A car horn sounded in the distance, and his head whipped to the left. They were inside a cavernous parking garage, and a blue SUV had just slid around the corner.

They needed to get moving. He backed away, opened her door, and waited until she slid inside. A few moments later, he was in the driver’s seat and reversing the vehicle.

“I-I think you are being nice.” Her voice was halting. “And you’ve…been nice to me a few other times over the years.”

He’d also been a dick over the years. His hold tightened on the steering wheel. “I should have always been better to you. It’s time things change.”

Her scent came to him again as they drove. Did she have any idea how much he loved her lavender scent? How much he—

“I need to pay for your services.”

He braked at a red light. “What?”

“Your protection. I need to pay for it.”

Eric slanted her a glance, but she just looked so damn innocent. “You’re not paying me, Piper.”

“Oh, yes, I am.”

“No, you’re not. I’m helping you because security is my business.”

“But you don’t run a charity business! Look, it’s bad enough you wouldn’t let me pay when you installed the initial security system at my gallery.”

And he sure as hell wished he’d been the one to install the system at her home, too. But they’d gotten into a fight at her gallery that day…because he’d been a jealous dumbass. Some idiot artist had come in, calling her his muse, going on and on about how she’d inspired him…

Eric was pretty sure he’d told the fellow to fuck off because they were busy.

Piper hadn’t liked that response very much. After he’d finished the install, she’d kicked him out. Eric didn’t know what had happened with the dumbass artist. What had his name been? Dillon? Dante? He’d have to check with Simon to make sure the fellow was on their investigation list.

A car honked behind him. He wondered how long the light had been green. Eric shoved down on the gas, and the Benz surged forward. “It’s not charity to help a friend.”

“Is that what I am?”

Another red light. He braked. Turned toward her. “What do you want to be?”

Her golden eyes were so deep.

“That’s the real question, Piper. What do you want? Do you want to be my friend? The way you are friends with Ben? Or do you want to be something more? Because I’m telling you right now, I want more.”