Gabe (Blue-Collar Billionaires 3)

"Oh, why not?"

* * * * *

I tug her after me to the center of the floor and then pull her into my arms. She's so much shorter than I am, so the top of her head barely reaches my chin. If it weren't for the ridiculously high heels she's wearing she'd be dancing with the front of my sweater.

"So do your brothers know about, you know… what we talked about?" Sasha asks in a low voice.

She looks around us and she's so cute that I'm hit with the completely unfamiliar sensation of wanting to protect her. But from what? The thing she needs protection from most is me, especially since she already admitted that she has a tendency to fall for the wrong guys. I'm one of those guys that she needs to stay away from, the commitment phobic type – a skilled liar with questionable motives.

"They do but no one else knows. Most of that was before I hit eighteen and my juvie records are sealed. I was arrested once in college, totally not my fault by the way, but somehow the charges were dropped and the whole thing was buried. At the time, I considered it a lucky break but now I'm pretty sure that was my father's doing."

We dance in silence for a while and I have to fight to keep my hands in place. Her coat was hiding a clingy red wraparound dress that emphasizes her hourglass figure. And every time we move, her thighs slide against mine. I'm not sure why I thought dancing was a good idea. It's more like torture.

"Gabe?" She says my name experimentally, as if trying out the sound on her tongue. "You haven't gotten into any trouble lately, right?"

My initial decision to stay away from her was best. She's the kind of girl that wants to believe in the good in people. I don't want to be the one who proves to her that there is no good. There are simply those who take the opportunity to act and those who don't. But all people are just doing what is most advantageous for them.

"No, I'm done with all that. But I'll always be trouble, Sasha. It's in my nature."

"Aren't you the one who said our failures don't define us?"

I smile hearing my own words thrown back at me. She's watching me with a knowing look on her face.

"I don't consider the things I've done failure. More like character traits. Just like my hair color or eye color." The music ends and I step back. As enjoyable as it's been to be around her, I know it's time to go. There's something about talking to her that makes me forget where I am. Who I am. But I don't have that luxury right now. I need to get over to Luke's and figure out what's going on.

"Walk me out?"

She looks like she wants to protest but then she grabs her coat. I hold it out for her, watching as she slides her arms into the sleeves. I lift the heavy fall of her hair to keep it from being trapped under the collar of her coat.

Out on the street, she turns left so I follow. Finn's building is in a neighborhood in transition. It's got a great location so a lot of developers have started snapping up the buildings in the area so they can renovate them or raze them completely and create new condos. But at night, the area is still a little sketchy. There's no way I'm letting Sasha come out here to find her car by herself.

She stops next to the same steel gray monstrosity I remember. It looks even worse on second viewing as I notice all the places where the paint is peeling.

"My brother would be in pain if he saw this car. He's a mechanic. It looks like it's in dire need of med

ical help."

"Your brother?"

"Zack. The one upstairs with the Mohawk and all the tattoos."

"Right. I can barely keep all your brothers straight. I feel like I need a list."

"Yeah, you're not the only one."

She laughs softly and pulls her keys from her small purse. "So he's a mechanic. What about you?"

"I oversee the restoration of classic cars. It's a lot of bodywork, mostly. Zack handles repairs and we've also got a guy who deals with nothing but motorcycles."

"I can tell you enjoy what you do. I'm determined to find that for myself too. That's why I came here tonight. Oh, why did it have to be you?" Her face crumples.

I move closer and take her face between my hands. Tears pool in her eyes and I brush them away with my thumbs. "What do you mean?"

"Emma told me that Finn found me a mentor. I was so excited! Everything is falling apart and I thought this would be my chance to get some help. But now it's you. I know you don't want to help me." She crosses her arms and steps back a little. It's probably good for us to have some space right now but I immediately miss the contact.

"I think we both know that if I spend time with you, it won't have anything to do with business. I'm attracted to you, Sasha, but you're friends with my brothers. That's a line I can't cross."

She sniffles. "I know. If things got weird then we'd have to see each other. It's already going to be weird enough. But I was really counting on getting help. Now I'm not going to get the money I need to open my club. I might as well just give up now."