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  No! She had no reason to panic. It was a stupid application. Words on a page. She’d done the work, had the knowledge. She just needed to share it.

  But the familiar ropes wrapped themselves around her chest, and her breaths became shallow. She pushed away from the desk and closed her eyes. Her panting echoed loudly in the room, and sweat broke out from every pore.

  She needed to get out. The office had no windows so she couldn’t even pretend to grab fresh air. Glancing at the computer, she hit the exit button.

  Do you want to save before exiting? If you do not, all information will be lost.

  The message glared at her and she pressed no. No, she didn’t want to save any information that would cause a panic attack. She shoved away from the desk on stiff legs. Tears threatened and her throat burned. Outside the office door, she looked back the way Phin had brought her in.

  She couldn’t go that way. The room full of men would stare; the noise would make the panic claw harder. Phin. She didn’t want Phin to see her broken like this. To the right was another door, one she hoped led outside. She slammed her body against the metal and walked out into the bright sun.

  The glare caused the tears to spill over, but a breeze swirled around her. She opened her mouth as if to catch the moving air. She knew better. Knew she needed slow, deep breaths, but gulping the fresh air and sunshine was what her body craved. Before she knew it, she was light-headed. She sank to her knees, loose asphalt and rough concrete digging through her jeans.

  She bowed her head and finally slowed her breathing and her heart. The sun beat on the back of her neck, keeping her warm, while the breeze cooled and dried the sweat on her arms.

  The last wave left her spent. She wanted to move. Needed to, really, but she wasn’t sure her body would cooperate. A few more deep breaths and she shoved up from the ground on wobbly legs. Her muscles ached.

  Why did she always forget that part?

  Whenever she thought about a panic attack, she remembered the shortness of breath, the feeling of being trapped, the funky sweat, but she always forgot how her muscles ached after.

  Layla ran her hands over her face to wipe away the remaining tears and then inched forward slowly. She needed to find a way to get back to Phin’s apartment with no one noticing. She edged around the building on the back side. Looking up, she could see his apartment, but a rusted fence stood in her way. She knew she’d have to pass the open bay doors and risk Phin’s seeing her if she went around the front, so she’d hop the fence.

  Anything to avoid someone seeing her like this.

  Chapter 7

  Phin peeled back the top of his jumpsuit and let it hang on his hips. His stomach was growling something fierce and he needed food. He checked Steve’s office to ask Layla if she wanted to eat, but the office was empty. His stomach grumbled again. The truck was still where he’d parked it last night, so Layla was around somewhere.

  He hadn’t seen her leave and, with the way the other guys had been ribbing him since she came in, he knew they would’ve said something if they’d seen her when she was on her way out. He walked around the garage to his apartment. There wasn’t much food at his place, so Layla had to be at least as hungry as he was.

  Inside the apartment, he was surprised to find Layla curled up in a ball on his couch wearing just a T-shirt and panties. Was she sick? She’d looked fine when she came down before. He sat on the edge of the cushion and nudged her. “Are you okay?”

  She rolled over and without opening her eyes, grumbled, “Hey, what’s up?”

  “Not you. Are you sick or something?”

  She sat up rubbing her eyes. When she finally looked at him, he realized that she’d been crying.

  “No, I just got tired, so I lay down to take a nap. I thought you had to work late.”

  He realized that she wasn’t going to mention why she’d been crying. “I do, but I’m on lunch. Want to go grab something?”

  A smile eased across her face. “Mmmm . . . sounds good. I’m really hungry.”

  She twisted to get off the couch and knocked Phin off in the process. His ass landed on the floor with a thump. He should’ve seen it coming, but he’d been distracted by her smile and how much he wanted to kiss her. Now that mouth was laughing at him.

  Layla bit her lip to stop the laughter and stood over him, arm extended to help him up. “Sorry.”

  He grabbed her hand and pulled her down on top of him. She landed with an oomph of surprise. He enjoyed the feel of her soft body against his and debated how important it was to go back to work. She licked her lips. The sight of her pink tongue had his dick twitching, as he remembered the pleasure she’d given him last night.

  Then she lowered her lips to his and kissed him as if she knew exactly where his thoughts had gone. Like the rest of her body, her lips were soft and sleepy and warm. It made him want to crawl into bed with her and spend the rest of the day there. She wiggled against his hard dick and deepened the kiss. The woman drove him crazy.

  He gripped her hips and rolled her beneath him, smacking his head on the table in the process. He shoved the table out of the way and pulled her shirt up. No bra. He knew he liked this girl. Phin pulled an erect nipple into his mouth and she arched against him.

  Food was overrated.

  He feasted on Layla, licking and sucking her skin until she was moaning and bucking beneath him. They both fumbled at snaps and zippers to be able to feel skin on skin. While he peeled away more of the jumpsuit and the jeans underneath, Layla reached into her backpack, returning with a condom. She sat with the condom in her hand waiting for him to spring free.

  Layla had him covered and was pulling him back down on top of her faster than he could register it. Her panties lay next to her. She wrapped her legs around his hips and guided him in. “I’m ready now, Phin,” she whispered.

  He drove into her, but held still for a minute to experience the warm, wet comfort.

  She dug her heels into him. “Faster.”

  He took her command to heart and thrust into her. She gripped the leg of the couch to anchor herself from sliding across the floor. The room was filled with their rapid breathing and the slick sounds of sex. Phin rose up and hooked an elbow under her knee to drive deeper.

  Her eyes remained on him, so intent that he almost lost his rhythm. With his other hand he reached for her clit and pressed his thumb against it, causing pressure with each thrust. He felt her tightening, watched her knuckles go white against the leg of the couch as she wrapped her other hand on his forearm. Her nails dug into his skin. Her breath came in quick pants until she shattered, still staring deep into his eyes.

  Once her muscles pulled him deeper, he leaned back over her, bracing his elbows on the floor, and quickened the pace. She felt so damn good that he didn’t want this to end, but he needed to finish, needed to feel her wrapped around him again, needed more.

  Layla folded her arms and legs around him and held on while he pounded into her until he went blind. Then there was nothing.

  He couldn’t see, couldn’t hear, except for the blood roaring in his ears. But he could feel. Layla’s fingers ran a lazy trail down his back, down and then back up to play with his ponytail. He concentrated on the play of her hands until his other senses came back online. Finally able to move again, he pulled out of her with a loud sucking sound, but stayed in her arms for another minute. “Shit, if you’re gonna kill me, that’s the way to go.”

  She laughed again, loud and unrestrained. He eased off her and saw no signs of the girl who had been crying, and he was glad he could do that much for her. He staggered to the bathroom to clean up. He retied his hair and slipped back into his jumpsuit. So much for lunch. He walked back into the living room and saw Layla still lying on her back, splayed naked on his floor. She was such a fucking beautiful sight. What he wouldn’t give to come home to that every night.

  Whoa! Where the fuck had that come from?

  He walked past her, averting his eyes so he wouldn’t be
tempted to get naked again. He needed to get back to work. To fix her transmission so she could go home.

  She wouldn’t be here more than another day or two. He needed to accept that. Moreover, he needed to get his libido to accept that. Phin nabbed the last semi-stale doughnut from the box.

  “Hey, I thought we were getting lunch.”

  “Lunch is over. Back to work.” He looked at her lying there, totally comfortable with his staring. He cleared his throat and almost choked on some powdered sugar. “Remember where the burger place is up the street?”

  She nodded slowly with a sly smile on her face. She knew exactly what she was doing to him and she was getting off on it. “I’ll pick up some food and bring it back to you,” she said.

  “Don’t worry about me.”

  “I want you to be able to keep your strength up.” Her smile widened and her tongue darted out.

  He swallowed a groan. “I’ll be done in a few hours. I’m starting on your car now.”

  She shoved off the floor, resigned that he wasn’t going to rejoin her. “Have a good afternoon at work.” She wiggled her fingers at him over her shoulder as she headed to the bathroom.

  The afternoon would be sweet torture. He’d get lost in thoughts of what they’d just done, yet be tormented by the idea that she was so close but they couldn’t do it again until he finished work for the day. She might be the death of him.

  Forty-five minutes later, Phin felt something shift, and he knew Layla must’ve come into the garage. The guys stopped working, just like they had earlier in the day. Like they’d never seen a pretty chick before. He turned around to see her just standing there, waiting.

  She smiled and held up the bag she had in her hand. “I brought you lunch.”

  Fuck, yeah. Although the sex had been great, the doughnut had barely taken the edge off his hunger. He tilted his head toward the table in the back. He let her lead so he could shoot dirty looks at his coworkers. They responded with lewd gestures.

  If they only knew . . .

  Layla pulled burgers from the bag and set them on napkins. He dragged a stool over so she could sit. He remained on his feet and bit into the burger before he even had the wrapper all the way off.

  Her cheeks pinked and she said, “Sorry I ruined your lunch break.”

  He wiped a hand across his mouth. “Never apologize for great sex. I’m just really hungry.” He drank from the Coke she set in front of him. “So how did the application go? You scooted out of here without my seeing.”

  She played with the wax paper around her burger and averted her eyes. “It’s fine. I’ll finish it some other time.”

  “What’s wrong? You were upset when I woke you up at lunch.” Suddenly, he thought of the other mechanics and the way they looked at her. “Did one of those assholes do something to you?”

  “Who?”

  He hitched a thumb over his shoulder.

  She shook her head. “No. They don’t even notice me.”

  He snorted. “So what was it then?”

  “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  He ate some more. “Doesn’t seem fair that you keep prying into my life but you won’t answer a simple question.”

  “Maybe later.”

  He crumpled the wrapper and shoved it back in the bag. After cramming a few fries into his mouth, he said, “Gotta get back. Thanks for lunch.”

  She shrugged. “No problem. Want to go play pool after work?”

  For someone who hadn’t played at all up until a few days ago, she seemed way too interested. “Sure. After dinner.”

  He turned and went back to work, wondering what secrets Layla was keeping.

  For the next three days, Layla was relaxed and calm. She hadn’t felt the slightest hint of a panic attack. Life in Georgia was better than she’d thought possible considering she was broke and her car was in the shop.

  But things had turned for her. She and Phin fell into a routine. She went grocery shopping so they could eat lunch together and still have time for a quickie. He worked; she did their laundry. It felt very homey. More comfortable than she’d felt in a long time. The thought of going back to school and then on to a job with the NSA was starting to lose its appeal.

  Phin had the right idea—float around and enjoy life.

  She felt free with Phin. She didn’t have to pretend or . . . She could just be herself.

  When he walked in from work Thursday evening, he set her car keys on the counter. “You’re all set. Car’s fixed. You can head out whenever you’re ready.”

  She stared at the keys for a minute and tried to decipher what he was saying. Did he want her to leave? His voice revealed nothing. He’d given no indication that he wanted her gone. In fact, he’d done just the opposite, including her in everything he did. She didn’t believe he’d done that out of some sense of courtesy.

  “What if I’m not ready?”

  He froze on his trek to the bathroom for his shower. “You want to stay? I thought you had plans in Texas.”

  “Spring break is almost over. By the time I drive there, I’ll have to turn around. Besides, I’m having a pretty good spring break right here.” She swallowed and added what she didn’t want to say. “But I totally get it if you want me to leave. I’ve been all up in your stuff for days now. I don’t want to overstay my welcome.”

  He turned and took the few steps back to where she stood. “I’m having a damn fine time myself.” He lowered his head and kissed her without touching her with his greasy hands. No part of them connected other than their lips.

  How he managed to convey so much with just a kiss startled her. He wanted her to stay. Giddiness rose in her chest. The feeling was such a welcome sensation compared to the pressure she’d been feeling.

  Phin pulled away. “I’m going to shower.”

  She was going to stay with Phin.

  While Phin cleaned up, Layla grabbed the newspaper she’d picked up earlier. She scanned the classifieds for a job. She knew it wouldn’t be anything special, but neither was her job at the bookstore. And that managed to pay the bills. She couldn’t in good conscience keep letting Phin pay for everything.

  Well, she had chipped in for food and gas with her winnings from pool. Plus, if she brought in some more money, it would make the trip to Vegas that much easier. All she needed was a simple, mindless job to bring in cash. She circled a few prospects and folded the paper. Tonight, they’d celebrate. Tomorrow, she’d go out to fill out applications.

  The thought of applications brought her back to the NSA. She’d have to get back to them and decline the job, but she couldn’t think about that yet. At least not without getting all twisted up inside. Maybe she just needed a break. There were only a couple of months left to the school year. If she didn’t go back, it would be stupid, but she could take some time, a couple of extra weeks to figure it out. Worst case, she could take incompletes in her classes and finish later. She had until at least Monday to get back to the NSA. By then, she’d be settled here, with Phin.

  Then she’d have to break the news to her parents. They wouldn’t be happy, but lots of people took time away from life, right? She’d always heard about people trying to find themselves. This was her chance to live her life and find out who she really was.

  She went to the bedroom to change before going out. She slipped into the new silk panties she’d splurged on. Phin hadn’t seen them yet, so she’d take pleasure in whispering in his ear tonight, letting him know what she wore and letting his mind wander.

  Everything was uncomplicated between them. She’d never known that a simple life would make her feel so at ease.

  For the life of him, Phin couldn’t figure out how his life had taken such a turn. He’d finished Layla’s car on Wednesday, but he hadn’t told her. He liked having her around, and he wanted to put off her leaving. But then Steve had pointed out that he wanted to get paid, so Phin gave Layla her keys.

  He hadn’t expected her to want to stay.

  Sure,
he knew they were having a great time, but she had plans. Plans that didn’t include him. He didn’t know what he was going to do next week when she really was gone. Over the last few days, every time she spoke about her life, he’d tried to envision himself as part of it. Her family and friends had become vivid images in his mind, and he believed that if he were to run into them on the street, he’d recognize them.

  He wanted to crawl inside her life and plant himself there. She had everything he’d been working toward: a family, a home, real friends who called even when they weren’t near, and roots. Connections to places that had meaning.

  Phin had never experienced that, and Layla refreshed that longing in him. He’d checked his bank balance and determined that Vegas would be his last tournament. He had money to get him started in a new life. The question was: Where was that life?

  Layla stirred next to him, her smooth skin gliding along the length of his body. He’d definitely miss this. She stretched and released her usual morning groan, but then she sat up. She never got out of bed before him. He eased away from her, knowing that he only had maybe another night or two with her in his arms.

  Longing gripped him, and he pushed it aside so he wouldn’t ruin their last couple of days together.

  “What are your plans for today?” he asked.

  “I’m filling out job applications.” She stood at the foot of the bed and pulled on her clothes.

  “Need Steve’s computer again?”

  “Nope. I’ve got a couple of places where I can walk in and apply.”

  Phin’s brain fogged. Walk? Where?

  Oblivious to his confusion, she went to the bathroom and brushed her teeth and fixed her hair. When she came out she asked, “Meet at the bar for pool tonight? I’m feeling lucky.”

  “First, pool is never about luck. Second, where are you filling out applications?”

  “There are a couple of shops not too far from here. Minimum wage, but it should be enough, given what we make at pool.”