Chris Redding

He licked his lips and then looked at hers. She resisted the urge to mirror his movements. He looked as if he wanted to kiss her.  
She held her breath because the idea of Penn kissing her sounded like a good one. She wouldn’t resist, but would she regret it when they were done? Life was short and she should probably encourage him.
***
Penn Wharton, a former cop, is due to take over his family’s company since his father’s death, and now he needs some time to think about his life. He discovers the remnants of a murder near his house and catches a glimpse of a woman, then follows the trail to a seedy part of town where Brooke Madison, a romance writer, lives. Penn rents the apartment next to her to watch over her because he knows the assassin will show up eventually and the police can’t protect her.  But when real feelings start to develop between them, can he keep them both safe?
The Billionaire Next Door is created by Chris Redding, an eGlobal Creative Publishing Signed Author.

The Billionaire Next Door

Penn blinked at Brooke. “A natural?”


He shrugged. “When I was a beat cop, I had kids either swarm me or run from me. I had to get the kids that would run to trust me. They knew more information that the kids who looked up to cops.”


“No, none of that would be admissible in court. I just listened and it usually sent me down a track where I could find the bad guys.”


She studied him. He’d had a whole life before becoming a billionaire. He had probably been a dangerous man since he was large and had a presence. Even so, she wasn’t afraid of him. That child hadn’t been afraid of him either. 


She had to smile as this large man sat in a too-small chair so that he was sure she was protected. In essence, his presence probably protected her co-workers too. 


“That you are a bundle of contrasts.”


“I think I’m a pretty straightforward guy, Brooke. Don’t think me deeper than I am.”


Chapter 40: Penn Saves the Day