Johan's Joy (Heroes for Hire #22) - Dale Mayer Page 0,31

and leaned toward him. “Or are you thinking of my safety?”

He looked down at her, his gaze warming as he studied her worried face. “Does it bother you either way? Regardless of those two choices, I mean.”

“Well, I don’t know if I’m supposed to be worried about my safety too,” she said. “I never really had anybody be this attentive.”

“Well, maybe it’s a good thing I’m here then,” he said. He swooped a hand up, lifting her chin gently, and he kissed her on her nose.

She gasped and frowned. “What was that for?”

“Because I wanted to,” he said with a smile.

She gave him a good frown. “Well, don’t do it again.”

He chuckled. “Why not?”

“Because I didn’t give you permission,” she said.

“Do I need permission to kiss you?” he asked with interest.

She looked immediately flustered. “Well, yes. So don’t do that.”

Immediately he leaned down and kissed her on the nose again. “I didn’t ask for permission that time. Does that mean it’s a problem?”

She glared up at him, shoving her chin toward him and asked, “What are you up to?”

He grinned, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her close, and whispered, “Maybe anything and everything I can possibly get up to,” he said. “What would you say to that?”

She stared up at him, confusion clouding her gaze, and, in spite of everything going on, he reached up his hand, sliding into her curls and against her scalp. Then, holding her head in place, he lowered his lips and kissed her. When he finally broke away from her, her gaze was softly muted and completely unfocused. “Maybe I should do that again,” he whispered against her lips.

“And maybe you shouldn’t,” she said, struggling to right herself.

He chuckled, then leaned forward and gave her a gentle peck on the lips. “Too late.”

Chapter 6

Joy was flummoxed and completely confused as to what Johan was up to. She managed to deflect the jokes from Galen, but, as they walked to a large outdoor park, she stopped and frowned. “Are we meeting Kai here?”

Just then came a call from the other side of the park. Screaming at the top of her lungs, Kai yelled, “Joy! Over here!”

Looking that way, she saw her friend, standing with her partner, Tyson. Joy raised a hand and started walking quickly toward them. Galen and Johan walked on either side of her. She glanced from one to the other.

“Why out here?” she muttered.

“Because it’s a beautiful day,” Johan said.

She snorted. “I still need dinner,” she announced, her voice slightly contrary. But then she blamed Johan for that. Just as she was about to run the last few feet toward Kai, Johan reached out his hand and gently slipped it through her elbow, slowing her pace. She looked at him and glared. “Why?”

“For appearances,” he said smoothly.

“I’m running toward a friend,” she said in exasperation. “Do you guys really think we were followed here?”

“If anybody cares about what you are up to, then, yes,” Galen said from the other side of her.

She frowned. “And what difference does it make if I walk or run these last few feet?”

“Maybe nothing,” Johan said. “But this way, if anybody is watching, they’ll know you’re not alone.”

She shrugged. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

He let his hand drop now, since they were only a couple yards away, and Kai was running toward Joy now. Kai threw open her arms, and the two women hugged.

Joy held Kai close. “Seems like it’s been so long,” Joy said.

Kai just chuckled. “And it’s only been a couple weeks,” she said, “but we’ve been in a drought. You were in Boston for long enough that we only saw each other every couple of years. Now that you’re this close, I’m not sure what it’ll take to feel like you’re close enough.”

“I know what you mean,” Joy said. She walked over and held out her hand to Tyson.

But Tyson smiled quietly—then wrapped her up in a big hug. She appreciated it and squeezed him right back. She really liked Tyson, though she hadn’t had a ton of time to get to know him. But he was one of those quiet indomitable presences behind the very small, very outgoing dynamo that was Kai, but a man completely self-contained and knowledgeable in his own right. As she stepped free, she snagged Kai into a second hug. “And why are we meeting here?” she exclaimed. “Why not a restaurant or at least my place?”

“Because we haven’t swept your place yet,” Tyson said, “and a restaurant has