Page 44 of The Best Shot

I could still leave. Grab what I came for, check out, and be gone before he finished whatever private negotiation he was having with the drill bits.

Instead I stayed, basket hanging off my arm, loaded with light bulbs, batteries, and a very shiny new deadbolt.

CeeCee was staying with me now. The lock on my door was original to the lease, and I needed to know it was solid. More than that, I needed to know only CeeCee and I had keys.

He turned and spotted me. “Hey,” he said. Just that. Easy.

“Hey,” I said.

He walked over, hands in his pockets. “Been a minute.”

“Yeah.”

“You been alright?”

“Yeah.”

“Sure?”

“Positive.” I met his eyes. “Why?”

“You’ve been avoiding me, darlin’.”

“Been busy.”

“Is that so?” He let the lie sit there until it got embarrassing.

“Okay,” I said. “And avoiding you a little bit.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know.”

He waited.

“I got in my head.”

The corner of his mouth lifted. “Was I that good?”

“Okay, shut up.”

His gaze dropped to the lock in my basket. “You sure you’re alright?”

I shrugged. “Family stuff.”

He nodded and let it be.

“And you?” I asked. “How you been?”

“Busy,” he teased. “New guy keeps ordering the wrong thing. ’bout ready to put parental controls on the parts system.”

“Sounds rough.”

“I haven’t called his mother yet, so I’d say I’m maturing.”

I smiled and he smiled back.

Our eyes met and held. And just like that I was back in the dark with him. His hand on my thigh, his mouth at my ear, breath hot against my skin.