“Wow.” The word just slipped out.

Stunned, she let her eyes roam. She’d known that San Francisco was famous for its architecture, but she’d never actually been inside one of the gorgeous mansions portrayed in movies and on TV. The period detailing was intricate and beautiful. It lent the house instant warmth. This was a true home.

“You actually live here?”

Setting down her suitcase, he nodded and pointed to the living room. “Sorry, it still looks a little bare. But I only bought the place two months ago and I’m still waiting for a few more pieces of furniture to be delivered.”

“It’s beautiful. I suppose being a bodyguard pays well.” She wanted to slap her hand over her mouth, but it was too late. It wasn’t polite to talk about money, but she couldn’t imagine how a man of Blake’s age—he had to be in his early thirties—could afford a mansion like this.

“Well, my salary didn’t pay for this,” he said, suddenly looking at his shoes as if embarrassed. “I inherited a trust fund from my family.” He took an audible breath. “Well, how about I show you the guestroom?”

“Could I maybe get a glass of water first?” Her throat felt like sandpaper.

“Of course.” He motioned to the end of the hallway, when a sound from the front door made him spin around.

Alerted by his sudden reaction, her heart thundered, and she snapped her head in the same direction. A gasp escaped her throat.

A tall bald man stood in the open doorway, a pissed off look on his face, two bags in his hands.

Instinctively, Lilo grabbed Blake’s forearm.

“You were supposed to pick up the boys from my house,” the stranger growled and set down the luggage.

“Sorry, something came up,” Blake replied.

“Yeah, I can see that!” The man glared at her, before stepping aside to let two boys in their early teens enter the house. A young woman followed them.

The boys immediately sauntered toward the living room.

“Nicholas, Adam, didn’t I teach you better manners?” the dark-haired woman—who couldn’t possibly be their mother, not unless she’d had them when she was ten—called after them.

The younger boy looked over his shoulder. “Sorry!” Then he glanced at Blake. “Hey, Blake.”

“Hey, Adam,” Blake replied.

The older boy looked stopped, too, tipping his chin in Blake’s direction. “Hey, Blake, okay if we play Xbox?”

Blake grinned and winked at the bald man. “Only if your dad says it’s okay. Right, Zane?”

Zane rolled his eyes. “As if you care what my sons are allowed or not allowed to do. Every time they stay with you, they come home acting like they were raised by wolves.”

“You exaggerate.” Blake walked toward the woman and gave her a quick hug. “Hey, Portia.”

The woman looked past him. “Don’t you wanna introduce us to your friend?”

Suddenly all eyes were on Lilo, and she felt like she was on display.

Blake turned on his heel. “This is Lilo. Lilo, this is my colleague Zane and his wife Portia.” He pointed to the living room. “And their sons, Nicholas and Adam.”

Zane nodded and grunted a quick hello, while Portia smiled and said, “Nice to meet you, Lilo.”

Zane turned to Blake. “If you don’t have time to look after the boys, we’ll take them to New Orleans with us.”

“I said I’d take care of them. So I will.”

“Just saying,” Zane added, looking as if assessing her. Then he pulled up one side of his mouth into an almost-smile. “Though anybody would be a better influence on the boys than you.”

Portia shook her head and put her hand on her husband’s arm. “Don’t listen to him, Blake. He’s just pissed that Nicholas and Adam don’t want to come with us. He hates being separated from them.”

Zane shot his wife an angry glare. “Damn it, Portia!”

Instead of shrinking back from him, she stroked her hand over his cheek. Before her eyes, the intimidating man softened.

“They’ll be safe with Blake,” Portia murmured.

Lilo had never seen anything like it. Immediately, she understood their relationship. They were true partners, one incomplete without the other. This was what true love looked like. It existed. And it could last.

Zane nodded before severing the intimate contact with his wife. His eyes met Blake’s. “You’d better make sure of that, or I’m gonna crush you with my bare hands.”

“Get out of here, and have a great time in NOLA. Give my best to Cain and Faye,” Blake said.

“Nicholas, Adam!” Zane called out.

As if the boys knew that this was good-bye, they came running and flew into their father’s outstretched arms.

“You guys behave, okay? Or I’ll be back to drag you down to New Orleans by your ears.” Despite the threat, Zane’s voice was soft.

“Yes, Dad,” Nicholas said, and Adam echoed it.

The affectionate exchange made them appear younger, and Lilo realized that despite their obvious attempts at wanting to show their independence from their parents by not going on this trip with them, they were still kids who sought their parents’ approval and affection.

Portia bent down and kissed her sons. “Time to go.” She looked at Blake. “Thanks, Blake. And nice to meet you, Lilo. Don’t let the boys drive you crazy.”

Involuntarily, Lilo had to smile. She liked the young mother who seemed to have such power over her husband and such confidence in Blake. When the door closed behind them and the two boys were already running back into the living room, Lilo turned and found herself facing Blake.

“It’s nice of you to look after two young boys.”

Blake shrugged. “They’re really no trouble.”

She lifted an eyebrow, when she heard one of the boys yell.

“Give me that remote! It’s my turn!” It was the younger boy.

“I’m the man in the house when Dad’s not here, and you know it.”

Blake chuckled and winked at her. “Okay, maybe just a little trouble.”

“Blake?” came Nicholas’s voice from the living room.

“Yes?” he answered and walked toward the arch, looking into the room.

Lilo followed him.

“I’m going to stay in the guestroom with the turret. Adam can sleep in the room out front,” Nicholas announced in a determined voice.