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Alexis
He handed her his jacket and helmet to put on. She didn’t argue, just put them on. She hadn’t been on the back of a bike since she was a kid, but she didn’t tell him that either. Kane seemed to know what he was doing. The man hadn’t had more than one beer the whole night while the rest of them were getting wasted.
He knew a thing or two about control. She trusted he exercised that same control with his bike and kept it safe.
Alexis hopped on the back of his bike, then tapped his shoulder before he drove from the parking lot. “Don’t you need my address?”
“I already know where you live.”
Her stomach clenched. “W-what?”
For the first time, she saw him give a small smile. “You wrote it on your application, remember? I used to live in the same neighborhood, so I remembered.”
She couldn’t help the sharp release of breath. “Sorry.”
“I get it. Just being safe.”
She was, but that didn’t explain the quick thrill that had also gone through her body when she thought he might know something more about her. That he might have more of an interest in her than just professionally.
He started the bike, then glanced over his shoulder. “Hold on.”
She gripped his hips, the soft layer of his thin T-shirt.
“Harder,” he said, and then pulled away without her response.
When she almost pitched off the back of the bike, she scooted closer to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. The air, the noise, the speed—all of it was disorienting after she’d had enough to drink that she couldn’t even drive herself home. It all blurred around her, but it was hard to pay attention to that when Kane was between her legs. When she could feel his hard muscles as they controlled the bike, moving in and out of traffic with ease. He tattooed the same way. Gracefully. Like it came naturally to him. Like he’d been doing it his whole life.
She closed her eyes, pressing her cheek to his back. Okay, maybe Kane wasn’t that bad. Sure, he was quiet, he could be sullen, he clearly had a thing for blonds—but he was looking out for her.
Kind of like a boss might do.
She opened her eyes again. That’s right, he was her boss, and if he was going to act like one, then it wasn’t her place to cross those boundaries. Even if her opinion of him had gone up several notches.
Even if he smelled like secrets and heat, and she could barely stop herself from leaning in and nibbling on his neck.
His bike slowed, and she straightened, realizing he’d pulled into her complex. She gestured to the building on the right and he drove them to an open space in front.
He let the bike idle as she got off. She passed over the helmet and his jacket. “Thanks.”
“Top floor?” he asked.
She glanced at the building. “Oh, no. It’s the next building back, but it’s easier to park here.”
He eyed the sidewalk, the broken streetlamp, and then turned off the bike. “I’ll walk you.”
“You don’t—”
One swift glance from him silenced her. Okay, she knew he didn’t have to, but still…it wasn’t like she was a little kid. But when he touched the small of her back and guided her to the sidewalk, she blew out a breath.
He was just being a gentleman. Same thing her father would have done when he’d been alive.
Alexis walked to the building, not sure what to say. Thanks? Or maybe, You remind me of my dad. Maybe not that one. It was insulting, wasn’t it? Kane couldn’t have been more than seven or eight years older than her. And he definitely didn’t look like her dad.
Her throat dried because then she started thinking about how he felt, and how big his muscles were and how big his cock had to be, and she wasn’t supposed to be thinking those thoughts.
“What are you thinking?” Kane asked as they rounded the front building.
“Nothing much.”
“Huh.”
“What does that mean?”
“Means you’re quiet as me, and I know exactly what that means.”
She ventured a glance over. “What does that mean?”
He pointed to his temple. “There’s more going on up here than you let on. I’m the same way.”
She wasn’t normally like that. Normally she had plenty to say. But not around Kane. He still intimidated her. And it pissed her off. She was supposed to look up to him. Sure, she respected him, but at the same time she also sort of wanted to kick his ass.
“I do have a lot I’m thinking about, actually,” she said, the buzz from the alcohol giving her courage. “Like how you never tell me if I did a good job at work or not.”
“You’re still working for me. Figured it was obvious.”
“You could say so every once in a while.”
She could have sworn his lip quirked. But when she looked over again, his face was serious.
“Like I said, I’m quiet.”
She didn’t mean to, but she laughed out loud. “Like hell you’re quiet. You have plenty to say to all those blonds waiting for you in the lobby.”
When he didn’t respond, she put a hand over her mouth. Damn it. It was none of her business. If he hadn’t thought about firing her before, he was definitely thinking about it now.
Alexis swallowed, grateful when she spotted the door to her apartment under the alcove. She’d forgotten to leave on the light, so it was easy to hide her embarrassment in the darkness.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured, shuffling through her purse for her keys. “It’s not my business and I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“You’re right.” Kane’s voice was low, rough, and a lot closer than she’d expected. “Unless I make it your business.”
Her gaze whipped to his. When he reached out and brushed her hair off her shoulder, then touched just below her earlobe, her legs nearly gave out. Her entire body screamed for him to shove her against the door and have his way with her.
“What’s this one?” he asked, breath touching her cheek.
Her tattoo. That’s what he was looking at. “It—it’s my dad’s initials. I got it after he passed away.”
She’d designed it herself, calligraphic letters with ivy swirled around them.
It helped feeling like she had a part of him with always.
Kane brushed his finger over the tattoo one more time before pulling away. “I’m sorry. My dad passed just before I opened the shop. I—”
He broke off, eyes going dark.
“What?” she asked, breathless. This was the first time he’d opened up to her—the first time he’d felt human.
“It’s nothing.”
Still drawn to him, Alexis stepped forward. Their shoes touched at the tips. She took a breath and then went for it. “You can make it my business.”