“Is there an actual problem, or do you two just wish you had a different partner?” Hal inquired.
The men glanced at each other, Nick’s green eyes meeting Lucas’s golden ones, and seemed to come to a truce.
“No problem,” said Nick. “Guess I’m just used to working with someone I can have a beer with after work.”
“There is no problem. I am not used to working with...” Lucas paused just long enough to make it sound like he was about to say something stunningly insulting, then concluded, “...others.”
Hal addressed both of them as he said, “Well, get used to it. I’m about to take a bodyguard assignment myself, so I won’t be around to babysit.”
As he’d intended, the men stopped shooting pissed-off glances at each other, and turned their pissed-off glances on Hal.
“Yeah, whatever, man,” Nick said. “We’re cool.”
“Babysitting is not required,” Lucas replied icily.
They went into the gym together, leaving Hal alone. He caught a snatch of their conversation just before the door closed. It didn’t sound friendly, but at least it didn’t sound hostile. It seemed like his ploy had worked.
Lucas was his newest hire, and it was always hard to join a team that had already bonded with each other. Hal had assembled his team one by one, so everyone on it had been the new guy once. But even on a team of shifters, Lucas stood out. He was a dragon shifter. Hal hadn’t even known they existed until he’d met Lucas.
Hal set aside thoughts of his team as he left the locker room and went to the parking garage. He had his own job to focus on now.
As he drove to the police station, he couldn’t stop wondering about his new client, Ellie McNeil. What sort of woman was brave or crazy enough to agree to testify against Wallace Nagle, Santa Martina’s answer to the Godfather? That man practically ruled the city.
Hal would have understood it if Ellie had been a criminal herself, desperate to cut a deal to escape prison. But according to Kramer, she was an ordinary citizen— a working woman, a paramedic on the late shift. She must be terrified. She was probably regretting her decision already.
He pulled into the police parking lot and went into the station, half-convinced that he’d find that she had changed her mind about testifying and gone home.
Detective Kramer waved at him, then indicated a door. “She’s in there.”
Mildly surprised, Hal headed for the door. He had to duck his head to go in. Most places weren’t built for men his size.
Ellie McNeil sat with an empty paper coffee cup in her lap, her head lowered, her hair hanging forward to hide her face. She seemed to have dozed off in her chair. Everything about her posture spoke of utter exhaustion, which didn’t surprise him. She’d worked all night, then witnessed a murder and nearly gotten killed herself, and then had been questioned at a police station for eight hours. Talk about a rough night!
He couldn’t see her face behind a tumble of curling dark blonde hair. It was a pretty color; it reminded him of clover honey. Her practical paramedic uniform didn’t conceal her generous curves. Though her shirt and pants were cut loosely, Hal could see the shape of her wide hips, her plump thighs, and her lush breasts. She had exactly the sort of body he liked: big and soft and curvy.
With thinner women, Hal always worried that he’d hurt them by accident. They seemed so fragile, especially given how big and strong he was. Besides, he didn’t like how bony they felt. But with a woman like Ellie, big and voluptuous, he wouldn’t have to worry about anything but whether she was enjoying herself as much as he was. Besides, he liked the way curvy women felt. He imagined running his hands over the gentle swell of her belly, the delicious weight of her breasts, the silky softness of her thighs...
Hal forced himself to stop that train of thought right there. He’d come to protect her, not to hit on her. The fact that she was incredibly hot was completely irrelevant. Unfortunately.
He cleared his throat. “Excuse me.”
“Wha—” Ellie jumped, her head jerking up. So she had been dozing.
Hal stepped forward, holding out his hand. “Hi. I’m Hal Brennan, your bodyguard.”
She pushed her hair out of her face and looked up. Their eyes met.
The force of the contact nearly knocked Hal backwards. It was an earthshaking, heart-stopping jolt of recognition.
Mine!
The roar of Hal’s bear was so loud that he half-expected Ellie to have heard it. But of course, she hadn’t. She just sat there, her head tilted quizzically, her kissable pink lips parted in a smothered yawn.
Everything about her was perfect, from her snub nose to her ocean-blue eyes to the sprinkling of freckles on her upper arms. He knew nothing about her, other than that she was a paramedic and beautiful and sexy and incredibly brave, but he loved her already.
Holy shit, Hal thought. She’s my mate.
He was nearly overwhelmed with joy. There was the other half of his heart and soul, sitting right there in front of him. If he took a single step forward, he could sweep her into his arms, kiss her and caress her, and never let her go. They’d be together forever.