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Andy bit her lip.
Maybe she wasn’t.
The problem was she could never seem to quit while she was ahead. And thinking about Luke and sex was reminding her acutely of that interlude she’d witnessed on his balcony. And that the ramifications of such a display of exhibitionism were pretty stiff. Was he aware? Maybe she should warn him.
Yes. Yes, she should. They were friends now. It was the right thing to do.
“A word of caution though if you and Casey do go out, and you’re feeling like messing around on your balcony again” — she shot him an apologetic look, one that she imagined said, ‘Sorry, pal, this shit can’t be helped,’ before clearing her throat — “a public indecency charge could result in six to twelve months of jail time plus a thousand-dollar fine.”
He blinked at her. “Let me guess. You read that in a book somewhere.”
Frowning, Andy glanced towards the windows. “Actually, I heard it from a police officer who escorted a flasher from ManCave.”
“You had a flasher lurking around your store?”
There was a distinct note of tension framing the question, but Andy was too lost in a memory to pay it much heed. “Yeah, I was taking out the garbage after closing one night, and there he was. Full trench and everything. Scared the crap out of me when he started opening it up. But, you know, I think I was more scared he was packing a gun under it than” — she wrinkled her nose in distaste — “what he was actually packing. Needless to say, I ran back inside. Fast.”
“Jesus.” Luke’s face was awash in shock as she glanced back at him. “Did you go to your boss?” he asked.
“Of course.” Andy rolled her eyes in irritation. “When I told him what happened, he laughed.”
“He did what?!” Now Luke’s expression was growing stormy.
“I already told you he was a jackass.”
“He’s a lot worse than that, Andy.”
“Yeah. You’re right. I probably should have told my da— DM,” Andy stammered awkwardly. “I guess I just didn’t want Dave to get fired or something. I mean, he did call the cops right after he laughed.”
Luke didn’t look impressed.
No, on the contrary, he still looked pretty steamed as he raked at his hair, the top of which was much longer than the sides. Much fairer as well. Luke’s hair — like his eyes — variegated between colors. Blonde in places. Dark, dark brown in others. It was an edgy mix that only heightened the scariness of his features when he was pissed.
As he was now.
Andy probably shouldn’t have warned him about the public indecency law. It had totally killed the mood. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought this up.”
Luke sucked in a breath, then blew it out quickly, seeming to calm himself. “Okay, Lesson Two…”
“Yes?” Andy smiled, relieved the man was getting back to this.
“Probably one of the most important things you should know about Kyle is he’s very protective.”
Andy nodded. “Yes. Okay.”
“Veryprotective,” Luke repeated before motioning her to follow him to the cashwrap.
She did, and when they rounded the counter, he took her hand and placed it under the lip of it near the register. “Feel that?”
“Y-yeah,” she squeaked, the warmth of his hand making her jumpier than the cool jab of the button prodding her palm.
“Press it once fast if you need us to come out to help with a special order or something. But if anyone —anyone— is making you feel uncomfortable for any reason, you press and hold this bitch. Got it?”
“I got it,” she said as they pulled their hands away.
“Sometimes we get wrapped up with our work in the back. Kyle had this installed to help us stay frosty. He takes the welfare of our team seriously. As do I.”
She swallowed. “Yes. I believe that.”
