Page 18 of Danger Close

“Don’t be a menace, Daria,” I chided, “or I’ll start playing matchmaker between you and that little fireman.”

“Oh, Daddy,” she said as if that tickled her lust. “Would you?”

I made a mental note to do just that, and apologized to the fireman because he was going to be in for the wildest ride of his life. Daria was going to eat him up alive.

“This is Teresa Louise Guerro,” I extended my arm out to Teri, who hesitated at the bottom of the porch steps. “The Mother of the Bride.”

Daria lifted one perfectly plucked brow, her eyes full of scorn. I shivered at how harsh her expression was. I should haveexpected it, since Trinity had a contentious relationship with her, and Daria was protective of her loved ones. But I didn’t like this.

I wanted to jump in front of Teresa and shield her from Daria’s judgment.

“Oh.” Daria looked Teri up and down. “That’s… unexpected.”

I kept my palm out, feeling Teresa’s hesitance, and wanting to offer her a touch that might help ground her. But she ignored my offered hand, pulling my leather jacket tighter around her as she said nothing.

“Teresa—” I waved for her to come up the stairs. “This is Daria Savchenko. I’m almost sure she’s the Maid of Honor. Maybe.”

The young woman tapped her hip against mine, then gave me a flirtatious wink. “Now, now,Daddy. I’m also the Best Man.”

The word “Daddy” was dripping with so much innuendo it made me squirm. Which was her intent. The damn hoyden.

“I have to go to Albany to get more tulle for the barn,” Daria said, bouncing down the steps towards her scarlet red sports car.

“Really?” I lifted a brow. “I saw the truck load you brought in yesterday. You have enough tulle to make tutus for an Army.”

“It’s still not enough!” she yelled back. “The barn needs to bemagical!”

Her open palms made an arc over her head like a rainbow.

I wasn’t even sure how to respond to that. “Kiddo, you care more about the aesthetics of this wedding than the bride or groom.”

She shrugged, completely unashamed. “I have Griff’s black card. I’m going to do some damage to that little rich boy.”

She opened her car door and folded into it before giving me a little finger wave, zooming out of the drive, leaving nothing but smoke in her wake.

“Your girlfriend?” Teresa said through clenched teeth.

“Shut the hell up, Princess,” I grumbled, putting one hand on the door knob. I put my other arm around her waist and pulled her into me. “I’m not intogirls.”

She looked shocked, and I almost laughed. Almost. Because having her connected to me like that, her breasts against my chest, her lips close to mine made lust shoot through my body. My cock woke up, once again, trying to say hi.

“I’m intowomen.” My voice was heavy with lust.

Her upturned, almond-shaped eyes widened as my unbridled desire for her seeped through my heavy-lidded gaze. Her surprise was clear, but so was the reciprocated need visible in her stunning, cerulean eyes.

“Oh,” she gasped.

“Yeah.” A smirk tugged the edge of my lip. “Oh.”

I pushed the door open, keeping a hold of Teri’s waist as I led her through the foyer into the belly of the old Victorian house that was full of DIY projects in various stages of completion.

One wall was half-painted. Another was knocked out. A toolbox was open on the ground, and a dog on the couch lifted his head, barked twice, called it good, and went back to sleep.

“How are you doing, Beau?” I said to the sleepy dog who snorted in response.

The air was heavy with the scent of tomato sauce and the sound of happy chatter.

“Cobra!” First Sergeant Mack McClanahan greeted me from the dining room, sitting at the head of the table with a beer bottle in his hand. “Dinner will be ready at seven. Drink?”