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Chapter 14

CONNOR ESCORTED ME TO the door of my loft It was still early A little after ten The bar was packed I waved at Cook as we passed through the kitchen He jerked his chin once in greeting while treating Connor to an appraising glance

"Care for so to the kitchen

"Thanks I’ a short order cook within shouting range"

"Yes and no My arteries may not thankthe door, deciding this ood ti to be friends Once we cleared the top, the opportunity cah when he tried to kisshow an’s And not nearly so broad "Connor, I can’t"

He sighed and shook his head "Friend zone, huh? Not the first ti out with youand working together"

Nodding, he held up a hand "I get it Don’t worry I’ether You’re still a hell of a lot better than Gillian"

I snorted "Notout, right? We can be friends Our relationship doesn’t have to be strictly work" I’d enjoyed being around him so far this summer It was nice to have someone to catch a movie or bite to eat with Pepper and Emerson were busy with their relationships and work

"Sure" He flashedto say no to hanging out with a cute girl Besides, you can always change your mind Especially once you realize how e htly and s the blade in deeper and insisting that I wouldn’t changeyour friend Suzanne," he added "She’s cuteand single, I gathered?"

I patted his shoulder "I’ll let you know about that" I wasn’t about to toss Suzanne at him until I asked her if she was even interested

I walked Connor back down and said good night Closing the door after hiainst the flat expanse For several long h, I shoved off the door and ascended the steps Once in the loft, I kicked off one heeled wedge and then another

A knock on the door below hadback down stairs, I opened the door, expecting to find Connor there Maybe he had changed his an stood there, one hand resting on the edge of the doorjamb, his blue eyes dark and avid in a way that made my chest squeeze to the point of pain

I stepped back up on the stairs like his presence was too ht He lowered that arging the nicely muscled bicep

He stepped up on the top step and shut the door after hi in on us Our proxi, I hurried up into the loft

Maybe I shouldn’t have Naturally, he followed me But my brain only half functioned around hi on its own My skin tightened, every nerve ending tingling and prickling in a way that made me want to puke or dance for joy It was pretty much the same sensation

"You invited him up here" The words fell on the air like an accusation, but there was a tightness to his jaw that toldthe wordslike it pained hiet them past his lips