Her Heart's Desire

“That’s not what I mean, and you know it. It’s written all over that stern face of yours. You’re attracted to her.”

“I’ve got work to do, Cole,” Ivan said.

Cole stood up. “Fine. I guess I’ll let you get back to it, then.”

“Good. I’ll see you later.”

After his brother left, Ivan resumed working. He was diligent for a while, but his attention kept straying to Tiffany. She was unlike any woman he knew. Her sense of humor made him smile, and her beauty and spirit appealed to him.

But Cole’s reference to Munich was a somber reminder not to get involved with clients. The Munich incident had involved a friend of a client. When it was time for him to leave, she had not taken the news well. That had caused animosity from his client, and Ivan had vowed to keep things strictly professional after that.

Standing up suddenly, Ivan decided to go for a run. Physical exertion would get Tiffany Gentry off his mind—and if it didn’t, he was in trouble.

Big trouble.

Chapter 3

The party was at MG restaurant in a private dining room on the second floor. It was sophisticated and quiet, with perfect views of the Magnificent Mile. It was a fitting backdrop to celebrate her best friend’s first wedding anniversary. Tiffany set her gift on a beautifully decorated table, then walked over to hug Adrian’s mother.

“How are you, Ms. Jeannie? The room is amazing.”

Norma Jean Anderson beamed with pride. “Honey, they’ve outdone themselves,” she replied, hooking her arm through Tiffany’s. “I couldn’t be more pleased. This is the first restaurant they dined at after returning from their honeymoon. I thought it a fitting place for the newlyweds to celebrate their first year together.”

“I agree. You look beautiful, too.”

Norma Jean’s silver cowl-necked gown shimmered on her slender body and complemented her honey-toned complexion. Her gray hair was cut short in a style that suited her no-nonsense personality and classic elegance.

“Thank you, dear. You look divine in that dress of yours. Good thing there’ll be plenty of single men at this party like I promised.” Norma Jean nudged Tiffany.

“About that, Ms. Jeannie,” Tiffany began.

“Speaking of single men, did you call Colonel Mangum?”

“I did,” Tiffany replied. “He came out to the shop today and looked around.”

“He did?” Norma Jean replied. “And?”

“And he said he’d give me a quote in a few days.”

Norma Jean leaned closer to Tiffany. “Ivan is such a sweet man. Why he’s still single is anyone’s guess.”

Tiffany ignored that remark. Luckily Heathcliffe Anderson came up behind his wife just then. He greeted Tiffany and placed an arm around Norma Jean.

Norma Jean kissed Tiffany’s cheek and then turned to her husband. “Cliff, don’t just stand there, go alert the photographer that Adrian and Milán are here while I get the group in position.”

Her husband shook his head and leaned down and whispered conspiratorially in Tiffany’s ear, “Jeannie told me I didn’t have to do any work for this shindig, but we see how that turned out.” With a wink, he headed off to complete his assignment.

Tiffany hoped that when she got to be Ms. Jeannie’s age, she and her husband would tease each other like that. If she were married, that is. Up to this point, not one marriage in her family could be considered a testament to happily-ever-after. Her parents had divorced when she was fifteen, and were cordial when forced to be in close proximity. But the tension was always thick enough to cut. The other relatives that stayed married were so miserable, they would have been better off going their separate ways.

Tiffany was talking with friends when Mr. and Mrs. Adrian Anderson entered. The crowd applauded and cheered as the two made their way to the center of the room. After welcoming the guests and toasting the happy couple, Norma Jean turned the floor over to Milán and Adrian. After all the speeches were finished, Tiffany went over to her best friend, and the two women embraced.

“You look amazing,” Tiffany said.

“Gracias. Tú también,” Milán replied.

“You should have seen how long it took me to pull this together.”

“It’s the end result that matters, amiga.”

Before she knew it, Tiffany was the center of attention. Several people joined their group, and conversation about marital bliss took a backseat to discussion on the available bachelors in the room, courtesy of Norma Jean.

“We’re here to have a good time, remember?” Tiffany pointed out. “Don’t worry about me. I’m too busy for a serious relationship. My shop is the love of my life right now.”

“Honey, you work too much. What you need is the love of a good man to keep you warm at night, not a laptop.”

They all turned to see Norma Jean standing behind them.

A red tint spread across Tiffany’s face. She tried to hide her embarrassment. “I’m fine...really.”

Adrian wrapped an arm around his mother. “You heard her, Mom. Time for us to butt out.”

“Mmm-hmm. That’s what you and your buddies said over the last few years, and look what happened. I found perfect women for you—and the rest is history.” Norma Jean beamed with pride. “Another love connection for the Love Broker.”

Everyone laughed at Norma Jean’s use of their nickname for her.

“If I remember correctly, I couldn’t stand your son when I met him,” Milán said sweetly.

“And then I turned on the charm, and you were a goner,” Adrian boasted.

The whole group let out a collective groan.

Norma Jean turned to Tiffany. “What you need, dear, are my expert matchmaking skills. Don’t worry, lovebird, I’ll find your mate soon enough. You need to make time for some—”

“Jeannie,” Milán said quickly. “Isn’t it time for Adrian and my first dance?”

“You heard my blushing bride, Mom. Tiempo de bailar! Time to dance.”

Norma Jean gasped. “Come on, you two,” she said, ushering the couple away.

Tiffany mouthed a “thank you” to her best friend before she left to dance.

* * *

Tiffany was in a mood by the time she arrived home. She glanced across the hall to Milán’s old apartment. She missed her friend. Now more than ever, Tiffany wished she were there to talk things over with while eating a pint of their favorite ice cream and watching a good movie. With a loud sigh, she locked the door behind her and headed straight for the bedroom.

After a shower, she slipped on a pair of pajama bottoms and a T-shirt before going to the kitchen to retrieve a spoon and a cup of ice cream. Returning, Tiffany plopped down on the bed. While she ate, she contemplated Norma Jean’s words. Was she lonely? Was her job destined to be her only meaningful relationship?

Her store did take up a lot of time, but she loved it, and wanted her business to thrive. Still, she missed having a special man in her life to hang out with, share her thoughts with. Having someone share your bed wouldn’t be bad, either.

Her phone vibrated. She set her cup on the nightstand and picked it up.

She was surprised to see a missed call from Ivan. She dialed voice mail, and Ivan’s warm, deep voice filled her ear.

“Hello, Tiffany. This is Ivan Mangum. I have your quote ready. Call me, and we’ll schedule a time to meet.”

She listened to him recite his telephone number. Twice. She checked the time. It was almost eleven. She pondered if it was too late to call. Being ex-army, wasn’t he used to late hours?

Tiffany dialed his number and waited. She prepared to leave a message, but was startled when Ivan picked on the second ring.

“Oh...hi. It’s Tiffany. I hope I’m not disturbing you. I didn’t know if it was too late to call.”

“Of course not.” There was surprise in his voice. “Are you available on Monday to go over my proposal?”

“Uh, sure.”

“Great, how about three o’clock?”

“That’s fine.”

“Good. See you Monday.”

She nodded as though he could see her.

“Good night, Tiffany. Have a great weekend.”

Unable to stop herself, she grinned at his use of her name.

“Good night, Ivan, and you do the same.”

Tiffany returned her phone to the nightstand and replayed the conversation in her head. His voice was so sexy. It resonated in her ear when he said her name. A tingle shot down her spine. Unable to help herself, Tiffany thought about seeing him again.

Being attracted to him would probably turn out to be a colossal waste of time, but for right now, in this moment, she allowed herself to revel in the excitement of how he made her feel. After turning out the light and pulling up the covers, she closed her eyes, and Ivan instantly appeared—just as sexy and compelling as he was in person. Her stomach quivered in reaction as though he were standing right there.

For tonight, the image of Ivan Mangum would have to do.

Chapter 4

The weekend flew by for Tiffany. On Monday, at three o’clock on the dot, Ivan walked through the door.

“Welcome back,” she said.

“Thanks. I spotted a coffee shop down the street. I thought we could go there and talk.”

“That’s fine. I’ll get my purse.”

Tiffany went into the back room and retrieved her purse from a cabinet. She used a small mirror to freshen her makeup.

It’s not a date, she scolded herself while applying lipstick. Tiffany returned to where Ivan was waiting. He held the door for her as they stepped outside into the afternoon sun.

“So how long have you been in the area?” he asked conversationally.

“A few years. I’m originally from Baltimore. I’m an only child, and thought that it was time to change scenery. I came here for a job and never left.”

“Are you close with your parents?”

“For the most part. I miss having them nearby, but they visit when they can. Separately, of course. Together would be a definite nightmare, since they’re divorced.

“And since my business started, I haven’t really had the chance to get there as often as I’d like.”

“What do your parents do?”

“My father is a principal at a high school, and my mother works in human resources at a global investment firm downtown.” She turned to him. “What about you?”

“I was born here. My father was a colonel in the army, and my mother was a professor in the classics department at a local university. We traveled a lot, either for my mother’s book research or when my father got new orders. In retrospect, my father played a large part in my decision to join the army and go to Officer Candidate School after college.”

“That must’ve been fun.”

“Loads.” He laughed. “I’ve been out for a while and started my company two years ago. I’ve been pretty busy ever since.”

“Well, on behalf of civilians everywhere, I want to thank you for protecting our freedom and liberties,” she said.

A wide smile etched his face. “Thanks. It was my honor to serve my country.”

He held the door to the coffee shop open. They placed their order, and Ivan insisted on paying.

Tiffany found a table, and he came over with their drinks.

She inhaled the aromatic smell of her chai latte. “You don’t strike me as the tea type.”

He glanced down at his green tea. A lopsided grin etched his face. “I only drink coffee when I’m on assignments.”

“So you install security systems for a living?”

“No. I installed one a year ago for my grandmother’s assisted-living facility and picked up a few more locations by word of mouth. I’ve done a few businesses in Chicago. One being the community center where Ms. Jeannie teaches classes. I’ve taught a few senior security classes there.”

“You’re big on security.”

He laughed. “You could say that. My company, Mangum and Associates, specializes in personal protection for dignitaries, business executives and notables. We take long and short-term assignments.”

“Wow, so you’re like high-end bodyguards. Have you ever protected anyone famous?”

“A few,” he admitted.

“Seeing all those new places must be exciting for you.”

“Not all glitz and glamour, I assure you. It’s plenty of long hours, even longer reports and not much of a social life. In fact, I live a pretty monklike existence.”

“I’m familiar with that,” she said drily. “Not the danger and intrigue, but the long hours, minuscule social life and loads of paperwork. So why the business of protection?”

Ivan shrugged. “It seemed a natural extension of my skill set, plus I enjoy it.”

“I’m sure the world is a much safer place because of it,” she said sincerely.

Ivan glanced up. Their gazes connected across the table.

Clearing his throat, he opened his laptop. “I suppose we should get started.”

* * *

For the next thirty-five minutes, Ivan laid out his plan for Tiffany’s store. He took into account everything she asked for, plus a few Mission: Impossible–type features that she didn’t. When Tiffany started to protest, he cut her off.

“It wasn’t as expensive as you think.” He slid his laptop around to face her. “See?”

Tiffany scanned over the screen. She blinked a few times. “Wow, this is actually...affordable.”

“I get discounts on the merchandise, and my fee is reasonable.”

“Ivan, this seems like almost a pass-through on costs.”

“I’m not doing this to become wealthy, Tiffany. This is more of a hobby for me. The work I do at Mangum is high stress, keeps me busy and affords a great living. The services I provide to the community allow me to give back.”

She looked skeptical.

“It’s true.” He chuckled. “Now stop worrying, and tell me when you’d like to get started. It won’t take more than an evening or two to get it done. We work at night so there’s no interruption to you or your customers.”

“We?”

“I’ll be getting my brother, Cole, to help out,” he explained. “It will go much faster that way.”

“You have a brother? I don’t know why, but I assumed you were an only child.”

“Cole is my younger brother. It’s just the two of us. I think we exhausted our parents, so they quit while they were ahead,” he joked.

“My parents weren’t able to have more children, so I was it. Normally, I don’t miss having a sibling, but there are times when it would be nice to have more family—or at least a buffer every now and then.”

Ivan glanced over with a quizzical expression.

“They argued a lot toward the end. It was intense at times,” she explained.

That caused Ivan to frown. “I bet that was hard on you.”

She shrugged. “Kids are resilient. I learned to cope.” Tiffany played with her cup. “You know, I cried with relief when they told me they were getting divorced.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“I wasn’t. Besides, I got another bedroom to call my own, so it all worked out. But enough about me. What about you?”

“My parents are still married and in love. Which only makes them more interested in what my brother and I are up to,” he said, trying to interject some levity.

“Sounds like they’d get along quite well with Ms. Jeannie,” Tiffany joked.

* * *

Ivan observed various emotions cross Tiffany’s face. She wasn’t as unaffected by her family’s problems as she tried to portray. There was real pain in her expression and body language. Before he knew it, he reached across the table and covered her hand with his. He squeezed it reassuringly, giving her some of his strength. A shocked expression crossed her face momentarily, but then she relaxed.

“I’ll bet your rooms were every teenage girl’s dream.” He watched a few tears glisten in her eyes before she blinked them away.

She laughed. “Maybe not, but I thought they were pretty cool.”

He released her hand. To give her a chance to compose herself, Ivan relayed some tales of his childhood. The sparkle in her eyes slowly returned, and she even chimed in with some funny stories of her own. Reluctantly, their discussion returned to work, and they were able to finalize the plans and payment arrangements. When they were done, Ivan escorted Tiffany back to her store. He held the door open for her, but stopped just inside.

“Thanks for this afternoon. And thank you for the wonderful security system, Ivan.”

He chuckled. “That’s the first time someone’s thanked me in advance.”

“That’s because I know I’ll love it.”

“Then you’re welcome...in advance.” He smiled broadly. “Cole and I will see you on Wednesday.”

“Great, and thanks again.”

Ivan took her hand in his again and squeezed. “Anytime.”

Moments later, Ivan was getting into his SUV. Their afternoon together had been illuminating. He learned that Tiffany held a lot inside, and that her emotions ran deep. He was surprised that sharing a few of her childhood memories had caused her composure to slip. Seeing her distressed like that had stirred something inside him. He barely knew her, and yet wanted nothing more than to protect her from the sadness lurking behind her eyes.

Then he recalled his vow on remaining strictly professional. Cole would have a field day when he found out Ivan’s latest predicament. With a wry smile, he started his truck and pulled off.

* * *

Inside the store, Tiffany’s sales associate, Celeste, came over to her. “Aside from having lunch with a bona fide hunk, what’s got you in such a good mood?”

“It wasn’t lunch,” Tiffany corrected. “It was a business meeting. I’m getting a new security system for the store. It’s long overdue.”

The younger woman tilted her head to the side. “Are you sure it’s not the man installing it that’s got you so happy?”

“Don’t be silly.” Tiffany tried to sound stern, but failed miserably. She couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. “He’s simply doing a favor for a mutual friend. Nothing more.”

“Sure he is.”

In truth, Tiffany hardly believed her own words, either. The second his hand touched hers at the café, a spark had flickered inside. The prospect of seeing him again was exciting, but grinning from ear to ear would blow her cover. She started to tell herself that he was a regular guy, but stopped. Not for one second was Ivan Mangum a regular anything.

Tiffany decided to call Milán to get a second opinion. The moment she answered, Tiffany whispered into the receiver, “I’ve got a dilemma.”

“What’s his name?”

Tiffany hesitated. She was about to step off a precipice, and when she did, there was no going back. With a deep breath, she said, “It’s...Ivan Mangum.”

“You mean the—”

“Yes.”

“With the—”

“Yes,” she interjected again. “But you can’t tell Jeannie, Milán.”

“Why not?”

“Are you kidding? If she hears that I find Ivan as delectable as a Krispy Kreme doughnut, she’ll be all over me like cling wrap to stake my claim on him.”

“And what’s wrong with that? You should snap him up before someone else notices that he’s single, attractive and a good guy.”

“Yeah about that—don’t you find it odd that he’s even available?” Tiffany countered. “Maybe he’s got seven kids in four different cities, or he’s commitment-shy?”

“Tiff, has it ever occurred to you that he could be single for the same reasons you are? Need I remind you of Adrian and me?”

“No,” she said quickly. “I get it. Maybe nothing’s wrong with him, and he’s single for no good reason...”

“It’s possible he hasn’t found the right person—just like you.”

Tiffany sighed. “Okay, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.”

“I’m glad. And you will be, too.”

“We’ll see.”

“So how long do you think it’ll take Norma Jean to figure out you like Ivan?”

“There’s no way I’m telling her anytime soon.”

“Trust me, if she gets a whiff of attraction, she’ll ply you with questions until you crack and spill the beans—I’ve been there. And if she sees you and Ivan together...”

With a gasp, Tiffany said, “That can’t happen, Milán, I mean it. Under no circumstances is Norma Jean to find out that I think of Ivan as anything but the guy who’s installing my security system.”

“It’s not me you have to worry about, chica,” Milán said.

She was right. Adrian’s mother had X-ray vision when it came to seeing what people didn’t want revealed, and her inconvenient habit of not being able to say Ivan’s name without smiling would be as noticeable as a flare shot into the sky. “Let’s face it, I’m screwed.”

“Don’t say that,” Milán admonished. “You’ll be fine. Besides, Norma Jean won’t be there Wednesday.”

“True,” Tiffany said with relief. “I don’t know what the heck’s wrong with me. Normally, I’m unflappable.”

“Totally unflappable.” Her friend snickered.

“I can do this. The next time he walks through that door, I’ll be cool and strictly professional. Mark my words, Operation Dry Ice is in effect,” Tiffany said, with feeling.

Now if she could only get her heart on board with the plan.

Chapter 5

The shrill ring of Ivan’s cell phone woke him up. Instantly alert, he retrieved it from his nightstand. “Mangum.”

“I’m sorry to bother you at home, sir,” his assistant, Curtis, said in a worried voice. “I’m afraid we have a situation. One that demands your immediate attention.”

“Sure, Curtis, what’s up?”

“There was an incident in Vancouver. Our client is fine,” his assistant assured him, “but Daniels was busted up pretty bad. I’ve sent another member of the team to take over, but...the client is insisting that you come personally.”

Ivan swore under his breath. “Understood. Make the arrangements. We’ll leave as soon as the plane’s ready. I want a briefing on the situation by the time wheels are up.”

“Yes, sir.”

He hung up and strode to his closet to start packing. Damn. He’d tell Cole his plans on the way out. Right now, Ivan needed to gather all the facts about the mishap to do damage control. At Mangum, an unhappy client was completely unacceptable.

* * *

On Wednesday, Tiffany closed up the shop early to accommodate Ivan and his brother. She set out snacks and drinks on the table in the storage room. She was working on inventory orders when a man walked through the door.

She knew immediately that he was Ivan’s brother. The resemblance was strong, but Ivan was broader in build, taller, and his eyes were more golden. She went to greet him. “You must be Cole.” She smiled.

He shook her hand. “I am. How are you, Miss Gentry?”

“I’m well, and call me Tiffany. Thanks for coming.” She looked behind him to see another man following. They made introductions. “Good to meet you, John.” Tiffany couldn’t help but ask, “Is Ivan on his way?”

Cole shook his head. “He’s been unavoidably detained. He asked me to apologize, and to let you know he’ll arrive as soon as he can.”

“Oh. No problem. I’ll show you around.”

Tiffany was disappointed, but tried to hide it. A short time later, Milán and Norma Jean came through the door.

When she saw them, she had to stifle a groan. “What a nice surprise,” Tiffany said pointedly.

“Isn’t it? Jeannie thought you’d like to join us for dinner,” Milán replied brightly.

“Yeah, and I wanted to see how Ivan was working out,” Norma Jean added.

Tiffany schooled her features. She didn’t need Norma Jean’s radar going off. “Oh, well, Colonel Mangum isn’t here, but should be soon. Dinner sounds great. I’ll go get my purse.” She sped off.

“Hello, Cole,” Norma Jean said when she spotted him. She walked over and hugged him. “Deciding to give the ladies a break this evening?”

“Now why would I do that, Ms. Jeannie?” Cole grinned. “Besides, it’s early yet.”

“Scoundrel,” she replied in mock disapproval. “Where’s that brother of yours? He’d better not be loafing around. I talked him up to Tiffany, so my reputation is on the line.”

“Don’t worry, it’s still intact,” Ivan called from the doorway.

Tiffany’s pulse quickened. He wore army fatigues, and looked more delectable than usual.