“Few things in this world tear me up anymore. It isn’t that every sound makes me jump, or each vehicle backfire throws me back into the war. That isn’t how my PTSD forms. I don’t think my car is going to roll over a nonexistent IED, or that insurgents are hiding around the corner. No. I just can’t feel the emotions a person should experience. Not much of anything. Not when I see a beautiful woman. Nothing.”

—Diary of Dylan Westcott.

When Dylan saw the woman, his reaction threw him off guard. Completely.

He’d forced himself out of his apartment door that morning. He realized that if he didn’t get his ass in gear and make an appearance—even a short one—at Fletch’s door, he’d get an ass chewing. He went into his Thanksgiving morning with a vow, though. No way would he go for Fletch’s idea that he turn into a bodyguard. Wasn’t. Happening.

That’s why when he saw the tall woman standing in the kitchen with Emily, he almost forgot everything and everyone else in the room. Her short dark brown hair was bouncy and curly. Clear stud earrings twinkled in her earlobes. A green faceted pendant hung around her neck, and a fancy ring sparkled on her right hand.

Dumbstruck, he couldn’t look away from her. She had an oval face and delicate features, and her skin looked pale and flawless. Her big brown eyes swallowed him, and he thought he caught a hint of caution and maybe fear inside them. Her slim right hand went to her throat when she saw him, like she was shocked. Why was she looking at him like that?

Hell no. He didn’t want her to be afraid of him, and maybe at one time he would’ve rushed to reassure her in some way. His appearance sometimes scared people. They saw the longish hair, his size, and what Fletch called his “resting dick face” and they ran for cover.

He’d acknowledged a long time ago that he had a mean expression and nothing short of a big smile ever seemed to remove it. At one time he’d smiled and laughed a lot. These days…well…it took more to smile. Period. Especially when the smile was fake through and through.

As for looking like a killer biker, he supposed he could’ve cut his hair, shaved his face and smiled more. Yet all those years of needing to be clean shaven and wearing military short hair held little appeal to him now.

When she came around the side of the counter, he noticed her slim body. She wore a green turtleneck sweater and jeans with athletic shoes. Not fancy, but with an air of sophistication and class. A no fuss woman. A refreshing change from other women he’d dated in the distant past.

Dated? No way. Where had that come from? I’m not going to date her.

Fletch steered Dylan toward the woman.

“Dylan Westcott, this is Terra Fitzgerald,” Fletch said.

As he’d feared, she was the woman Fletch wanted him to protect.

Damn. Damn it.

Dylan held his hand out, and she smiled and took his grip with a solid handshake of her own. Her palm was warm and silky, and it sent a hot jolt straight to his groin.

Holy shit. Keep it together.

Her smile held warmth and acceptance, and he about melted under it. She released his hand. “Are you Big Saw?”

He returned her grin. “That’s me.”

“I’ve never understood the whole nickname thing with military men,” Terra said even as her smile said she was kidding.

Emily handed Dylan a beer. Just the brand he usually drank on the rare occasion he went to a party.

“Tell her how you got the nickname,” Emily said with a mischievous grin.

Dylan took a swig of beer and then shrugged. “I was in a military services sports competition. I won the wood sawing competition. Before that I never had a nickname.”

Terra’s eyebrows shot up. “Really? Did you grow up…I mean, did you learn on a farm or ranch or something to saw wood?”

With a different tone of voice or expression, Terra’s words could have sounded condescending. Yet he saw her genuinely curious expression and the fact she was impressed.

Dylan couldn’t help but grin at that one, and he really felt the amusement this time. Holy shit again. “Nope. Neither one of those. I just…I’m very strong. I just did it and won.”

Her gaze landed on his arms, as if she was assessing that strength, and a tingle started in his belly and hit his groin.

“How did you meet Fletch?” Terra asked before he could absorb that he hadn’t felt arousal like this in a long time.

He didn’t want to answer her question, though, because it meant he had to explain a lot of things he’d rather not. “We worked together a few times.”

Terra peered at him as if she wasn’t satisfied with the answer. “You were in the military?”

“Yeah, how did you know?”

“Well, I could assume it because you know Fletch…but it’s something in the way you walk. I don’t know why, but I can almost always tell if a person has been in the military,” Terra said and added a shrug.

Before Dylan could respond, Fletch said, “Come and meet the other guys.”

Dylan spent time watching college football and talking military shit with them. He purposely didn’t engage with Terra, trying to keep her out of his mind. But, yeah, that didn’t work. His gaze wanted to travel toward her, his thoughts blown away by the fact that he’d noticed her in a physical way as well.

She stayed in the kitchen with Emily and Annie as they worked on some last minute dessert.

He liked Rasheed, Marcus and Rob—they seemed like dedicated young enlisted men with their entire futures ahead of them. He saw himself in them, eager all those years ago to make a mark on the world and protect his country. Now he felt torn, understanding their drive but sad as hell he no longer possessed the inclination to serve.

The young soldiers seemed intrigued by Terra. He understood why. She possessed a genuine smile and non-judgmental aura that appealed to Dylan on a level he hadn’t felt in some time. Once he looked at her, he suddenly couldn’t tear his gaze away. She glanced up. She only met his eyes for a few seconds, but it was enough to make his breath catch in his throat. A burn started inside him again, a need to know more about her. A flush tinted her cheeks, and he wondered if he’d embarrassed her by staring.

Hell.

She was potent. He jerked his attention away from her.

The day progressed, and when Emily and Terra did join the men to watch football and talk, the hours slipped by without a hitch. Dylan avoided talking to Terra directly, and that probably made him seem like a dick. Hell, maybe he was.

A few moments later, she slipped on her coat and went into the back yard. Done with his beer, he went into the kitchen. Emily was running a mixer while Annie helped.

“Hey,” he said. “Terra all right?”

Emily shut off the mixer. “Honestly, I don’t know.”

Worry rose inside him, whether he wanted it to or not.

“What’s going on?”

Emily glanced at Annie, then up at him. “I think you should ask Terra.”

He understood. She didn’t want to talk about it in front of her child. “Right.”

He snagged his coat in the closet and went outside, two sides of him warring with one another. One side screamed to ignore Terra and her problems. He couldn’t get involved. The second said he had to check on her. Common human decency and all that. She stood outside watching nature turn the world into a frosty, overcast world.

She glanced at him. “Hi.”

She didn’t sound too pleased to see him, and internally he winced.

“Hey,” he said.

Silence immediately enveloped them as he stepped up beside her, leaving plenty of space between them.

“You okay?” he asked.

She met his gaze for a few seconds, but then quickly diverted to looking up at the sky. “I’m fine. Cloud watching. I’ve always loved doing this. Tonight’s going to be clear and cold.”

“I’m not much of a cloud watcher, but I suppose I should be.”

“No, you shouldn’t do anything you don’t want to do.”

He heard extra significance in her words, as if subtext lay there waiting to be understood.

“Thanks,” he said with a hint of humor.

“You’re welcome.”

“What about you? Do you always do things you don’t want to?”

She laughed. “All the time.”

“Ah…so is this a do as I say not as I do thing?”

“Yes.”

“I see. I’ll bet you’re doing something right now that you don’t want to do.”

“Such as?”

“Being here. Celebrating Thanksgiving.”

He saw her shoulders tense. She jerked her gaze to him. “How did you guess?”

He shrugged. “Not sure. I get feelings about people that are accurate. Don’t tell the guys that. They’ll just give me shit and call it woo-woo.”

“Really? I mean…aren’t soldiers supposed to pay attention to their instincts?”

He let that penetrate for a moment. “You’re right. The smart ones do, anyway.”

She abandoned watching the sky and turned toward him, arms crossed. “At first I didn’t want to come here. But I’m glad I did.”

Dylan kept his gaze on the scenery. He sensed if he wanted to understand her, he couldn’t force a relationship…even a casual one. Relationship? Oh, hell no. He wasn’t starting a relationship here. Just making conversation.

“Good,” was all he said.

She returned to her contemplation of the outdoors, arms still crossed.

“You didn’t want to come here today either,” she said.

“Very perceptive.”

“Okay, why did you?”

He’d never held things close to his chest…not until his world had imploded months ago.

He drew in a breath of cold air. “Fletch said he’d kick my ass if I didn’t.”

Her musical laugh stirred need inside him, an low undeniable desire.

“Emily and Fletch can be very persuasive,” she said.

“Yeah, that’s for certain.”

“So…you know Fletch from your military days, right?”

“We’ve known each other for a few years. Worked on a team.”

“Uh-huh. Delta?”

He turned toward her this time. “Yes.”

“Which branch of the military did you come from?”

“Air Force. I was a PJ for awhile.”

“Pararescue?” She turned full toward him, arms akimbo. “That’s amazing.”

He shrugged. “Always wanted to be in Pararescue. My uncle Brice was one.”

Her brows knitted. “And now you’re not in the military anymore?” Her gaze slid over him. “Unless you’ve been somewhere that requires a cover…”

“I’ve been out nine months.”

Her gaze stayed curious, but also worried. She tucked that already short hair behind her ears and those earrings twinkled. He’d never paid attention to women’s earrings before, but for some damned reason hers fascinated him.

Wonder what she’d do if I kissed those ears? Probably slap me.

His cock stirred, and he gritted his teeth. Keep it together, asshole.

“Nine months?” she asked. “You didn’t retire. You’re too young.”

“I was close to the end of my current enlistment. So when that was up, I got out.”

He could almost hear Terra’s wheels turning. She wanted to know what had sent him out of the military.

“I thought all of you guys in Delta stayed until every part of your body was used up,” she said with a smile.

Boom.

“How do you know I’m not used up?” he asked.

Her gentle laugh was soft but then her expression turned serious. “Were you injured?”

He rubbed the back of his neck as the muscles tightened. “Yes. And no.”

She gave him an exasperated look. “Which is it?”

“Physically I was okay. Used up mentally. It was time to go.”

She stepped toward him. Just one small step, but his breath caught.

She zipped her jacket. “What do you do now?”

“I’ve been helping Fletch with stuff around his property. Other odd jobs since I’m pretty good with mechanical things. There’s a military contract job…” Whoa. Slow down. She doesn’t need to know all of this.

She lifted one eyebrow. “Mercenary?”

He snorted. “Hell no. Teaching emergency medicine to firefighters and paramedics.”

Terra’s smile returned. “Sounds just right for your skills.”

“I don’t know if it is or not. I’m not sure I’ve got what it takes.”

The door behind them opened, and they both swung around to look. Fletch stood in the doorway.

“God, it’s cold out here,” Fletch said. “Dinner’s ready.”

“Awesome.” Terra headed for the door. “I’m starving.”

Dylan followed, and Fletch clapped him on the back. Dylan half expected Fletch to corner him again and insist he protect Terra. When he didn’t, Dylan was relieved ten fold. For the rest of the day, though, he regretted saying one thing.

I’m not sure I’ve got what it takes.

Because the truth hurt too damn much.

Terra enjoyed dinner. Ham, turkey, mashed potatoes with all the trimmings, and a choice of pumpkin or apple pie, made everyone groan in satisfaction and slump in their chairs. Even Dylan, who sat way down the table from her, looked satiated and ready for a nap. They hadn’t said a word to each other during the meal, and she couldn’t say it bothered her. Their short talk outside had taken her by surprise. She’d met a few of the men who worked with Fletch, and Dylan seemed different from them in a way she couldn’t pinpoint. Of course he was former Delta, and the former made him different. No, that isn’t it.

When he’d followed her outside, she’d been taken by surprise. Then she wondered if Fletch or Emily had suggested it. Yet he hadn’t flirted or made any comments she could interpret as making a move. When he hadn’t planted his rear in a chair next to her at dinner, she felt better and worse. Worse because she’d liked their short conversation, and she was curious about him. Better because she didn’t want a guy latching onto her.

Latching on? No, that didn’t seem likely for him. He didn’t have that air of desperation, or that arrogance Allan Rivers had displayed when she’d first met him. And he probably isn’t into you. Right. It wasn’t as if he found her attractive.

Yeah, but you do find him attractive.

She did. But that didn’t mean she had to act on it.

Fletch stretched. “Okay, who is volunteering for dishwashing duty?”

Rasheed and Marcus volunteered just as Terra and Dylan started to say something.

“Amazing,” Emily said. “I’ve never seen that many guys volunteer to wash dishes in my life.”

Everyone laughed.

Rasheed, Marcus, Rob, Terra and Dylan tried a rock, paper, scissors shoot out for the dish duty and Rasheed and Marcus won. That left everyone else contemplating a board game around the dining table. Terra wasn’t much for board games but decided she’d give it a whirl. Dylan joined with Emily, Fletch, Rob and Terra for a fantasy world game. Before long Terra found herself enjoying it more than she expected. Dylan seemed to loosen up, his smile brilliant and his big, deep laugh contagious. She hadn’t laughed this much in a long time. She’d forgotten how good it could make her feel.

After the last board game finished, Annie invited Terra to look at her Millennium Falcon. Terra spent quite a while in the girl’s room learning all about it, very impressed with the girl’s skill in putting it together.

Sunlight made it’s last gasp when she decided she’d head home. She grabbed her purse and coat.

“I’m outta here, too,” Dylan said as Emily handed him his leather jacket.

Emily gave them hugs. “Don’t be strangers.”

Fletch shook Dylan’s hand. “Let us know how it goes with the new job, okay?”

Dylan smiled. “If I take it.”

Fletch groaned. “Take it. That’s an order.”

Dylan grunted. “Even if I do, it doesn’t start until January. Which means I can continue to be a pain in your ass through the holidays.”

“You’re never a pain, right Fletch?” Emily asked, gently elbowing Fletch in the ribs.

Fletch slipped his arm around Emily’s shoulders. The love shining in his eyes for Emily created a sudden pang of envy within Terra. What would it be like to have that kind of relationship? To have a man care for her that deeply? Terra also envied their joking and ease around each other.

This is why I need to get a life.

“Get outta here, Westcott.” Fletch gave him a mock frown and then looked at Terra. “He’s one of the biggest pains in the ass I’ve ever met.”

Dylan smirked. “Glad to be of service.”

As Terra put on her coat, she wondered if Dylan leaving at the same time was a coincidence or if he had other motives. After they finished saying their goodbyes to everyone, they left the house and headed for their respective cars. He stopped at a dark blue truck.

“Well, it was nice to meet you. Have a good night,” she said.

Dylan put his hand out, and she took it. His warm hand enveloped her much smaller one. Sensual awareness tingled down her arm and reached low in her belly.

Okay, so I find him attractive. So what? No big deal. I’ll probably never see him again.

“Great to meet you, Terra. Have a good evening.”

His deep voice sent an additional ripple of heat through her. Man, this guy had a potent effect.

“Thanks,” she said. “You, too.”

She turned away reluctantly. The man had grown on her in the last few hours. She’d seen his sense of humor, his quietness, and appreciated that even though he’d been a member of one of the most elite military units in the world, he didn’t seem to have an ounce of arrogance. Quiet confidence, for certain. She also sensed something missing inside him wanting to get out, a part of him he’d put away never to be seen again. But maybe she should stop speculating. Allan Rivers had played the beta until his ugly side had surfaced. Dylan could be the same.

She backed out of the driveway and headed home.

Dylan pulled out of the driveway in time to see a Toyota Forerunner leave a side street and follow Terra’s car.

Suspicion hit him straight in the gut. He’d learned in the military to never ignore his instincts. Logic said he should take the next turn off to his apartment. Instead he continued behind the Toyota. When Terra turned down one road, so did the Forerunner. Dylan stayed with them. The Toyota followed Terra again when she made a turn. Again and again.

“Shit,” Dylan said.

He used his hands free cell phone system to call Fletch’s number. Fletch picked up immediately.

“Hey,” Fletch said. “You can’t miss me that much already.”

“I’m following Terra.”

“What?”

“You said she might have a stalker, right?”

“Maybe.” Fletch’s voice turned hard, the sound of a soldier in operational mode. “Why? What’s wrong?”

“I think someone is following her, so I’m tailing them both.”

“Shit. Is the vehicle a Toyota Forerunner?”

“Yeah. Off white. Eighties model maybe.”

“Damn it. I’ll head out for her apartment.”

“Give me her address in case I lose them.”

Fletch rattled off the address which Dylan memorized.

“You stay on them,” Fletch said.

“Roger that.”

They hung up. Dylan’s pulse quickened. All the old training returned. Whether he wanted to be a protector or not, he had to do it now. There was no way in hell he’d allow anyone to harm Terra.

Terra’s heart banged in her chest so hard she could hardly breath. She hadn’t experienced this much anxiety in a long time, but when the Toyota Forerunner came out of nowhere, she couldn’t help it. The car never got close enough she could see if it was Allan Rivers. What were the odds that a random off-white Forerunner just seemed to turn up nearby more than one day in a row? An earlier model Forerunner at that? She’d made several turns and had almost decided to pass her house and head to the nearest police station when the Forerunner had taken a left and headed away. She accelerated and that’s when she thought she saw a dark blue truck that looked just like Dylan’s coming up behind her. A glance in the rearview mirror told her Dylan occupied the truck. Relief surged through her.

She pulled into the apartment complex driveway, and Dylan followed her. She grabbed her parking space and Dylan found a spot nearby. He was already out of his truck and coming up beside her car.

When she opened the door, he said, “That Toyota was following you. We need to get inside the apartment building quickly. I called Fletch. He’s on his way.”

“Dylan, I’m okay now.”

Damnit. I’m terrified. Again.

“Come on. As soon as Fletch arrives, if you want to kick me out, you can.”

As they moved, he took her arm in a firm but gentle grip. The apartments had outside individual entrances and hers was in the A building on the second floor. They entered quickly. She turned on a light as he locked the door. She backed away from him and into the middle of the living room. She rummaged in her purse and grabbed her cell phone. Dylan peeked through the window shade.

“Do you see the Toyota?” she asked, her heart pounding in her ears.

“No. He might’ve figured out we’re on to him.”

Dylan stayed posted at the window. She dropped her purse on the couch but kept her phone in hand. Nervousness kept her in place—no way would she relax. A shiver ran through her body. She turned on a lamp next to her couch, and the added light added a warm glow and chased away darker thoughts.

“You have a firearm?” he asked.

A little startled, she hesitated long enough that he turned a moment to look at her.

“Uh, no,” she said.

“It’s okay. If you had one, though, I was going to suggest you get it out.” He turned back to the window.

“Do you…have a firearm?” She hadn’t seen him with one earlier, obviously, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t grabbed one from his car.

“Nope. Don’t own one. Was never that fond of them.”

She shouldn’t be surprised. Not every former military member owned and carried a personal weapon.

“Thank you,” she said.

“For what?”

“For…what made you follow me?”

His shoulders heaved in a sigh. “Fletch mentioned you had a stalker back in Denver. I was pulling out of the driveway and ended up behind the Toyota. I saw him follow you. When he followed you down more than one turn instinct kicked in.”

She wanted to ask him why Fletch had told him, but before she could Dylan said, “There’s Fletch.”

Dylan opened the door and Fletch walked in quickly. Dylan relocked the door and went back to his position at the window.

“Hey,” Fletch said, looking at them both. “You okay, Terra?”

“Yes. Fine.”

“You see any sign of the Toyota?” Dylan asked.

“Nope.” Fletch took his cell phone out of his coat pocket. “I’d better report to Emily.” He made a quick call to Emily and then turned back to them. “We need a plan.”

She sighed. “I know I have to increase my personal security for safety, but you two are not going to devise a plan and leave me out of anything. We can brainstorm together, but we are going to do this in a way that isn’t going to disrupt everyone’s life.”

Dylan nodded. “Of course.”

Terra gazed at the men standing in her living room, Dylan at the window like a sentinel, and Fletch with his hands on his hips. Neither one looked likely to budge anytime soon. She knew enough to realize they’d leave if she asked. They might be alpha males, but Fletch wouldn’t bully a woman into doing anything she didn’t want. But she’d be stupid not to talk strategy with them.

“Okay. I think I could use some coffee,” she said.

She took off her coat and slipped it around the back of a dining chair. Making the coffee amounted to stalling, but she also had a feeling she wouldn’t sleep much tonight. Once the coffee maker gurgled into life, Fletch’s cell phone rang. She didn’t pay much attention to his conversation, but quickly understood it wasn’t Emily. As she stood at the counter, he ended the phone call.

“Sorry, Terra, but I’ve got to go. I’m going wheels up.” His gaze bounced between her and Dylan.

“It’s okay. Dylan can help me figure this out,” she said. “We didn’t get a good look at the person in the Toyota. At least I can’t say for certain it’s Allan Rivers. A new restraining order or anything like that…it wouldn’t do any good if it was him. Besides, he’s supposed to still be in prison,” she said. “I’ll call the police and find out.”

“I’ve got a contact in the police department,” Fletch said. “I could check with him if you like.”

She nodded. “Okay. Thank you.”

“I’ll discuss a plan with Terra,” Dylan said. “I’ll be here at least until your contact at the police department gets back to you with information. Or until Terra kicks my ass out in the street.”

Fletch pinned Dylan with a firm look. “Take care of her. Or Emily will kill you. If she doesn’t, I will.”

Dylan smiled. “You got it.”

Fletch went to Terra and squeezed her shoulders lightly. “It’ll be all right.”

With that, Fletch was out the door. Dylan locked up behind him.

Dylan took off his leather jacket. “Why don’t you tell me all about this Allan Rivers asswipe.”