RISK(19)

He shoots me a look that I've seen before. He knows I'll drop it until I see another redhead with blue eyes. Once that happens, the questions will start all over again. It's a never-ending Ferris Wheel of my own misery that I finally need to step off of for good.

She survived that night. That's all that matters. I have to let it go.

"What about Wolf?"

I respond almost immediately. "Don't waste Kristof's time. I'll find out everything I need to know about him from Ellie tomorrow."

Then I'll do everything I can to make her forget him.





Chapter 13


Ellie




"What's the deal with you and Wolf?" Crew asks as he picks up a tube of pale pink lip balm.

I look at him first before I lock eyes with Nolan. "You don't strike me as the type of man who gossips."

He chuckles deeply with a faint shake of his head. "I assure you I'm not. Crew and I went to high school with Liam's brother. I mentioned seeing him last night to Crew."

Embarrassment wages war with disappointment in the pit of my stomach. I feel my cheeks heat. Of course, that would be it. Why would Nolan care if I was hooking up with another man? He had every chance to stay at Cremza to yank my attention his way. It wouldn't have even taken a yank. A faint tug and I would have been focused solely on him.

He walked away, though. He introduced himself to Liam and then he took off.

"From what I remember, he's a good guy." Crew glances at the line of customers waiting to pay for their purchases. "A big guy too. If he needs a job, you have the go-ahead to hire him to join our security team."

"I'm sure Liam has a job," Nolan comments under his breath.

"I can ask him when I have dinner with him tomorrow," I say, leaving out the important detail that Adley, and all her good intentions, invited both Liam and Randy to our apartment for one of her home cooked meals. It's an ill-thought-out effort on her part to impress Randy. He mentioned not having a decent meal in weeks, and she was quick to offer up her spaghetti and what, I think, are meatballs.

It's my chance to get to know them both better since I left Cremza ten minutes after Nolan did. Wolf didn't seem to mind. Two other women had already stopped to talk to him before I finished explaining that I was too tired to hang out.

"You're having dinner with him?" Nolan asks coolly, his eyes buried in his phone.

"That's the plan. He's coming over to my place."

That's enough to not only grab his full attention; it also perks his left brow. "You just met him, Ellie. Do you think it's wise to invite him into your home?"

"I'll frisk him before I let him in."

Crew gets a chuckle out of that. "I've got a meeting across town in thirty. I'm heading out. We'll approve the new cameras, and you can set up an install time, Ellie."

I smile. When they stopped in, unannounced, five minutes ago I knew it was to discuss the cameras. I'd called Nolan's assistant, Eda, this morning asking for a meeting with him and Crew. The new cameras are small and unassuming. The viewing range will cover the entire sales floor. Also, their design will fit in flawlessly with the lights already in place in the stock room. I know that employee theft is a huge problem and I want to pin the culprit to the wall.

"I appreciate that, Crew."

"I'm considering pocketing this." He looks down at the lip balm. "There's not a lot of color to this, is there?"

"There's a selection of lip balms just for men on the back wall." I point to a display that one of the sales staff spent hours perfecting. "Those don't have any color at all and the packaging is more masculine."

"I had a hand in launching that line," he says with a smile. He rolls the lip balm over in his palm. "I had someone else in mind for this one."

"Who?"

Nolan's question raises Crew's left brow. He stares at him before he finally answers. "My niece."

"She's too young for that," Nolan shoots back quickly. "Besides, she'll appreciate your gifts more if you don't have one in your hand every time you see her."

"Good point." Crew nods, setting the lip balm back.

"Thank you again for trusting in my decisions, Crew." I grin.

"You're the expert." He checks his watch. "I'm confident that you're going to curb theft in this store and then we'll move ahead on implementing your changes in all our stores in the city, and eventually nationwide."

It's a huge testament to his belief in me. He can't know how much I value that.

I turn toward Nolan as Crew exits the store. "Is that all? I should get back to work. One of the other guards is due to take their coffee break."

"That can wait. I need you to come up to my office with me." His hand reaches for my elbow. His grip is firm, yet tender. The whisper of something unrelated to discussions about security cameras and scheduled staff breaks is there.

I breathe in the scent of his cologne. Matiz for Men. I recognize the subtle undertone of white musk and cedar. Beneath it is the fragrance of his skin. He smells as good as he looks. "It will only take fifteen minutes, Nolan. I can meet you up there as soon as I'm done."