Page 22 of Thorn Evermore
I open the door and look around, the sweet scent of Kyson permeating the space. He’s definitely here. Walking farther inside, I glance at the various artifacts. Stuff looks legit. Yves would love this place.
“Can I help you find something?”
A cute woman about a foot shorter than me appears next to me. She has curly brown hair that she’s obviously trying to tame into a ponytail, but much of it escapes. Her bright smile is sweet and inviting.
“I’m looking for someone. Kyson James?”
The woman opens her mouth to speak, but two metal doors in the back swing open and there he is, talking with another woman. He looks up, laughing, but the sound falls from his lips when he sees me.
His cheeks turn bright pink. “Thorn.”
My reaction to him unbalances me as my heart actually beats a little harder, my gums throb, and my dick twitches in my jeans. Interesting. “Hi, Kyson. Got a minute?”
Chapter 6
KYSON
“Uh, yeah. Of course.” I hurry towards him. “How did you find me here?”
“The important thing is that I did. Do you work here?”
“I do, yeah.” Wow. He’s just as gorgeous as I remember. It wasn’t just the night. “Am I dreaming?”
Thorn smiles, flashing perfect white teeth. “No, sweetheart, you’re awake.” He takes a step closer. “Not gonna lie. I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”
“Really?”
He nods, brushing his fingers across my cheek. “Damn, Kyson. You’re so pretty.”
“Pretty? Me?”
“Stunning. Can I take you out?”
“Um, I still have a few hours to work.”
“Later then. Dinner? Whatever you want. I just want to be around you.”
A shy laugh bubbles up. I can’t believe my ears. “Definitely. I’ve been thinking about you too.”
The sound of Neal’s approaching voice sours my mood, but only for a second. Thorn is here to see me. Take that, Neal!
“Kyson, there’s a late delivery coming in at six,” Neal says, not even looking up to see that I’m talking to someone. When he does look up, he smiles. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were with a customer.”
Thorn doesn’t speak, but his eyes take in Neal like a silent interrogation.
“The night shift will be here to unpack the shipment,” I reply.
“I’d rather you do it. It’s coming all the way from France. You don’t have anything major to do anyway, do you?”
The shift in Thorn’s energy is palpable as he narrows his eyes. “Who is this, Kyson?”
“Uh, it’s the store manager, Neal. He’s my boss.”
Thorn nods, but keeps his intense gaze trained on Neal, who seems to notice as he takes a step back and visibly shivers.
“I’m his ex-boyfriend,” Neal blurts, then looks startled by his own outburst.
Thorn’s hand moves to my lower back. “Actually, Kyson has plans after work. An effective manager builds a team that can be trusted to do the work. Did you hire the right people for the night crew, Neal?”