And if Ian decides he wants her for himself…?
His jaw set as the elevator door opened. Taking a deep breath, Ben stepped off the elevator and shook his head, trying to clear it.
Get a grip.
Yeah, that would be a good thing. He’d like to get a grip on Dorrie, grab her by the hips, and pull her tight against him as he settled his mouth on hers. He liked the way she froze and then melted against him when he kissed her, as if she were giving herself over to him.
He wondered if she did the same with Ian, wondered if Ian felt that same surrender.
Shit.
Pushing through the door to her office, he followed the sound of voices to the back and found Ian resting against the wall outside a door marked private. Ian’s gaze narrowed when he caught sight of Ben. “Hey. Everything okay?”
Ben met Ian’s gaze. “Yeah. Is she ready to go?”
Ian knew him too well. “What’s wrong? Something happen?”
Yeah. I’m an idiot.“No. Talked to the guy who dropped her off. Apparently she’s one of Antonoff’s favorites so we’d better not let anything happen to her.”
Which was absolutely the wrong thing to say to Ian. His cousin’s gaze narrowed and anger flared.
Goddammit. Should’ve kept my fucking mouth shut.
“What else did he say?”
“Nothing. I’m just ready to have her out of sight for the night.”
Ian’s brows rose. “It’s only two-thirty.”
“Don’t care. My neck fucking itches.”
Which didn’t mean he needed to scratch it. It meant something was going to happen. Years of military training had given him an extra sense where danger was concerned. He’d only been wrong a couple of times. And then only when a crisis had barely been averted.
Ian didn’t answer right away, just stared at Ben through narrowed eyes.
“Yeah, that’s not it.”
“Fuck you. I’m fine.”
Ian’s eyes widened even more. “Okay, now I know you’re not fine.”
Ben sighed. “Look, we can talk later, okay? Like I said, my neck’s itchy. Let’s get the hell out of here before I decide I need to pull my gun.”
“Ben—”
The door opened and Dorrie stepped out, followed by a slow-moving Blank.
Her smile when she saw them made the constriction around Ben’s chest ease. From the short time he’d known her, he’d realized she didn’t smile often or easily. That she did for them…
“Hi. I didn’t know you were here yet.”
“Just got here.” Ian nodded at Blank. “Glad to see you’re up.”
Blank nodded, his gaze going between the three of them. “Good to be up. Dorrie said you’re gonna be filling in for me for a few days.”
The way the guy said it made Ben’s back stiffen. Almost like a warning. What the hell was it about Dorrie that made the men in her life treat her like she was spun glass?
Then again, maybe he was projecting. How the hell had she managed to fuck with his head in only two days? And how the hell was he supposed to deal with this and keep her safe?