Page 27 of Trouble Me
“Because one session of it just wasn’t enough?”
“I took it as an elective,” she said, digging for her keys.
He rubbed a hand over his five o’clock shadow. “Huh uh. So what you’re saying is you like torture. Good to know.”
Emma rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her smile while she dug for her keys. “Get your mind out of the gutter, Kavanaugh.”
He held up his hands as though in surrender. “You said it, I didn’t.”
She sent him a wry smile, before turning her attention back to the task at hand. Where the hell had she put her keys? “Damn it,” she muttered before upending the large tote she used as a purse onto her desk.
Shane leaned forward with caution, like a man wanting to see a rattlesnake up close but staying out of striking distance. He averted his gaze. “I’m sure there are things in that pile I don’t need or want to see. But what are you looking for?”
“Looking for my keys.” Emma shifted through receipts, a small notebook, her wallet, a hairbrush, and various other items before hitting the jackpot. “Ah ha!”
She spied the telltale silver loop of her keys peeking out from under a grocery receipt and pulled them free. She also spied a small white chip under a tampon.Shit!
While the tampon would be embarrassing if Shane scoped it out, it would be detrimental to her job if he saw the AA chip she carried with her at all times. Cupping her hand, she slid all the contents on her desk back into her bag. When she glanced up at him, his brows were drawn down. Her stomach bottomed out and bile rose in her throat.
“Carry your whole life in that bag?”
Emma smiled and relief flooded her body. “Just about.” She hitched it up onto her shoulder. “I’m ready.”
Shane stepped back and held an arm out. “Ladies first.”
They walked out into the cold night and darkened parking lot. The only light came from inside the building and a single streetlamp from the far side of the lot.
He looked over at her when she shivered. “Come on, let’s get you to your car.”
She clicked her key fob, unlocking the doors before they reached her SUV. “Listen, Shane,” she began and turned to him, her back against the side of the vehicle. “I’ve lost both of my parents, and I know how difficult it can be, especially since you aren’t with them every day. And even though I try to keep business and my personal life separate, if you ever need someone to talk to, feel free to knock on my door and scare me.” When she smiled, he rewarded her with the full force of his smile.
Yeah, she heard angels sing.
“I appreciate that, Emma. Truly.” Even in the dark, his eyes were like a blue flame, hot and intent on hers.
“Thanks for walking me to my car,” she managed to say, even though her tongue seemed to have lost its ability to function when he looked at her like that. The heat in his eyes warmed her from the inside out. Even in the freezing weather, her skin heated beneath her scarf. The cold air against her skin was a welcome sensation.
“Well, you parked a long way out here and it’s dark. I don’t want anything to happen to you.” He leaned forward, and when she inhaled sharply, his masculine scent invaded her senses. Her eyes slid closed, relishing the heat of his body so close to hers. “You’ll be warmer if you get in.”
Her eyes popped open and she found he had opened the door for her. “Oh. Right. Good night,” she mumbled, nearly diving into the driver’s seat and slamming the door behind her. Shane stood outside her door and once she started the reluctant truck, the fan blasting cold air in her face, he motioned for her to roll down the window. She did so grudgingly, because really, she just wanted to get home and wallow in her mortification.
“Yes?” she asked tersely, leaning her face toward the opening.
Before she could react, Shane leaned in and placed his lips over hers. It was just a whisper of a kiss, a brush of lips against hers. But the zing went all the way to her toes. She could only imagine what a full-on kiss would be like with this man.
Pulling back, a grin split his too-handsome face. “Drive safely, Emma.”
He turned and walked away.
