Page 28 of Knot Innocent

Her cheeks flame red, realizing what she said. “I mean, maybe I’ll find the car when I hit that… Shit.”

I’m enjoying the rosy color of Birdie’s cheeks immensely but decide to show some mercy when she drops her head into her hands. “Why don’t we get started.”

Without lifting her face, she says, “I don’t want to work on it here. Too many nosy people, and you contractors gossip like little girls.”

“Okay. How about I follow you home then? We’ll work in your office and order in when we get hungry.”

“Ah, sure.” Birdie picks up her purse, stands, but then sits down again. “Maybe you should go first. That way, we won’t have to explain to anyone why we’re leaving together.”

I stiffen at the suggestion but can’t disagree with her logic. Part of me liked the idea of being seen with Birdie. The working part of my brain reminds me that I won’t be laying claim to any woman. “Fine,” I say through clenched teeth. “I’ll go get my shit and be right behind you.”

Barely a minute later, I’m slamming around the locker room, pissed at myself. I keep breaking my own damned rules with Birdie, but I can’t seem to control it. I want her more than an addict wants his next hit, but fortunately, I care about her, which is why I’m not giving in to the desire.

Cade and some other guys are dressing to leave for the weekend and call out to me when my temper draws their attention. “Hey, Bash. We’re going out later. Want to join—”

“No,” I interrupt, slamming my locker door.

Realizing I look like a dick, I sigh and pick up my head. “I’ve got plans already, but thanks.”

From the corner of his eye, Grim watches me carefully. He grabs his bag and follows me out the door. “You went from almost smiling to being pretty uptight in twenty-four hours. Actually, you look like you’re wearing the same face I did for about ten years.”

I know exactly what he means, but we’re not the same. The man pined for Sadie forever, only making a move when she was almost killed. “Don’t you fucking start,” I warn. “I’m sure Sadie’s told you everything, even though there was nothing to tell. I was wrong about Birdie, so Sadie can forget I said anything.”

Grim glosses over my rant, going the one place I warned him away from. “You know, there’s nothing wrong with wanting Birdie—”

“See you Monday, Grim,” I reply, cutting him off.

I pick up the pace toward the exit, wanting nothing more to do with this conversation. Aaron doesn’t know me. No one here does. Sure, everyone knows I came from the Navy. A few even know about my grand exit. Of those, some hail me as a hero for the sacrifice. They’re wrong. They just don’t know.

The day my SEAL career ended was like a volcanic eruption. The explosion was inevitable. All I needed was the right trigger. It happened then, and it’ll happen again.

Pulling up to the curb at Birdie’s house a short time later, I’m relieved to see one of our security contractor’s vans parked in her driveway. Two men are busy installing additional cameras around the house, meaning Birdie will have tighter security from now on. I nod at the crew as I walk to her porch, happy for the quick turnaround.

Birdie answers the door in her bare feet. She’s had time to change since arriving home and wears pink joggers and a black fitted tee. I’m openly staring and can’t help it.

A throat clears from the stairs behind me, and Birdie steps to the side to speak with the security installer. Though I want to get an update on the new security features, I need a private moment for a mental ass-kicking. You’re here to help her identify a threat, not become one.

I continue deeper into the house, going straight for Birdie’s office. Her scent is stronger in this room. Not helping. My shoulders slump, and a sad sigh escapes my lips. The quirky, nerdy woman with dicks everywhere has gotten under my skin, but I have to pretend otherwise. That should make this the most challenging, miserable mission of my life.

Cracking my neck, I square my shoulders and face the massive screen covering the office windows. I need to find this asshole fast and get the hell away from Birdie, for both our sakes.

The suspended screen displays multiple searches at once. At the top left, pictures of cars fly by, pausing occasionally on four-door sedans. The colors are all over the place, so I’m guessing Birdie is pulling makes and models to help identify the car that followed her. All the pictures are night views, highlighting head and taillight configurations. Smart girl.

A second window searches through documents and scrolls too fast for me to tell what kind. The last active area displays the view on the right side of Birdie’s house, where she’s talking to the installer.

My eyes remain glued to the feed as Birdie reaches behind her back, lifting her shirt enough to scratch a spot above her right hip. My skin heats at the secret peek of her soft skin, but then my blood simmers at the hint of ink poking out from below the fabric.

I turn from the screen and storm to her kitchen, looking for a glass of water. I’m hot all over and fuming at the same time. Never. Never have I reacted so quickly to a woman. Not on a beach with tits and ass on display and not in a bar with barracks bunnies trying their hardest to bed any man they thought was a SEAL.

Only Birdie.

After guzzling two glassfuls, I return to the office just as Birdie walks in the front door. “They’re finished,” she announces.

Birdie glides past me and walks to her chair. “Let me show you what I’ve got going.”

I drop into the kitchen chair she must have brought back in for me. “I wasn’t far behind you. How did you get changed and get all this up and running before I got here?”

“I didn’t. Well, I did, but not exactly. I couldn’t sleep last night, so I got up and started working on it at three.”

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