Be My Hero

by Linda Kage

  He threw his head back and laughed. I thought he'd add something like, "Princess of Gas," but instead he said, "Christ, Lowe. I can't believe you actually bought this piece of shit."

  My lashes fluttered open, and my bedroom at Reese's duplex came into focus. Daylight bounced off the pale walls, telling me it was no longer five in the morning, which was the last time I'd been awake with Skylar. The curtains shifted, letting in a warm spring breeze because I'd left the window open all night. The light gust dusted my cheeks, making me smile.

  These past few hours were the most sleep I'd had all night. My body ached and I needed to take my pain meds, plus my milk-logged breasts were on fire and hard as stones. I was in the worst physical condition of my life, and yet I couldn't remember feeling so content.

  Then I heard Pick's voice again. "I'm frankly surprised the thing is still running. Have you looked at this engine?"

  I bolted upright in bed. Oh my God! Pick was here, right outside my window.

  Oh my God times two. That hurt. Oh, hell . . . Ouch. That really hurt.

  Wrapping my arm around my middle as white-hot pain slashed across my healing C-section incision, I gasped and tried to breathe through the waves of agony. But, wow. Sitting up too fast after you'd had your gut cut open did not feel good. It didn't help that my abdomen was still bruised from where Alec had punched me, but this . . . this had come straight from that stapled-together line.

  "I wasn't there when Reese bought it." Mason's voice floated in through the window behind Pick's. "It was sitting in the drive by the time I got home from class."

  "Want me to help you beat the hell out of the asshole who sold it to her?"

  I smiled softly. It should probably bother me that Pick was so ready to use his fists, but that very trait about him had saved me and my child's life. I couldn't help but cherish it instead.

  "God, no," Mason muttered. "I've seen how you beat the hell out of people. I'll pass. Just see if you can get this thing safe enough to drive."

  "You got it. Hey, do you want—"

  But Pick didn't get to finish the question, because another voice broke in, this one loud and obnoxious. "Yo, mother fuckers! Wuz up?"

  Hearing the newcomer made me tilt my head in curiosity. Whoever it was sounded vaguely familiar.

  Mason obviously wasn't expecting more company, because he said, "What the hell are you guys doing here?" I guessed more than one person had just walked up the driveway to visit him.

  "I heard Pick got a golden invitation to your house and I was feeling left out."

  "I'm only here because Ten was my ride to football this morning," another voice chimed in. "We started summer practice today, so I was dragged along without consent. Don't worry; I'll be out of your hair soon. My girl's going to swing by and pick me up in a few minutes."

  "I'm sorry," a third voice interrupted. "Ten told me we were hanging at your place today, so I followed him. I didn't know we weren't invited."

  "It's okay," Mason answered. "I don't mind you other two being here."

  "Hey!" Ten yelped, clearly offended, which only made Mason laugh.

  "Yo, Gamble," Pick called, his voice more muted than it'd been before. "Hand me that wrench by your feet, will you?"

  "You're not going to jack some guy in the face with it, like you did last time we were here, are you?"

  Wow, had he actually hit Alec in the face with a wrench? Even though I winced over how much that must've hurt my ex, an uncontrollable grin spread across my face. I hope Pick had left a scar; Alec had always been so proud of his pretty face.

  "Funny," Pick muttered. "Bastard had it coming. Hey, I heard you got your girl back. I haven't worked much with you lately to offer you a congrats."

  "Thanks," Noel said, sounding pretty proud of himself. "Though I have no idea why she took me back; I lost her her job and then basically saddled the responsibility of three kids on her when I took my siblings away from my mom. But I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth. She's here and I'm appreciating her for as long as she decides to stay with me."

  "Yeah, I heard about your brothers and sister moving in with you, too. That sucks, man."

  "Actually, it doesn't. I'm less worried about them now, plus they're in a better place. It's better for all of us . . . except maybe Aspen, who's taking it upon herself to get them settled in and enrolled in school here. She's been such a godsend."

  "Hey, whose beer?" Ten butted back into the conversation.

  "Mine," Pick answered, his voice muffled as if he'd just slid back under Reese's car.

  I heard the pop and fizz of a can opening. "Damn, you have cheap taste." Then he paused before sighing in refreshment as if he'd just guzzled half the can.

  "If you're going to help yourself…" Pick's voice was dry, "then keep your damn trap shut about the label."

  "Hey, I wasn't complaining. I dig cheap beer. And talking about cheap, you remember the chick who came into the bar to see you the other night? You gave her some cash and sent her on her way."

  "Yeah," Pick said suspiciously. "What about her?"

  "That was one cheap, easy broad. I'm telling you, all I bought her was a snow cone and she went down on me right there in the parking lot. Then she followed me home and screwed me every which way 'til Monday."

  "You . . . " Pick didn't seem to know what to say to that. Then he finally asked, "You didn't give her any drugs, did you?"

  "What?" Ten's voice was full of clueless confusion. "No! I don't do drugs. Why would you even ask that? Wait, is that why she was at Forbidden to see you? Oh, dude. Are you a drug dealer?"

  "Oh, Jesus. Really? If I was the one giving her money, why would I be the drug dealer?"

  "Shit. So she's a drug dealer?"

  "No. Damn. Just . . . shut up. Neither of us deal drugs."

  "Then why did you bring up drugs? And why were you giving her money? Who the fuck is she?" Ten was beginning to sound alarmed.

  "I brought up drugs because she used to be a crack whore. I was making sure you didn't give her anything. And I gave her money because she's my wife."

  I slapped my hand over my mouth as it dropped open in shock. But, wow. I hadn't expected that answer. Neither had any of the guys, apparently. A pregnant pause floated through the window before Ten exploded. "I fucked your wife?"

  Then Mason, Gamble, and Quinn shouted together. "You're married?"

  "Oh, shit." Ten's voice sounded hollow. "I knew you had a kid, but since when are you married? How the hell can you be married? You're like the biggest man-whore I know."

  "I'm not the biggest man-whore you know." Pick sounded insulted. "You're the biggest man-whore you know. All you see is me driving drunk girls home from the bar every other night. I don't actually sleep with any of them. What kind of ass takes advantage of an inebriated lady?"

  "I don't know," Gamble murmured thoughtfully. "Some of them are pretty persuasive. They can get hard to resist."

  "Literally." Ten snorted at the pun.

  "You're cracking jokes, Ten?" Mason asked. "Really? Right after learning you cuckolded poor Pick?"

  "No," Pick was quick to reassure. "Tris and I don't have that kind of marriage. I mean, I've certainly never gone there with her. She's more like a sister to me. I'm just helping her out with insurance until she and her kid get back on their feet."

  "So, the kid's not yours either?" Ten asked.

  "Not . . . technically. But I'm probably going to be the only dad he'll ever know, so it doesn't really matter who donated the sperm to make him."

  "And you've never fucked her? Ever? So, I still haven't had any of your leftovers."

  Wow, was that what worried him most? I sniffed. That Ten guy was a piece of work.

  "No." Pick's answer sounded a lot more good-natured than my own would have been. "She and I have never . . . and will never. Frankly, I'm shocked even you wanted her. She's not exactly . . . "

  "Dude, I'll fuck anything with tits who'll willingly spread her legs for me. I don't care what she look
s like. And shame on you for caring so much about appearance. It's a wonder all the ladies go so ga-ga over you, you prejudiced prick."

  Pick made an aggravated sound. "Hey, fuck you. I wasn't talking about her appearance, dumb ass. I was going to say she's not very nice."

  "Oh. That. Well . . . " A grin laced Ten's tone. "You screw a dazed smile onto a girl's face and the bitch comes. Get it? It comes right out of her."

  "Okay, okay. Enough talk about sleeping with Pick's wife already," Gamble scolded. "Damn, Ten." He must've turned to Mason next because he said, "Lowe, change the subject. What's been going on with you? How're you and your old lady after that cougar came by the bar?"

  I held my breath because I hadn't even thought of Mrs. Garrison since Mason and Reese had gotten engaged. I'd been a little preoccupied with my new piece of heaven on earth. Checking on her, I leaned over to watch her sleep in her crib, and wow . . . She was just so precious.

  "She let me put a ring on her finger," Mason was saying outside, "so I'd say we're doing fine."

  The pride in his voice made me smile. It was just so nice to know how much he loved Reese. I liked seeing her happy. Reaching out, I stroked Skylar's soft cheek. She stirred and began to wake. Since it was past time to feed her anyway, I leaned over the railing and pulled her into my arms before opening my shirt to give her some breakfast.

  Gamble's stunned voice floated into the room. "You're getting married? Holy shit, guys. I was only out of the loop for a couple weeks. I knew Ten was moving in with Hamilton since I left him homeless so I could move in with my girl. But Pick's married with a kid, Lowe's engaged, and Ten's turned to sleeping with married women? Shit. Pretty soon you'll be telling me Hamilton here's lost his v-card." After a moment of silence, Gamble exploded, "Holy shit! Hamilton lost his v-card?"

  When a round of chuckles answered him, Gamble joined in. "Well, congratulations, bud. What'd you think?"

  "What'd he think?" Ten's incredulous voice snorted. "The guy had sex for the first time. She could've been the lousiest lay on earth; if he came, he liked it!"

  "She wasn't lousy." Hamilton sounded offended, which made me smile. It was nice to hear a guy defend a girl instead of trash talking her to his friends.

  "Oh, yeah?" Ten sounded intrigued. "She climb on top of you and take control or let you think you were in charge?"

  "Hey, easy. Lay off the kid," Pick scolded. "He doesn't have to give details."

  "What the hell ever. I want to know everything. When, where, how long, which positions. How many times you made her come."

  "I don't—" Quinn started, only to cut himself off abruptly.

  "Well, spit it out," Ten demanded. "Don't leave us hanging now. You didn't what?"

  I could almost feel poor Quinn blushing from all the way inside the house. His voice was more of a mumble when he finally admitted, "I don't know if I actually made her . . . I mean, how do you know?"

  Silence greeted his question. Finally, Ten said in a scandalized, horrified kind of voice, "You didn't make her come?"

  More silence. Then, "I don't know."

  "Trust me, Ham. You'd know," Gamble said.

  "But . . . how?"

  Ten snickered. "Did she scream your name, claw your back, chant, 'ohmigod, ohmigod, ohmigod, harder faster. Right there, Quinn. Fuuuuuuck me!'"

  "Which is proof the ladies obvious fake it with you," Mason said dryly.

  "Hey, fuck you, man. How do you know when it happens then, oh great and mighty Lowe, king of all sex gods?"

  "You can feel it," Mason shot back. "That sweet little muscle contracts around your junk right about the time her eyes roll into her back of her head and her back arches up and her thighs clamp around you."

  I gagged a little, not wanting to think about him—or Reese—in that way. Startled by my reaction, Skylar broke away from my nipple and seemed confused. I was so busy trying to help her latch back on, I almost missed it when Pick answered, "He's right. You can definitely feel it milking your dick."

  Immediately, I went hot all over, imagining him that way. With me. God . . . I thought it was the pregnancy hormones that made me horny for him. But I wasn't pregnant anymore, so I should've been over this by now.

  "Yep," Gamble added with a single affirmative as the conversation continued.

  Ten snorted. "Whatever. You can't feel that shit."

  "Maybe you're not big enough to feel it then." Mason snickered.

  "Oh, look who's bragging about his size today?" Ten sounded suddenly put out.

  As if to save him from feeling deficient, Quinn quickly said, "I don't think she came, then. How do I—" Once again, he cut himself off, but everyone, me included, knew exactly what he was asking.

  "Sounds like you need to put your tongue to work." Pick's suggestion made me realize I'd grown wet. How freaking embarrassing. Just his voice and the word tongue aroused me.

  "Huh?" Quinn was obviously confused.

  Pick clarified. "You. Need. To. Lick. Her."

  "Lick her?"

  "Oh my God." I envisioned Pick spinning to glance incredulously at the other three guys with his hands in the air. "Is he serious?"

  "He was sheltered," Ten explained. "Raised by his grandma."

  "Oh . . . well, then. Hell yeah, lick that girl. Behind the ear, down the neck, between the breasts, all over her nipples, right up in her pussy, down her—"

  "Right up in her . . . what?"

  I slapped my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing aloud over Quinn's horrified tone.

  "Especially there," Gamble added, and I found myself nodding in agreement.

  Right behind my ears, down my neck, and all over my breasts were already burning as if they'd just physically experienced Pick's verbal assault. But between my legs burned the hottest; it could handle Pick's tongue quite nicely.

  "Spreading jelly on it and licking that off works well, too."

  I grimaced. Oh, no, no, no. That was something I never wanted to know about Mason. Eww. I hoped to God he wasn't talking about something he'd done with Reese. I'd never be able to eat a PB&J from our kitchen again.

  "Damn, Lowe. Getting creative over there."

  "I'm definitely going to have to try that on Aspen."

  I slapped my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing aloud. Wow. I had no idea guys actually had these kinds of discussions with each other.

  "So, you seriously lick . . . there? And she doesn't mind?"

  "Mind? Why would she mind? Chicks fucking love that shit. I get requests for it all the time. Ten, baby, it's your turn to go down on me tonight."

  "But—"

  "Sounds like you still need to learn the parts of a woman," Pick said. "Next time you guys are together, don't be afraid to explore. She won't mind. If you're touching, licking, kissing, and nibbling on every little place you go, she'll actually appreciate it. Trust me. Get down there at eye level with everything and just . . . look around. Test it out with your tongue. She'll let you know what she does and doesn't like."

  "Loudly," Noel added.

  I sighed a little, wishing I'd met Pick years ago. He sounded like a very considerate, thorough lover. I doubt he'd even let me zone out and try to escape to my safe, numb place. I bet he'd be able to show me what good, pure, honest sex was supposed to be like.

  Regret burned my throat because I'd never had that, never enjoyed an intimate moment with a guy.

  "I'd listen to Pick. The man knows what he's talking about."

  "What the hell?" Pick answered. "Did I just get a compliment from Ten? Are you okay? Oh shit, are you dying?"

  "Shut up."

  Pick's chuckle warmed me from the inside out, just as Gamble spoke up. "Shh. Woman alert. Lowe's old lady is walking up the drive."

  The men instantly settled down. A few seconds later, Mason called, "Hey, Sweet Pea." I could picture him snagging her around the waist and pulling her down onto his lap.

  "Been grocery shopping, huh?" Ten asked. "Run out of jelly again?"

  My mouth fe
ll open, hoping to God Reese had no clue what he meant. But when she said, "What is he talking about?" a little too sharply, I just knew she'd caught on and was sending Mason the evil eye for sharing too much with his friends.

  He must've put on the perfect innocent face, because after he answered, "I have no idea," Reese dropped the subject. I envisioned her popping off his lap with a refreshed smile and carrying her bags of groceries toward the back door. "Where's Eva?" she asked, and yep, her voice sounded a lot closer to where the door was.

  "Haven't seen her yet this morning," Mason answered. "She must still be in bed. I know I would be. I swear that baby was up every hour."

  I rolled my eyes. It'd been every two hours, not one. That had been the recommended feeding schedule the nurses had given me.

  "Why don't you go see if she's up yet?" Pick said. "And drag her out here. I haven't had my Tinker Bell fix for the day yet."

  I instantly smiled. He wanted to see me. That was so—

  I bit my lip to kill the grin. Bad Eva. I had to stop thinking about him this way, even though his wife was like a sister to him and he'd only married her for insurance purposes. This was the worst time for me to develop honest feelings for a guy. I had baggage, issues, and trouble stamped all over me. And despite how obvious it was that Pick didn't mind wading through that kind of crap for a woman since he'd married an ex-crack whore just to help her out, I still didn't want to pile any of my crap on him.

  He was too amazing to deal with the likes of me.

  "Sure. I'll check on her," Reese was telling him. "Hey, are you guys staying for lunch? I could make Mason fire up the grill."

  "Say what?" Mason started while Ten hooted. "Free food? Hell, yes. Count me in."

  "Thanks, but my family's going to pick me up soon," Gamble said, to which Reese answered, "They can stay too. We'll make a party of it. The more, the merrier."

  "Well, okay then. Count me in, too."

  "I could eat," Quinn added.

  "And I'm not letting you say no, Mr. Ryan. After the way you saved my E., I'd feed you every day for the rest of my life."