Page 25 of After All This Time

Tobias arches one of those infuriatingly perfect eyebrows. "Is he hot?"

I pause, the image of Logan flickering in my mind. I picture his messy blond scruff—it's an I-rolled-out-of-bed-and-don't-give-a-shit kind of mess. And that little smile, the one that teeterson the edge of being cute but has something deeper simmering underneath.

Before I can respond, Tobias cuts in, "I'll take that silence as a yes."

"Whether he's hot or not is irrelevant." I exhale hard enough to blow a stray strand of hair out of my face. "I need to get out of here and do something. I'm stuck in this apartment day and night. You're either working, hanging out with Harry, or going out with whoever you're seeing this week."

Tobias looks mildly offended, but that's his problem. He's used to me being here when he comes home, so of course he doesn't get it.

"You work. Why shouldn't I?" I ask, daring him to push back.

"I have to work."

"No, you work because you love what you do. If you didn't, you'd already be Daddy's little pet, sitting pretty behind a desk."

I watch his jaw tighten at the mention of his worst nightmare, but I'm past caring right now.

"The company hasn't even started paying me yet, and when it does, it's barely anything. I'm not even there full-time. I'm not planning on working in a bar forever, but right now, I want to do something to support myself. I need to."

His defenses crumble, and his face softens. "You're right. I'm sorry."

He steps closer, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me flush against his chest. My arms instinctively circle his back as he inhales deeply, his breath fanning over my hair, causing my body to react in ways it absolutely shouldn't.

"I still need to steal your shampoo," he murmurs, and I laugh softly against his chest, the sound swallowed by the steady beat of his heart. "Do you want me to drive you? I'm not doing anything tonight." I tilt my head up, nodding as I meet his gaze.

For a split second, I freeze as unwelcome butterflies start to swirl, and I hate the way my pulse jumps.

To anyone else, we probably look like two people completely lost in each other, and maybe I am a little. Still, I know there's nothing beneath the surface for Tobias—no hidden attraction, no inappropriate feelings. It's just how we are—close, maybe too close sometimes, but it's completely innocent for him.

I quickly break the weird tension by jabbing him in the ribs. He jerks, releasing me instantly, and the tension shatters as he jumps back, laughing and scowling at the same time.

"You're a fucking menace, Mills."

Chapter 10

Tobias

At first, I assumed Amelia conveniently forgot to mention that we were headed to a biker bar, but judging by the look on her face when we pulled up and saw the rows of motorcycles parked out front, it appeared she didn't know either.

Yet here she is, fucking smiling like an idiot.

Give a guy a motorcycle, and suddenly, women aren't just ready to ride the bike—they're lining up for the biker too.

From the outside, it's everything you'd expect from a dive bar. It's dimly lit, probably reeking of stale beer and desperation, and I assume the jukebox is limited to playing Lynyrd Skynyrd songs.

And then there's Mills.

She's going to stick out here like a diamond in a dumpster. The girl is a ballet dancer, for crying out loud. Even now, she looks all cute and shit, like she's about to get out of my car on her tiptoes and pirouette her way through the front door.

I know she can handle herself. Amelia has more backbone than half the people I know. But this isn't somewhere I want her working.

God, I sound like one of those overbearing and overprotective big brothers. Technically, I guess I am, even if I don't treat her like that. But in this case? I'm rolling with it.

"Could your thoughts be any louder, Tobias?"

Amelia's voice slices through the stillness of the car like she's been sitting here listening in on my mind this whole time, just waiting for the right moment to call me out.

I shift in my seat, trying to shake off the unease that's been gnawing at me since we pulled up.

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