Page 68 of Sweet Temptation

My retirement from bodyguard duty was still imminent. It was just on hold for the time being.

At nine a.m., Maddox and two guys from his brother’s company arrived, right on time. They brought the work van again, and Maddox arrived on his Harley.

I went to open the door for them.

Summer hadn’t yet emerged from the back hall, so I assumed she was still in her room.

Punctual and professional, the guys from Triple X all shook my hand, looked me in the eye and introduced themselves when I let them in. They also removed their footwear when they stepped into the house.

Maybe Maddox had briefed them on who I was.

I definitely knew who they were. I’d had my team run a quick check on all three of them, including Maddox. The other two weren’t members of the Kings MC, but that still didn’t tell me everything I needed to know.

As they got to work, I pulled Maddox aside.

“You carrying?” I asked him.

“No.”

“Any of your guys carrying?”

“No, man.”

“Good. No one carries in Summer’s house or while working security for her in any capacity, unless I say. Got it?”

“Yeah,” Maddox said, “I got it.”

“I’m heading over to my office in a bit. I’ll be gone about three hours, max. No one enters this house without your approval, and don’t feel like you need to be nice about it.”

He smirked. “Not a problem.”

“Good. Do your best to work around Summer. Stay out of whatever room she’s in. Leave her alone when she’s in her bedroom upstairs.”

“Can do.”

I nodded and left him do his thing. Besides the security check I’d run on him, I knew Jude wouldn’t put anyone on the job who hadn’t earned it. Maddox was licensed, and obviously someone—Brody or Jude—had briefed him that I was in charge here.

I didn’t sense any ego battles or bullshit.

He headed out to the sunroom, where one of his guys was starting to drill into the shared wall to the kitchen. The other guy was already changing out the locks in the door to the garage.

I headed upstairs to find Summer’s bedroom door closed.

There was no sound from inside.

I knocked on the door, softly. I could’ve texted her, but in case she wasn’t awake yet or didn’t see the text, I didn’t want her to be alarmed at the sound of men going in and out of her house and drilling into her walls.

“Summer?”

I heard her voice from deep inside the room. Something like, Just a minute. She sounded… sleepy.

And suddenly I pictured her completely naked.

Not that I’d seen her naked, but I had an imagination. Those curvy, toned legs in her yoga pants. That fantastic, round ass. Full breasts. Soft, pale skin… I could envision her, climbing out of that big bed of hers, stretching a little…

I’d only been in her bedroom when she wasn’t in it.

And now standing here, picturing her inside… felt way too intimate.

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