“Just one more thing.” Elodie held up her finger, pointing at Charley.

“You, my friend, have a birthday present you have yet to cash in on. Now that home life has calmed down, I think it’s the perfect time to do something for you .

” Elodie smirked. “And I’m sure Dahlia would appreciate it because from what she’s told me, Keely talks about it daily.

You pick a date you want to come to the club? ”

Charley straightened her back, clasping her hands and twisting her fingers.

She didn’t want to come across ungrateful.

It was a generous gift. But this gift had become the bane of her existence.

How could she get out of it? It wouldn’t be easy, but Charley was going to give it her best effort.

Over the last few days, she’d come up with an alternative plan for her gift.

It would make everyone happy, including herself.

“Um, not yet, but I was hoping I could talk to you about it.”

Elodie eyed her suspiciously. “Sure.”

Charley had to tactfully, and appreciatively, approach Elodie.

“It’s such a generous gift, and I really appreciate you giving it to me. But, um, I was wondering if I could give the passes to Keely, and maybe she can take a friend of hers?”

It was the best-case scenario in Charley’s eyes. But maybe not Elodie’s.

Elodie squinted. “You want to give your birthday present to someone else?”

Well, when you say it that way. Shit!

Posed like that, it made Charley seem unappreciative. It was the furthest thing from the truth. Charley may not have fully grasped the value of the gift initially, but Keely schooled her. It was a present most would welcome with open arms. But I’m not like most people.

Charley nibbled on her bottom lip, shifting in her chair. A plausible excuse would go a long way.

“Well, I don’t really dance, so…”

Elodie smiled. “Neither do I, and I had a great time when I came.”

It was a fair counter. Dammit!

Charley shrugged. “I don’t drink either.”

“They have a fabulous selection of mocktails.”

Shoot!

Charley mustered up a smile and grabbed her shirt, fisting the cotton tightly. “I don’t have anything appropriate to wear to a club like this.”

Elodie arched her brow, and the corner of her mouth hiked. “You have a complete showroom to choose from. You can wear anything. In fact, I’m adding an outfit to your gift. Pick whatever you want, get it from the storage unit, and it’s yours to keep.”

I’m doomed. But, she still had one excuse in her pocket.

Charley flattened her lips, nodding. “But um, Keely says the best nights to go would be a Friday, and I always work those nights.”

“How about this Friday? The store is still closed, so it’ll work out perfect.”

God dammit! I walked right into that one.

“It’s such short notice, I don’t know if Keely would be available, and…”

Elodie arched her brow, and Charley knew defeat was on the horizon. “I think we both know that Keely will make herself available. If she has a hard time getting the night off, I’ll talk to Dahlia.”

Her shoulders sagged, and she was seconds away from waving her white flag and accepting utter defeat.

But…

Making excuses wasn’t going to get her out of it, so she’d go with the next best thing. Honesty.

“If it’s alright with you. I’d rather just give Keely the passes.”

Elodie leaned back, folding her arms. “It’s not alright with me.”

Oh.

“I gave them to you because I wanted to treat you to a fun night. You work too much, Charley.”

She shrugged, “I don’t mind.”

“I do.” Elodie narrowed her gaze. “The passes were intended for you. If you don’t want to go, then you don’t have to. But without you, they won’t be used.”

Oh hell. Keely would have an absolute fit. How could she go back to her friend, who was eagerly waiting for a date, and explain how she’d turned down the VIP tickets? I can’t. The small smile playing on Elodie’s lips confirmed she knew that too.

“Nash?” Elodie called.

Charley’s back stiffened, and she jerked her head over her shoulder. Nash was a few feet away but heading toward their table.

“Can we set up Charley and her friend for VIP at the club on Friday?”

“Yes.” Nash shifted his gaze to her, and she immediately felt heat shoot up from her chest to her cheeks. “Your name will be on the list at the door. Go straight to the front of the line and tell them who you are, and someone will escort you inside.”

“Great.” Her tone lacked enthusiasm. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure.”

Pleasure. It would be a good description for the man standing a few feet away.

He had to stop saying it though. It was sending her thoughts into lust-infused overdrive.

Her last fantasy of him was two nights ago.

It was by far one of her favorites. They were in a shower, and he had her pinned against the wall, the water spraying down over them as he fucked her.

“Charley?”

Elodie’s voice knocked her right out of her daze and back to reality. She blinked, feeling the rush of heat course over her skin. The corner of his mouth curled into a sexy smirk. It was almost a tease. It was as if he knew exactly what she’d been thinking. Impossible. Right?

“Nash will walk you out,” Elodie said.

What? Absolutely not! She could barely form coherent sentences with this man. The last thing she needed was more alone time. Charley held up her hand and shook her head.

“That’s not necessary.”

Nash stepped closer and waved his hand to the elevator. “I insist.”

Shit.

Charley nervously smiled at Elodie and walked to the elevator.

It opened immediately, which was a godsend.

The quicker she got out of there, the better.

Nash stepped inside and stood two feet away.

Too close. At least he wasn’t speaking to her.

It gave her the chance to not make a fool of herself.

It did, however, offer up a new fantasy. Elevator sex. Stop!

The doors opened, and Nash glanced over. She darted out and double-timed her steps to the back door. The security guard opened it, and she smiled.

“Thank you, and um, bye, Nash.” She said it so quickly, her words were jumbled.

It didn’t slow her down from making a beeline for her car.

She rummaged through her bag in search of her keys.

She was a foot away from her door when she looped the ring around her finger and pressed the button to unlock it.

She’d make it.

Or not.

“We never finished our discussion.”

Charley spun too quickly and found herself pinned against her car door with Nash only a foot away. He followed me out? Why?

“W-what?”

He angled his head. “I make you nervous.”

Her brows shot up to her hairline. “No.”

Liar.

“That’s not what you said earlier.”

Charley racked her brain for an excuse. She came up with nothing. Maybe Nash would let it go.

“Those were your words.”

Nope.

She fisted her keys in her bag. Her small chuckle was shaky, showcasing her nervousness. She was desperately trying to play it off. And failing.

“I didn’t mean it in a bad way.”

The corners of his eyes crinkled. “I make you nervous in a good way?”

This was disastrous. Please, let it go, Nash.

“Charley,” he whispered.

“I’m shy,” she blurted, cringing at her response. Then she made it worse. “Especially around people like you.”

His gaze narrowed. “People like me?”

Obviously, that was the wrong terminology. Was that offensive? That was definitely offensive.

“N-no” —She held up her hands— “I didn’t mean that in a bad way.”

“So, people like me” —He paused— “in a good way?”

Charley closed her eyes and lowered her head. If she could crawl in a hole, she would. But there was no magical snap of her fingers to disappear.

She blinked open her eyes, staring down at the ground with his black shoes in her peripheral vision. No escaping this blunder.

“I meant, men like you. Successful, smart, handsome, well-dressed, well-spoken, highly regarded.” She paused. “Handsome…”

“You said that twice.” There was a slight tease in his tone, and she felt her cheeks burn.

I did, didn’t I?

“Charley?”

She hesitated but ultimately looked up. He leaned forward, and for a brief second, he was close enough to kiss her. Their lips were a breath away. She drew in a breath as her heart pumped heavy in her chest. Nash grabbed the handle of the door, brushing his arm against her waist.

“Have a nice night.”

She quickly nodded and turned. He opened the door, and she slipped inside, refusing to look at him. When the door closed, she rushed to pull out her keys and start her car.

Get me outta here.

****

Nash stood in the open door of the back entrance, watching Charley pull out of the lot. In the dark it was hard to make out, but when she drove under the street lamp, he noticed she looked over. It was short-lived, and she immediately turned forward as she passed by the building.

Successful, smart, handsome, well-dressed, well-spoken, highly regarded, handsome.

Compliments were rare in the Underground.

He had no idea what he was doing. For a man who always had a plan, this whole display was out of character for Nash.

It was a game he couldn’t resist playing.

There was a point, right before she left, Charley was staring at him in a complete daze with a tiny smile playing on her lips and her eyes hazy as if she was in a trance.

He would’ve given anything to know what she’d been thinking.

It wouldn’t go any further than harmless flirting on his end.

It couldn’t. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t indulge a little.

“Night, Caine.”

Nash turned to the hall. Elodie was walking toward him with Ridge at her side.

It was a new protocol that she have security with her at all times.

Oz had lightened up a little when it came to her being at the shop.

There was still men watching the building, but they didn’t go inside.

Nash had a feeling that was one battle Elodie won.

She smiled and slowed her steps as she got closer.

“Heading home?”