She wasn’t sure what response she’d expected her rant to generate. Surprise maybe. Irritation for sure. After all, he’d pushed her buttons this morning, so turnabout was fair play. But instead of either, he clipped a quick nod. “Good answer. God knows, you’re gonna need that attitude to get you through the next few months.”
Behind him, the coffee machine spewed and gurgled the last of its cycle.
Knox pushed off the counter, turned and pulled the carafe off the burner. “I doubt you’ve checked your email since I woke you up, but you’ll find three links to different training programs I’ve set up for you.”
“You did?” She spun to her computer and waggled her mouse to bring her screen to life. “There wasn’t anything when I went to sleep last night.”
“Like I said, I don’t sleep much.” The clunk and slide of the coffeepot moving across the warmer sounded behind her mixed with the hiss of a few coffee drops sizzling against the plate. “That’s another thing you’ll have to get used to. I do most of my code reviews overnight so expect to get hit first thing in the morning.”
Zeroing in on his email the second it loaded in her inbox, she clicked on the first of the training links. A browser session opened listing at least fifteen modules with descriptions too dense with information to process with him watching over her shoulder.
Movement sounded and his voice drew closer. “You want to work with me, you’ve got two hurdles to clear. First, I want you to finish all the sessions on the first course I listed and get me the sample code you generate from it by 5:00 p.m. Friday. You make it to that point without jumping out the window or calling me to cry uncle, then I’ll pick you up at eight on Saturday night for the second leg.”
He plunked the coffee down on the desk right beside her hand, dug his wallet out of his back pocket and fished out a business card. He waggled it a few times then plunked it down next to the mug. “You want to wave the white flag, here’s my number.”
For the longest time her mind struggled to catch up, the sheer logistics of completing what he’d asked in two days’ time scrambling her wits. The sessions she’d done before had taken her twice as long, and she’d bet a carte blanche Neiman Marcus shopping spree he knew it.
Knox stared down at her, that edgy charisma that clung to him sparking twice as hot and a blazing dare burning in his eyes. “You think you can do it?”
Maybe. She’d have to give up sleep and possibly meals to pull it off, but she wouldn’t tell him that. “Absolutely.”
“Good.” He turned and ambled toward the door.
“You’re leaving?”
“Yep,” he said without looking back.
“But you didn’t drink your coffee.”
“The coffee’s for you. Trust me. You’re gonna need it.”
He opened the door.
She glanced down at his card beside the coffee cup. What had he said about Saturday and a second task? She scrambled to her feet. “Wait.”
He paused mid-closing the door behind him, one hand still wrapped around the knob as he looked back and raised both eyebrows.
“What’s the second hurdle?”
One corner of his mouth crooked wickedly, all bad boy promise and devilish delight. “You meet my brothers.”
Chapter Eight
Knox backed his Harley into an open parking spot outside JJ’s apartment and killed the engine. At eight o’clock on a Saturday night, the world around him was anything but quiet, but it still seemed tame in the absence of his bike’s throaty rumble. Smiling to himself, he jogged up the steps. Tonight would be interesting for sure. Not only had JJ delivered the code generated from the first lesson he’d assigned her, but it had hit his inbox two hours early.
Knox,
My code is attached. Hurdle one is complete. Assuming the quality meets or exceeds your exacting standards, I’ll be ready to tackle task two at eight o’clock tomorrow.
Sincerely,
JJ
Oh, yeah. He’d definitely fired her up with his Thursday morning visit. Which sucked for him because the attitude was a total fucking turn-on. Especially paired with her crazy-quick wit and serious intelligence.
Still, there’d been a purpose behind him prodding her temper, and it had worked just like he’d hoped. She had a long way to go before she had so much as a prayer of making a living writing apps, and the best way he sensed he’d help her was with some good old-fashioned challenge.
He rapped his knuckles against the old wood door and studied the highway in the distance. Much as he hated to admit it, his head had spent way too much time the last few days rehashing the last time he’d stood in this spot. Or, more to the point, the image of her in that short robe with her sinfully long legs on prime display. No way had she had anything on underneath it. He’d been suspicious when she’d gripped the lapels between her breasts and waved him in, but seeing how much of her thighs were exposed when she sat behind her desk cinched it. How he’d stopped from dropping to his knees, anchoring her thighs over his shoulders and tonguing her cunt until she screamed was a damned miracle.
The deadbolt disengaged and the door opened.
Damn.
Talk about a gorgeous woman. Why it hadn’t occurred to him to spell out what she should wear he couldn’t say, but seeing her in her sheer white top, tight black fuck-me skirt and matching heels was damn well worth the miscommunication.
He prowled forward not waiting for an invite, taking his sweet time as he did so and giving her a solid once over. “You look great.”
Interestingly enough, she waited until the last possible second to step aside and let him pass, and if he wasn’t mistaken her lips pursed with a barely restrained smirk. “Thank you. Although, I hope you’ll forgive me if I say the effort was for your brothers and not for you.”
And there was the attitude again. It might have been veiled under a polite and formal response, but the bite was there none the less. Totally hot.
Her television remote sat on one end of the glass coffee table, perfectly perpendicular to the edge. As if her smarts, sass and sex appeal weren’t already enough of a package, she had to go and give his compulsive drive for neatness a run for its money. Sighing, he rounded the table, snatched up the remote and made himself at home on her couch. “Sweetheart, if you didn’t have them eating out of your hand with your accent, you’d definitely seal the deal with your legs. Only problem is, where we’re going, you’re going to need to dress a whole lot more casual.”
She frowned, checked her appearance, then shot her gaze back to him. “But you said this was an interview.”
“No, I said you were going to meet my brothers. Big difference. Between where we’re going and the way we’re getting there, I’m thinking you’d be smart to ditch the skirt and wiggle into some jeans. Boots, too, if you’ve got ’em.”
“Boots?”
He punched the power button and fought the need to kick his feet up on the coffee table. Comfort was one thing, but mucking up the clean surface seemed a dick move even if he was out to build some professional distance with his demanding behavior. “Yep. Whatever kind you’ve got. Or close-toed shoes if you don’t have those.”
“Why?”
Thumbing through the guide, he scowled at the screen. Basic cable only. He’d have to fix that. Assuming she got a thumbs-up from the guys and things moved forward. Then again, as busy as he planned to keep her, movie binges wouldn’t be in her future for a while. He punched CNN and dialed back the volume. “Because while you’d look badass wearing those heels riding on the back of my bike, they wouldn’t do much to keep your pretty toes protected.”
“Your bike?” It was just two words, but with them a whole new demeanor swept over her, the sharp-edged battle-ready business woman replaced with a kid pre-Christmas morning. “You mean motorcycle, correct? Not bicycl
e.”
For some stupid reason, his mind coughed up the ludicrous image of him peddling his old hand-me-down dirt bike with her perched in the center of the handlebars. “That depends. Is your enthusiasm in favor of the motorized variety? Or do you have a thing for self-powered means of transportation?”
The smile she shot him was blinding. Pure, unadulterated joy in the making. “I’m very much in favor of motorcycles.”
Fuck.
Her accent was sexy enough when she was throwing him sass, but mixed with the husky rasp it was downright lethal. Thank God he was sitting down and stretched out to give his dick room to swell or he’d be damned uncomfortable. “Are you a fan because you’ve ridden before, or because you want to?”
“I’ve never been, but I’ve always wanted to.”
Well, wasn’t this a delightful revelation. He’d get to feel her body pressed against him and he’d give her a first. A win-win for everyone. He jerked his head toward her bedroom and prayed she’d be too preoccupied in her excitement to notice how much he was looking forward to popping at least one kind of cherry. “Then get a move on. We need to get you saddled up and ready to ride.”
* * *
Riding on the back of a Harley with Knox Torren had to be on the top of Darya’s best-ever experience list. Everything seemed so much closer. So much more vibrant and tangible than it did from the safety of her car. With her chest pressed against his back, her arms banded around his solid abs and his rich masculine scent mingling with the whipping wind it was pure heaven on Earth. An extraordinary rush.
Knox leaned into a turn that took them through a major intersection and steered them toward a park on the opposite side of the highway bustling with at least a thousand people. A well-manicured green stretched the length of two city blocks, dotted on each side with slender pin oaks and old-fashioned street lights. At the farthest end, a huge stage had been set up, it’s red, blue and white lights pulsing in time with music that registered even above the motorcycle’s roar.
She smiled and hugged her arms tighter around Knox. JJ would have loved this. Every second of it. Although, knowing JJ, she wouldn’t have been content as a mere passenger. No, ten minutes into the ride, she’d have devised a plan to buy her own bike and would’ve launched her first solo trip shortly after. Nothing had ever held JJ back. Not her fears and certainly not her past—which was the main reason she’d been so adamant to help Darya right up until the day she’d died.
Too soon, Knox backed them into a line of other motorcycles in a makeshift parking lot. All the others were similar in size to his, but none had the same edgy appearance. Where the others were all shiny chrome and flash, his was lean, mean and all business with ebony paint and matte black pipes. He killed the engine and the thrumming beat of a blues song surged in to fill the void.
So, this was what a live concert was like. Directly in front of the stage, the crowd was thick with people standing shoulder to shoulder, but farther back clusters of attendees had set up sport chairs or thrown down blankets to enjoy the show. Most fascinating of all were the variety of people. Young, old and everyone in between. Social status didn’t seem to equate here. As if all the world’s biases had clocked out for the night and simply opened its arms to everyone.
Knox craned his head just enough to grin back at her. “If you hop off, I’ll get you in the thick of it instead of making you soak it up from the parking lot.”
“Oh. Right. Sorry.” She braced her hands on his shoulders, barely stifling the urge to savor the compacted muscles beneath her palms, and set about getting herself vertical. Thankfully, the dismount came off a lot less awkward than when she’d climbed on. Then again, after the exhilarating ride, she was so pumped up on adrenaline she probably could have levitated off the machine if she’d put her mind to it.
The second she cleared the seat, Knox popped the kickstand, put the bike to rest and swung his leg over the back like a modern-day cowboy.
Maybe it was the energy around her, or the genuine smile he gave her as he turned and stuffed his keys inside the pocket of his faded jeans. But in one overpowering moment, all the emotions she’d kept carefully contained since the day JJ died surged to the surface, knocking aside every scrap of common sense and decorum in favor of unadulterated gratitude.
She wasn’t alone. For this moment in time, she had companionship, was very much alive, safe and living free with the promise of a new and exciting future. She jolted forward, wrapped Knox up in a huge hug and rasped, “Thank you.”
His arms came around her, slow and gentle at first, then growing in strength. As though he’d intuited the storm roiling through her and sensed her need to be anchored. “Goes without saying, I like the way you show appreciation.” He slid his hands along her spine, splaying one between her shoulder blades and the other low on her back. Not quite on her ass, but low enough to make her body come alive and crave an entirely different connection. When he spoke, his voice was low and grated. “Not thinkin’ that’s a good idea though if I’m gonna be your boss.”
As fast as she’d lost control, reality snapped into place and she tried to pull away.
He held fast, forcing her hips more tightly against his.
He wanted her. If the heat behind his thundercloud-colored eyes didn’t convey it clearly enough, the impressive erection pressed against her made the realization irrefutable. Her heart kicked hard enough to rival the steady beat from the bass drum, and while she tried to temper her voice with a casual lightness, it came out breathy and ragged. “I’m so sorry. I was just...well, happy.”
“So am I now. Very much so.” His gaze dipped to her lips and he inhaled slow and deep, but instead of taking the kiss she hoped for, he relaxed his grip and eased her away. “Just not willing to cross that line with someone who wants to be my employee.”
“Of course.” She nodded and put more distance between them, hating the uncomfortable situation she’d created with her actions. Logically, she saw the reason behind the boundary. He was a businessman. A highly creative, driven and successful one. Unfortunately, common sense didn’t seem to be something her mind generated in high supply where Knox was concerned. “You should know, I didn’t intend it inappropriately. My family was very open in their affection and I tend to be the same. Sometimes impulsively so. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”
He crowded closer, eradicating the buffer she’d created. “The last word I’d use to describe the feel of you next to me is uncomfortable. Stunned, maybe. Stoked and ready to go, absolutely. But even if I were willing to mix business and pleasure, I am not the kind of man you want to go there with. I may have only known you a handful of days, but I’ve seen and sensed enough to know you deserve a whole lot more than I’m willing to give any woman. Understand?”
Not really. Her instincts about people were seldom wrong, and everything they said about Knox was that he was not only trustworthy, but deeply loyal and caring. Then again, processing anything rational with him standing this close was impossible. She dipped her head in a crisp professional nod and forced herself to meet his stare. “Absolutely.”
He hit her with his killer smile and motioned toward the crowd with a jerk of his head. “Good, then let’s get you a tour and see if we can’t track down my family.”
The tour consisted of a leisurely stroll past five different barbecue vendors that left her mouth watering, an overflowing beer tent and three more booths specializing in wine, liquor and band merchandise. The closer they got to the stage, the stronger the music thrummed through her and the thicker the crowds grew, but throughout it, Knox kept his silence, guiding her this way and that and letting her soak up every detail.
Near the center of the venue sat a roped off section full of round tables with a private bar stationed in the middle. Knox splayed his hand low on her back, pointed toward it and leaned in close. “We’re headed there.”
To her left, a burly man with shoulder-length salt-and-pepper hair barked out a laugh, spun from a large cluster of men dressed as rugged as he was and stepped directly in her path.
Before she could dodge out of the way, Knox shifted his hand from her back to her hip, swiftly pulled her out of the big man’s trajectory and shielded her from any impact.
Burly man lifted both hands apologetically, scanned the two of them and beamed a full-toothed smile at Knox. “Hey, Knox, I wondered if I’d see you here.” His gaze shifted back to Darya for another much slower perusal before he returned his attention to Knox. “You lookin’ for your crew?”
Knox shook his head. “Nope. Clocked ’em in the VIP section already.”
“The perks of Axel bein’ the one who put this gig together I take it?”
“Something like that.” Knox squeezed his hand still anchored on her hip. “JJ, meet Seth. Seth, this is my friend JJ Simpson.”
Friend? That was an interesting choice for an introduction. Better than associate or colleague, maybe, but still not what she’d expected.
“Man, you’ve got a lot of friends and every one of them is hot.” Seth held out his big hand, heavy calluses lining his palm and two chunky silver rings adorning his fingers. A tangle of tribal tattoos snaked up and down his forearm. “Nice to meet you.”
His grip when she placed her hand in his was surprisingly gentle for such a big man. “Nice to meet you, too.”
He kept his hold, letting the possessive clasp linger as he assessed Knox, then dropped his hand and edged back. “You two hanging around awhile?”
“At least until the band wraps up.” Knox dipped his head in a way that indicated he was done with the conversation and nudged Darya toward the reserved section. “Let me get JJ situated and we’ll catch up later.”
Tempted & Taken Page 7
