He couldn’t breathe. It was as if someone throat-punched him. Danni, the woman of his every dream, was within reach. He could grab her and hold her tight against him, run his fingers through her thick blonde hair hanging down her slender back, press her shapely frame against him and cup her muscular behind in his hands.
“I’ve missed you, smart-ass.” Laughing and crying, Sophie threw her arms around Danni.
Danni’s teary eyes narrowed on Lars. In a hushed voice, but loud enough that Lars could hear, Danni whispered, “You didn’t tell me you were bringing a Jenkins.”
“Lars hopped a ride with me.” Still embracing Danni, Sophie turned to include Lars. “He has business—an interview with one of Nick’s teammate’s brothers who wants to join the security crew. I asked him to come with me tonight to help reassure Finn about the chance reconnection with Alex. Finn is under enough pressure without worrying about what I’m getting into while he’s gone. You know Finn can be a bit possessive.”
Danni snorted. “A bit?”
Lars wanted to hug Sophie for the perfect excuse. No question, Finn was not going to be happy about Sophie’s little trip. Not that Lars could fault him. If he had a woman like Sophie in his life, he’d do anything to keep her happy and his. Sophie was a gem who had loyalty in spades…unless he pushed the line and acted like an ass with her friend. Then she would go for his balls.
Danni scrutinized his body. Slowly she tracked her way down to his leg.
He had to fight embarrassing himself with her close inspection.
“Classic stupid male. You shouldn’t be traveling. You had major surgery.”
A surge of jubilancy shot through his veins. How could this woman, with one glance, wipe away all the dreary loneliness? Lars stepped closer, needing to get a hit of her complex scent that promised rumpled sheets and intertwined legs. “You should know…since it’s the day you bolted. Afraid you wouldn’t be able to resist me once I was mobile?”
Danni gasped. “You’re an idiot.”
“Come on, children. Can we declare peace for the short time we’re together?” Sophie linked arms with Danni and passed through the open doors.
A gym rat held the door. In a slick suit, the guy inspected Sophie like a tasty dessert he wanted to devour. Finn would have had the guy by the throat. Lars knew the wannabe types who hung out in the bars near Coronado, pretending to be SEALS. Attitude manufactured from steroids and iron pumping.
Moving quickly, Lars stepped between the dude and Sophie. Lars intended to remain cool and not cause any trouble; he just needed to establish clear boundaries.
“Frank, you remember Sophie, right? And this is our friend, Lars.” Danni moved closer to Sophie in a protective stance.
Lars wondered how much shit Danni had to take from this guy. It wouldn’t take much for Lars to level him if he didn’t pull it back.
“Miss Dean, it’s a pleasure. And I see you brought your own security.” He inspected Lars and was astute enough to step away.
“Frank is the head of Alex’s security and his childhood friend,” Danni spoke to Lars, smoothly easing the tension between the men.
It must be the childhood friendship part that kept Frank on Alex’s payroll.
“Come on, Soph. Alex is going on in less than an hour and wants to see you before the show. He has big plans for dinner and then the after-party.”
Lars followed Danni and Sophie, with their arms still linked, down a long, dark hallway with stacks of boxes, trunks, and electronic sound equipment.
“I don’t need to be entertained. I came to be with you. We have suites at the Ritz, and my assistant has contacted Hiroyuki for sushi. I know how much you love his sushi. You and Alex can have your own suite.”
Lars contained the painful snarl starting in his chest and moving up into his throat. Sophie expected that Danni and Alex would be in the suite next to hers? And next to his. He was supposed to not react to the idea of Danni close by with another man in her bed. And right when he thought Sophie was on Team Lars.
“I doubt Alex will join us. He has two more shows in LA. It’s grueling when he has back-to-back concerts.”
“Oh great, then we can have a girlfriend night as I hoped.” Sophie twisted back and grinned at Lars.
Had Sophie known all along that Alex wouldn’t come? Lars was used to subterfuge, but Sophie—with big blue eyes, bouncy blonde curls, and an air of innocence—had all the requisite skills to run an undercover op. No wonder Finn didn’t stand a chance. Who thought men were superior?
“Lars is no girlfriend,” Danni muttered loud enough for Lars to hear.
Sophie laughed. “You don’t have to worry about Lars. He’s in my suite as my bodyguard until I fly home tomorrow. You won’t bother Danni tonight, will you, Lars?”
“Sophie, I’m not the one you have to worry about.” He pressed closer, needing Danni’s blazing focus on him. “Danni couldn’t keep her hands off me when I was barely conscious.”
“You insufferable ass.” Danni dropped her hand from Sophie and stomped in her high-heeled boots toward him.
And why did his breath catch and his heart sing? He couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across his face at her wrinkled nose and pouting lower lip. Oh, what he would give to suck on the full pink lip.
“Oh, my God. Only you would think my concern was a come-on… Of all the egotistical…”
Whatever she saw in his look stopped her. Her eyes widened, and her mouth hung open. He had left her speechless.
Did she see the fomenting mess of tenderness and burning need in his eyes? How her soft voice crooning to him in the miserable late hours as she wiped his forehead and offered him sips of water or the way she had paced in the room while they waited for the surgeon had changed him? He never had anyone take care of him.
His mother, the wife of a marine sergeant, didn’t have the time or energy to pamper her sons after her husband died. He and Sten were barely three when they’d lost their father and were parented by their older brothers and their Uncle Harry, also a marine sergeant. The nurturing attitude at the Jenkins house was STFU. “Suck it the fuck—up.” He never knew what it was like to have a woman care about him…until Danni. He never wanted to need anyone until Danni.
Danni flicked her hair and stomped back to Sophie. “How can you stand these Jenkins boys?”
“Trust me. I’ve had a lifetime to get used to their humor and their alpha posturing. Then you can’t imagine your life without them.” Sophie took Danni’s arm this time. “Forget about the Jenkinses. Let’s find Alex. You’ll be in a better mood.”
Lars lowered his voice. “Danni, I’m the master at helping women get into a ‘better mood.’”
He couldn’t help himself. He’d push until she gave in. He’d pressure her until she either kicked him in the balls or kissed the blasted daylights out of him.
Danni growled from deep in her throat, which brought all the hairs on Lars’s body to standing, as well as the erection now pressing against his zipper. He accepted that he’d always be in a state of heightened arousal around Danni.
“Stop acting like a jerk, Lars,” Sophie warned.
Alex Hardy, his long hair pulled up in a man bun, strode toward them. Lars shoved down every judgmental thought about men with hair buns. He reminded himself it was an artist thing. He also slammed shut the image of Danni enjoying releasing that hair.