Calculated Risk (Blackbridge Security 5)

“Burgers sound perfect. Maybe some place with those seasoned curly fries?”

“Your wish is my command,” I tell her as I crank the truck and back out of the parking lot. “And if you were wondering, I don’t have anything weird in my bedside table.”

She squeaks, and I chuckle at the sound.

“It’s empty except for a pair of reading glasses—I am old after all—and a crossword puzzle book I work on when I can’t sleep.”

I feel her eyes on me, but I resist looking in her direction as I pull out into traffic. Maybe she got my meaning. I don’t have condoms or sex toys, meaning I don’t tend to have sex in my own bed. Hell, I don’t really have sex, and the last time I did, which was months and months ago, I went to that woman’s place. It was closer to the bar I picked her up at.

“What’s in your bedside table?”

She chuckles, but it’s tinged with that same embarrassment, making it so easy to read on her skin.

“You said I could go through your things. I didn’t offer the same.” Her tone is teasing, and I wonder if talking about or even hinting at something sexual is taking it a little too far.

“Hayden Prescott, do you have naughty things in your bedside table?”

“Sex is natural,” she says, more confidence in her voice than I bet she actually feels. “Of course, I have sex toys. Well, one sex toy.”

I scrape at the back of my neck. “Did you bring that with you? I mean, you did want me to make myself scarce tonight.”

She snorts. “I didn’t even bring my makeup. Do you really think I’d forget that and remember to grab my vibrator?”

“I guess it depends on your priorities. I promise not to interrupt if I hear a little buzzing coming from your room.”

She drops her pretty face in to her hands. “I cannot believe I’m having this conversation with you.”

“Don’t be embarrassed. Sex is natural, remember?”

“You like teasing me, don’t you?”

“I like to see you smile, and the blush in your cheeks is my new most favorite thing.”

She peeks at me through her fingers. “I’m twenty-nine. I know it’s a little crazy that I get embarrassed talking about sex. Well, I don’t always. Just with—”

“Men?”

“Just you for some reason.”

The conversation is cut off as I pull up to the drive-thru ordering menu, and by the time we get our food, neither of us bring it up again.

She nibbles on fries and groans with every sip of her strawberry milkshake, so that by the time we get back to my building, I’m itching to get my hands on her. I settled for a double with cheese and bacon—hold the onions just in case.

She’s playful, quick to smile as we eat in front of the television, but it doesn’t take long before she’s yawning.

“I’m exhausted,” she says when the credits for an episode of New Girl—my guilty pleasure—begins rolling across the screen.

“Let me get that,” I say as she starts to gather all the trash.

“I’m already inconveniencing you. Let me help.”

She disappears into the kitchen, but when I head that way, she’s already coming back.

“I think I’m going to go to bed,” she says, hiding another yawn behind the back of her hand. “Sorry. The day just snuck up on me.”

“It’s been a crazy day,” I agree, closing some of the distance between the two of us. “Do you have everything you need?”

“I think so.”

At this point, we’re less than two feet from each other, and I’m barely holding on to the ability to keep my hands to myself, and then like something snaps in my head, I reach for her. My hand is so big compared to her tiny frame, and I can’t help but stare down at it.

I lick my lips as she whispers my name.

“Quinten?”

She blinks up at me, and God I want to kiss her. I want to offer my comfortable bed for her to sleep in, my arms to hold her so she won’t be scared.

“Goodnight,” she says, and I realize I spent so much time wishing, that I may have missed the opportunity to act.

“Let me know if you need anything,” I say, regretfully letting my hand fall away.

Next stop, cold shower for one.

Chapter 24

Hayden

Last night after throwing away the trash from dinner was so weird that I got up extra early and ducked out to head to work before Quinten even got up. And I don’t mean that I just tiptoed out. I literally put my ear to the door to see if he was up making any noise. I didn’t know what I would’ve done if he had been.

It was awkward as hell because I thought he was going to kiss me, but then he didn’t. I would’ve had to jump to bring his lips to mine, and I figure if he wanted to be kissed, he would’ve made it possible for me to actually do it. I’m sure I was standing there, head tilted back, lips puckered as I waited, and then it just didn’t happen.