“What if I don’t want a boyfriend?” India asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I’m sure you have a choice in the matter.”
“Of course I have a choice in the matter. I’m an adult woman, and my brother is not the boss of me.”
He shifted, crossing his massive arms over his chest. “Well, I’d prefer you take that to your brother, so I still get paid. I don’t want to know what it’s like to be fired by Spencer Moss. I’m Enzo,” he said. “Enzo Gallo.” He held out his hand. His smile had a warm, easygoing quality about it that made him much more approachable. India huffed out a breath and shook his hand, relishing for a moment in his warm strength. She didn’t know his story, but she didn’t really want to get anyone fired, even if it meant irritating her jackass of a brother.
She grabbed her phone and shot that particular jackass a quick text message, full of threats. His reply was instant, which meant he was home in Portland and not on a mission. India had moved to Oregon from college to get away from the family, but when their parents had died, Moss had followed her, ever-present in a way she didn’t precisely mind.
“He says he wants to hire you to Moss Agency. Hold on, is he finally considering the agency? Or is this one of his ploys?”
Enzo shifted. “I don’t know the answer to that, but it was what he told me as well.” India supposed that put a different spin on things. Enzo was their future employee, and Moss was testing him. She could get behind that. Possibly. She glanced up and caught his warm brown eyes on her. “It’ll be okay, India,” he said.
Flustered, she turned back to her computer, which was reliable and logical. The structure of it helped her to ignore any confusing emotions. So, pretty much all of the emotions. She wasn’t any good with men, not in the girlfriend kind of way. Sure, she knew how to find a Tinder hookup and get laid. But the rest of it—the talking and making them want to see you again—she couldn’t figure out. Computers, on the other hand, always did what she told them to.
“Why does my brother think I need you?” She continued to type because she had a job to do. “That’s weird.”
Enzo leaned back against her desk, looking around the office. “Frankly, your brother struck me as weird.”
She tilted her head to the side and nodded, tapping a pen against her lower lip. Enzo’s eyes dropped to the pen and dilated. “I could see that. If you don’t know him. He really is the best person in the world, though.”
“Right, well, he has questions about your boss and the safety of your job.” His eyes were still laser-focused on the pen, and India wondered about the sexy, enticing things you could do with a pen. Lick it? No, too awkward. Biting it might send the wrong message about things she did with her teeth. Enzo cleared his throat, and India wondered how long she had zoned out for.
“I mean, he’s not my... real boss.” India lowered her voice to a whisper, glancing towards Sean’s hidden door.
“Yes, of course, Moss was completely clear on your hobby,” Enzo said easily.
“Not a hobby,” she snapped.
“Talent?” Enzo grinned and snatched the pen she had been holding, flipping it around in his fingers. The nimble movements made India think of sexy things that nimble fingers could do. Had he done that on purpose? India could never figure out flirting. She glanced up at him, and he met her eyes and bit his full lower lip. Even though he was pretending to be her boyfriend, was actually here as her security, he was delectable, and resisting him was going to be a challenge.
“I think he didn’t want to find out that a guy like that had taken liberties with his precious sister.”
“He did not call me precious,” she said, laughing. Did Enzo think she was precious? She glanced at Enzo and pinched her own arm to prevent any more idiotic thoughts from entering her mind. Of course, he didn’t think she was precious. They had only met five minutes ago, and for four of those minutes, she had been awkward as hell.
Enzo had the straight-faced look of career military, but a sparkle in his eyes told India there was a little more to him than the serious face he put on. “He did, ma’am.”
“I’m only 28. I’m not a ma’am!” Enzo glanced beyond her and shifted from his upright military stance to a casual one, leaning against her desk and grinning broadly. She was stunned by how attractive he had become, with his deep dimples and the sexy crinkles around his eyes.“Holy crap, you should smile always.”
“Shh, you’re my girlfriend, and I’m a possessive alpha male asshole,” he muttered out of the corner of his mouth.
“Are you though?” India smiled up at him, enthralled.
He smirked, “Not at all, baby girl.” His hand, warm and heavy, slid up India’s arm to the back of her neck, and he started giving her a massage, which she was sure was all for show; a platonic and yet intimate touch to fool Sean Blackstone. Even so, it was amazing. His big hands hit her muscles just right, sending a delicious tingle down her spine. She groaned and sunk into the sensation his strong fingers were creating along her tight shoulder muscles. She clearly needed to work on her posture because a massage shouldn’t feel this good.
“I’m sorry, do we have a massage service or is this a professional office?” Sean was standing in the secret door. His biting voice, angrier than usual, interrupted her pleasure, but Enzo’s dark brown eyes sparkled at her, and a subtle quirk to his lips told her he had achieved his aim with the massage.
“Sorry, picking up my girlfriend for some lunch,” Enzo said. “She said this chair was killing her back and I couldn’t resist. Join us?” What? Why had he invited Sean to join them?
“I do not have lunch with my employees.” Sean looked horrified at the notion.
“Unless you’re fucking them?” Enzo asked, and India turned and kicked him in the shin. He didn’t appear to notice. It was like her foot bounced right off his stupidly big leg. His hand lingered on her shoulder, warm and steady, and she didn’t want him to stop touching her.
Sean stalked toward the elevator, and Enzo moved away from India to follow him. Rolling her eyes, India hopped up and grabbed her purse, rushing after the two ridiculous men, both posturing as alpha males like they were in a fucking wolf pack. She rounded the corner in time to see Enzo slam Sean up against the wall, his hand tight around Sean’s throat, his muscles flexing under his slightly too tight black t-shirt.
“There will be no more offers to spank or fuck my girlfriend. Am I understood?” Enzo growled. He moved his body closer to Sean’s, accentuating his superior size and strength.
“Jesus, don’t hurt him,” India said, poking Enzo’s shoulder.
