Page 37 of Sweet Temptation
“Yeah, but my what-if isn’t voluntary. Yours is.” Forget my broken lungs. My heart breaks in my chest. “Please be careful. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you.”
“Same, sister.” He kisses my temple. “So how about you tell me what’s been going on in Kroydon Hills since you’ve been back. How’s the bakery?”
“I start Monday. Amelia shut down for a few weeks while she had some work done on the shop.” I sit up and smile, so ready to get my hands on her giant Hobart mixer. The baby one is nearly as tall as I am. “I’m pretty excited.”
“What’s it like living with Linc and Lucky? They’re not giving you too much shit, are they?” He smiles, and my big, tough, strong brother transforms into the same little kid who used to sneak McDonald’s into the hospital when I was stuck there for days on end. “Because you know I’ll kick both their asses, right?”
“I love you, Loch,” I laugh, and we’re both quiet for a long time, lost in the sound of the ocean as it crashes against the shore. “Don’t die, okay?” I finally whisper, breaking our spell.
“You too, Lex. You too.”
When Lochlan and I finally make our way back up to the house, the porch is empty, and all the lights are off. “Guess everyone went to bed.”
“Not everyone,” Loch offers and kisses the top of my head. “Night, Lex.”
He walks over to where I now see Lucky is nursing a beer, stretched out on one of the big lounge chairs facing the ocean. No one else in sight. “Sunrise surfing tomorrow?”
Lucky nods silently, and Loch walks inside.
Lucky’s baby blues shift to me, and I slide my flip-flops off and gently kick his leg. “I’m going to make a snack. You want something?”
I’m not sure why I hold my breath, waiting for his answer, but I do it all the same.
“You were right, you know...” I add softly. “Not that I shouldn’t have gone on a date, but that guy wasn’t worth mytime. He was more interested in my connections to the Kings than he was in me. I shouldn’t have bothered.”
Lucky finishes his beer, then stands and offers me his hand. “We having omelets, Lex?”
I let him pull me to my feet and enjoy the warmth of my hand in his for a beat too long before pushing away the little spark that’s always there when I’m this close to Lucky. The temptation to reach up and trace every line of his face is so damn strong, I’m amazed I can resist. “Listen, don’t knock the omelets. I stocked the fridge and might just get a little creative tonight.”
His lips tip up in a beautifully crooked smile, and those dimples I love pop deep. “Damn, Lex. Living on the wild side tonight. You gonna add cheese?”
I lean in and smile. “Nope.”
Lucky follows me into the kitchen, and I push him into a stool at the island and hand him a bowl of cherry tomatoes, then push a knife and cutting board his way. “Here. Cut a few of these for me.”
“Putting me to work?”
“Sure am.” I hip-check the fridge and lay out my ingredients. “Think you can keep up?”
“With you, Lex...?” His eyes on me feel stronger than any touch ever could. “Never.”
I keep my back to him while I smile.
“You think maybe you could teach me to surf?” I ask hesitantly. My father and brothers have never been willing to try.
“You willing to wake up at sunrise?”
“I can try.” I look over my shoulder and catch him popping a tomato in his mouth. “I’m not sure my brother will be too thrilled though.”
“I can handle Loch.” He grins a wicked grin, and I feel that smile everywhere.
Lucky Beneventi might be the villain in my fairytale, but given the choice, I’m not sure I’d have it any other way.
LUCKY
Loch and I sit on our surfboards,alone, as the sun rises the next day.
Lexie never came out of her room, and I wasn’t about to go wake her up. Hell, even Linc didn’t feel like catching waves this morning, not that I can blame him. The skies look like they’re going to open up and soak the world at any minute, and the ocean is angry as hell this morning.
