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Derek, my other big deal, knew my secret. I’d built Oleander with dirty money. I might want to go straight, but in the past I’d smelted down precious metals, popped stones from settings, and altered serial numbers on watches. I’d done all the work myself. No one on my staff knew about my black-market dealings. No one who wasn’t also a criminal knew I was a fence. Except for Derek. I’d fucked up outing myself to the world’s biggest Boy Scout.
Buzz.
Shit.
I jerked my eyes from the spreadsheet on my computer and looked to the front door. Of course, Derek was right on time. Boy Scout. A damn good-looking one too. He wore jeans and a polo. Every third guy in Miami dressed that way. But on Derek, it was delicious. Cotton stretched over broad shoulders, a small V of tan skin at the base of his throat. And his ass was made for denim. He’d aged like a fine wine.
Sara hurried toward him. The rest of my sales team trailed her, and I’d bet the jewelers in the workroom were all watching on CCTV. I’d mentioned I had a friend stopping in today and told Sara to show him to my office without announcing him. It would have been less shocking to my staff if I had said Madonna was coming to buy a diamond tiara at the store.
My staff was small but loved gossip. I was rarely a topic. Or so I thought. I never had friends or family stop by the store. Ever.
I shoved back from my desk and motioned for Onyx to stay in his bed. I’d quash any gossip by limiting the time Derek was in the store. He and Sara were in the hall. I hurried to intercept them.
“It’s so wonderful to meet one of Lee’s friends,” Sara gushed to Derek as they strolled the passage outside my office. Two more of the sales staff followed them, agreeing excitedly.
My eyes ate up the sight of him. A blast of highly unacceptable attraction rocked me. My brain was paralyzed by desire. The back hallway wasn’t large enough to accommodate him, me, all the unexpected feelings, and three other people. He took up too much space.
I was blushing in front of my staff. Fuck my life.
“Hello, De-Derek.” I tripped slightly over his name when his eyes tangled with mine.
“Lee.” He brushed a hand down the bare skin of my arm to catch my elbow and bring me close for another of those breath-stealing, mind-altering, barely there cheek kisses. It was the tease of beard stubble that did it. There was a direct connection between that sensation and my every repressed desire.
“How are you this morning?” he asked. When he pulled away, a trail of goosebumps rushed down my cheek and over my whole body.
“Ah, good?” My composure shattered. I tried to regroup. I stalled, smoothing my hair and checking my ivory wrap dress pocket for my car key. I shouldn’t have agreed to him getting my car repaired. Mixing Oleander and my past was a bad idea. And my body’s overzealous reaction was another symptom of my stupidity.
“No problems getting home on the spare tire?”
I shook my head.
The gazes of my three employees were ping-ponging back and forth between Derek and me as though they were at center court during Wimbledon.
“Good. I was concerned.”
Sara sighed at his chivalrous concern. The noise made me hyper-aware of our audience. It was hard to keep your employees’ respect when you were acting like a brainless, hormone-addled mess.
“Thank you, Sara. Ladies.” I nodded at the three women. “Who’s on the floor?” I arched one eyebrow and waited. I felt like a school principal catching students loitering in the hall after the bell.
They blinked at me, then at each other. They turned as one to leave the hallway. As they went, they all started whispering like the naughty students they reminded me of.
Derek and I shared a knowing look. We had to be the topic of their conversation. The return to a more normal interaction with him helped me to relax. My face cooled, and I regained a modicum of sense.
Morgan’s voice rose above a whisper as the trio turned the corner. “Lee should take what that gorgeous hunk of man is offering… He’s smoldering.”
I rolled my eyes. Derek chuckled.
“No, I don’t think Lee is like that. She’s practically asexual.” Hushed giggles followed Sara’s reply as they returned to the sales floor.
Sara’s words hurt—my lack of a love life exposed in a few short, catty sentences. It had been years since I’d felt the kind of embarrassment that made my armpits slick with sweat.
I wanted to scream that I wasn’t asexual. I was careful. I didn’t have long-term lovers or friends. Living two lives, it was safer to be lonely. Attachments were dangerous.
I spun away from Derek. Enough of this shit. Time to give him the keys and get him out of here.
“Let’s get this over with.” My inconvenient ardor cooled, I motioned Derek toward the exit without looking at him.
I shoved open the rear door into the employee parking area behind the shopping center. My car, with its sad doughnut, was front and center. The pearl-white paint gleamed in the Florida sunshine.
