I moved my hand.
“Now don’t breathe weird.”
“I’ll do my best.”
She tightened the plate and shoved the gate twice to test it. I held when she asked me to hold and moved when she asked me to move.
Dusty watched like we were performing street theater with hardware.
When the latch caught cleanly, he sighed. “That feels emotionally complete.”
“Go home,” Nella said.
He pointed between us. “Are we good here?”
Nella’s face went bright enough that I nearly smiled.
“We’re great,” she said. “We’re closed, locked, and emotionally none of your business.”
“I support that boundary,” Dusty said.
“Out.”
He left through the alley with a lazy salute.
Nella shut the service door and leaned her back against it. For a second, neither of us moved.
The kitchen lights made her look tired now. Tired, flushed, and too tempting for a man with teeth he was hiding.
“You should go,” she said.
“Yes.”
“You’re agreeing with me?”
“I’m capable of growth.”
“Do it somewhere else.”
I stepped toward the back hall, then stopped. “Lock the door behind me.”
“I own a bar in Miami. I know how doors work.”
“Nella.”
Her expression changed at my tone.
I softened it before she could sharpen back. “Please.”
Her mouth tightened around that word, but her fingers closed over the keys.
“I’ll lock it,” she said.
I nodded and left before I did something worse than kiss her.
The boardwalk had mostly emptied. A few late tourists drifted under the palm shadows. Music thumped from twobars down. Behind Bite Me, the service alley smelled like hot pavement, citrus peels, and rain that hadn’t fallen yet.
I should’ve gone to my rented condo.
