Page 15 of Until You're Mine
I laughed, and Liam looked over his shoulder at us. His grouchy expression hardened even more, like he suspected we were talking about…well, exactly what we were talking about.
“We’ve been made,” Finn said, pressing a finger to his ear like he had a com unit. “I repeat, the target knows we’re talking about him and his”—he made air quotes—“‘best friend,’ abort, abort.”
He glanced around before conspiratorially leaning in and whispering, “I’ll meet you at the safe house at 1900 hours.”
“I’ll bring the beer.” I’d probably need it after my inevitably tense dinner with Dad.
“Good thinking.” Finn flashed his big, easy grin. “See how much fun we have working together? Imagine all the fun we could have if it wasn’t only temporary.”
“Careful. I’m about to take you out of play myself.”
“Ooh, a double agent.”
I rolled my eyes and then shoved him toward the other side of the gym. “Go do your jujitsu training, you slacker.”
I kept myself busy with my never-ending stack of paperwork for the next few hours, and it wasn’t until I was packing up my laptop to leave for the day that I remembered the load of towels in the washer.
Ugh, hopefully they’re not already mildew-scented.
They passed the sniff test, so I transferred them to the dryer and set it on the longest it would go, hoping it would be enough. No way was I coming back here to check.
Shane and I met in the hallway for the second time that day. His hair was damp, and judging by the fresh, soapy scent, he’d come from the showers.
I took a giant step back, giving him a wide berth.
He advanced one step, his eyes locked on mine. “You’re avoiding me.”
I backtracked, but I didn’t have anywhere to go. I’d have to pass him to get to either exit. Unless I took my chances in the locker room. Maybe I’d cross my fingers none of the guys were changing and duck through real quick. “It’s just been a busy day.”
He raised a dark eyebrow. “Seriously? This is how you’re going to play it? Dodge and weave with a side of denial, until what? I tire out enough for you to give me the slip?”
I lifted my chin. “Punching is another option. One that’s sounding better by the second.”
He took another large step toward me, the toes of his shoes hitting mine, and his soapy-clean scent enveloped me. “Go for it. Last time you punched me, you ended up writhing underneath me. I’m perfectly fine with a replay.”
My mouth dropped, shock and a pinch too much desire clashing through me. After the two or three seconds it took to unfreeze myself, I shoved his chest and squeezed past him. Then I spun back around, the heated blood in my veins making it hard to simply let it go. “This will probably blow your mind, but I’m not looking for a repeat. I’m in a relationship with a great guy, and—”
“Yeah, yeah,” he said. “You’ve got a boyfriend. I heard you loud and clear the other night. I already promised I wouldn’t cross that line unless you asked, and while I might have a lot of undesirable traits, I keep my word.” He slipped his thumb in the strap of his duffel bag, and it was ridiculous how it made every stupid freaking muscle in his arm pop out. Even more ridiculous that I had to go and notice. “I’m just letting you know that you don’t have any reason to keep avoiding me. Not to mention, it won’t work. The gym’s not that big. And before you go off on me, like that little crinkle between your eyebrows tells me you’re about to, that’s not a threat. It’s a fact. Surely we can be civil?”
I worked on smoothing out my forehead—damn it, Ihadbeen doing some eyebrow crinkling—and crossed my arms. “As long as you keep your hands and lips to yourself.”
He tucked his hands in his pockets, like that would keep me safe, when everything about him screamed NSFW. His height and the muscles upon muscles and his strong jaw and razor-sharp eyes.
Unsettled—that’s how he made me feel, and I wished I could be impassive around him.Fake it till you make it, right?“Okay, then. Good talk. I have dinner plans, so I better get going.”
“I’m on my way out as well. I’ll walk you.”
“There are other people in the gym right now, and I’m pretty sure the sun’s still up. You don’t need to walk me out.”
“I’ll walk you out,” he repeated.
“Fine. Suit yourself.”
He waited for me as I grabbed my purse. I slung it and my laptop bag over my shoulder. “It suddenly strikes me that you’re acting all chivalrous, but I don’t really know you that well. You claim you need to walk me out for my safety, but you could just be a lying psychopath.”
One corner of his mouth turned up. “Only a lying psychopath would jump to that conclusion.”
“Or would they try to turn everything I said back around to further their nefarious mission?”
