Unfortunately, getting enough supplies to stay at his house for a few days meant leaving the bed. He’d been prepared to call in sick for the first time in his grown-up life. She blew that apart over breakfast. He’d managed to usher her out of the house before Mrs. Hayes appeared to clean up. That introduction could wait until Emery felt more comfortable being with him. No need to hit her with more parts of his life until she adjusted to the secrets he’d already told.
Still, roaming around the city did not strike him as smart. Not until he had a better handle on who would take the risk to break into her place not once but twice. That was all he could think about as she unlocked the outside door to the apartment building. Well, almost. But the text from Keith saying the place was clear on their last check and no one had entered the complex in the last ten minutes kept dragging his focus back to the safety issues.
He tried one more time to make it clear he planned to be in her apartment for only a short amount of time. “Since this is a terrible idea, we’ll get in and out fast.”
She didn’t even look at him, but she did shake her head. “Or I can decide how long we stay once I decide what I’m packing.”
Clearly his approach did not impress her. “This is an unnecessary risk.”
“I can’t go to work naked.”
It was as if she was trying to torture him. To get him to whisk her back to bed. “You could take some time off.”
“Because that’s what you would do in my position? Hide and not go outside?” She ended the comment with an eye roll.
He had to admit she had a point. “Okay, you win that argument.”
That earned him a big smile. “I like that about you.”
The happiness flowing through her was a big improvement from the wariness that wrapped around her as they’d stepped out of the car a few seconds earlier. Still, he was smart enough to wade in carefully to any conversation. “What?”
“You know when to concede.”
“Only to you.” He never did it any other time or with anyone else. It might damage his reputation if it got out, but he doubted the people he dealt with on a daily basis would believe her if she tried to explain it to them. They tended to be more of the we-rule-the-women misogynist crowd. The assholes.
She winked at him. “Nice answer.”
He was so busy soaking in her smile that he almost tripped over the idiot waiting in the hallway by her door. “What the hell?”
Emery stepped in front of Wren, as if to protect him. “Tyler?”
Tyler glanced around her smaller frame and focused on Wren. “I was going to ask where you’ve been, but I guess I know.”
Wren wasn’t in the mood for an intrusion from a twenty-something annoyance. “Then you can save time and skip to telling us what you’re doing here.”
“Inside voices, gentlemen.” She unlocked her door then pointed to it. “Both of you, go.”
Wren waited until Tyler went inside to follow. He sent a quick message to Keith to let him know he should stand by. The unwanted guest would be leaving soon, but the bigger question for Wren was how he got in, in the first place.
Emery stepped into the family room then turned around to face the men. Her confusion was obvious as she looked at Tyler. “Did I forget that you were coming over?”
“I just—”
“What?” Wren asked, not willing to hear the kid ramble on about nothing. Forget that he was only a decade younger and actually a grown-up, the guy came off to Wren as a kid.
“What is your problem?” Tyler made a scoffing sound before turning away from Wren. “Really, Emery. This guy is not your type.”
“I’m not convinced you know what she wants.” Wren did. He’d spent all night learning what she liked and didn’t like. What made her moan.
“Enough.” She put her hand on his chest before glaring at him. “Play nice.”
“Could I talk to you alone for a second?” Tyler asked as he walked toward the kitchen. “Just for a second.”
“No.” The dislike for this guy hit Wren full force. He didn’t have a reason, really, but there was something smarmy about him. All swagger and little substance. Sure, he was supposed to be smart and a financial up-and-comer. Wren knew because he’d checked on the guy’s background as part of the case. Checked and still didn’t think all the pieces connected.
Bottom line: Wren had no idea what Emery saw in Tyler. Wren chalked the long-ago attraction up to teen angst.
Her fingers wrapped around Wren’s tie and she tugged for a few seconds before letting go again. “You understand that sort of response tempts me to say yes even though I intended to say no, right?”
“I do now,” he said as he smoothed the material out again.
She turned to Tyler with her arms crossed in front of her. “What’s going on?”
“I was worried about you.” The anger clicked off and the charm came roaring back. “The other night you talked about a break-in. We had a nice time together, so I thought you might like some company.”
Wren really wanted to punch the guy. The fact Tyler kept glancing over then looking to the door, like he was sending a subliminal signal for Wren to leave, sure didn’t help. “I think he wants me to go.”
“I wonder why.” Emery spared Wren a quick glance before focusing on her friend again. “Tyler, I’m fine. Really. The break-in was a weird thing, but you have to expect it when you live in the middle of a city.”