“I’ll keep an eye on her tonight.” And every second from this moment forward.

“Thanks man. I figured you would. I’ll alert the rest of the staff as they clock in.”

A minute later Adam found Izzy alone behind the bar. “Carolyn already gone?” he asked as he ducked under the hatch.

She nodded as she rearranged some of the beers in the cooler. The bottles didn’t need rearranging.

“Listen, Toby told me what happened. You sure you feel like working tonight?”

Finally, she looked at him and the fear in her dark eyes clawed at his insides. “I’m a little shaken up, but I’d rather be here than at my place.

This is probably just a stupid prank anyway.”

He took a few steps toward her, closing the small gap between them. “I’m going to be here all night and I’m going to make sure you get home safe tonight too.” He also planned to stay the night, but he wasn’t sure how that would go over.

He’d cross that bridge later. Hopefully by later tonight she’d be too tired to argue when he insisted. Not that it mattered. He was staying over.

Despite the fact that he wanted her as much as he wanted his next breath, this wasn’t about sex.

He’d be sleeping on her couch with one eye open.

If someone thought they could get to her, they’d have to go through him.

Wearing a ball cap pulled low, he sat in one of the booths at Mad Dog’s. From his position, he had a perfect view of the bar, but he was blocked by all the high top tables and throng of people milling around the place.

Loud rock music blared from the speakers, and slutty women swayed to the beat. Some stood, some sat, but almost everyone in the bar was buzzing and having a good time. For a Sunday, the place was packed. Tomorrow was the start of another work week and people were sucking everything out of the weekend they could.

He was taking a big risk, coming back to the restaurant right now, but he didn’t care. That stupid bitch, Isabelle, had seen him. And worse, she’d interrupted him. Andrea, the woman he’d handpicked, had slipped through his fingers. He’d been watching her for weeks and that tall bartender had messed everything up.

Getting her phone number and work schedule had been ridiculously easy. There was only one bartender during the day and the woman was lazy.

When she’d taken a smoke break, he ducked behind the bar and grabbed a copy of the work schedule taped onto the computer. By a stroke of luck, a few phone numbers had been scratched onto it. And that bitch’s was one of them.

As he watched her move around behind the bar, he gripped his beer bottle tighter. She wasn’t even his type. She was too tall, lean and pale but he’d make an exception.

When the crowd started to thin, he threw a bill on the table and walked toward the entrance with a group of drunk men. He couldn’t help but notice the other male bartender eyeing her all night. That looming hulk, Adam something, might be a problem if they were involved. If so, he’d find a way to take care of him.

When he was through with her, she’d never stick her nose in anyone’s business again. If he let her live. She could be his first kill. His heart rate escalated as he thought about wrapping his hands around her slim neck and squeezing the life from her. His face would be the last thing she saw. The bruising on her pale neck would be that much more vivid, more beautiful. Maybe that bitch had done him a favor by helping Andrea. He smiled to himself as a new, better plan formed in his mind.

He’d use his interruption to his advantage.

The night passed by at a snail’s pace, and Adam blamed it all on Izzy. He’d always noticed other men checking her out, but tonight the freaks and jackasses of the world were out in full force. And they were all hitting on her.

To give her credit, she let the lewd comments roll off her back, but he wasn’t having such an easy time of it. Maybe it was because he was coming to think of her as being his, or because a freak had gotten hold of her phone number and was harassing her. Or maybe he just wasn’t cut out for this bartending business. Either way, the hand on the clock seemed to tick backward at times. Purposely mocking him.

When the last customer had left and he’d locked the door, Izzy set a half-empty bottle of vodka down on the bar with more force than necessary. “Assholes,” she muttered.

“What?” he asked as he ducked under the bar hatch.

“Was it just me or was there an extra dose of testosterone in the bar tonight?”

“It’s not just you, trust me. Some of those boys are lucky they’re even walking.” He gritted his teeth as he walked back around the bar. If it hadn’t been for the extra security or Toby’s presence tonight, heads would have rolled. He wasn’t a violent man by nature, but his patience had been truly tested in the past few hours.

“I thought you were going to bust a few heads tonight,” she said as she slid the bottle into the well with the twenty others.

“Was I that obvious?”

A faint smile played across her pretty face.

“Just a tad. You scowled at every guy who ordered a drink from me.”

“Not every  one.” He grabbed one of the tip jars off the ledge and emptied it onto the bar.

She laughed and the silvery sound was like a caress over his entire body. “Just about.” Before he could respond, she continued. “Listen, I know you said you were going to follow me home, and—”

“It’s not up for discussion Izzy so forget any argument you’ve rehearsed.” Now he knew he had his work cut out for him. If she didn’t want him following her home, it was going to take some finesse to convince her to let him stay.

Her dark eyebrows rose slightly. “Oh, I was actually going to ask if you might stay at my place for a little while…just until I feel safe.”

Izzy wasn’t a very good liar, and he’d venture to guess she was a terrible poker player. She was up to something. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to know what it was though.

Or maybe he did.

Sighing, he joined her as they started the nightly ritual of closing down the bar. The kitchen staff silently worked in the back, shutting down the ovens, while the servers bussed and cleaned their tables. Normally it was relatively quiet after work, but tonight there wasn’t even a slight buzz.

No one was bitching about cheap customers or planning their week. Other than the muted sounds of the dishwasher, tonight it was deathly quiet.

Everyone knew there was a predator lurking around and the feeling of safety one got from living in a small town had vanished.

Izzy luxuriated under the powerful stream of her shower jets as they pulsed and cascaded over her naked body. Adam sat out in her living room, waiting for her. Of course, he didn’t know what she had planned or he might not have agreed to stay over.

He might want to protect her, but he was also going to pleasure her. And vice versa. For most of her life she’d played things safe. With the exception of going against her father’s wishes and moving down to Florida for a few months, she’d always done what was expected of her.

Not tonight. Nope, tonight, she was doing exactly what she wanted. Adam might try to deny it, but she could tell how much he wanted her.

Every time she looked into his eyes, his lust mirrored her own.

If he was feeling guilty over leaving soon, she’d let him know he had nothing to feel bad about. Running the sudsy loofah over her breasts and stomach, she imagined what Adam’s hands and mouth would feel like on her body.

Her thoughts and the rough, netted texture aroused her so much she switched the water to cold. The icy rush cooled her body, but did little to quell her raging insides.

After slathering on lotion and blow drying the dampness out of her hair, she slipped on a matching pink-and-white camisole set. The bottoms were short, but not so short it was completely obvious what she intended. If he didn’t want her as much as she wanted him, she had to hold on to some of her pride.

She took a few deep breaths, then opened her bedroom door. Adam was stretched out on her couch wearing lounge pants and a T-shirt. He still hadn’t noticed her presence so she cleared her throat. “Where did you get clothes?”

Pushing up, he moved over so she could sit next to him. “I always have a small bag packed in my truck.” With a heated look, his eyes roved over her body with blatant appreciation, giving her a boost of confidence.

Before she could blink, the look was gone and the unreadable expression was back in place. She inwardly sighed. “Want a drink?” When he shook his head, she took a seat on the other end of the couch. Feeling inexplicably nervous, she tucked one foot beneath her and decided to forge ahead.

“Listen, about what happened today—”

“Izzy, that kiss was a mistake.”

“Why, because you’re leaving?” Please let that be the only reason.

He rubbed a hand over his face. “It’s complicated.”

“Do you have a wife or girlfriend back in Savannah?” If so, she’d kick him out right now.

“No.” His green eyes widened, but his one- word answer convinced her.

She scooted down the couch and was relieved when he didn’t put distance between them. Their knees touched and she could swear she felt an electric shock between them.

“Then what’s the problem?”

“I can’t… Damn it Izzy, it wouldn’t work out between us.”

Okay, there was one other thing she hadn’t thought of until right then. It didn’t seem possible, but she had to ask. “Are you gay?”

“No!”

If he was single and he wasn’t gay, then there was no problem. Still, she wouldn’t beg him. She sat there for an extended moment, waiting for him to say something. Anything.

The heated look in his eyes said he wanted to strip her and take her right on the floor. And he had to know she’d gladly let him. But he didn’t make a move. He simply sat there like a mannequin.

Finally he spoke. “I can’t start anything with you, Izzy.”

She bit back a sigh and stood. “Goodnight then. Thanks for staying over. I really appreciate it.” She’d already brought out a pillow and blanket, but she said, “If you need an extra blanket, there’s one in the hall closet.”