Summer's Indiscretion (3 page)

She bit her lip as the inside part of the old doorknob fell with a thump to the doormat. Her hands tightened around the bat as she stood back from the opening leading into the kitchen. He’d have to move forward several feet before she could swing.

Humidity permeated the air and brought in the scent of rain as the door swung open slowly. Her pulse pounded in her ears as she waited.

Well, I’m committed to this course now, aren’t I? Come here, sugar. Don’t be shy.

A dark shadowy figure moved forward and angled to his left toward the office.

Excellent. Hold still. This might hurt a bit…

Careful to step on the carpet runner and not the hardwood floor, Summer snuck as close as she dared. She threw her body into it and swung the bat, aiming for his head. She didn’t want to kill him, just knock him out cold.

Whap!

She pulled back as he flapped his arms and tried to reach for her in the dark. She swung again and landed a blow across his upper chest as he tried to grab for her. He cried out in pain, and she realized she might’ve broken his collarbone.

Damn it! Why didn’t I run?

Knowing she had to make it count, she backed away to lay a good one on him when he slowly crumpled to the floor, moaning. She would have to step over him to get out either door. Holding the bat ready to whack him again, Summer edged close and prepared to jump over him and sprint. At the last second he grabbed for her and closed his big hand around her ankle. She tripped and fell on top of him.

He tried to get his arms around her to immobilize her, but she twisted and fought him with every ounce of strength she had. Screaming at the top of her lungs, she kicked and scratched. She landed her elbow in his groin, and he screamed in pain. He let go of her ankle and rolled into a ball with a groan, and she took the opportunity to flee down the hall and into the shop. She heard a thump outside and skidded to a halt at the front door.

Glancing back down the hallway, Summer saw the intruder trying to rise to a standing position. She looked around the edge of the lace curtain in the door. In the early morning light, she saw two men, also dressed in dark clothing, who were climbing from an SUV. They looked huge and scary, but they hadn’t threatened her safety yet. She glanced back, and her heart did a double lurch as the shadowy form filled the doorway leading out into the darkened shop from the hall. She twisted the door latch. It was better to trust her instincts and run than risk another physical altercation with the intruder. He spotted her at the door and lunged toward her.

She let loose a bloodcurdling scream, yanked open the door, and bolted through.

* * * *

Kemp expected to walk up on the porch, knock on the locked door, and see her beautiful face up close for the first time. He had not expected to hear her frightened scream as she flew out of the front doorway. Her long, wavy blonde hair flew around her shoulders as she glanced behind her. Her face was pale, and it was obvious she was terrified of whoever or whatever was in the shop.

She bolted down the steps, and Kemp took two long strides to her, catching her in his arms as Ace rushed forward. Kemp heard a crash and loud thump from inside the little boutique.

Ace looked back at him. “Got her?”

“Yeah.” Kemp turned her, using his body to block hers, and jerked open the door on the Escalade. He lifted her bodily into the seat and handed her the remote. “Lock it. The glass is bulletproof. Sit tight.”

Her beautiful, full lips quivered, and in a husky, scared voice she whispered, “What if he—”

“I’ll be right back.” The need to determine and fix what had frightened her so badly warred with the urge to stay with her and comfort her. The tears pooling in her hazel eyes made his heart clench.

She nodded, and he closed the door, gesturing to the key ring. She locked the doors. Kemp drew his weapon, released the safety, and ran up the steps.

Cautiously, he approached the doorway, ascertaining Ace’s location inside. A display fixture was overturned on the hardwood floor, and lacy little nighties were strewn around it. It bothered him a lot that this feminine place filled with delicate, frivolous things was unsafe for her at the moment. He gritted his teeth and tried to focus on the task at hand, but the look in her eyes had moved him. It cranked his urge to “fix” the problem into overdrive.

Ace returned from the hallway out of breath. “He went over the fence. Must’ve gone through the woods. She okay?”

“Yeah. I had her lock herself in the Escalade.” Kemp flipped the safety on his weapon and returned it to the holster under his jacket. No point in scaring her.

“He left his tools. There must’ve been a scuffle by the door.” Ace held up an aluminum baseball bat with bright-pink grip tape around the handle. “I found this on the floor.”

Kemp chuckled. “I hope she got in at least one good shot with it.”

Their little kitten had some claws. He lifted the display fixture from the floor and stood it upright. There was no reason for her to see further evidence that her little boutique had been violated. He and Ace both grabbed an armful of the lacy garments and laid them carefully on the large counter by the door.

* * * *

Summer shifted on the leather driver’s seat, watching for signs of movement inside the shop. Her heart still pounded in her chest, and she tried to take steadying breaths.

She could still feel his strong arms around her, whoever “he” was. It had felt like running into a solid wall as she’d collided with his chest. If he hadn’t caught her as she’d hurtled down the steps, she probably would’ve fallen to the asphalt and been easy prey to whoever was in the shop. A full-body shudder rippled through her at the thought.

Putting her hands to her face, she realized tears wet her cheeks. She checked her appearance in the rearview mirror and groaned. Dark streaks from her eyeliner and mascara crept down from the outer corners of her eyes. Using the back of her hand she wiped them away carefully, trying to salvage her appearance as best as she could.

To distract herself she looked around the interior of the luxury SUV. The scent of leather and coffee permeated the space. Two open, half-full cups of coffee, one with cream and the other black, were in the cupholders. There was a thin stack of business cards, receipts, and a small spiral-bound notebook in an opening in the console. She lifted one of the cards and looked at the name on it.

Kemp Whittier, Security and Investigation Specialist.

“Oh.” That explained the presence of her saviors this morning. They were here for the eight o’clock appointment.

Just then the two men made an appearance at the door. Her jaw dropped as she took a good look. One after the other, they completely filled the doorway as they filed out, both their eyes trained on her. She gripped the leather-covered steering wheel above her lap.

“Holy Moses.” She shut her mouth and fumbled with the SUV’s remote as they approached the driver-side door cautiously. They were both massive, larger than life, and almost stereotypical for the kind of guys who would be involved in security and investigation.

Why had she expected some dweeby nerd in a panel van emblazoned with the logo of a security service? These guys did more than install burglar alarms. They looked like they could catch and beat the crap out of the burglar so she wouldn’t
need
an alarm.

The one who’d caught her had a noticeable bulge under his arm, and she was willing to bet there was a loaded firearm inside that jacket. Both men were dressed impeccably in suits, and Summer had a feeling that she and Margot were in over their heads as far as this security consultation was concerned. They could afford a burglar alarm but not the level of attention these men were obviously used to delivering.

She bit her lip as the man with black hair, who had run in the shop first, smiled at her when she couldn’t get her fingers to work properly on the remote. The other man was rather stoic, but she thought she detected warmth in his voice and his eyes as he pointed to the remote. Through the glass she heard his muffled voice.

“The top button on the left.”

Heat stole over her cheeks as she growled at herself and pushed the button. “Duh.
Open
.” The lock on the driver door popped open quietly.

Smiling at her, the man with black hair opened the door and held out a hand to her. He wore his hair slicked back and had a face that was classically handsome. His lips were just full enough, and his eyebrows arched over intense, dark brown eyes. She wouldn’t want to be on the other end of his attention if he was not smiling. He looked strong enough to lift her over his head, he was so powerfully built.

She realized her hands were shaking when she placed one in his. His tanned, callused hand felt solid under hers, which was comforting under the circumstances. Dressed in suits as they were, she wouldn’t have been surprised if his hands were soft, but it was obvious looking at them that they were not “desk types.”

She slid from the leather seat, and he caught her as her knees gave out when her feet landed on the asphalt. Her cheek landed against his lapel, and she was once again held against another hard chest.

Way to go, graceful.

Chapter Three

Summer looked up at him towering over her and managed a weak smile as he steadied her.

“You okay?” He leaned down and looked in her eyes, his dark eyebrows drawing together slightly.
That voice.
She gasped as he smiled and said, “Hazel.”

She imagined the dumb look on her face. “Huh?”

His voice was—

“Your eyes. They’re hazel.”

“You’re Grace’s friend. The one who texted me.”
Oh, duh!
These were the guys investigating the ugly posts on that horrible blog, Divine Morality. Of course Grace would recommend them for a security consultation at the shop.

Both men smiled in confirmation. Drawing a deep breath, Summer looked up at the first man to catch her and said, “Kemp?”

“At your service, ma’am.” A smile split his craggy face, and her heart skipped a beat. He wasn’t model handsome like the other man was, but his smile reached his green eyes, and she couldn’t help the undoubtedly goofy grin that spread across her face in response. She smothered the urge to touch the dimple that appeared in his cheek. His nose looked like it might have been broken at some point, judging by the slight bump in the bridge. His hair was dark brown with just a sprinkling of silver at the temples, and she found him ruggedly handsome.

“Hi.” Both these guys were texting her the other night? Wanting
her
. “It was you. And you.”

“Ace Webster,” the black-haired man replied with a nod and a smile. She realized he was still holding her hand, and she looked at the two joined together, hers small compared to his. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Summer. Are you all right?”

Mentally shaking herself, Summer replied, “Yes. Was he still in there?”

“No. He’s gone, but he left his toolbox. Or I assume it’s his, right outside the doorway. Let’s get you inside.”

They each took an elbow and gently escorted her up the stairs. She was grateful because her knees were still wobbling a bit. Everything in the shop looked safe and secure, except for the pile of lace chemises and camisoles on the counter. The intruder must’ve knocked a fixture over. They walked back to the office, and she sat down. Kemp went across the hall and returned with a glass of water, which he placed in front of her.

Ace pulled a chair up and sat down with her. “Did you get a look at him?”

Summer frowned and tried to picture him in her mind. “No. He wore dark clothing, a mask, and gloves. I couldn’t even see his eyes. It was one of those masks that have the built-in shades,” she said waving her hand over her brow.

“Tall? Short?”

Summer remembered him standing in the doorway right before she flung open the front door. She walked back to that door and indicated his approximate height. She could almost see him standing there, and a cold chill ran through her body.
I could have been killed. What was I thinking?

“Tall, then.”

“Y–Yes. He was big,” she said, indicating broad shoulders with her hands, which suddenly wouldn’t stop shaking. “He grabbed me when I tried to get away and I fell.” She touched her elbow and was suddenly aware of the throbbing pain there. She felt like a baby when she couldn’t stop the quivering in her lower lip. Kemp growled softly.

* * * *

Ace glanced at Kemp when he reacted to Summer’s statement. Watching her suffer the aftermath of the attack made a tight ball form in his chest. He wanted very much to soothe the way she trembled as she pressed a shaky hand to her lips. “Come here, Summer,” he murmured, gently drawing her suddenly quaking body into his arms. “Just breathe, kitten.” A great tremor passed through her. “Don’t fight it, just breathe through it.”

Her respiration turned to panting as her reaction to the event finally caught up with her. She’d been holding it together up until the moment when she relived the attack in order to describe it to them. A slight whimper escaped from her, and she held on to him tightly. Looking sympathetic, Kemp stroked her back and her hair. After a minute, her trembling began to dissipate, and she finally looked up at him and then over at Kemp.

“Wow,” she whispered softly. “I don’t know where that came from.”

Kemp said, “You went through a very dangerous, scary experience, darlin’. Your body is just catching up to it.”

Once her shakiness had passed, Ace helped her back down the hall to her office and helped her sit down. After turning on the lights, Ace pulled back the sleeve of her dress and said, “The skin isn’t broken, but you’re going to have quite a bruise there. Some ice should help.” Ace went to the kitchen and returned with a plastic bag filled with ice for her. She thanked him and gingerly held it to her elbow.

He squatted down in front of her and brushed a lock of hair from her cheek. Her eyes were dilated, and her skin was cool to the touch.

“How do you feel otherwise?”

“Honestly? A little woozy like I could take a nap.”

Ace nodded in commiseration. “It’s the adrenaline that dumped in your system earlier. If it doesn’t pass, you may want to lie down for a while. You had quite a fright.”

Remembering the extreme fear on her face as she’d run from the shop earlier caused another wave of protectiveness to wash over Ace. He wished like hell that he’d caught the son of a bitch that had scared her so badly that she was now reacting to it physiologically.

Ace noticed the line between her furrowed eyebrows and asked, “Does your head hurt, too?”

“Yeah, it does, all of a sudden.” She reached in her desk and pulled out a bottle of Tylenol and took a couple with the glass of water Kemp had brought her.

Kemp asked, “Can you tell us what happened, Summer?”

Ace listened as she described that morning’s events. She hadn’t expected them for at least another twenty to thirty minutes, and the fact that they’d arrived early might have been the only reason she was still in one piece. He’d teased Kemp about being overeager to get to the shop, but now he wanted to thank him.

Ace was both shocked and impressed when she described clobbering the burglar with the baseball bat. He nodded appreciatively and said, “Well done. That was a gutsy move.” Ace disregarded the urge to turn her over his knee for placing herself in so much danger when she could’ve just run.

“He may have to go to the emergency room. I may have broken his collarbone the second time I hit him, plus I…”

Kemp prompted her with a puzzled expression. “You what?”

“When he pulled me down, I—um. I nailed him
really hard
in the groin with my other elbow.” When both men grimaced she added, “He wasn’t much of a fighter after that. I just wanted to get away from him. He followed me to the front but must’ve run when he heard you close your vehicle’s door.”

Kemp said, “I’ll ask Duke to check area hospitals and clinics.”

He took out his phone and began dialing then moved away into the hall as Duke answered the call.

As he gazed at her, Ace noticed Summer’s complexion had returned to a more normal rosy-cheeked ivory color and was not so pale anymore. She drank the rest of her water, and Ace was mesmerized as her full, soft lips pressed against the glass and she swallowed delicately. His cock responded to the pretty sight, and he imagined her sucking on him. He closed his eyes and was very thankful for the suit jacket that he’d buttoned after replacing his revolver in its holster. He was also grateful that he preferred snug-knit boxer briefs, otherwise she’d have gotten a show.

Placing the emptied glass on the desk blotter, Summer said, “So you were both texting me last night.” She looked up at him with uncertain eyes as though she were looking for confirmation of their earlier phone conversation. When he’d overheard her mention being “big” as she spoke to Kemp, he’d wanted to sweep her up into his arms and do his best to personally convince her that she was beautiful the way she was.

“Yes.”

“I didn’t sleep at all last night.”

“Me either.” That was the truth. It had felt all kinds of wrong to leave the club without making contact with Summer. He’d had the pleasure of watching her face as they’d each sent her text messages. The color in her cheeks had deepened as she’d read them then looked around trying to locate them.

He and Kemp had come within about ten feet of her as she held the phone to her ear the night before, and he’d regretted not being able to continue the conversation right then.

The man they’d followed home had no apparent link to the blog, so they would keep looking. There was a connection out there somewhere. Once they found it they would do some more digging. Everyone had skeletons in their closet.

When he’d gone to bed, thoughts of her, the way she moved, the adorable way she bit her lip kept floating through his mind. He’d also remembered the hurt in her eyes at being ignored by that idiot blind date.

She sat in her chair studying him now. “I liked that you called me this morning. It was almost like…”

“What?”

She waved her hand dismissively. “You’d think it was silly.”

“Like kissing you good morning?”

Her cheeks took on a bright pinkish tinge, and she chuckled. She bit her lip, and he had to suppress the urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her. She probably had no idea how that innocent, yet sexy, little mannerism affected his libido. “You’re a mind reader as well as a security specialist?”

“I don’t think I can read your mind, that’s just how it felt to me, getting to hear your voice on the line again. That sounds really sappy, but it’s true.”

Kemp returned to the office and said, “Duke is on it. He’ll get back to us if he hears of any likely suspects. He said things appear normal with that guy we followed home last night, but his instincts are telling him otherwise so he’s going to be watching him.”

Summer smiled at both of them and said, “Will you be at The Dancing Pony again this weekend?”

Ace replied, “Until we turn up some good leads, yes. Nothing new has been posted to the blog, but there have been new comments popping up daily. We’d like to get that thing canned sooner rather than later. Besides how much it bugs Jack and all the other guys, the things they say about Grace trouble me. It’s just wrong.”

Summer seemed to hesitate for a moment then smiled at them both and rose from her chair. Approaching, she said, “You know what I think?”

Ace smiled as she stood between them both, her gorgeous hazel eyes looking very serious as her gaze swept from him to Kemp. She laid a hand on both their chests. Her gentle fingertips caressed both their pectorals, and Ace felt a tingle slide from her fingertips down his torso to his cock.

“What, kitten?”

“You’re really tough because it’s what you specialize in, but you’re soft as marshmallows on the inside.”

Kemp placed his hand over hers and murmured, “Only where certain people are concerned.” The smile on his friend’s face was genuine and happy. “You look as though you’re feeling better.”

“I am, Kemp. The shakes seem to have stopped. It hit me hard afterward, but I really am better now.”

The fact that they were both into her didn’t seem to trouble Summer in the least. Ace wanted to take her in his arms right then and kiss the daylights out of her. He was about to when she asked, “Should I report the break-in to the sheriff? I know there isn’t much he can do about it.”

Kemp replied, “The guy is long gone, but you should let the sheriff know.” He admired her resilience and the way she bounced back from the emotional and physical reactions to being attacked.

She nodded and replied, “Thank you again for saving me, guys. Can I make you a fresh pot of coffee? Do you want to get started looking the place over?”

Ace looked in her eyes and asked, “How do you feel, Summer? Do you want to put your head down for a little while?”

She smiled at him and shook her head. “I may take a break and lie down upstairs in a little while, but I’m okay for now. We can get started.”

They spent the next thirty minutes looking around the house, both inside and outside, upstairs and down. During the inspection, Angel and Joaquin Martinez’s wife, Teresa, arrived to open the shop. They explained to her what had happened that morning and assured her that they would be around from that point forward to watch over things. That seemed to greatly ease Teresa’s concerns, and she told them she would let her husbands know. Ace was gratified in helping the women feel safer.

Summer took them upstairs and showed them around. “What are you doing with the rooms upstairs?” Kemp asked as he followed Ace back down the stairs. There were two bedrooms, a bathroom, and another room that could be used for a media room or library.

Summer stood on the landing looking up at them and replied, “I was thinking about moving into them. I have a rental house in town, but we thought it might be good if someone was living here.”

Ace said, “I’m not sure that’s a good idea, kitten, given what happened this morning. You’re a big girl and it’s your decision, but I’d hold off on that for a little while.”

Summer’s jaw took on a stubborn tilt as she looked from one to the other. “But you’re putting in a surveillance system and burglar alarm. That’s more than I have in my own home. Plus, I showed whoever is up to these shenanigans that we’re not going to take it lying down anymore. Whoever that guy was, he is in real pain right now for trying to break in to my business.”

“That may be so, but you also had an attempted arson. Your security system can’t put a fire out. What if you were trapped upstairs during a fire?”

“I’d have a plan of escape, the same as anyone with a two-story house would.”

Damn, she had an answer for every one of Ace’s reasons. It wasn’t his place to tell her she couldn’t move in, but he wished it was. The fact that she didn’t have a security system in her own home made Ace want to stop by there after they were done and rectify that situation.

Summer smiled at him when he stopped debating with her. In resignation he said, “Well it looks as though you’ve made your mind up.”

“Yup.” She crossed her arms over her chest, causing her breasts to swell upward and fill the neckline of her blouse in a way that made him groan inwardly with appreciation. He wanted very much to see her do that with the blouse off, sometime soon. His cock stirred, informing him it wasn’t just a
want
. It was a need.

Kemp stroked his chin and said, “What if you held off for just a couple of weeks? Give us a chance to get things set up here then make some progress with all these incidents that have been occurring around here.”

“I would need that long to organize everything and get packed anyway.”

Ace replied, “Good. That will give us time. I want to ask you something.”

“Sure.” She turned and gestured for them to follow her to the rear of the house.

They walked back into the office as customers entered the front door and were greeted by Teresa, who had arrived shortly before the boutique opened.

Ace said, “We’re going to be keeping an eye on the place.”

“Meaning what exactly?”

“Surveillance and security. In a vehicle down the street and scouting the area. Would you feel comfortable if one of us was inside as well? If we’re spread out we have a better chance of catching whoever is behind these attacks on the shop. We wouldn’t get in your way. The upstairs rooms would be perfect for that. We could switch off and stay here at night.”

“Sure, but when would you sleep?”

Kemp replied, “One of us would sleep during the day and the other in the afternoon or at night. It’d be worth it to be able to catch them.”

Summer paused and said, “I’d have to talk to Margot about it. She’s in Dallas with Juliana again. I was planning to call her after you were done anyway.”

“Fair enough. How do you feel about it?” Ace asked, brushing a lock of hair behind her shoulder.

A slow smile crossed Summer’s beautiful lips, and she chuckled. “About what? Having two handsome guys hanging around the shop keeping all us delicate females safe? Gee, that’s a tough one.” She laughed when he grinned big and added, “It wouldn’t be a problem for me at all. Although how I’m supposed to get any work done is beyond me.”

Ace agreed with that sentiment. His reasons for volunteering duty in such close quarters were not entirely work related. He’d take whatever opportunity he could to get closer to Summer and figured Kemp had to feel the same way.

“We’re ready to get started if you are, Summer. Would you mind if we borrowed your bathroom to change into work clothes?”