Lucky 13 (Deadlines & Diamonds) (5 page)

She retrieved his number in the call log and stared at the ten digits for so long that when she closed her eyes, she saw them bright and glaring in the blackness.

This was so not good.

She put her phone to sleep and slipped it back into the pocket of her jeans. She’d call him. Maybe. Probably. Most likely. Tomorrow. Yeah, tomorrow she’d return his call.

Yet when her hand made contact with the cool metal of the doorknob, her stomach pitched. She rushed back to the bathroom, leaned over the sink and breathed deep. She splashed some cold water on her face, only to realize there were no towels. Thus the reason Matt had used the hem of his shirt. She resorted to the same means, pulling her shirt high to dab at the droplets on her chin.

The
re
in the mirror
, live and in living color,
were the ugly marks proving her status as
a mother. She tugged her shirt back down
. She’d never have the perfect body a guy like Enrique Santiago expected
of his woman
.
His woman
. Ha. What a joke that was.

She pulled her phone free, once again recalled his number and hit delete. He was wrong for her on so many levels. It would be better for all involved if she got that through her head sooner rather than later.
T
he last time she’d fallen for flowery words and a handsome face had devastated her. She’d recovered, learned her lesson, but would really like to find someone to love her. Maybe someday. Today, though, was definitely not that day.

Steadier on her feet, she prepared to go back to her life. This time when she reached for the doorknob her phone rang. Instinct took over
. She yanked it from her pocket.
“Hello,”
she answered,
and cringed when
he
chuckled.

“Hey,
mujer bonita
.
”

She mentally slapped herself for being so careless. “Hey.”

“I
,
ah, didn’t leave my number last time and I wanted to make sure you could call me back.”

“It was on my caller ID.” She headed back toward the bathroom to return to h
er perch on the edge of the
tub.

“Oh, yeah, sure.” Dammit, even his breath comforted her. “Are you getting settled?”

“Almost.”

“If you need anything—”

“I’m good, thanks.”

He sighed, long and deep. “Of course
you are.
But if you ever did, I’d be happy to help.” Before she could apologize for being bitchy, he changed the subject. “Are you free tomorrow night?”

Her first impulse screamed for her to lie. She opened her mouth to do just that, but instead
caught
h
erself saying, “
I don’t have any plans.”

“Good. I’ll swing by to get you about four o’clock. Wear something casual. Jeans and a t-shirt would be totally sexy.” She could hear the smile in his voice and it made her smile too.

“Do I get to make a wardrobe request for you?”

He
chuckl
ed. “Name it.”

She dropped her voice and prayed it’d sound sensual. “Jeans and a t-shirt would be totally sexy.”

His laughter increased and she giggled along with him. Finally he coughed a bit. “I’ll see you tomorrow,
mujer bonita
.”

His accent did funny things to her insides. She wasn’t sure what the words meant. Hell, he could’ve called her
bat-shit crazy, psycho bitch
for all she knew
. Nonetheless, it made her all tingly
and she couldn’t wait to hear him say it again.

5

Ricky exited the elevator, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt
, a
Rockets
ball cap pulled down low on his head
, and started down the hallway toward Shayne’s penthouse.
Xavier’s penthouse
,
he corrected himself. He’d be wise
to remember Shayne
also had Xavier on her birth certificate.

He raised his knuckles and knocked.
After a few seconds, h
e heard the slide of the security chain and the snap of the deadbolt. The door opened with a flourish.

Matt grinned. “Hey
,
man,
come
on
in.
Mom’s just finishing up.” He leaned in close. “She’s been really nervous about tonight.”

“Thanks for tellin’ me.” Ricky took in Matt’s state of dress, or mostly
un
dress
and frowned
.

The kid was bare except for a pair of workout shorts
and a tank top
. Matt bid him entrance with a beckoning wave of his hand as he padded over to plop down in front of the television. He picked up a videogame controller, his fingers and thumbs fl
ying over the buttons.

Ricky strolled over to the couch, leaned a hip against it.
“Hey, dude
, aren’t you—”

“Sorry to make you wait.”

He
glanced up toward the voice and forgot his own damn name. Shayne was putting on a pair of earrings, her head bent to one side, both hands fiddling with the small hoop. She smiled and his knees went weak. He casually gripped the
back of the
couch for strength—and to keep from accosting her.

She brushed her hands over her
ponytail, curling the end
around her finger. She
smoothed
her light pink t-shirt
and finished the pat down by running her palms down the denim covering her thighs. A timid smile plucked at her full lips and insecurity glimmered in her chocolate eyes.

“Is this okay? I can change if it’s not.”

“You look great.” He did his best to pull off
the no-big-deal
as he crossed the room to stand in front of her. “Can I hug you?”

She bit i
nto her lower lip and shot a pee
k in Matt’s direction. The moment it took for her to nod dragged o
n for an eternity. As soon as her
chin dipped, though, Ricky was on her.

He’d missed her, missed holding her in his arms, having her soft body pressed against this chest.
She made his blood race, his heart pound and his skin prickle with the need for more. He’d
n
ever experienced such a deep connection with a woman. He couldn’t explain it. Didn’t want to. And how ridiculous was that?

When she returned his embrace, he spread his fingers out to span the entire expanse of her back.
A hardcore need to protect her from every bad thing in the world slammed into him.
He had a habit of falling for the wrong girl. This time he’d found the right one. He knew it. Didn’t have a single doubt.

Shayne Xavier was the woman for him.

Now he just had to figure out how the hell to convince her.

***

Shayne laid her head against Ricky’s chest and absorbed his strength, his heat, his security. Of course she’d been hugged by other men, but never had any of them made her feel the way Enrique Santiago did with a single tight hold.

She could get used to this feeling. Really damn quick. Too damn easy. She couldn’t let that happen.

She pressed her hands against his chest and he released his hold without so much as a grunt of protest.
He took o
f
f his
Rockets
hat and ran his fingers through his black hair. Once the hat was back in place, he looked at where Matt lay sprawled on the floor between the couch and the television.

“I kinda thought he’d join us.”

Shayne wasn’t sure what to say. She knew her mouth hung open a bit.
She couldn’t help it. She just stared at him.
Had she heard him right?

“If he’d rather stay home, that’s cool.”

“You
want
him to go with us?”

A big, beefy shoulder lifted in a shrug. “Yeah. I mean, you’re a package deal, right? I’d better get to know both of you.”

Again she found herself dumbstruck.

His list of credentials kept growing. Enrique Santiago:
Talented
Athlete, Gentleman, World’s Best
Hugger, Damn Good Kisser, Moving Company Owner
, Sensitive, Caring,
Sexy,
Male Model. Okay, so the last one
technically
didn’t apply, but only because he hadn’t taken his clothes off for the right person.

Oh
,
good hell! He hadn’t taken his clothes off for her yet either.
Yet?

She concentrated on the V of his t-shirt and found herself licking her lips. She’d really like to trace her tongue over the contours of those muscular pectorals.

No! No, she wouldn’t.

She shook some sense into her head. “Hey, Matt.”

The videogame paused on the TV and he twisted around. “Huh?”

“You wanna go with us?”

He shrugged. “Where ya goin’?”

She glanced at Ricky and allowed him to take lead on answering the question since she had no idea where they were headed.

“I thought we’d hit the batting cages and get some dinner. You can choose the place.”

She could almost see the deliberation happening in Matt’s head. Finally
,
he nodded.

“Give me a minute.” He turned off the videogame and the TV, tossed his controller onto the cushions of the couch and took off on a jog down the hall.

Shayne groaned when he jumped up to slap the wooden beam that separated the rooms.

“That kid’s got hops.”

“Yeah.”

“You don’t sound enthusiastic.”

“He leaves dirty fingerprints in pl
aces too high for me to clean. Yeah, i
t’s
really
great.” She
rolled her eyes
. “He wants to try out for basketball.”

“Ugh.”
Ricky screwed his face up tight
, his brows crinkled, his nose wrinkled, and he literally shuddered
.
“
We’ll have to change his mind.”

Shayne glanced down the hall and laughed. “Good luck with that.”

Ricky tipped her chin up with
the slightest
pressure from his index finger. He kissed her on the tip of the nose. She
went
all warm and gooey inside. Her eyes fluttered closed and she prepared for the kiss she hoped would find her lips.
She didn’t have to wait long.

The first brush was soft, gentle. The second threatened to consume her. He slid his hand up to cradle her face. She leaned into his touch. His thumb stroked her cheek. His tongue stroked her bottom lip. She sighed
as he
slipped into her mouth. His low groan preceded his hand gliding down to mold to her ass.

He guided her hips to nestle against his. Surprise and satisfaction had her grinding into his arousal. This time his groan sounded pained. He peeled his mouth away, his breath ragged. His forehead res
ted against hers. “You slay me.”

Breathing hard herself, she raised a brow while she pu
nished him with another grind
of her pelvis. “And here I thought you were the one with the sword.”

***

She had
not
just said that.

But as Ricky lost himself in the chocolate twinkle of her eyes, he knew she had
in fact
just made a reference to his genitals.

He grabbed hold of her ass, one firm cheek in each palm, and held her tight against his
sword
. He kissed her neck right below her ear. She moaned and melted. He allowed
his lips to brush her lobe and
whispered, “Careful there,
mujer bonita
.
”

“What does…that mean?” she asked on a breath.

His lips brushed her lobe. “Beautiful lady.”

She shivered, goosebumps breaking out on her tanned skin. He could feel the thud of her pulse
against his mouth. Satisfaction quickened his heart rate. He kissed his way back to her...

“Okay. I’m rea
dy.
”

Shayne jumped back, a dark blush staining her cheeks. “How long have you been—”

“S
tanding here?”
Judging by the smile on his face, t
he kid had bee
n standing there
.
“Not long.” He exited the hallway and crossed into the kitchen, sitting down on the couch to tie his shoes. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’m good with it.” His head dipped, his concentration on the bunny-around-the-tree thing. “I like him.”

Shayne stared
at her son, her lips
parted
. Her cheeks went fuchsia. Ricky had to admit his own felt a little hot.
Her hands shook as she grasped his, tugging him into the kitchen.

“I don’t know you.”

“I want you to.” He stroked a finger from her temple to chin.

“You don’t know me.”

“S
hayne
, we’ve been through this. That’s what we’re doing. Getting to know each other.”

She sighed, crossed her arms over her chest. “You’re a really great kisser.
Really
great, but when your lips get anywhere near me, I can’t think. And if I can’t think
,
I can’
t…
” She closed her eyes and huffed. “
It screws with my judgment.”

He leaned down and brushed his lips against her freckles. “Last one. I want your judgment to be spot on when you realize you love me.”

She laughed. “Love you? You’re kinda confident, huh?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He stepped away from her and offered his hand.

“How can I love you when I don’t even know you?”

“Good grief.” He took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. “Get over the fact that you don’t know me and start focusing on what you want to know about me. As far as you’re concerned, Shayne Xavier—” He held his arms wide. “—I am an open book. Ask me anything.”

“Favorite band or singer?”

“Pitbull. Same question.”

“Kenny Chesney.”

“Ugh. You
just
had to be a country girl
, didn’t ya?
”

She nodded. “And I look great in my cowboy boots.”

Matt hollered
from the other room
, “Are we
going or not
?”

“We’re coming,” she yelled back before turning to him to say, “
Just
my cowboy boots.”

Ricky
might have been able to bite back his groan
if he’d had any idea she’d be flirty. But i
t’d
completely
blindsided him, Mack truck to his deer-in-the-headlights.
What he
had
expected from her was distance. So maybe she only wanted
physical
distance. He held out his hand and smiled when she grabbed hold.

***

Enrique Santiago surprised Shayne at every turn. Not so much who he was, but how he made her feel. Comfortable. At ease. Cherished. Admired.

He glanced over as he stepped out of the b
atter’s box
and gr
inned. In that moment she felt—d
are she say it?—sexy. His wink made her insides
liquefy
and her knees wobble.

It’d been a long damn time since she’d felt like anything but
“Matt’s M
om
”
. All of this was happening too fast. It took a great deal of effort, but she managed to pull her gaze away from Ricky’s sexy, molten stare to watch Matt step into the batter’s box and square up.

He waited for the ball. It whi
zzed by, slapping the chain link
backstop with a
ka-chink!
He cursed and Shayne pretended she hadn’t heard the outburst of frustration. They’d been at the
batting
cages for almost an hour and Matt hadn’t hit a single ball. She could tell Ricky wanted to step in, offer some pointers, but for some reason
he
hesitated.