Before We Kiss (Fool's Gold #14)

Larissa squeezed Taryn’s hand. “Our little boy is all grown up.”


“You’re a freak,” Taryn told her. “You know that, right?” She turned to Dellina. “As Sam’s business partner, I would encourage you to have sex with Sam. I’m guessing it would improve his mood and I’m for that. As your friend, you probably want to think more than once about getting involved with a man who has that much bad luck with women.”

“Arguing each side equally,” Dellina murmured. “Impressive.”

“Isn’t she?” Larissa sat back in her chair. “What is it about sports guys that make them so appealing?”

“Their bodies,” Dellina said without hesitating, telling herself she was speaking in generalities and not talking about Sam at all.

“The danger,” Taryn added. “Remember during the Olympics when we couldn’t stop watching Kipling Gilmore? When he skied down that mountain, it was the sexiest thing ever.” She paused and grinned. “Except for Angel, of course.”

“Yes, don’t leave your fiancé out of it,” Larissa murmured. “I’m with you on Kipling. Yum and double yum.”

Larissa leaned toward them both. “So I heard from a friend of mine.”

Taryn groaned. “Run,” she told Dellina. “Run while you still can. Run and never take her calls.”

Larissa’s mouth turned into a pout. “You don’t know what I’m going to say.”

“Yes, I do. Some creature needs rescuing. It’s going to be weird and inconvenient.”

“Mostly to Jack,” Larissa reminded her.

Taryn perked up. “That’s right.” She looked at Dellina. “Jack is forever helping Larissa with her various projects. Whether he wants to or not.”

“It’s one of his best qualities,” Larissa said.

“Why doesn’t he just say no?” Dellina asked.

“It’s not in his nature,” Taryn said. “He’s a sucker for Larissa’s causes.” She picked up her latte again. “All right. What is it now?”

“There might be a lady in Barstow breeding chiweenies.”

Larissa paused dramatically. Dellina looked at Taryn. “What’s a chiweenie?”

“Hell if I know. And where’s Barstow?”

Larissa put her hands on the table. “They’re dogs. A Chihuahua-dachshund mix. There’s concern she has a puppy mill rather than a breeding program. We’re still investigating. But we might need to go in and rescue them.”

Taryn’s right eye twitched. “Save us all,” she murmured. “Fine. Go rescue your chiweenies, but don’t ask Dellina for help until after the party. I mean it. She’s working on a deadline.”

Larissa’s eyes widened. “But they’re puppies!”

Taryn looked at Dellina. “You see what I put up with?”

Dellina heard the love behind the frustration. Because for Taryn, the people at Score were her family. Dellina knew how important belonging could be. She would do anything for her sisters and her friends. Every now and then she wondered what it would be like to have a Mr. Right in her world. Then she told herself she was doing just fine and that a man would simply get in the way of that.

* * *

SAM ARRIVED AT Score a little before six in the morning. He stored his change of clothes in his locker, then headed outside.

While the days were warm in summer, the nights were still cool, as were the early mornings. The sun had just started to climb over the mountains when he walked onto the basketball court across the street from the company offices.

When he and Kenny and Jack had first come to Fool’s Gold for a charity event, they hadn’t been looking to leave Los Angeles. But something about the town had appealed to them. They’d come back individually over the next few weeks and had ultimately decided to relocate. When Taryn had gone looking for a building, they’d requested a space for a half basketball court. Ever the overachiever, she’d found one where they could put in a full court. Which meant three mornings a week there were pickup games with the guys in town.

Now Sam stepped through the gate in the high fence and walked toward the people already there. He, Jack and Kenny made up the Score contingent. From CDS, the local bodyguard school, were Justice, Angel, Ford and Consuelo, the only woman who joined them. Gideon, who owned the local radio station and his twin brother, Gabriel, showed up most mornings. Usually someone else came to play. One of the Stryker brothers, Josh Golden or Raoul Moreno.

They played to thirty points and generally followed NCAA rules. Teams were decided by drawing poker chips from a bag and whichever team Consuelo wasn’t on was skins. Given the choice, Sam preferred having the petite brunette on his side. She was small but fast, and she played dirty.

“Hey,” he said as he approached. As he greeted everyone, he did a quick head count and realized they were down one player. Clay Stryker had arrived just after Sam, which meant one of the regulars was absent.