some things never changed. Sanctum ran one or two training classes a year, and Big Tag loved to fuck with the baby Doms.
West Rycroft rounded the corner, followed by his brother. The big cowboy had moved to Dallas recently. He was six foot three and all muscle, with longish sandy hair and a handsome face. He was all masculinity. He probably didn’t cook or play board games or watch Star Trek. He lassoed things, and women thought he was manly because of it.
Was West Rycroft what Noelle was looking for? Was he her training Dom, and she was about to lose her mind over her gorgeous, masculine partner?
The friend zone sucked, and he was pretty sure that was where he was now.
Hutch glanced up at Wade. “Do you want me to take a picture? Baby Boy’s first day at Dom school?”
Wade snorted, but West shook his head vigorously. “Don’t even tempt him. I swear he’s hovering over me like a mother hen or some shit. I’m a grown-ass man. I can handle a damn training class. I do not need my brother to hold my hand.”
Wade stared at him pointedly. “I’m here because you forgot your kit.”
Theo chuckled and then sighed because Michael murdered him on screen. He turned West’s way. “Don’t even bother, man. Older brothers can’t help themselves. And whatever you do don’t get yourself kidnapped and mind wiped. I swear you’ll never hear the end of it.”
West shook his head like he was trying to figure out if Theo was joking. “I’ll remember that.”
Hutch could have told him Theo wasn’t joking at all, but he kind of liked having the other man a little off-center. “You should understand that if Noelle LaVigne is your training partner and you hurt her, your brother won’t be able to save you. It’s nothing personal. It’s a lecture I’m giving every single one of you. Welcome to Sanctum.”
West’s eyes rolled. “Yeah, like I’m afraid of tech support.”
Wade’s hand came out and smacked the back of his brother’s head. “First of all, don’t think he can’t kill you. He’s been in and out of the field for years and you’re brand new. Secondly, he’s been through more dangerous shit than you could believe. Third, he won’t merely beat the crap out of you. He’ll wreck your life with a couple of keystrokes. You want to be put on a no-fly list? Because he can do that.”
West put a hand to the back of his head. “I was joking. Damn, man. I thought that’s what everyone did here. Sorry, Hutch. I’ll look out for your girl.”
“Ah, that’s the problem,” a familiar voice said. “She’s not his girl and it’s made him cranky.”
Kyle leaned against the lockers. He, too, looked all big and muscley in a pair of leathers. Still, Noelle showed no signs of having a thing for Kyle, so he kind of hoped the gods had put them together. He didn’t see Kyle making a move on her.
“She’s my friend and I care about her,” Hutch explained.
That got Michael’s attention. “Dude, are you fucking the client? Did you miss the lecture? Big Tag puts it in all the training materials. Thou shalt not fuck the client.”
“Oh, he’s not fucking her now,” Kyle replied with a smirk. “He’s cooking dinner for her, making her lunch, watching TV with her, and he sleeps on her couch.”
Michael winced. “Sorry. Wow. So you slept with her and now you’re still working with her but she’s about to meet her training Dom, who is not you. That is some serious awkward.”
Said the man who still worked with his ex-fiancée. “Pretty much.”
He’d honestly thought Noelle would invite him back to bed. That first night after they’d sat up watching TV, there had been a moment when the world seemed to still and he could feel the air crackling between them. He’d known he was going to kiss her.
She’d said good night and run to her bedroom.
He’d sat on the balcony for the longest time, but the door hadn’t opened.
Still, he caught her looking his way, and it wasn’t with distaste. Would that change when she met her training Dom? Would all that sweet feminine energy and smarts be directed the new guy’s way?
The only time he managed to get his hands on her was when he showed up to take her to lunch. Kyle had started driving her to and from work.
“I told you I’ll look after her.” Kyle pushed off the lockers. “She’ll be fine.”