Page 25 of Keeping Guard

When Dalton remained silent, Noah’s friend said, “I’d answer him before he decides to make good on his threat.”

“I hear you,” Dalton ground out.

Noah dropped his hand from Dalton’s throat. “Good. Now get out.”

Wow!Not that she approved of violence, but was it wrong to think Noah in warrior mode was about the sexiest thing ever? Dalton glared at her as he walked past with Noah following him out, and she was afraid she hadn’t heard the last of him.

Lucky tried to wiggle out of the other man’s arms. “Hey, sweet boy.” She’d never expected to see Noah or his dog again, and she couldn’t stop her happy grin.

“Hey,” the man with Noah said, his eyes dancing with amusement.

She laughed, surprised she even could. “I was talking to Lucky.”

“And here I thought you were sweet-talking me. I’m Jack, by the way.”

She waved her fingers. “Nice to meet you, Jack.”

He held out his hand and helped her up. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” Except for her left knee. She’d hit it pretty hard on her wood floor. It was throbbing, but if she told these guys, they’d probably haul her off to the hospital for X-rays.

Noah came back in and walked right up to her. Hot doggity, was she ever glad to see him again, and not just because he’d sent Dalton packing. “Hi,” she said kind of breathlessly.

“Are you really all right? I heard you grunt when your knee hit the floor.”

“I don’t grunt.”

“You so did.”

“Did not.” She loved that he was trying not to grin, but she saw his lips twitch. “You might be able to scare the bejesus out of DGs, but you’ll not win the did, did not game with me, so give it up, boyo.”

“Did you just call me a boy?”

She knew that’d get his goat, and she smirked when his eyes slitted. “If I did?” Now she was daring him to do something. What, she wasn’t sure, but her vote would be for him to shut her up again with a kiss.

“Fire,” he said, the eyes that were pure ice when focused on Dalton now hot enough to melt butter.

“Fire?”

“Yeah. You’re playing with it, and you’re going to get burned.” His gaze lowered to her arm, and he frowned as he touched the bruise already turning purple. “He hurt you.”

“A little, but I’m okay.”

“I have questions,” Noah’s friend said.

She’d forgotten he was there.

“You can go now, Whiskey,” Noah said, not taking his gaze from her.

“Negative. Who’s DG?”

Peyton giggled. “Dumb Groom. That’s what Noah calls him.”

“After seeing the way he treated you, I’d call him worse than that. Were you really a runaway bride?”

“Yep. And I think it was the smartest thing I’ve—”

Noah put his finger over her lips. “Go away, Jack.”