Savor the Danger by Lori Foster

pushed away from Jackson. “In part.”
    So maybe the other part had been intimate interest? Hell, yeah. “Then this is perfect. I think you’ll like my house.”
    â€œYes, well…” Going all prim and proper, she smoothed the skirt of her dress. “I’m guessing it has to be better than your apartment. But that’s not the—”
    â€œYou don’t like my apartment?”
    Her gaze slanted his way, extreme dislike in her eyes. “There are naked women everywhere.”
    Imagining her reaction to his decor, Jackson smiled. “Yeah.” He added with a shrug, “Women’s bodies are beautiful.”
    She again looked at Dare and Trace. “Have you two seen—”
    â€œIt’s entertaining,” Dare told her.
    Trace smiled.
    â€œWell, I think it’s absurd! Every picture, every knick-knack, even a few statues, they’re all naked women.”
    â€œI’m a connoisseur,” Jackson told her.
    â€œYou’re a…” She drew up short, probably remembering that she’d been intimate with him last night, all night from her telling, and that everyone in the room knew it.
    Mulish, she crossed her arms. “If I decorate for you, there’ll be none of that.”
    â€œYou’re the designer.” Considering it settled, he turned back to Trace and Dare. “So we’re all set?”
    Trace nodded. “You can be out of here before dinnertime?”
    â€œNo problem on my end.” Trying to be a gentleman, he asked Alani, “You need more time than that to get ready?”
    â€œNo.” She smiled. “Because I’m not going anywhere tonight.”
    Stubborn. But he’d win her over. “Both Dare and Trace just finished up jobs.”
    â€œOh?” She didn’t hide her confusion.
    Jackson nodded. “No matter how small the threat might be, do you really want them distracted with their concerns for you, instead of enjoying their downtime?”
    The confusion morphed into resentment. “Dirty pool, Jackson.”
    He shrugged. Whenever necessary, he fought dirty. “We’re the experts, right?”
    â€œYes.”
    â€œAnd we’d prefer that you not be alone until we get a handle on what’s going on—so make a choice.”
    â€œWhat choice?”
    â€œMe.” He nodded toward Dare and Trace. “Or them.”
    Her narrowed eyes made her look really mean. Finally she muttered, “Then I guess it’s…you.”
    Such a grudging concession. Pleased with her, Jackson smoothed his thumb over her cheek. “I promise not to make it a hardship.” He couldn’t touch her without the sharpening of awareness, both carnal and emotional.
    As they stared at each other, Alani’s anger melted away, replaced with breathless understanding.
    Dare gave a theatrical cough.
    Trace said, “For God’s sake, pump the brakes on that, will you, Jackson? We need to make some decisions here.”
    Jackson smiled at her and bent and kissed her before she could turn away. With his arm slung around her shoulders, he turned to both men.
    That Dare and Trace had so far stayed out of convincingher, leaving it up to him, suited Jackson. Unless they were waiting for him to fail so they could take over. He frowned at that possibility.
    â€œI’d just like to point out—” Alani encompassed them all in her sweeping gaze “—none of you are thinking clearly.”
    Instead of taking offense, Jackson said, “Everything is fine.” He punctuated that with a comforting hug.
    â€œOh, please. Only an idiot wouldn’t be worried at this point.” Her pointed look at Jackson drove home that barb.
    â€œSo now I’m not only a wimp, but an idiot, too?”
    â€œI never said you were a wimp.”
    â€œYou think I need someone hovering over me, like I can’t take care of myself.”
    â€œWell, forgive me for