Leather & Lace: Trident Security Book 1 (4 page)

She nodded and turned the laptop back to face her. "That would be so great. I'd appreciate it."

As he strode toward the exit, Kristen felt the stare of the man next to her. Trying to swallow the sudden lump in her throat, she looked up and saw he was no longer smiling. The fact would've disappointed her if she hadn't seen the heat smoldering in his eyes as he studied her. Another shiver shot through her spine and her panties became soaked with a sudden rush of arousal.

"So." His voice had a low timber that she felt from her head to her toes. "Leather and lace?"

"Is that the title of your new book?"

Kristen hadn't realized young waitress was still with them until she heard her question. Somehow she managed to pull her gaze away from those eyes which seemed determined to devour her and looked at Jennifer. "Um, yes...yes it is."

"You're writing a book called
Leather and Lace
?"

And there went her blush again at the sound of his deep, sexy voice and her eyes flicked to his again. She was grateful Jennifer answered the question for her because Kristen couldn't think of a single response to save her life.

"Yup, Uncle Devon. She's a romance writer. I've even read one of her books and I started one of the others yesterday."

"Really?" he murmured, as if trying to figure out a complex puzzle. The man may have asked a question but it didn't appear he expected an answer.

Wait...what?
Uncle
Devon?

"You're Jennifer's uncle, too?" she asked.

"Mm-hm. They're all my uncles." Jennifer gestured over to the remaining group of men, unaware the question had been directed at Devon. "We're not blood related, but I call them my uncles. I've known them all my life and, well...they're my family."

Devon broke eye contact with Kristen and looked at Jennifer with love in his eyes for the girl he considered his niece. He put his arm around her and pulled her into a hug. "Damn right we're family, Baby-girl."

For a brief second Kristen was jealous of the younger woman tucked up against his hard yummy body, as his strong arms enveloped her small frame. Jennifer hugged him back and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before letting go and heading toward the kitchen door. "Gotta check on my orders."

After she disappeared, Kristen verbalized her earlier thought, "She's a sweet girl."

Devon nodded and agreed, "Yes she is."

When he didn't say anything more, she opened her mouth to ask him a question, any question that would keep him there, talking to her, but was interrupted when Brody came back to the table and sat down again, oblivious to the mounting sexual tension between the other two. He pulled his laptop out of its protective case and set it next to hers. Taking a cable, he connected the two computers and glanced at her. "It will only take a few minutes to download the program, and then I'll show you how to run it when you get home. A full scan will take about an hour or two to clean up your hard drive depending on how many programs and files it has to search through."

"What is it searching for?" She didn't know much about computers beyond the bare basics.

He started to type as he answered her, "Excess files, temporary downloads and malware among other things. Stuff like that can drag down your hard drive and cause problems like the one you had earlier. The program will also help protect you from any viruses."

"I already have an anti-virus program."

He winked at her. "That may be, darlin', but my program will stop those files from building up."

"Your program?" She smiled at his playfulness. When she was younger, if a man like Brody had flirted with her, she would've been too shy to respond. But since she began writing sexy dialogue for her characters, she'd gained confidence with talking to the opposite sex. She would never be a shameless flirt like some women were but now she felt she could hold up her end of a conversation with a Casanova like him. His intense friend was a different story. Devon made her want to drop to her knees and let him do things to her. Things she'd never experienced before. And she didn't know how the thought made her feel.

"Well, considering I wrote it, yup, it's my program," Brody responded to her question, sounding like a little boy who was showing off his project at a science fair.

Kristen let out a little laugh. The man was a charmer. "Wow, now I totally feel computer illiterate. I won't lose anything important, will I? My life is on it."

"Nope," he replied, still typing away. "Your files will be safe. But if you don't have a flash drive to back up your files you may want to invest in one."

"I have one at home but I don't like to bring it with me because it's so small, I'm afraid I'll lose it." She had a bad habit of misplacing things. If it was smaller than a bread basket, Kristen had lost it at one time or another.

"Go anywhere that sells them and you can find one which you can put on your key chain."

"That's a good idea as long as I don't lose my keys, which happens at least once a week."

While Brody continued to talk about her computer, once every few seconds Kristen’s eyes drifted toward Devon who was still standing next to the table. He hadn’t taken his speculative gaze off of her and she tried not to squirm. She gave him a small smile and wondered what he was thinking of.

Devon’s mouth ticked upward when she flashed him a shy smile as he considered her with interest. Although she was engrossed in the conversation, he didn't get the feeling he was being ignored since she kept glancing up at him as if confirming he was still there. Interesting. And what was even more interesting was the fact he wanted to rip Brody's head off every time the geek turned on his southern charm. It was obvious his buddy found her attractive–what heterosexual male past the age of puberty wouldn't–and it was only a matter of time before Egghead asked her out. The man didn't have the same reservations that Devon did about hooking up with a woman outside of the club.

The more he observed her the more he wanted to learn about her. She smelled like wildflowers and fresh air, almost as if she had walked through a meadow on a spring day, subtle and enticing. He detected a northern accent in her speech–his first guess had been New York, but now he wasn't sure. And her laugh, damn, her laugh went straight to his groin. Thank God he had his shirt un-tucked to hide the semi-automatic which was sitting at the small of his back. The shirt was now doing a good job of hiding other things, like his erection, from her view.

What was it about this woman, whose name he didn't even know, who called to him like a mystic siren? Damned if he knew, but he was looking forward to finding out. He was about to extend his hand and introduce himself when he noticed Brody giving her a scrap of paper with his name and phone number on it. The bastard beat him to it. Well Devon deserved it for dragging his feet for over an hour when he could have found some inane reason to approach and strike up a conversation with her. As much as he wanted to pound his buddy into pulp and claim the woman for himself, he would never cock-block a good friend.

Devon took a step back and pivoted toward the bar as the two climbed out of the booth. Through the reflection in the mirror he saw her thanking Brody and then his stomach sank as she wrapped her arms around the grinning geek and gave him a hug. There was nothing sexual about the contact but it still sent bolts of jealousy through Devon. He could imagine his buddy's response if he knew Devon wanted to deck him.
You snooze you lose, Devil Dog!
And yes, he was back in grade-school again.

Moments later he watched as his little librarian gathered her things, said goodbye to Brody and Jenn then made her way to the exit. With a hesitant backwards glance in his direction, she walked out the door.

It was times like this he almost regretted not drinking alcohol because he could use the distraction.

Devon spent the rest of the week alternating between being in a shitty mood and dreaming about his little librarian. No, make that Brody's little librarian. The bastard.

He'd acted like a petulant child and avoided Brody, whenever possible, since that afternoon six days ago. He didn't want to hear how his buddy had hooked up with the brunette whose name he now knew was Kristen Anders. She'd dropped off copies of her books for Jennifer at the pub and his niece was now reading the next paperback in an ongoing series of vanilla romances after finishing one on her e-reader. And yes, he knew the stories were vanilla because when no one was looking, he skimmed through Jenn's book,
Passions Uncaged
, after she left it on the bar for a few minutes while working.

Although he didn't read more than a few passages, the story was well written and Ms. Anders had evident talent. He was surprised to find her sex scenes were pretty hot-vanilla but hot. It was also a little embarrassing knowing his niece was reading those same scenes. He thought back to when Ian and he had an awkward conversation with Jenn about what type of club The Covenant was. They had to tell her since she'd be driving past it and living three buildings down in Ian's apartment when she moved to Tampa. After much blushing and stuttering on their part, Jenn let them off the hook and told them she understood and it wasn't a big deal to her. It wasn't her thing and she wasn't one to judge. They were thankful she expressed no desire to see the inside of the club. She probably didn't want to think of her uncles having sex of any kind, just like they didn't want to think about her having sex with some horny little bastard someday. They'd both been a little shocked and yet relieved when she blew it off with a nonchalant explanation of how she'd read many books with similar clubs in them. Granted those clubs were fictional while theirs was a reality, but she got the gist of it.

Flipping through the book, he found Kristen was descriptive about what her characters were doing up in the barn loft, down by the creek and, of course, in the bedroom. And even though the writing was steamy and sexy, he doubted the author would be into Devon's type of sex and play. But, unlike Devon, Brody Evans didn't mind the occasional vanilla sex. If he was attracted to a woman, Brody was willing to go with the flow for a few dates. The only problem for the women was, after those few dates and some romps in the sack, Brody became bored and they would be history. There was a long line of women with broken hearts trailing behind Evans. He didn't do long term relationships. And it had never been a concern for Devon until now–the thought of Brody dumping Kristen after using her to scratch his current itch angered Devon almost as much as the thought of them dating in the first place.

Forcing the aggravating thoughts from his mind, Devon climbed out of his Mustang before shutting the door and locking it. He left the top up on the drive over to Donovan's due to passing rain showers forecasted throughout the day. The grey skies matched his mood as he walked toward the entrance to the pub where he was joining Jake for lunch. His teammate wanted to go over some observations he made on a runaway case he had been working on for the past week. The teenage girl's father hired them after she allegedly ran away when he grounded her for missing her curfew on a regular basis. Jake had yet to locate the teen, but was starting to suspect the reason she took off was more sinister than anyone realized. Since it was after twelve and Jake mentioned he was hungry, the two men agreed to meet for a bite to eat.

Entering the familiar hangout, Devon looked around to find his buddy hadn't arrived yet. All but a few tables were taken, but they usually didn't sit at one, and he headed to the far end of the bar out of habit. He gave Jenn a quick wave as she hurried out of the kitchen with a tray of food. She gave him a huge smile as she passed him and successfully put one on his own face. Jenn could brighten up his foulest mood just by being herself. Her dad had been Devon's Lieutenant on SEAL Team Four for several years before taking a non-fieldwork promotion due to medical reasons. The man had also served with Ian for many years before that. Ian and Jeff Mullins grew to be close friends as eighteen year olds suffering through basic training together and when Jeff's wife Lisa gave birth to a baby girl two years later, following a shotgun wedding, Ian became a godfather.

The Mullins' had lived less than fifteen minutes from the Navy base and the team spent many a relaxing afternoon or evening being entertained and smitten with little Jenn. Over the years, team members came and went but Jenn considered them all her uncles and most of the men kept in contact with her through emails and phone calls after they left the team for whatever reason–retirement, transfer, or promotion. No matter what though, her uncles were always guaranteed a card from Jenn for their birthdays, Valentine's Day, Veterans Day and Christmas. There wasn't a team member past or present who wouldn't drop everything and come running if Jennifer Mullins needed them. And with a great amount of pain, she discovered those words to be true in the worst way possible.

A little over six months ago, Ian received a phone call from a hysterical Jennifer. Before he could calm her down a police detective took her phone and in a grave voice informed Ian that Jeff and Lisa Mullins had been murdered in their home during a suspected burglary gone wrong. The two were found shot to death in their living room by a neighbor who noticed the front door ajar while walking his dog at six in the morning. Knowing Jeff and thinking it odd, the neighbor went to knock on the door and was able to see the carnage from the foyer. The couple had both been shot several times sometime late the night before and detectives later found several rooms ransacked and jewelry, wallets and computers missing from the home. It had been fortuitous Jennifer was spared from harm or finding her parents' bloody bodies because she slept at a friend's house following a night out at the movies.

Within an hour of the phone call, Devon and Ian were on a plane heading to Virginia and never left Jenn's side over the ensuing ordeal. As soon as former team members were notified, they began arriving in droves. Jenn never had to do a thing except mourn her loss. Her 'uncles' took care of everything from the funerals and burials, life insurance and veteran death notifications to selling and packing up the house when Jenn moved to Tampa to live with Ian three months later. Jenn's sole remaining family was on her dad's side but they weren't close and the Mullins' had long ago named Ian as her guardian if anything ever happened to them.

After the funeral, while Devon returned to Florida to keep their businesses running, Ian had stayed in Virginia until Jenn completed high school. It'd been difficult for her to get through but with her teachers', friends' and Ian's help and support she was able to complete the requirements for her diploma. On a sunny day in June, over forty former and current Navy SEALs filled the stands of the local high school football field to watch their little girl graduate. Devon didn't think there was a dry eye among them.

Now settled into a dorm for her freshman year at University of Tampa on the other side of the city, Jenn was doing well. Although she still had moments of depression and sudden bouts of tears, and who could blame her, she continued to see a trauma psychologist to deal with her loss. Devon believed, however, it was the love she received every day from her uncles which was the most helpful to healing her devastated heart.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Devon was startled out of his thoughts at the soft voice beside him and swiveled his stool to see Kristen looking at him with concern. He hadn't thought she could get any prettier but today she was stunning. She wore a little bit of makeup, not that she needed it, and it was enough to highlight her eyes and lips. Her soft brown hair was down, framing her face and falling below her shoulders, the tips resting at the swells of her breasts. Today's cotton V-neck was a soft purple which complimented her pale skin tone and brought out the green of her hazel eyes. It was also a little deeper than the one she wore the other day, giving him a generous view of her cleavage. And just like that, his jeans became snug.

He didn't answer her right away and she felt a little flustered. "Sorry, I didn't mean to bother you, but you seemed a little...well...I don't know, sad about something."

He shook his head. "No, no, I'm fine and you're not bothering me at all. I was just thinking about...never mind, it was no big deal." There was no point dredging up the past to a stranger, no matter how much he wanted an excuse to talk to her. He forced his mouth into what he hoped was a convincing smile and it turned into a real one at her sigh of relief as the corners of her own mouth tilted upward.

"Good, I'm glad. I'm Kristen Anders, by the way."

He took her outstretched hand, marveling at how soft it was and wondering if she felt the same jolt of awareness which rocked him to his core. "Devon Sawyer."

"It's nice to meet you." She paused and he waited to see what she would say next, wanting to hear her lyrical voice again as much as he wanted his next breath. But a wave of disappointment hit him as she shook her head a little, pulled her hand from his and began to turn away. He opened his mouth to stop her from leaving when she spun back around and her words came out in a rush. "Look, I'm usually not this forward, actually I'm never this forward, but...but would you like to go out sometime?"

Devon couldn't have been more surprised if she had pulled out a gun and shot him between the eyes.
She
was asking him
out
? He must have hesitated too long because she held up her hand. "You know what, forget I asked. You don't have to answer the question."

He reached for her arm before she had a chance to run away. As much as he wanted to say, yes, he would love to go out with her, he found himself uttering, "I'm flattered, I am. But Brody's my friend and well..." He left the sentence hanging instead of telling her he would never poach his friend's woman.

Kristen frowned. "I don't understand. What does Brody have to do with anything?"

Really? She had to ask? Maybe he was wrong about her being sweet and innocent. Maybe she bounced from guy to guy. He gazed into her eyes. No, he didn't think he was wrong, not about this. "Didn't he give you his phone number the other day?"

Kristen's smile returned along with a look of understanding. "He gave me his number in case I had any problems with the program he gave me."

Devon couldn't hide his shock. "You mean he didn't ask you out?"

"Well, he did. But I didn't say yes."

Was she for real? He never heard a woman turn Brody down before. Egghead had women of all ages throwing themselves at him left and right. "Why?"

"Why didn't I say yes?"

He nodded.

"Well, he was nice and all, and don't get me wrong, he's good looking, but," she shrugged one shoulder, "I wasn't attracted to him."

His mouth curled up in a sexy smirk and his voice lowered, "Huh. So does this mean you're attracted to me?"

She blushed. She couldn't believe she was having this conversation. Ever since puberty, she'd been shy around men, and the more attractive she found them, the shyer she became. But that was the 'old Kristen'. The 'new Kristen' was starting over after a failed marriage. She was no longer a virgin but she knew she was still inexperienced. The only position she'd ever had sex in was the missionary one. Maybe it hadn't been her fault she was cold in bed, maybe it'd been Tom's. She wanted to be a woman who wasn't afraid to try new things, a woman men found attractive, to have flirty conversations with them filled with sexual innuendos. She wanted to find what she wrote about, what other women bragged about and find a man who gave her incredible orgasms which made her scream and beg for more. Was this the right man? She wouldn't know unless she went to bed with him and she didn't think she could have a one-night stand, so she had to get to know him better. "I wouldn't have asked you out if I wasn't. So I guess the big question is...are you attracted to me?"

He knew he should deny it and send her on her way, a little embarrassed maybe, but with her gentle heart intact. And then she'd blushed. At that moment Devon knew there were a million and one reasons why he should say no but he couldn't remember what they were. His mind became a complete blank at her hopeful expression and he found himself saying, "Yes. Yes, I am very attracted to you."

God, he was a selfish ass. Here was a beautiful young woman and she was most likely looking for her Prince Charming and a 'happy ever after,' which she would never find in him. She would want a long term commitment and he was Mister One-Weekend-Only. Well, to be accurate, he was
Master
One-Weekend-Only. And there was another reason he should have said no. After reading the romantic scenes she'd written, he figured his vanilla librarian would run away screaming when he told her how he wanted to tie her up and flog her luscious ass until she begged him to fuck her into oblivion. He ached for her to kneel at his feet while he dragged his cock across her tongue. An image came to mind of what it would be like to pump in and out of her sweet mouth until he came and she swallowed every drop. He wanted to own her, possess her and then, when he had his fill, he would walk away as he always did.

Instead of doing what he knew was right, he found himself making plans with her for the following evening. By the time Jake arrived a few minutes later, Devon had a dinner date scheduled with her for seven o'clock at a little Italian restaurant around the corner from Donovan's. And she'd given him a sexy smile when she'd bid him goodbye.