Page 42 of Guarded from Sabotage

Not only was it a disappointing discovery, but also more evidence that the attack wasn’t random. Already, it seemed too convenient—Sarah mugged in the parking lot on the same day her car was repossessed. “The whole thing was planned,” Matt said with a scowl. “I’d put money on it. This person knew when the car would be taken, hired someone to attack Sarah, and bypassed the security at the exact right time.”

“Butwhy?” Xavier asked. “The guy could have hurt her so much worse, but he didn’t. He wasn’t interrupted. He just left.”

“Because it’s all part of it,” I replied through a clenched jaw. “Whoever this is… they want to destroy every part of Sarah’s life. Her finances. Her job. Her car. Her apartment. And they want her scared. They want her to wonder when the next blow is coming.”

“Well, not anymore,” Xavier growled. “They thought Sarah was alone in this. She’s not. We have her six.”

It’s times like these that make me glad I joined Blade and Arrow. I always admired how Cole and his team came together to protect their women, but I never imagined my own woman as the one who needed help.

Mywoman?

When did I start thinking of her as mine? And not in the possessive, domineering way that would earn me a smack from my mom and sisters. But in the way that I want to be the one she comes to for help. That I’m the one who takes care of her.

Does it matter when it happened, when the truth is the same?

I’ve never felt this way about a woman before. I’d started to think I might never find what my parents have—married for forty years, still as in love as ever—but now…

She might be theone.

After years of prioritizing work over relationships, of thinking romance was for other people, now I have someone I want to do special things for. I want to buy thoughtful gifts and make romantic gestures like Niall’s birthday celebration for Jade and the Christmas surprise Cole gave his wife, Maya, after she was hurt.

I want Sarah to know how special I think she is.

Which is why I’ve planned something different tonight. Instead of our usual activities—cooking together, taking walks around the property, alternating between watching sappy movies and History Channel documentaries—I’m taking Sarah out on arealdate.

At first, I wasn’t sure about taking her out in public. Just because this mysterious hacker hasn’t tried something violent yet doesn’t mean they couldn’t.

But Xavier suggested this place he went to with the woman he’s dating, an Italian-Mexican fusion restaurant in Seguin. It sounds a little odd—Italian and Mexican cuisines together—but then again, what’s more fitting than that?

Plus, the location is perfect. Just outside of town, with no other businesses around, it’ll be easier to keep an eye on anyone who comes near. Especially considering I’ve rented the entire restaurant for the night—it’ll just be me, Sarah, the chef, and one server—and Matt’s going to be monitoring the exterior security cameras while we’re there. And of course, I’ll be protecting Sarah the whole time, and I’m not letting anyone get close enough to hurt her.

So the safety part of it is set. As for the romance… I brought over two-dozen roses to have sitting at the table, a bottle of Sarah’s favorite wine, and I asked the owner to create a tasting menu so we can try a little of everything. And I’m wearing a suit instead of my usual jeans and T-shirts, which, judging from the appreciative look Sarah gave me when I came to her apartment to pick her up, was a good choice.

It was my mother who suggested it, telling me during our weekly phone call yesterday, “If this is a special date, Dante, you should dress the part. Wear a suit instead of those jeans you always have on. And trust me, women always like seeing a man in a nice suit and a crisp, white button-down.”

I’m not the only one who dressed up for this. Sarah’s wearing a dress in a shimmery coral shade that brings out the color in her cheeks. It clings to her curves and the neckline comes down in a V that shows the tiniest hint of cleavage. And when she sits down, like she is right now, the hem hits mid-thigh, showing off an expanse of toned leg.

As I glance over at her, she crosses her legs and the dress drifts even higher.

Oh.

For probably the fiftieth time since I first saw Sarah standing in her doorway, arousal pulses through me, and I shift slightly to relieve the growing pressure.

Just as I’m trying to surreptitiously adjust myself, Sarah turns towards me and rests her hand lightly on my leg. “Thank you for doing this, Dante. I’m so excited to go on a real date.” Pausing, she amends, “Not that I don’t enjoy staying in and cooking with you. But this… and it’s a Mexican-Italian fusion place. I love it. It’s like—” She stops, and her cheeks go pink.

“It’s like us,” I finish, and cover her hand with mine. “That’s one of the reasons I wanted to bring you here.”

Her face lights up and she beams at me. “Yes. It’s like us. A perfect match.”

How could I have ever thought this was wrong?

It’s a thought that recurs several times more as the night goes on.

When we get to our table and Sarah sees the roses—coincidentally, in almost the same shade as her dress—she throws her arms around me and kisses me hard before drawing back to exclaim, “It’s my favorite color, Dante. How did you know?”

I didn’t know. But I suspected, since I’ve noticed her wearing this color a lot. And it looks gorgeous on her, complementing her golden skin and the blend of gold and bronze in her hair.

The feeling of rightness comes again during dinner, as Sarah tastes the poblano risotto and moans in pleasure, setting off thoughts of hearing her sexy little moans in a more intimate setting. Hopefully, with fewer clothes.

---