Page 91 of Lure

“Tired?” A hint of worry coated the word.

“She napped,” Alphabet said as he came to my rescue. “We’re all clear out there. His security is looking, but they haven’t even tracked the abandoned car yet.”

“Good,” Lunchbox said, glancing past me to Alphabet, then to the food. “If you’re tired, we call it and debrief in the morning.”

“I don’t want to call it,” I said before they could start making decisions for me. Was I tired? Yes, but I was also… “I am tired, I can admit that. It’s been a long day. But we did nap and I don’t want to go to sleep without debriefing about what happened and what comes next.”

“Good girl,” Alphabet whispered as he traced a finger along my shoulder before he eased past us to open the fridge and pull out the water and juice he’d stored in there earlier.

Pleasure flash fired through me at the comment. “I’m trying,” I said, embarrassment creeping through me.

“You don’t have to try, Firecracker,” Voodoo said as he strolled in and I swore, he looked so damn supple and lithe with each step. It was like he glided, more catlike than human. “Just say whatever it is or do what you need to do.”

One by one, the burgers were coming off the grilling pan, but Lunchbox still had his arm around me. The weight of his hand on my hip was both comforting and grounding. If he needed his arm, he wasn’t acting like it.

“What he said,” Lunchbox continued, as if picking up on the same thread. “You don’t have to do anything more than you already are. I just don’t want you to exhaust yourself. Even if you have the right to make the call for yourself.”

Even if…

I turned that over in my head as he pressed another brief kiss to the top of my head and gave me a squeeze before releasing me. “Need to swap out the potatoes.”

Scooting out of his way, I backed up right into Voodoo who looped an arm around my chest at shoulder height and glanced down at me. Heat scorched my face all over again at the knowing look in his dark eyes.

I didn’t think Alphabet said anything to them and Voodoo had said earlier he didn’t mind if Lunchbox was kissing me. At the same time…

“Stop worrying,” Voodoo murmured, folding around me like a cloak that wrapped me up in him. The teasing pressure of his lips against my ear sent another wave of sensation through me, especially since the softness of his beard tickled. “Seriously, Firecracker, don’t worry so much. It’s all good, okay?”

The reassurance helped, to a point, but also…

I tilted my head back and searched his face. Did he know…?

“Do I mean it?” Not one ounce of sarcasm marred the question. “Yes, I do.” He flicked a look from me to where Alphabet leaned against the counter.

When my gaze collided with his, Alphabet just lifted his chin. He’d said the same things earlier. If anything, he seemed even more confident now than he had then.

“Did you enjoy yourself?” Voodoo’s second question pulled me back to him again. Playfulness reflected in his eyes, then he winked. The heat in my face seemed to bloom to a full-on sunburn before my stomach bottomed out then clenched.

He definitely knew or he was guessing.

“Yes,” was my answer. Because I really had enjoyed it. I’d enjoyed Alphabet and being with him. I’d enjoyed the closeness and the intimacy.

“Good.” The emphasis in that single syllable dared me to disbelieve him and that cracked the dam of worry inside me. Relief spilled through the openings and I thought I might have fallen if he hadn’t been holding me close.

“Food,” Lunchbox said, and he cut a glance toward me. “Voodoo is right. As long as you enjoyed yourself, we’re good.”

Then he shot a look at Alphabet I couldn’t quite interpret, but Alphabet just grinned at me and held out his hand. “C’mon Gracie-girl, let them feed us. We put in a lot of work today.”

“Isthatwhat we’re calling it these days?” Bones desert dry observation was so deadpan it splintered the last of my reserve.

I laughed, which drew Bones' far more irritated gaze in my direction. That just made me laugh harder.

“Food,” Lunchbox said, mouth quirking as he cut between me and Bones. Voodoo tugged me over to the breakfast bar and the counter stools spread there. They only had four, but Voodoo just parked himself next to my seat and Alphabet climbed onto the one next to me. That put Lunchbox and Bones the furthest away—well Bones got the very other end of the counter.

It was kind of funny how swiftly they prepped everything. Lunchbox had apparently pre-prepared stuff before they left. There were slices of tomato, onions, lettuce, bacon, and peppers. The potatoes were the absolute perfect form of crispy and the rosemary just added a hint of spice.

The guys built enormous burgers and I took the beef patty, but skipped the bun and I added some sliced tomatoes and even though the potatoes smelled fantastic, I limited it to just a few.

I should probably have skipped those and just went with the lettuce and the onions, but I wasn’t as big a fan of the onions. Voodoo grabbed me a knife and fork without me even asking.

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