Page 2

2

Jack

T his is an unexpected turn of events.

When Tyler called to tell me that he was in a car accident, I was livid. I was in the middle of a meeting with some potential clients, and I left my partner, Nate Carson, to finish so I could deal with this mess. Tyler’s lucky he’s family, or I would fire him, regardless of the vixen begging me not to.

I didn’t expect to see the person he hit comforting him. The heat of jealousy that flooded my system when I saw her small hand on his arm was shocking.

I think I might be losing it. Maybe I need a vacation.

I glance over, barely listening, as the cop rattles off some information about the accident and report. Tyler and the woman are talking as if they’re old friends. She’s maybe 5’5” with a delicious figure. The yellow dress she’s wearing compliments her creamy skin and long dark hair. It fits tight across her chest and flares at her waist, further accentuating her great tits and ass. I can’t see her thighs, but I bet they’re thick enough to make my mouth water.

“Here’s the report and their documents, Mr. Sanders.” The cop hands everything to me. “Let us know if you ever need anything.”

It helps when you work in security to be well known by the police in town. When Nate and I started Nash Security, we made every effort to set up meetings with police chiefs and sheriffs in Nashville and the surrounding areas. We maintain a good working relationship and have mutual respect. We’ve built a very successful business providing personal security for public figures and event security, and we assist with the planning and installation of high-end security systems.

It doesn’t leave me a lot of time for dating. It’s mostly just some hookups here and there. But I’ve been so busy recently that even those have been lacking. That’s probably why I’m having such a strong physical reaction to this woman. I peek down at her driver’s license.

Gisella Easton. Thirty-five years old. Lives in Germantown.

I pull out my cell phone as I walk back to the duo.

After one ring, I hear, “What’s up, boss?”

“Ian, I need you and one of the other guys to come to the location I’m about to send you. Can you pick up the dark blue Audi Q7 and take it to Sampson’s shop? I’ll leave the keys in the middle console. Tyler will also bring one of our vehicles into the shop. And will you call Sampson and give him a heads-up that they were both involved in a minor accident and need to be repaired?”

Sampson is our mechanic who works on all our company cars. “You got it, boss. Me and Matt can be there shortly.”

I stop next to Gisella as I hang up. “Here’s your license and registration, Gisella.”

“It’s Ella,” she says with a slight scowl that catches me off guard.

“Tyler, take this into Sampson. He’s expecting you.”

Tyler nods. Before he leaves, he addresses the woman. “Ella, thank you for being so nice. I really am sorry I hit you.”

She gives him a sweet smile. Not that I will ever admit this to any of the guys, but I swear my heart skips a beat.

“It’s all good, Tyler. Accidents happen to everyone. I would be willing to bet even to your boss here.” She hitches her thumb in my direction and throws me a slightly less genuine smile. I have to fight to keep my laugh from escaping. “Okay, well, I’ll just be on my way. I’m assuming you have my information from the police, so I’ll expect to hear from your insurance company soon.”

She steps toward the street, and I reach out to grab her forearm, stopping her. Turning slowly, she looks up at me with widened gorgeous green eyes. Her eyebrows press together in confusion.

“I’m giving you a ride home,” I explain.

“What?” She’s already shaking her head before the word leaves her lips. “I can drive myself home.”

“One of my guys is picking up your car and taking it to my body shop to get fixed. I need your keys.”

Once again, she scowls at me. “But you can’t just take it. I might need to go somewhere,” she pushes back, voice raising.

“I’ll get you something to drive while yours is being repaired. Do you need anything out of it?” I ask as I watch her expectantly.

She doesn’t look happy but stomps to her car, murmuring under her breath. I have no doubt that what she’s saying isn’t flattering toward me.

“Jack, I’m really sorry,” Tyler interrupts my focus, that’s aimed solely on Gisella. When I look over at him, he’s hovering nearby, also watching her as she gathers a few things from her car.

I clap my hand on his shoulder, maybe a little harder than necessary, and he winces. I tell myself it’s because he crashed one of my company cars and not because his eyes are on any part of her. “Tyler, we’ll talk about this more later. But don’t worry about it. She’s right.” I nod my chin toward Gisella. “Accidents happen. There’re consequences for being careless. However, I’m not going to fire you.” With one more squeeze of his shoulder, I release him. He gives me a sheepish smile as he heads to his vehicle.

Gisella walks back to me with a few reusable grocery bags filled with random items. I extend my hand to help, and with her brow pinched, she plops her car key into it. As I return to her car to hide it inside, I hear a whoosh of breath leave her when my back is turned.

“You’re just leaving my key in my car? What if someone steals it?” she asks as I rejoin her.

My eyes move from her face to the decent but older model Audi. “I’ll buy you a new one.” I take the bags from her shoulder, receiving only a weak argument from her. Placing my hand on her lower back, I guide her to my vehicle. She holds her ground for a moment before allowing me to move us forward.

I ignore the calm that washes over me as my palm connects to her body .

Once she’s settled in the front seat and her bags are secure in the back, I climb into the driver’s seat. “Is the address on your license, correct?”

Another scowl. “Yes.”

A nod later, and I’m driving in that direction. I recognized her address as an old manufacturing company that was converted to condos when they began the gentrification of the neighborhood.

“You aren’t going to fire him, right?”

I glance over at her. She’s watching me, chewing on her bottom lip. Fighting the urge to reach over and pull her lip free so I can run my thumb over its fullness, I answer honestly, “No, I’m not going to fire him. My cousin would be pissed if I fired her son.”

Her surprised huff of a laugh makes me smile. “Oh. Well, I’m glad to hear that.”

I check the clock on the middle console, noting it’s almost six. “Do you need a car tonight, or can one be brought over tomorrow morning?”

“Since tomorrow is Saturday, I don’t really have anything going on. Is your insurance company going to provide me with one?”

I nod. “I’ll get something over to you by ten tomorrow morning.”

In my peripheral vision, I spot her eyes still on me. I like the feel of them way too much. After a few moments, to my disappointment, she turns to look out the window.

Being confined in the car with her is making my mind fuzzy. Her scent assaults me. Sweet. Floral. It’s turning me on more than I want to admit.

Ten long minutes later, I park next to the curb on a side street outside her building. I pull as close to the entrance as I can, then turn to her to find her peering at me with one hand on the door handle, as if she is ready to bolt. Picking up my phone from where I threw it in the cupholder, I extend it to her. “Please put in your number, Gisella.”

After pausing for a moment, she grabs my phone. “It’s Ella,” she says as she types in her number.

Once she hands my phone back, I quickly send a text, and we hear the vibration of the notification after a few seconds. She pushes the door open and climbs out when I do. I circle the vehicle and grab the bags from the backseat, switching hands when she reaches for them so they’re on the side farthest from her. My hand automatically goes to her lower back again as I move her to the inside of the sidewalk so that I’m closest to the street. “I’ll walk you to the door.”

Sighing loudly, Gisella doesn’t argue as we walk the short distance. When we’ve reached the door leading into her building, she reaches for her bags, and I allow her to take them. As she lifts them, she winces. I narrow my eyes at her. “The cops said you told them you weren’t hurt. Was that incorrect?”

She shakes her head and gives me a small smile. “It’s just a twinge in my back. It’s nothing. I promise.”

For some inexplicable reason, I don’t want to leave her. What if she’s seriously hurt? What if she doesn’t have anyone to take care of her?

Before I can overthink too much, my phone vibrates in my pocket, reminding me of my responsibilities. I can’t stay to take care of her, not that she would allow me to. “Text me if it gets any worse. That’s not a request.” I take one more second to study her. “Go inside and get some rest, Gisella.”

I smile as I hear, “It’s Ella.” The words float into the humid evening air, just before the click of the door shutting behind her.

Even the frustration in her tone sounds sweet.