I couldn’t afford to be done wrong. I had Aubrey, my daughter, to consider. She was the most important person in my life. So, job one was to make sure blind dates didn’t lead to any problems which could affect my little girl.
Okay, not so little. She was six-and-three-quarters, if you asked her. Just six if you asked me, and we needed to find the pause button, stat! She laughed at my threats to make her stop growing by putting a brick on her head, but the joke was wearing thin.
As I ate my sandwich, a tall, thin woman with long strawberry-blonde hair stopped at the hostess stand. She spoke with her hands and her mouth, but she did it while maintaining an air of being prim and proper. The hostess led her to a small table in my line of vision.
Mr. Biker returned, but paused at the hostess stand. He scanned the room, caught sight of the woman, and settled in the seat across from her.
Dammit.
My face fell, I knew, so I bent to my lunch and focused on eating quick. My boss, Lydia, knew about my lunch dates. Then again, besides my mother, she was the most adamant I date again.
I sipped my Coke Zero and caught sight of the strawberry-blonde woman leaving. Against my will, my head swiveled toward the table only to see the tough-guy walking toward me, a huge smile on his face.
My stomach plummeted even as heat swirled through my chest. He couldn’t have this effect on me. Heartburn! It had to be. He kept coming closer.
Great Scott! He couldn’t be approaching me.
I looked down at my food to find four French fries left.
“Funny how the food here disappears so fast, ain’t it darlin’?”
I raised my head, but didn’t look at him yet. I needed every second to get myself together.
When I turned to him, I smiled. “It is funny how that happens.”
His facial expression shifted for a moment before he controlled it. Almost as if my smile surprised him, though why that would be, I didn’t know.
Then he grinned, and I struggled to keep a stoic expression. But I managed, because mentally, I took a snapshot of that mischievous smile putting a twinkle in his sultry brown eyes.
“Can I get you a drink?”
I rattled the ice in my soda cup. “If only I didn’t have free refills. Besides, I don’t think your friend would like that.”
His eyebrow drew down over his right eye while his chin dipped a touch. “I’m sorry?”
“Your friend, who just left. She wouldn’t like you buying me a drink.”
He chuckled. “She’s my best friend’s sister. Not only off-limits, but definitely not my type. You look like fun, though.”
I bit my tongue to keep from saying I was only fun if a Pixar movie marathon was on tap, with popcorn, juice pouches, and ice cream on hand.
My chuckle was quiet. “I’m really not.”
He leaned toward me. “Let me be the judge of that.”
I shook my head.
“Actually, I’m enough fun for both of us.”
My smile faltered. “Excuse me?”
“I’m tons of fun, baby.” He held up a finger. I expected him to say he was number one or something, but what he said next threw me for a loop. “Only need one kiss, and that’ll prove you should give me your number and give me a shot.”
I laughed while shaking my head at his brashness.
The scent of his leather vest hit me when he leaned even closer. “You been watching me since you got here. One kiss, I give you my number or vice versa, and you pick the time.”
My eyes narrowed. “You don’t even know if I’m a good—”
He cut off the word ‘kisser’ by landing his lips on mine. His lips felt firm yet supple against mine. I felt the barest trace of stubble, which told me he’d shaved recently. My lips were parted since I’d been speaking, so his tongue slipped inside my mouth.
Now I knew why Lydia wanted me to do this. I felt this kiss in my whole body, and I wanted so much more of it. My hand went to the side of his head and I heard him groan. I thought he’d stop things, but he deepened the kiss and my toes curled as the area between my legs began to ache.
Forget ‘great Scott.’ I was horny from a kiss! That hadn’t happened since I was a teenager. My inner-slut demanded to drag this man to a private area and have my way with him, but that wasn’t right.
I knew it wasn’t right.
I still wanted to do it, though.
He ended the kiss.
When my eyes opened, I watched his expansive chest heave with his exhale, and I heard something hit the bar.
“Number. Now,” he demanded, his voice husky as hell.
Instinct beat intellect, and I entered my digits with all my ten-key dexterity.
He looked up from the phone. “Christ. You a super-texter or something?”
“Bank teller... or something,” I smiled.
He bit his lip. God! I’d never made a man bite his lip! How awesome was that?
He tapped the call icon, my phone rang, and he hung up.
“That’s me. What’s your name, gorgeous?”
I gave him a look at the endearment.
“You are, and I don’t want any lip about it. What’s your name?”
“Kenzie.”
He smirked. “Love it. When are you free, Kenzie?”
I grimaced. “Next week would be the earliest, if you’re actually interested.”
Now he gave me a look. “Learn quick, babe. I don’t waste time if I can help it. I’m callin’ you next week. Plan on it. I gotta get back to the table. My brother just got engaged, and he doesn’t know I paid his tab. Later.”
Brute’s Strength is available for Pre-Order now! Available July 16, 2021.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
THANK YOU TO MY READERS! I cannot do this without you. It’s always an honor that you take your time with my books and for that I’ll always be grateful!
My gratitude to the beta
