Page 24 of No Good Deed

This time, when they pulled back, he ran his hands up and down the sleeves of her jacket. They wore layers of clothes, and their hands hadn’t been involved, but her body revved at high gear. Her brain was floating. “Wow.”

He kissed her forehead and pulled her in for a hug. “Wow is exactly the right word. I’ve wanted to do that since you rushed into my store with your dog wrapped in your sweatshirt.”

She laughed. “Me too.”

Oreo barked again, and she turned to see him standing with his front paws on the door’s window ledge. “Sorry, buddy. We didn’t mean to ignore you. We just…” She broke off the sentence and looked up at Troy. His eyes gleamed with amusement and what she thought—hoped—was something more than desire.

Troy smiled and kissed her again, a light brush of the lips that fanned the flames. Then he blew out a breath. “Okay, let’s show Oreo his new digs.”

Some men would be angry about the interruption, but not Troy. He hadn’t pushed the kiss, hadn’t even touched anything other than her lips. He was a good man.

While she gathered Oreo and his supplies, Troy grabbed the two duffels she’d had at the B&B. He opened the door to the house and ushered her through to a small mudroom. They slid off their jackets and boots then moved into the kitchen.

It was bright and homey. Greys, blacks, and whites blended nicely with pops of color to brighten it up. A blue kettle. Some red and orange bowls. “Very nice.”

“Thanks. This place belonged to my parents before they gave up on winter and moved to Arizona. I bought it from them and have been renovating for the last seven or eight years.”

That made her smile. “A long-term renovation, then?”

He grinned. “Yep. One thing at a time when I feel the need. The kitchen was a priority. I eat a lot at my cousin’s diner, but I figured if I want to eat, I need to know how to cook.”

“I mostly relied on takeout in Chicago. Lots of great places there.”

“Do you cook at all?”

She shrugged. “I can make some recipes my mom used to make. Mac and cheese, a few soups, and that’s about it. My schedule didn’t allow a lot of time for cooking. Which is exactly as pathetic as it sounds.”

Troy rolled his eyes. “Not pathetic at all. A strong work ethic is a good thing. As long as you love the work.”

That made her pause and think. “I do love the work. But I was burning out on the job. If that makes sense.”

He nodded. “Too much work, not enough play.”

That was entirely true and it brought to mind the kisses they’d just shared. Her gaze moved to his mouth then his eyes, where she saw desire mirrored back at her.

Troy shook his head with another grin. “I definitely like that kind of play. Okay, let’s get you and Oreo settled.”

While part of her wanted to settle herself right into Troy’s bed, she knew she wasn’t ready.

Not yet.

And certainly not when there was blood in her hair.

CHAPTER 9

Plan B

Troy had learned a high level of self-discipline in the Army. He needed every last bit of it to keep the conversation light and free of innuendo and desire.

Piper Keenan had his system on fire. He’d never wanted another woman like this. The kisses they’d shared in the garage had been like nothing else he’d experienced. His hands hadn’t touched anything other than the sleeves of her winter jacket, yet he was hard as the concrete floor they’d stood on. Such a romantic, Phail. First kiss in a garage.

Troy set up Oreo’s stuff in the corner of the kitchen and then showed Piper the alarm system he’d installed. He had joined in the business with his friends out at Midnight Security. The company focused on teaching a wide variety of classes to bodyguards, law enforcement personnel, and regular people who wanted to up their skills.

Troy had taught some classes on security systems, focusing on their strengths and weaknesses. To keep his information current, he had installed different systems on his home and Phail General. Top of the line stuff.

He gave Piper the current code. “I change it up every week. There are monitors on all the doors and windows. If a breach occurs, an alarm sounds and alerts are sent to a few phones. Mine, Marcus, and Sam over at Midnight Security.”

Her eyes widened. “I didn’t expect such strong security measures in a small town. Do you get a lot of crime here?”

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