Claiming Sarah (Ace Security #5)(15)

Yup. Sarah Butler was an amazing person. “How about this? I’ll come over tomorrow and mow both yours and Mrs. Grady’s yard. I’ll see if the guys can meet with us the day after that.”

She gaped at him. “But you have to work.”

“I have time for both the gym and you,” Cole told her. “Besides, Felicity owes me for taking a week off. What do you say?”

“I . . . I wasn’t fishing for you to come help me, Cole,” Sarah said, flustered.

“I know. That’s why I want to do it.”

“Okay. Then thank you.”

“You’re welcome. If you give me your number, I’ll give you a call or text when I’m on my way tomorrow.”

She agreed, and they exchanged numbers. “Oh, you’ll need my address, I suppose. I live in Parker, though. You probably don’t want to come all the way out there just to mow a yard.”

Cole was surprised. “I didn’t know you lived out there,” he said with a slight frown. He didn’t like to think of her on the roads driving back and forth, especially in the winter, when the snow and ice made driving dangerous.

She nodded. “Yeah, that’s where my dads’ house is.”

He wanted to keep her talking. He’d never been much of a conversationalist, but found he could listen to her talk all day.

It would have to wait, he decided; they’d been standing in the parking lot long enough. With Owen out there somewhere, maybe or maybe not watching her, it wasn’t smart or safe. “It’s no problem. I’ll be in touch. Drive safe going home, okay?”

She got a soft look on her face.

“What? What’d I say?”

“Jackson always used to say that to me.”

“Text me when you get home,” Cole replied.

She looked up at him in surprise. “Really?”

“Yeah. I want to know you got home all right. Humor me?”

“Fine. But you know I’ve been driving for almost fifteen years now, right?”

“I do, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other crazy people on the roads who haven’t been driving for that long, or have been drinking, or are just bad drivers.”

“Point made,” she said. “Cole?”

“Yeah, angel?”

“Thanks. For everything. The lesson. For talking to Ace Security on my behalf. For offering to mow my yard for me. Just . . . all of it.”

“You’re more than welcome. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Bye.”

Cole took a step back and watched as she climbed into her gray Mitsubishi Galant and waved before she headed out of the lot. He noticed that she waved a couple across the walkway in front of her, and let three cars go by before finally pulling out herself.

He chuckled to himself, then turned to head back to the gym. Sarah was refreshing. Comparatively, he was a selfish bastard who did what he wanted, when he wanted. And while he should maybe feel bad about hitting on her so soon, for wanting Sarah for his own, he didn’t. They’d go together perfectly. He could protect her from the assholes in the world, and she could do her thing and spread kindness and joy wherever she went.

It felt kind of like they were made for each other. She needed someone to make sure no one took advantage of her kind soul, and he needed her to balance out his rough edges.

Cole had no idea if a relationship between them could last, but he wanted to try. He wanted a taste of the beauty he saw shining out through her eyes. Needed it. After the last couple of years, and the shit his friends had been through, he needed Sarah like he needed to breathe.

He had no doubt Logan would look into Owen Montrone. If there was any dirt to find, Alexis or one of the others would find it. Then Blake could pay a visit to Owen and let him know in no uncertain terms that he was to move on.

Cole wasn’t a bodyguard. He didn’t have any interest in getting into the security business, but when it came to Sarah, he wouldn’t mind keeping close tabs on her. Very close tabs.

Smiling, he reentered the gym and headed for his office. Knowing he’d be seeing Sarah again the next day somehow made everything seem brighter. He didn’t even care about the mess his office was in.



Sarah pulled the curtain back a fraction and peeked out at Cole. He’d taken his shirt off and was currently finishing up mowing her front yard. He’d arrived around ten that morning and had immediately started on Mrs. Grady’s lawn. It had taken him half the time it usually took her, which was irritating only because it gave her less time to admire him as he worked.

Sweat glistened on his chest, and her question about whether he had tattoos on the rest of his body had been answered when he’d whipped off his T-shirt and tied it to the handle of the lawn mower. She couldn’t make out what the ink on his chest and shoulders was, but it didn’t matter. His back was a blank slate, and she had a feeling he’d eventually cover that with ink too. He was too beautiful to be real.

But he was real. And he was here doing her a favor. All six feet three inches of him.

Knowing she was gawking, Sarah forced herself to drop the curtain and go back to what she’d been doing, namely cleaning. It was past time, and since she didn’t think she had the brainpower to do anything more taxing than dust and pick up the odds and ends that had accumulated over the past month, that was what she was doing.