Page 11 of Believing in You

Why’d he have to stop? What had freaked him out? Because he was definitely freaked out if the horrified expression on his handsome face was any indication.

“I’m sorry,” he hurried to say. “I—I…”

“I’m not,” Nyla interrupted.

It was as if she could still feel Harrison’s mouth on hers as she touched her lips with her fingers.

Yeah, no, she wasn’t sorry. At. All.

Silence fell between them. While she studied him, he studied his stylishly black leather boots while shaking his head.

He huffed out a breath before looking at her. “I was out of line. I wish I could say it won’t happen again, but… You’re so damn irresistible. I couldn’t help myself.”

Nyla grinned, and then she burst out laughing because of how serious he looked. By their interactions and conversations over the last couple of months at work, she knew Harrison wasn’t shy. Yet, there was an innocence about his current behavior that didn’t fit.

The man was such a contradiction. He was a contrast of tall, sexy, take charge, and well put together man in one instance. Then the next, he was aloof, unsure, and almost skittish. It wasas if he wanted to let himself go and live a little, but something was holding him back.

“I liked it, and I’m looking forward to the next time we do it,” she said. Attempting to lighten the moment, she moved forward and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. He momentarily stiffened but then relaxed.

Ready to go home, Nyla went back to her locking up routine. She started shutting off lights, and Harrison eventually followed her to the back hallway. He stood by the exit while she reached into the utility closet and turned on the alarm.

Once they made it outside, the bitterly cold wind whipped around her and sent a chill through her body. It had reached thirty-eight degrees earlier, but now, it had to be in the teens.

“Where’s your car?” Harrison asked, glancing around the back of the building. There were two empty parking spaces against the building, as well as a dumpster close to the alley.

“I sold it last year,” she said and slung the strap of her bag onto her shoulders before sliding her hands into her fur-lined gloves.

She’d had to make sacrifices, including going without a car. Thankfully, Chicago had great public transportation that got her everywhere she wanted to go. At least for the most part. Occasionally, she did rideshare but not often because of the cost.

Harrison frowned. “How do you get to and from work?”

“The train or sometimes the bus.”

She glanced at her watch. If she hustled, she’d make it in time to catch the next train home.

“Well, thanks for sticking around, Harrison. I appreciate it. The next time you come in, food and drinks are on me. See you in the morning.”

Harrison fell into step beside her. “I can’t let you catch the train this time of night. I’ll take you home. I’m parked around the corner.”

Nyla smiled at him. “It’ll be fine. I do it all the time.”

“Not tonight,” he said, and the finality in his deep baritone left no room for argument.

“But Harrison, I don’t live around here. I’m in Hyde Park, and I think I remember you mentioning you live in Lincoln Park. I can’t ask you to go out of your way like that. I appreciate you helping me lock up, but you’ve done enough.”

The club, located in Bucktown, was not far from where he lived. But if he drove her home, that was at least a thirty-minute ride each way.

“It’s not a problem, Nyla. Besides, it’ll make me feel better knowing you were safe. This way,” he said, nodding down the street to his left.

She shivered and pulled the hood of her coat over her head to help block out the wind. A ride in the car this time of night would be better than hopping on the train, especially considering how much the temperature had dropped.

“Fine, as long as you know it’s not necessary.”

He didn’t respond, and a few minutes later, he stopped next to a new Ford Explorer. She pictured him as more of a luxury car type of guy, but winters in Chicago could be brutal, especially when it snowed. An SUV was definitely a better choice.

He opened the passenger side door and helped her into the vehicle before he climbed into the driver’s seat. After giving him her address, she settled in for the ride.

Small talk flowed between them. Nothing too heavy, despite Nyla wanting to ask him some personal questions. For much of the night, she’d thought about what Jamie had said about how Harrison had been through a lot. She was sure it had to do with his mother, but Nyla didn’t ask. Her nosiness was always a cause for contention with her siblings, and she didn’t want to show him that side of her. At least not yet. Hopefully, one day she’d get him to open up to her.

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