it only draws a frown to his face.
“Is that how you always get attention, Remi?”
“No.”
I mean, sometimes, but he seems to be one of the few immune to the actions.
“You’re worth more than just throwing yourself at men. People would respect you more if you didn’t try to use your body and sexuality as a weapon.”
I shift my weight from one foot to the other, hating that he’s got me in a spotlight.
“Thanks for the advice. I’m going to go make something for lunch.” I let my eyes rake over him one more time, making sure he sees me checking him out. It’s the only way I know to gain a little power back. “Don’t bother showering. You’re sexy as hell all sweaty.”
When I walk away, he grumbles and the sound of the machine speed being increased follows me out of the room.
Chapter 15
Flynn
“I don’t understand the irritation,” Ignacio complains. “What girl wants to spend her twenty-first birthday at her house?”
“You haven’t seen her house,” I counter.
“But her friends have,” Ignacio replies. “They don’t want to go someplace they’ve already been, especially not for such a big milestone.”
I get the feeling getting drunk and partying isn’t anything new for Remington. I’ve read her file.
I also want to mention that she doesn’t really have any friends. No one visits her. She doesn’t even have her nose stuck in her phone like most women her age do—and when did I start seeing her as a woman and not some bratty kid? I don’t know if it’s because she isolated herself or if the assumptions about fame and fortune being a lonely place are actually true.
“Can I count on the guys or not?”
“You know Deacon and Wren won’t leave their women.”
Deacon doesn’t get closely involved with the cases we work as individuals, keeping more of a management approach, but Wren was never into social gatherings. He’s the nerd of the group, and the anti-social stereotype that usually accompanies geeks is a way of life for him. He was as uncomfortable going to a gala with Anna for Deacon as I was about coming to New York.
“You? Gaige? Quinten?”
“I’m sure it can be arranged. Brooks?”
“Fuck no,” I grumble. I don’t want that man anywhere near Remington. The charming bastard would only have to wink in her direction and she’d be putty in his hands.
My friend laughs, and I want to pummel him for his ability to read me even through a phone call. Am I that damn transparent? If so, I need to get a handle on that shit.
One damn kiss and I’m insanely distracted. Women. They have the ability to ruin any damn man, apparently.
“He’s going to be disappointed. What if he promises to be on his best behavior?”
“His best behavior is what concerns me.”
Another laugh. Another desire to choke my friend.
“I don’t want to hurt his feelings.”
“You aren’t concerned about his damn feelings.”
“I care about the mental health of all of my friends.”
Yet here you are torturing me.
And it says a lot about where my head is at that I’m struggling with a little teasing, growing angry at the thought of Brooks-fucking-Morgan showing his handsome face, wanting to wrap my fingers around his neck at just the mental image of him pointing his charismatic smile in Remington’s direction.
“No.” The word comes out just as harshly as I mean it to.
“Okay. Fine. Any of the guys but Brooks.”
“Go ahead and cut Finnegan from that list, too. Thanks.”
I hang up before he can rib me about the Scottish ginger, but I’ve seen how women go crazy for his damn accent. It has nothing on the British lilt that still clings to my voice even though I was born in the States. Women grin when they hear my voice, but they fall over their own damn feet when that fucker opens his mouth.
Ignoring my need to dig deeper and question why I’m so bent out of shape at the idea of either of those guys setting their sights on Remington, I leave the security office in search of my ward.
She isn’t in the living room or lounging out by the pool, and there’s no way I’m going to go see if she’s in her room. I head back to the kitchen and wait as casually as I can for her to show her gorgeous face.
Things have been… stilted since the kiss, but they’re better than right after coming back from the hotel. I don’t know how she felt when we returned but being vulnerable around