her back to him, Hannah had her elbows on the bar and her head tilted toward the overhead TV. Her long dark hair hung low on her back, halfway to that tempting - forbidden - peach of her ass.
"Then grab a cocktail napkin and draw her a map," Troy suggested. "It's not like she can get herself lost on Coronado."
Tanner grimaced. "She already lost her luggage and her purse." He explained to his brother what had happened to her at the airport, and made a mental note to check in with the Lindbergh Field authorities the next day. "Dez offered her clothes and a temporary place to stay."
"So your obligation's complete."
"It's not quite so easy as that." Nothing had been in months. His life used to be how he liked it - interesting, meaningful work, a woman when he had the itch, family around when he had time for a home-cooked meal or when he felt like kicking back and drinking beers with his brothers. Then, in the blink of a camera's eye, he'd lost control of it.
"I told you Hannah's my carrot. If I take good care of the female package Geoff left in my trust, then he'll take good care of me."
Though unspoken, he and his boss had made that agreement. With Tanner's penance almost a year old, if he made Hannah Davis's trip successful, then he would get his heart's desire.
Troy narrowed his gaze and his eyes gleamed like his shaved head in the overhead lights. "Brooks is finally letting you back in the Secret Ser vice, then. It's about time."
"Give him some credit. He could have accepted my resignation right after the assassination attempt."
"Instead he put you on indefinite leave, when we both know who was at fault for that kiss seen 'round the world." Troy sent a look toward Desiree that should have scorched the linoleum.
"Hey, that could be my wife you're setting on fire with your glare," Tanner said, then tried not to laugh at his brother's classic double take.
"Huh?"
"Desiree asked me to marry her this morning." Now that he thought about it, maybe he could use Dez's guilt to get him something he really wanted - that how-to-handle-Hannah plan. If he demanded, surely Dez would be his partner in the tour business for the next ten days. If he was never alone with Hannah's pouty red mouth and those incredible long legs, then maybe he could forget about his hunger to have them both wrapped around certain of his body parts.
"Well?"
Tanner blinked at his brother, who was red-faced again. Was that steam coming out of his ears? "Well, what?"
"Are you marrying the princess?"
"Am I - no!" For God's sake, he was just days away from getting his life back under his own control. He wouldn't screw up that in dependence for Desiree, or any woman, for that matter. "This isn't the time in my life for romance, that's shit for sure."
Troy sat back in his chair with a satisfied air. "Just checking."
"Do I look stupid? She's beautiful and rich, but - "
"Also shallow and spoiled and in need of some discipline." Troy nodded to himself, and Tanner didn't forget that his older brother had spent years drilling brand-new Marines.
He cleared his throat. "Troy. Bro. Dez is not one of your raw recruits. You can't - "
A crash jerked both their heads toward the bar. Beside it had stood a six-foot stack of plastic racks holding clean barware, ready to be put away. Now half were knocked over, and dozens of broken glasses were shattered at Desiree's feet.
She looked up, her eyes wide and fastened on Troy's face. "I'm sorry. I was demonstrating to Hannah a new dance move I saw at a club the other night and..." Her shoulders shrugged.
Troy shot up, his chair legs screeching against the clean floor like fingernails on a chalkboard. He flicked a glance toward Tanner. "What were you about to say? That I can't whip her into shape? Well, I sure as hell can try."
Then he stalked toward the bar, the room heating up as he approached. Tanner followed his brother, taking in Hannah's expression, which looked as wary as his might be if he didn't know his brother so well.
Crossing his arms over his wide chest, Troy came to a halt before the mess of broken barware, his legs splayed wide, his burning gaze trained on Desiree.
She swallowed hard but stood her ground. "I can pay for the damage," she said quickly.
"Oh, you will, princess," Troy