She giggled. “Okay, okay.”
We ate and chatted, sharing good laughs. I couldn’t get Shane out of my mind, though. He lurked like a phantom image, one I wasn’t sure I wanted to fade.
SHANE
I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her since I last saw her—even now, on my motorcycle going over the Brooklyn Bridge. Normally, I wouldn’t think about anything during a ride, but she was relentlessly in my thoughts. It was mid-afternoon, so there was less traffic than usual. I picked up speed, flowing gradually down the bridge, the wind rushing over my helmet, creating a sweeping sensation.
Eddy had told me she was meeting the event planner today. I wanted to surprise her. Her friend Allison was there, too. We could get a cab and go together rather than them having to take the subway.
When I got to her house, they were outside. She looked beautiful. A healthy glow had returned to her since the incident. She was wearing black, as usual, though smiling white skulls covered her outfit, and it was the cutest dress I’d ever seen. There was something so endearing about the mixture of her innocence and mischievous—almost tempting—rebellion.
She stopped in her tracks when she saw me. I parked near her house, and Allison greeted me with a wave. I knew that she was Sasha’s best friend from Facebook, though Allison was rarely on.
“Eddy isn’t here,” Sasha remarked.
“I’m not here for Eddy,” I countered, taking off my helmet. A small sheen of sweat had formed on my brow, and I hastily wiped it away with my gloved hand. Sasha looked mesmerized, but she snapped back to her senses.
“Oh? Why are you here then? I mean, not that I mind, but…” she trailed off.
“I figured you could use a break from walking and the subway, so I’ve ordered a cab. Also, your friend came all this way, so she might be tired,” I said.
Sasha looked surprised and raised an eyebrow. “How gentlemanly of you, Shane.”
“I can be the good guy, too,” I told her.
“I can see that.”
“Good. I want you to see that. Really, I do.”
Allison looked at my bike. “I like the design on it. Nice fire and skulls,” she commented.
“Thanks.” I grinned.
The cab pulled up. I should have gotten here earlier but was glad I made it on time. The driver rolled down the window, and a cool blast of air escaped from inside. It felt refreshing on my heated face.
“I have a pickup for Cassidy,” the driver announced.
“That’s me,” I said. I gestured to the car. “Ladies? Your chariot awaits.”
Allison giggled, and Sasha blushed, which made me blush too. Damn, I hated how she had that impact on me. I sat in the front seat while the girls scooted into the back.
“We’re going to?” I asked, registering that the driver was looking at me with some irritation.
“Imperial Designs,” she said.
“Threatening name,” I replied.
“Eh. They’re an event company that doubles as an interior design business. They must be doing well if they’re located in Manhattan.”
“True that,” Allison concurred facetiously.
Sasha gave the address, and we rode in comfort and style. I tried to catch a glimpse of her, but every time I did, she looked away. When I finally met her gaze, she looked down quickly, a candy-pink blush spreading across her beautiful face. I wanted her even more. I wanted so much to spoil her, to make her smile every day.
When we finally arrived, traffic had picked up. The rush of heat from outside nearly knocked me over as I opened the door for them both.
SASHA
I couldn’t comprehend his helpfulness. First saving my life… Now this? But he still had that irresistible edge to him. When he had taken off his helmet, I nearly fell over. His black shirt stuck to him with sweat and looked great against his muscular, tanned, and tattooed arms.
He took my hand as I got out of the taxi. The touch was electric. I gripped him tighter as I stood. I felt a bit light-headed and nearly fell over again, but Shane held me up. A cool breeze swept by. I gazed up at him, my eyes wide and lips parted. We were oddly frozen in time and space. Until Allison poked my butt.
“Hey, guys? I gotta get out too,” she said.
“Oh, sorry,” I exclaimed and returned to earth. I stepped to the side to let her through. She looked from me to Shane, then to me again and raised an eyebrow, the hint of a smile forming on her lips.
“Yes?” I muttered, staring at her.
She giggled. “Nothing.”
Damn. Sometimes having a perceptive friend could be annoying. I didn’t know why I was so embarrassed by a little PDA. It could be because it was so foreign between Shane and me. I was so used to bottling my feelings up and not letting them show quite so blatantly.
“Right this way,” Shane interjected.
The building was also air-conditioned, which was great. I couldn’t stand the heat, and being so weak made it even harder to tolerate. A tall woman with blonde hair and a bright white smile greeted us. “Sasha Meade?” she asked. “I’m Olga. I will be assisting you with your event.”
“I spoke with you on the phone. I wrote your name down.” I smiled, and she nodded. “This is my friend Allison, and this is Shane,” I introduced, realizing I wasn’t sure what to introduce Shane as, which made me blush. I hoped he didn’t notice. “They’re helping me pick out decorations today.”
“I have an art degree,” Allison inserted proudly.
Olga smiled, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Follow me. I’ll take you to the gallery.”
“You have a gallery? Impressive,” Allison said.
“Yes. It helps people to actually see what they’re buying rather than just looking in a magazine or at textures,” Olga explained.
“See, I told you this place was legit,” I beamed. Shane laughed, shaking his head. “What?” I sounded defensive, and his smile told me he’d noticed.
“Nothing. You’re just cute.”
I caught a glimpse of my red face in the mirror. Damn him. I hated that he could cause such a reaction in me. It was like nothing else on this earth.
We followed Olga into a huge room. Within, there were several cubicles. Each was decorated entirely differently. There were floral prints, striped patterns, and simple beige decorations. Pastel-colored balloons and fresh flowers filled every inch of the place.
“Wow. God. This is beautiful,” Allison breathed. “You guys have some great designers. Do you offer internships? Jobs?”
“Actually, we do,” Olga said.
“Take my card, then.” Allison had always been enterprising.
I walked over to the beige and cream-colored cubicle. Pale pink and beige balloons covered the table. I ran my hand across the surface. “I like this one,” I called to them.
“Are you sure? I think your parents have more fire than this,” Shane said. He pointed to the busier cubicle, which was loud and bright yellow. “I could see your dad digging this.”
“I think I know my own parents. My mom would hate it.”
“Yeah, but that’s a bit boring for your dad.”
Olga stepped away. “I try not to get into the middle of couple disputes,” she said with a light-hearted laugh. “I’ll give you a minute.” Olga walked away. Allison was still trying to win her attention.