Leo raised the toast to Shay’s mouth, enjoying the way her naked chest delicately rose and fell as she ate. He should be thankful she denied him the choice to spoon-feed her cereal. The exercise would’ve ended in him accidentally pouring milk down her cleavage, watching the trail fall between those gorgeous breasts before finally licking it off when it came close to reaching the heat of her pussy.

He needed to keep his hands off her. To make her understand this thing between them wasn’t based on sex. And to also give her time to think. He admired her strength and confidence above all else. So seeing her skittish at the mere mention of the Vault was something he needed to focus on resolving.

“Juice?” He placed the half-eaten piece of jam covered toast back on the plate in front of her.

She nodded. “Thank you.”

He settled the glass against her lips, taking care to tip it at the right pace. He enjoyed caring for her, being the one making sure her needs were met. If he had more restraint, he’d stick around all day, keeping her hands tied as he catered to her every need. But it was only a matter of time before his dick took control.

“More toast?” He lowered the glass to the table and fought the need to kiss the juice from her mouth.

“No. I’m good.” She nibbled her bottom lip. “But you can untie me.”

“Soon.” He cleaned away their cups and plates and stacked them in the dishwasher as Shay watched from the stool behind the kitchen counter. “I like having you defenseless for once.”

She scoffed. “I’m always defenseless around you.”

He copied her, scoffing louder. “The only time you’ve shown any vulnerability…” apart from what he’d witnessed in the last twelve hours, “…was the first night you worked the bar in Taste of Sin.” Or maybe the days after he’d pleasured her in the storeroom.

She cringed, the tops of her cheeks turning the slightest shade of pink. “You remember that?”

He’d remembered every moment since she’d handed in her employment application. “I recall with vivid clarity, T.J. remarking on how cute you were at the start of your shift. He thought you were sweet and innocent.” He closed the dishwasher and brushed the crumbs off his palms into her sink. “It didn’t take long for him to determine those deep brown eyes were hiding a little minx.”

She hit him with a dazzling smile. “Once the doors closed for the night, the three of you took pleasure in testing me. You barked off drink orders, making sure I knew how to prepare everything from memory.”

He inclined his head. He’d never laughed harder in his life. One by one, Leo, Brute and T.J. had thrown names of cocktails at her, until finally T.J. requested a Crouching Tiger shot and they’d all been too drunk to notice she’d placed a mix of Sambuca, Tequila and Tabasco sauce in front of them instead.

“T.J. hadn’t known what hit him.”

“For a second, I thought he was going to die, he was choking so hard.” She started to laugh, making those tempting breasts bounce. “I was glad you guys didn’t fire me.”

He ignored the way his cock jerked and made his way back to her side. It was time to leave. He wanted this moment to stick with him until Tuesday—her beautiful smile, the lush curve of her breasts, the way her hair fell like silk against her smooth skin.

“That was never an option.” He untied the material at her wrists and helped her to her feet. “You fit in perfectly.”

A little too perfectly at times. The three of them held a soft spot for Shay. She may have a temper, but her few bad days had never come close to outweighing the good. She always made them smile, either with her over-exaggerated annoyances or with her sassy, flirting banter.

“I’m glad you think so.” She fell into him, resting her arms on his chest as she stared up at him.

He was falling—into desire, under her spell. “It’s time for me to go.”

Her brow furrowed the slightest bit and she stepped back. “You don’t want to stay?”

“If I thought it was the right thing to do, I wouldn’t leave until we had to go back to work on Tuesday.” He grabbed her hand, entwined their fingers and tried to ease the dejection in her eyes. “But I bailed out on Travis last night. I need to call him and make sure Vault of Sin was closed without drama.”

* * *

Vault of Sin—three innocent words potent enough to make Shay’s stomach flutter. She nodded, trying not to let the passing seconds daunt her. She’d been in the zone, tied up like a little love slave waiting to be satisfied. And now he was leaving.

Look out toys, here I come.

“Are you sure you’re comfortable working down there next Saturday?” Concern tainted his voice. “There’s no pressure if you don’t. I’ll work the bar myself if I have to.”

And be surrounded by voluptuous women vowing for his attention? “No. I can do it.”

In the future, working her usual shift at Shot of Sin would be painful, knowing what Leo would be experiencing downstairs. Her imagination would be the death of her. She needed to face her fears head on, while also keeping him in her sights.

“You’ll see me in the restaurant during the week and my shift at the club bar on Friday, so there’s plenty of time to grill me beforehand. On Saturday, I can arrive early to check things out properly. You know, without all that cock staring me in the face.”

It was meant as a joke, but Leo stiffened. “If you’re uncomfortable—”

“I’m fine.” She groaned. “Please, stop asking.”

He leaned into her, moving to eye level. “Shay…”

“Don’t.” She pushed at his muscled chest and glanced away. She was intimidated, jealous, and yeah, maybe at the top of the nervous scale, but it didn’t mean she was a chicken shit. “I said I’d try. This is me trying. I don’t need you treating me like a little girl.”

“Okay,” his voice softened. “But if you change your mind all you have to do is tell me.”

She nodded. “I need to get dressed.”

They both knew it was a dismissal of the conversation. She didn’t care. She was sick of worrying about it. Sick of thinking about it. Turning on her heel, she hastened down the hall in search of her dressing gown.

“I’ll also need to show you the back entrance to the club, so make sure you remind me on Friday.” Leo strode behind her, following her into her bedroom.

“Back entrance?” She peered over her shoulder, immediately engrossed by the flexing muscles of his arms as he reached for his clothes on the floor.

He glanced up from beneath thick, dark lashes and grinned. “I think I told you it was the delivery entrance when you first started.”

Lying little bastard. “Anything else you’ve lied about?” She raised a brow and the humor died from his features.

“I’ve only ever lied to keep the club safe. Legally, it shouldn’t be running within the walls of Shot of Sin.” He pulled on his shirt, doing up the buttons as his gaze scrutinized her. “If we asked for government approval for a sex club, the local public would be notified. The anonymity of members would be breached, and I’m sure you could imagine the shit fight we’d have on our hands from do-gooders and religious groups.” He straightened his collar and then yanked on his pants. “But now you know there’s no need for secrecy between us. I won’t lie to you. Even if the truth is brutal, I’ll take a leaf out of Brute’s book and let you have it straight.” He stalked toward her and came to a stop at her feet.

Leo stroked a hand through her sleep-tangled hair. “I stayed away from you for a long time, wanting to ensure I didn’t hurt you. So, whatever it takes, please know I have your best interest at heart.”

Shay inhaled deeply and let it out on a sigh.

Okay, so maybe she was a little fragile. The thought of rejection sat like a lead balloon beneath her ribs. She was a grown woman, confident in every aspect of her life…up until this moment. Now she had to question if she was adventurous enough for Vault of Sin.

Only time would tell. All she knew was that being intimate with Leo and then going back to a platonic relationship wasn’t an option her heart could handle. She was risking a lot with the hasty decisions she’d made during the early hours of the morning. And now it was too late to go back.

He leaned in, tilting her chin, bringing them a breath apart. “The only truth I have for you right now is that I want you. Any way I can.” His eyes searched hers, focusing with heated intent so potent her body flushed. “Let’s see where it takes us.”

Shay bit her lip, fighting the need to wrap her hands around his neck and drag him back onto the bed. “I’ll see you Tuesday then.”

“Yeah. You will.” He brushed his mouth over hers and then stepped back. “Just try and keep your wanton hands off me in front of the other staff, okay?” He grinned and headed for the door.

“You’re an arrogant jerk,” she called, her gaze trained on his sexy ass as he strutted from the room.

“A jerk you’re now stuck with.”

His steps retreated, each soft footfall making her want to yell for him to come back. She was hooked. Not just to his charm or the way he worked her body, but to the thought of them being together. The image of them holding hands had her turning all girlie with the yearning to squee.

Now all they had to do was get over their myriad of issues.