The Trouble With Temptation (Second Service Book 3)(15)

She stared at the rows of fluorescent lights above her, just in time to see Ty step into view.

Double shit.

His mouth was a tight line. He didn’t look amused, but he still extended his hand toward her.

“You want to tell me what you’re doing?”

“Nothing stupid,” she said, as she took it.

“Of course not.” He effortlessly pulled her off the floor.

“You’re supposed to be working. What are you doing back here?” She gave deflection a try.

“Minding my own business.”

“Really?”

“You’re just lucky that lock picking is part of my business.”

“Who said anything about lock picking?”

“The question is who the hell told you to use a paper clip?” he said, narrowing his eyes as he examined Gregg’s doorknob. “Of course it broke. It’s way too thin.”

“Wait,” Morgan said, shaking some sense back into her head. “You know how to pick locks?”

He smiled, and she fought back the wobble in her knees.

“We all have secret talents,” he said.

“I obviously need to do better background checks.”

“You have no idea.”

“What does that me—”

The hinge behind her creaked again.

Morgan didn’t have time to turn around. She didn’t have time to think.

One second, she was standing an arm’s length away from Ty as he examined her bungled attempts at petty burglary, and the next she was crushed up against his chest. His arm wrapped around her back as his back thumped against Gregg’s door. Fingers snaked through her hair, holding her close as Ty’s lips crashed against hers.

Her mouth fell open in surprise, and his tongue swept across her lower lip. She drew in a sharp breath. Cool air rushed over the spot, making her shiver. But not for long. A heartbeat later, he deepened the kiss.

She closed her eyes, and pressed against him. His body was solid—his chest, his arms, his core. She felt the energy roiling off of him. All that strength. It was so easy to lose herself in the passion of his kiss. Morgan’s head swam.

Several hard footsteps sounded behind her, and Morgan came back to herself in a flash.

Her eyes popped open. She tried to pull away, but Ty’s arm was wrapped around her like a band of steel, holding her to him.

A cough echoed off the walls. A familiar cough.

Gregg.

The heat that had pooled just moments before drained away in a flash. If Gregg was there, then Morgan was willing to bet she knew who the other footsteps belonged to.

Panic swelled inside her. This couldn’t be happening. It just couldn’t.

Morgan glanced up at Ty’s face hoping she could express how sorry she was that she’d pulled him into this mess, but there was only calm in his grey-green eyes.

Well, that, and maybe just a pinch of desire.

He gave her an almost imperceptible nod before he loosened his hold. Morgan arched her brows in question. What the hell did he think he was doing?

Ty lifted his head and looked over at their uninvited audience.

Well, if he could be shameless, she didn’t see why she couldn’t give it a try. She spun around on her heel. Ty kept his arm around her, only now it was slung across her chest like a bandolier.

She immediately wished that she’d stayed with her face buried in his embrace. A line of five faces stared at her. Her brother was on the edge of the group, gaping at her with a mixture of disbelief and cruel amusement. The other four showed no emotion, just blank, cold stares that quickly chilled all the heat that Ty had stirred moments before.

Barinov stood in the center of the group. His icy blue eyes stared unflinchingly into hers. Morgan had the feeling it wasn’t because he found her public display of affection distasteful.

This guy didn’t just dislike her. The cold realization sliced through her. He wanted to hurt her. He was just looking for a reason.

And unfortunately, she had a feeling that one hell of a reason was currently sticking out of her brother’s doorknob.

“What the hell is going on, Morgan?” Gregg said, breaking the uncomfortable silence that had descended in the hallway.

Morgan opened her mouth, but the mixture of terror and embarrassment paralyzed her tongue.

“What does it look like?” Ty said, his voice thick with attitude. Apparently, he wasn’t suffering from the same affliction.

“It looks like my sister is whoring around with the staff.”

Morgan stiffened. Ty’s arm tightened around her. Her back pressed into his hard body. She felt a rumble go through his chest that almost frightened her.

“You sure do find your backbone when your friends are around, don’t you?” Ty said. Morgan couldn’t see his face, but the anger in his voice was unmistakable.

“Enough of this,” Barinov said. His tone was just as cold as his stare. “Move, Miss Kincaid.”

“E-excuse me?”

“Move.” He waved his hand for emphasis.

“We need to go in to my office.” Gregg added. “You know, if you’re done making out in front of it.”

“Why?” Morgan balled her hands and cocked them on her hips.

She didn’t want a showdown. She really didn’t. Especially not with Ty around. But if she moved, everyone would see what she’d been trying to do.