5. Lennox
Chapter 5
Lennox
I can’t fucking resist her another goddamn second. Standing, I step close and lean in, needing to claim Willow. Every nerve in my body is on high alert, and I can feel the electricity crackling between us like a live wire. Her eyes are bright and inviting, and the way she looks at me sends my resolve tumbling.
“Lennox…” she whispers, and the desire shining from her eyes makes my heart pound. I can’t think ab out anything else but how close I am to tasting her. With my pulse racing and the tension rolling off us, it feels like the entire universe hinges on this single moment.
But just as I lean in, intent on finally closing this maddening gap between us, my phone buzzes viciously in my front pocket. The jarring sound cuts through the heavy atmosphere like a knife.
“Shitty timing,” I mutter under my breath, frustration slamming into me as I pull away slightly, desperately trying to shake off the annoyance. I reach for my phone, recognizing the unmistakable alert stating there’s someone at the front gate. I’m torn between wanting to stay close to Willow and checking who the hell has chosen right now to come knocking.
“Hang tight for a sec,” I say, trying to keep my disappointment under wraps as I check the security feed. I switch to the camera view and find Stone pulled up to the gate, holding up Willow’s black purse like it’s some trophy he just won. The irritation spikes. Seriously? Why now?
I turn back to Willow, who’s watching me with curiosity. “We’ve got a visitor,” I say, forcing a casual tone despite the way my insides churn. I’m suddenly hyper-aware of the buzzing chemistry coursing back and forth between us, but the timing isn’t right. I open the gate and watch as he drives up to my home .
“Who?” she asks, her brows knitting together in mild confusion.
“The agent who interviewed you the other day.” I move toward the door, frustration gnawing at me. “The fucker has the worst goddamn timing.”
I open the front door and Stone walks in with a smirk on his face. “What are you doing here?” I don’t attempt to hide my displeasure as the little Shih Tzu rushes over to growl menacingly at our visitor. With strangers around, the little shit has my back.
Too bad, he forgets all that when it’s just the three of us at the house. Once he realized I’m not going anywhere, he started acting out a little. Nothing horrible, but he’s definitely been a pain in my ass.
“I thought Willow might like to have her stuff back.” Stone steps around the small dog to hold the purse out to her. “Here’s everything except the memory stick.”
I catch Willow’s bright smile lighting up her face when she reaches for the purse. A twisted knot of possessiveness fires in my gut. All her goddamn smiles belong to me.
“Thanks!” she replies with a beaming smile, reaching to take it from him, and I'm hit with a surge of jealousy so powerful, I barely bite back the roar of outrage blasting up my throat. “Do you want a cup of coffee or something? ”
“I—” Stone starts, but I’m not having it.
“He isn’t staying,” I cut in, my sharp tone leaving no room for argument. I know how this looks, but I don’t fucking care. I step forward, my body blocking his path back into my house. “He’s busy.”
My friend raises an eyebrow, seemingly amused by my protective streak. “I can see the water has claimed another victim.”
I shift my weight, the irritation bubbling beneath the surface only making it harder to keep a level head. “Fuck off.”
But before I push him out the door, Stone stops me in my tracks. “We need to discuss the case.”
The change in his tone snaps me back into focus, and the air shifts to something more serious. “Right. Come on.” I gesture toward my home office, irritation fading into the background for now. I stop to give Willow a light kiss on her cheek. “We won’t be long, Spitfire.”
“I’ll be here,” she mutters, confusion over how I’m acting swirling in her gaze.
Chewy follows us down the hallway. As we step into the office, he runs over and plops down on his bed I put in the corner for him. “Take a seat.” I motion toward one of the chairs in front of my desk. The little dog watches over us to make sure his assistance isn’t needed .
“I never thought I’d see the day you were satisfied doing background checks and busy work on the computer instead of working in the field.” Stone sighs sadly.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my girl safe, even busy computer work.” There’s no question in my mind. “Here’s what I’ve found on Cavani’s shit.” Discontent lingers in my chest as I lay out the stack of folders I’ve been using to track down the fugitive connections with Oscar’s crew in my free time.
He focuses on my scribbles and doesn’t even look up. “One of Keller’s CI’s had information on the rest of Cavani’s crew. It looks like they made it across the border so they’re the cartel’s problem now.”
“I wouldn’t want to be them,” I mutter. From the intel we’ve gotten so far, the fucking dumbass was both stealing from his investors and fucking over the cartel at the same time. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place.
“Me neither.” Stone rubs his bottom lip. “Cavani has so many other problems, I don’t think he’s going to be any further risk to Willow.”
Sounds reasonable, but I’m not willing to bet her safety on speculation. “I’m still not ready to believe she’s in the clear.”
“I’ll keep an ear out and let you know if I hear anything new.” He sits back and stares at me for several seconds. “ I assume you aren’t returning to the office until there’s some resolution to this shit with Cavani.”
“That’s right.” If they run out of assignments I can do from home, I’ll use my vacation days, but I’m not letting Willow out of my sight until I know the threat is over.
A few days later, Willow and I decide to crash on the couch and watch a movie after dinner. Something mindless, with enough action to keep our focus. As we settle in, Chewy sprawls out at one end of the sofa, falling into deep doggy sleep within seconds. The little guy is a master snoozer.
I sit back, pulling Willow close, feeling the gentle pressure of her body as she leans into me. My cock turns to stone as her curvy body melts against my side. Her delicate floral scent wraps around me, waking up every nerve ending in my body.
As the opening credits roll, I breathe her in, feeling the stress of the day melt away. The world beyond my walls can be too raw sometimes, with too much at stake and too many variables I can’t control. But here, now, with her, I have no doubt. I know what I want, and it’s this. She’s an intoxicating blend of sass and confidence that pulled me in the moment we met.
I glance down at her, her eyes focused on the screen, the corners of her mouth twitching in anticipation of the next intense scene. Fuck. She turns me inside out without even trying, makes me rethink every damn decision I’ve made prior to her walking into my life. And I can’t help but want more.
For a while, we’re absorbed by the movie, and as a particularly thrilling sequence grips the plot, I notice the way her body tenses slightly against mine, her fingers clutching at the fabric of my shirt in reflex. I take advantage of the moment, running my fingers lazily through her hair, feeling the silky strands flutter between the pads of my fingers.
This magnetic pull I feel toward her isn’t just infatuation. She owns my goddamn heart. My little spitfire has been driving me crazy since the day she fell into my lap. Her presence is as grounding as it is destabilizing. One look, one touch from her, and I’m out for the count.
The movie climaxes with a barrage of screams and chaos, but my focus is on the spitfire who owns my heart and soul. The room crackles with tension as my control fractures.
“Willow,” I murmur, my voice low, roughened by my desire for her. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to do.”
She meets my gaze, her curiosity sparking in the dim light, a smile tugging at her lips. “What’s that, Lennox?”
“I’ve been wanting to kiss you since the day we met,” I admit. With her so close, I’m ready to finally close the gap between us, hoping like hell she’s feeling the same magnetic pull.
“What’s stopping you?”