Page 37 of Off-Limits Bad Boy

The atmosphere of the bar has shifted, and tension fills the place like smoke in a fire. Police officers are taking statements, their dark uniforms blending into the darkness of our usually vibrant club.

Across the room, Kade is standing and talking to one of the cops, his posture tense. Our eyes meet, and warmth floods my whole body. I lower my eyes as tingling heat sears my cheeks. How does he do that?

But I can’t stand looking away and I glance at him again. His gaze is laced with concern and something... else. Something I can’t name or place, but whatever it is, it’s gone so fast I wonder if I saw it at all. The intensity of his stare sends a shiver through my body.

The moment holds us captive until he's pulled back into conversation by the officer. I'm left with overly warm cheeks, an excitement brewing within me, and a sense of something shifting, something undeniable that I can no longer ignore.

After the cops leave, I find myself wiping down the counter. We’re closed for the night, but there’s work to do.

The scent of bleach stings in my nose and Kade's voice pulls me from my thoughts. “Do you need a ride home?” His tone is casual, but his eyes burn with an intensity that makes my pulse jump and flutter. I tell myself it’s because he surprised me, but I know that’s a lie.

I hesitate, my mind racing with the possibilities of what being alone with him could mean, given this newfound rush of emotions I feel around him. But before I can answer, Alex appears by my side, his presence calming, yet also unwelcome at this moment. “Yeah, take her home,” he says without missing a beat, not even looking in our direction. “I would, but I'm... busy.” His voice trails off, and Kade and I look at one another, then back at him again. But he doesn't seem to have any intention of explaining himself.

I want to ask questions, but I’m not sure I trust myself to speak. Today has been so weird. Now is not the time to be asking my brother questions about where he’s going and what he’s doing.

So I let it go and turn back to Kade while dropping the cloth in the cleaning bucket.

“Sure, thank you.” As I say the words, I grab my things from behind the bar and give my brother a quick hug. “Stay out of trouble,” I tell him, and he brushes away my concern.

Kade waits for me and together, we head out into the cool night.

The drive is quiet. The hum of the engine is the only sound as city lights blur past. His hands, firm on the wheel, leave my memory running wild—the pressure of his lips against mine, the way my body responded so eagerly to his touch. My heart hammers in my chest, and I find myself holding my breath.

As we pull up to my place, he parks his car. After a moment, he angles his body toward me and breaks the silence. “Emma, about earlier...” he says, his voice low, surely about to discuss the kiss we shared.

But I’m not ready for that conversation—not yet—so I cut him off. “It's late, and you must be tired,” I say, quickly fumbling for the door handle in the dark. I find the handle and pull, eager to escape the confines of the car and the overwhelming tension that fills it.

“Emma,” he says again, but I'm already stepping out into the night, putting space between us.

“Thanks for the ride,” I say over my shoulder as he steps out of the car.

“I’m just going to walk you to your door so I can assure Alex that I got you home safely,” he says, but that explanation doesn’t do anything for the fire building low in my core. I want him to come home with me.

Mute, I nod in agreement as he falls into step beside me. There are so many things I want to say, but my throat won’t let any words escape.

Still, having him at my side like this is comforting as I reach into my bag and sift my fingers through things until I find my keys. When we stop at my door, I try to slide the key in the lock, but the keys fall from my fingers and hit the ground with a jingle.

Kade bends down, picks them up, and unlocks my door, his gaze meeting mine and sending a shiver dancing down my spine.

“Thanks,” I say, hating how much I’m shaking... and why.

“Emma,” he says again, and there's a question in his voice, one that begs for honesty.

I turn to face him, my pulse racing. In the low light, his eyes search mine. “I'm not as experienced as you might think,” I blurt out, the words tumbling from me before I can stop them. My cheeks are on fire now, red-hot with mortification.

For a moment, he just looks at me, his surprise rearranging his features. Then, slowly, the corners of his mouth lift, not mocking, but kind. His hand finds mine, a reassuring weight. “That's okay,” he says, and his voice soft. “I just wanted to tell you that I’m here, no matter what. If you need me, call me.”

I nod, feeling dumb for misunderstanding what he was wanting to talk about. He was thinking about punching a guy in the face, and I was thinking about our kiss.

“And as far as that,” he says, indicating he’s talking about my admission. “We'll take things at your pace.”

But it's not that simple, is it?

There are so many complications that lie ahead if we do decide to take things further. Did he forget he's my brother's best friend? That whatever this is between us is on the brink of disaster?

“I'll be here for you, Emma. However that looks, whatever you need.” The promise in his voice insulates me against the coolness of the night and leaves me feeling cared for.

I believe him.