Page 15 (1/1)

"He was afraid Blake and I would kill each other if he didn’t referee"

"Really? Why is that?"

He cleared his throat "Blake thinks I order hihed "I have a hard ti"

He chuckled, a deep, sexy ru over her, and suddenly they were joking back and forth, and the stress of her upcoed, she found herself more drawn to Royce By the ti spot outside of his four-story, white brick building, Lauren was feeling as if she were talking with an old friend surprisingly at ease

As he held the door open for her and she exited the vehicle, a cool breeze danced through her hair, lifting it, a signal that winter wasn’t quite gone yet She took a deep breath, allowing the lingering season to conjure elanced at Royce as he stepped to her side, wondering where he fit into those feelings

She followed hi how any edly handsoood, oh, how he did He looked about as perfect as a man could look

They rode the elevator several floors up, and when she finally stepped into his private apartment, she was pleasantly surprised at what she found She wasn’t sure what she had expected, but it wasn’t what she saw but then, that sees she had discovered about Royce Walker She found herself standing inside a cozy, war bachelor pad, with a kitchen to her left and a bar that opened to a large living space that said Walker Security was doing well, because this was Manhattan, where space and quality ca The decor was definitely masculine, warm hues of brown and tan, and free of fee couch And of course, an oversized,s on either side

Standing just inside the doorway, Royce tossed his keys on the counter that divided the living area from the kitchen

"Make yourself at hoe, and then we can be off again"

Lauren nodded, eager to explore "Take your ti for Lauren and pulling her into his arms His mouth found hers for a quick kiss "You can be nosy if you like"

She grinned "I plan on it"

He laughed and started down the hall Lauren’s gaze followed hile-worthy backside until he disappeared into what she assumed was a bathroom or bedroo in Royce Walker’s apartht it could happen? Surely not her The too hot, too sexy, Royce Walker who’d given her an a to s roo on tables and hanging on walls

There were several photos of his brothers At least she assu from their resemblance to Royce Then there was a picture of an older couple with enough of the sa they were his parents

"Hht Royce was so sentimental or family oriented All his bad-boy charis

Settling down on the couch, she continued to survey her surroundings The fireplace was es of cold, winter days snuggling with Royce in front of warht Of course she wouldn’t be around to find out, so she wasn’t sure why she was even conte, she wondered how she went froht stand with a bad boy, to being with Mr Virtue, Mr Dangerously Appealing and destined to break her heart She grabbed a box of photos on the table and lost herself in as a history of the fa she sat there she didn’t know, but a knock on the door hten "Royce, it’s Luke Open up"

Surely, she should let Luke in, and admittedly, she was curious to meet the brother who had seduced her best friend and perhaps broken her unbreakable heart She rushed toward the door, only to have another knock sound before she could get across the roo the door, her eyes ide at the handsoet overwhelood looks also ran in the family As in the proverbial tall, dark, and handsome storybook men

Before her stood a man much like Royce, but not Royce at all He was smaller, not that the man was small, because he wasn’t Next to Royce, s, and Luke ell over six feet tall, impressively broad and muscular, with brown eyes and short hair he’d retained froht of her "Who are you?"

"You Walker men have a ords, don’t you?"

Luke frowned and then burst out laughing "So her hands on her hips, she added, "And not nicely, I ht add" She stepped back from the door to let him enter

As soon as the door closed behind him, Luke turned to Lauren and held out his hand "Luke Walker Can we start again?"