by Tess Summers
“I’ll bring Chinese. What do you want?” he called before she pushed the glass door open.
“Orange chicken, white rice. And vegetarian spring rolls, if they have them.”
“You got it. See you a little after seven. Go home and nap, babe.”
She got into the driver’s seat, and was getting ready to close the door when she realized he was standing next to her.
“You forgot to kiss me goodbye,” he said with a smirk, then leaned in and kissed her thoroughly. He didn’t seem to care that his customers were walking by and staring while the tattooed shop owner made out with the woman in a grey suit in a Volvo parked in front of his store.
Her whole ride home she couldn’t stop smiling, thinking about how thoughtful and caring Ben was with her. She loved how he pampered her and made her feel beautiful. No one had ever treated her so tenderly, not even her ex-husband in the early wooing stages of their relationship. Spending time with Ben felt like putting on her most comfortable sweater. If her sweater had been six feet tall, built like a brick wall, and sexy as hell.
She definitely wanted to keep him as long as she could, even though her gut was telling her not to get too attached.
Too late.
****
Ben
He was putting Scout to bed early tonight; she’d looked exhausted when she came into the shop. Beautiful, but exhausted. He’d obviously kept her up way too late last night.
But man, it was worth it. He couldn’t help grinning thinking about it.
“What are you smiling about?” Frank asked when he came in the lobby.
Ben stroked his beard in an attempt to cover his mouth as he tried to think fast.
“Just imagining the look on Mark DuFresne’s attorney’s face,” he lied, “after I talk to him tomorrow and convince him to sell me the property where our third shop is going.” The lie was genuine now. “She’s gonna be so pissed.”
“Why?”
“Because she told Jumper he wasn’t interested and wouldn’t be entertaining any offers. Wouldn’t even show him mine.”
“But you think you can convince him otherwise?” The look on Frank’s face suggested he wasn’t a believer.
“After I plead my case and make my offer in person for that abandoned, unused eyesore of a property? Hell, yeah, he will.”
“Well, if anyone can do it, it’s you. I’m pretty sure you could sell ice to an Eskimo; it’s a good thing you use your powers of persuasion for good.”
Ben gave a harsh chuckle and added, “Well, I do now.”
That hadn’t always been the case, and Frank knew it. Thinking back to some of his conquests over the years when he and Luke were single and living the bachelor life, Ben realized how times had changed—for the better. Those hedonistic days had been a hell of a good time, but he was happy to have them behind him.
“I’m heading out,” Frank said. “Good luck tomorrow.”
“I’ll be here in the morning before I go.”
“Then have a good night. I’m assuming you’re taking Harper’s car to her.”
Ben’s smile was back. “I am. Bringing her dinner, too.”
“I like her.”
“You barely know her.”
“Well, then, I like you with her.”
He couldn’t disagree. Ben liked him with her, too.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Harper
She was working at her desk at home when she heard Ben greet an excited Honey at the garage door.
“Hey, sweet girl. How are you? Where’s your mama? Is she awake?”
“In here,” she called.
His footsteps got louder as he approached her office.
“Hi beautiful,” he said hugging her shoulders from behind and kissing the top of her head. “Did you get a nap?”
“I did.”
“You ready for dinner? I brought Golden Dragon.”
“Yes, I’m starving! Lunch was a quick half-sandwich from the food truck outside the courthouse.”
“Why didn’t you say something earlier? I would have gotten here sooner, if I’d known.”
“Oh, no. It’s fine,” she assured him. “I appreciate you bringing dinner at all; I don’t care what time it is.”
“Come on, baby girl,” he said, offering his hand, which she gladly took.
They ate and discussed their respective days. Ben seemed really interested to hear about her trial and asked a lot of questions when he learned it was a real estate case.
“I’m meeting with a potential seller tomorrow for my third shop,” he confided. “I really hope it works out, because this location is perfect.”
“Let me know if you need any help.”
“I might,” he laughed. “I think his attorney is a real hard ass.”
“Who is it? Maybe I know him.”
“She’s a woman, but I don’t know her name. My realtor has been dealing with her.”
“So how did you—”
Just then, Honey started barking frantically in the backyard, interrupting her next question.
Ben quickly stood. “Wait here—I’ll check on her.”
But Harper walked to the door behind him, and peeked outside where the mountain of a man was standing in the lighted walkway. The cocker spaniel was still yards away, barking her head off.
“Honey!” he yelled, his voice deep and commanding.
The dog paused momentarily, then continued her barking. Ben approached Honey cautiously, then jumped back.
“Oh shit!”
He reached down and scooped up the pup in one smooth movement, then walked backward toward the house. She opened the door before he reached it, and he handed her the dog.
“Keep her inside,” he said, walking past her and into the garage. He returned a moment later with a big bucket, shovel, and a hoe.
He must have noticed her perplexed look. “Rattlesnake,” he said in the doorway.
“Oh my god. You’re kidding! I’ve lived in San Diego all my life and have never seen one.”
“It’s probably just passing through. I’ll help it along.”
“Ben! No! What are you going to do? Let me call the fire department; they’ll come out and relocate it.”
“I’m not going to kill it.”
“I know,” she said, gripping his biceps, “but it might kill you! Just let me call SDFD. Please.”
His face softened.
“Okay. I’ll keep an eye on it so it doesn’t disappear before they get here.”
Harper called the nonemergency number and was told a unit would be dispatched shortly, so she stepped outside trepidatiously.
“They’re on their way,” she said, not more than a foot from the door.
“It doesn’t seem in a hurry to go anywhere.”
“I kind of want to see it.”
“Well, come here.”
She walked slowly to where Ben was standing on the walkway and looked to where he was pointing. About five feet away, coiled up, was a snake on one of the brick pavers. It wasn’t shaking its rattler in warning, but she could see it on the end of its tail.
“Wow, that’s bigger than I realized,” she said, her voice filled with awe. She inched closer, which made the snake rattle, and she jumped back in fright.
“I’ll go back inside to wait for them to get here, and give Honey extra treats in the meantime, for letting us know.”
Ben chuckled and kissed her cheek. “That’s probably a good idea.”
The knock on her front door came about ten minutes later, and she opened it to find two sexy firefighters armed with a snake-wrangling stick and a bucket similar to the one Ben had taken from the garage. He had turned it upside-down and was now sitting on it.
“Hello,” the blond man greeted her. “Did you call about an unwanted visitor?”
“I did—thank you so much for getting here so quickly.”
Honey greeted the two men, who both kneeled down to pet her as they started asking Harper their questions. Had
this been a week earlier, she might have swooned at the sight of them petting her dog in their uniforms. The dark-haired one had tattoos on his forearms, but she had her own sexy, tattooed man now.
“I’m not really sure,” she answered. “My boyfriend is the one who went outside when Honey was barking.”
Wait… boyfriend? the devil on her shoulder asked.
Yeah, what else would you consider him at this point? the angel on her other shoulder responded.
“Do you want to show us where?” the hot blond firefighter asked, and they both stood up, much to Honey’s chagrin.
“Sure, follow me.”
They stepped outside and walked to Ben, who was still standing watch.
“Sorry to bother you. She insisted on calling you instead of letting me handle it,” Ben said as he rose and motioned toward Harper with his head.
“We’d much rather deal with this than a snakebite,” the dark-haired fireman said with a laugh, and nodded toward the shovel and hoe at Ben’s feet as he tapped the professional-looking snake stick on the brick. “Besides, we’re better equipped for the job.”
“And probably have a lot more experience,” the blond one interjected.
“That’s a good point,” Ben admitted. He stepped away as the two men went to work corralling the snake with the hooked part of the metal stick and putting it in the bucket. The whole process took less than two minutes.
“Wow,” Harper said. “You guys are good. Thank you so much.”
“Happy to help,” Blondie said.
“Call us anytime,” the dark-haired one added.
They exited through the side gate, and Harper and Ben went back inside and into her bedroom.
“I’m kind of surprised you let me call them,” Harper giggled as she got her pajama set—green silky boy shorts and matching camisole—out of a drawer.
“Why?” His gaze didn’t leave her body as she stripped out of her yoga pants and vintage graphic t-shirt of The Clash.
“I didn’t know if I threatened your masculinity by suggesting it.”
“Baby girl, I don’t have anything to prove.” As if for emphasis, he grabbed his t-shirt behind the neck and pulled it over his head, exposing his magnificent chest and arms, then unbuttoned the fly on his jeans. “I could have gotten the snake into the bucket, but not as easily as those guys did. Then I would have had to deal with it. I have no problem letting the professionals handle it.”
“Now I don’t know if I want a doggy door,” she said, sitting on the edge of the bed. “I don’t want Honey outside if I’m not home. What if she gets bit, and I’m not here?”
He sat down next to her in his boxer briefs. The bulge in the gray material, along with his massive thighs, made her mouth water.
“We can put her in rattlesnake detection and avoidance training.”
“They have that?” she asked, scooting closer to him and putting her arm around his massive back. Her fingers seemed to have a mind of their own, and she absent-mindedly traced the ink on his chest with her other hand.
He tucked her hair behind her ear.
“Oh, yeah. Luke’s dog, Rex, has gone through it. I’ll ask him about where we can sign her up. Speaking of Luke, he wants to know if we want to get together with him and Cass this weekend.”
She shyly looked at him out of the corner of her eye. Maybe this was too soon to be asking, but she did it anyway.
“I was thinking… maybe we could go out of town this weekend.”
He pushed her shoulder so she was lying on the bed, then easily maneuvered her body like she was a doll until he was enveloping her frame with his.
“Oh yeah? Where do you want to go?” he asked with his lips inches from hers, then moved to kiss her neck.
Her fingers wove into his hair as she tried to concentrate on the conversation. “I don’t know. Palm Springs? Vegas? Ensenada?”
“Let’s go to Vegas,” he said quickly. Too quickly. She raised her eyebrows, even though he couldn’t see her.
“Why Vegas?”
He lifted his head to look at her, caressing her cheek with the back of his fingertips.
“Luke and I used to go a lot, like twice a month, but since he met Cassie, I don’t think I’ve gone once. It’s a great place to relax by the pool with drinks, see a show, or gamble if you feel lucky.”
“Do you think you’ll feel lucky?” she teased.
“Oh baby, I hope so.” He winked.
“Do you want to ask Luke and Cassie to go with us?”
“Hell no,” he growled, nuzzling back into her neck. “I’m not sharing you. When I don’t have you half-naked by the pool, I want you completely naked in my bed. There’s no time for Cassie and Luke on this trip.”
She couldn’t help but smile at the thought.
“What time can you leave on Friday?” she asked.
“When can you leave is the better question. I own the place; I can go when I want.”
“If I get a verdict on Thursday, I was planning on taking Friday and Monday off, so anytime. If not, well, right after the verdict comes in.”
“Okay. I’ll make the travel arrangements.”
And just like that, they were going to Vegas.
“Wait, what am I going to do about Honey?”
“I’m sure she can stay at Luke’s. I’m having lunch with him tomorrow after I meet with the owner of the property I want to buy; I’ll ask him then. Now stop talking so I can worship your body properly, o goddess of mine.”
She starting giggling uncontrollably.
“What’s so funny?” he play-snarled. She knew he knew why she was laughing.
“Goddess of mine?” she mimicked.
He tugged her boy shorts off and scooted between her thighs, licking the center of her pussy with one swipe of his tongue before answering.
“Mmmhmm,” he said, licking her again. “It’s self-explanatory, really.” He swirled his tongue around her clit, making her moan before continuing. “You’re a fucking goddess, and you’re mine.”
Harper couldn’t argue with that logic.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Ben
“Mr. DuFresne extends his apologies, Mr. McCallister.” The woman on the other end of the phone was all business. “Unfortunately, he’s been called out of town. I can reschedule you for two weeks from today, same time.”
“Two weeks? Doesn’t he have anything sooner? I mean, he’s canceling on me last minute—can’t you find something sooner on his calendar than in two weeks?”
Ben heard her clicking buttons and turning pages.
“I can get you in next Thursday at ten-thirty, but only for fifteen minutes.”
“That’s all I need,” he assured her.
He hung up disappointed, but refused to be anything but optimistic—the deal wasn’t dead, simply delayed, and he was about to make travel arrangements to go to Vegas with his girl.
His girl.
He had to admit, the thought didn’t make him shudder like it normally would. Harper Finch definitely had him under her spell—and he didn’t even know her middle name.
****
Luke was already seated when Ben arrived at Fatboy’s Deli and Spirits—their usual go-to spot for lunch. It was halfway between the police station and Ben’s shop on Miramar, and they could get a cold beer and a kickass sandwich.
“I ordered for you,” his friend said when he walked in, so he sat down instead of going to the counter. “How’d it go?”
“It didn’t,” Ben said, scooting his chair closer to the table. “He rescheduled for next week.”
“Aw, man. That sucks. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I’ve waited this long, what’s another week?”
“Are you looking at any other places?”
“Jumper’s on the lookout, but I’m actually the one who found this place. The location is perfect, and the building will be an easy conversion to the shop’s specs.”
“Well, hopefully he doesn’t cancel next week,
and you can make your pitch. If anyone can convince the guy to sell, it’s you.”
He snorted. “Why do people keep saying that? I’m a mechanic, not a salesman.”
“Dude, I really think you missed your calling with that. Don’t get me wrong, you’re an amazing mechanic—but you’re the most persuasive fucker I’ve ever met when you want to be.”
“Think I could persuade you to watch Honey this weekend?”
“Yeah, no problem. Where are you guys going?”
“Vegas.”
Luke narrowed his eyes. “You’re going to Vegas? With Harper?”
“Yeah, why?”
“I swear to god, if you fucking get married this weekend, I will kick your ass.”
“I’m not planning on getting married, but why would you kick my ass if I did? I thought you said you liked Harper.”
“Because, dude—you two are moving at warp speed. What’s the rush? Slow down, get to know each other before you get married, fuck.”
For some reason, Luke’s disapproval pissed him off. “Well, like I said, I’m not planning on getting married, but it’s none of your fucking business even if we did decide to elope.”
Luke’s hands shot up chest-high in the universal I surrender pose. Which was funny, considering he had a gun and badge holstered to his hip.
“Whoa, sorry. You’re right. I was just busting your balls; I didn’t realize I’d hit a nerve.”
Now Ben felt like a jackass.
“You didn’t hit a nerve.”
“You sure about that?” Luke smirked as their food baskets were set down in front of them, along with two iced teas.
“Iced tea? What’s this shit?”
“I’m on duty, dick.”
“You couldn’t have ordered me a beer?”
“No, ass. I couldn’t. I’m under a microscope enough as it is with the public. Just what I need, some citizen contacting the chief that one of his officers ordered a beer at lunch while on duty. I could kiss lieutenant goodbye for sure.”
“When do you find out?”
“They won’t give an exact date. They’ll only tell me ‘soon.’”
“Who’da thought. Luke Rivas—lieutenant, married, and father of three.”
