have thought better of this whole plan and gone straight back up the Squirrel Tree to bed.
But my heart beat harder at the thought of him, and my skin tingled with an electric attraction I wanted to explore. If I only had a few more days in Albion City with Shade, I didn’t want to waste them in my own bed. If he was game, I wanted to spend them in his.
On the way to Ganavan’s Products and Parts, I stopped and ate a steak and a mix of mostly unidentifiable greens and nuts. I didn’t feel much better after eating, though. In fact, I felt nauseous again and even worse.
I moved slowly after that, making sure I wasn’t going to be sick before showing up at Shade’s place. Digestion finally did its thing, the queasiness passed, and I trudged on, popping a breath freshener into my mouth a block away from Shade’s building and sucking on it as I walked.
Shade had left the shop lights on, but the door sign said Closed. I knocked, and he showed up quickly to let me in. My pulse sped up at the sight of him, making me feel slightly breathless as I stepped inside. He didn’t say anything, just opened the door and then closed it again, locking it behind me.
I turned, and our eyes met. Then I took in the rest of him. He looked hot as hell, dressed in a black T-shirt that pulled tight across his broad chest. It somehow made his eyes look lighter instead of darker. Simple, dark-gray workout sweats hung low on his lean hips. They were tied with a double knot. Just as with decoding locks, I was good at unraveling knots.
Slowly, I backed toward the counter with the register. Desire pulsed through me. Sparring sounded like fun, but really, I just wanted to rip off Shade’s clothes.
Shade prowl-walked me straight into the counter until my lower back bumped against the cool surface. He made no move to cage me, but I was definitely caught. Anticipation whipped through me. Did this mean we were skipping the training? I was perfectly fine with that.
“Fuck it,” he muttered, cupping my face in his hands. His honey eyes hit mine just long enough to make sure I was okay with a kiss before he lowered his mouth to mine.
Heat detonated inside me. I lifted my hands and held on to his sides, kissing him back in a way that said I was totally on board and wanted more, more, more. I angled my body into his, greedy for the feel of him. The kiss deepened, and I licked my tongue into his mouth. Shade groaned, the sound deep and resonating. It sank into me and tugged hard between my legs.
We both went a little wild after that. His reaction made me feel as if I might have skills, even though I’d only ever had one partner, and that was a long time ago. It was hard to remember anything about that teenage fumbling in the dark with Shade’s hands in my hair, his mouth on mine, and his big, solid body pressing me up against the counter. Shade was a man, not a boy. The feel of his erection against my lower belly set my body on fire. I wanted him inside me. I was desperate to feel him everywhere.
I slipped my hands under his shirt. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go up or down, so I just stayed there, my hands at his waistline, my fingers pressing into his warm skin.
Shade finally lifted his head and stepped back, his eyes bright and his breathing hard. “Let’s go downstairs,” he said.
I nodded. I really hoped downstairs had a bed.
Shade brought me through an office situated behind the counter and cash register. At the far side of the room, we took a metallic staircase that curved downward in a tight spiral and led into an immense basement. It was bright, the lighting so severe I had to squint at first—and as masculine and functional as a place could possibly get.
Disappointment washed through me. It was a workout space, with mats, weights, a few machines, a pull-up bar, and a big black punching bag with BRUISER written down the side in bumblebee yellow.
My eyes landed on a closed door beyond the mats. Unless…
“Do you live here?” I asked.
Shade nodded. “Over there.” He tilted his head toward the door I’d noticed.