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She paused halfway, noting his hands on the frame. Then she craned her head back to look at him. “I’m fine,” she said, eyes locking with his. “I won’t fall.”
A quiet beat stretched between them.
One that was quickly disrupted by the arrival of Luke’s best friend.
Both of them actually.
Dylan sauntered in from the workshop, and Andy took one look at the man trailing him, let out a tiny gasp, and promptly lost her footing.
Luke swore as she careened past the last three rungs of the ladder and straight into his arms. Which instinctively closed around her and tightened like a seatbelt.
It took a few seconds for the adrenaline rush to wear off, but in those seconds Luke quickly became aware of the warmth of Andy’s back against his chest and the soft swell of her breasts hiked up under the band of his arms. “Shit. You okay?”
“Yeah,” she squeaked.
He chuckled. “So what was that you were saying?”
A bony elbow jabbed his ribs.
Taking it for the clear nonverbal cue it was, Luke released Andy and stepped back.
She was adorably pink, but when her gaze cut away from him, Luke could tell her flushed cheeks probably had more to do with the man now laughing it up with Dylan than the one who’d just savedherfrom a busted ankle. Especially considering she was fussing with her hair, smoothing at the flyaways that escaped her ponytail as she took in Mr. GQ.
Dressed to the nines, Kyle was sporting his usual club look. Which was to say he’d raked a bit of gel through his hundred-dollar haircut, and the tailored jeans he wore with his fitted button-down and blazer were a far cry from the boardshorts and flops he always wore to the beach.
Luke sighed. “Come on. It’s time you two were introduced.”
“Wh-what?”
Luke was already crossing the store, leaving her little choice but to follow or stand there stammering like a love-struck fool. “Yo,” he said, slapping Kyle’s outstretched palm. “You off to the club?”
“Yeah, but I thought I’d stop by to welcome my favorite La Jolla brat back to the shop first.” He nodded towards Rashida, who was already counting out her till in the office.
“Hey, hey,” Rash sang out. “La Jolla brat in the house!”
Kyle grinned at her. “You coming tonight? It’s lip-sync battle night.”
“Sign me up. I’m about to get my Lizzo on.”
He chuckled, gaze swinging to Luke. “You down?”
“Nah. I’ll let the youngsters have their fun.”
Lip-sync night was the one night of the month the Sin Spot went virgin cocktails only, so the club could cater to a younger crowd. The rest of the month, it was strictly twenty-one and up.
“In other news” — Luke turned to Andy, making the introductions with a quick wave of his hand. “Kyle, this is Mary’s new assistant Andy. Andy, this is bossman Kyle.”
Kyle flashed her a grin. “Oh, hey, I’ve been meaning to stop by and say hello. Mary shot me your paperwork, but the club’s been keeping me busy all week.”
“That’s fine.” Andy’s smile wavered as she grew flustered. “I mean, not that you’ve been so busy, but, uhm, yeah, no worries.”
Kyle cocked his head, studying her intently. “You seem familiar. Have we met?”
Dylan chased a snort with a chug from his sports drink as he leaned against the counter.
Luke just shook his head as he took in the proceedings.
“I s-sometimes go to the beach.”
