As Danica sat there continuing to work, she was even more convinced of it now. There was no way she could give into so much as a fling with Orlando. Today had been just a taste of what it’d be like to have to see or know of him with someone else, and she had no right whatsoever to be feeling entitled. She could only imagine if she gave into even a casual romp with him. Her reaction to it would for sure ruin all the effort she’d put into getting Oreo back in her life. Those moments she’d been caught in his eyes and been so close to his lips were absolutely heart-stopping. She could only imagine what a kiss from him would be like. Heaven. Breathing in deeply, she closed her eyes. This was a sacrifice she’d just have to make, because there was no way she’d be risking losing her time with the baby. No way.
Orlando
They were in the middle of discussing the newest car brought in for restoration when Orlando did a double take. Danica was standing up behind the counter, looking out curiously at the old convertible they’d just pulled into the restoration shop. It was a nice one even before being restored. He smiled at the thought of Danica being a classic car buff. Like he needed any more reason to feel even crazier about her than he already did.
His smile went flat when he saw Alonso walk into the lobby and head straight to the counter. She took a seat, but they both turned to look out into the shop as if to address the car she’d been spying. “I’ll be back,” he said to Nine, who barely glanced up from the paperwork he was reading about the convertible they’d just brought in.
He took a deep breath as he watched Alonso lean up against the counter, making himself comfortable. Hurrying his step a bit, he felt his muscles going taut as he opened the door to the lobby and walked through.
“I’ve never seen anything beyond that shop door,” Danica said. “I have no business going over there.”
“Yeah, but you’ve been here over a month and no one’s given you the grand tour yet?” Alonso waved her over with his hand. “C’mon, I’ll give you the tour.”
Yeah, Orlando bet he would. “She can’t right now.” Orlando came around the counter. “I got work I need her to do for me.”
“Slave driver,” Alonso said, shaking his head, then turned to Danica. “I’ll give you a tour when you’re not busy.”
“Nine needs your ass out there, Mr. Tour Guide.” Orlando turned to Dani as Alonso walked away. “Can you bring up the De La Hoya contract and print out the last four pages for me?”
“You know me,” Dani said, turning to face the computer screen. “I’m at your beck and call.”
Orlando couldn’t be sure of it earlier, but he was now. Dani had been as annoyed with Ms. Portillo as he was with Alonso, or anyone who tried to get too chummy with her. He’d silently staked his claim on her even before she was single. But now that she was, he’d be damned if he was letting anyone get any ideas about her. Was it possible she was feeling the same about him?
He stared at her from behind, his hopeful heart speeding up as she tapped away at the keyboard. As soon as she turned to him, he smirked but decided not to comment on her beck-and-call remark. “You really wanna tour of this place?”
Standing up to get the copies off the printer, she shrugged. “I didn’t ask for one. Alonso just offered because he was surprised I’ve never been on that side of the shop. But I wouldn’t mind.”
Orlando hadn’t even thought about that, but if anyone would be giving her the grand tour, it’d be him. No way would he be letting Alonso do it, and if he had to talk to him about his trying to throw the moves on Dani, as he had with Fernando, he sure as fuck would. “Come on.” He took the papers she handed him. “I’ll show you around.”
“But who’ll cover the lobby?” she asked, already walking around the counter.
“I’ll send Alonso’s ass to do it.”
“But doesn’t Nine need him?”
“He’ll be fine without him for a few minutes.” He held the shop door open for her, and she walked past him. “Alonso,” he said as they walked past him, and he handed the paperwork to Nine. “Go cover the lobby while I show Dani around.”
Alonso’s jaw dropped, looking as annoyed as Orlando expected him to, but he didn’t care. Orlando would get it through these guys’ heads one way or another. Dani was off limits to any of their flirtatious asses. “Really?”
“Yeah, really. Now go answer phones until she gets back.” Dani continued walking alongside Orlando, who didn’t even bother stopping. She glanced around, taking it all in. As hard as he’d purposely made his request to Alonso, one glance at Dani’s sweet curious eyes had him smiling. “All this,” he explained, “is mainly an auto shop: oil changes, tire rotations, basically any kind of auto repair.” They walked through the big open garage door where Dani had been looking when he'd first seen her taking in the convertible. There were about twelve cars and trucks in different stages of restoration, and the space was getting tight. Dani glanced around wide-eyed as if in awe as she took in all the different heavy machinery. “And this is why we need to expand,” Orlando explained as he took in the cars they were working on. “There’s only room in here for about twelve maybe thirteen or fourteen cars. It’s why we have such a long waiting list. Beast is hoping the shop on the other side of the one we’re expanding into next door will close down soon and we can expand even further. Good chance they might. They keep getting locked out by the landlord for not paying their rent.”
“Oh wow.” No surprise Dani walked around the old convertible he’d seen her eyeing earlier. “I like this one. It reminds me of something out of a romantic movie that takes place back in the day.” She pointed at him, smiling as if it suddenly came to her. “The Notebook. I have no idea what kind of car it was, but it looks like this one.”
“Never seen the movie, but this is a classic. Nineteen forty-one Lincoln Continental.” He told her a little more about the car’s history and such before opening the door for her. “Have a seat.”
She turned to him before getting in. “You’ve really never seen The Notebook?”
Orlando chuckled. Was that really all she’d taken in about his explanation of the car and its history? “No, I haven’t. Never really been much of a movie buff and especially not romances.”
“But it’s so good,” she said as she got in behind the wheel. Orlando closed the door and started around the car. “Now that’s a classic, if you ask any movie enthusiasts. So, sad too.” She pouted, making Orlando smile as he got in on the passenger’s side. Taking advantage of the bench seating, he slid in a little closer than he would’ve had they been in a car with bucket seats. “I’ll admit I ugly cried the first time I saw it. But I’ve watched it many times since.”
Too many times now he’d been so tempted to just go for it. Just taste those sweet lips already, and sitting this close, he knew the danger of giving into the temptation would be too much. Still, he couldn’t help himself as their eyes locked once again. He couldn’t be sure, but each time this happened, he got the feeling, if he did go for it, she’d be all for it, especially when those big beautiful eyes dropped to his lips as they were doing now. “I’ll have to check out the movie one of these days then,” he whispered, leaning in.