Page 22 of Reckless Knight (Knight's Ridge Empire 7)

“Are you sure?” he finally asks.

“Yes. Bugger off,” I joke.

“You’re the best, Jo. It’s good to have you back.”

He smiles at me as I quickly return it, although I don’t have the reaction to him most women do on the receiving end of that grin. He’s hot—sure, there’s no denying that. He’s just… my boss. And nothing more.

“It’s good to be back,” I tell him honestly as he makes his way toward the staff-only door at the back of the shop.

“I’ll let myself out. Thanks, Jo,” are his parting words before the door slings closed behind him.

Silence settles around me as I take a moment to suck in a breath and ground myself.

I’d been dreading this shift for days, but now it’s over I can’t help feeling ridiculous for ever thinking it would be anything other than exactly what I needed.

Yeah, I’m worried about Mum and the state she might have got herself into while I’ve been gone. But there’s no alcohol in the house, so unless she’s strong enough to leave, or even order more, I’m hoping she’ll have had a few hours detox at least.

Maybe me coming back to work can be the beginning of things slowly getting back to normal. Whatever ‘normal’ looks like these days with half of my family gone.

Blowing out a long breath, I banish those thoughts from my head and focus on the good in my life. A night out with Bri, and maybe, if I’m lucky, another late-night chat with Toby.

I’m smiling like an idiot at memories from last night again when a door closes behind me.

“Did you forget somethi—” My words falter when I turn around, not finding who I was expecting.

Instead of Matt rushing back in, I find the guy who was sitting on the sofa not so long ago.

Well, I’m assuming it’s the same person, because he’s wearing a black hoodie.

“What the hell are you doing in here?” I ask in a rush, my brow wrinkling with confusion as I stare into familiar intense blue eyes.

He closes the space between us and my heart begins to gallop in my chest at the longing on his face.

I back up, bumping against the counter as he continues to prowl toward me like a lion stalking its prey.

“Funny story,” he starts, reaching up to push the hood from his head as the rapid movement of my chest starts bordering on embarrassing.

“Toby,” I breathe, already beyond turned on but also slightly afraid of the glint in his eye right now.

He doesn’t stop until his hands land on either side of my waist on the counter and his breaths are racing over my face.

“When I looked at my phone this morning, I found evidence of a thirty-minute video call with you last night.” He moves closer, his rough jaw brushing against my cheek and sending a bolt of electricity shooting straight to my clit.

His lips brush my ear and I have to stifle a groan as my body grows hotter and hotter with the heat of him seeping into me.

“I need you to remind me what I might have said,” he growls in my ear.

“Oh my God,” I breathe when he nips my ear.

“Y-you…” I stutter, barely able to get my brain to function as his lips brush the sensitive skin of my throat.

What is it about this guy? He manages to disarm me at every turn by knowing exactly what I need.

I’ve been burning for this since climbing from his car last night. And then listening to his filthy words through the phone a few hours later. How I managed not to reach for my vibrating little friend the second the call disconnected is beyond me. I deserve a fucking medal for that shit.

“I what, Demon?” he growls, the timbre of his voice hitting me exactly as I’m sure he intends.

I quickly realise that there are two sides to this man. The restrained, sweet guy who looked after me last night, and then this darker, demanding side that turns me to a desperate ball of need. And I’m more than happy to take this one right now, because fuck…