“Ready to learn?” Moving closer to the computer, Luca brushed past her. Even that smallest touch sent a jolt of awareness through Luca.
With a small smile and nod, Evie turned her gaze to the screen. Expecting her to put more distance between them, Luca was pleasantly surprised when she didn’t. Progress.
Knowing this was only the third time he’d seen Evie did nothing to dampen his attraction to her. There was something about her that pulled Luca in. He wanted to learn more about her. Know more. And now he would have the opportunity.
Drawing his attention back to the job at hand, Luca started explaining the workings of the company and their online system.
After just over an hour of taking Evie through everything, Luca had a sneaking suspicion that Evie had much more experience with computers and technology than she was letting on. She picked up on everything he showed her quickly. Too quickly. She wasn’t starting at the foundation level; that was for sure.
At one point, when Luca clicked the wrong keys, it had been Evie who had stepped in and shown him what to do. It raised more questions for Luca. Questions that he would find answers to. For now, Luca would be patient. If there was something that being a SEAL had taught him, it was patience.
Lexie had returned at some point, but Luca had directed her to other jobs, not wanting his time with Evie to be disrupted.
Having gone through all the digital information of the business, Luca turned toward the open room.
“Okay, time for the tour.” Lightly placing his hand on the small of Evie’s back, Luca led her away from the desk. She gave the slightest of jolts upon his touch but didn’t pull away. The heat from Evie’s skin spread up Luca’s arm. He had the sudden urge to run his hand up her back.
Calm down, Kirwin. Get a grip.
Pulling his mind away from somewhere it shouldn’t be, Luca stopped at the side of the big open space.
“This is our main floor space and is where we teach most of our group self-defense classes. Asher, Bodie, and I tend to run the majority of the classes. We get a lot of school groups as well as having classes open to the public and one-on-one lessons.”
“How many guys do you have running this place with you?” Evie questioned as her gaze darted around the room.
“There are eight of us all together. We try to work to our strengths. Asher, Bodie, and I are more people persons. Oliver and Kye do a lot of traveling for the company. They’re away right now. Wyatt’s our resident IT guru, whereas Mason does more of the administration and organization for the company. Then there’s Eden, he’s more a ‘behind the scenes’ kind of guy.”
Luca could see the questions behind her pretty green eyes.
“When you spoke to Asher earlier, you called him something else.”
“Ah, yes. We each have a nickname. Asher’s is Striker, Eden’s Hunter, Wyatt’s Jobs, Mason goes by Eagle. Then we have Kye who’s Cage, Oliver who’s Ax and Bodie goes by Red.”
Nodding in response, Evie’s brows pulled together. “What do the guys call you?”
Luca’s lips split into a smile. “I’m Rocket because I’m fast.”
A hint of a smile showed on Evie’s lips. “How fast?”
Leaning in close, Luca lowered his voice. “Don’t race me, you’ll lose.”
When Evie turned her face toward him, her lips were close enough that if Luca moved his head forward a fraction, they would be touching. That, he knew already, would send her running.
Lifting his head, Luca cleared his throat. “You can use whichever names you want.”
“I think I’ll stick to your real names if that’s okay.”
“Of course, darlin’.”
Luca ushered Evie forward. As they headed down the hall, there were half a dozen doors connected. Noticing Evie was walking with a limp, Luca frowned. It was only slight, and the average person probably wouldn’t have noticed it, but Luca wasn’t your average person.
“Injure your foot since yesterday?” Luca kept his voice calm but was eager to find out what happened. The startled look on Evie’s face told him that she thought she’d been hiding it pretty well.
“Asher noticed it too. You guys are very perceptive. It’s nothing,” Evie finished with a shrug. When Luca didn’t break eye contact, Evie squirmed before eventually expanding on the story. “I was just trying to move some stuff around, and one of the pieces of furniture dropped on my foot, but it’s fine. That was the bang you heard this morning.”
“Are you okay?” Luca asked concern filled his voice. The bang had been loud, and if it had been something landing on her, it would have hurt like hell.
“I’m okay, just a bruise,” Evie eyed the hallway, clearly wanting them to move on.
“Anything else you need help moving?” Cocking his head to the side, Luca kept his face empty of expression. In his mind though, he was hoping she would say yes. Give him another excuse to see her.
He didn’t know why, but he felt the need to help this woman. Keep her close. But he did, and he wasn’t questioning it.
Giving himself a mental shake, Luca broke eye contact. He needed to back off stat.
“No, I’ve got it. It just slipped this morning. Nothing I can’t handle.”
Move on, Kirwin, the woman said no.
Letting it drop, Luca continued down the hall at a slower pace. He made a mental note to check out the bookcase later.
“These rooms are used more for small group and one-on-one sessions.” Luca indicated the rooms on his left down the hall. “The ones at the end have tables so they can be used for theory or meetings.”
Heading to the closest door, Luca opened it to see Eden getting ready to work out.
Damn.
Before he could retreat and shut the door, Eden looked up. Of course he did, his hearing was as pinpoint as Luca’s.
Silently scolding himself for not paying more attention, Luca moved further into the room.
Eden gave Luca a quick glance as the door opened before narrowing his gaze onto Evie. Fuck. Eden was not friendly to outsiders, particularly of the female kind.
The whole team had taken it hard when they found out what was really going on at Project Arma. Eden had taken it the hardest, however. Particularly because the nurse he was dating from the facility appeared to have been involved and had conveniently vanished.
Standing, Eden took a step closer to them just as Evie retreated a step. Luca didn’t blame her. At six and a half feet tall, Eden was the biggest of the team. The permanent scowl on his face over the last year did nothing to ease with the intimidation factor, either. Right now, that scowl was aimed directly at Evie.
Luca felt his protective instincts kick in and placed his hand lightly on her back again. Even though he knew Eden wouldn’t hurt her, Evie had a vulnerability about her. Something that made him want to protect her.
Without taking his eyes from Eden, Luca introduced them. “Evie, this is Eden, or as we call him, Hunter. Hunter, this is Evie. Evie will be working at our front desk starting today.”
Eden’s piercing gaze homed in on Evie. Luca could feel the nervous tension radiating off her. He wouldn’t be surprised if she turned and ran from the room right then and there.
Taking a subtle protective step in front of her, Luca narrowed his gaze at Eden. Evie hadn’t seemed to notice Luca’s move, but Eden did. His eyes swung back to Luca, and his face grew even more aggravated than it had been before.