“What?”Harmony gasped.
“That’s very generous of you, Mr.Pickens.”
Mr.Pickens smiled at the camera, then looked at the reporter.“It’s what she deserves.She didn’t have to call the police.She could have ignored what she saw.But she didn’t.She made a choice.And I want to thank her for that.I want her to know what it meant to me.”
Did he trip over the wordthank?Harmony shivered, feeling like he wasn’t as happy with her calling the police as he wanted people to think.Nope.She was not interested in meeting the man.She was happy to stay in the shadows.She was making things work, even if reward money would help her out a ton.She didn’t need it.
Harmony turned the TV off and carried her dishes to the kitchen.She started her dishwasher and dragged her full belly back to the bedroom.
It was finally time to sleep.
Damien washappy to be back to whatever his routine was a week later.He spent three days watching over a man who had no interest in being protected.If it weren’t for Damien’s partner, Jude Lyons, the man probably would have broken out of the safe house they were holding him in and gotten himself killed.Jude convinced the man to sit tight for a few days and kept him entertained with card games, conversations, and cooking lessons.
Damien kept his distance.He liked the job they did, protecting people, but when someone didn’t want their help, Damien didn’t have a lot of patience for it.There were plenty of people who were willing to be in protective custody, who knew the risks if they weren’t, and who didn’t make their jobs harder.
After three days with a man who probably would have gotten Damien and Jude killed if he’d had a chance, Damien was happy to go back to Sunrise Brews and pretend he was a normal guy with a normal job.
The bitter scent of coffee soothed Damien when he opened the door.It was still early enough that the crowd was there, but Damien didn’t mind waiting.Rose Protection Agency didn’t work on a schedule, and after getting off a job, the owner of the company was even more flexible with their time.Montgomery Rose was a fair man, and a good one as far as Damien could tell.Damien joined the company after Jude, getting talked into the job when his former teammate sang the praises of their boss.
Damien hadn’t complained about the job yet.Except in his head.
“Next?”the barista said, capturing Damien’s attention.
Damien stepped forward at the same time as a white bombshell with curves his fingers itched to trace.
“I’m so sorry.I wasn’t paying attention and thought it was my turn,” she said, her voice rich and smoky.Her auburn hair was in a bun on the top of her head.She wore black wire glasses and had lips painted to match her hair.Her black leggings and shirt clung to her curves, a skinny cheetah-print belt separating the pieces, with a creamy sweater over top that hung past her hips.
Damien couldn’t find his voice.His dick found his zipper, but his voice was fucking gone.
“Harmony, you know you don’t have to wait anymore.We have your order at the end of the counter,” the barista told the stunner.“After you saved everyone, we all agreed we’re not taking your money again.”
“And I told you guys you don’t have to do that,” the woman named Harmony said.Her cheeks pinked, but the smile that tilted her lips up said she was grateful for the gesture.She stepped ahead of Damien and stuffed cash in the tip jar next to the register.
“We don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t seen those guys.It’s small to make sure you keep coming back here.”
Harmony chuckled, the sound as rough and sexy as her voice.“You keep me in caffeine, I’ll be back every day.You know that.”
The barista grinned and nodded to the end as another barista called Harmony’s name.
Harmony thanked her again, then went to grab her drink.
The barista focused on Damien, her grin not as friendly but still welcoming.“What can I get for you?”
“What did that woman do?”
“You didn’t see the news?She saw a break-in next door and called the police.It was a big story.”
“Now that you mention it, I did see that.Can I pay for her coffee?And maybe there’s a treat she likes I could get for her?”
“Of course.Any friend of Harmony’s is a friend of ours.”
“Thanks.”Damien added his own drink and breakfast soufflé to the order, then shoved more cash in the tip jar as a thank you.He waited at the end of the counter for his coffee and breakfast, keeping an eye on the woman sitting alone facing the windows toward the back.
Her hips were wide enough to fill the seat.Her waist dipped in a bit, giving her an hourglass figure.She was gorgeous.Those painted lips wrapped around her coffee cup and had Damien looking away before he groaned, imagining her wrapping them around him.
“Damien!”
He held up a finger to let the barista know he was right there, then grabbed his food.The side of the shop Harmony sat on was quiet, a little away from the crowd, and thankfully she was still there.
