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“Okay.” He paused, waiting for me to elaborate. I held his gaze and kept my expression mild. After an awkward silence, he finished his thought. “You can settle up with Marge at the front desk in the office. I shouldn’t be more than an hour or two.”
I’d bet twenty bucks that Israel would text John Smith about my visit before Marge had my account created in the computer.
“Great, thanks. I appreciate you squeezing me in.”
“Anything for a car this beautiful.” Israel used his elbow to rub a smudge off the car’s chrome.
True to his word, Israel had a new tire and the tracker installed in a couple hours. Marge entertained me while I waited with her running commentary on the home improvement shows on the office’s TV. For a retiree who worked part-time in a greasy auto repair shop, the woman had a very passionate opinion on the correct use of shiplap.
I returned the car to the parking spot behind Oleander. For a second time, I looked at the security measures, or lack thereof, behind the shop. No cameras. No lights. Lee dealt in stolen goods. Privacy would be paramount. The back door was how people that couldn’t enter the front of the shop did business with her.
I rubbed my palms over my face. Lee might get herself killed before she ended up in jail. I hoped Onyx was up to the task until she was willing to trust me enough to accept my help.
I wasn’t looking for a repeat of this morning, even if my dick thought it was a good idea. So, I walked all the way around the strip mall to get to Oleander’s front door.
Sara, the same salesperson from earlier, buzzed me inside and rushed to intercept me.
“I’m so sorry, Lee is with a customer. But I’m sure she’d love you to wait.” Sara waved to a wingback chair next to a coffee bar.
Across the store, Lee was helping a huge man. The guy was damn near seven feet tall and wide as a Mack truck. He wore a black tracksuit that was out of place in a store as fancy as this. In front of him, an array of black velvet trays, each holding a handful of watches, were spread across the glass display counter.
Lee sparkled as she talked with the football player. Her silky black hair slipped over her shoulder as she bent over a watch to explain something, exposing the nape of her neck. The smooth skin there looked delicious. I yanked my attention back to Sara before my thoughts went on an X-rated detour.
“That the new Dolphins player?” I asked in a soft voice.
“Yes, he’s been here all afternoon.”
“Is that good?”
“Oh, yes, the longer they stay, the more they spend.” She gave me a conspiratorial smile that I returned.
“Well, then, I shouldn’t interfere. Please see Lee gets these.” I passed Sara the keys to the Bentley. “It’s parked out back in the usual spot.”
“It’s not my place to say, but seeing Lee with someone is so nice. I mean, even if you’re just friends. She’s so private. I’m glad to know that she has someone like you.”
“Like me?”
“You know—someone to help with stuff like a flat tire. I’m jealous. The last man I could rely on was my dad.” She shrugged and added as an afterthought, “I soldier on and go it alone in life. It kind of sucks.”
I nodded with understanding. But unlike Sara and Lee, I wasn’t really alone. The Smith Agency was more than a company. We were a family. Flat tire? Call Steel. He’d help, no questions asked. I could get advice from a female perspective by asking Quinn, and she was far too happy to provide it. And Kira was everyone’s mother.
“Have you worked here long?”
“Since the start. Well over a decade.” She smiled and looked around at the store. “In the early years, I feared Oleander wouldn’t make it, but Lee always managed.”
There was a great deal of pride in Sara’s voice but none of the affection I felt for my coworkers. Even as sketchy as John Smith’s past was, he was both a friend and my boss. Hell, if I ever had to bury a body, I wouldn’t hesitate to call him. He had my back.
“Lee is a force to be reckoned with. Thanks again for giving her the keys.” I turned to leave.
“No problem. Good to see you again.”
Chapter 12
Derek
Mylipsbitintothe delicate curve of Lee’s shoulder. She rubbed her ass against my cock, and I caged her body into the bed with mine. I surrounded her, enveloped her in an embrace that kept the world at bay. It felt so fucking good. Just the two of us, no past, no present.
Her pert breasts didn’t fill my big hands. She was hard and lean, everything about her sparse save for the curve of her ass. She moaned as I plucked a nipple, and the sound reverberated through me. Nirvana. I couldn’t wait to sink into her. Feel her around me, hot and tight.
