Read Taken by Tuesday (Weekday Brides Series) for Free Online

have done if it was anyone else sitting in here?”
    “I would have hit the alarm.”
    He paused, smiled. This could be fun.
    “All right.” He stood and grasped her hand, ignored the heat of her palm, and placed her in the hall in the spot from which she noticed him the first time.
    Meg watched from the other side of the living room while Rick moved back to the sofa and sat.
    “Meg, on your call. Judy, let’s see how quickly you can get to that alarm.”
    Rick picked up the magazine again and sat back on the sofa, not that any would-be attacker would be as relaxed as he was. Still, he wanted to give Judy a chance.
    He thumbed through the pages . . . waiting.
    “Go!”
    Rick was up, over the coffee table, and had his arm around Judy’s waist, her backside pressed against him before she managed four steps. She struggled in his arms, attempted to elbow his ribs. His steel grip kept her from landing any punches as he pushed her against the wall, immobilizing her. “Your towel would have already fallen, babe,” he whispered.
    She relaxed in his arms and he loosened his grip. “Your foreplay needs some work, Rick.”
    He laughed and drew in the floral scent of her shampoo before letting her go.
    “Well that was entertaining,” Meg said from her perch.
    Judy moved out of his reach and smoothed a hand over her torso. Lucky hand!
    “Wouldn’t be a bad idea for the two of you to take some self-defense classes,” he told them.
    “I doubt we’d stand a chance against a Marine, regardless.”
    Rick lost his smile for a moment, not liking the thought of Judy at the mercy of one of his old mates.
    “Still not a bad idea.”
    Meg pushed off the chair. “How about we just lock the doors and use the right keys?”
    “What about when you’re not home?”
    “Wow, Rick . . . don’t take the job as hospitality ambassador for the city.”
    “It’s a shitty world, Utah. No reason not to be prepared.”
    Judy placed her hands on her hips. “I think Meg and I will be just fine, thank you very much. Now if you don’t mind, we were getting ready to go out.”
    “Out?” Where?
    “Yeah, and before you ask . . . no, you’re not invited.”
    It killed him not to ask, but he accepted her dis and moved toward the front door. “Lock the doors and use your key fobs, ladies.”
    Judy gave him a mock salute. “Yes, sir.”
    Rick narrowed his eyes and walked out of the house. Behind him, he heard the lock click into place.
    His motorcycle had a small compartment where he kept a few toys. He found a small tracking device, removed his cell phone from his pocket, and synced the two together.
    He moved to Judy’s car, opened the driver’s-side door, and tossed her jean jacket in the front seat. Then he placed his hand on the underside of the steering column and stuck the device where no one would see it.
    “I take my job seriously, Utah. Get used to it.”

    On a map, Westwood wasn’t a long distance from Mike’s Beverly Hills home. Driving there at seven thirty in the morning, however, would test the patience of a saint.
    Wearing a pencil skirt, a silk blouse, and sensible heels, Judy hustled from her car after finding a parking spot near the top of the structure. Her excitement over her first day as an intern was clouded by the mad dash to the elevator and the realization that she was going to be late if there was anyone else attempting to get to the lower floors.
    At two minutes after eight, she walked up to the receptionist at Benson & Miller Designs and waited while the lady on the phone finished her call.
    “Hi, I’m . . . ah, I’m Judy Gardner. The new intern.”
    The blonde behind the desk looked to be in her early twenties and seemed to have a genuine smile. “Is it that time again?” the woman asked.
    “Excuse me?”
    “Intern time. Seems we just did this.” She picked up the phone and dialed. “Mr. Archer, your intern is here. Great.”
    The receptionist hung up the phone and pointed down the hall.