5

CHAPTER

Five

Hey, Asa. Someone here to see you.”

He looked up from the screen to their office manager, Lottie.

“Thank god, something else to do.” He stood. “Who is it?”

“Hi there, Asa. I was in the neighborhood, and since I hadn’t heard back from you and a few weeks have passed, I thought I’d drop in.” PJ Colman stood there, a bright smile on her face.

Lottie hid a smile as she left, but that didn’t dampen his pleasure at the sight PJ made in his doorway.

“Want something to drink?” He looked her up and down. She was more businesslike than the times he’d seen her before. Navy blue high-waisted trousers and a long-sleeved white blouse. Her hair was pulled back from her face, which he liked just fine indeed because her face was really easy to look at.

And yet there was something about her… something that always cried out for his attention. A pop of color at her arm where her sleeve was rolled up and her ink was exposed. The earrings, which at first glance looked like cameos but were really skeletons instead of women’s faces. Just little things that made up a unique package.

“I like that you’re not only giving in right away but offering me refreshments. I’d love something to drink.”

He moved to her, wanting to brush a kiss against her cheek. But she was there on business, so he reined it in, telling himself it was better anyway. Flirting, sure. No kissing. Kissing those lips would be disastrous. He knew he wouldn’t be able to stop until he’d bared every part of her to his touch.

Which would also be disastrous.

That didn’t mean he didn’t want to be around her for the next while. He liked her. “You’re persistent. I know that already. So I might as well give in, take a break, and agree to give you a job so we can see how you work.”

He and Duke had talked about it a week before. Her work had been really good, and they did need to expand to new contractors from time to time. Duke also rightly pointed out it didn’t hurt them at all to have a better relationship with Colman Enterprises either. If PJ was the next generation and she wanted them to be part of the customer base from then on, it was smart to support that.

“Well, of course you should.”

He laughed as he led her toward the break room.

“We’ve got soda and water and I think those flavored water things with vitamins. Duke thinks they’re health food.”

“Damn, I want to work here.” She took in the break room.

“You don’t have a break room at Colman HQ?”

“We have a room with a fridge, a sink, and a microwave. My mother has a deep and abiding love of Costco, so she goes all the time and there are waters and sodas in the fridge. But you have ice cream bars. In a special ice cream bar cooler. How is that even a thing I never knew break rooms had? Now I’m questioning everything, Asa. My entire foundation is sort of shaken. If you say you have doughnut delivery I’m probably going to cry.”

“I won’t tell you, then. There’s a Top Pot up the street. I can take you there if you like.”

She smirked. “Are you mocking me, Mr. Barrons?”

Oh.

Yes.

He liked that bit of formality from her very much. Especially as it was a tease.

“If you get a hankering for ice cream in the middle of your day, feel free to come over and help yourself.”

She slid the top of the cooler open and pulled out one of the chocolate–chocolate chip bars and didn’t pay him any mind until she’d unwrapped it and found a seat. “What? Did you think my manners were good enough to turn down an offer of ice cream? I’m only human.”

He grabbed one of the same bars and joined her.

“So a job, huh?” she prodded, and then took a bite.

“Duke and I think you do good work. We like having plenty of people to call when we need good work done on our machines. Understand we’ll start small and simple to see what you can do. But given the stuff of yours we’ve seen, we’re not worried.”

She smiled. “Awesome. When?”

He watched her eat that ice cream and nearly broke down.

She wasn’t even really trying that hard to be sexy! He was a grown man with excellent self-control, and this woman made him crazy.

He should have called her back the week before to tell her they’d agreed to toss her some work. Could have had Duke call her.

He should have done a lot of things, but he didn’t want to. He wanted what was right there in front of him.

“Finish your ice cream and I’ll show you.”

“Excellent.” She sat back with a smile. “Today is a pretty good day. How are you? Other than super lucky to be here with me eating ice cream, which clearly is a yay.”

He laughed. He’d been stupid to resist this. She was fun to be with. “Any afternoon a man can take a break and eat ice cream with a beautiful woman is a yay.”

The watching-her-eat-it part was pretty fantastic too, though he’d refrain from saying that.

They finished their ice cream and he led her out toward the shop.

He cast a quick look at her clothes and shoes. She wore heels but not stilettos. “Watch your step.” Without thinking he put a hand at her elbow to steady her.

They stood in the back stairwell, just five steps up from the shop floor, but at this part of the stairwell it was just the two of them.

She looked down at where he held her, his hand against the fabric of her blouse, and then back up, her eyes going wide and then half-lidded.

The need was back, gripping him as the heat between him and PJ continued to build.

It grew. And grew until he leaned down and brushed his mouth over hers. His brain screamed at him to stop. Until his cock took over and shoved the brain far away.

Her lips opened on a sigh and he groaned as her taste flooded him, his tongue sliding over her bottom lip. She made a sound so sweet and demanding he’d have given her anything she asked for at that moment.

This was good. She caught his attention, to the point that nothing else registered.

Her bag was between them, which was good because he was so hard he’d have scared her if they were body to body. But she was so fucking sweet he ached for more. Even as she put a hand on his chest and he broke the kiss and stepped back.

He started to apologize, but the look on her face told him that would be a mistake. And he wasn’t sorry. He wanted more and he couldn’t have it, so he’d have to let that kiss be enough.

PJ supposed she was probably going to hell for not telling Asa she didn’t need his elbow because the soles of her shoes were treaded like work boots. She wore them all the time when she was in their different shop spaces at Colman.

But his hand was so big. And warm. And she liked it when he touched her. Then he’d kissed her. It surprised her, but she caught up quickly enough, opening to his mouth, to his tongue, which was quite talented.

He kissed her so well she forgot everything but where he touched her.

Sounds came from around the corner and she didn’t care. She should have cared, but she didn’t. She’d waited how long for him to do this? Wondered if she’d been imagining real heat between them even as she knew that hard-on he’d been sporting was real.

And it was better than she’d imagined it would be. The kiss and that hard-on.

She put her hand on his chest, and he groaned low in his throat and stepped back. She saw it in his features. He hadn’t meant to lose control. He was as surprised by that kiss as she was.

And he’d loved it as much as she had. But he felt guilty. She saw that too. If Asa apologized, she was going to kick him.

He thought better of it—maybe he noted the violence in her eyes—and waved a hand, indicating she should proceed.

Smiling, she moved along as he led her through the shop, bringing her to stand in front of a 1971 El Camino.

“You’re kidding me. Really?”

She was usually much more confident, but she wanted this so bad! Working on this truck would be such a fantastic job. As good a time as the kiss. Though she wouldn’t say that out loud.

“This is a pretty simple job. The client wants initials woven into a design on each door, below the handle. Give me three choices and I’ll pick one.”

“Nope.” She thrust her bag into his arms and began to walk around the truck.

“Nope?”

She laughed without looking up at him, her gaze roaming greedily over the El Camino. “Bet you don’t hear that often. I’m not giving you three designs. That’s a waste of my time. I don’t need to anyway. Who is your client? Male? Female? Young? Older? Letters in the name?”

Struck silent for long moments, Asa simply watched her. She clearly had something going on because she bent and took a picture of the area with her phone and then stood with a smile.

“I work freehand. If you don’t like my design I’ll remove it and refund your money. Can I work here or do you need me to take it off-site?” She waited for his reply, and then when it didn’t come immediately she moved to him. “Here’s the thing, I’m sure you’re thinking, What the hell, she should be grateful and do it the way I said. Maybe you’re right. But while I am grateful for the chance, this is creative for me. I have my own process and it doesn’t include you or anyone else but the owner of the car. I’m worth it.”

“That’s a bold claim.”

“I’m more than happy to show you.”

Oh danger, danger, danger.

Asa liked the way she flirted. Straightforward. She wasn’t overly coy.

He reminded himself she was too young. Even if she kissed like she was made for him.

And he had to admit, her refusal to provide three samples was reasonable. He liked her spark.

“You can do it here. We have painting bays. Client is male, thirty-eight. He’s a cop. Saved up for years for this job, so I want it to be fan-fucking-tastic, dig?”

One of her brows went up, the one with the ring. His cock hardened at the haughty expression it lent her features.

“Just so we’re clear, all my work is fan-fucking-tastic. You dig? I don’t do it if I don’t do it all the way. Why else would I be here?”

They stood there not speaking, letting that chemistry between them build. Again. It ebbed and flowed like that every time they were near each other. Playing with fire. He knew it. Suspected she did too.

Which made it even hotter.

Even harder to pull back each time from taking a step into something intimate between them. Which, of course, he’d complicated by kissing her. Still, he couldn’t find it in him to feel bad.

“We’re waiting on some custom pieces for the dash, so I’ll have one of my guys take the doors off and you can work on them while we wait.”

“What’s this guy like? Is he an Ed Hardy–wearing cop? Earnest cop next door? Hot cop you dated in secret back when you were a senior in high school?”

Fuck.

He scrubbed a hand over his face. He totally had to let that one go. There was no way he could go down that road.

“There’s a story?” he heard himself ask like he stood in another room.

“He was hot. Bad. Bad and hot. One of my best friends’ older brothers. He’s still hot, actually, but engaged. The stuff he taught me.” She drew in a slow breath, pleasured at the memory. Her lip caught a moment between her teeth and she looked up at him through her lashes. “I like older men, I suppose.”

He pressed the tip of one of his keys into his thigh to keep from taking her hint.

“He’s an inked cop who is super active in his community. Works with youth. He’s a very cool guy.”

She pulled a notebook from her bag—the one he still held—and scribbled things down here and there as they went back and forth for a while.

“If I get this right in one,” she muttered as she began to sketch, “when I’m done with this job you can give me the next one right after I deliver.”

Cocky.

He wished he’d had her kind of confidence at twenty-five. It had taken eight years in the army for him to learn how to get his emotions under control, and once he’d done that, he’d gotten his shit together and begun focusing on what he’d do in his life after he left the military.

But he shouldn’t be encouraging it.

“All right. And if you lose?”

Her gaze left the paper and locked with his. “Do you have some terrible punishment for me?”

And he planned to send Duke a case of beer for walking in right before Asa answered that question honestly.

Moment broken, she smirked and handed him the pad. “No need to discuss what happens if I lose. Because, duh.”

He looked down and then handed the pad over to Duke.

“This is for Mort?” Duke asked.

Asa nodded.

“Damn. You’re good, beautiful. And you have perfect timing because those parts just came in.” Duke looked over to her. “Can you do this now? This guy is one of our good friends. He’s waited for this a long time. If you can do it now we can get it to him a little earlier.”

“I need to run home and get my stuff. I can be back in an hour. I’m happy to do this for Mort.”

“I’ll have the doors moved into a paint bay for you.” Asa paused. “And when you’re done, your next job will be ready.”

She flashed them both a smile, grabbed her bag from Asa, and headed out, waving over her shoulder and saying she’d be back.

“Sweet fucking shit, she’s hot. Just like a really bad girl wrapped up in a sweet girl-next-door costume,” Duke said as they watched her drive off.

“She’s just a kid.” Asa flagged one of his guys down and told him to get the doors off and moved.

“That person who was just here, trading so much sexual whatever you two have that I could feel it five feet way? That’s a woman, Asa.”

They continued on to Asa’s office. Once they were out of earshot of everyone else, he resumed the conversation. “What I’m looking for is on the more experienced end of the spectrum. That woman who was just here is hotter than fire, absolutely. But what I want from a woman isn’t in her wheelhouse.”

Duke scoffed. “Why? You’re kinky, not gay. So obviously she has what you need in her wheelhouse just fine.”

“Shut the fuck up. You know what I mean.”

Asa liked percussive toys. Crops and paddles, mostly. He loved the sound of the crop splitting the air right before it landed on skin. Loved the crack of that contact. Loved the sound a woman made when she really liked it.

He couldn’t imagine PJ’s reaction if he ordered her over his knees, hands flat on the ground as he paddled her, each strike placed right so that the force traveled straight to her clit.

Of course, now that he’d thought it, the image of her, skin pinked from a leather slapper, whimpering until he walked his fingertips from her thighs up through her pussy had cemented itself in his imagination.

She’d be wet. So wet and hot her body would melt around his fingers when he teased inside.

“Yeah, so if you could stop thinking about whatever it is you want to do with her, that’d be great. You’re making me uncomfortable now.”

Asa gave Duke a look. “Can I help you with anything else? In case it missed your notice, we’re at work and there are things to do that aren’t about fucking with me for amusement.”

“None of them are as much fun, though. I need to call to check in on a special order I thought was coming today instead of your stuff. When I’m done I’ll come out and help.”

“For a dick you’re pretty cool sometimes. Thanks.” Asa grabbed one of the hair band things Lottie kept bringing him—so he’d stop using her rubber bands—got his hair up and out of his face, and headed down to get back to work. And to pretend his office didn’t smell like that spicy perfume she wore.