Page 16 of Old Flame

“I need to get her to my mom’s before she gets home and freaks out. I’ll get back here and close up. It won’t take me but twenty minutes.”

“Go on. I’ll handle closing up,” he replied with his cigarette hanging from the side of his mouth.

“I need to borrow a helmet too,” I told him.

He nodded his head back to the stockroom. “Yeah. Go grab her one. Need to protect that pretty little head.”

I liked Brick, and I appreciated this job. He was a good boss, but I wasn’t leaving Salem out here with him. She was already spooked. He’d send her over the goddamn edge.

“Come on,” I told her. “Let’s get one that fits good.”

Her eyes widened. “Are we riding a motorcycle?” The trepidation in her tone was cute.

“It’s what I drove to work.”

Her shoulders lifted and fell dramatically as she inhaled, then blew out a breath. “Okay.”

I leaned closer to her, bending slightly so I was more eye level with her. “Trust me. You’ll be fine. You might even like it.”

She nodded, but said nothing.

“Come on,” I told her and waited for her to move up beside me.

Then I placed a hand on her back and led her past Brick, who was leering at her and pissing me off.

When we reached the stockroom, I closed the door and went over to the spare helmets.

“Is that your boss?” she asked me.

“Yeah,” I replied, picking out one that would fit her.

“He has a lot of tattoos.”

I grinned as I turned back to try the helmet on her. “He got a few in prison.”

Her face paled, and I felt like a dick. She was already nervous. I didn’t need to make it worse.

“He was young and did something stupid. He’s not dangerous,” I assured her.

She didn’t seem to relax, and that made me feel worse. I needed Mom to tell me what had happened to her at home. Staring down at her face, I couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to hurt her. Other than my mom, I had never had this need to protect anyone until now.

My eyes drifted to the beauty mark on her face. It was in the exact spot as Marilyn Monroe’s. She’d look angelic if it wasn’t for that sexy little addition. Well, that, and her lips. Jesus, those lips were plump. I heard her breathing quicken, and I realized I was standing there, silently staring at her mouth like I was about toclaim it.

Shit.

Dropping my hands from the buckle on the helmet, I cleared my throat and stepped back. “Better get you home. Mom will send out a search party within minutes of not finding you there,” I said, keeping my gaze anywhere but on her.

“Rome?”

Goose bumps covered my arms at the sound of my name being said in her sweet drawl.

“Yeah?” I asked, still not looking at her.

“Thank you.”

Fuck, what was she doing to my chest and my damn cock? I had to get a grip on this. Maybe it was time I took Cammy, the girl I’d been messing around with, out on a date instead of just fucking her. I’d call her after I dropped Salem at home. Focusing on someone my age might help.

“No problem,” I told her, then headed for the door, hoping she was following.

---