Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 80902 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 80902 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 405(@200wpm)___ 324(@250wpm)___ 270(@300wpm)
“C’mon, I’ll know as soon as I walk out the front door. Or I can just check my phone.”
“Fine. You’re in Park Glen.” She tells me the address. “The bathroom is down the hall, second door to the right. The first door is a closet and there’re some extra towels in there. You can get cleaned up, but then you really have to go, okay?”
I give her a half-assed salute. Fuck. Apparently I did make it to Sledge’s house, ‘cause this is it. I thought there was supposed to be a family living here, but either it’s just the two of them or Mia’s dad’s a fucking ghost that doesn’t leave a trace. Damn, Sledge coulda mentioned she was hot as fuck. I woulda volunteered even without being in the area.
I tap Sledge's contact, enjoying the view of Shelby’s magnificent ass as she herds Mia into the kitchen and starts making coffee in a drip machine that looks old enough to qualify for early retirement.
There's a click and then my ear's full of Sledge's gruff roar. “Where the fuck have you been?”
I laugh. “You been worried? Man, I'm fucking touched. I didn't know you cared.”
Shelby turns suddenly. “Language,” she snaps, before turning to wash something in the sink.
I grin, feeling like a fucking schoolboy, hot for his bossy teacher. Not because I want to get bossed around, though. Powerful women can be sexy as hell, but I’m not into getting my balls squished or whatever that shit is about. No, what gets me off is the look in their eyes when they realize I’ve turned the tables. And they like it.
That curvy ass was made for a fucking spanking, but this isn’t the time. Even if I didn’t feel like I walked into the business end of a fucking snow plow last night, I’m not going to push it in front of a fucking kid.
“Talk to me,” Sledge growls in frustration. “Where the hell are you? Why weren't you picking up your damn phone? We were just about to mount up and come looking. Woulda been there already if we weren’t on patrol until the ass crack of dawn.”
Even after years of riding with Sledge and Havoc, it's still surprising that there's actually fuckers out there who give a shit about me. Never been so good at remembering that. Then again, it never used to be true, either.
“Relax. I'm alright, mostly. Get this, your renter found me in the f—freaking ditch outside your house.” I glance up and throw Shelby a wink. “I haven’t been out to check on my bike yet, but no way I’m safe to ride. My head's ringing like a church bell.”
“What the fuck? Were you drinking?”
“Dry as a bone, swear to God. I don’t remember sh—anything.”
“Fine, I’ll round up Havoc and we'll grab one of the pickups and come get you.”
“Cool.” I hang up, and put my phone down. “My ride’s on the way. I’ll be out of your hair before you know it.”
She looks relieved as she comes over with two steaming cups of coffee and puts one down on the table in front of me. Fuck, if that doesn't smell amazing. Mia's trailing right behind, watching me curiously. I turn a little to the right so the naked lady tattoo on my arm is outta sight.
“Here,” Shelby says. “Wasn't any extra work to make another cup. Did you tell the person you talked to that I was their renter? Was that Mr. Kaufman?” She sits in one of the chairs and Mia climbs right up into her lap. Shelby wraps her arm around her little girl protectively.
“Mr. Kaufman?” It’s a good thing I hadn’t taken a sip from the coffee yet because I would’ve sprayed it. “Yeah. I was talking to Mister Kaufman. He heard about the break-ins and wanted me to drive by and see if everything looked all right. Don’t ask me how I went from that to passed out on your couch, but in case I don’t get the chance to tell you again, thanks for not shooting me or calling the cops. A lot of people would, especially for a guy like me.”
She blushes a little and runs a hand over Mia’s hair. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think about it. But I couldn't just leave you there, and then you kinda pushed your way in.”
“Seriously, I appreciate it.”
She looks away like she doesn't want my thanks, but she's got it anyway. “If I'd seen your patch last night, maybe I could have called for help sooner.”
“How? Sledge? I mean, Mr. Kaufman?” I’m not going to let him live that one down.
She sips her coffee, careful not to spill any on Mia, who's gotten bored with all the adult talk and is playing with her stuffed animal. “No, I… I didn’t know he was in the Screaming Eagles too. We only talked on the phone once. I would’ve called Havoc. You must know him, right?” From the look on her face when she says his name, there’s a lot more to the story of how she ended up here than just someone Havoc happened to know.