RJ (HC Heroes Series Book 7)

by Donna Michaels

  Because he was hot, hard, and naked.

  She needed to think about something else or they were going to be late. Again.

  He’d missed his morning run and she’d missed sunrise with her sister several times over the past few weeks.

  Not today.

  The camera crew was set to arrive and meet the scouts who had shown up last week. Production was set to start the first of October, which was only three days away.

  “Thinking about the show?” he asked, stroking her arm.

  How the hell had he known that?

  She smiled. Damn, the man was good. “Yeah. Things are going to get interesting.”

  “Interesting is good.” In a quick move, he rolled them over, so she was on her back and he loomed above her. “You’re interesting.” He dipped down to kiss her neck. “And very good.”

  She rocked her hips to meet his thickening erection. “Just good?”

  He growled and nipped her shoulder, “Keep that up and I’m going to show you just how good—good—can be.”

  “Mmm…you have shown me,” she said, lifting her head to lick his shoulder. “And I love refreshers, but unfortunately, we need to get going.”

  Forcing her body to obey her mind, she untangled herself from underneath his delectable hardness and rolled out of bed.

  “You sure?” His voice was a little low and a lot hot.

  She glanced over to find him sitting up now, lazy grin curving his talented lips and warm, teasing gleam in his eyes. Her periwinkle sheets were bunched indecently low on his lean hips, barely covering the treasure at the bottom of his sexy happy trail.

  Heaven help her, her knees wobbled.

  “No, I’d love to stay and have my way with you…twice,” she said, loving how his eyes flashed with heat on her last word. “But I want to be there when Loni meets the crew at the bakery this morning.”

  This was important to her sister, so it was important to Lori.

  “Then that’s what you’ll do,” he said, heat disappearing from his gaze as he threw the covers back and rose to his feet. “But you’d better grab a shower alone. You’re way too tempting and killing me standing there all naked and sexy.”

  Every delectable inch of him stood at attention, as if reaching out, tempting her resolve.

  She swallowed as heat invaded her belly again. “Ditto,” she told him before walking out of the bedroom and into the bathroom to keep to her schedule…and her hands and body to herself.

  Time management was important. Too bad it always went out the window when RJ was near.

  Smiling, she grabbed a quick shower and emerged in a towel seven minutes later. “Sorry,” she said, more than a little disappointed to find him already dressed for his morning run. “I thought I’d left enough time for you to shower.”

  “You did.” He grinned. “But there’s no need since I’ll grab one after my run.” He stepped close, devilment dancing in his eyes. “Need any help getting dressed?”

  She snorted. “Nope. I can handle it.”

  Dropping her towel, she walked past him to her dresser, a smile spreading across her face as she heard him mutter a curse on his way out of her room. The man was pure gold for her ego.

  When she came out dressed and ready to go, she found him texting on his phone. Reaching near him by the couch, she grabbed her backpack and slipped it on.

  He glanced up and smiled.

  “That was my realtor,” he said, shoving the phone in his pocket before opening her door.

  His house hunting had started almost four weeks ago, but he’d told her nothing sparked his interest so far. Lori knew from experience that it could be a long, arduous processes and had encouraged him to hang in there.

  “She find you another prospect?” Lori locked her cottage and together they set out on the ten minute walk to her sister and Dean’s place.

  Lori lived within walking distance to work, and so did her sister, but from opposite sides.

  “Yeah,” RJ replied. “She found me two houses to look at today, actually.”

  When he didn’t elaborate, she glanced at him. The streetlights cast dark shadows over his features. His smile was gone, replaced by the serious expression of a man weighing a decision. House hunting was full of them. She waited a few more minutes for him to speak, but when he kept walking with his frown growing deeper, she decided to see if she could help.

  “So? Is there one house you prefer over the other?” she asked, passing ESI, then the strip mall where the bakery and Abby’s hair salon were located.

  RJ shrugged. “Both properties looked pretty good on the phone, but that usually changes when you see them in person,” he replied. “One is located two doors down from Gabe.”

  “Oh, yeah, I noticed the sign when we were there on Labor Day. It looked nice.” If you liked well-kept older houses. She did, but not everyone was into them. “It was a craftsman style, right?”

  “Yes.” He nodded, then set a hand on her arm and brought them to a stop outside her sister’s house. “I’d like you to come with me to see it. What do you say?”

  Chapter Nine

  Lori’s heart dipped into her stomach.

  Was he asking her to look at the house to get her opinion? Or to look at it as in, “let’s move in together?”

  She was okay with the first, but the latter scared her silly. Lori had flashbacks of jerkface and just like that, those invisible chains returned to tighten across her chest.

  “Um…what for?” Darn…her voice sounded strained and distant.

  His head tipped back and he released her. “Never mind.”

  “Sorry.” She grabbed his arm as he stepped away. “Hang on. You uh…caught me off guard. I’d be happy to go and give you my opinion, but ultimately the house is for you, so your opinion is the only one that matters.”

  His gaze narrowed and he stared at her for a few long beats before he placed his free hand over the one she used to grip his arm. “You’re wrong, Lori. You matter to me, so I value your opinion. I already know, whatever house I choose is going to be a place I want to share with you.”

  She blew out a breath. “RJ…I’m—”

  “It’s okay.” He cut her off and patted her hand. “I was going to add…sooner or later. But I won’t lie, I’m hoping for sooner.”

  His gaze was open and earnest, and she felt like crap for having to shoot him down.

  She swallowed past her dry throat. “I love being with you, but moving in…that’s a huge step…it’s too soon.”

  He cupped her face with both hands and smiled. “I know. I understand. It’s okay, don’t stress.”

  She exhaled another breath and set her forehead to his. “Thanks. I’m sorry.”

  “No…” He drew back and frowned at her. “There’s nothing to be sorry about. I appreciate your honesty. I didn’t mean to freak you out. It just hit me as we were walking that—”

  The porch light suddenly flicked on a second before Dean opened the door. “Everything okay? The sun’s about to rise.”

  “We’re good.” Lori smiled and waved, then turned to RJ. “We are, right?” she asked in a hushed tone, her heart pounding hard in her chest.

  She might not be ready to move in with the guy, but she certainly didn’t want to move on, either.

  “Of course.” Smiling, he grabbed her hand and walked with her into the house, but she couldn’t help but notice the smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.

  Several hours later she was at the bakery, trying to concentrate on the dinosaur she was supposed to shape out of modelling chocolate, but her mind kept rerunning the house conversation with RJ, so her dino looked more like an oversized, bipedal alligator.

  She set the dinogator on her decorating table before standing to stretch.

  What if RJ didn’t show up for dinner tonight?

  He would, her mind insisted. After all, he’d shown up for his buns this morning, and surely, he wouldn’t have if he were upset with her. No. Things were good. They were good,
so tonight’s routine shouldn’t change either.

  On Monday nights, RJ brought pizza over and she supplied the dessert. Correction…Lori usually was the dessert.

  Would she be tonight?

  God, she hoped so.

  She needed to get out of her headspace and get her rear in gear.

  She was behind schedule, and not just because of her wandering mind, but also thanks to their morning powwow with the production team. Several people were rearranging the tables in the front of the store, adding consent notices about being on television, while a few others were changing out the lighting in the kitchen. Working around them made her and Loni change their routines.

  Thankfully, they had most of their orders finished and in the cooler, and their cases were filled out front. The only things left were two special order birthday cakes.

  Loni was busy baking and carving. They could both decorate them. But first, Lori headed to the coffee pot to pour out a healthy dose of caffeine.

  “And the craziness begins,” her sister said, sidling up to grab a mug.

  Lori nodded. “Good thing we thrive on crazy.”

  The flurry of activity around them was nuts. Thank God for Marta and her efficiency at handling the front. They’d already hired extra workers to help the woman with impending crowds. Champion Bakery was already busy, but the show was probably going to cause customers to line up down the sidewalk. Marta would need all the help she could get, because Lori and Loni would be too busy in the back. Even they were in the process of hiring more bakers and decorators.

  The crazy had certainly begun.

  Loni laughed. “Amen to that.”

  After several minutes, her sister turned to face her. “You know you don’t have to worry about coming to my house every morning.”

  Lori grinned. “I don’t.”

  Her sister laughed. “True. But I just meant in general. You have your own life. Your own place. Your own man…”

  Was RJ her man?

  After this morning…? No, not going there.

  Unease tightened her chest, but she worked on tamping it down. Slow. She needed to take things slowly and RJ told her he was good with that. She wanted to enjoy what they had, not force things in a direction neither wanted.

  She glanced up to find her sister frowning at her. “What?”

  “I like you with RJ. He’s a good man.”

  Lori tipped her head. “Okay, so why are you frowning?”

  “Because I’m not sure you agree,” her sister replied. “Don’t you think he’s a good man?”

  “Yeah…o-of course.” She set her mug down on the counter and wiped up the drops that spilled over the top on impact.

  “That doesn’t sound too convincing,” her sister said. “And Dean said it looked like he interrupted you two having a ‘discussion’ in front of our house this morning.”

  Lori leaned her butt against the counter and sighed. “He asked me to go see two houses with him today.”

  “That’s great, but you’re not smiling, so you’re going to have to tell me why it’s not great.”

  She shrugged. “I do think RJ’s a good man, but I thought the same thing about all my exes, and you know that had only been true once. My track record on judgment sucks. I don’t want to jump the gun this time. I’ve only been dating RJ for four weeks.”

  “And seeing him practically every day.”

  True. And because she’d initiated their dates as much as he did, she couldn’t lump him in jerkface’s category of obsessive, right?

  Her sister’s hand settled on Lori’s arm. “It’s okay to tread cautiously. RJ’s not the kind to force you to do something you’re not ready for. He is very into you. Trust me. He will wait until you’re ready to take the next step.”

  “You think so?”

  Loni smiled. “I do. He’s a former SEAL, like Dean. They’re very tenacious, but also extremely patient. Just trust him.”

  Some of the tightness eased off Lori’s chest and she exhaled slowly. “Okay.”

  As she reached for her coffee, her phone buzzed in her pocket with a text. Lori pulled it out and smiled as the rest of that tightness melted away.

  Up for some peperoni on tonight’s pizza?

  Her smile widened as she replied.

  Yes. You up for some whipped topping on me for dessert?

  He wasted no time answering.

  Absolutely. Bring a bucket of it.

  Damn…

  Her heart rocked in her chest. The man was potent. He had heat flooding her good parts with just a few typed words.

  She was a lucky woman.

  Warmth spread through Lori’s recently strangled chest, but she refused to dissect the reason she was so relieved to know RJ was still interested in her.

  Slow. She was going to take things slow.

  ***

  “Congratulations!” Mac grinned. “Dean told me the good news.”

  RJ shook Mac’s outstretched hand and smiled. “Thanks.”

  He was also going to be a homeowner soon. Very soon. The quick possession stipulation in the sale of the craftsman house was one of the reasons RJ had jumped on it. That, its location in Gabe’s neighborhood, and the fact the house was in pristine condition had sold him on the property. Granted, he’d waited, toured a few more houses—didn’t want to rush into it—but something about that place kept calling him back, and he’d eventually put in a bid.

  “Does Lori know yet?” Mac asked, releasing RJ’s hand.

  He nodded. “Yeah.”

  She was actually the first person he’d told—the first person he wanted to tell—despite almost blowing it with her two weeks ago.

  RJ was going too damn fast for Lori. He could see it now.

  Asking her to house hunt with him had been a huge mistake. Thank Christ she hadn’t shut him out after that fiasco.

  He was an idiot.

  And she was a sweetheart.

  His gut twisted, recalling her confession that night about being worried he wouldn’t want to see her anymore.

  Never.

  In fact, what he wanted was to not ever let her go.

  Of course, he didn’t tell her. How could he? They’d only been seeing each other for a month. It would’ve made him seem twice as fanatical. Hell, even he thought it sounded creepy.

  But he’d never felt a connection like this with anyone before. No, Lori was special. Damn special. Hell, he’d known back in June the instant his gaze had met hers. Interest had sparked in her gorgeous blue eyes and RJ had felt it clear across the reception. A fission of awareness had spread through him and it grew stronger each time they were together.

  She woke his body. Woke his soul. Made him feel things he never knew existed, and want things she selflessly gave him, and he hoped to God he never had to go without.

  Walk away from her? No. He was in for the long haul.

  The beautiful cake artist did it for him and RJ would do whatever it took to keep her in his life—starting with taking things slow.

  A smile tugged at his lips. Considering the woman had invited him over more than half the time, he felt pretty good about his long-term chances with her. And there was also tonight.

  “We’re going out to dinner to Tex Pub to celebrate,” he said, glancing at the clock on his office wall. “In about twenty minutes.”

  It had been Lori’s suggestion.

  The wives of Mac’s cousins owned The Texas Republic, Tex Pub for short. The local restaurant honky-tonk had the best steaks and burgers RJ had ever eaten, and with its location—just across the street—it was their go-to when they wanted more than takeout. Although, they’d done takeout from there, too.

  “Roger that.” Mac headed for the hall, then stopped in the doorway and turned to face him. “You know, it’s great having you here, RJ. It’s nice to share the load of planning and execution.”

  Pride and gratitude straightened his shoulders. “It’s great to be useful again, Mac. You don’t know how much I appreciate this job
.”

  Lumbering around the Iowa farm was not a good utilization of his skillset. Being idle was definitely not good for a former operator.

  “Trust me, I appreciate not having to turn jobs away because I don’t have time to work up plans. Pretty sure I’m the one who benefited from that lucky star of yours this time.” Mac grinned. “Now, go on. Get out of here. Go celebrate with your woman.” After tossing him a two-finger salute, Mac disappeared down the hall.

  More than happy to listen to his boss, RJ powered down his laptop, then cut out of work a little early to head to the bakery to meet Lori. Since it was after five and the bakery was closed, he didn’t have to fight the line that usually wrapped around the strip mall.

  The film crew?

  That was another story. RJ was learning how to ignore them. Apparently, the show included some scenes from the twin’s personal lives. He just hoped they weren’t going to accompany Lori and him to Tex Pub. Good thing his buddy was standing outside the back door, no doubt, providing his own security, even though the production team brought their own. He’d already enlisted Dean’s help, should he need a distraction to keep the crew from following them tonight.

  “They almost done?” he asked Dean as he nodded to the other two men leaning against the building.

  “Yes,” his buddy replied. “They’re wrapping up now…and done shooting for today.”

  The emphasis Dean put on the word wasn’t lost on RJ and he grinned.

  “Roger that.”

  And thirty minutes later, he sat across from Lori—no film crew in sight—digging into his steak, wondering if it would be rude to skip the dessert she’d ordered and leave to finish celebrating in private. Since they’d been at her place several times in the past week, they were heading back to his place tonight.

  Besides, he had a big can of whipped cream in his refrigerator with her name on it.

  “So, did your realtor get back to you with a closing date?” she asked, cutting into the end of her steak. She looked stunning in a black blouse and silk skirt his fingers itched to touch.

  He cleared his suddenly dry throat. “Yeah. In about ten business days.”

  Her brows shot up. “Wow, that’s pretty quick.”