Chapter Four

 

Steve was already halfway down the block, tucked invisibly between buildings, when Sam emerged the next morning. Using the skills for which he had been nicknamed, he stayed in the shadows while following her progress.

When she first passed by where he was hidden, she hesitated slightly, as if sensing his presence, then quickened her pace. Steve smiled grimly to himself. The woman had good instincts, and that only reinforced his somewhat questionable decision to play silent bodyguard.

He tried to tell himself that he would be compelled to do the same for anyone, that protecting others was wired into his DNA, but that wouldn’t be true. For some reason he couldn’t quite fathom, he couldn’t stop thinking about his neighbor.

It wasn’t as if she had been trying to get his attention, either. Just the opposite, in fact. She didn’t seem interested in him at all. Maybe that was what had garnered his attention. Women, even those who had no intention of engaging, often flirted with him or looked at him a certain way. Just because he wasn’t interested didn’t mean he wasn’t aware.

That wasn’t an overinflated ego talking. He wasn’t special. Every man on his team got the same treatment. Just as most men couldn’t help noticing a beautiful, curvaceous woman, most women responded to cut physiques and the quiet confidence that said they knew they were the biggest, baddest things in the room.

But not his neighbor.

Oh, there had been a brief flare of feminine appreciation in her pretty gray-green eyes, but she didn’t seem inclined to acknowledge it. And that, along with the sense that she was in danger, intrigued him. Besides, if he concentrated on her and her problems, he wouldn’t have to think too hard about his own.

Once he was sure she was safely in the coffee shop, he looped around and headed toward the park. It took only minutes to find what he had been looking for—the depressions between trunks in a copse of thick evergreens that suggested someone had been standing there for some time.

He peered through the branches, confirming his earlier suspicions. Not only had he felt sights on him after Sam’s light went out the night before, but he had seen the telltale flash of something metallic. A watch maybe, or a ring.

Whoever the unwelcome observer was, he had left no further evidence of his presence. He was a novice, but a novice with just enough skill to be dangerous.

Steve worked his way back to his apartment, his thoughts whirling. Who was stalking his neighbor, and why? Was he dangerous, or just a harmless peeping Tom?

Steve made a mental note to talk to Cage. According to Church, Cage was the go-to guy when it came to needing intel. Maybe he could provide some information, fill in a few blanks, starting with Sam’s full name.

After changing into manual labor appropriate clothing, Steve stopped by the café, pleased to find another line. It would give him time to observe.

A few college kids huddled over a round table in the corner, looking at something on an iPad. An elderly man sipped his coffee, his eyes flicking between the stack of papers in front of him and an older woman two tables over.

The hairs on the back of his neck prickled, but not in a bad way, drawing his attention over to the other side of the café, where a pair of attractive women in business casual were giving him appreciative glances.

He didn’t acknowledge them one way or the other. He wasn’t here for them. And the pretty brunette he was here for was too busy to notice him as he slowly advanced toward the front counter.

Nothing out of the ordinary happened. There were no pricks in the line ahead of him, and that sense of danger he had felt yesterday was noticeably absent today.

“Six extra-large coffees and a dozen muffins, please.”

Her eyes widened when she realized he was the next customer, but then her pretty pink lips quirked when he gave his order. “Feeling especially hungry and thirsty this morning, Steve?”

He grinned back, ignoring the way his balls suddenly tightened at the sound of his name on her lips. “Yes, but those aren’t all for me.”

“Sure, they’re not. Whatever you say.” Her eyes twinkled, and damn, he liked that, too.

What was this? Were they flirting? Suddenly, he felt awkward. Normal, everyday things like playful teasing weren’t even on his radar. Then she smiled at him again and he didn’t care.

She put the coffees in a convenient carry tray then filled a small box with an assortment of muffins that made his mouth water. “Try not to eat them all at once,” she teased.

“I will, but no promises. These things are addictive. My compliments to the chef.”

A light flush rose in her cheeks, but he could tell she was pleased.

Satisfied she was safe for now, he paid for his purchases. “Thanks, Sam. See you tomorrow.”

* * *

So, he was planning on coming back, was he? The thought probably shouldn’t have been as appealing as it was.

Sam watched her neighbor walk out, balancing the tray of coffees and box of muffins in those big hands of his. Visions of exactly what he could do with those hands commandeered her thoughts for a moment until the next customer’s deliberate throat clearing brought her back to the present.

“Yeah, I’d hit that.”

Sam’s gaze snapped to the thirty-something whose eyes were glued to the back pockets of Steve’s snug-fitting jeans. Only once he had disappeared out the door did the woman look back at Sam.

“Friend of yours?”

“Neighbor,” Sam answered truthfully.

“Lucky you.”

The somewhat surprising, and totally irrational, ripple of jealousy faded at the customer’s words, even as the also surprising, and totally irrational, words, “Yes, I am,” almost shot out of her mouth, yet remained unspoken. Simply knowing she would probably be seeing more of Steve, and this woman wouldn’t, was oddly satisfying.

Also satisfying, Mr. Santori was looking over the quarterly reports she had put together in preparation for the upcoming meeting with the bank. They showed a marked improvement in the business, thanks to all her hard work. Her business degree and years of working in her grandparents’ bakery were paying off. She was finally going to get a place of her own!

Sam left the café feeling optimistic that afternoon, but the feeling didn’t last. That warning prickle, the one that made her feel as if she was being watched, started up again when she was about to leave the ATM. As she waited for her receipt to print, she tried to remain calm and casual as she looked around. That was when she noticed Steve coming out of the bank.

Without hesitation, she ripped the receipt from the slot and walked toward him with quick, deliberate steps, intended to intercept. He looked much as he had the day before, as if he had just come from working outside. She couldn’t help wondering what he did. Whatever it was, he sure wasn’t spending his days sitting passively behind a desk somewhere.

His firm male lips turned up when he spotted her, sending a pleasant, tingling sensation into her belly and below. “We’ve got to stop meeting like this,” he quipped.

Something like relief settled over her, allowing a small, nervous chuckle to escape. “Our paths do seem to be crossing quite often,” she agreed.

“Must be fate.” He winked. “Heading back to the apartments?”

She nodded.

“Me, too. Mind if I walk with you?”

“Not at all,” she said, maybe a little too quickly if the way his eyes narrowed was any indication. Thankfully, he didn’t call her on it.

“I think I might have unknowingly created a few monsters today,” he said casually as they walked along. His legs were much longer than hers, but he slowed his pace for her. She appreciated that.

“Oh? And why is that?”

“The guys loved the coffee and muffins. They’re demanding I bring them every day now.”

She laughed softly. “I’m glad. If you’re serious, I can have something ready for you. That way you won’t have to wait as long.”

“Oh, I’m serious. They threatened to go on strike if I don’t.”

“Well, we can’t have that.”

“Definitely not.”

They walked the rest of the way in a comfortable, companionable silence. As he had the night before, he hung back near the stairwell when she went for the elevator.

“Trust me,” she said, holding the doors open. “You’re fine.”

He grinned, sending more little sparks shooting into areas that hadn’t experienced sparks for a long time.

“If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure.”

After another moment or two of hesitation, he joined her in the elevator car. Though he didn’t crowd her, his presence did manage to fill the space around her. She was acutely aware of his scent; woodsy with a touch of sawdust, and very masculine. Hardly off-putting. On the contrary, it conjured images of sultry nights and naked bodies.

“Hey, uh, Sam,” he said almost shyly as they reached their floor.

“Yes?” Heat flooded her cheeks. Surely, he hadn’t read her mind.

“Do you know any good take-out places that deliver around here? I haven’t had a chance to pick up much in the way of food and cooking supplies yet.”

She paused, somewhat relieved and disappointed that he hadn’t asked her something else.

“What do you like?”

“I’m a guy. I like meat.” He laughed. “But I’m not really into fast food.”

“Hmm … Well, that narrows things down,” she said as she considered the options. “I’ve heard people talk about that new steakhouse. I don’t think they deliver, but they do call-aheads and curbside pickup.”

“That works for me. Have you ever tried them?”

“Not personally, no.”

“Would you like to? I can order something for both of us, pick it up, and bring it back here.”

Sam hesitated at the door, the desire to say yes surprisingly strong. However, something held her back.

Was he asking her out? Or just being neighborly? It was impossible to tell by his hooded expression.

She forced the words out before she started something she might regret. “No, but thanks.”

Disappointment flashed briefly in his eyes. “Okay then. Have a good evening.”

“Thanks. You, too.”

Sam stepped into her apartment, hearing his door close a moment later. She exhaled heavily. Had she just made a mistake by refusing his offer? She was tired, and she really didn’t feel like cooking for herself, yet she didn’t want to give him the wrong impression, either. Yeah, he was extremely good-looking and sparked an interest she hadn’t felt in a long time, but she wasn’t exactly in a good place to start anything. Plus, purely physical relationships weren’t her thing, no matter how much her body might be disagreeing with her at that moment.

As was her routine, she turned on her lights and opened the windows, checked the closets and made use of the bathroom. Everything seemed okay.

She had only taken a few steps into her bedroom when the heavy scent hit her. She froze, her gaze landing on the bouquet of colorful flowers on her dresser.

Then, she screamed.

* * *

Anthony watched from the corner bus stop as Samantha and that tenacious meathead walked down the street together. They didn’t appear to be talking to one another. Samantha kept her gaze ahead, while her irritating companion discreetly scanned the surrounding area.

Anthony held his breath as G.I. Joe’s gaze briefly landed on him, then let it out as it moved on.

Did he know?

No, he couldn’t possibly know. Anthony had been too careful. He had covered his tracks well. By the time G.I. Joe figured it out, if he ever did, he and Samantha would be long gone.

Nevertheless, until then, the guy would remain an irritant. He was clearly interested in Samantha, another dog after Anthony’s girl.

He didn’t blame Samantha, though. She couldn’t help that she was beautiful and that other men were naturally attracted to her.

Anthony didn’t like other men looking at her like that. If she had scars, like him, they would leave her alone. Not him, though. Unlike those mangy curs who just wanted her for her pretty face and curvy body, Anthony loved her for what she was on the inside.

That was why he had left her the flowers, so she would know.

He had left something for G.I. Joe, too. He hoped they both enjoyed their surprises.