The Cunning Thief (Stolen Hearts #6)(14)

“Busy day? Aren’t you your own boss?”

She let out a little laugh. “I am my own boss, and my boss is a bitch.”

The corner of his mouth tipped up as he glanced away from the road to look at her and then back to the road. “I’ve been debating going into business for myself,” he said.

“It has its benefits. Why? Do you have issues with your current boss?”

“Bosses. I work for a couple. They just started up a consulting company, and I’m one of the original hires.”

Interesting. He’d seemed so reluctant to talk about his work earlier. She had a feeling she was hearing information not many people heard. “Do you like them?”

Tristan shrugged. “I don’t know. They’re not terrible, but they’re not really... on the same level as me. I just don’t know if we’re compatible. Before this, my boss was a huge prick. Like, the biggest prick. But I had a solid team and I always knew they had my back. Most of the team has transitioned to this new unit, but one of the guys is doing more desk work now. So everything’s different. Everything’s changed.”

“Change is hard. Even good change.”

Tristan shrugged and his fingers tightened on the wheel. “Sorry. I shouldn’t be telling you all this.”

“I don’t mind listening.”

“Yeah, but there’s nothing you can do. I’m just rambling.”

Shae let out a little laugh, and before she knew what she was doing, she reached out and set her hand on his leg. “I don’t mind listening to you ramble.”

It was a short drive back to the beachside properties. Shae kept on sneaking glances over at Tristan, but he seemed pretty focused on the road. She didn’t remember the last time she’d been so... confused about a man. Come to think of it, she didn’t remember the last time she’d truly been interested in a man. She wasn’t cold. She found men attractive and could appreciate the sight of them, but the idea of staying out late and missing work just hadn’t seemed worth it. Why did Tristan seem more than worth it?

He drove the car up to McCormick Place. Normally she’d be on edge if the man drove her back to his place without asking, but considering she was next door, it made sense. She thought it would end there, but then he put the car in park and looked at her. “Can I walk you to your door?”

“Oh....” That didn’t seem like a good idea. Why didn’t it seem like a good idea? Was she more worried that he was going to make a move? Or that she was?

Before she answered, Tristan was getting out of the car and making his way over to her door. By the time he’d opened it for her, she still didn’t have a good answer. But then he held his arm out, and she took it wordlessly as he started to lead her back to her house.

“It’s a beautiful night,” he said. “You know, we don’t have to go to your house.”

Shae frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Do you want to take a walk down by the water?”

She smiled at the compromise. This way, she wouldn’t have to say goodbye to him yet, but she wouldn’t be going as far as to invite him inside her house. Not that the house, and the state it was in now, was really the best place to have a tryst. “Hold on.” She slipped her sandals off and set her purse down by the edge of the McCormick house. Considering all the shells that would wash up on the beach, she kept the sandals in her hand in case she needed them, but she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have the sand between her toes.

“I love the beach,” she said. “I know it’s cliché, but standing out here, watching the waves, is really one of the best sensations.” She inhaled, enjoying the slightly salty scent of the air as the soft breeze pushed her hair back away from her face. The moon wasn’t full, but it was just bright enough to highlight all the handsome ridges and planes of Tristan’s face. It was so odd. She just met him that morning, yet here they were taking a romantic stroll down the beach.

He was quiet next to her. She wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing or bad thing. As attracted as she was to him, she didn’t really know whether he was a talker or not. So far, he seemed... perfect. When there was a lull in conversation, he’d pick things up, but he would never go on too long about himself. In fact, he seemed much more interested in her. “Tell me about yourself.”

He smiled at her. “What do you want to know?”

“I was more interested to see what you come up with,” she said with a playful grin. “Make it something... you’ve never told anybody else before.”

“Okay.” He took a deep breath, as he appeared to think carefully about what he would share. “I love the water.”

She reached out and playfully tapped his arm. “Come on. That’s not a secret.”

“Wait, wait. I haven’t gotten to the good part yet. When I was young, really young, I almost drowned. My dad wanted to teach me how to swim and thought the best way was just to push me off the fishing boat, no lifejacket or nothing. He thought that since it was life-and-death, I would just figure it out. Well, I didn’t. I was half dead. Lost consciousness and everything. It was only dumb luck that someone on a nearby boat saw it and jumped in after me.”

Shae didn’t know what she had expected him to reveal, but this was so much more than she’d asked for. “That’s terrible. Your dad wouldn’t come in for you when he saw you were having trouble?”