One side of his lips kicked up. “Some of the best things start off as not being very smart. Like when I tried to rob your father.”

A surprised laugh burst out of me. “That wasn’t smart, and you’re lucky that worked out in your favor.”

“So true.” His head lowered, and I tensed, thinking that he just might be getting ready to do something really not smart.

He pressed a kiss to my forehead.

So not something a boss should do.

But I didn’t really care about that as I stood still before him.

His warm breath danced over my cheek and then it stirred the wisps of hair around my temple. “But you’re right.”

Relief and disappointment battled inside me as I found myself nodding jerkily. I let myself in, not daring to look at him as I closed the door behind me and locked it. Only then, as I rested my forehead against the door, did I realize his jacket was still draped over my shoulders.

“Shit,” I muttered.

Somewhere behind me, Rhage meowed pitifully.

I didn’t move, because a part of me was still out in the hall, standing there, seriously considering letting Brock in. And that part of me was an incredibly stupid part, because I was desperate to know what would’ve happened if I had let him in.

* * *

My stomach felt jittery and nervous as I walked into my office Thursday morning and sat behind my desk.

I didn’t know how Brock was going to behave today after asking to come into my apartment. I’d had a hell of a time trying to fall asleep last night, because my mind wouldn’t shut down.

There was a good chance that I’d read something that hadn’t been there when he asked to come in. That wasn’t unlikely. I’d been a pro at doing that in the past. Maybe he just wanted something to drink and wanted to hang out like normal friends do, and I’d made it weird.

I always made things weird.

But that hadn’t been a normal hug.

And he also hadn’t acted like a friend. Not when he’d kissed my cheek and then my forehead. Friends didn’t kiss each other on the face. I mean, I saw that happen a lot on TV shows, but never in real life, thank God, because hello, personal space. He’d also agreed coming in wouldn’t have been wise.

Last night, I’d turned this stuff over and over in my head until I got so annoyed that I picked up my Kindle and forced myself to get lost in a historical romance about the illegitimate son of a duke who had become a pirate.