“... See ya,” I whisper as he gives me one last searching look, some of the ice in his eyes thawing.
Then he crosses the living room in three thunderous strides, unbolting and unlocking my door, and stepping out.
Is he jealous of Atticus?
Lots of jealousy going around these days. What’s going on? First June, now Zach? I know I’m hot property, but come on. And what is this about Zach wanting to give me private lessons? Not that it’s a bad idea, but why is he so involved and present all of a sudden?
What changed?
16
COCO
“I have a job for you,” Atticus says. “If you want it.”
I keep opening my door to huge, handsome alphas and I’m all for it. I only wish they would give me a little warning first. My heart is pounding and my body is on fire, torn between fear and desire. I stare back at him, unable to form words.
He looks so good. There’s something about a muscular man in a tailored suit that has me speechless. It exudes so much power and confidence, it gets me wet.
He’d get me wet even in a clown costume, let’s be honest here, but still, this dark suit… Damn.
Eventually, I realize I’ve left him on the doorstep and he’s probably waiting for an answer, so I wave him inside to buy myself time.
He enters, those green eyes scanning my dollhouse apartment as if expecting someone to jump out from the bedroom to attack us.
God, I hope not.
“Everything okay?” he asks. “You haven’t noticed anything unusual?”
“Unusual? Such as?”
He walks past my sitting area and stops by the window with the window-seat I consider my nest. “Anyone following you. Anyone waiting for you.”
“Do you really think those guys will come after me?” I follow him to stand beside him. “They picked me up randomly in your bar.”
He nods. “I hope so, and I hope their interest in you is over.”
A chill runs through me. “I never thought I was targeted on purpose. What makes you think I might have?”
“Nothing. Call it a hunch.”
“I don’t like your hunch.”
He barks a short laugh and lifts a hand to tuck a pink strand behind my ear. His touch is electric. “Neither do I, believe me.”
“Do your hunches normally prove to be right?”
“In business? Yes. In my personal life… not so much.”
“Now what does that mean?”
His hand lingers on my neck, light yet burning. “Look.”
“Atticus…”
“Call me Ace. You…” He bows over me, his long fingers sliding into my hair. “Damn, Coco, you’re such a pretty girl. I?—”
“What job?” I swallow hard and force myself to move away both from him and the topic. “What job did you find for me?”
