Page 9 of Hushed

“What’s the matter, Gage? Scared of a little skin? Rumor is you run a sex club in D.C. Didn’t expect you to be a prude.”

She pulled on a clean t-shirt that said ‘Go Find Less’ on it and picked up her hairbrush to run it through her hair, proud of herself for being able to say that with a straight face. Rumors of Gage’s sex club had been fuel for some of her more explicit dreams in the past, but she’d never gotten the courage to ask him about it, and there was no way in hell she was talking to Reggie.

“I’m not a prude, darlin. But you’re Reggie’s sister. That’s different.”

“So, because I’m someone’s sister I’m not allowed to show my skin?”

“Not to me. Hell, not to anyone who isn’t worthy.”

Kenzie rolled her eyes and tossed the brush on the bed. Just what she needed. Another overprotective man in her life trying to control her sexuality because they had old-fashioned ideas. She really would have thought Gage would be more laid back. It stung that she was wrong, and she wasn’t sure why.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he admonished. “I’m trying to watch out for you. I’m not naive. You’re going to mess around with guys. All I’m saying is to be picky. You deserve to be picky.”

“And we should stop talking about this.”

She grabbed her keys and a cross-body bag and headed for the door.

“Where are we going?”

“Place around the corner does an amazing pastrami sandwich.”

He shrugged. “Fine. Lead the way.”

She locked her door, and he reached out and jiggled it.

“These locks are a fucking joke.”

“They’ve been fine for two years. Never had a break-in. Not even an attempted one.”

Gage didn’t appear convinced. But he didn’t say anything else as they walked down the hall. His face said it all, though. He hated her apartment and was judging her harshly for the way she lived. The man could go straight to hell as far as she was concerned.

They stepped out into the humid August air, and Kenzie was grateful for her short haircut today.

Hair sticking to the back of her neck made her ragey.

Gage insisted on walking on the outside of the sidewalk like a gentleman, and Kenzie let him. He kept a hand on the small of her back for the short walk from her apartment building to the sandwich shop around the corner, and for some reason, it soothed her. No way she would tell him that, though.

The employees recognized her, and gave her a nod, but the sight of Gage brought raised eyebrows and questioning looks. His height and broad shoulders took up a lot of space and made him noticeable in a small restaurant like this. Today he wore a white button down with jeans and sunglasses, and he must have left his signature cowboy hat at home. His beard was a little fuller than she remembered, but she liked it and wondered what it would be like to run her hands through it.

Where the hell did that come from?

Pushing the inappropriate thoughts aside, she ordered her usual pastrami sandwich, and Gage shrugged. “Sounds good to me. I’ll have the same thing.” He pulled his wallet out, but Kenzie tried to hand the woman cash instead.

Gage glared at Kenzie and passed the server a black credit card. “I’ll cover lunch today…” he paused to read the girl’s name tag. “Natalie.”

The counter server fluttered her eyelashes at Gage, and took the card, ignoring Kenzie’s wad of cash, and Kenzie rolled her eyes as Natalie processed the card payment and handed them their receipt. Feeling childish, she stuffed all the cash in the tipjar, but Natalie never looked her way again. She was too taken with Gage. Bitch.

When they went to the other end of the counter to wait for their food, Natalie winked at Gage as if he were the one who gave her a one-hundred percent tip. “It must be tough being you,” she muttered.

“What do you mean?” he asked, seemingly oblivious to the attention he drew from the female staff at the shop.

“Having women bat their lashes and flirt with you everywhere you go. I bet you get a lot of free stuff.”

Gage grinned. “I might enjoy turning on the charm. But I never ask for anything for free.”

“Right. You’re loaded. You don’t need freebies.”

Gage shifted uncomfortably.

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