Page 44 of The Player I Can’t Pick

She stops. “What?”

I walk over to the door and point at the knob. “Your front door.”

She blinks at me and shrugs. “A regular lock?”

I turn the little knob and pat up and down the door. It’s obvious there’s no other lock, but I’m amazed that the only lock is on the knob.

Nicole stops next to me. “Guy.”

I look at her, worried about her safety. This lock is not going to stop anyone from coming in. “You need a deadbolt.”

She points at the knob. “I have a deadbolt.”

I shake my head. “Honey, that’s not a deadbolt. That’s a lock, and a flimsy one at that. Can I put some better locks on the door? I’m going to worry about you when I’m away at games if this is the only thing stopping someone from coming in.”

She crosses her arms over her chest. “Are you inspecting my apartment?”

“Yes.” I move toward the window and check the latch, and with one flick of my finger it’s loose. “Nicole, you’re on the first floor. This lock is not going to keep anyone out. You need new locks.” I peek out the windows. “And cameras. You need cameras.”

Her mouth drops open. “Why would I have cameras?”

I put my hands on her shoulders. “Because you’re a beautiful woman living alone.”

She gives me a look.

I ignore it and glance toward the door again. “I can get you a doorbell camera tomorrow. And a better lock.”

“Guy.”

She slides her hands up my chest and loops them around my neck. “You know, I’ve lived alone for years. I lived in an apartment while I was in college. I can take care of myself.”

The grunt, followed by a growl, comes out of nowhere. I don’t know what it is, but I hate the idea of her living on her own. She shouldn’t be. Hell, she should be living with me. “That doesn’t mean you don’t need good security, Nicole.”

Her expression softens, and I slide my hands around her waist. “I’m serious. I don’t like thinking about you here by yourself.”

She’s searching my face. “I’ll be fine.”

“I know you can take care of yourself.” I lower my forehead to hers. “That doesn’t stop me from wanting to take care of you too.”

For a second, she doesn’t say anything. Then she rises onto her toes and kisses me.

Whatever argument I was about to make about security disappears. My arms close around her, and I pull her against me. She kisses me harder, and her body melts against mine.

She takes my hand and starts walking backward toward the hallway. “I appreciate you wanting to take care of me, and I promise that tomorrow, I’ll work on the doorbell camera and locks, but I was hoping tonight we could spend it doing something else.”

My eyes travel down her lush body. “Please tell me you have a bed in this place.”

She stops. “What if I don’t?”

My whole body is tense. “Then I’d take you on the kitchen counter.”

She seems to think about it but then steps into the open doorway of her bedroom. “I have a bed. Not much else, but I do have a bed.”

She pushes me backward until the backs of my legs hit the mattress. She reaches for my shirt and pulls it over my head. Her hands trail down my body, and I sit, expecting her to climb on beside me, but instead she drops to the floor between my knees.

I look at her. “What are you doing?”

She tilts her head to look at me. “Really? You don’t know?”