He's such a contradiction when he holds me like this, like I'm precious and like he wants to take me on the floor at the same time.

His hands move to my waist and his fingers inch down, down, down between my legs.  I pant against his mouth as he rubs me through the fabric of my jeans. I look up and he's watching me. I nod my permission and he slides the zipper down. 

The sound in the quiet space is the most erotic thing I've ever heard. He holds my gaze as his hand slips beneath the waistband. Then I can't keep my eyes open anymore because he's stroking me, gentle little flicks across the lips of my sex, like he's just teasing me.

"I'm supposed to stay away from you. I'm not supposed to be here. But I just can't help myself." His words sound almost angry but then he takes my mouth again as one finger slides deep. 

I break apart, crying out his name, the soft sound echoing around us in the quiet of the room. He stays with me, thrusting gently, letting me ride his finger. When I open my eyes he's watching me intently.

"That was beautiful. God damn." The hand on my cheek tightens, holding me still so that I can't avoid his eyes. What I see there shocks me.

He looks … hungry.

When he slides his finger free, I want to cry out again at the loss. I can see him closing up right in front of me, putting his desire back behind whatever wall he uses to keep himself so remote. It's heartbreaking to witness after seeing him so open just a few minutes ago.

He kisses me on the forehead. Part of me wants to drag him back down for a real kiss but I can sense that he's working through something. And I can't force him to want the same things I do.

"I have to go. I would stay and help but I need to check on something."

"You should be careful. If you want me to think you're a bad guy, you have to stop being so nice."

Gabe gives me a crooked smile. "It's all an illusion. Lock up behind me."

"Okay, I will. Trust me, I've gotten the safety lecture from Eli a million times."

He runs his hands over his hair, taming the strands that I set in disarray while I straighten my clothes. Then he follows me to the front of the building. At the door he pauses, taking one last look at me before he steps over the threshold. He waits, watching until I turn the lock on the door. Then with one final salute, he's gone.

As soon as he's out of sight, I sag against the door. My blood pressure is still high and if I close my eyes I can still feel his fingers, his lips, his tongue. To Gabe, fooling around is just a little fun and games but for me, it's just one more thing that pulls me in closer. Makes me forget myself. The man is dangerous and I don't have time for dangerous.

I shake my head.  "Enough daydreaming. It's time to get to work."

*   *   *   *   *

Every weekend, my sisters and I used to attack our house with cleaning rags in hand. It was understood that chores had to be done before we could go outside and play or, once we were older, go out with our friends. Brenna used to complain every single time and even Audra would try to convince Mom that we could save chores for Sunday after church. Neither approach ever worked but it didn't stop them from trying.

Strange as it sounds, I kind of enjoy cleaning. It's one of the few things you can do in life and see instant results. So saving a few bucks by cleaning the building myself seemed like a no brainer at the time.

Before I got started.

I've mopped the floor, cleaned the bathroom and figured I'd give myself a break from chemical fumes by cleaning the thick layer of dust off the bookcases with a damp rag. I'm just getting started when there's a knock at the door. I peel off the rubber gloves I'm wearing as I approach the front door. But when I see who it is, I drop them on the floor and pull the door open with a squeal.

"Uncle Tommy!"

"Hey kid. Your Dad told me what you're doing." He pulls me into a hug and then looks around the space. "You're really doing it, huh? I had to come by and see it. I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not! Come on in." I step back and allow him inside. He pulls off his cap and walks to the middle of the floor.

“This is a great space.” He points to the small counter on the left side where the previous tenant had a small coffee bar. “It looks like it’s already got a lot of what you need.”

"Yeah I'm going to use it for concessions."

His eyes shine as he turns in a circle. "I can't wait to see what you come up with." He looks at the rags and cleaning supplies I've left in a pile on the floor. "But I can see you're busy. I'll get out of the way."

"I'm so glad you came by. Dad told me you're interested in investing in this place so once I work out the details, I'll let you know. I really want it to feel like the original club. My dad is really excited about this."

"I am, too. You can't even imagine." He gives me another hug.

Once I get the stage built and everything is clean, I'll have to make sure he and my dad come down to help me set up. It'll be fun for them to work on it together, the way they would have before if things had been different.

After Uncle Tommy leaves, I pick up my gloves and rag. I stand, fighting another wave of exhaustion. I should have just stuck with the cleaning service. I think I remember Finn mentioning that his fiancée owns a cleaning agency. Maybe I should have just asked for a friendly discount instead of trying to tackle all this on my own.