“I like him,” Billie says as we watch him put Cam down in front of her door. She wakes up and starts digging in her bag for her keys.

   “Do you now,” I reply, turning back. “Is sober you going to share the same opinion?”

   She nods. “I wasn’t drunk when I first met him. Just tipsy. Anyway, I’m pretty sure drunk me makes better decisions than sober me.”

   “That’s saying something,” I laugh, reaching out and pushing her hair off her face. “You’re going to have a hell of a hangover tomorrow.”

   “Worth it,” she says, closing her eyes, lips tipping up at the corners. “It’s been a long time since I had such a good night out. You know, I always have a good time with you, even though you never get smashed like the rest of us.”

   Crow gets back in the car. “One down.”

   “Is she going to be all right?” I ask him, staring at the front of her unit.

   “Yeah, she just needs to sleep it off. I gave her some Tylenol and water,” he explains as he gets back on the road. “Now where is Billie’s place?”

   “I might just take her back with me to mine,” I say, and give him the directions to my apartment. There’s a tension between us, and I know it’s because the lines are getting blurred, and we have no idea what we’re doing or where we stand. “Thank you for getting us all home, Crow.”

   “You’re welcome,” he replies, gaze caressing me.

   “Why did you ask if I’m coming to the clubhouse? Are people who aren’t members allowed in there?” I ask.

   “If we trust you, you’re allowed in there, yes,” he says softly. “And I was just curious if I was going to be seeing you there tomorrow.”

   “Do you want to?” I ask boldly.

   The car smells like him, and it must be addling my brain. Would I really walk into a biker clubhouse? I mean, I trust Abbie, at least my gut tells me I can trust her. I still don’t know her very well, though, and neither do I know the man sitting next to me. I work for him and his club, and that relationship should be kept very professional.

   Says me as I sit in his car after a night out.

   It’s clearly easier said than done, especially when they are all one big family and hang out all the time. Do I even want to keep myself separate from that?

   Crow laughs under his breath, and reaches over and takes my hand. “That’s a dangerous question, don’t you think?”

   I pointedly look down at our now intertwined fingers. “Says you as you hold my hand.”

   “Yeah, well,” he grumbles, “apparently my life was much simpler before you walked through those doors.”

   “Is that why you acted like I was a pain in the ass from the get-go? I kept hearing and seeing how you were with everyone else yet with me your guard was right up. It was infuriating,” I admit.

   “I don’t know,” he replies, shrugging those broad shoulders of his. “You being there in my space just had me on edge and I couldn’t figure out why. And I couldn’t stop looking at you; it was damn distracting. And to be honest, I’ve watched the brothers fall one by one, and fuck if I don’t want to be next.”

   “Fall?”

   “In love.”

   “I see,” I murmur, clearing my throat. Okay, so not ready to go there yet.

   We keep chatting until we’re stopped at the front of my place. Billie is fast asleep in the back, and before I shake her awake, I undo my belt and turn to Crow.

   “I had fun tonight,” I say, locking gazes. “It was unexpected, but fun.”

   “Me too,” he murmurs, gently reaching out his finger and touching my cheek. “So beautiful you are, Bronte.”

   Smiling widely, I lean forward, hoping that he might do the same and kiss me. I’ve never wanted a kiss more in my life, and I hope he can’t tell that by looking in my eyes. But at the same time I hope he gets the hint and gives me what I want.

   He does, leaning forward. My eyes are about to shutter closed when his phone, which is sitting up in the drink holder between us, starts to ring, a name lighting up: HEIDI.

   Who the hell is Heidi?

   Either way the moment is ruined, especially at the thought of him having a girlfriend, or maybe just someone he’s seeing or sleeping with at the moment. Maybe it’s the reality check I need right now. Crow has heartbreaker written all over him, and I need to get my ass inside.

   “Thanks for the ride,” I say, get out the car, wake Billie up and drag her inside. I don’t look back at the car, at him, and when I’m safely in the apartment I lean against the door and close my eyes, my head falling back on the hard wood.

   Fuck.

* * *

   The next day at lunch with Abbie, I want to ask about Crow and find out everything I can on him, but I don’t. I’m here to spend time with Abbie and get to know her more, and I’m not going to waste that on a man who is potentially right now screaming someone called Heidi’s name.

   “I heard you were spotted at Kamikaze last night,” she says before she takes a sip of warm coffee. “You should have told me, I would have met you out.”

   “I didn’t know I was going to Kamikaze until I was there,” I explain, telling her the story of how I accidentally ended up there.

   She puts her mug down, eyes alight with humor. “That’s hilarious. Temper said he saw you there, dancing with Crow. You going to tell me what’s going on?”

   Well, she brought him up, not me.

   “Nothing,” I say quickly, a little too quickly.

   Abbie arches her brow, waiting for a further explanation, probably the truth this time.

   “I mean, I have no idea. There’s something there between us, but I think we both know it’s going to be a bad idea to act on it. We’ve been circling each other at work, Crow has been an asshole at times, making me think he didn’t even like me at times, if I’m being honest. Like he’s fine with everyone else, but with me he goes from chill to broody instantly. Yet at the same time there’s some weird connection, and this is the first time I’m admitting this out loud.”

   “Interesting. In the entire time I’ve known Crow, I’ve never seen him with a girlfriend,” she says, tapping a black manicured fingernail against her chin.

   “Okay, so he’s not the commitment type,” I mutter, pursing my lips.

   Crow is a ladies’ man. I knew that from the second I saw him, because he is so damn confident, calm and good looking, there is no way in hell he doesn’t attract women.