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She stopped short when she saw him, no doubt because he was staring at her like she’d just popped through a tear in the space-time continuum. But what was he to do? The transformation from wild faerie commando to...to girl-next-door was startling.
“What?” she demanded, looking down at herself, probably to check for missing fabric, a streak of toothpaste...or a big neon sign that said, “Bite me.” Apparently finding nothing amiss, she looked up and with her arms out at her sides in a what’s wrong with my appearance? gesture she asked, “What?” again, this time with annoyance.
Alarmed to find his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth, Ty just shook his head. No way was he telling her that she looked good enough to eat and that he suddenly couldn’t remember his last meal. Turning away, he poured himself more coffee and decided that Dr. Paige Carlyle was too fresh and sweet, too vulnerable for someone as cynical as him.
She’d probably grown up loved and indulged by her family while he...well, needless to say he didn’t believe in love or happily-ever-after. His mother regarded her two children with cool disinterest, unless they disappointed her then it was with cold displeasure; and his father with absent-minded affection. He’d seen Henry Chapman look at his dog that way too.
Better that she think he was rude and obnoxious.
Besides, she was hardly his type anyway. He dated tall sophisticated women; women who knew the score and weren’t interested in anything more than dinner and a good time. He was fairly sure Little Miss Medic hadn’t even heard there was a score. And with that mouth, she certainly wouldn’t be easy to ignore.
Okay, so the rest of her wasn’t easy to ignore either but he was pretty sure it was because she reminded him of a creature from some graphic novel fantasy world.
She appeared in the doorway, wearing a little jacket, shoulder bag slung casually over her shoulder. “You’re still here,” she said, nibbling on her soft lip and looking adorably self-conscious.
Instead of answering, he lifted the mug in a silent toast, spooked by the abrupt desire to yank her against him and taste her shiny pink mouth. In fact, if she didn’t leave soon he might do just that and forgo mainlining caffeine altogether. It would go a long way to waking him up.
“Anyway...” she continued in a way that made Ty think she was rolling her eyes in her head. “I was thinking.” She bit her lip uncertainly. “About what Detective Petersen said last night?” He arched his brow, wondering where she was going with this. “Anyway,” she sighed impatiently, “I wondered why you came here instead of going to your father’s house.”
Ah. His mouth twisted wryly as he studied her over the rim of his coffee mug. The last thing he wanted was to discuss his almost non-existent relationship with his father...but...then again he supposed he did owe her an explanation.
“My grandparents built this house. It’s where my father grew up and where I spent every summer until I was eighteen.” She tilted her head and confusion marred the smooth skin of her forehead.
He sighed. “I would have called my father but my phone died and I thought I’d surprise him. But don’t worry, I’ll be out of your hair as soon as this caffeine kicks in.”
She was silent a long moment before giving a short nod. “Do you need help...um...dressing?”
Immediately an image of her helping him undress flashed into his mind and before he could stop it, his mouth curved. Seeing it, she rolled her eyes and went bright pink.
“You are such a...a guy,” she accused, turning away. “I have to get going. And since you’re my boss’s son, I’m not going to throw you out or call the cops. But I am going to assume you’ll be gone by the time I get back.”
He moved to the archway to watch her open the front door. “Lock up behind you,” she tossed over her shoulder and closed the door with an almost slam.
He found himself smiling for no reason other than he’d managed to get under her skin and lifted the mug in a cocky salute to the fact that he finally had what he wanted—blessed silence.
He enjoyed it for a few moments until his amusement faded. Turning, he rinsed out his mug and placed it in the dishwasher. Somehow all the air, all the life had been sucked out with her departure. It had never happened before—with anyone—which meant he needed to get out of there before she returned.
Before he was tempted to help her undress and find out if she was a figment of his overactive imagination or the real deal.
CHAPTER THREE (#u0d28a9e6-3470-5204-86d8-6cd5b9fcb85e)
PAIGE HEADED FOR SID’S, telling herself that she was giving Dr. Bad Attitude exactly what he wanted—space. But the truth was she’d been grateful for the excuse to escape.
It was unnerving to have a man in her living space—especially one who made her want to growl and sigh at the same time. Who made her tingle in places that hadn’t tingled in far too long one minute, and stifle the urge to throw something at him the next.
She didn’t like it. Not one little bit. She’d learned early on that guys like him weren’t attracted to women like her. She was the eternal “cute girl” they treated like a little sister.
Wanting something—or someone—she couldn’t have reminded her too much of a past she’d thought she’d long outgrown.
She’d had everything until her mother had died. She lost both parents that day, her mother to ovarian cancer and her father to grief. He’d retreated into his work, leaving a devastated pre-teen to cope with her grief alone because her brothers were much older and didn’t do girly things like talk about their feelings.
As if grieving for the loss of the most important person in all their lives was somehow unmanly.
She’d tried and failed to keep the family together, as she’d promised her mom. One by one her brothers had left, Bryn, the oldest, to accept a position as assistant manager of a football team in San Diego, Eric for the SEALs program, and Quinn to the US Air Force, where he flew classified aircraft on top-secret missions.
Then her father had unexpectedly remarried and it had been like losing everything all over again. Her brothers had rarely visited and she’d suddenly felt like an unwanted reminder of her father’s pain.
To be honest, he hadn’t known what to do with her and he’d probably thought a new mother and step-siblings would help her cope with grief. But they hadn’t, and instead she’d retreated into her school work.
In her senior year salvation had come in the form of a full bursary to med school and everyone had seemed to heave a huge sigh of relief. With Paige gone there had been no need for her father to feel guilty every time he saw her.
She’d thought that by acing her exams she would get his approval, but despite finishing her degree early and at the top of her class, her father hadn’t even attended her graduation. Instead, he’d sent a gift and a note with his apologies that the family would be in Aruba.
Dammit, she’d always wanted to go to Aruba.
At least her three brothers had made it—Eric in fatigues on his way home from a mission and Quinn in full US Air Force uniform. They’d made her laugh with their antics and she’d scarcely felt her father’s absence.
Fine. She’d been devastated but she’d finally acknowledged that she was on her own. Her brothers had their own busy lives and their father...well, she could totally take care of herself.
Besides, it was safer not to let people close. It hurt too much when they left.
* * *
Francis Abigail Bryce was already in their booth, looking like a movie star in her dark blue paramedic jumpsuit. She’d ordered coffee and was sitting there with a faraway expression on her face. And because she looked just a little bit sad, Paige said the first thing that came to her mind as she slid into the booth opposite her.
“You do know that redheads are supposed to have freckles, don’t you?”
“And did you know that people who’ve beaten up late-night intruders with their awesome ninja skills aren’t supposed to look so fresh and perky the next day?” Frankie answered smartly, eyeing Paige with sharp green eyes. “Why do you?”
Paige grimaced. “You heard, huh?”
“That’s like saying have I heard the coastguard is in town,” Frankie snorted, and slid a latte across the table. “I was on duty last night when your call came through. If I hadn’t had an emergency I would have helped you bury the body.”
Paige grinned and lifted her latte in a toast. “You’re the best friend ever. But...” She paused to take a huge gulp, sighing in pleasure when the hot creamy liquid hit her stomach. “As it turned out, he wasn’t dead, just concussed. But breakfast first, I’m starving,” she said as the waitress approached.
Once the waitress left with their order, Frankie demanded a minute-by-minute account of her midnight adventure, laughing when Paige recounted Ty calling her a bossy little smartass and a faerie commando, and snorting indelicately at his manly reaction to pink tape.
“Men are idiots,” Frankie said dryly, “including Ty Reese, so don’t go getting any idiotic ideas about saving him.”
Paige rolled her eyes and waited as the waitress delivered their food. Tyler Reese needed saving about as much as a prowling mountain lion. But that didn’t mean she wasn’t curious about him.
Trying for casually offhand, she said, “So...you do know him?”
“Hmm,” Frankie murmured, looking amused.
“And?” Paige prompted a little impatiently, when her friend took another bite of omelet without replying. “Spill already before I hurt you.”
Frankie nearly choked. “Like you could,” she snorted, wiping her mouth with the napkin Paige shoved at her. “Ty’s right. With those huge exotic eyes and delicate face, you do look like a faerie. If you weren’t my best friend, I’d hate you.”
Paige snorted, “Yeah, right,” because Frankie was one of those exotically beautiful redheads. Smooth creamy skin, thick lustrous hair and...and darn...she looked a million dollars in a swimsuit.
“So...what do you know about him?”
Frankie studied Paige for a moment. “You mean other than he has a thing for stacked blonde Malibu beach babes?”
“Yeah.” Paige sighed, wondering at the rush of intense disappointment at the news. It was a ridiculous reaction to have about a guy who’d broken into her house and scared the heck out of her. Besides, guys like Tyler Reese had genetically built-in radar for beautiful blondes—or redheads—and having grown up with three brothers who’d dated endless lines of stacked blonde bombshells, it was something she thought she’d accepted.
“Other than that. Which is hardly breaking news, by the way. Guys always go for the hot blondes.”
Frankie sighed and said again, “Men are idiots,” and looked miserable, but after a couple of beats she seemed to shake off her strange mood. “He’s not for you.”
That brought Paige up short. Her breakfast abruptly turned to lead in her stomach. “Not that I’m interested or anything,” she said shoving her plate aside, “but what’s wrong with me?”
“It’s not you, it’s him.” Frankie broke off and studied Paige silently before saying, “Okay, maybe it is you.”
Paige didn’t know why the idea that Frankie thought she wasn’t good enough for Tyler Reese hurt so much. She should be used to being ignored, not pretty, sexy or popular enough, but the truth was, it would be nice to be a kick-ass girl they drooled over. Like Frankie—movie-star beautiful and built like an underwear model, only with attitude.
A lot of attitude.
“Oh, don’t look at me like that, honey. I only meant that you’re too open and generous for someone whose mother is the Wicked Ice Witch of the West. Believe me,” she continued when Paige opened her mouth to deny that she was interested in Ty Reese, “I’ve known him my whole life. At one time he, Nate and Jack were inseparable. They did everything together. Including try their stupid moves on everything with breasts. No, jeez,” she snorted. “Even before girls got breasts they were stealing kisses and breaking hearts.” She shook her head. “You don’t want to go there.” After a moment’s silence she said vehemently, “It’d be like stuffing your heart in a mincer and turning it on grind. You don’t deserve that. No one deserves that.”
Paige knew Frankie’s brother Jack had been an army ranger before being KIA a few years ago. She opened her mouth to ask about Nate but was distracted by the odd expression on Frankie’s face.
Concerned, she turned and followed her gaze in time to see three guys entering the diner. They were dressed in US coastguard uniforms and the hotness factor was enough to raise the temperature in the diner by a thousand degrees.
“Who’s that?” she asked curiously, when Frankie made a little sound of distress. She looked stunned. Kind of like she’d run into a wall.
“Huh?”
Paige jerked her chin at the newcomers. “Who’s that?”
Her friend took a deep breath, looking strangely flushed and panicked. “No one,” she muttered, lurching abruptly out of the booth. “Look, I gotta go. I’m teaching a first-aid class in twenty minutes.”
This was news to Paige. “I thought you were off duty for the next few days.” But because Frankie looked so rattled—a look Paige had never seen on her before—she didn’t pursue her sudden suspicion that Frankie knew at least one of the coasties.
Or was maybe running scared?
“JT bailed from the senior center program at the last minute so I said I’d take it. Don’t worry,” she said, when Paige opened her mouth to remind her of their plans. “I haven’t forgotten our hiking trip. Meet you at twelve?”
Paige nodded, her fascinated gaze moving beyond Frankie to the tallest and hottest of the trio and... Oh, wow... Her eyes widened. The tall dangerous coastie...he must be the one her friend was running from because the guy was staring their way, and the abrupt tension emanating from Frankie told Paige there was definite history there.
She must have made a sound because Frankie’s eyes widened and she looked spooked—like she wanted to bolt but was forcing herself to act cool.
“I really have to go,” Frankie said abruptly. “But a word of advice here. Stay away from those guys, Paige. They’re bad news. In fact, stay away from the whole male gender. They suck.”
And with that she spun on her heel and headed for the door.
Fascinated, Paige watched the tall, hot coastie looking granite-faced and dangerous as he contemplated her friend’s stiff departing back.
That’s one hot BAB, she thought, referring to her and Frankie’s name for bad alpha boys. Or was that badass boys? She couldn’t remember because they’d both been a little tipsy at the time.
She could feel the simmering testosterone and attitude from clear across the room. Then he turned and their eyes met. Yikes, she thought, a very bad BAB. And, boy, he had “military” badass written all over him.
Used to dealing with alpha males, Paige narrowed her eyes and mouthed a fierce “I’m watching you”, feeling invincible because just last night she had taken out an intruder with nothing but a flashlight and her awesome ninja skills.
After a long moment his mouth kicked up at one corner like he found her cute and amusing, and right there, in Sid’s Diner, Paige decided Frankie was right.
Men sucked and Paige was going to have no problem heeding her own as well as Frankie’s advice.
She was going to stay away from men—especially the tall dark cranky ones who broke into people’s houses as easily as they broke women’s hearts.
* * *
Ty was trying to dry himself one-handed after a shower when he heard pounding on the front door. Wondering if some of the crazy women he’d left LA to escape had tracked him down, he wrapped a towel around his hips and whipped open the bathroom door...coming face to face with—
“Aaaai-ya!”
He ducked just in time to avoid being beaned with a...frying pan?
Reacting without thinking, he shot out a hand and yanked the pan away before Paige Carlyle could take another swing at him.
“What the hell, woman?”
She let rip with an ear-piercing shriek and scrambled backwards, her expression one of shocked surprise. Before Ty could reassure her that he wasn’t a pervert hiding in her shower, the front door crashed open and heavy steps pounded up the stairs.
A large man appeared at the top of the landing in a fighter’s crouch, dark eyes hard and cold, ready to take down the enemy. In that instant Ty’s towel lost the battle and slid to the floor.
The newcomer instantly took in the scene and after a stunned pause visibly relaxed. His mouth kicked up at one corner as he rose to his full height.
“Well, now,” he drawled, hooking the arm of his aviator shades in the neck of his tee-shirt. “Am I missing something, T?”
Ty didn’t know who was more surprised by the frozen tableau on the landing, him, Paige or—
“Nate?”
Slapping a hand to her chest, Paige gasped furiously, “Omigod! What are you doing here?” and collapsed against the banister. She wrapped one arm around the landing rail as though to keep her from sliding to the floor. “I thought you’d left,” she squeaked, her tone rising into the stratosphere. “I thought you’d... Who is he?” She gestured wildly at Nate, nearly whacking herself in the head. “And what the heck is a m-military B-BAB doing in my h-house?”
He and Nathan Oliver—whom Ty had last seen just before he’d deployed to some hotspot six months ago—shared a confused look. “Military BAB?” Ty asked what was on both their minds.
She finally lost her battle with gravity and plopped onto the floor, breathing as though she’d run up the north face of the Olympic Mountains. “I’m still asleep, aren’t I?” she gasped, rubbing the heel of her hand against her chest and clearly on the verge of a coronary. Then she looked up and locked eyes with the part of him at eye level and gave a strangled squeak.
“Omigod!” she gasped, slapping a hand over her eyes. “My eyes.”
Nate snickered as Ty whipped the frying pan up to cover himself. He sent his friend a dark look and turned to apologize but Paige had drawn up her legs and dropped her forehead on her knees. She was breathing heavily and muttering to herself.
“This is just a nightmare, Paige,” he heard her mutter in a singsong voice. “Wake up and take a deep breath.” She made a few gasping sounds. “That’s it...nice and easy.” For several long moments she continued to breathe like she was practicing for the labor ward while he and Nate watched in fascination.
Finally... “There you are. Now you’re going to open your eyes and everything will be back to normal. Nice...and...normal.” Another deep breath, this one less panicked. “No more sexy...naked...men.” She gave a snorting laugh that he was pretty sure was an insult to his manhood. “Or military BABs anywhere. Poof. Gone.”
