Allegiance - Chiah Wilder Page 0,50

a lie, more of an omission. Most men were scared off by her success, and she really wasn’t interested in making this one run for the hills. Not to mention the fact that once she told him about the restaurant, there was no way of keeping her feelings about the extortion under wraps. She could barely handle not thinking about it now, let alone keeping it a secret when the assault was still fresh in her mind, and part of the reason she had sought solace in Tank the previous night.

Lena had no doubt that her bringing up the extortion would ruin the whole morning. And a man like Tank? He would feel the need to make things personal and seek some kind of vengeance on her behalf. He was that kind of guy. She couldn’t risk putting him in the line of fire for something that was going to be taken care of by the sheriff and his department. It didn’t make any sense to bring this man any further into her closed-off world.

“You went quiet.” His forehead creased in concern. “What’s going on in your pretty head?”

A smile grew on her lips as she took his hand. “Things are just a little chaotic in my life at the moment.”

He nodded, squeezing her hand back. “If you wanna talk about it, just let me know.”

“Thanks.”

Tank rose from the chair and cleared the plates from the table.

Leaning back in her chair, she beamed. “Such good service. You’re more of a gentleman than first impressions give you credit for.”

“Don’t judge a man by his cover. My mother raised me right.”

“I’ll have to send her a thank-you card.”

Finishing her coffee, she watched Tank clean up in her kitchen. His fumbling to figure out where everything went in her cabinets was endearing, and it was only when he was halfway done that she even considered helping him out.

“It took you a while to get your sweet ass over here.” He teased, nudging her with his large shoulder before taking the coffee mug from her hand.

Tank caught her around the waist and pushed her back against the island, staring down at her with an intensity that made her arousal flash hot.

“Tank…” she whispered, enjoying the feel of his name on her tongue, and the heat of his body pressed against her. “We really should get going.”

His hand curled around her neck, forcing her to look up at him as he smiled, slow and pleased, in a purely masculine way that made her toes curl.

“Not until I have you again, baby. Can you make room in your busy schedule for another round?” He sealed his question with a light, teasing kiss that left her dizzy.

“I think I can move some things to accommodate you.”

“That’s what I like to hear,” he said against her lips.

Desire crawled wild through her veins and she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately.

You’re irresistible,” he rasped.

Their tongues intertwined as he moved his hands up her legs and cupped her ass. Hauling her up against him, she locked her legs around his waist as he strode into the bedroom.

Lena

Sarah, the bistro’s day manager, stuck her head inside Lena’s office, wearing a look that said she was at the end of her rope.

“There’s a lady trying to order two hundred pearl-dotted cupcakes for a party tomorrow. She won’t take no for an answer and insists on talking to the owner. When I told her I was the manager, she didn’t care. I’d appreciate a little help with this one. We’ve got a line down the block waiting for our croissants and cookies, so now isn’t the time for this chicanery.”

“Is that the new word of the day?” Lena asked.

“Yeah. Well, it’s technically tomorrow’s word. I had to shift the calendar because I knew today’s vocabulary word, and I don’t like resting on my laurels.”

“No one would ever accuse you of such a thing.” Lena grinned, got up from behind the desk, and took a deep breath. “Difficult customers. Just what I wanted to deal with today.”

Sarah rolled her eyes. “Oh, this one is a beaut.”

Lena understood what her employee was talking about as soon as she walked into the front area of the bistro. Quinn Fitzgerald stood by one of the cases in a designer dress and shoes, tapping a pink manicured finger against the glass. This was the same woman who’d thrown herself all over Tank the night of the engagement party and dismissed Lena like she was