Stirring Attraction by Sara Jane Stone

her comfort zone, determined to get to back to her classroom.
    â€œAnd now you can’t go back to who you were before,” she said.
    â€œI can still keep you safe,” he promised.
    â€œBecause you don’t believe there is a threat out there. You think it’s all in my head.”
    â€œI didn’t say that,” he ground out. “I—­”
    â€œYou didn’t need to.” She shifted her legs and climbed out of the car. Then she turned back and said, “You’re promising to keep me safe, but you just admitted you can’t even fire a gun.”
    He watched her walk away and wondered if he’d made a mistake coming back. He should have told Ryan to fly back and talk to her new boyfriend. He should be the one picking up the slack here. But if Ted with the flowers was such a great guy, why wasn’t he out here making damn sure she felt safe while she slept?
    Because Ted didn’t believe her.
    â€œI believe you, Lily,” he said, his words filling the now empty sedan. “If you say the bastard was after you, then he was. And I don’t need a gun to keep you safe. I can take care of you. Just don’t expect me to bring you a bunch of fucking flowers.”

 
    Chapter Five
    â€œW HERE’S MY BROTHER?” Josie demanded as she shifted her weight from side to side to calm the nine-­month-­old baby strapped to her chest. The little girl’s big green eyes peered over the edge of the carrier. She opened her mouth and bit down on the fabric edge, then smiled.
    â€œI sent Dominic home to shower,” Lily said. Her gaze shifted away from the bundle of cuteness to Noah, who was pretending to count beer cases. Unless sleep deprivation prevented him from reaching the magical number four, Big Buck’s owner and manager knew exactly how many cases of light beer were stacked beside the long wooden bar.
    â€œI thought you called me in on my day off so that Noah could teach me how to mix up a martini,” she said. “Are customers complaining? Missing their fancy drinks? Or are we expecting James Bond?”
    â€œWe stopped by Noah’s dad’s house this morning and Caroline filled us in on Dominic’s arrival,” Josie said. “From what she said, I thought my brother was taking his role to watch over you seriously.”
    â€œHe is. But after sleeping in his car covered in pie, I’m guessing he needed a shower. Plus, I thought your dad would like to see him. But don’t worry, Dominic promised to be back on the job for my date with Ted tonight.”
    Five feet away, Noah dropped the clipboard onto the polished floorboards.
    â€œI didn’t realize you and Ted were still together,” Josie said. She stopped her rocking motions and leaned back against one of the high-­top tables near the bar.
    â€œOr you wouldn’t have sent Ryan to bring your brother home?” she asked.
    Noah abandoned his failed attempt to complete the inventory. “Lily—­”
    â€œWhen you offered me a temporary job, I didn’t realize it came with a bodyguard,” she said, unleashing her frustration. They had no right to step in and throw another curve ball into her life, not when it felt like she was holding it together with Scotch tape and paperclips. “Or is that part of the Big Buck’s benefits package? Did you arrange for Josh and his pies too? Is that how you make Caroline feel safe? Is Josh Summers her Big Buck’s–ordered bodyguard?”
    â€œNo.” The firm, familiar voice cut through the bar. “No. That’s not why Josh brings pies.”
    Lily turned to the swinging door that led to the Employees Only space. They hadn’t flipped the sign out front to “Open until the cows come home,” but Big Buck’s dishwasher had her own key to the place and permission to enter through the back room.
    â€œI’d stop Josh if I could,” Noah muttered.