Nobody's Lost (Rescue Me Saga #5)(9)

“I can remember what it’s like to be that age. Intense…emotions.”

“Well, those emotions ended long ago. Besides, my big brother scared him so badly on prom night that he couldn’t do anything—intense or otherwise—if he wanted to.”

“I imagine Adam would make guys toe the line around you.” One thing was certain, Ryder wouldn’t cross that line. Was he afraid of Adam? Maybe. But what he feared most was dishonoring himself in front of his master sergeant.

“Not Adam. I’ve only known him for about six months. He’s actually my half-brother. He disappeared from my mother’s life until last Thanksgiving. No, I’m talking about my other brother, Patrick. He was a pilot in the Marine Air-Ground Task Force and is working on his commercial pilot’s license now.”

Ah. A Marine. Regardless, Ryder needed to find out who this old boyfriend was and have him checked out.

Megan held up her hand. “Before you form a posse to search for my last boyfriend, he’s now happily married to one of my best friends, and they have three kids.”

A shadow of pain crossed her eyes. She wasn’t being completely honest with him. Perhaps she still had a thing for him.

*

Something I could never give him.

She stared at her empty snifter, but decided she’d had more than enough. Her lips began to tingle as numbness set in. She hadn’t slept in more than twenty-four hours, not that she hadn’t gone longer during her college days. Dealing with the break-in left her exhausted, more tired than she ever remembered being.

“I think I just want to sleep for a day or…three.”

“Do you think it’s a good idea for you to stay in Albuquerque with these perps on the loose? Come morning, maybe we can get you to a friend’s house or something.”

“Leave town? I can’t do that.”

“Why the hell not?”

“I don’t know anyone here but Patrick, and I refuse to give some petty thieves that much control over me. Besides, why prolong the inevitable? My first order of business is to buy a laptop that I can keep locked in the safe at night—or whenever I don’t have it with me.”

He ran a hand through his hair before he shot her a pleading look. “Megan, I’ve been charged by your brother—Adam—with making sure you stay safe. I can’t reassure him of that if you stay here where you’re an easy target if they haven’t already gotten what they wanted.”

He seemed more concerned with disappointing Adam than with pissing her off. If he thought her a less formidable foe, he needed to be enlightened.

“I’m sure whoever broke in has what they wanted—my computer was top of the line. You are under no obligation to stay, not even tonight.”

“I’m going to protect you until we know for sure you’re safe or your brother tells me to stand down.”

“That could take days.”

He sighed. “Don’t worry, Megan. I’ll keep you safe until Patrick returns.”

Safe? Up to a point, maybe. But this man did things to her no other had done in a very long time. Honestly, not even her old boyfriend had turned her body on the way this man did with a simple glance.

Damn it, she’d put her life on a course for success and wasn’t going to let her residual hormones mess that up.





Chapter Three





Jesus, don’t let this be the third biggest mistake of my life. He’d f*cked up so many times.

“I have a spare bedroom at my place in the Jemez Mountains.” Man, he’d kill to be back there right now. He could protect her more competently with fewer people around.

I can breathe there.

Megan shook her head, releasing her scent into the air—something spicy, classy, yet understated like the redhead standing next to him.

“Out of the question. I don’t even know you.”

“You’re part of my Marine family. I would never do anything to dishonor myself before Top or any member of his family.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Look, ma’am, no way am I going to let your brother down.”

She raised her eyebrow. Calling her ma’am, even though he probably had only eight or ten years on her, helped him remember she was off limits.

She retrieved her cell phone from her pants pocket. “I’m sure he’s still awake worrying. Let me call Adam and ask him to let you off the hook.”

He placed his hand over her fingers before she placed the call. “My mission is under way. He expects me to use my judgment and skills to see that you’re safe. At the moment, I’m not convinced you’re out of danger, no matter how you play it down to him on the phone. I won’t lie to Top.” Not about this, anyway.

Their gazes locked for a long moment before she set the phone on the counter. “You win. If Adam is anything like Patrick, he’s not going to back down.” She sighed. “But I’m not moving into your house, not even overnight. You can barricade the doors if you want, but I’m sleeping here. Alone.”

“I can stand guard outside if that makes you feel safer.”

She nibbled her lower lip, and he felt the first stirrings of a hard-on in longer than he could remember.

Fuck that shit.

Top’s little sister. Hands off, grunt.