Lip Lock

by Susanna Carr

  He looked around the truck and grabbed hold of the flashlight next to her door. The only source of light, and she had left it upright to cast a glow that would reach most of the dark, shadowy corners. Now he had control of it. Figured.

  “What is all this stuff?” Kyle asked as he closed the door behind him.

  “You need to leave.” She would point her finger at the door, but she was afraid the sweatshirt would slip. “Right now.”

  He ignored her demand and sat down on the orange sofa. “Not until I get some answers.”

  Molly turned around, praying that the cardboard box on the floor was hiding her from the waist down. She had a feeling it didn’t. She tossed on the sweatshirt, giving up on the idea of a bra.

  She grabbed the change of underwear and paused. Molly looked over her shoulder and discovered that he’d directed the flashlight right at her. “Did you follow me?”

  Kyle shrugged. “Yeah, so?”

  “Okay, you have crossed the line.” She hopped into her panties and snatched a pair of jeans from her pile of clean clothes.

  “Oh?” he asked as he stretched one arm along the back of the sofa. “And hiding in my bathroom is model behavior?”

  “That wasn’t intentional.” She dragged the denim up her legs.

  “Doesn’t matter.” He pointed the flashlight from one end of the truck to the other. “Are you a kleptomaniac?”

  Molly scoffed at the idea. “No!”

  He looked at the sofa. “You bought this?”

  She zipped up her jeans. “No.”

  He seemed relieved and continued to direct the light around the small truck. Kyle paused as he spotlighted her work clothes. “Molly, do you live here?”

  “This is my hometown.”

  “The truck, Molly.” He pointed the light directly at her neck. She was sure it was unflattering and gave her a double chin. “Are you living out of this truck?”

  She placed her hands on her hips. “No, of course not.”

  Kyle stared at her and a smile slowly appeared on his face. It would have made him drop-dead gorgeous if it hadn’t been so arrogant.

  “What is so funny?”

  “I got you now.”

  Panic hit her square in the chest. “What?” What did he know? How did he find out?

  “You blinked.”

  Molly stared at him. That was it? She shrugged. “It’s been known to happen.”

  Kyle rested more comfortably on the sofa. “So how long have you been living here?”

  Okay, don’t explain yourself. He was probably bluffing anyway. “I just told you, I wasn’t.” She grabbed a pair of socks. They didn’t match, but she didn’t care at this point.

  “Kind of chilly in here,” Kyle observed.

  “You can leave anytime.” Molly stepped over a box of books and hopped to the side before she fell against the end table.

  “Dark, too.”

  “No one is stopping you.” She sat on the sofa arm.

  “And your security system sucks.” He aimed the flashlight at the door handle.

  “Be sure to close the door firmly on your way out then.” She didn’t look at him as she put on a sock.

  The light was back on her. It traveled slowly up her foot to her mouth.

  “Buh-bye.” Molly waved and picked up her other sock.

  Kyle didn’t move, but the atmosphere crackled. “Have you been camping out at the office?”

  She jerked her head up before she could stop. “No.”

  The arrogant smile was back.

  She wanted to throw him out, but that was impossible. The least she could do was grab the light away from him. Maybe take a chance and clock him over the head with it. “Go away, Kyle.”

  “Or what?” He moved the light away from her. “You’ll call the cops?”

  Her hands curled into fists at her sides.

  “All I want is to go to dinner with you.” He held his fingers up and made a bunny rabbit shadow on the opposite wall. “And you think that is reason for an arrest?”

  Her stomach grumbled. “Dinner?” She looked at him suspiciously. “You followed me across town to see if I’ll go to dinner.”

  “No, actually I worked up an appetite following you.”

  “Then why did you follow me?” She wasn’t sure if she was ready for the answer.

  “I’ll tell you over appetizers.”

  A meal with more than one course. Oooh…He was ruthless. More reason to keep away from him, despite what her stomach was saying. “I don’t date the boss.”

  He tilted his head and pinned her with a look. “You don’t follow the rules, so why bother making any?”

  “I mean it, Kyle.”

  “It’s dinner,” he said with a trace of impatience. “Not foreplay. Not a commitment.”

  She glared at him. There was nothing more she wanted than to get out of this truck. To eat something. Anything. And he knew it.

  “I have plans,” Molly said suddenly. Where were her shoes? She couldn’t find them without her flashlight. “And…and you’re making me late.”

  “Oh, yeah, right.”

  “You don’t believe me?”

  “No, not particularly.”

  “Fine. You are more than welcome to tag along,” she said, hoping he didn’t call her bluff.

  She took pleasure in his hesitation. Not so sure of yourself now, are you? That makes two of us. But at least that leveled the playing field.

  “Sure.” He stood up and held his hand out to her. “I’m in.”

  Darn it. Now she had to come up with a night he’d never forget—or want to repeat.

  Kyle leaned back on the cracked plastic chair and sprawled his feet in front of him. “Molly Connors, you sure know how to give a guy a good time.”

  Molly rolled her eyes and sank her teeth into the sub sandwich. Her groans were almost orgasmic. Kyle did a quick glance, but no one seemed to notice. He couldn’t be the only one affected. But then, these people were in a hurry to get their clothes washed and dried before the Laundromat closed.

  He admitted it had been a while since he’d been in a Laudromat. Not much had changed. The uncomfortable seats. More washers available than dryers. The eclectic mix of people. Oh, yeah. It was all coming back to him.

  But he preferred the place over some of the girly boutiques she visited earlier in the evening. Kyle kept a close eye on her transactions, and if he wasn’t mistaken, she had a very complicated exchange system going on there.

  Kyle didn’t know if he should be impressed or alarmed. If anything, he should be careful around this one. She was a lot craftier than he had originally given her credit for.

  “And to think you passed up the chance for crab bisque and Caesar salad.” He loosened his tie.

  She stopped chewing. “Shut up.”

  “Grilled steaks…”

  Molly speared him a look. “I’m warning you.”

  “Chocolate raspberry cake…”

  “You are living on borrowed time.”

  “All to run errands.” Kyle sighed and shook his head with mock sorrow.

  “Unlike a lot of your dates,” Molly said as she grabbed for the soda bottle, “I don’t have three hours a night to hang out at a restaurant.”

  He looked out of the corner of his eye. “I thought all trust fund babies did.”

  She froze for just a second, but Kyle caught it. He hid his smile as she continued to remove her soda bottle cap. “I’m not independently wealthy.”

  “I figured that one out.” He looked around the Laundromat.

  “I never said I was.”

  “Strangely enough, I believe you.” He didn’t know why, and he hoped it was based on gut instinct and not that he was enamored of her charisma.

  “My truck tipped you off?” she asked, her mouth pressed against the plastic bottle.

  “So it is your truck?”

  Molly groaned, obviously realizing her error. “Technically, no.”

  “Is it your temporary ho
me?”

  She braced her shoulders and faced him directly. “Why do you want to know?”

  Kyle raised his hand. “Let’s get something straight. I can’t fire you because of a lack of address. It’s against the law.”

  “Doesn’t mean you won’t find something else to fire me for,” Molly said as she capped the bottle and set it down. “I might be late for work one day and boom! You decide to fire me. Or maybe I didn’t supply you with enough towels.”

  “Or something like insubordination?”

  Her jaw tightened. “Exactly.”

  Okay, when she put it like that, he could see why she didn’t trust him with the facts. “Just tell me the truth about one thing.”

  “One thing?” She shrugged. “Go for it.”

  He didn’t expect her to agree that quickly. Was she going to lie? Sidestep the answer? She was good at that.

  And there were a lot of questions he wanted to ask. Deeply personal ones. Questions that would get him closer to her and get her in his bed.

  But he had to get one question out of the way, and then he could pursue her single-mindedly. “What’s your relationship with Curtis?”

  Molly made a face. “Curtis was a big mistake.”

  Hmm. That could mean anything. “So, you two…?”

  “No. No way!” She shuddered with disgust, but the idea didn’t seem to ruin her appetite as she picked up her half-eaten sandwich. “I didn’t want you asking questions about what I was doing at the office after hours. So I told Curtis to just act like we’re together.”

  “And he went with it? Just like that?” It didn’t make sense. Why would Curtis do that and receive nothing in return?

  “Yeah, he was totally up for it. I didn’t know he was married!” She took a ferocious chomp out of the sandwich.

  “Do you see him outside the office?”

  She held her hand over her full mouth. “I’m always at the office.”

  He raised his eyebrow at her. “You know what I mean.” Kyle had finally got her to open up. It wasn’t a lot, but he wasn’t going to backtrack.

  She took her time chewing before she swallowed. “No.”

  Good. He didn’t want Molly involved in this intellectual property mess. He wanted to pursue the woman without having to watch his back.

  She gave him a shrewd look. “Does this have anything to do with why you’re following me?”

  “Sorry, I can’t tell you,” he answered, surprised that she picked up on that. “You don’t have security clearance.”

  “In other words, you don’t want to tell me and you’re hiding behind corporate bureaucracy.”

  He smiled, knowing he was caught. “Yeah, basically.”

  “Mm-hmm.” She took another bite of the sandwich.

  Kyle watched her. She seemed to be softening up to him. Not a lot, but she wasn’t dodging him, either. “By the way, where are you going to sleep tonight?”

  She coughed and slapped her hand over her mouth. “Not with you.”

  “I wasn’t extending an invitation.”

  “Suuure.” She grabbed for her soda bottle.

  “I wasn’t.” He looked up as an older woman walked by with a metal laundry cart. He moved his feet out of the way before she ran him over.

  Molly chugged down the drink. “Then why are you asking? Worried about my well-being?”

  “As a matter of fact, I am.” Which wasn’t good. Molly was a distraction he couldn’t afford. He couldn’t trust her, was trying hard not to like her, so why did he care?

  Molly didn’t bother to hide her disbelief. “I’ll be okay, but thanks for asking.”

  Kyle shifted his chair and studied her. “Let me see if I get this straight. You would rather sleep in a cold truck alone than in my warm bed with me?”

  She considered what he said. “Yep, that pretty much sums it up.”

  He saw her slow blink. Yes! He had been getting worried there for a second.

  “Okay.” He shifted back and stared at the clothes flopping in the dryer. “I get it.”

  He watched her reflection on the machines. Her eyes narrowed into slits. “Get what?”

  “Don’t worry about it.” He folded his arms across his chest. “I understand.”

  The eyebrows went up. “I seriously doubt it.”

  He shrugged one shoulder. “It’s obvious.”

  She shook her head and took another bite of her sandwich. “Not to me.”

  “You’re a virgin.”

  Molly choked. Spluttered. “I’m a what?!”

  “It’s okay.” Kyle looked back at her. “There’s no shame in being one.”

  She pounded her fist against her sternum. “What makes you think that?”

  “Though maybe there’s something wrong.” He tapped his finger against his chin as if he was deep in thought. “Considering your advanced age and all.”

  Her mouth dropped open. “Now I’m an old maid?”

  Kyle tilted his head to the side. “How old are you?”

  Her mouth snapped shut and she gave him another warning look. “Old enough to know not to get tangled up with you.”

  “Molly, Molly, Molly…”

  She slouched in her seat. “I don’t want to hear it.”

  “You need to learn a few more things. You know, that’s the problem with virgins.”

  “Would you shut up?” she said in a hiss and quickly looked around for eavesdroppers.

  “Once they get to a certain age, they make some stupid decisions all based on their first time. They make complicated plans because they feel like they need to make it perfect after waiting so long.”

  “You’re an expert on virgins?” She held up both hands and leaned away from him. “That bit of info isn’t warming me up on the idea of sleeping with you.”

  “Virgins would rather sleep in a truck than share a bed.” He had no idea where this stuff was coming from, but he was having fun. “Because it’s not the bed in their plans.”

  She closed her eyes. “Here we go.”

  “Virgins will go through great lengths to avoid temptation. They can’t have anything ruin their plans for that First Time.”

  “Wouldn’t know about that.” She opened her eyes and picked at her sandwich.

  “Like gaining fake and unattainable boyfriends.” He nudged her with his elbow.

  “Really? Fascinating.” She removed a pickle from her sandwich and stuffed it in her mouth. “Did you do a focus group?”

  “Or watch a guy showering but bolt at the first offer.”

  Her jaw tightened.

  “Or sleep in an unsecured truck rather than a bed a guy offered.”

  The muscle in her cheek twitched.

  “And in no way did the guy offer to share,” Kyle was quick to point out.

  “All right! All right!” Molly interrupted. “I am not a virgin. Sheesh.” She flopped back into her seat.

  The Laundromat fell silent. All he could hear was the hum of the machines and the tinny voice on the television. Kyle struggled not to smile.

  “Oh, come on.” Molly looked around and splayed her arms in the air. “Like y’all are pure and innocent.”

  An infant wailed on the other side of the large room and everyone looked away. The buzz of conversation resumed.

  She glared at Kyle. “Thanks a lot. I’ll never be able to use this place again.”

  “So…”

  She pointed her finger at him. “Don’t say it.”

  “Where are you sleeping tonight?”

  Molly exhaled hard and long. “Kyle, there are three reasons why I won’t be going home with you.”

  His eyebrows shot up. “Only three? I’m closer than I thought.”

  “Number one,” she said through clenched teeth. “I don’t sleep with every guy who buys me dinner, does me a favor, or simply asks.”

  “Good to know.”

  “Number two”—she held up two fingers—“I don’t sleep with my boss. Ever.”

  Kyle sighed with re
lief. “I’m glad to hear it.”

  His answer distracted her from her list. “You are?”

  “Yes, because technically Sara is your boss, and that would bring a weird dynamic to this relationship.”

  Molly’s eyes glazed over. Shook her head and pressed her lips together. She turned and stared at the dryer.

  “What’s number three?” he couldn’t resist asking.

  She hesitated before she looked at him, her eyelids half open. “You’re not my type.”

  Blink.

  Kyle tried not to smile. “What’s your type?”

  “I like the quiet, silent type.” Blink. “Blue collar worker.” She looked up at his dark hair. “Blond.” Blink, blink.

  “Anything else?”

  She thought for a minute. “A homebody.”

  He nodded and leaned over to whisper, “You forgot boring in bed.”

  “Oh, shut up.”

  “Good night, Kyle,” Molly said cheerfully as she pulled up to the entrance of Ashton Image Works. “See you tomorrow.”

  He leaned back in the passenger seat and studied her. “You really would rather sleep in a truck.” He couldn’t believe it. He really thought he was going to get his way by the end of the night.

  “I’m not sleeping in the truck,” she admitted.

  Relief flooded through him. “Yeah?”

  “No. Why should I when there’s this nice cardboard box with my name on it by the Seattle Aquarium?”

  “Molly,” he groaned and closed his eyes, but the image was clear and disturbing.

  “Why are you so concerned about my sleeping arrangements? Are you worried that I will be sneaking around work? Using up the office supplies to make a bed?”

  “Something like that.” He was stuck. He didn’t want her to sleep in a truck, vulnerable and alone.

  But he couldn’t allow her to sleep in his office. She might be embroiled in this theft. She had the means and motive. No reason to give her plenty of opportunity.

  He didn’t trust her, but he also wanted to protect her. It didn’t make sense. If anything, it should cool any thoughts of taking her to his bed. That was more dangerous. It would bring her closer than he should allow.

  “Don’t worry, Kyle,” she said, her tone suddenly serious. “I have no intentions of sleeping in your office.”

  “Yeah, how do I know you’re telling the truth?”