Page 71 of Exposé

"Is that what you're worried about? A couple of blitzed-out college kids?"

"That or cops." He tucked his hand in mine and led me down the stairs, my heels clapping against the cement. "We wouldn't want to sully your pristine reputation."

"Please.”I laughed. “The officers in this department know my reputation very well. And it's far from pristine."

We reached the bottom of the stairs, and he cracked open the heavy metal door, then peeked his head around the corner as he had done with the rooftop access. "It's clear."

He pulled me through, and my stomach swirled as we kicked our way through empty water bottles and solo cups, then out through the front entrance. "I didn't think tonight would end like this..." I glanced around me, the alleyway still reeking of mildew and rot.

He squeezed my hand. "Is that a good surprise or a bad one?"

My teeth bit into my inner lip as we walked towards the parking spaces across the street, our heads turning left and right as we checked for traffic.

Traffic in the middle of the night?

"It's definitely a good one."

"Same." He glanced down at me as we stepped into the parking lot, his dark eyes boring into me as though he'd touched my most sensitive spaces. "Where are you parked?"

I swallowed, tearing my gaze from his broad shoulders, and glanced around the lot, then pointed. "There."

"Smart. Parking under the light."

Shrugging, we shuffled forward and stopped at my car door. "We both let our jobs influence our lives."

He gave a short laugh. "That's the truth."

My eyes landed on a black two-wheeled death machine parked a few spaces away, the dim light hiding it like a beast lurking under the bed.

That wasn't there when I arrived...

Was it?

I frowned, recounting when I'd parked. "When did you get here?"

Nate shrugged. "I think around seven? I helped set it up a bit, walked around, and then it started."

I pointed to his bike with a raised brow. "And you've been parked there the whole time?"

"Starting to sound like an interrogation." He chortled.

Shaking my head, I swallowed the tension in my throat. "I don't remember seeing it when I arrived."

"That's because I was parked over there." He pointed to the street. "When a space opened up, I moved it. That's how I knew you were here."

I eyed him and opened my car door. "That would make sense."

How come he asked where my car was then?

"At least I thought it was your car." He smiled, and his jacket pocket buzzed against my hip. "You mentioned it at the diner when I offered you a ride."

I frowned and shucked off his jacket. "Someone's calling you."

"It can wait."

Handing it to him, I dropped my phone onto the console. When I stood, he'd slipped his arms through the jacket and adjusted it at the shoulders.

"This night might have been unexpected..." he stepped into me, his fingers tracing my hairline on my forehead. "But it turned out to be better than I'd hoped."

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