“What do you wanna do with the loaner again?” Mac asked, looking at Ruger from the corner of his eye.

“None of your business.” Ruger scowled and gave the other man a dark look. “All you need to know is that I’ve talked to Sadist. He cleared it. All I need is a vehicle that runs good and has a clean title.”

Mac flipped through some papers, took a deep breath, and let it out in a rush. “Take the Mustang. It looks like crap but it’s clean, and it’s reliable. I have a hard time getting anyone to take it because of how it looks.”

“Keys on the rack with the rest?”

“Yeah.”

“Great. I’ll be back later.”

Ruger went out and got into the battered blue car. The sports car was more than ten years old, and Mac hadn’t been kidding when he’d said it looked like crap. But when Ruger turned the key, it started right up and ran smooth—probably smoother than it had fresh off the showroom floor. Satisfied, he closed the door and headed out. Because of the run through of her day he’d talked her into this morning, Ruger knew Krissi was at work, so that’s where he headed.

He parked the car in the lot beside the diner directly under a light. It didn’t matter now but she wouldn’t be getting off until after dark, and he wanted her to feel safe when she left. Inside, he looked around until he spotted her then sat down at a table.

“Hey, I wasn’t expecting to see you here today,” she said, bringing him a menu. “What can I get you to drink?”

“Coffee is fine, but that’s not why I’m here.” He looked up at her and wanted to smile. Her hair was pulled up into a tight bun with only a few strands sticking out in every direction, but all he could think about was how it had felt in his hands just a few hours earlier.

“I’ll get that for you and be right back.” She glanced toward the counter at a man watching her with a scowl. “I can’t visit right now. My boss is on the warpath,” Krissi said under her breath.

“All right.” Ruger let her go but watched the man at the bar discreetly while he looked over the menu. It was a little late for lunch, but he hadn’t eaten since he’d fed her on the way to her class that morning. Ordering food would give him more of a chance to talk to her, and maybe the boss would back off or she would get a break. When she came back with a mug of coffee and bowl of creamers, she placed them in front of him and asked if he was ready to order. “Oh, I have an order all right.” He couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face. She gave him a tight smile and glanced back toward the counter where the older man stood scowling at her. “How about a mushroom-Swiss burger?”

“Fries okay?”

“It’s fine. Do you get a break any time soon?”

Krissi glanced at her watch. “In about forty-five minutes, then only for ten minutes.”

“That’s fine. I’ll eat while I wait.”

She frowned for a second then smiled again. “I’ll put this in.” Turning, she headed toward the kitchen.

Ruger looked around the diner while he waited. There was nothing remarkable about the place. There were only about fifteen generic laminated tables with red vinyl chairs or booths. It wasn’t a meal time, but there were four other busy tables. Not a bad showing for such a small place this time of day.

Krissi checked with each of them, making sure they didn’t need anything, then kept herself busy by cleaning behind the counter. Ruger noticed there seemed to only be Krissi and the cook working. He didn’t count her boss because he wasn’t working. He was standing around, giving her dirty looks. The cook set a plate in the window, and before he had a chance to call out that the order was ready, Krissi picked it up. A smile on her face, she carried the plate out and set it down in front of him.

“Anything else I can get you?” she asked.

“Not offhand. Thanks, though.” Ruger watched as she checked on each of the tables again. He scowled as one man patted her ass as she walked past. He knew why she put up with it, but he still didn’t like it. He took his time, eating slowly so he wouldn’t get done until shortly before time for her break, though he didn’t know how she would manage a break with no one else to cover her tables. His silent question was answered about ten minutes before she was scheduled to take her break. Another waitress came in, at least he assumed she was another waitress because she wore an outfit identical to the too tight, scoop-necked t-shirt and black denim shorts Krissi wore. He watched as the new woman disappeared into the back for a few minutes then came out wearing an apron like the one Krissi had on. He paid his ticket, left a tip on the table, and waited for Krissi to let him know she was off the clock. After a moment, she came out of the kitchen, her apron gone.

“What did you need?” she asked.

“Come outside with me for a minute.” He opened the door and waited for her to go out first.

“Okay, but I only have a few minutes.”

“I know. I won’t keep you long.” Once they were outside, he led her out into the middle of the lot. “What do you think?” he said, standing next to the Mustang.

“About what?” She squinted up at him, confusion clear on her face.

“This.” He smacked the fender of the car.

“It’s a car.” She frowned. “It looks like it will probably break down in the next block.”

“Here.” He held out the key.

“What?” She didn’t take the key. “I told you I can’t afford a car right now.”

“I didn’t say anything about charging you. It runs good, despite how it looks. It won’t leave you stranded, I promise.”

“What? Why?” She looked at him then at the car then back at him.

“Because I don’t like you on the bus at night. I hate that you spend at least three hours every day going back and forth to work and school.”

“I can’t accept this.” She still didn’t take the key. “You can’t buy this for me.”

“I didn’t.”

“Huh?” She frowned again.

“The club has an auto shop. This is one of our loaners. One that’s not used often because no one wants to drive it. It’s too ugly to suit most of our customers. It runs good, has a clean title, should you get stopped. It’s just ugly.”

She looked at the car. “It is ugly. You’re sure it runs good?”

“I wouldn’t have you drive it if I didn’t.”

“This is too much. It’s not like we’re even really dating.”

Ruger took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he tried to figure out how to get her to see things his way. “Babe—” he stepped closer until his body brushed against hers “—I’ve never taken anyone else to my house.”

She looked up at him, blinking.

“And I never, never sleep over.”

She just stared.

“You know what that means?”

She shook her head.

“Krissi, I can’t speak for you, but it’s a lot more than a one night stand, or even a short fling for me. I don’t say this lightly, but at least on my end, what’s between us is something different. It has been from the start.”

“Wh-what do you mean?”

“Babe, I don’t take women home with me. I’ll go to their place or take them to my room at the clubhouse if I wanna fuck. Never to my place.” He paused to let that sink in. “You’re the only woman, other than my housekeeper, to have seen my bedroom, and she makes the bed but has never been in it.”

She looked away as if unsure what to say.

“Look, I’m not saying it makes you mine, or that it’s any kind of commitment, but I want to know you’re safe.” Ruger took a deep breath. “I want to know you’re not walking a mile at 10:00 p.m., especially in your neighborhood, because you missed your stop.” He watched her a moment and thought he saw her resolve crumbling. “Just think, it will give you at least an extra two hours, plus however long you spend getting to and from classes, to study or do something else. Like maybe spend it with me…” He gave her a hopeful look.

“All right.” Krissi took the key. “But it’s not a commitment. I can return it any time.” She met his gaze and waited for an answer before looking away.

“Agreed. Now, you do have your driver’s license with you, right?”

She shot him a dirty look. “Yes, I have my driver’s license.”

“Hey, don’t kill me.” He held his hands up in front of his body. “I was just making sure.” He bent down and gave her lips a quick kiss. “Your ten minutes is almost up. Any chance I’ll see you tonight?”

She looked at him for just a second, at the car, then glanced at the diner. “I get off at eight, but I’ve got some homework I’ve got to get done.”

“I’ve got the closing shift at the bar.” Ruger watched her a moment. “Can I come over when I get off?”

“Call first. I’m not sure I’ll still be up.”

“All right. Go back to work. I’ll see you later.” He bent and gave her a quick, hard kiss then watched her go back inside before turning and walking the two blocks to Drifters.