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That amused lift of his brow pulled a smile from me.
“Miss?”
Reed’s lips twitched.
“The snaps? Do they work better than the clips?”
Giving my head a subtle shake, I looked back at the customer. “Hmm?”
She shook the garter belt in my face.
“Oh. Yes. Definitely.”
She frowned. “But a second ago you said you didn’t know.”
My eyebrows crept up. “I did say that, didn’t I?” Shit. Fielding questions about lingerie had been the worst part of the job thus far, and this question was no exception. How the hell was I supposed to know if snaps or clips were better?
“What’s your return policy?”
“Our return policy?” I glanced at Reed, mesmerized as he strode toward me.
“Yes, if I don’t like the clips–”
He reached between us and took the garter belt from the woman’s grasp.
“Excuse me,” she huffed, but then she looked up at him and the words died on her tongue.
Relatable.
Holding the garter belt in one hand above our heads, he held my gaze as his nimble fingers unclasped the clip swiftly. “I prefer clips.”
He handed me the strip of lace and walked to the back of the store.
“I’ll take this one,” the woman said, eagerly grabbing the lace from my hands and setting it on the counter. She stared after Reed in awe.
Yeah, same, lady.
I laughed to myself as I rang her up. The man should get a job here. He could sell ice to an iceberg.
He’d probably melt the thing, but still.
When the transaction was finished, I followed her to the door and locked up behind her, then turned around to face him. With my eyes locked with his, I walked toward him, stronger in my steps than I would have ever imagined I’d be in this situation.
But something about this moment felt inevitable. I’d only met the man five days ago, but the pull between us had been building ever since. It was a taut, magnetic pull, drawing me toward him. I couldn’t fight it anymore than he could.
As I grew closer, Reed’s head tilted back, somehow making him look even more formidable, even more in control as he stared down his nose at me.
With a few feet remaining between us, I stopped.
“You’re beautiful.”
I sucked in a shaky breath.
“I’m not your boss here, Rylan.”
I nodded.
“Tell me you understand that.”
“I understand that.”
He licked his lips, the movement painfully slow and directly connected to the need swirling in my belly.
“Come.”
My body jerked in response to the power in that singular command, and he smiled a slow, satisfied grin. I was putty in his hands.
And now he’d confirmed it.
“I have to close up.”
He inclined his head, giving me permission with just a movement.
Turning quickly, I hurried to the register on shaky legs. I hadn’t started doing the night drops at the bank yet, as this was only my fourth day, but I did gather all of the receipts and the credit card transactions, along with all the cash from the register each night, then secure it within the safe in Mina’s office before I left. Laurel and the other managers handled the bank deposits and anything else that needed to be done when they came in for their morning shifts.
My pulse sped as I hurried through the nighttime routine, my body buzzing as anticipation and adrenaline filled me with nervous energy.
And I dropped the bag.
“Let me.”
I froze as his scent came over me. He squatted at my feet, then held my gaze as he rose again. “Breathe, Rylan.”
“You make it really hard.”
He closed his eyes on a long blink, his lips twitching with a smile.
“I just mean…” I stuttered. “You smell really freakin’ good.”
He chuckled, and the low rumble melted my insides. “Thank you.” He motioned toward the back of the store. “All set?”
Nodding, I took a deep breath to steady myself for the walk back to Minas office. “I just have to put this away and lock up here.”
He nodded.
“Is there another way out?” I paused. “Downstairs, I mean?”
“Yes, of course.” His gaze flicked back and forth between my eyes. “Have you seen me coming and going this week?”
My mouth dropped open but I quickly closed it. “So you have been here.”
The Smirker was back. “So you have been looking.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to.”
That smug smirk remained in place while he waited for me to deposit everything into Mina’s safe, then grab my things and lock up her office. When I turned to him, I caught him staring at my chest.
I cleared my throat. “My eyes are up here.”
He raised his eyebrows. “This might be my favorite one yet.”
I looked down at the emerald green, satin bustier.
Full disclosure? Most of my first paycheck had already been spent on expensive lingerie.
Was I sorry about that?
Not even a little bit.
“Wait a minute.” I tilted my head as I looked back up at him. “You said yet. Like… like you’ve seen the other ones.”
“Maybe you weren’t the only one looking.”
I swallowed hard at that admission. Tugging my lip between my teeth, I hesitated, but then just went ahead and asked, “Why didn’t you say hi?”
Reed’s shoulders rose and fell as he took a deep breath. “I was trying to keep my distance.”
“How’s that working for you?”
His nostrils flared. A muscle ticked in his jaw.
His throat bobbed as he swallowed.
The man’s power hummed just beneath the surface. Barely restrained, it rolled off of him in waves. This was a man who saw what he wanted and took it. No questions asked. No apologies.
A true predator.
And he’d kept his distance even though he wanted me.
Absolute power and absolute self-control.
A truly sexy combination.
“Shall we?” I motioned toward the door that led to the Rabbit Hole.
He stepped forward quickly, then keyed a sequence of numbers into the hidden keypad. He was obviously not just a member of Mina’s club, but someone high up. Someone important. Consider my curiosity piqued.
He started down the stairs, expecting me to follow.
This was it.
In this moment, I held the power.
If I followed him down, everything would change between us.
So of course I took that first step.
I
Am
Not
An
Idiot.
And I was certainly never going to cockblock myself again where Cabot Reed was concerned.
