by Lila Kane
“Means you’re quiet as me, and I know exactly what that means.”
She ventured a glance over. “What does that mean?”
He pointed to his temple. “There’s more going on up here than you let on. I’m the same way.”
She wasn’t normally like that. Normally she had plenty to say. But not around Kane. He still intimidated her. And it pissed her off. She was supposed to look up to him. Sure, she respected him, but at the same time she also sort of wanted to kick his ass.
“I do have a lot I’m thinking about, actually,” she said, the buzz from the alcohol giving her courage. “Like how you never tell me if I did a good job at work or not.”
“You’re still working for me. Figured it was obvious.”
“You could say so every once in a while.”
She could have sworn his lip quirked. But when she looked over again, his face was serious.
“Like I said, I’m quiet.”
She didn’t mean to, but she laughed out loud. “Like hell you’re quiet. You have plenty to say to all those blonds waiting for you in the lobby.”
When he didn’t respond, she put a hand over her mouth. Damn it. It was none of her business. If he hadn’t thought about firing her before, he was definitely thinking about it now.
Alexis swallowed, grateful when she spotted the door to her apartment under the alcove. She’d forgotten to leave on the light, so it was easy to hide her embarrassment in the darkness.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured, shuffling through her purse for her keys. “It’s not my business and I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“You’re right.” Kane’s voice was low, rough, and a lot closer than she’d expected. “Unless I make it your business.”
Her gaze whipped to his. When he reached out and brushed her hair off her shoulder, then touched just below her earlobe, her legs nearly gave out. Her entire body screamed for him to shove her against the door and have his way with her.
“What’s this one?” he asked, breath touching her cheek.
Her tattoo. That’s what he was looking at. “It—it’s my dad’s initials. I got it after he passed away.”
She’d designed it herself, calligraphic letters with ivy swirled around them.
It helped feeling like she had a part of him with always.
Kane brushed his finger over the tattoo one more time before pulling away. “I’m sorry. My dad passed just before I opened the shop. I—”
He broke off, eyes going dark.
“What?” she asked, breathless. This was the first time he’d opened up to her—the first time he’d felt human.
“It’s nothing.”
Still drawn to him, Alexis stepped forward. Their shoes touched at the tips. She took a breath and then went for it. “You can make it my business.”
Chapter 4
________________
Kane
It felt like a boulder sat on his chest. He couldn’t move, could barely breathe. He didn’t talk about himself, his personal life, with people. With anyone. Not with the blonds in the lobby or the guys at the shop. In fact, the last person who he’d really talked to was his father.
He’d opened the shop for his father, to follow a dream for his dad.
But Alexis was truly listening to him. She wanted to know.
And then she licked her lower lip, and his composure broke. He grabbed her around the waist and backed her into the door. Her breath rushed out when she hit the surface, and her hands came up to his chest to steady herself.
“Why do you want to know this?” he asked, voice low.
Her eyelashes fluttered when she blinked up at him. “About your dad? About you?”
He squeezed her hip, and brought his other hand to her cheek, a moment of gentleness. “Yes.”
“Because I want to know you. I want—”
The word was on her lips. You. I want you.
He pressed his body against hers, feeling every soft curve, every thump of her heart, and the heat. Oh, God, she was on fire. He’d wondered what she’d feel like against his body. In his bed. Wrapped tight like a vice around his cock.
But she was an employee. Damn it, no—she was more than that. Which was why he should keep his distance. She wasn’t one of those blonds in the lobby, she wasn’t one of the women at the bar he could just lose himself in. They’d drone on about their lives and he could drink a few beers and zone out. Or admire their curves and their smooth voice. Those kind of women were a dime a dozen, as his father would say.
“Kane,” Alexis murmured.
His name on her lips was more than he could handle. He shoved his knee between her legs, holding her in place against the door, and devoured her mouth.
Like the little fighter she was, she gave as good as she got. Her tongue invaded his mouth, soft and warm, driving him on. When her hands started to wander, he grabbed her wrists and pinned them against the door.
“If you touch me, there’s no stopping this,” he growled.
Her mouth opened, and part of him wanted her to argue, to give him an excuse to take her inside and have his way with her. The other part, the part that was far more sober than her, knew he couldn’t lose it.
Before she could answer, he lowered his head, tracing his lips down her jaw, to her collarbone, and then lower. Her breasts swelled with each breath she took. He could feel her heartbeat with his lips.
“I want to touch you,” she said.
Damn it. The girl didn’t give up. He wanted her hands all over him, too. He wanted those petite fingers wrapped tight around his dick, taking him where he wanted to go. He gripped both her wrists with one hand, holding them against the door above her head.
“It’s a bad idea.”
But even as he said it, he slid his knee higher and her body moved forward against his, riding up his leg. Even in his jeans, he could feel the heat of her pussy through her skirt. He could feel it touching the head of his dick, and the motion made her moan.
“Kane—”
“Alexis. Damn it.”
His cocked ached, needing to be buried deep in her. Why hadn’t he had a few more beers like the rest of them? Then maybe this wouldn’t be so hard.
He shifted his body against hers, and her skirt hiked up further, so her panties were the only thing separating her from his clothes. Then he used the friction to get her off, dry humping her against the door like a teenager who was afraid to get caught with his pants down.
Her breath hitched. “Oh, God—”
And it just drove him further. He moved faster, loving the way her breasts bounced under her shirt.
Loving the way each breath was like an exhale of pleasure and she couldn’t stop saying his name. None of the other women did that.
Finally, he released her wrists, and she immediately reached for his shoulders. Her head bowed and a quiet sob escaped her lips as she came.
It wasn’t enough. He didn’t just want her against the door. He wanted her in her house, on her bed. He wanted her on his bed. He wanted her everywhere and over and over again.
And he was just about to tell her this when her head lifted. When her eyes locked on his. When she spoke.
“I guess this means you’re not going to fire me.”
He lowered his leg, letting her feet touch the floor fully again. She used his shoulders to steady herself, and it was too much. The throbbing in his cock, the need to shove her against the door again. He wanted it all—and more.
And then she had to remind who they were. Boss. Employee.
Fuck.
“Alexis.” He forced himself to step back. It was physically painful, knowing he wasn’t going to get her tonight. “No. You’re not fired. I shouldn’t have done this.”
She blinked, confused. He was sure it was partly the alcohol, but still—he hated the quick flash of hurt in her eyes.
“I’m not a kid,” she said. “I knew what I was doing—and it’s not going to affect my work.”
“I know it’s not because I’m
walking away.”
Her hands dropped to her hips, but to his surprise all she did was huff out a breath. “Of course. I should have known better.”
Then she turned, shoved her keys in her lock, and slammed the door.
She should have known better? Why? Because they worked together or because it was him?
Shit. What the hell?
And why was he still standing here like she’s the one who had stopped things between them.
Kane swiveled and walked back to his bike. He’d done the right thing and they both knew it.
Why, then, did he feel like shit?
When he reached the bike, he shrugged into his jacket. It smelled like her. Fresh. Clean. Like soap or shampoo. Simple but powerful, just like Alexis.
Screw that. It was the beer, the night, the fucking hormones. All of it added up meant they’d taken a step over the boundaries. No problem. Things would go back to normal at work tomorrow and everyone would be fine.
With that mantra repeating over and over in his head, he tried to ignore Alexis’s smell and rode home, his cock still half hard for her.
Chapter 5
________________
Alexis
She ripped the sketch off her pad and wadded it up. She turned, aimed for the trash, and missed by a few feet. Damn it. She couldn’t even make a basket today.
But Kane had gotten under her skin. So far under it felt like he was still in her. Why couldn’t she be like him and just forget it?
Alexis glanced to the lobby where he laughed with another one of his blonds, grin stretched wider than she thought possible. No wonder everyone always said he was a player. Not only that, he was a tease.
Getting her worked up like that and then walking off. God, it had to have hurt him, too—she’d felt how hard he was—but he’d done it. And shit, it’d hurt.
She’d thought they’d finally found some common ground. And the attraction, the zap she felt every time they touched couldn’t be ignored.
Alexis put her pencil to the paper again and tried once more to sketch the tiger. Something dark. Something sexy. There was no way she was going to screw this up. She wasn’t going to give Kane any excuse to fire her now.
She sketched another moment, then frowned. Not quite.
Alexis ripped off the sheet and tossed it toward the basket again, but this time Levi was there and he caught the paper.
He opened it and smiled. “It’s not that bad.”
She frowned. “It’s not that good.” She started sketching again.
Levi shrugged. He dropped the paper in the basket and shoved his hands in his pockets. “So, uh…”
He wouldn’t meet her gaze, but she still felt a flicker of unease in her stomach. He’d better not try to ask her out now. She knew she hadn’t been giving him signals. And if shoving him off of her the other night wasn’t enough of a clue that she wasn’t interested in him that way, she didn’t know what was.
“I just wanted to…” Levi jerked when Kane came up behind him. “Hey Kane.”
“Say it,” Kane snapped. “Tell her you’re sorry so we can all get back to work.”
“I’m sorry,” Levi blurted. “About last night. I was drunk.”
Alexis nodded, her stomach clenched tight at the look she saw in Kane’s eyes. Almost…possessive?
“And you won’t let it happen again,” Kane said. “Right?”
Levi’s head bobbed up and down. “Yes. I mean, no—I won’t let it happen again.”
Kane gave him a shove toward his station. “Good. Let’s all agree to be respectful of each other, and we won’t have this problem.”
Alexis just stared at him. What? Did he think she’d disrespected him? Because, come on, he was the one who’d shoved her against that door and made her come without even using his hands.
His eyes pierced hers, like he was daring her to argue. She kept her mouth shut, though what she really wanted to do was yell at him.
What an ass! He’d led her on and now he was the one in a weird mood.
Kane stooped to retrieve the balled-up paper in the trash. He unwadded it, stared at it a moment, then smoothed it out on the counter. “You’re going in the right direction here.”
Her jaw clenched. “I think I’ve got it, thanks.”
It pissed her off even more when the corner of his lip quirked. “Oh yeah?”
“Yeah.”
But he didn’t back off. Instead, he walked straight to her and snatched the sketchbook from her hands to study the new sketch she’d started. “This isn’t going to translate unless it’s a back piece. Is this a back piece?”
He knew damn well it wasn’t. But he wanted her to say it. “No, it’s not a back piece.”
“You think this is going to fit otherwise?”
“It’s a start—”
“And your client is going to be back in later in the week. They’re going to want more than a start—”
“It’s more than a start.”
He pointed to her sketchpad. “Then get started.”
Then he strolled to the front of the building and jumped right back into the conversation with the blond.
Alexis clenched her fists together at her sides. When she glanced over at Levi, she found him staring.
“What the hell do you to?” Trey asked.
“Nothing!” she hissed, quiet enough Kane couldn’t hear her. “He’s in a pissy mood today, that’s all.”
But that wasn’t all. He in a horribly pissy mood, and he took it out on her for the rest of the day. Making her clean the bathrooms at the back of the building, making her redo her sketch two more times, forcing Drew to help her out with a client because she “wasn’t pulling her weight” today.
By the end of the day, she was fuming. It was one thing for him to walk off on her last night after she’d rode him to ecstasy, but another for him to treat her like shit at work. When he was ready to lock up, she waited for everyone else to leave first, and then stepped in front of the door.
“This has to stop,” she said, folding her arms.
His eyes narrowed on hers. “What do you mean?”
“What do you mean? Today? The way you were treating me. I get there was this thing.” She rolled her eyes. It was more than that, but whatever. She could keep it professional—and he should too. “But Kane—you can’t treat me like that at work. You need to—”
“Need to?” he asked, eyes flashing. He took a step forward. “What you need to do is realize who the boss is here.”
“Are you serious?”
“Do I look like I’m joking?”
No, he looked dangerous. Like he could explode at any minute. But she didn’t care. She didn’t care if he was upset and she didn’t care if she pushed his control. “You look like an ass, is what you look like. Grow up.”
His mouth snapped open, then he folded his arms. “This is my shop, which means I’m in charge. I can do what I want.”
Anger flared inside. Whatever he wanted? Did that include treating her like dirt? “Fine,” she said, trying to keep her voice calm.
“Good,” he started.
But she shook her head. “I quit.”
Alexis turned to the door, ready to yank it open and make her grand exit. She’d regret this later, but Kane deserved it.
Before she could get the door open, Kane was there. He slapped his hand on the surface and gripped her arm. “You’re not going anywhere.”
Chapter 6
________________
Kane
Alexis turned around, her chest rising and falling in rough breaths. That alone could have gotten him off, he was so hot right now.
“What did you say?” she snapped.
He bit back the bark of laughter that wanted to come out. “I said you’re not going anywhere. Obviously we have something to clear up.”
“There’s nothing to clear up. You’re an asshole and a player, and you used me. But worse, you treated me like shit today, and it’s probably because of wha
t happened. Like I said, grow up, because—”
“Okay.”
“What?”
He took a step closer to her. She exhaled and her breath hit his arm. “You want grown up? I’m sorry. You—damn it, Alexis, you’re not what I expected.”
Her eyes searched his. “Explain.”
“You’re supposed to be…a guy.”
He swore he saw her smirk, but it was gone in an instant. “You’re not making sense.”
“I can handle guys. I can’t work with guys. I can even work with women—as long as they aren’t hot as hell and throw my shit right back at me.”
“If you’re expecting me to apologize for who I am—”
“I’m not. And if you did, I’d be pissed.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “I thought you said you didn’t talk much.”
“I don’t. Your fault again.”
“Kane. I swear I’m going to knee you in the balls.”
“No.” He reached out slowly and ran his finger over her collarbone and down her arm. “What you’re going to do is forgive me for being an ass and then let me make you come so hard you’ll be begging for more.”
“And if I don’t?”
He grinned. “You will.”
She lifted her chin. He leaned in and kissed her on the mouth, letting his tongue trace the curve of her bottom lip.
“Say you forgive me.”
She hesitated, narrowed her eyes again, and then blew out a breath. “I forgive you.”
He grabbed her ass and hauled her against him. His cock was hard instantly, and it pressed into her stomach. He lifted her and carried her to his station in the back, the only one in an enclosed space. Her hands were in a hurry, sliding down his shoulders, under his shirt, and then across his abs.
“Kane,” she whispered against his lips.
When he caught her gaze, he saw the flicker of worry there. “Don’t worry,” he said, voice gruff. “This time, we’re finishing this.”
He nipped at her lips before setting her on her feet and yanking her shirt off. Her tits swelled in the red bra, spilling into his hands. He unlatched it and tossed it over his shoulder. She was perfect, two pert globes that were perfect for him.