He looked at the spread Candy had laid out and knew he was in deep shit. There was no way in hell the guys were gonna think he’d done all this. If it had been up to him, he would have grabbed a couple of bags of chips and maybe splurged on some dip when he picked up the beer, called for a few pizzas after the guys got there. This? This looked like the freakin’ queen was coming for tea. Cold cut platters covered the table along with a basket—where the hell she got that he had no idea—of hard rolls and that was only the beginning. She’d made a lasagna and a damn cake. He’d drawn the line at her making a ham too. They already had enough food for an army. She did manage to fill his refrigerator with what she deemed just the necessities though. She had looked so damned happy grocery shopping with him he didn’t have the heart to tell her he had a protein shake most nights or ordered delivery if he felt like having real food.

“Jameson, I left the cheese dip in the microwave. You just need to reheat it when everybody gets here, okay? I’m going to the bedroom since the guys should be here soon. I’ll see you later.” She bent down and kissed his cheek. Fuck it, it wasn’t too late to call the guys and cancel.

“Maybe they won’t show? I forgot to remind them yesterday.”

“I’m sure they’ll be here. Bye.” She waved her book at him. He ignored the impulse to grab her and make her stay with him. The doorbell rang and that was the end of that.

The guys being, well, guys, all arrived at the same time. They knew the drill so stuff got stashed, beer got iced, the television got cranked up. He wondered if maybe he was in the clear. No one has said a word about all the food, at least not yet. When he turned around Axel was staring at him with his hands on his hips.

“Where is she?” Fuck.

“Who?”

Axel’s smirk told him just how busted he was. “The woman who set up all the food?” He’d hired the kid because his father had saved his ass in the sandbox and then lost himself to PTSD when they’d gotten stateside. That the kid was observant and damn good at the job was just dumb luck.

“I have no idea...”

“Don’t even. Where. Is. Candy? Hate to think I’m running my ass all over the place and you still aren’t...” He looked around and realized all the other guys were staring at the two of them.

Someone piped up. “Are you and her hooking up?” It was a damn good thing he didn’t know who said it because he might have taken them out before he got himself under control.

“You don’t ‘hook up’ with a woman like Candy.” He managed to push the words out between his clenched teeth. The woman in question chose that moment to stroll into view.

“Jameson, um, hi guys!” She gave everyone a little wave but when she turned, she gave him a smile that was a sucker punch to the gut. “I’m sorry to bother you, but I forgot to take Bitsy out before everybody got here.” She had the damned shorts on and had tied the T-shirt he’d worn earlier at her waist.

Jesus, the corps should use her on their recruiting posters because the letters USMC had never looked better than they did stretched across her chest. There was a sliver of skin showing at her waist and he had the damnedest urge to run his tongue over it. Except they weren’t alone, and every guy was staring at her, and at least in his head, licking their lips like she was a goddamned Sunday dinner pork chop.

What did it say about him that he took a little solace from that fact that she had his scent all over her. She’d called him a caveman in bed this morning. She had no idea just how right she was.

“Sure thing, babe.” He could play it cool. “You gonna be alright?”

She looked at him and smirked. “I’ll be fine. It isn’t even dark yet.” She stuck her feet in her shoes and walked out the door. The silence in the room turned into a physical weight. The only sound a growl that erupted from his chest as all of them stared at her ass. Every guy turned to look at him and seemed to want answers.

“What?” he bit out. Half of them just smiled and shook their heads. The rest looked pissed. What the hell? They were too young to date her. And fuck it, he’d gotten there first.

Finally Axel spoke up, again. “If you hurt her, there will be hell to pay.”

“Who signs your paycheck, boy.”

“Actually Candy does a damned good impression of your signature already so most of the time she does.”

“You’d side with her over me?”

“No question. Your coffee is for shit and you don’t make those candied ginger scones she knows are my favorites. But you just confirmed my thoughts.”

“Which are?”

“You have fallen hard and deep. How’s it feel to be on a leash?” He wanted to smack the grin off the kid’s face but he ignored the truth laying in front of him.

“Shut up and make yourself a damned sandwich.” Axel walked to the kitchen making kissing noises.

Thirty minutes later Jameson was climbing out of his skin because Candy hadn’t come back yet. He was about to go out and get her when the door opened and she waltzed in.

She was cooing at the dog of course.

“What took so long?”

“I ran into someone I sort of knew, if you can believe it. He said he was visiting a friend.” Bullshit.

“Who is he?”

“A guy from...” She looked up at the crowd who were all listening intently. “Um, that place I told you about? I didn’t think he was from around here but maybe he’s staying with his friend? He didn’t look in good shape though. I hope he’s still getting the help he needs.”

“What apartment number?”

“I didn’t think to ask.” She cocked her head to the side at his sour look. In his line of work you ignore your instincts at your peril. Right now his were ringing like the alarms during a nuclear meltdown. But he didn’t have a clue as to why. “Oh, your fights have started. I’ll just go in the bedroom.”

“Candy, you don’t have to hide. We know all about you and Jameson.” Axel just couldn’t leave well enough alone. Her mouth dropped open and she stared at him, she was shooting fire from her eyes from the feel of it. He was gonna kill Axel. But it wasn’t like everyone hadn’t guessed already.

“Babe, he’s just trying to rile me, and he’s getting damn close. But he does have a point, come sit with me and watch the fights.” He didn’t usually invite the women at the agency to these things mostly because they seemed too sensible for this kind of crap. Maybe he should start, or do something more sensible.

“I don’t know...”

“Come on, with you here these morons will have to pretend to be civilized.”

“I thought the whole point was to get to act well, uncivilized.” He might have argued with her but she was right and she was moving toward the couch. She was clutching the dog like it was a shield. He maneuvered to the couch and she sat next to him, not close enough for his liking so he pulled her right up against him and left his arm curled around her. She looked up at him and smiled, stroking the dog. He couldn’t resist and scratched under the little beast’s chin. Someone started to laugh, when he turned, Axel was the only one standing there but he was now consumed with making a sandwich. Someday, that kid was gonna fall in love and he hoped it was soon. Then he’d realize it wasn’t all fun and games.

“Oh, I’m not being a very good hostess. Did anyone want anything to drink? Jameson did you get the cheese dip? Oh, never mind I’ll get it.” She jumped up, the tension radiated off of her. Did this guy say something to upset her? He’d kill the bastard if he did.

She nearly jumped out of her skin when she turned and saw him in the kitchen.

“Easy. Just me. Did something happen with the guy you met?”

“No, nothing. Well, he seemed kind of tense about something. He was always kind of twitchy, nothing I could put my finger on but there was something about the way he looked at me in group or when we’d pass each other. And he wanted to know which unit was yours.”

“Did you tell him?”

“No, I couldn’t remember the number, I just knew which turns to take. I guess I pointed out the tower you are in.” He’d know that if he followed her back, so she hadn’t given anything away there.

“Is that what has you so jumpy?”

“Oh, um, no, I’m just not used to being around all these guys. Maybe I should just go read?”

“Or you could let me protect you from them? Truthfully, I’d be willing to throw them all out in a minute and just have it be you and me.” The little dog jumped from her arms and climbed on him. “Okay fine, and you, beast.”

“No, don’t do that. Carry him while I bring the dip out. I’ll be fine, really.” When they ended up on the couch this time she snuggled into him on her own. No one said a word.

The undercard was pretty boring, a lot of dancing around and punches that didn’t connect. Five fights, five judges decisions that most of them disagreed with. Candy seemed to relax a little and either because the fights were dull or Candy was there, the guys were more subdued than usual. The title fight was a different story from the first minute. Both guys came out hot and wanting blood. They had been going after each other in the press for weeks so it didn’t surprise anyone they weren’t playing it safe. Both had undefeated records to protect too.

When the first punch connected, splattering blood everywhere, Candy flinched and covered her eyes. It was cute the way she didn’t want either of the guys to get hurt, silly, but cute. Two rounds in they started looking pretty rough. Both had a swollen eye and some bruising. Neither were finesse boxers, they came in with heavy fists and just kept throwing punches.

“Why doesn’t either team stop it? They’re going to get hurt, well worse than they already are.”

“They’re professionals, babe. They make decent money doing this.” He stopped talking to watch a particularly vicious upper cut rock Mulvaney’s head back as his chin split open and sprayed more blood.

“Oh my God! No! Stop!” The guys looked at Candy cowering next to him, and then at him. He had wanted to yell at the television urging the fighters on, he imagined the other guys did too but the only one making any real noise was Candy and she just wanted it all to end.

“Hey hon, come here. He turned her into his chest and wrapped his arms around her. ”You’re fine. You don’t have to watch if you don’t want to.”

“I don’t. God, how can you watch them beat each other like this?”

He looked around at the guys who had shown up and knew at least two of them had spent time on the MMA circuit, one, maybe two of them, had taken a bullet and lived to talk, or mostly not, about it, most were ex-military and had seen a hell of a lot worse than guys hitting each other with gloves on.

“Sweetheart, come on, I’ll take you in the back. Grab the beast.”

He led her to his bedroom like she was sleep walking. Massaging her hands finally brought her back from where ever she’d gone in her head. He didn’t miss the fact that the guys had gotten louder the minute Candy was out of the room.

“I’ll get rid of them.”

“No. You should go back and watch your fight.”

“What if I’d rather stay here with you?”

“I’d say you were lying. I was watching you instead of the fight. I could see how interested you were. I just can’t stand to watch that kind of violence. I can’t watch horror movies either.”

“Got it, no slasher marathons for you.” She shook at the thought of having to sit through one.

“Go, I don’t want you to miss more than you have already. I’ll be fine.” The beast yipped and begged for her attention. “Besides, I’ve got my attack dog to guard me.” Hell if he thought she would have taken it he would have gotten her a trained attack dog, something big and scary. He was just going to have to be all the big and scary in her life. He heard a loud yell from the other room.

“Go! You’re missing everything.”

“I’ll get rid of them as soon as the fight is over.” He stole a kiss and then darted back to the living room.

He wasn’t back in the room a minute before Carlito landed the knockout blow. He realized he couldn’t have cared less.

“Guys, I need a favor.” He got a room full of smirks staring back at him. “It is about Candy. I don’t like some of the shit going on at her place.”

“You expecting more trouble?” Axel snapped to attention, all the other guys followed suit.

“Maybe. I need eyes on her place but she won’t be happy about it.”

“Just keep her here.” The kid talked a good game but obviously he hadn’t had a real relationship if he thought it was as simple as just telling a woman what to do. And her actually doing it. The thought made him smile though, she was sure as shit happy to do somethings he told her to in the bedroom.

“Would you want to live with me?” He’d be pissed at the quick shaking of heads from all of them later. “Right, so here is the plan.”

He outlined where he wanted the interior cameras and the angles he needed. He had Axel tap the phone line in case that weasel Snell or any other threat made contact with her on the land line.

“What are you going to do about her cell phone?”

“She’s got an older one so it shouldn’t be any trouble sneaking a chip in it.”

“Isn’t she gonna be pissed?” He really didn’t need the kid to have a crisis of conscience now.

“Let me worry about it. I’ll take the heat.”

“You better, I’m not risking access to the woman’s cooking.” There was a flurry of nods all around. “Anything else?”

“Maybe, but this is a good start. Let me know when you have everything in place. I’ll have to be on my best behavior until then. I don’t want to give her any excuse to leave.”

“Yeah, that’s why you don’t want her to leave. Just admit you like her, hell I’d be willing to bet you lo—”

“Enough. You all have your assignments. Get going. Nothing is going to happen to her on my watch.”

After everyone filed out he did a cursory clean up, getting everything that would spoil stashed away. Axel’s words wouldn’t stop spilling into his ears. He loved her. Fuck. Yeah, probably. But that didn’t mean anything if she didn’t feel the same back. And now he’d just issued his own destruct code because she was not going to stick around after she found out he was spying on her.