Page 20 of Kiss Marry Kill
She looked around his house, which didn’t look all that secure either. “And this is safe? I’m alone in here.”
“There are cameras all along the perimeter of my house, the alarm’s on, and I have my team nearby. Plus, no one would think to look for you there.”
Oh God, he’d tell her if the cameras were around more than just the perimeter, right? Like in the interior of the house as well? She looked around as he spoke.
“Megan? You there? Megan?”
“Uh . . . yeah, sorry. Um,” she said distractedly, “I have some Skype meetings this afternoon and my stuff is in my office. I thought I’d go with you this morning, but you left before I woke up.”
This time the silence was on his end of the phone. “I can have Joey bring you over, okay? But you stay inside the house the whole time.”
Megan ignored his he-man commands, as if she would want to take a meandering stroll through her garden days after being threatened. “Joey? I remember him.” This reunion just kept getting better. She hadn’t known Joey more than a few hours, but she’d liked him immediately.
“He has a key. Otherwise don’t open the door for anyone. He’ll be there soon.”
“Hey, Jax?” she began, still looking around the house, her thumbnail by her teeth. She was happy he hadn’t given her a hard time about going home but something was still bothering her. “I . . . um . . . do you have cameras inside the house too?”
He chuckled loudly into the phone. “Why? Did you do something you weren’t supposed to? Did you snoop? Nothing weird in my medicine cabinet, as far as I can remember.”
“I’d never invade your privacy.” She scrunched her face and then started to look around again. Was he watching her lie right this very second? “Maybe I’m just worried you’re some sort of pervert, looking at me naked or something?”
“Interesting idea you just gave me. Maybe I’ll have to install cameras inside the house tomorrow. Or better yet, in your room here in your house.”
Was he flirting?
Gah!
She couldn’t tell through the phone and with his deep voice, but it definitely seemed like he was flirting.
“I knew you were a pervert!”
He laughed loudly again. “See you in a few, Meg.”
“Bye, Jax.”
When he said Joey’d be there soon, Megan didn’t realize he meant ten minutes. Luckily she was already dressed and was washing the mug she’d used when the front door opened and closed.
“Megan Cruz, as I live and breathe,” Joey drawled, with that infectious grin she remembered vividly. He stood by the kitchen door with his arms open looking the embodiment of calm, cool, and collected, much like he had back then. Except now, his once smooth twentysomething-year-old skin was tanner and the lines around his mouth and eyes were more pronounced. His eyes, so brown they were almost black, still held that kindness they had back then. His head had been shaved when she met him before, so she hadn’t realized how black his hair actually was.
Where Jax was the all-American boy next door who’d turned into an all-American hairy badass, Joey had gone from Mr. Congeniality to Mr. Tall, Dark, and Dangerous. The humor was still there, but there was something in his eyes that told a tale of things he’d rather forget.
With a smile on her face she went right into his arms. “Joey Clad.” When they parted she looked him over. “What do they feed you Marines? You guys are huge.”
“You’re good for the ego, Megan.” He winked and led her to the front door. “Jax said you wanted to go home. Ready to go?”
“Yep.”
He led her to his low-to-the-ground black sports car. She didn’t know anything about cars but it looked expensive and fast, so she immediately buckled up. “So how have you been?” he asked.
“Well, except for the stalker thing, I’ve been pretty good. You?”
“Well, except for the war thing, I’ve been pretty good, too.” She laughed loudly. He was just as playful as she remembered him, and just as quick-witted. Joey and Jax had been two peas in a pod, laughing, finishing each other’s sentences, always up for an adventure. She’d only met him once before, and for only a short period of time, but he’d been very friendly and immediately made her feel like part of their group.
“You made it big, Megan. You must be proud of yourself.”
Looking out the window, she said, “It feels pretty good, not going to lie. And you? Other than all those new muscles you got, you don’t look like you’ve changed much. Not that I knew you that well before.”
He shrugged. “I was lucky. I didn’t get hurt, came back and we started ICS, which is doing well.”
