Page 97 of In Plain Sight

“Awwww, he’s blushing.” Ivy’s voice broke into my thoughts.

I quickly exited out of my texts and tucked my phone away. “Shut up.”

“So, how’s No one?” Mark asked innocently.

I shot him a look. “Not you too.”

He smiled serenely back.

“I hate both of you.”

“No, you don’t.” Ivy grinned at me.

Rolling my eyes, I put the last bite of cookie in my mouth and chewed, my stomach roiling with both nerves and excitement at getting to see Luka again.

15

LUKA

My hand was shakingas I rang Zander’s doorbell.

I was nervous, and I had no idea why.

I’d spent most of last night tossing and turning, my mind racing as thoughts ping-ponged around in my head. Memories of our JOI calls and him taking me apart in his hallway last night left my body tight and my dick hard, but as soon as I’d taken care of things, my anxiety spiked, and I spent the rest of the night freaking out that he regretted it and was already trying to find a way to let me down gently.

I felt marginally better after he’d texted to confirm our plans. But that relief had been short-lived, and I spent the afternoon and evening trying to distract myself so I didn’t end up in a full panic attack.

This wasn’t me. I wasn’t the type to get nervous before meeting up with someone, but Zander wasn’t just anyone. He was my friend, but more than that, he was the man who’d helped me discover a side of myself I’d repressed for years. He meant something to me, and I was terrified that he’d change his mind and realize I wasn’t what he wanted once the dust settled and he had time to think about the situation.

No matter what happened, things were about to get even more complicated between us. I went through the handbook Nate gave me when I was hired at the garage, and there was nothing in it about employees being in relationships with each other, or even if the shop had an official policy on the subject.

Working together also created a completely different set of problems that had nothing to do with the shop rules. We spent over forty hours a week together, most of them alone. Aside from our one weekend off a month, we saw each other six days a week. That created a sense of intimacy that wouldn’t be there if we weren’t coworkers.

One of the reasons my few relationships had worked for as long as they did was because we only saw or talked to each other a few times a week. It was the same reason my arrangement with Beth lasted so long. We’d gone weeks without seeing each other, so things stayed fresh and new until she’d changed the rules.

I didn’t have that separation with Zander, and I was terrified he’d get sick of me and I’d lose not only my friend, but the only person I’d felt a real connection with since I was seventeen.

Zander’s door swung open, and the noise in my head quieted.

“Hi.” He stepped back so I could come inside. His shy smile helped ease some of my fears. So did the genuine happiness in his eyes.

“Hi.” I closed the door behind me and kind of stood there. Should I kiss him hello? Was that something we did now? Did he want me to kiss him?

Zander studied me for a second, then stepped closer and gently pressed his lips to mine in a soft kiss.

My sigh was laced with relief when he pulled back. Whatever was going on between us might be new, but he was still Zander, the same kind and caring man I’d come to call my friend. I needed to stop stressing the fuck out over every little thing before I ruined our night together.

“Was that okay?” he asked.

“Yeah.” My cheeks and chest heated with a blush.

He scraped his teeth over his lower lip and raked his gaze over my body elevator-style. “You look really good tonight.”

I’d put some effort into my outfit, choosing a pair of butter-soft jeans that fit me like a second skin and a black dress shirt that showed off my chest and arms. I went back and forth on whether I should dress up at all, changing my clothes four times before I ran out of time and went with the last thing I put on.

His heated gaze told me I made the right choice.

“Thanks.” I dragged my eyes up and down his body. “So do you.”

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