grown in her childhood, since she’d never known if her mom would be the cookie-baking fun mom, or the passed-out-in-the-backyard drunk mom. So she created a list of tasks every day to show that life could be orderly. And controlled.

She’d loved her mother desperately, and her mother had loved her right back. When she’d died from liver failure when Laney had been seventeen, Laney’s world had collapsed.

At that point, after years of hiding her mother’s illness, she’d vowed never to hide the truth again.

How wrong she’d been about that.

She glanced around her orderly bar, and light from the back window cast interesting shadows across the wood. Great dimension. She tugged a small digital camera from her pocket and snapped a couple of shots. Taking pictures, snapping a moment in time, calmed her like nothing else.

A shadow crossed the entryway before Matt’s spicy scent of male and soap wafted her way. She jumped and then quickly calmed herself. He wasn’t there to hurt her.

Her abdomen heated. She turned, curious.

Yep. The man was just as sexy in the daytime. A rough shadow covered his jaw, and he filled out his dark T-shirt and faded jeans in a way guaranteed to earn him decent tips.

He ran his hand through his thick hair and prowled closer. “What’s all this?”

She fought the urge to capture him on film and slipped the camera back into place. With a shrug, she finished sliding the last knife into place while battling down her libido. “The Charmed League of Businesswomen has its monthly meeting here for lunch.” As a member, she gave the group a discount on lunch but still made a modest profit each month. “I need you to help serve drinks and bus the table during the luncheon.”

Those odd eyes focused on her. “Why were you taking pictures of the floor?”

She coughed out a laugh. “The light and shadows intrigued me.” Shrugging, she tried not to feel like a complete dork.

He frowned and eyed the floor. “Light and shadows, huh?”

She bit her lip. “Yes.” Enough of opening up to the ex-soldier. “How’s the apartment? Do you have everything you need?”

“Yes. It’s a great place.” His smile warmed her right up. “Did you speak with Greg the burglar?”

They needed to get lines drawn, regardless of sweet smiles. “Um, while I appreciate your help, I’d like to keep this professional.”

One dark eyebrow rose. “Okay. I don’t understand what that has to do with breaking and entering.”

An intensity poured off the man in a way that sped up her heart rate, and she didn’t have time for confusion right now. “What I mean is, I’m your boss, and now your landlord, and I, ah, can handle my personal life myself.”

Amusement lifted Matt’s lip. “Somebody breaking into the place where I work and now live is my business.”

The guy was a force of nature. “If Greg breaks into your apartment and leaves you flowers, I give you full permission to deal with him.” Laney couldn’t help the small smile. “Other than that, I’ll take care of my own issues.”

“No problem.” A veil dropped over those eyes.

For the briefest of seconds, regret filtered through her. Matt was strong and solid, and it’d be nice to have somebody in her corner. But he was also a complication she wouldn’t risk. “Good. Thanks.”

He eyed the quiet bar. “What do you want me to do?”

Get naked and busy? She shook her head. “First, are you hungry?”

“Not really.” The words were calm, but the hunger in his gaze as it traveled her form told another story.

Such blatant male interest set up a humming in her blood. He stood close enough that his wild scent surrounded her, pricking up the hair on her arms. “Stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?” he said softly, challenge curving his lips.

Like he wanted to spend days exploring her head to toe. She held still like a rabbit caught in a snare. “You know.”

“You’re beautiful, and I can’t help it if I notice.”

The words sent an annoying thrill through her. He thought she was beautiful? Her face heated. “You’re very kind, but again, let’s keep this professional.”

“I’m nowhere near kind.”

She needed to develop some sort of protection against the desire he so easily sparked, so she turned her voice crisp. “There are three pitchers behind the bar. Would you fill them with iced tea, Diet Coke, and water?” The outside door opened, and Laney turned. It was too early for the group to show. She sighed, irritation heating down her spine. “Excuse me.”

She wove through the tables and chairs to outflank Greg. Instinct told her Matt would try to discuss breaking and entering with him, so she moved quickly to prevent them from clashing. Now wasn’t the time for a brawl.

Greg glanced down his patrician nose, his brown eyes sparkling. “Did you get the flowers?”

She forced annoyance away from the surface, her attention squarely on the too-quiet man across the bar. But the last thing she needed was one more enemy in town, and she could end things nicely with Greg. “Please give me the keys to my apartment.” She held out a hand.

He frowned, confusion crossing his handsome face. “You didn’t like the flowers?”

Temper tickled the back of her neck. “I didn’t like you stealing my keys and breaking into my apartment. Now give me my keys.” She’d learned early to deal quickly with bullies and with morons. Greg seemed a bit of both.

“I thought it was romantic.” He rubbed his smoothly shaved chin. The slight cleft in the middle had initially intrigued her, and now it was a nuisance.

“Leaving flowers in a woman’s home might be romantic to someone you’ve dated a couple of years and who trusts you completely. But to somebody who you’ve only been to dinner with once? You’re lucky I didn’t call the cops.” Yeah, right. Like she’d ever call the cops. But the pharmacist didn’t know that.