“There’s no reason to act like a bitch.”

“Uh, excuse me?” Hands on hips, glaring up at him as she points to the door. “The last I checked, you don’t have to fucking deal with Mickey, and if you call me a bitch again, I will wear your balls for earrings.”

Lucky walked over to the door and started picking up wood and debris. “What’s that asshole got to do with anything?”

“He’s my landlord. How am I supposed to explain this?” Baby knew Mickey would charge her three times the damage, or try to make her work it off some other way.

“Look, I’m the one who broke it. I’ll get it fixed before he finds out.”

Baby attempted to soften her tone, realizing Lucky felt bad enough. It wouldn’t help anyone for her to make the situation worse. “That would be a good plan if Mickey didn’t have eyes everywhere.”

“Seriously, it’s not a problem. I’ll have it fixed before he finds out.”

It threw her for a second to think about the fact that Lucky was standing in her living room. He was bending and moving to clean up the mess on the floor, trying to piece it back together like a jigsaw puzzle. Reaching to lean the broken door against the wall, Lucky’s black t-shirt rode up enough for Baby to catch a peek at his lower abdomen. Muscles molded together to form the perfect trail to his loose fitting waistband. The way the jeans hung low on his hips made her blood soar, making her cheeks hot.

“Baby?”

The way he said her name. That one word sent the flush from her cheeks straight to all the important parts of her body as she remembered the dream, the way she became wet by the sound of his voice.

Lucky stopped working. “Baby? Are you ok?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I was thinking.”

“With that look on your face, I’d give my right arm to know what you were thinking about.”

Baby stepped closer to Lucky, close enough to smell the intoxicating soap that lingered off his skin. She involuntarily placed her palm square on his chest and settled one leg in between his. As Lucky’s eyes grew wide, he fumbled trying to form words.

“Sorry, you’ll have to come up with something better than that.” Baby let her fingertips graze the bare skin where Lucky’s t-shirt met his jeans, leaving him speechless. “Now get to work,” she said and walked away.

Chapter Eight

Lucky

The clanking around in the kitchen was a constant reminder that Baby was close. She had plugged in her ear buds and was dancing in and out of each room, trying to go about her daily business. Imagining what else she could do with that body was driving Lucky insane. He had become a walking hard-on since laying eyes on her.

He attempted to put all his efforts into fixing the door. Ducking out for an hour, he had managed to find everything he needed at Tubby’s Hardware. The rest, he borrowed from Rodney’s Garage. He aimed to finish before Mickey found out. That douchebag was sure to take advantage of the situation if he found about it, not to mention he couldn’t leave Baby’s apartment wide open at night.

He felt like a jackass for breaking down her door, and he was trying not to regret the decision to track her down and apologize for being such a dick at the club. Last night was crazy. This woman had him at a loss. He couldn’t think straight. He spent the entire night waiting until an appropriate time to knock on her front door.

Lucky came back to town with a plan. In and out. Cut and dry. Falling hard was not on his agenda. It wasn’t until the giant troll with a ponytail stepped into the picture that Lucky’s plan fell apart.

After seeing the guy manhandle Baby, he knew there was more to the story. He wanted to bury his desire to protect her. To bury his need to keep her safe. Actually, what he wanted was to bury himself right inside her.

Chapter Nine

Baby Jade

Alabama Shakes filled Baby Jade’s eardrums as she cleaned the kitchen. She loved mood music, and it helped tune out the sound of Lucky working in the other room. She hummed to the lyrics, but it was impossible to forget he was nearby.

Lucky busied himself fixing the door that he had gallantly knocked down coming to her rescue as a corner bookshelf viciously attacked her big toe.

She decided the least she could do was offer him lunch. Looking in the refrigerator, she mentally kicked herself for not being more normal. A half bottle of wine and an old bowl of gumbo wouldn’t go far. She was able to pull together a plate of cheese and crackers. To her surprise, she had a couple of Shiners in the door. She couldn’t remember the last time she bought beer, hoping they were still drinkable.

“Hey, wanna take a break?” Baby asked, holding a beer in one hand and a glass of wine in the other.

The way Lucky’s eyebrows shot up told her she had caught him off guard, and she liked it.

“Sounds good. Is that for me?” He pointed to the Shiner. Baby Jade handed him the bottle and took a sip from her own drink. She hoped the alcohol would settle her nerves. He made her weak in the knees, leaving her feeling like a schoolgirl on her first date.

“I have a snack too.” Her voice shook. She picked up the plate of cheese and crackers from the kitchen and placed it on the coffee table. “Sorry, I’m not big on furniture.” The living room consisted of an old couch in great need of repair, an end table from the ’70s, a thrift store coffee table, her treadmill, and four overpacked bookshelves.

“Not a problem. I’ll sit here on the couch beside you if that’s ok?” When she didn’t protest, he must have taken it as an invite, sitting down next to her. “This is good, thanks.” He took another swig from the bottle.

“I thought you might get done faster if you didn’t have to leave for lunch.”

He laughed. “Oh is that it?”

Damn that grin.

“Mmhmm. You think you’ll be done before work tonight?” Baby looked away before he caught her staring at his yummy dimples.

“Yeah, shouldn’t be a problem. I didn’t know Mickey was your landlord.” He glanced around the room. “Can’t say I’m surprised.”

“I know. It’s a real shithole, but it’s not forever.” She lowered her head, trying to hide her embarrassment.

“Seriously? You got plans?”

“Doesn’t every girl?” She fidgeted with the hem of her shirt.

Lucky’s gaze hardened. She wished more than anything she knew what he was thinking.

“I suppose they do, but I can also tell you’re not like other girls. You’re different.”

Baby cocked her head to one side, letting a strip of hair escape from the messy bun. “How’s that?”

He reached up and tucked the hair behind her ear, sending goose bumps across her flesh. “I can’t put my finger on it, but you’re definitely different. You’re real. None of that fake shit girls are putting on these days, playing games and always out for themselves.”

“I don’t have time for games. My childhood ended a long time ago. People either accept the real me or they can keep moving.”

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about. I’m supposed to be moving on, for some reason I can’t bring myself to get up off my ass and go.” He locked his gaze on her.

She stared back into his brown eyes. “And for some reason, I don’t want you to.”

***

Thursday night at Bottoms Up was definitely better than the midweek day shift. Of course, better tips always meant putting up with more shit. Baby Jade laced up the front of her deep green leather corset, pairing it with matching booty shorts. The leather would be a nice change from the lace she’d been wearing lately.

She tried to shake the day off, but the burning kiss still had her mind reeling. Her body was still on fire. Lucky managed to get the front door fixed, and she was thrilled she wouldn’t have to deal with Mickey’s bullshit. Although she hated that Lucky had finished up in one day and didn’t have an excuse to come back.