Chaos & the Geek (Grace Grayson Security #1) - Elizabeth Stevens Page 0,13

romance before my thesis took over my life. So I could imagine with the best of them. In fact, I was pretty sure Kit Grayson would make a stunning romance hero in a book one day – if I ever finished my thesis and had time to do non-uni-related things.

“Donald can let Nico in if you need to get some sleep,” Kit said as he turned.

I freaked out so badly I slid off the stool.

I managed to get my feet under me in something that hopefully looked like I’d been intending to do it, rather than just falling over because this guy – so far out of my league – had a serious effect on me.

“Uh, sure. I don’t know yet. I’ll see how I go.”

He nodded as he passed me my mug then stepped back and leant against the opposite counter. “Were you going to be around for dinner…? Or…?”

I snuck a look up at him. I don’t think I’d ever seen Kit looked unsure and awkward before.

I’d seen him dark. I’d seen him brooding. I’d seen him smouldering. I’d seen him cheeky. I’d probably seen every side of the Chaos that there was. Except this one. This one was new. I wasn’t so disillusioned by his amazing arse that I thought he was asking me out. He was obligated to make small talk. So, he was making small talk.

I pushed my glasses up and looked at my coffee. “I didn’t have plans.”

“Okay. Well, get anything up you want. They’ll charge it to my account–”

I looked up at him quickly. “Oh, no. I couldn’t–”

He nodded, that cheeky almost-smirk in place. “Yes, you could. Your brother loves telling me I have too much money. Consider this an investment. Anything you can charge to my account, do so.”

I blinked at him. “Um…”

“Please, Amber. Hawk would want you taken care of while you’re here.”

“About that…?” I started.

He took a sip of his coffee and I wondered how you could drink coffee sexily. “What about it?”

“I’ll look for another–” I stopped as he shook his head and pushed off the counter behind him.

“Mi casa es tu casa. As long as you want. How much longer have you got on your degree?”

“Uh, something like three years minimum…?”

He shrugged. “Three years minimum, then. I’m not just bragging when I say I can afford it, Amber.” His eyes twinkled far too enticingly, something primal in there, but I was pretty sure he wasn’t doing it on purpose. “But it would also be my pleasure. Anything that can make your life easier, I’d be happy to give you. No expectations, just a favour to Hawk and you.”

What would make my life easier was for him to be less sexy. Was for him to stop popping up in my deepest, darkest, most debased fantasies where he did things to me I don’t think I’d ever let anyone do to me in real life. But I couldn’t say any of that. And Kit was being serious anyway.

Thirty-year-old Kit wasn’t like twenty-two-year-old Kit. I mean, he was. But there was this weird adult vibe about him I was pretty sure I’d never find. He legitimately cared about his best friend’s little sister and I had to appreciate that as much as I appreciated his arse. And to be honest, any amount of not having to look after myself would be great. I was on a two-week sabbatical from work, and I wasn’t looking forward to going back. If I lived with Kit until I finished my thesis, then I wouldn’t have to work, and I could actually focus on study. I could sleep without worry that I was wasting precious time off.

“Thanks. That would be…” I forced myself to look up at him, but it only lasted a second. “That would be amazing. Thank you.”

“Sister of my brother,” he said again.

“What does that mean?” I asked quickly before I lost my nerve.

He looked me over casually, like he was trying to construct his answer properly. “Hawk’s like a brother to me, my life is nothing without him in it. You’re not just his actual sister, but his favourite person in the whole fucking world. So like I’d do anything for him, I’d do anything for you.”

“Anything,” I couldn’t stop myself saying.

He nodded, no bluster, no joke, all serious. “Anything.” His eyes slid behind me to the window.

I decided not to go near the whole sexual implication I could go with there. “You’d die for me?” But bordering on sassy was