"So, what do you say?" Joel asked. "One coffee drink of your choice, and we'll call it a night."

This time, she didn't hesitate with an answer. "Sure."

He blinked, drawing her attention to those long, sooty lashes and his vivid blue eyes. "Excuse me?"

She almost laughed at his startled expression. After all her previous excuses, he obviously thought he'd heard her wrong. "Yes, I'll go and have a cup of coffee with you."

"Well I'll be damned," he drawled in a deep, satisfied tone of voice. "It is my lucky night."

At that moment, Sydney rang the loud cowbell behind the bar, signaling that it was time for the waiters and waitresses to give the crowd the kind of entertainment and sexy fun they'd come to expect at The Electric Blue.

When she'd first agreed to work for Sydney when her friend was shorthanded, Lora had had reservations about this part of the job description. She wasn't the type to get up in front of a group of men and women and strut her stuff like all the younger, college-aged employees so effortlessly, and eagerly, did. In fact, it had taken her a few weeks to gather up the nerve to participate, then another solid week to get used to dancing in front of so many people.

But now, many months later, she'd learned to enjoy the nightly ritual. Not because she was an exhibitionist, but rather because it had become a fun, harmless escape for her. A time and place where she could indulge her sensual side while keeping her emotions under wraps.

"Work calls," she said to Joel, then glanced at Jon as the crowd behind her started cheering and chanting for the revelry to begin. "And I'll be back soon with your beer."

She headed for the nearest platform and set her tray on a shelf. As she hopped up onto the stage and the strobe lights flashed and the music took on a seductive beat, she decided that tonight she was suddenly feeling very daring and uninhibited.

And he was the reason.

Chapter Two

WATCHING Lora dance was Joel's favorite part of the nights he'd spent so far at The Electric Blue. While jumping up on the nearest platform or stage and enticing the crowd with a provocative shimmy and shake was all part of the bar's entertainment, the only cocktail waitress that captured his complete attention was Lora.

Many of the other girls were outrageously provocative with their dance moves, which the younger twentysomething crowd seemed to love and cheered on enthusiastically. Lora's rhythm was far more subtle, like a slow, deliberate tease, which made watching her much more appealing to him than the in-your-face bump and grind action. Joel was a man who appreciated maturity-intellectually and physically. And Lora possessed brains as well as a body that was soft, lush, and womanly.

He was a big guy all over-from his wide shoulders to his large hands and long fingers to his taller-than-average frame. And because of his size, he liked his women amply proportioned to handle and complement a man of his stature. There was no doubt in his mind that Lora would be a perfect fit for him, in every way.

Despite his resolve to keep his relationship with Zach's sister strictly platonic, Lora was the epitome of his fantasy woman. She wore the same tight, cropped T-shirt as all the other employees-except while the other girls displayed more concave stomachs, Lora's exposed belly looked soft and supple, and there was a helluva lot more cleavage peeking from the deep V down the front. Her faded jeans sat low on her curvaceous hips and hugged the rest of her shapely figure, and her smooth, rounded ass was a fine example of how that particular part of a woman's anatomy should look.

She captivated him with the graceful sway of her hips. Fascinated him as she swung her long, dark brown hair over her shoulders. The strands looked silky and shiny beneath the overhead lights, and the rich color accentuated her beautiful, and striking, green eyes. A slight smile curved her lips as she glanced his way, and there was just enough come-hither in her gaze to make a slow, simmering heat settle deep between his legs.

Undoubtedly, he wanted this woman, but acting on his desires wasn't an option. Instead, using their attraction to lure her in and keep her close so he could protect her was his ultimate goal. And having her finally agree to see him outside of work was a huge step in that direction.

"You're finally in," Jon said, his loud voice rising above the music and mayhem in the bar.

His friend made it sound like a mission, which Joel supposed this assignment kind of was. And Lora had been tougher than most to crack. More reserved. More cautious. The opposite of her brother, who acted first, then thought about the consequences later when it was too late to do anything about his poor judgment.

"Here's hoping I can stay in and keep her close on a regular basis." One night out together for coffee didn't guarantee him anything where Lora was concerned. He took a drink of his beer, then leaned his forearms on the table. "I know the other guys are getting tired of taking turns watching her place at night." Until Zach was in the clear, he had Lora under twenty-four-hour surveillance.

Jon grinned. "Hey, you gotta sleep sometime."

"Well, I appreciate the help." And the time off from ESS he'd been able to take in order to watch over Lora. Everyone understood that this was a personal issue for Joel, and something he felt compelled to see through because he owed Zach at least that much.

"We're all a team, Wilde Man," Jon said. "And we were all friends with Zach in the service. He might have asked you to watch over his sister, but we're all in this together, in whatever way you need us."

Joel nodded, knowing he'd do the same for Jon, Ben, or Kevin. They might have all started Elite Security Specialists together, but they were more like brothers than co-workers. They'd watched each other's backs in the Marines, and they still did, even now.

Jon pushed his chair back and stood. "That said, I've got a blond beauty sitting at the bar who's been eyeing me for the past half hour, and I'm not about to let a hot babe like her go to waste."

Joel chuckled and tipped his beer toward his friend. "Have fun."

"Oh, I intend to," he drawled, then headed off in the direction of his evening's pursuit.

Joel spent the next hour nursing his beer while waiting for Lora to finish her shift. He kept a keen eye on everyone she came into contact with, knowing that a customer could easily be a potential threat sent by Zach's bookie. The evening passed without incident, until Lora was finally off the clock and he was escorting her toward the front entrance of The Electric Blue.

Once they were outside, Lora visibly shivered as the cold night air washed over them. "You can certainly tell it's mid-October," she said, and slipped into her lightweight coat as they walked along the sidewalk. "The temperature keeps getting cooler and cooler."

He reached out to smooth down the collar of her coat, which was flipped up in the back, and his fingers brushed against the side of her neck. Her skin was incredibly soft to the touch, and he could have sworn he heard her suck in a quick, startled breath at his unintentional caress.

Dropping his hand back to his side, he made as if that brief contact hadn't affected him, too. "Then a cup of coffee is just the thing to warm you up."

Smiling, she adjusted her purse strap over her shoulder and pushed her hands into her jacket pockets. "I'm looking forward to it, actually."

Even though it was after ten in the evening, there were still plenty of people on the streets, though no one paid them any attention. A block later they reached The Daily Grind, and Joel opened the door for Lora to walk in, then followed behind her.

"Hey, Joel," a young, pretty girl behind the counter greeted him enthusiastically. "It's been a while since you've been by."

"I was in the neighborhood tonight, and I thought I'd bring a friend in for a drink." He glanced at Lora, who wore an amused expression, and he knew why. The girl, who was barely out of high school, obviously had a crush on him. "What would you like, Lora?"

She perused the menu for a quick moment. "I think I'm going to splurge and have a café mocha, with whipped cream."

"And I'll have a cappuccino." He pulled out his wallet and paid for the drinks.

Once their orders were up, he grabbed both large paper cups and led the way toward a vacant table against a large window overlooking the street outside. Considering the chilly weather, The Daily Grind was busy and there were only a few available places to sit. He would have preferred one of the more comfortable couch setups where he could talk to Lora with more privacy, but at this point he wasn't about to be choosy.

"Hi, Joel," another worker called from across the place, loud enough that he had no choice but to acknowledge the perky café manager.

"Hi, Kate," he said with a friendly smile. "Is Liz around tonight?"

"No, she left a few hours ago with Steve," the cute girl replied.

"That's good to hear. Steve needs to be sure she doesn't overdo now that she's pregnant again." Joel placed their drinks on the table, then shrugged out of his black leather jacket before helping Lora out of her coat-this time without touching any bare skin.

The humorous glimmer in her eyes and the fanciful smile curving her lips was unmistakable. "What's with that grin on your face?" he asked, already suspecting he knew the answer.

Shrugging lightly, she sat down at the table. "Judging by the enthusiastic reception you just received, I'm thinking that you must come here frequently."

"It's been a few weeks, but I do stop by when I get the chance," he said, and settled into the seat across from her, which also gave him a clear view of the front door and anyone who walked through. "Not only does The Daily Grind make some of the best coffee drinks in Chicago, the owner, Liz, is married to my cousin Steve."