“I’m fine.”
Jess doesn’t buy my lie, but she doesn’t call me out on it either.We get back to work.The façade I’ve perfected stays in full swing until it’s last call.By closing time, I’m wrung out.I let Jess leave, and I close the bar myself.When I make my way outside, I scan the parking lot for the prospect Shadow assigned to drive me home, but my gaze lands on a familiar truck instead.
Pushing off the hood, Maddox saunters over to me, looking devastatingly handsome and entirely too dangerous.
“What are you doing here?”
He tucks his hands into the pockets of his jeans as he comes to a stop right in front of me.
“Giving you a ride home.”
I open my mouth to object, but the roar of a motorcycle cuts off my words.We both turn instinctively as the bike swings into the parking lot way too fast, the tires hissing against the asphalt.It skids to a stop right beside us, and the rider drops his kickstand before removing his helmet.
“Sorry, I’m late.Hope you weren’t waiting long.”His eyes cut to Maddox.“This guy giving you trouble?”
“No,” I say, eyeing the patch on his leather cut.
Stretch.
Must be new to club because I don’t recall ever seeing him before.
“Hey, man, sorry you wasted the trip, but I’ll be taking Amelia home,” Maddox says, causing my head to snap in his direction.Our eyes meet, and even though I know I should tell him no, I don’t have it in me.I’m exhausted, and I don’t want to fight.
Not with him.
Not with anyone.
I turn my attention back to Stretch and offer him a smile.“Sorry.I should’ve called Shadow and told him I had a ride.”
“It’s not a problem,” Stretch says, his eyes bouncing from me to Maddox, then back to me.“You sure?”
“I’m sure.Thank you.”
He hesitates for a moment before revving his engine and peeling out of the parking lot.When the motorcycle is out of view, I turn to Maddox.“You don’t listen to a word I say, do you?”
He stares at me intently.“Actually, it’s quite the opposite.I listened to everything you said last night, and everything you said earlier today.”
“Not everything, because I told you I had a ride.”
He doesn’t respond.Instead, he nods at his truck and starts for the passenger side.Just like last night, he opens the door for me, and I climb into the passenger seat.But when he leans into the cab of the truck, I press my hand to his chest.
“We’re not going there again.”
“Was just gonna help you with your seatbelt,” he says before closing his fingers around my wrist and lowering my hand to my side.Then, without pause, he pulls the seatbelt across the front of my body.
My heart stutters as he invades my space.The clean scent of soap and something only specific to him fills my lungs.Every morsel of air between us feels charged, and I forget how to breathe.My brain short-circuits and all I can focus on is the way his breath ghosts against my cheek as he clicks the seatbelt into place, the sound so loud.
He lingers for half a second too long, his hand resting against my hip.
His eyes flick to mine and my pulse jumps in my throat.The air between us thickens as he stays rooted in place, his gaze roving over me.
“There you go,” he says softly.
I’m sure a gesture like this goes unnoticed by women all the time.I bet they even laugh at the absurdity of it.But I’ve never had a man take care of me in such a simple way, and a simple gesture like this one feels monumental to a girl who has had to carry herself for so long.
Suddenly, I’m hyperaware of everything.The heat radiating from his body.The shape of his mouth—a mouth I know is skillful and talented.I could lean in an inch and feel those lips against mine.One kiss would make me forget about everything.
I’m about to do it when he retreats.
