About That Kiss:A Heartbreaker Bay Novel(16)

"Don't shoot, jefe," he said to Joe.

If she hadn't known Joe, she'd say he appeared to be perfectly relaxed.  But she did know him and knew he wasn't relaxed at all, but . . . ready.  He didn't speak.

"Been a long time," the stranger said, coming to a stop in front of them while his shadows remained back.

Joe still didn't move or say a word.

The guy smiled without showing his teeth. "Been so long that maybe you forgot how to greet an old friend."

Kylie's knees got a little wobbly and her palms began to sweat.

"I've forgotten nothing," Joe said.

"Good." The man paused, slid a gaze over Kylie, then concentrated on Joe  again. "So you know I owe you more than I can ever repay. You're safe  here."

Joe smiled then, also without showing his teeth. "And I should believe you, why?"

"Because you're not the only one who can make changes."

The two men, both lean and tough and built in a way that said a fight  might be terrifyingly equal, stared at each other and then suddenly they  were doing some complicated male handshake.

Kylie sucked in some badly needed air as the guy stepped back and  nodded. "You're safe here," he repeated and then vanished into the dark,  his shadows on his heels.         

     



 

Joe took Kylie's hand. He'd gotten the locks open. "This way," he said,  taking her around to the back of the warehouse, where they could peek in  the dark windows.

Kylie was still processing the conversation she'd just heard. Joe had  done something to help that guy. Something so big that he'd risk himself  to help keep her and Joe safe. Whatever Joe had done had stuck, and she  wondered what it might have been.

But he wasn't much for talking, which of course made him very different  from anyone else she'd ever met. Especially her own mother, who liked to  make sure everyone knew her positive attributes at all times.

But not Joe. He was trying to do something good. His job wasn't just a  paycheck to him. It was so much more. "Why does that guy owe you?"

"Five minutes," he said.

"What?"

"You've been trying not to ask me that question for five whole minutes. I'm impressed."

She rolled her eyes and waited.

He said nothing.

"So . . . ?" she pressed.

"It was a lifetime ago." He flashed a penlight through the dark warehouse windows. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

The clearly handmade, high-end furniture was beautiful, but not in the  same style as her grandpa's, not even close. Nothing here even remotely  resembled the table in the pic she'd received, the one she had thirteen  days left to authenticate or lose her grandpa's penguin forever. "I  don't think it's them," she whispered.

"I don't either," he said. "But not because of the warehouse. They also have places in Los Angeles, New York, and London."

"They must be doing well then."

"Yeah," he said. "And they've carefully cultivated a reputation, one  they're proud of. They do their own work, they pride themselves on that  work being 100 percent green, and they give back a percentage of every  dollar they make."

"They wouldn't risk all that to toy with me."

"I can't see it," Joe agreed.

He drove her home and walked her up to her door, and then several things  happened at once. For the second time that night, he grabbed her and  shoved her behind him just as her front door opened. And then suddenly  he also had a gun in his hand, pointed right in the face of the man  who'd opened her front door.

Gib.





Chapter 10





YouTalkingToMe?



Joe couldn't think of one good reason for Gib to be coming out of  Kylie's place when she wasn't even home. So he held the gun steady,  letting it ask the question for him.

But clearly Kylie had other ideas. "Gib," she gasped, stepping out from behind Joe. "What the hell are you doing?"

Joe didn't budge, not his stance or gun, and when Gib didn't speak, she  turned on him next. "And what the hell are you doing?" she asked,  pointing to his gun. "Put that away."

What am I doing? Was she serious? She had some asshole playing with her,  toying with her emotions, and she didn't understand why he'd pull a gun  on a guy coming out of her locked apartment? "I'm wondering why your  boss is coming out of your place like he owns it," he said calmly.

"Oh my God." Kylie shifted from standing at his side to standing in  front of him with the gun pointed right in her face as she blocked Gib  from him.

Shit.

He immediately lowered the gun but didn't put it away.

Kylie rolled her eyes.

And maybe in another time and place he might have marveled at her  bravery-or stupidity. In his world, he was typically actually respected,  even feared, for his shooting abilities. And yet she stood there  toe-to-toe with him, protecting his target, eyes flashing with temper.

When he was the one who should be pissed. So it was a damn good thing  the good old U S of A had taught him how to handle himself and put his  emotions and temper aside.

Real good.

He hadn't yet gotten around to mentioning to Kylie that he'd put Gib  through Archer's invasive search programs. He knew the guy's secrets.  Such as he'd gotten married at age eighteen and divorced less than a  year later. Three years ago he'd gotten a DUI. And he'd just spent way  too much money on a new Lexus. And . . . he was also pretty much exactly  who he seemed, an okay enough guy if not a little self-centered, who  worked in his own style and not Michael Masters's style and who'd put  away a good amount of money-which he'd earned, not stolen.         

     



 

He wasn't Kylie's thief.

Did it piss Joe off that Gib overcharged for his work while underpaying  Kylie? Hell, yes. Ditto for the way he was suddenly playing with Kylie's  feelings. Gib being the bad guy would've really worked for Joe,  selfishly, but his gut told him it wasn't him. He knew he'd have to tell  that to Kylie sooner or later, but later was working for him at the  moment.

Kylie stood there staring at him like he was the asshole before turning to face Gib. "What are you doing here?"

"I went back to the shop and saw that you forgot your paycheck," he  said, not taking his gaze off Joe, which earned him a single, solitary  point in the respect category.

But only one.

"I knew you'd want it," Gib said. "I left it for you on your kitchen table."

Kylie nodded. "Okay, thanks. I'll see you tomorrow."

Gib didn't leave. In fact, he crossed his arms and set his feet, still  holding Joe's gaze. "Thought maybe we could catch up on one of our  shows. Iron Chef?"

"Cute," Joe said.

"It's one of her faves," Gib said.

Right. And Joe didn't know her faves because they didn't watch TV  together. They didn't do anything together because . . . well, because  he was an idiot who'd let Kylie think he didn't want anything serious,  that he couldn't be serious. He turned to go, but Kylie put a hand on  his arm.

"Joe."

He stepped back a step so that her hand fell away. "It's late," he said. "I've got to go."

"Joe."

Resisting a sigh, he met her gaze.

She stepped in to him and said quietly for his ears only, "Look, I'm  sorry. He has a key because, as you know, I tend to lose or forget mine  and-"

"You don't owe me an explanation, Kylie."

She stared up at him. "Fine," she said.

"Fine." He held her gaze, saw the bad temper in it, and thought, fuck  it. He didn't need this. Hell, he didn't even understand this. So he  turned and walked away.

Behind him, her front door slammed shut. With both her and Gib on the other side.

"Fine," he repeated to the night. Yeah. He was a fucking fine asshole, is what he was.



Kylie turned from her front door, leaned back against it with her arms crossed and stared at Gib. "What was that?"

"I told you, you forgot your check-"

"The truth, Gib."

He held eye contact before he blew out a breath and looked away. "I hate the way you're suddenly so into him, okay?"

"Not okay."

He sighed and stared down at his shoes, rubbing the back of his neck.  "Things aren't the same between us anymore. It's all wrong." He lifted  his head. "And it's scaring me."

"What's wrong is that you've confused me," she said. "You knew I had a  crush on you since the fifth grade and yet you never let on that you had  any feelings toward me in that way. Not until Joe showed up in the  shop. Then suddenly you're asking me out and trying to get closer."

"Maybe seeing Joe look at you like you're lunch opened my eyes to what  I've felt all along," he admitted. "But what does that matter?" His eyes  warmed as he took a step toward her. "There could definitely be  something between us. I know it."

She stared at him, trying to reconcile her feelings. It wasn't easy, but  there was a big difference between a childhood crush and an adult love.  "Just tell me this," she said quietly. "If you felt something for me  all this time, why did you wait so long?"