Page 34 of Kilo's Edge

“What? Why?”

“Because more than one of my brothers are bare assed out here.”

“Oh.” My cheeks were flaming hot by the time we made it out the door. I wasn’t a prude, but this wasn’t something I was used to either. Growing up, Dad had done his best to shield me from the darker side of the world. That had all come crashing down after his murder.

Kilo’s hands left my eyes as we walked outside. “Hopefully it’s safe out here. Though if any of them slept out here during the monsoon it’s their own damn fault.”

I laughed at that, but noticed he was scanning the grounds, looking for anyone who might have done just that. I had no doubts he would detour to take care of them if they had. I didn’t know him that well, but I was beginning to understand that he was just that kind of guy. The kind who’d always have your back.Who would protect those he loved. It was a really attractive quality.

We stopped next to a truck and he opened the door for me. “Thank you.”

He grinned at me then walked around and slid into the driver’s seat.

“What’s a cage?” I asked.

“Any vehicle that’s not a bike,” he replied.

“Because it surrounds you,” I said with a nod.

“That and it cages you in versus how it feels to be on a motorcycle.”

I understood that completely.

“Hopefully, I didn’t get you into too much trouble,” he said, with a sheepish look as he began driving.

“It’s okay,” I told him. “I’m twenty-four years old. If I want to...sleep at a man’s house, I can. Besides, I’m the one who got drunk.” I laughed at myself. Yeah right. Mama was going to lay into me, but it was totally worth it. Just sleeping in Kilo’s arms made the lecture coming my way worth anything.

He cleared his throat and I focused on him. “It’s not okay with me if you sleep at a man’s house. Other than me.”

I couldn’t tell if he was kidding so I shook my head. “I don’t have any plans to.” I wasn’t really sure what we were saying, but I remembered him telling me that while he was getting to know a woman he didn’t sleep with others. “I don’t want you to, either.”

“I don’t sleep with men in any house,” he joked.

I laughed. “At any other women’s houses.”

“Fair enough.”

My heart leapt inside my chest. It wasn’t exactly a declaration, but we were setting boundaries with each other. It was another step in the right direction, as Mary, my co-worker and friend, would say. We kept the conversation light on the wayhome. “I would have won last night, you know. If you hadn’t interrupted the game.” It was fun to tease him.

He laughed and shot me a knowing look. “You couldn’t stand straight. There was no way you were going to make those shots.”

“I shoot better that way.” I was full of it. Drinking wasn’t something I did. You had to feel secure in your surroundings to let go enough to get drunk. I hadn’t had that privilege in a long, long time. At least, not until last night. If I wondered whether I trusted Kilo, that would tell me right there.

He pulled up in front of my house and cut the engine. “I want to see you again. Tomorrow? We could do a movie night at my house.”

I smiled at him, thrilled that he wanted to spend more time with me. “I’d like that. I can make us dinner.”

“Fucking sold,” he replied. He reached over and grasped my chin, leaning toward me.

I swatted at him, making him stop and give me a questioning look. “I haven’t brushed my teeth, or-”

He leaned forward and planted a firm kiss on my mouth, but didn’t take it any deeper than a meeting of lips. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he told me. He let go of my chin and smoothed his hand over my hair.

“Okay,” I told him. I waited a beat, then asked something that I’d been curious about for a while now. Considering we’d just slept in the same bed all night, I figured I should know. “Kilo?”

“Yeah?”

“What’s your real name?”

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