over, so she took a step away. “You do smell good, Vivie.”
At that instant, Jacob’s car pulled up to the curb, and he leapt from the back as if a bolt of lightning had struck. He was beside Vivienne in two strides. With his arm around her, he glared at Milo. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Milo had already started walking away. Apparently, he wasn’t up for a confrontation, but had hoped to get Vivienne alone. That was not to be, but it served to alert her to the possibilities. Leaving the shop alone to walk home might not be the best option anymore.
Jacob watched Milo until the man disappeared around the corner, then he looked at Vivienne. “Are you all right?”
“Yes—physically, anyway.” Vivienne leaned into Jacob. “He freaked me out, though.”
“It looked like he was about to manhandle you. The asshole was way too close .”
“I’m not sure what he was about to do, but he’d had too much to drink. And I think he was on some drug. His eyes were weird.”
“That’s not all about him that’s weird.” Jacob guided her toward the car, where Ian held the door open for them. “I’ll send a car to pick you up after work every day.”
Vivienne slid into the back seat, and Jacob got in beside her. “You don’t have to do that. I can take a cab.”
“You can’t afford cabs.”
That was all Jacob said, but Vivienne could tell that he was still ticked off. Her intention to maintain a relationship with her customer went out the window the instant Milo had become threatening. He’d lost his right to customer service, even in her mind. She was sure that Jacob would take a hard line on that, too.
*****
The next day at the office, Jacob fumed over that idiot’s nerve. He had arrived just in time to rescue Vivienne. He dreaded to think what might have happened if he hadn’t come by to pick her up for dinner. They hadn’t discussed it further, as he didn’t want to upset her any more than she already was.
Jacob had been able to tell that Vivienne was shaken, and he didn’t like that one bit. She seemed as mystified as he was about the man’s intention. It was clear that he was attracted to Vivienne, and waiting for her outside had danger written all over it.
That was one too many times that Milo had been inappropriate with Vivienne. She hadn’t complained to Jacob about it, but he knew what he saw. Plus, he had an instinct about the guy. It was time to see what was up. He called Walsh to order him to look into Milo Jenkins, his background and his current activities. Jacob wanted to know what the guy was about, and he intended to keep him away from Vivienne, whether she agreed or not.
During dinner the night before, Jacob had invited Vivienne to go to Italy with him, and she had agreed, which pleased him. Before, he hadn’t needed to consider anyone else when he planned a business trip. That was no longer the case.
He had no intention of flying anywhere and leaving Vivienne behind. Sharing his life included travel, and fortunately, she seemed used to the idea. He was relieved that she hadn’t dragged her feet, and instead was excited about seeing Tuscany.
The workday seemed to go by quickly, and Jacob left as soon as he could. The event that night was for a smaller charity, but one he had recently donated to. Care For The Child was doing some good work, and he wanted to support it.
Jacob thought about how lucky he was. He had escaped abuse at any early age. Even then, it had taken its toll. His heart went out to those less fortunate. A child was forced to be dependent on adults. It was crushing to think of any child being betrayed and harmed by the very parents that should care the most about them.
The cause was important to Jacob, and he’d like to do more. That was something he’d considered. He’d been looking into programs for abused children, and had even thought of starting a program, one that might satisfy their needs better. Hearing more about this smaller charity
At that instant, Jacob’s car pulled up to the curb, and he leapt from the back as if a bolt of lightning had struck. He was beside Vivienne in two strides. With his arm around her, he glared at Milo. “What the hell are you doing here?”
Milo had already started walking away. Apparently, he wasn’t up for a confrontation, but had hoped to get Vivienne alone. That was not to be, but it served to alert her to the possibilities. Leaving the shop alone to walk home might not be the best option anymore.
Jacob watched Milo until the man disappeared around the corner, then he looked at Vivienne. “Are you all right?”
“Yes—physically, anyway.” Vivienne leaned into Jacob. “He freaked me out, though.”
“It looked like he was about to manhandle you. The asshole was way too close .”
“I’m not sure what he was about to do, but he’d had too much to drink. And I think he was on some drug. His eyes were weird.”
“That’s not all about him that’s weird.” Jacob guided her toward the car, where Ian held the door open for them. “I’ll send a car to pick you up after work every day.”
Vivienne slid into the back seat, and Jacob got in beside her. “You don’t have to do that. I can take a cab.”
“You can’t afford cabs.”
That was all Jacob said, but Vivienne could tell that he was still ticked off. Her intention to maintain a relationship with her customer went out the window the instant Milo had become threatening. He’d lost his right to customer service, even in her mind. She was sure that Jacob would take a hard line on that, too.
*****
The next day at the office, Jacob fumed over that idiot’s nerve. He had arrived just in time to rescue Vivienne. He dreaded to think what might have happened if he hadn’t come by to pick her up for dinner. They hadn’t discussed it further, as he didn’t want to upset her any more than she already was.
Jacob had been able to tell that Vivienne was shaken, and he didn’t like that one bit. She seemed as mystified as he was about the man’s intention. It was clear that he was attracted to Vivienne, and waiting for her outside had danger written all over it.
That was one too many times that Milo had been inappropriate with Vivienne. She hadn’t complained to Jacob about it, but he knew what he saw. Plus, he had an instinct about the guy. It was time to see what was up. He called Walsh to order him to look into Milo Jenkins, his background and his current activities. Jacob wanted to know what the guy was about, and he intended to keep him away from Vivienne, whether she agreed or not.
During dinner the night before, Jacob had invited Vivienne to go to Italy with him, and she had agreed, which pleased him. Before, he hadn’t needed to consider anyone else when he planned a business trip. That was no longer the case.
He had no intention of flying anywhere and leaving Vivienne behind. Sharing his life included travel, and fortunately, she seemed used to the idea. He was relieved that she hadn’t dragged her feet, and instead was excited about seeing Tuscany.
The workday seemed to go by quickly, and Jacob left as soon as he could. The event that night was for a smaller charity, but one he had recently donated to. Care For The Child was doing some good work, and he wanted to support it.
Jacob thought about how lucky he was. He had escaped abuse at any early age. Even then, it had taken its toll. His heart went out to those less fortunate. A child was forced to be dependent on adults. It was crushing to think of any child being betrayed and harmed by the very parents that should care the most about them.
The cause was important to Jacob, and he’d like to do more. That was something he’d considered. He’d been looking into programs for abused children, and had even thought of starting a program, one that might satisfy their needs better. Hearing more about this smaller charity
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