Drunk Dial (Hard Core #1) (Hard Core Series) (18 page)

“It is,” Reese said, smiling. “But I’m anxious to get my own place. It’s weird, living with my parents after being on my own for so long.”

“Have you got any places lined up?” I asked between bites of cookie.

“Yeah, I’m just not sure if I want a house or condo.”

I thought about telling her about the condos available in Cooper’s brand-new building, but I didn’t want to push my luck. “How’s your family?”

“They’re great. If you can believe it, Tori’s married with a baby on the way. They’re living in Fresno.”

“Good for her.” Tori’s sister was my age, but she’d gone to a fine arts high school, so we only knew each other casually through Reese. “Is she still an amazing artist?”

“She’s even better now,” Reese said, beaming with pride. “She has paintings in galleries all over the country.”

“That’s wonderful.” I was happy for Tori, but she was the same age I was and seemed to have her life all figured out while I was still struggling to keep it all together. I was more than a little jealous.

“But enough about me and my family,” Reese said, tipping her head. “I want to hear about you. What about this boyfriend? Is it serious?”

“We haven’t been dating long, but I like him. A lot.” Since I didn’t think Reese followed MMA, I didn’t bother to tell her about York’s profession.

“And how is Ash?” she asked, her eyes brimming with tears. “God, I haven’t seen him in years. I’ve missed him almost as much as I’ve missed you.” She reached across the table to give me a one armed-hug as she sniffled. “God, look at me. I’m such a mess. I’m sorry, Lace.”

“It’s okay.” I wanted to know why she got so emotional when she thought about the past, but if we could rekindle our friendship, I was sure she’d tell me in due time. “Ash is Ash. You know him. Still a player.”

“And…” She cleared her throat. “What about Coop? Is he still a player too?”

I don’t know how she knew my eldest brother had had more than his share of women since they split, but since she’d asked me a direct question, I couldn’t lie. “He hasn’t met anyone like you, that’s for sure.”

“Is he happy?” she whispered, looking at me through damp lashes. “Because I want him to be happy. He deserves that.”

Was he happy? He loved his work. Had a great condo. A sweet ride. Great friends who were like his brothers. There was never a shortage of women in his life. But was he truly happy? I didn’t know, which probably made me a lousy little sister.

“He has a pretty full life,” I said, knowing that didn’t answer her question. “He rarely has any down time.”

“His work must be dangerous.” At my questioning look, she said, “My dad filled me in. He retired almost four years ago, but he said Coop was one of the best undercover cops they had on the drug task force. He even got a job offer from the FBI, but turned it down, huh?”

I thought it was strange that her father had been keeping her apprised of her ex-boyfriend’s career, especially since she’d been married at the time. “Um, yeah. His work is dangerous. Even more so now that he’s infiltrating biker clubs. But he knows what he’s doing. I have to trust that.” I smiled. “Otherwise I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night.”

“And how’s your mother?” she asked, giving me a sympathetic smile.

“You know her,” I said, trying to keep the bitterness from my voice. “She’ll never change.”

“Never is a long time, honey. You never know.”

I knew. But I’d let Reese hold on to her illusions that people like my mother could change. “I guess I should get going,” I said, glancing at my watch. “It’s getting late, and York’s making me dinner tonight.”

As we stood, she asked, “York? That’s the new boyfriend?”

“Yeah.”

“When I ran into Coop in the store, I asked about you,” she said, putting her arm around me. “He told me that you’re teaching kickboxing now. I’m so proud of you, sweetie.” She laughed. “If I’d kept up with it, who knows, maybe I wouldn’t be so afraid to jog after work.”

I wanted to tell her that being a marital artist didn’t make you fearless, just better prepared. “You should pass by the studio where I work.” I turned to face her when we reached the door. “I teach a beginner’s class. From what I remember, you were a natural.”

“That might be fun,” she said, nodding. “I’ve been looking for a new hobby since I moved back to town.”

“Here,” I said, reaching into my purse for a card. “This is where I work. Stop by any time. The first class is free.”

“Thanks,” she said, turning the card over in her hand.

“Do you have a pen?” I asked, rummaging through my purse for one. That was how she spotted my gun.

“Oh my God! Why do you have a gun?”

Since I didn’t want her to worry, I tried laughing it off. “You know Coop. He thinks everyone should bear arms. It makes him feel better, so like my American Express card, I never leave home without it.”

She frowned as though she didn’t buy my story, but she reached into the hall console table to grab a pen without asking any more questions. “Here you go.” She handed it to me, along with the card.

I jotted my cell number on the back and passed them back to her. “Call me anytime. I’d love to get together for dinner, if you’re not too busy with work and looking for a place.”

“I can always make time for you,” she said, hugging me. “And I’ll text just as soon as you leave, so you’ll have my cell number too.”

“Cool,” I said, slinging my purse over my shoulder as she walked me out onto the porch.

She grinned when she spotted the classic Mustang. “Oh wow, I bet Ash is green with envy. I remember how much he wanted one of those when we were kids.”

“Actually, this is Ash’s,” I explained, opening the car door. “I’m just borrowing it for a while. My real ride is a Harley named Pearl.” I winked at her before I slipped my sunglasses into place.

She laughed as she gripped the porch railing. “I love how fearless you are, Lace.”

Not fearless, I thought as I slipped into the driver’s seat and checked my rearview mirror. Just really good at pretending.

York

Lacy and I were working side by side in my kitchen, with her chopping vegetables for the salad while I seasoned the steaks, when I asked, “How did it go with Reese this afternoon?”

When she looked up at me, her smile made me feel as if I’d been sucker-punched. That was when I realized I hadn’t been off the mark when I claimed to be falling in love with her. I was falling hard and fast, and I couldn’t help but wonder whether she felt it too. Or was I delusional to think that a girl who’d been through as much as she had could ever learn to love and trust completely?

“It was so good to see her again. Thanks for encouraging me to go.”

I’d do just about anything to see her light up like that, even if it meant pushing her out of her comfort zone once in a while. “I’m glad it went well.”

I reached into the fridge for another bottled water for me and the bottle of wine to refill her glass. Now that I was back in training, I’d traded the alcohol for water, and I felt a hell of a lot better for it.

“I got the impression she still has feelings for Coop,” she said, tossing the salad in a large stainless steel bowl before reaching for the eggplant and zucchini we intended to grill. “Though that may be wishful thinking on my part. I’ve never seen him happier than he was with Reese.” She sighed. “They were so good together.”

“Kind of like us?” I asked, wrapping my arms around her after I topped up her glass.

She tipped her head back, smiling at me. “We are pretty good together, aren’t we?”

“The best.” I dropped a kiss on her lips as my way of telling her that this was shaping up to be the best relationship I’d ever had. Though I didn’t have a history of long-lasting or healthy relationships to compare it to.

As though she’d been reading my mind, she said, “You told me about your last girlfriend, the one who cheated on you. But what about the others? Any other serious relationships in your past?”

“Not really. Fighting’s been my life for a long time now. That doesn’t leave a lot of time for relationships. Starting next week, I’ll be training six hours a day again, and Dante’s on me about doing some promo stuff for the fight against Morales, which means travel.” I hated the thought of leaving her, even for a few days.

“Duty calls, huh?” she asked, faking a smile. I could already tell the difference between a real smile and a forced one. When it was real, those gorgeous green eyes of hers sparkled like emeralds, making me hope what we’d found could last.

“Yeah, my agent’s been on me about some endorsement deals too,” I said, reaching into the salad bowl for a slice of cucumber. “I really should look those over. See if anything grabs me.” I was pretty selective about the products I endorsed, which drove my agent crazy because it meant a smaller paycheck for him. Most of the athletes he worked with would slap their names on anything for a six- or seven-figure payday.

“I get the feeling money doesn’t really motivate you,” she said, arranging the veggies on a platter.

“It doesn’t really.” I looked around the kitchen, which was bigger than some of the places we’d lived in when I was growing up. “I have more than enough already. Of course, in this business, your body takes a hell of a beating, so you have to invest, you know, plan for the day when your body can’t take the abuse anymore.”

“Have you thought about what you’d like to do when you retire?” she asked, carrying her wine and the vegetable platter outside while I grabbed the steaks and cooking utensils.

“Maybe buy a gym or martial arts studio. Probably train other fighters.” I couldn’t imagine giving up the sport I loved. It was one of the two things that still got my blood pumping. That, and Lacy. “I could hire you to manage it for me.”

I grinned when she plopped down in a lounge chair and put her feet up, flashing me those tanned, toned thighs in a pair of faded jean shorts.

“Damn,” I said, turning on the barbeque and closing the lid. “How the hell am I supposed to keep from burning our dinner with you looking so sexy?” I leaned over to kiss her, trapping her between my arms.

“We could always put dinner on the back burner and have dessert first,” she said, watching me with hooded eyes as my hand trailed up her leg.

“Baby, I’m gonna need all that protein for fuel.” I flicked my tongue over her earlobe before tracing the shell. “Given what I have in mind for you.”

“You’re such a tease,” she whispered breathlessly as I pulled away.

I tried to distract myself by cleaning the grill, but my raging hard-on encouraged me to get this dinner over with in record time so we could get on to that dessert she’d promised me. “You didn’t say what you think about managing a martial arts studio. Does the idea appeal to you?”

She slipped the oversized sunglasses that were perched on her head into place over her eyes as she tipped her head back to enjoy the early evening rays. “Maybe someday. But right now, Ash still needs me at the club.”

“Speaking of Ash,” I said, wondering whether I’d misread his signals when he’d met Ace. “Are you sure he’s okay with me setting up Rachel and Ace? I sensed some tension from him when I brought Ace to the club.”

“Honestly?” she asked, turning her head to watch me. “I think my brothers may be as messed up as I am when it comes to relationships and commitment.”

“That’s reassuring,” I muttered.

“What?”

“Nothing.” I shook my head, feeling like a coward for not telling her the truth—that I was disappointed she still considered herself inept when it came to love and intimacy. I knew we still had a long way to go, but I felt as though we’d come a long way in a short time and had hoped she felt the same way. Apparently not.

“How about the truth now?”

I should have known she’d call me out for trying to evade her question. “You were telling me about Ash,” I said, trying to distract her. “You think he still has feelings for Rachel?”

“Yes. Now about you and me…”

That got my attention. After setting the meat on the grill and closing the lid, I turned to face her. The growing knot in my stomach told me I should have thought twice before opening this can of worms. “What about us?”

“You know I think you’re great, right?”

“Just stop right there,” I advised, raising my index finger. “Because I sense a but coming next, and I really don’t want to hear that shit tonight.” I was getting frustrated that she seemed determined to keep putting up roadblocks while I was prepared to barrel full steam ahead.

“York.” She walked toward me slowly and slipped her arms around my waist. “I want to be honest with you. Always. If I told you that I wasn’t scared of this thing between us, I’d be lying, and I won’t do that to you.”

I should appreciate her honestly, especially since so many of my previous girlfriends had lied to me and deceived me, but the truth was hard to hear, especially since I wanted nothing more than for her to tell me she had no reservations or fears about us moving forward.

“So tell me what I can do to erase your fears,” I whispered, lowering my head until my lips were grazing her neck. “Just say the word, and I’ll do it.”

“Just keep being you.” She gripped my chin and turned my face toward hers so she could look me in the eye. “I’m pretty sure you’re the best damn man I’ve ever met. I feel more for you today than I did yesterday, and I’m pretty sure I’ll feel even better about us by tomorrow. But it may take me some time to catch up to you. I hope that’s okay?”

I feared that was her way of telling me that while I may be falling in love with her, she wasn’t there yet and didn’t know when she would be. “Sure. It’s all good, baby.” Pumping the brakes sounded like a shit idea to me, but what choice did I have?

***

Lacy’s eyes widened when I walked into the room with a whipped cream dispenser after inviting her to get naked and wait for me.

“What do you plan to do with that?” she asked, fisting the sheets as her eyes darkened with lust.

“You promised me dessert,” I said, shaking the can. “I’m collecting on that promise.”

She rolled her lower lip between her teeth while raising her arms above her head, thrusting out her full breasts. “I didn’t realize you intended to feast on me.”