“Now do what you need to do beforeKillian comes back and bites you.”
I stepped back from her laughing,smiling, happier than I could remember in a long time.
Killian returned an hour later, justlike he’d promised. He stepped inside the truck without an invitation andpicked up a crate of leftover food. “I’m taking these toLiloutonight, so you don’t have to drive all the way over to the commissary.”
“Do I get a say?”
He raised an eyebrow at me. “It’sone-thirty in the morning. Do you want a say?”
I repressed a smile. “Is it okay? Imean, I don’t want to get you in trouble.”
He moved toward the door. “It’s mykitchen. I decide what goes in it.”
Okay, then.
After he’d dropped off my crates offood inhiskitchen and locked upLilou, he stood by while I locked up Foodie. There wassomething about the moment that sent warm tingles spiraling through me. Thelate fall night, the sounds and smells of a city I had come to adore, Killianat my side after a long, fulfilling night of doing something I loved so much…it feltright.
He wrapped his arms around my waistand tugged me back against his chest, resting his chin on my shoulder. “Where’syour car, Molly?”
She pointed at her Jetta parked onthe street. “Just there.”
“We’ll watch to make sure you’reokay?” Killian told her.
There was an awkward silence where Mollyand I had a nonverbal conversation using only our eyebrows. Eventually, shewaved at both of us, a grin plastered across her smug face. “Call me tomorrow,Vere.”
“Drive carefully,” I answerednoncommittally.
True to his word, Killian and Istood there until she’d gotten in her car and safely driven away. His armstightened around my waist. “Ready?”
I struggled to swallow through asuddenly very dry throat. “For what?”
He kissed the spot just below myear. “Our talk.”
“Do I have a choice?”
I felt his smile against my neck.“You always have a choice, but I’d like it if you stopped being such a littlechicken, got on the back of my motorcycle and let me take you home with me.”
Nerves pelted my insides so abruptlyI jerked in his arms. “I thought you wanted to talk?”
“We’ll start with talking,” heamended. “We can see where it leads.”
This was a trick. I knew it was atrick. He hinted at fun things to get me to say yes to the un-fun things.
But it worked.
I linked my hand with his and lethim pull me across the street to where his bike was parked. We decided to leavemy car at Vann’s shop so I could ride with him.
He threw on his leather jacket andpulled out the helmet for me. I had to redo my hair in a low ponytail to get itto fit, but I made it work. He gently cradled my helmet-covered head with twohands and grinned at me. “Fucking sexy as sin,” he murmured. Then he climbed onhis bike and tilted his head for me to join him.
I had jealous flashbacks of watchinghim take a different girl home on the back of this bike. But I quickly shooedthem away. We’d both been tested since our naughty night atLilou.We were both clean and committed to this thing between us. I didn’t have toworry about nameless blondes riding home with Killian or riding him.
I just had to worry about me doingthose things.
Gulp.
Leaving my chef’s coat on to protectmy arms during the drive, I climbed on the back of Killian’s motorcycle feelingbeyond bad ass. My thighs hugged the backs of his, and I linked my arms aroundhis solid core. A shiver rippled through me, heating my body with brightawareness.
“Hold on,” he called over hisshoulder. I did as he said.
