Page 24 of Worth the Risk

“It’s a quiet, safe neighborhood. Let’s look at it and get the details before you dismiss it.”

She glanced up at the cute white shutters bracketing the upstairs windows and didn’t resist when he took her hand and helped her down.

“No harm in taking a peek, I suppose.”

Dan hung onto her hand as he led her up the front steps to where a young woman, who seemed vaguely familiar, stood waiting.

“Did you have any trouble finding it?” she asked as they joined her on the covered porch.

“No,” he replied. “Your directions made it easy.”

The pretty brunette flashed them a welcoming smile, and it dawned on Bella where she had seen her. “You’re one of the margarita girls at the owners’ reserved table on Wednesday and Saturday nights.”

“Guilty as charged,” she answered with a little laugh. “Nice to see you when we don’t have to scream.” She held the door open and waved them inside, explaining to Dan, “We haven’t met formally yet. Nights when Elena performs aren’t conducive to conversation or introductions, as you know.”

Once inside the much cooler condo, he took care of it. “This is Angie Hixson, a friend and former co-worker. She’s looking for someone to sublet and take over the six months remaining on her lease. Angie, this is Isabella.”

She stuck out her hand, quietly insisting, “Call me Bella, please.”

Angie took it, squeezing firmly rather than pumping. “Let me show you around. As I’m sure you noticed, it’s a townhouse. The living room, den, kitchen, and a half bath are here on the first level. Upstairs are two bedrooms, a third I converted into a home office, and two full baths, with the one in the master an en suite.”

“It’s lovely,” Bella said as she followed her from room to room. But the plank wood floors, ceramic tile in the bathrooms, and the kitchen’s granite countertops confirmed her first impression. “I’m afraid it’s beyond my means.”

“Actually, the rent is reasonable and includes most utilities. I know what the club pays their waitresses and, unless you’ve got a bunch of other bills, like a new car payment or a whopping student loan, like me, it should be doable.”

“Do you mind telling me why you’re leaving?”

“That would be my fault,” a deep voice boomed from overhead.

Heavy footsteps sounded on the stairs a moment later as black boots and long jean-clad legs appeared. What followed was a breathtakingly handsome man, bigger and taller than Dan, even.

She gaped at him in awe.

Beside her, Angie laughed. “I know how you feel, girlfriend. I’ve been around them forever, and I’m still not used to it.”

“Them?” Bella asked still staring.

“The Decadence masters. There’s an inexplicable cluster of hotness here in San Antonio. Several of us have considered having the water tested.”

Dan reached over and, with a finger beneath her chin, closed her mouth. She looked from his slightly annoyed expression to Angie, who was grinning and slowly shaking her head.

“What were you saying about a cluster, darlin’,” the dark Adonis asked as he came up beside Angie, hooked her around the neck with a muscular arm, and curled her into his side.

“It’s nothing important,” she said so sweetly he didn’t seem to notice she also did it dismissively.

“You were asking why she was leaving,” he announced, brown eyes twinkling down at the pretty woman he had wrapped in his arms. “She’s getting hitched to me.”

“This is Lil T,” Dan explained. “He’s one of the club owners and probably where Angie got her inside information about waitress wages.”

Bella eyed the immense man up and down. “LittleT?”

His grin disappeared, and he grunted. “An unfortunate nickname foisted upon me in the service because I had the misfortune of sharing the first name of my captain. Two Tonys were impossible for a group of grown-ass men to keep up with, evidently.”

Angie patted his chest affectionately. “I think it stuck because it entertained them to call the biggest among themlilanything. And it beats Tiny, which, for a badass Green Beret, I’m thinking would have to be worse.”

T kissed the top of his fiancée’s head. Bella judged her and Angie to be close in height, but he dwarfed them by nearly a foot.

“Don’t give anyone, especially Dano, any ideas, baby.”

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