But today, Saxon and Rhys stayed in, working the phones and laptops hard. She wouldn’t lie—watching Saxon work was sexy.
Gia licked her lips. She glanced through the glass wall and saw that his office was empty right now, but he was around somewhere.
He’d vowed to keep her safe.
He’d vowed that he was claiming her as his.
Her belly jittered and she pressed a hand to it. God. She was attracted to him. Insanely attracted. Any woman between the ages of five and ninety-five would be. But she’d seen him and her brothers blow through women. They attracted women like bees to honey, but they never kept them long.
Saxon Buchanan was a risk. Gia liked to calculate risks in everything she did—her work, her personal relationships. The odds didn’t stack up here.
She shook her head and looked back at her desk. Work. She needed to focus on her work.
She thought of Willow and the gems, but shoved that thought away. There was nothing she could do to help right now.
Surprisingly, even though she was running on low-level anxiety, she’d gotten a lot of work done. Without endless meetings, or people needing her help, she’d powered through some projects. She’d also called her insurance, and gotten a cleaning company in to fix her apartment.
Her cell phone rang. “Gia Norcross.”
“Ms. Norcross, it’s Diamond Fresh Cleaning. I’m just letting you know that we finished your apartment. It’s clean, and the basic furniture has been replaced as you requested.”
“Oh, thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’m sorry you needed us in the first place, but I hope you’re happy with our work.”
After she ended the call, Gia stood. The sun was setting, the water of the bay darkening and the lights on the Bay Bridge twinkling like stars.
She headed out to find Vander and Saxon. Vander’s office was at the end of the warehouse. Unlike everyone else, his office had real walls.
As she approached, she saw the door was open and she heard Saxon’s voice. The deep tone sent a shiver through her.
What would it be like to have all Saxon’s focus on her, her pleasure? To strip those custom suits off his hard, muscular body? A rush of desire arrowed between her legs and her nipples went hard.
She realized now how many times, when she’d been busy with her vibrator, that it had been Saxon’s face and body she’d imagined. Saxon’s cock she’d pictured filling her.
She paused and pulled in a deep breath. She hadn’t acknowledged the depth of her hunger for Saxon consciously before. But his kiss had ripped those blinders off.
She walked toward Vander’s office.
“Keeping Gia safe is our top priority,” Saxon said.
“Agreed,” Vander replied.
Warmth bloomed in her chest.
“The biggest obstacle to that is Gia.” Saxon sounded annoyed. “She’ll risk herself for Willow. We need to keep her from doing anything stupid.”
Her steps faltered, the warmth turning to molten anger. But under it was pain. Clearly, Saxon might be attracted to her, but he still saw her as stupid and reckless.
So, he’d been charming her, lulling her. Telling her he liked her just as a big fucking ploy to keep her in line. Manipulative bastard.
She stormed into the office. “How dare you?”
Saxon turned, his face hardening. “Gia—”
“Poor, stupid Gia. We need to babysit her. Make sure she doesn’t make dumb decisions.”
“I want to keep you breathing,” Saxon snapped.
“I’ve done just fine for thirty years, Saxon Buchanan. I don’t need you running roughshod over my life and treating me like a child.”
“Gia—” Vander started.
“Stay out of this, Vander.” She glared at Saxon. “You’re off the hook, Saxon. I’ll take care of myself, somehow, despite being so stupid.”
“I don’t think you’re stupid.” He sounded like he was talking between gritted teeth. “You’re the sharpest woman I know.”
She made an angry sound. More placation and manipulation.
Saxon strode up to her and grabbed her arms. “I do.”
“As if I’d believe anything that comes out of your mouth.”
He gave her a small shake. “You care too much. You make these poor decisions not because you’re not intelligent, but because you put the people you care about before yourself.”
Oh. Well, that was actually a nice observation. Still…
“I’m an adult. I won’t let you alpha males with an overabundance of testosterone make all the decisions for me, or boss me around.” She took a deep breath and stepped back. Saxon’s hands fell away. “I’ve no plans to run into danger. I will take security advice from you both, since you’re the experts. Now, I need to be at my office tomorrow—”
“No.”
She glared at Saxon. “Security measures can be taken. I’ll allow a bodyguard to keep me and my staff safe.”
Saxon shoved a hand through his hair.
“My apartment’s been cleaned and—”
Saxon shook his head. “You’re staying with me.”
Oh no, she wasn’t. “No. I’m going home. I won’t let these assholes chase me out of my own home.”
Saxon’s jaw hardened and a muscle ticked beside his eye. “Then I’ll stay at your place.”
She put her hands on her hips. “I have security—”
“Someone stays with you,” Vander interjected.
Gia knew the hard stare. Vander wouldn’t budge on this. Dammit.
“Fine. I take it you haven’t found the gems.”
“We’re following some leads,” Saxon said.
Vander rose. “I did get some intel. Nothing definite yet.”
“What?” Her pulse skittered.
Saxon stepped closer, the heat of him washing over her. All the thoughts flew out of her head.
“Dennett’s after a particular stone,” Vander said. “It seems something very valuable ended up in that bag.”
Gia gasped.
Saxon’s brow creased. “Something worth more than two hundred and fifty grand?”
“Yeah,” Vander said.
“What?” Gia asked.
“I don’t know yet. But Dennett will kill to get it back.”
God, Willow, what have you done? Surely, she hadn’t known this. A wave of exhaustion hit Gia. “I want to go home.”
“I’ll get your things,” Saxon said.
“I can get them myself. I’m more than capable. I don’t need a man to do everything for me. I can even take care of my own orgasms.”
Vander made a strangled noise. “Out.”
Gia turned, tossed her head back and strode out.
Take that, Saxon Bossy-as-hell Buchanan.
* * *
Saxon woke in Gia’s guest room, in a bed with a white, feminine cover and about a thousand pillows on it.
He shoved one of them under his head and scraped a hand over his stubbled chin.
He’d brought her home the night before, and she’d given him the silent treatment. Nobody did the silent treatment like Gia Norcross. The only thing she did better was losing her temper.