He shook his head. “Nope. See, you make this sound when you drink the coffee at my house. I like that sound. I’ve got a vested interest in hearing it more. Ergo, I thought to bring you a bag so that happens.”

“This is like thirty bucks a pound!”

“That particular bag is forty-eight dollars. It’s my money. I like to see you get all flushed with delight like you are right now. I won’t say no if you want to offer me some, naturally.”

“And you can see me from your office when I make it,” she murmured. Man, he must have been a handful as a kid.

His grin widened. “I did think of that, yes. But I’m rarely in my office. I’ll have to be sure to get in there more often so I can watch you.”

“Or here’s something, you can just go about your day and stop trying to cop a feel at work.”

“Where’s the fun in that?” He kissed her forehead and ducked away.

“Thank you,” she said, turning quickly to prevent him from coming in for another kiss. She headed over to make a pot of coffee, sighing happily when she opened the bag and the scent of the beans spilled out.

He’d even remembered she had a little grinder at work because she loved the ritual of grinding the beans as part of making coffee. That he noticed those details was so unexpectedly charming. Another aspect to his sexiness. He paid attention.

“You were about to say yes to coming out to watch me race tonight.”

She loved cars and bikes and racing. But since she and Duke had been dating, that bevy of women friends at the track, several of them former … what? Flames? Sex partners? Just what did you call all this complicated stuff? In any case, it made her crazy. Which made her crazy in and of itself. She wasn’t that person! So, then she had to pretend it didn’t bother her and that was tiring.

But the thing that had her most unsure about going that night was that there were raggedy edges of that crowd at the track that felt a lot like the losers her mother had living with them over the time Carmella grew up.

Wild boys never grew up. They may be hot as hell and pretty decent in bed, but the ones like her ex left a mess for other people—usually women—to clean up. Being around that again wore on her. Though those guys weren’t really part of the crew Twisted Steel hung with, they did have a spot right across from theirs so it was impossible not to see and be around.

She poured the water after measuring the coffee and started the pot, thinking about just what to say to him.

“This seems like one of those times when you’re bothered by something and aren’t telling me. I thought you liked racing?” Duke asked.

“I do. I’m tired, that’s all. I was just thinking about everything I needed to do.”

“Now see, this is a problem because I know this something you’re not saying is about me. I might have to kiss you and rub all over you until you share and people will see.”

Carmella nearly guffawed. “You’re so spoiled.”

“When you’re around, I definitely am. Tell me why you’re hesitating. Has someone said or done something to upset you?”

This was one of those moments where if she pushed him away, he’d stay away. She could tell. Or maybe it was more like she wanted to share, to open up a little, but it wasn’t the right place.

“I really don’t want to do this here. Or now. But it’s nothing you do. I can say that.”

“Fair enough. I do have a rear suspension issue I need to figure out. And a cup of coffee to drink after I hear that sound. I normally would ask you to lunch so we could talk, but I need to work through so I can finish that damned Chevy or die trying before quitting time. Stay home tonight if you want. Leave your kitchen light on if you’re awake and I’ll come over. Work for you?”

She nodded as the coffee finished up and she didn’t even need to fake the nearly orgasmic sound of appreciation she made when she took that first sip.

Maybe she was the one who was spoiled.

Whatever the case, she wasn’t going to overthink it. Much.

Duke tried to put whatever it was bothering Carmella out of his mind that morning and afternoon. But as he did his best thinking while he fiddled with a broken machine, it wasn’t always easy. Mostly he let his brain go, gave over to that part of him that always just seemed to be able to figure out how to fix things.

But in the back of his mind, he thought about the track from her perspective. He knew she’d come out to racing events for years with her cousin Craig. In the months she’d worked at Twisted Steel, she’d become closer friends with PJ, and everyone at the shop seemed to love her just as much.

So it was nearly certainly something else.

“You have a client meeting at four,” Carmella called out as she approached him some hours later.

“Oh shit. I forgot that was today.”

“That’s why I gave you an hour. Mick will be by soon enough to nudge you and Asa.” She kept walking, pausing to speak to Asa.

Duke watched her as she listened to something Asa said. She put her hand on a hip and sent him a look and Asa’s shoulders slumped, but he nodded his head.

Duke double-timed it to his office because his cock was so fucking hard he was sure it could be seen from space. God damn how he loved it when she gathered them all up like wayward ducklings and got them back on track.

He sure hoped her kitchen light was on that night when he got home.

Just ten minutes later she tapped on his door, poking her head in. “Asa says he’ll handle the stuff about the undercarriage costs.”