“How long is Trish gone?”
“About a week, I think.”
“Then schedule me every day for a week.”
My gaze pulls from the computer, and I find Xavier wearing one of his more devastating smiles. He drops his body armor over his head and secures the Velcro.
“Ha.” I pick a date, write it on a card, and hand it to him. “Just call to change it if you need to.”
He slides the card into his pants pocket, shrugs into his uniform shirt, and shoves the tail into his pants, then fastens his buckle. This is a preview of the way he’d leave me after we had sex, and I rest my chin in my hand to suffer through every move. The only thing more powerful than his charm is the pain of losing him—as a friend and a lover.
“Man, I feel great,” he says, pulling out his wallet. “I mean, I’d feel better if you’d finished, but, yeah, you really loosened me up.”
“Put that away. This one’s on me.”
He tips his head and slides his wallet into his back pocket, smiling like he’s got a secret.
“Don’t look at me like that. This is just a friend helping out a friend.”
He puts both hands on the front edge of the counter and leans into them, holding my gaze. “Then I owe you one.”
“No, you don’t.”
“I’m thinking dinner would be a good start toward paying you back.”
“We’ve been over this. Not happening.”
“I’m always up for skipping straight to dessert.” His gaze is clearly saying I’m that dessert.
“Actually, there is something you can do for me.”
His grin is triumphant. “Name it.”
I smile and lean forward, pressing my torso against the counter until I get within a few inches of him. I lower my voice. “Why don’t you come over to my boat tonight?”
His eyes grow dark, and sparks fly between us. “I’ll be there. What time?”
“As soon as your shift ends.”
“You got it. Should I bring dinner?”
“No, I’ll feed you.”
“Damn.” His gaze lowers to my mouth. “I sure like the sound of that.”
I’m smiling when I reach out and slide one finger along his jaw. “I need your big, strong arms to help me carry three hundred welcome bags to the conference center.”
His gaze turns shell-shocked.
My work here is done. “Thanks, handsome.” I push off the counter and toss a smile over my shoulder as I head into the studio to close up. “See you tonight.”
I hear the thunk of his forehead hitting the counter followed by a few colorful curses. I’m already mopping the studio floor, sanitizing after sweaty yoga, when he passes the window with a smirk and a shake of his head. I blow him a kiss, and he turns away, smiling.
When his back is turned, I pause and lean on the mop handle as I watch him slide into the driver’s seat of his police car. My heart is heavy. I desperately want someone to share my life with. Laiyla, KT, and I turn thirty-one in a few days. They’ve found their forevers, and I’m thrilled for them. I love Levi and Ben and Ben’s girls. I guess it just makes me realize that I’m starting all over from scratch, so freaking damaged. I had come so far when I started a relationship with Bodhi. Healed so many wounds festering from my childhood. Then he broke them all open again. Now I don’t trust my heart with anyone. Not even Xavier, a man whom I’d trust with my life.
He backs his cruiser out of the parking space. He’s pulled on a department baseball hat and, God, he’s adorably delicious in it. The only thing I love better than him in that hat is when he’s goofing around and wears it backward. It’s like getting a glimpse of him as a kid.
He glances toward the studio before he puts the car into Drive, sees me, and stops. We hold each other’s gaze through the window. There’s no more flirtation in the air, just the real him and the real me, sharing a silent bond that’s too complicated to explain with words.