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She nodded, barely able to think through all the ramifications of everything going on at once along with the blistering kiss he’d delivered. Her legs barely worked. Both he and Colton always had such an impact on her. “Yes. Right. Okay. I’ll call you.”
Isabelle stepped away from him with difficulty. His warmth stayed with him. She took two steps back, but didn’t want to leave him. Ari met her halfway and pushed her physically in the opposite direction.
Warrick moved into the bar, shaking hands with the strapping giant Ari had disengaged from. He promptly winked at her over one shoulder.
Isabelle was barely able to form words after the kiss. That was as much time as she had before Ari shoved her toward the big booth at the front of the bar and what she considered more privacy.
Once they were seated, Ari said, “I’m sorry to tell you this, but your life is likely in danger.”
Isabelle rolled her eyes. Let the never-ending drama begin.
* * * *
Warrick offered his hand to Sven. “Sorry to interrupt you so rudely while you were dancing earlier.”
Sven took his hand, shook it firmly, and gave him a relieved smile. “Sorry you thought I was snaking a sexy dance with your woman.”
Warrick smiled internally. Isabelle was his woman all right. If nothing else was clear, that was. And the entire bar clientele knew it now, too. For some odd reason, and for the first time, this didn’t bother Warrick in the least.
“I’d seen her around town here and there, but tonight she seemed to be all alone.” He shrugged. “I didn’t know she had a twin.”
“I didn’t either.”
Sven didn’t look reassured at his admission.
“Don’t worry,” Warrick said. “I honestly didn’t even know she had a sister, twin or not.”
Sven nodded then added, “I also didn’t know you were involved with her.”
“It’s a fairly recent relationship.” Warrick didn’t say anything else, unwilling to tell Sven his most private thoughts when he hadn’t even shared them with Isabelle. His woman.
He smiled to himself, knowing that was exactly how he’d think of her from now on. He called it progress. Emotional growth as a human.
Sven nodded and glanced over at the two women in a private booth at the front of the bar. No one else was around them.
Twins. Unbelievable. They looked like beautiful bookends. While he couldn’t hear them from where he sat, it looked like their long overdue sisterly discussion was fairly heated. Both of them used their hands to talk. Watching them endeared Isabelle to him even more. He wanted her. His family could suck it.
“Any worries if I continue to see her sister?”
“Nope. Not from me.”
“Good. What can I do for you, Mr. Harper? Duke didn’t really explain what you wanted to talk about.”
“Call me Warrick. I wanted to hire you during the evenings for the next week or so to watch out for Isabelle while she’s at work.”
Sven’s eyes cut to the two still talking across the room. “Like follow her around?”
“More like to keep her safe while she’s work, on the nights when she’s not with me or my friend Colton Landry.”
Sven didn’t miss a beat. “Right. So the three of you—” He didn’t finish his sentence, but Warrick understood and nodded.
“She works nights in Old West Town at the new hotel there.”
Sven nodded. “Right. I’ve seen her there before. I’ll be straight with you. I’m happy to take your money and watch out for her and all, but the truth is, she’s probably already safe where she works whether I’m with her or not.”
“I appreciate your candor, but I’d feel better if you were close by, in case she needs you.”
“What prompted this, if you don’t mind my asking? Can you give me an idea of the danger or issue?”
“There was possibly a man following her a week or so ago at the courthouse. She also got a couple of threatening phone calls at work that traced back to a burner phone.
“The next night I saw someone very sketchy staring at her while she was at work. It could have been an admirer from the hotel.
“When he saw me, he ran. I followed, but he had a hotel key card to enter the private hotel areas, and I didn’t. It could be totally nothing, but I want to ensure she’s got someone looking out for her.”
Sven nodded. “I get it. Each individual incident seems like not such a big deal, but put them together and I guess I’d be worried, too.”
“Also you should know, it’s entirely possible I’ve identified the culprits, and they are mostly harmless, but very annoying. Hiring you is a just-in-case sort of job or perhaps because it makes me feel better type of arrangement.”
