Guarded for Pleasure by Lacey Thorn

it.”
    “Everything okay now?” River asked.
    “Yeah.” Tara nodded. “I’m good.”
    “I love you guys so much,” River blurted. “I won’t apologize again, or Kat will probably get out of bed and kick my ass.”
    “Damn straight, toots!” Kat agreed, making them all laugh again.
    “You know what,” River exclaimed, coming to a conclusion. “Angel Investigations is not dead. It’s just changed. Why can’t I do the same thing here? If I get something I can’t handle, I’ll call you or hire someone to help. You guys can do the same. And,” River shrugged her shoulders before continuing, “if things don’t work out for me here, then I’ll be back.”
    “Don’t think that way,” Tara scolded her. “Be happy, River.”
    “I’m going to give it my damnedest.”
    “That’s a girl!” Kat enthused. “I like the idea. It could be the start of something so much bigger than we ever imagined. One condition.”
    “What?” River asked.
    “Only women,” Kat stated. “We only hire women. They’ll have to prove themselves capable. We’ll sit down and decide on our screening process. But think about it. A detective agency run exclusively by women.”
    “Can’t we at least have a male secretary?” Tara suggested.
    “You sexist!” Kat accused with a laugh. “No. Only women. We’ll make our mark, and start something amazing for other women. Long after we’re gone, Angel Investigations will still be strong.”
    “I like the sound of that,” River agreed.
    “It would be a great legacy,” Tara admitted.
    “Then we’re all in agreement?” Kat asked.
    River and Tara both nodded in agreement.
    “Then not an ending, but a new beginning.” Kat grinned.
    “I like the sound of that!” Tara gushed, echoing River’s earlier statement.
    River stuck her hand out. “To new beginnings.”
    Kat placed her hand on top of River’s. “New beginnings.”
    “New beginnings,” Tara stated, placing her hand on top of the pile.
    Charlie walked back in to their laughter. “Looks like things are better in here.”
    “It’s fantastic,” Tara enthused, and River took note of the look on Charlie’s face as he took in Tara’s smile. He had it bad.
    “Guess I’ll leave you ladies alone then,” Charlie said, walking to the bed where Kat sat up. Bending over, he kissed the top of her head. “You need anything before I head back to the hotel?”
    “No.” Kat shook her head. “I’ve got my girls with me, and we’ve got some planning to do.”
    “Planning?” Charlie asked with a lifted brow.
    “Our new business venture,” Kat said.
    “More of an expansion of our old one,” Tara explained. “I’m so excited.”
    Once again Charlie’s gaze snagged and held on Tara. “Well then, I’ll leave you all to it.” He glanced back down at Kat. “Call if you need anything.”
    “I will,” Kat promised.
    “That goes for all of you,” Charlie said.
    River and Tara nodded.
    “I love you,” Charlie told Kat.
    “Love you, too,” she responded.
    “Behave,” he warned them as he headed to the door.
    Their laughter followed him.

 
    Chapter Eleven
     
     
    Kat and Tara were gone. River was in the penthouse apartment, even though none of the guys were home yet. She’d not been back to her apartment since the day everything had happened and she had no desire to. They’d given her a key to the penthouse. Rick had gone down and grabbed more clothes, surprising her. Luke had brought her food up and put it in their fridge. Phil had put her toiletries out in his bathroom.
    They were all going out of their way to make her feel at home, to feel wanted. Was it what she was hoping for? Did they want her to stay? They’d had no time to talk, no time even for sex with everything going on. But she planned to change that today. Seduction was her plan for the day, and she’d spent the better part of the afternoon setting it up.
    She’d found the contraption Luke had wanted her to be adventurous and try, and she