Cobb (Lighthouse Security Investigations #9) - Maryann Jordan Page 0,80
maybe he'll take you on as a client.”
It sounded as though footsteps were getting closer, and Josie quickly backtracked to the end of the hall, then turned around. As Charlene and Mark stepped out of the workroom, she greeted them as though she had just left her office.
Getting ready to leave, she shook her head, wondering about her sanity. This is getting ridiculous. Two coworkers are just talking about their plans, and I'm worried about it being nefarious. As she walked out of the clinic heading toward Jorge, a vision of Caesar ran through her mind, causing a shudder to run through her whole body, giving the reminder that she was not being ridiculous.
Seeing Jorge’s dark eyes follow her from the back door of the clinic toward him, his smile widened, and her heart lightened. Too old to break into a skip, she hustled over to his SUV, not surprised when he climbed from the driver’s seat and met her at her door.
Bending, he kissed her lightly, mumbling, “Christ, I’ve missed you, babe.”
“You didn’t have to stay out here all day,” she said, placing her hand in his as he assisted her up into the passenger seat.
Instead of closing the door, he leaned his large body into the space, his hand cupping her cheek. “I thought it was best to stay out of the clinic today but close where I can keep an eye on you. It would give you a chance to feel a little bit more normal… less crowded.”
She reached up and wrapped her hand around his wrist while leaning her face into his palm. “You may be a big guy, but you never crowd me.” She hesitated, then decided to go all out and let him know how she was feeling. “I missed you. In such a short time, I got used to you being around. I like you being around.”
He leaned in and kissed her again. She opened her mouth in an invitation, glad when he accepted, and his tongue slid between her lips. The kiss deepened, and he pressed forward a little more, their chests flush. After a moment, he leaned back, his breath ragged as she sucked air into her lungs.
“Damn, babe. All I want to do is take you home, strip you, and not come up for air until we're both sated and can’t move.”
“That sounds perfect to me,” she admitted, tightening her thighs to ease the ache.
“You forget, we're ordering for five tonight. My coworkers' meeting is at your house.”
She blinked, her chin jerking back slightly. “I’ve been nervous about meeting them, and after one kiss, you knocked that fear right out of my mind.”
He laughed and stepped backward, closing her door before jogging around and climbing behind the wheel. “They’re good guys, good friends, and believe me, they’ll love you.”
The ride home only took fifteen minutes, barely time for her to get nervous again. Pulling into the driveway, she caught sight of the large, black SUV sitting out front. “They don’t worry about being conspicuous, do they?”
Jorge laughed and shook his head. “Nope. As far as we’re concerned, we want anyone looking to know you’ve got protection.”
Following their usual protocol, he hustled her inside, then turned to welcome the three Keepers into her home. As each one entered, her eyes bugged a little bigger and her mouth opened a little wider. Tate was tall and muscular, with dark brown hair and a square jaw. He smiled as he shook her hand, greeting her warmly. He was followed by Bray, whose smile was even wider and his greeting just as warm. Bray was not quite as tall as Jorge but appeared to be just as muscular, with wavy dark hair that curled slightly over his ears. Next came Drew, and while she thought Jorge and the other two men were tall, Drew was easily over six and a half feet tall. Feeling completely dwarfed, his huge smile, wink, and ready laugh had her quickly at ease.
“Thank you all for coming,” she began but got no further because the men quickly waved her ready concerns away, letting her know they were happy to assist.
Just as she was about to offer them something to drink, Melon made her presence known. “Whoa, gorgeous cat,” Bray said, bending to rub Melon’s ears.
“Babe, why don't you take care of your cat, and I'll grab some beers for the guys.” He turned to the others. “There's an Italian restaurant nearby that delivers, and they are fucking amazing.”