Chapter Three

Cynthia stared into his dark brown eyes, searching for the truth. She saw honesty. Somehow, looking at his open expression, she saw his willingness to accept what she wanted. He wasn’t like her ex-husband. He didn’t demand she have sex with him no matter how she felt at the moment.

This was different. Juan was different. Yet, she’d thought she’d known her former husband, and she’d been fooled.

“Would you like to play a little without getting seriously involved?” Juan’s eyebrows raised in question. “I think you’d enjoy it.”

“Yes, I think I would,” she answered. “I agree. We don’t need a serious relationship to enjoy ourselves.” And it would give her an opportunity to get to know more about Juan.

The doorbell rang. She hadn’t even heard a car drive up, she’d been so focused on Juan.

“That must be Derek,” Juan said, and sighed. “I guess he decided to come sooner than later.”

Not the best timing. But at least with Juan leaving now, she’d have a chance to think about what she’d agreed to. And reconsider, if she needed to.

She pulled back a little and Juan slid his hands down to her waist.

“When will I see you again?” he asked.

“Later today?” She smiled. “Your clothes are still in the dryer, and you’ll need to pick them up.”

He grinned. “How about I come by this evening for them?”

“Fine. We can have dinner here if you’d like to.”

“Sounds like a plan. Shall I bring wine or beer?”

“Red wine would be perfect.” She smiled at him again. “I’d better get the door.”

She rose from the sofa and headed to the front entry. Opening the door wide, she felt Juan’s warmth close behind her.

“Hi,” a tall, good-looking, sandy-haired guy said.

“Derek,” Juan said.

“Come in,” Cynthia invited.

“Thanks, but I left my date waiting,” Derek said. “Can I take a rain check?”

“Sure,” Cynthia assured him.

“Cynthia, this is one of my business partners and my good friend, Derek Wolfson. Derek, meet Cynthia Krystal. She helped me out when the Hawks attacked me.”

“Good to meet you. Thanks for coming to my partner’s rescue.”

“I would have called 911 for him, but he refused.”

“That sounds like Juan.”

“Come on, Derek, before we wear out our welcome,” Juan said as he took a step past her and clamped a hand on Derek’s shoulder. Juan looked at her and met her gaze. “Thank you for your help,” he said, his voice soft and warm. “I’ll call you later.”

“Let me know how it goes with your car.” She grinned at Juan.

He waved and pushed his friend toward a gray Honda Civic. It seemed like Juan didn’t want Derek hanging around her too long. Maybe Juan was a little possessive. That was all right with her, since she’d just as soon keep their future fun private.

It was too soon after her divorce to even think about a serious relationship.

Her personal goals came first these days. Second would be getting to know Juan. Handsome as sin, he must work outside mostly. He didn’t seem the office-paperwork sort. Those firm, sculpted lips and his big gentle hands had done amazingly sexy things to her.

* * * *

“She seems nice,” Derek said as he and Juan strode to his Civic.

“Real nice. Keep your hands off her, my friend,” Juan said.

Derek’s eyebrows shot up just as they opened the car doors and lowered themselves into the seats. “But she looks like she’d be a fun girl to know,” he protested, fastening his seat belt.

“Definitely,” Juan admitted, stretching his legs out and settling back in the seat. “Except we’re not sharing this time. Cindy’s all mine.”

“When did this happen?”

“After the fight with the Hawks. I don’t understand it myself, but I want Cindy, and I’m not interested in a threesome.”

On occasion in the past, he and Derek had enjoyed sharing a woman. Now, he felt an unusual feral possessiveness about Cindy. He had no plans to let things get too serious. The way he felt about her didn’t make sense, especially after Angie, but there it was.

“If that’s how you feel, I understand. I’ll just have to find myself a voluptuous blonde.”

Juan snorted and smiled at his friend’s comment.

“How did those Hawks get hold of you?” Derek asked.

Juan explained how it went down, and added, “I won’t let that happen again.” The old, green, ’69 Grand Prix was probably done. It had met its match in the big Hummer.

Derek shook his head. “Next time you decide to follow the Hawks to their gated neighborhood, take me with you. The odds will be more even that way.”

“You got that right,” Juan agreed.

* * * *

Cynthia curled up in the overstuffed armchair in the den. She needed to sort through what had happened this night. Although she was attracted to Juan, was she making another big mistake by encouraging him?

There were obvious, big differences between the image Juan put forth and how she had come to live her life and portray herself as a well-to-do woman. She’d worked hard to make her place in the social strata her former husband took for granted. He’d been born to it, and she had not. Now she was able to accomplish good things for the needy, and she knew people who could help her accomplish those goals.

Juan seemed less refined than the men in the circles she’d come to frequent, but he was a good guy, honest, and seemed genuinely interested in his work as a private investigator. From what he’d told her, he focused on ridding the community of that gang that attacked him.

She wouldn’t let anything interfere with her charity work for the Desert Edge Rescue Mission. She refused to allow anyone to keep her from providing clothing and food for the most desperate cases of homeless people on her side of the city.

Just thinking about that sexual tug Juan’s kiss ignited in her made her wonder if maybe she could handle a short fling now, or a low-key relationship with him. His long-fingered, strong hands had left her definitely wanting more of his touches.