les for you.”
She stared at him in confusion. “Rules for me?”
“Uh-huh. Babe, your car is a rust bucket piece of shit.”
“Don’t hold back, please. Speak your mind.” She bit her lip. She wasn’t sure what it was about him that made her lose that usual reserve. Maybe it was because he’d seen all of her, because she’d already dropped her shields around him and he hadn’t run screaming from her.
“Always try to, babe.”
“Okay, what does my car have to do with these rules?”
He couldn’t quite believe he was doing this. What was he thinking? Hiring his next-door neighbor? He hadn’t even intended to hire someone for the front desk but he was getting sick of Rory’s moaning.
But hiring his next-door neighbor? His neighbor who he’d held in his hands, half-naked. That had disaster written all over it.
Not only that, but the rules he was going lay on her weren’t normal. He was asking for a lawsuit. No way did he want her to equate him with her old boss which is why he was laying this out now.
“Thing is, find myself feeling rather fucking protective of you. Guess it’s because of last night. Maybe because of who you are. Possibly because you’re my neighbor but I’m guessing not since I don’t feel this way about Yoga Barbie.”
“Yoga Barbie? Oh, do you mean Paisley?”
He shrugged. “The one always walking around in a sports bra and pants so tight you can see the outline of her pussy lips.”
She went bright red, her eyes wide. Jesus, she was such an innocent. Sweet and naive didn’t have a place in his life.
Yet he still fucking wanted her.
Then she shocked him by bursting into giggles. “Oh God, you so can. Greg used to go on and on about what a perfect body she had and how I should ask her for tips on how to look as good as she does.”
“Babe, think I’ve made it clear what I think about him, but in case I haven’t, your ex is a douche.”
“He sure is.”
“I don’t care about a lot of people. The club, the shop, they’re basically my life. But I find myself protective over you. So there’s gonna be some rules and I need to tell you upfront so you know what you’re getting into. My tattoo parlor, I’m the boss, so it’s my way. Got it?”
“All right, you want me to follow your rules, which are?”
“When it’s possible, you ride into work with me. Less chance of someone running over you in that sardine can of yours.”
She bit her lip. “My car isn’t that bad.”
He gave her a look, trying to ignore the effect on his cock that watching her mouth was having on him. Damn, he had it fucking bad.
“It is. You’ll ride with me.”
“All right. I’ll pay you some gas money.”
He snorted. “Hell. No.”
“But that’s not very fair.”
“Don’t care about fair, babe. Few things you should know about me right now. We’re in my ride, I drive. We’re in my ride, I pay the gas.”
“All right, so if we’re in my ride then I drive and I pay.”
“Sure, babe, if that makes you feel better.”
She narrowed her gaze at him. “Why do I feel like that’s not a victory for me?”