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Oh my God, Pierce Jordan turned her on. That was it.
This was a really bad moment to get a crush on a guy. Riley didn’t do crushes. She waited a long time, studying a man, before becoming interested. And most men weren’t that interesting. If they were intellectually interesting, they weren’t physically interesting. And vice versa.
But Pierce was absolutely fascinating. His dramatic rescue. His being able to organize a car switch, a safe house, was … well, sexy. A guy who knew how to get things done. Who knew how to operate in the world. Her friends in Portland said he was very smart, though she hadn’t heard more than a couple of words come out of his mouth. But he looked and acted smart and that was enough.
Plus he was immensely attractive. Good-looking, but definitely not vain.
This was strange, too, because Riley wasn’t turned on by men’s looks. She wasn’t that shallow, or so she’d always thought.
And yet, here she was. Turned on by a handsome man. A very handsome man. Tall, dark and handsome, a walking cliché. But it turned out he also happened to be competent and brave, and had stepped forward immediately when her friends asked him to help her. He hadn’t been fazed at all by men shooting at him. He’d even shotback.
She didn’t have enough trouble, with her boss having been killed, with killers now after her? She had to throw inappropriate feelings into the mix?
Riley sighed as she got dressed. None of this was easy. But she’d been doing hard things, on her own, all her life. She pushed open the door into the living room and immediately two big men stood up, in unison.
Riley took a step back. Why did they rise? Were they planning on going somewhere and were just waiting until she finished her shower to tell her?
And then it hit her. Old-fashioned manners. Men rising when a lady entered the room. Though to be honest, she’d only ever read that in novels. She inhabited a world where all the male etiquette her nerd colleagues ever knew was to keep their pants zipped and shoelaces tied.
She nearly said, “At ease, men.” Because they both looked almost at parade rest. As she moved toward them, they both sat down again.
It was the first leisurely look she’d had of Pierce. They’d been so busy saving her that she hadn’t had a chance to get a really good look at him. The general impression had been big and handsome. It was now reinforced. He was tall, lean, and broad, with sinewy muscles showing through the tee. And he was incredibly good-looking. Lavishly so. Deep blue eyes fringed by black eyelashes. Sharp cheekbones, straight aquiline nose, chiseled jaw, full lips, now compressed in a straight line.
And that body, broad and lean, arrow-straight. He looked like sex and sanctuary, both. It was hard for her not to rush straight to him, because her feeling of safety rose the closer she was to him.
But she didn’t rush to him because of the second man. Jacob Black. The man was famous, but not because he courted fame. His photo sometimes appeared online and in the papers, but never posed photos. Always of him coming or going. The man was wealthy beyond words, his company, Black Inc., incredibly successful.
But it wasn’t his wealth that you noticed first. Most wealthy men dressed for success, in cashmere and linen and silk. Not Jacob Black. He had on a black tee shirt, a dark, untucked cotton shirt and black jeans. Black combat boots. Dark, harsh features. He hadn’t shaved and looked tired. He might have just come from a mission.
The most important aspect about him was power. He gave off waves of power, like a king or an emperor. Every line of his body shimmered with power. He wasn’t looking happy, either. Black eyebrows were drawn over black eyes and his mouth was downturned.
For a moment, Riley was frightened. Not frightened, not really. Surely, Pierce wouldn’t let any harm come to her from Jacob Black? If nothing else, Felicity, Hope and Emma would be on his case, big time.
No, Jacob Black wasn’t going to attack her, but he was seriously angry with something or someone.
Please, God, not with her.
His black eyes had followed her as she approached, narrowing to dark slits.
Pierce brushed her arm. “Riley, I want to introduce you to Jacob Black, of Black Inc. My company works often with his company, and he is a personal friend. Jacob, this is Riley Robinson. She works at the NSO.”
Black stuck out a huge, calloused hand. “And she is friends with ASI’s genius women, right?
“Right,” Pierce nodded.
Then Black’s entire face underwent a metamorphosis as a smile lit up his harsh features. It was the kind of smile a pirate would make just before ordering someone to walk the plank, but it was a smile.
“Your friends are amazing. I owe my life to one of them, Emma Holland. Consider me and the resources of my company at your complete disposal. Delighted to meet you, Ms. Riley.” Emma had helped find a bomb set to go off at a meeting of top-level security experts. Jacob Black had organized the security forces. If not for Emma and her fiancé, Raul, Jacob Black wouldn’t be here. He’d be guarding the perimeter of Heaven.
But having Jacob Black and his company, and Pierce Jordan and his incredible company at her disposal … wow.
And yet it might not be enough.
“Nice to meet you, too.”
He engulfed her hand with his, shook it once, and withdrew. She’d been scared that he’d pull a macho stunt, crushing her hand, showing his strength, but he didn’t. He simply stood, smiling down at her from somewhere near the ceiling.
Was she supposed to … “Please.” She swallowed heavily. “Call me Riley.”
