Growing up, my dad would always say a smart man learns from his mistakes, and I’d like to think I’m a smart man. Therefore, I won’t be making that mistake again.
“I could make you something as well,” she offers as she walks around the island, my shirt lifting as her ass sways, a hint of my boxers peeking out. Fuck! I need to get out of here.
“No,” I say way too damn loudly.
She spins around, and the corners of her lips curve downward.
“No,” I repeat, softer this time. “I’m good. I just worked out.”
“Okay,” she says, opening the pantry door.
Before I can change my mind, I stalk out of the kitchen. Once I’m upstairs in the guest room, I check some emails on my new phone, but I can’t concentrate. All I see is Nevaeh in my damn shirt and barely-there boxers.
I drop my phone onto the nightstand and, throwing a pillow over my face, go to sleep.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
I open my eyes and for a second assume I’m in my bedroom. The view out the window is similar. But as soon as I look around, I’m confused. The walls are a different color. The furniture is white instead of dark wood. Then I remember I’m at my dad’s beach house, in his guestroom.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
“Come in,” I yell, grabbing my phone to check the time: seven eighteen in the morning. What the hell is she doing up so early? I groan, nestling my face into my pillow.
The door creeks open. “Ethan?”
“It’s early, Nevaeh.”
“I couldn’t sleep. I was wondering if you figured anything out. If maybe I can go home today.”
Rolling over, I see her standing in the doorway, still in my shirt and still without a damn bra. Her tits still fucking perky and her goddamn nipples still peeking through.
“This has to be a test,” I say out loud to nobody.
She scrunches up her nose in confusion. “A test?”
“Never mind.” I shake my head then sit up, scrubbing my hands down my face, hoping when I look back at her, she’ll suddenly be more dressed.
Of course she’s not.
“I already told you, you can leave any time you want. No, I didn’t get anything figured out. I have no idea what Logan’s been up to, and it’s going to take time to get it all sorted. If you leave, you’re on your own to deal with him and whoever the hell he’s trying to sell you to.”
“Can’t you like put a hit out on him?”
The fuck?
“You want me to kill him? I’m a club owner, not some mafia boss.”
Her eyes go wide, and I chuckle.
“What?” she screeches, and because it’s too early for all this, I roll back over, covering myself with a blanket. “No! I thought it meant call someone, like to get information. I heard it on a show once. I thought he was hiring someone to find stuff out.”
“It’s too early for all this. Wake me up in a few hours.”
It’s quiet for a moment, and I think she might’ve left, until I feel her tap on my back.
“Nevaeh, I’m tired. I run a club.” And with my dad being out of town, doing whatever the hell he’s doing, I’m running all his shit too.
“You didn’t run a club last night, and I need answers.”
The bed dips next to me, and impulsively I roll over, regretting it immediately. Nevaeh is sitting on the edge of my bed, her right leg propped up showing me way too much skin, with those perky tits in touching distance. What I wouldn’t give to wrap my lips around one of her pert nipples…
“Angel, a man only has so much self-control.”
“I need answers,” she repeats, standing her ground. I’m not sure what happened between the night at the club, to when I found her in Logan’s office, but this woman has grown herself a pair of balls.
“What happened to the shy woman from the club?” I sit up, propping my pillows behind my head.
“I’m done living my life like that. This is the new me.” She juts her chin out and fuck if it isn’t adorable.
“Oh yeah, you’re going rogue?” I chuckle, earning me a glare.
“I’m not going rogue. I’m just not going to live my life afraid anymore.”
Hmm, interesting.
I sit up a little more and, grabbing her ass, pull her toward me so we’re only inches apart. “So, you aren’t afraid of me?”
“I figured if you were going to kill me you would have already done it.” She shrugs. Fucking shrugs.
“There’s still time,” I deadpan, and she blanches. I laugh, and she grabs my pillow behind my head, throwing it right at my face.
“Keep it up and I’m going to sell your ass.” It’s meant as a joke, but the look on her face tells me no matter how strong she’s trying to be, she’s still scared.