The Shadow Guard Read online

  “And yet it seems as if they are—or at least trying.”

  “They’re doing something—and I don’t like it. I don’t like when anyone gets in my way.” Especially particular felines who had wicked right crosses that Dee’s jaw was still feeling several hours later.

  “All right,” he said. “I’ll deal with it.”

  “Just like that?”

  “Yep. Just like that. Orange juice?” She nodded, and he poured freshly squeezed orange juice into her glass.

  “You don’t want to talk to the team first?”

  “I talked to you. What’s the team going to tell me that you haven’t? Except they’ll probably use more syllables and keep the antifeline sentiment out of it.”

  She nodded and watched him eat. Pretty. The man was just . . . pretty. Not girly—although she was sure her daddy and uncles would think so—but pretty. Handsome and gorgeous might be the more acceptable terms when talking about men, but those words did not fit him.

  “Is something wrong with your food?” he asked, noticing that she hadn’t started eating.

  She glanced down at the expertly prepared waffle, big fresh blueberries throughout, powdered sugar sprinkled over it. In bowls he’d also put out more fresh blueberries, along with strawberries and peaches. He’d given her a linen napkin to use and heavy, expensive-looking flatware to eat with. And he’d set all this up in about thirty minutes.

  The whole meal was, in a word, perfection, which was why Dee replied, “It’s all right . . . I guess.”

  A dark eyebrow peaked. “You guess?”

  “Haven’t tried it yet, now have I? Can’t tell you if I like it if I haven’t tried it.”

  “Only one cup of coffee, Dee. Only one.”

  “Maybe it’s time you had another.”

  “Eat and tell me my food is amazing or I’m going to get cranky again.”

  “If you’re going to be pushy . . .” She took a bite, letting the flavors burst against her taste buds. Damn, but the man could cook. Didn’t seem right, did it? Pretty and a good cook.

  “Well?”

  “Do I really need to tell you how good it is?”

  “Yes, Although I’m enjoying your orgasm face.”

  She smirked. “Darlin’, you don’t know my orgasm face.”

  “Yet, I’m ever hopeful.”

  “Keepin’ the dream alive.”

  “Someone has to.” He winked at her and went back to his food. “I’ll see what I can find out about what’s going on with KZS and get back to you.” He looked up at her and smiled. “Don’t worry, Dee-Ann. I’ve got your back.”

  She knew that. She knew he would come through as promised. As hard as it was to believe, she was learning to trust the one breed of wolf her daddy told her never to trust.

  Then again . . . her daddy had never tasted the man’s blueberry waffles.

  “But do me a favor, Dee,” he said. “Until I get this straightened out, don’t get into it with the cats.”

  Dee stared at him and asked with all honesty, “What makes you think I would?”

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  Copyright © 2011 Diane Whiteside

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  ISBN: 978-0-7582-6846-4