“Bodyguard mode?”

Another chuckle has his eyes crinkling at the corners as he shrugs. “Can you blame me for wanting to protect that smokin’ little body of yours?”

His words make me blush and run my fingers through my hair, desperate to draw attention away from my reddening cheeks. It’s crazy how simple flirty phrases from him can cause my heart to flutter.

He takes my hand and pulls me toward the front door. “What time is your shift tomorrow?”

“Not until four.”

He chews on his bottom lip as we step onto the landing. “Do you have any plans afterward?”

The smart thing for me to do is cut this off now. We both know that this can never be a long-term relationship since he’s leaving soon, but I can’t keep myself away from the torture that I know lies ahead. “I’d like that.”

Xavier’s smile widens. “Great. I’ll come to Larry’s and pick you up. When is your shift over?”

“Eleven.” This feels like a date, and I know I shouldn’t get my hopes up, but I can’t help the pure elation that engulfs me at the thought of spending more time with him.

“I’ll pick you up then.” His eyes drift down to my lips.

“Okay.” My mouth betrays me and, completely ignoring one of our friendship rules, drifts open.

My heart thunders in my chest. Oh my God. This is it.

I’m finally going to feel his lips on mine.

I close my eyes. The heat from his skin radiates around me, and my chest heaves. I want this more than I can even express, and I can’t wait to finally move to the next level with him.

The moment his lips press against my forehead, my brow furrows and my shoulders sag as my hopes are instantly crushed.

Xavier chuckles, knowing he’s teasing me as he pulls away. “I believe no open-mouthed kissing was your rule, not mine.”

I twist my lips and fight the sudden urge to kick myself. My stupid good-girl rules are coming back to bite me in the ass.

“Right.” I sigh.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he says as he presses his lips to my forehead again. “Goodnight.”

He pulls away without another word, and my entire body sags.

As he turns and heads toward his bike, my eyes instantly focus on his backside. There’s no denying the man has a great ass. I don’t think any woman in the world would disagree with me on that. But just like most dangerous things, it’s forbidden for a reason, and I can’t allow myself to get swept up in what feels like the beginning of an epic romance. His words of warning should be enough to scare me away, but they don’t. There’s no fighting this pull I feel toward him, no matter how foolish I know I’m being.

Anna

The last few days have been a blur. My life has consisted of working and Xavier, and it’s been perfect.

I finish applying my lip-gloss just as Quinn walks into our room. “Is Mr. Sexy coming to pick you up again tonight?”

A heated blush creeps into my cheeks. “Yes.”

“Damn. That man has it bad for you.” She slides in next to me and checks her hair. “That’s what—the fifth night in a row?”

“Sixth.” I giggle. “But who’s counting?”

She bumps her hip into mine. “You, obviously. Are you sure you aren’t having sex with him yet? It’s pretty hard to believe that one of the sexiest men on the planet picks you up from work everyday, just to take you to some crappy diner, without even getting desert, if you know what I mean.”

I shrug. “We’re friends. There’s nothing sexual going on between us.”

Quinn tilts her head. “It’s only a matter of time before that happens, Anna. X isn’t stupid. He knows a girl like you can’t be rushed. How many days until he’s off vacation?”

“Two.” My shoulders sag.

I haven’t dwelled on the idea of what it will be like around here once Xavier leaves. Since I arrived, we’ve been practically connected at the hip. My new life consists of working at Larry’s and spending my nights at the diner with Xavier. I’m not ready for him to go yet.

“Aww.” Quinn wraps her arm around my shoulder. “Don’t look so sad, Anna-Banana. When he leaves, I’ll take you out and we’ll go hottie hunting to take your mind off him.”

I frown. “What about Brock? Aren’t you two working things out?”

She rolls her eyes. “We are, but he’s an ass most of the time. I don’t know why I even bother with him. If his ass didn’t look so great in a pair of jeans, I’d be a lot less forgiving every time he pisses me off.”

I laugh. “I don’t know if I’ll ever understand your relationship with him. You guys fight way more than you are nice to one another. If I didn’t know you two had something going on, I would swear you were mortal enemies.”

Quinn snorts. “There’s a thin line between love and hate, Anna. Remember that.”

A few hours later I find myself immersed in loud chatter of the restaurant patrons, trying to keep up with the orders. The crowd at Larry’s tonight is insane. It’s Bike Nite, and who knew there were so many riders in Detroit? Andy says tonight’s revenue helps sustain the business throughout the month when it’s not as busy. There’s not even a spare moment to chat with Quinn or the guys back in the kitchen.

As I punch in my next order I glance down at the clock on the computer, calling to Quinn, “We close in two hours. Does this slow down soon?”

She props her tray on her hip. “Yeah, this should be the last of it. Once we get these customers served, things should begin to die down.” I slide over and allow her to punch her order in. “Speaking of dying, did you see how pissed Alice got when X came in and avoided the bar area, heading straight for your section? I thought her head was going to explode. Her face was as red as her hair. You would think after all the times he’s been in here and passed by her section, she would accept he’s not interested.”

I laugh. “She hates me.”

“Fuck her,” Quinn barks. “There’s a word for girls like her that starts with a ‘c’. That bitch is mean, and I think it’s funny X doesn’t give her the chance to shove her fake boobies in his face.”

I shake my head. “You’re too much.”

“Believe me, she deserves a little torture. Alice has had things go her way around here far too long.”

“Order up, Quinnie!” Brock calls from the kitchen. “You too, Anna.”

She sighs. “Duty calls.”

I load my orders on the tray and head out to deliver them on the floor. This is the most intimidating part of the job for me, carrying this heavy tray filled with food, but I’m becoming more comfortable with it.

I balance it carefully on the palm of my hand, praying I don’t spill it. The second I pass by the bar my foot gets caught on something, and I stumble, losing my balance.

Everything feels like it happens in slow motion. The momentum of the tray moving forward is unstoppable, along with my fumbling steps. A collective gasp fills my ears, and I watch helplessly as the contents of the tray hit the floor and the plates shatter before both of my knees hit the ground.

It takes everything in me not to cry. Even though I know accidents happen, I feel like a failure. The sight of the broken plates confirms my earlier speculation that maybe I’m not so cut out for the real world after all.

“What the hell happened?” I glance up at Andy, who is sizing up the mess with a furrowed brow. “Are you hurt?”

“Are you kidding?” Alice snickers. “Her ass is fat enough to cushion her landing.”

“Watch it, Alice,” Quinn barks as she helps me up and asks, “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine.” I dust off my knees and pause when I see the scarlet liquid on my fingertips.

Xavier pushes past my cousin and scans me from head to toe.

“You’re bleeding.” He scoops me up into his massive arms and shifts his gaze to Andy. “Where’s your first aid kit?”

“On the wall in my office, through the kitchen,” Andy replies, and Xavier takes off in that direction.

My eyes trace Xavier’s concerned face. “I can walk, you know.”