“Can I kiss you again?”
“Oh, now you’re asking permission?”
“Nope.” I leaned across the console and took her lips in mine. On a soft exhale, our tongues twisted, and I slid my hand behind her neck and underneath her braids.
Squeezing gently, I massaged the tension from Lynx’s neck and swallowed all of her moans. It was perfect. I could have stayed here all night like this, but she pulled away.
“You okay?”
She nodded and brought her hand to my face, running the back of it down my cheek. I gently took her wrist and turned her palm toward my skin.
“You don’t have to hide anything from me,” I said, my hushed tone swallowed by the night.
Lynx closed her eyes and whispered, “I’m going to see that person Nat wants me to see.”
I nodded, trying hard to contain my excitement. After years as a bouncer, I could do calm and collected.
“I want to try,” she said, opening her eyes to look at me with so much emotion, it nearly stopped my heart. “You, me, us. Slow. I don’t want you to be in the dark. It’s just hard.”
Another nod from me.
We’d already had several rounds of the same question, but I didn’t push. I knew better than to do that; the only thing I could do was bide my time. But I could tell she wasn’t finished talking.
Lynx gave me a sad smile. “But I need to take the lead. For years, everything was so out of my control. I know it was my choice, my doing, but now I want to be in control. See someone, take charge of the bad feelings, get a job, all that.”
“I’m by your side, however you want. You’re in charge.”
I was getting my girl back. My woman. On her terms, but she was back.
“I want a job,” she said. “At the club.”
This time, I shook my head.
“I need to get out of my place, doing too much sitting around. I also need to feel safe. I want to work there ... because you’re there.”
“Lynx ...” When she put it that way, what could I say? “Staci’s running the club more and more, and I’m going to be at the hotel soon. I don’t want you at the Wave. Too much past crap and bullshit all wrapped up there. It’s not a bad place. Believe me, I run a classy joint, but no. Just no.”
“So, the hotel. I can help there. I’m already in love with the place.”
Hmm. That idea had legs.
“What about marketing?” I asked. “Or giving tours to travel people?”
She bit her lower lip. “I thought bartending?”
“No, babe. Not bartending.” I bit down a laugh I didn’t think she would appreciate.
“You sure?”
“As sure as my name is Michael Anthony Wind, and I was apparently born for the hotel biz.”
“Okay, so can I start doing something soon?”
“If it means I can see more of you, hell yes.”
“I need to stay busy, and whether I want to admit it or not, I don’t always feel safe unless you’re around.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“Can we kiss again?”
“Hell yeah.” And I was back across the console.
