“What makes your candy stand out?” he asked.

“Other than how good it is?” she asked cheekily. “It’s handcrafted and made with love. If I grow enough, I’ll have to bring in outside-made candy to fill the cases, but that’s for another time. Meanwhile, I know I’m a small shop and it’ll be hard to get my name out there, but if I can dominate the area around my store based on the one thing I offer that’s different than anyone else, then maybe word of mouth will work in my favor.”

He listened to her words and his hand stilled on the last lug nut. Everything she said made sense.

Her words dominating the area and standing out jumped out at him. “That’s it!” he said, excitement filling him because her words had hit on the one thing missing from Club TEN29. Something unique to them, and suddenly he knew just what he needed to discuss with Gabe.

“What’s it?” she asked.

“You’ve come up with a brilliant idea, Faith Lancaster. And it just might help me with my business, so thank you.” He turned the wrench one last time and rose to his feet, his legs stiff from crouching in one position for so long.

“Happy to help.” She shrugged, obviously confused, but that was okay because he wasn’t. He finally had direction.

He looked down at his hands, now completely covered in dirt and grease.

Faith glanced at his blackened skin. “Oh! Come upstairs and wash up. It’s the least I can do for you after you saved me.”

He didn’t want to get into his car covered in filth, and she seemed okay with him now, so he nodded. “I’d appreciate that.”

He followed her inside and up two flights of dark stairs. He immediately didn’t like where she lived. From the description of the guys hanging out front late at night to the lack of lighting in the walk-up, it screamed danger. But who was he to judge? Yet it bothered him. He wouldn’t let his sister live here.

By the time they walked into the small apartment, he was frowning, but one look at the cheerful décor and his mood lightened. This was a woman who made the best of any situation, he realized, taking in the white curtains and the old furniture with bright pink throw pillows covering the cushions. A matching fun pink rug sat under a beat-up coffee table covered in well-read books.

“You like pink,” he mused, coming up beside her. “And candy.” She even smelled sweet and delicious. “Are you fun, Faith?”

Her cheeks turned an adorable shade of … pink. “I can be, in the right situation.”

He wondered what that right situation might be, because he’d definitely like to have fun with her. The kind between the sheets. Before his dick could react to that thought, he asked, “Where’s the bathroom?”

She led him to a small partly open door and gestured for him to go inside. “There’s a tiny linen closet behind the door. Take a towel and get yourself cleaned up.”