Cleo turned, staring up at Gent. “I don’t like when you do this.”
“I know you don’t, darlin’.” Gent slid his knuckles over her cheek and laughed. “I don’t know what’s more disappointing. Finding out you don’t have a voyeur kink or that you still refuse to embrace how we do things here.”
“Can I go now?”
Gent stepped aside and winked. “Yeah, darlin’, you can go. And don’t worry about this mess. I’ll have Jeana clean it up when I’m done.”
Cleo walked outside and across the parking lot. She glanced back at the bunker as it disappeared from her view. She wasn’t paying attention until it was too late. Cleo slammed into a wall of a man and gasped when his hands gripped her hips.
“Whoa, you okay?”
Cleo stared up at the man. He was handsome with deep blue eyes and short dark hair. Unlike most of the clients, he was dressed in a neatly pressed suit and a straight tie.
“I’m sorry.” She pulled away, scouting the area. Where had he come from? As if he read her mind, he pointed behind her.
“Reyna’s inside making sure everything is good. We heard arguing from the room.”
Great!Another unsatisfied customer. Hopefully, he wouldn’t suffer the same fate as Melissa’s.
“I’m so sorry.”
He shrugged with a deep chuckle. “Girl drama?”
Cleo never fraternized with any of the men who visited the motel. She had a job, which didn’t include interacting with customers.
Cleo mustered up a shaky smile and cleared her throat. “Something like that.”
His smile widened as he scanned her face. Cleo’s circle was small, and the only men she spent any time around weremembers of the club. Even that was limited. Most didn’t have time for her. After all, she was with them by default. Or that’s how she assumed they saw it.
She grasped her hands, twisting her fingers.
He arched his brow. “You work here, I assume.”
“Uh yes, I clean the rooms.”
He slowly nodded, eyeing her body. She shifted on her feet under his stare. It wasn’t creepy or uncomfortable, but it was rare that Cleo took center stage in any situation.
“Nothing else?”
Her cheeks burned, knowing the innuendo, and she shook her head, fighting against a smile.
He grinned and chuckled. “My loss then.”
Cleo had men hit on her while working, but there was usually a majorickfactor. Not with this guy. He stepped forward and extended his hand. “I’m Evan.”
Cleo froze, staring down at his hand. Socially awkward was putting it mildly. A therapist would chalk it up to her upbringing. Her mother and stepdad hadn’t done her any favors with their constant ridicule and insults. And that was the light stuff. Without thinking, Cleo rubbed her hand over her thigh and turned her hand, glancing down at her palm. It looked clean.Kind of.
Cleo held up her hand. “It’s got chemicals on it.”
“I don’t mind.” Evan extended his hand farther. “Means it’s clean, right?”
True.Her gaze dropped to his hand. It wasn’t rough or calloused. Actually, it looked smooth with neatly manicured nails. The opposite of the men she was usually surrounded by. Most of the guys were constantly working on their bikes. Grease and dirt under their fingernails were as common as their vests.
Cleo reached out, clasping her hand with Evan’s. Long fingers, smooth palm, and strong hold. A warm rush raced through her veins.
She cleared her throat. “I’m Cleo.”
“Very nice to meet you, Cleo.” His thumb strummed over theback of her hand, sending heat straight to her core. It wasn’t an intimate setting, but this man was giving her foreign feelings. Butterflies swarmed her belly, and her heartbeat doubled. There was only one other person who’d ever evoked this type of desire in her, and it wasn’t reciprocated. Wraith was out of her league. He was in a different universe.
