“Hey, I’m sorry.” Melissa dropped into the seat across from her. “It’s crazy in here tonight. I forgot the local ball team had their first round of playoffs.” She frowned at Candy. “Are you okay? Oh shit! I forgot to bring you another drink.”

Candy waved it off. “No problem. I probably shouldn’t have another one anyway.”

“Is something wrong?”

There was no way she’d tell Melissa she had the hots for her oldest brother. “All is good. Is there anything I can help you with, though? I waited tables once. A lot of years ago, but I’d be happy to help.” Besides, it would get her mind off the hot-blooded male behind the bar who made her want to hop over it and take him right there. A full room of customers or not.

“No. Absolutely not. I didn’t ask you to meet me here so I could put you to work.” Melissa glanced over her shoulder when one of the customers yelled for her and raised one finger. She turned back to Candy. “Maybe we should meet tomorrow?”

Candy nodded. “Sounds good. Come by my hotel, okay? But for now,” she slid from the booth, “put me to work. What can I do?”

Melissa stood and hugged her, then pointed to the corner. “Well, I’m behind in getting out more nuts. The bowls on the bar and tables need refilling. I have enough to get some done now, but we’ll be closing in an hour and will need more. If you don’t mind, could you grab some?”

“Not at all.”

“Thank you so much. They’re on the very back wall, third shelf from the bottom.” Another customer hollered for Melissa’s attention. “Thanks again,” she said before hurrying off.

The girl was meant for bigger and better. Not that there was anything wrong with working hard for a living, but her long and lean figure, her regal neckline and great posture would be better served on a runway or in a magazine than hustling from table to table.

She strode across the room to the side door Melissa had directed her to. The door was ajar, held open with a small wooden crate. She pushed the crate inside and entered, shutting the door behind her.

“Damn it. Who let the door close? Drew, fuck, you know better.” The masculine voice from somewhere in the back startled her. Thankfully she recognized the voice or she’d have been screaming bloody murder about being locked in a room with a stranger.

“Sorry, Eric. It’s Candy. I closed the door.” She moved further into the room and around one large utility shelving unit.

“Christ, what the hell are you doing in here?”

She found him near the back wall, piling boxes of what looked like the nuts she had to find on a small cart.

“I was giving Melissa a hand.” She pointed at the item in his hand. “I was going to take them out for her, for after closing, and give her a hand.”

He snorted, set down the case and reached for another one. “I don’t think a woman like you would be into this type of work. Don’t want you breaking a nail or anything like that.”

“Oh shut up, dickhead. You’re so pompous.”

He raised his head and glared at her.

“Don’t look at me like that, either. I’m no stranger to hard work.” She scanned the room. Jesus, wasn’t there air-conditioning in this little closet? She pulled at the neckline of her scoop neck top. “Anything else I can help with?”

Eric set aside the last case and leaned against the shelf. His arms crossed over his chest, and Candy tried to ignore the bulging biceps that stood out beneath the sleeves of his grey t-shirt.

Ah, hell.

Her heart skipped and her pussy throbbed. Just when she thought she’d shoved the need for him aside, he had to go and look all manly and tasty standing there.

“I thought you were here to whisk my sister off somewhere?” She hated that he could see right through her plans. “Or are you here for a job? No longer young enough for those crazy sharks in magazines these days?”

Oh the bastard knew how to cut her to the quick. She wasn’t a washed-up has-been, but her time in the fashion and modeling limelight had come and gone. “You really need to let go of that high-and-mighty attitude. You know nothing about me. Now,” she waved her arms, “anything here need to be taken out front?”

He smirked, and she wanted to slap him. But he shrugged and pointed to the shelf above her head. “I need that red box there brought down. The blue one beside it too. They aren’t heavy, just napkins.”

She nodded and lifted her arms. In her six-inch heels it was hard to reach so high, and she widened her stance for better balance. The tips of her fingers eased the red box closer to the edge for her to grab the sides. She lowered it and set it on the stack of cases he had on the cart.

“I’m glad I can help. Melissa looked a bit frazzled out there. She is a hard worker.”

He coughed. “We all grew up working hard.”

Candy reached for the blue box and nodded. “It seems like a great family unit that you all have.” Crap, this one was a bit farther back. She felt a breeze cross her skin as her top rose, baring her midriff. She wobbled on her heels. Shit. That’s all she needed was to fall on her ass while in a skirt and look like a fool.

Warm hands suddenly circled her waist. Gasping, she drew in a deep breath and grabbed on to the shelf with both hands as he touched her.

“Easy there, darlin’. Those heels aren’t exactly made for working.” His searing breath washed over her neck. Electric currents spread along her skin, igniting and firing to life. Goddamn, goddamn.

This wasn’t on the agenda tonight, or when she planned to come here. She didn’t have time for distractions. Especially not a sizzling hot attractive man who made her want to scream to fuck her.

“Umm, I guess I hadn’t planned on working tonight. But uhh…” Frig, she sounded like a bumbling idiot. “I could almost reach this one.” Eric moved in closer against her, his right hand easing across her stomach while the left closed over hers on the shelf.

“You’re not exactly the type of woman to be back here working like this.”

“I’m not?” Her question came out squeaky, and she hated how weak she sounded. She gritted her teeth as his palm burned through her skirt. She wanted to close her stance and rub her thighs together. Need coursed through her, warming her from the inside out.

“No, you’re not.”

“I don’t mind hard work.”

“You’re a woman who shouldn’t get her hands dirty. Nor lift anything too heavy. You should be catered to and worshiped.”

She let out a soft laugh. “Hardly. But I don’t think that’s how you really see me, is it? You see me as a weak female who needs a man to take care of her.”

She glanced his way. He inched forward. Jesus, why wouldn’t her feet move? They seemed glued to the floor and she couldn’t handle him any closer.

“Oh you need a man to take care of you, all right.” His chin skimmed along her shoulder. She shivered and gripped the shelf tighter. “You think I can’t smell your arousal in here?” he ground out on a harsh whisper.

She gasped and tried to pull away. No. He wouldn’t weaken her. Not in here. But his chest aligned with her back, pressing his dick against her ass.

His breath warm against the back of her neck, she closed her eyes. Warm, hard, strong, his heat protected her while it held her captive.

“The moment I saw you in this cloth of a skirt and tight shirt, my dick got hard, Candy.” He pushed forward, confirming his words. “And I knew I couldn’t let you out of here without touching you.” He slid his fingers up her thigh, pushing beneath the hem of her skirt and brushing back and forth. “Your skin is so soft.” He nipped the back of her neck with his teeth.

She trembled. This was a very bad idea. Being in here with him, allowing him to explore her further, couldn’t—wouldn’t—do her any favors.

But it had been so long since she let anyone close like this. Not that it was any excuse. He was the first man in ages to stir deep desires from within her. And he was the last man she should allow too close.

“You’re shaking.” Sliding his right hand to her hip, then to her ass cheek, he squeezed it and groaned. Delving further, he inched his way beneath her skirt until skin met skin.

Candy panted, her limbs on fire and pussy throbbing.

“So responsive.” He explored the globe of her flesh, fisting it. “I need to see where else you want to be touched.”

“Eric,” she moaned. The yearning almost choked her. At the same time, she wanted to walk away before she made a mistake.

“Do you want me to stop?” His other hand joined the first in kneading the flesh of her backside. Air wafted across her skin when he lifted her skirt to her waist, baring her completely, sending a chill down her spine.

Desperation clawed at her. Craving his touch, even with doubts clouding her mind and urging her to call a halt to it all, she wanted his hands all over her.

He shifted his hands, and his thumbs slid into the crack of her ass, feathering lightly over her thong before sliding around to her clit. Her grip tightened on the shelving in front of her and she widened her stance. There would be no turning back.