I hadn’t recovered from the first skank. So I planted my feet, dropped my shoulder when she got close and rol ed her over my back. She flew over me, arms and legs pumping and landed on the floor.
I pul ed my gun out of my waistband and trained it on them two-handed.
“Don’t move,” I ordered.
They stared, eyes wide, at my gun.
I glared back. “Stupid skanks,” I muttered under my breath.
I felt a presence beside me and I looked over at Luke.
His eyes were on the skanks. Then he looked at me and a slow smile spread on his face.
“Babe,” was al he said.
Ike moved in on my other side. He was looking at the skanks and the prone body of Warren. Then his eyes moved to Luke.
“Lee’s recruitin’. Should we get her an application?”
*
Luke told the skanks to dress Warren and without a word they did as they were told. Then Ike cuffed and shackled him. They loaded him up in Ike’s Explorer and Ike took him to the station. Luke and I went to my house. I let us in.
My blood was stil pumping at my triple takedown. I wanted to be cool about it but I was pretty fucking pleased with myself.
I switched on a lamp, dumped my blazer on the chaise and smiled at Luke.
“Want a beer?” I asked brightly.
He watched me. “Jazzed?” he asked, one side of his mouth going up in his sexy grin.
I nodded.
His eyes cut to the ratty workout bag that was stil where Tex dropped it, incongruous in my fancy-ass living room.
“Tear gas,” I answered his unspoken question.
Luke looked at me again then he shook his head. “The smel ?” Luke asked when he was done shaking his head.
“Burned brownies. I’m trying to teach myself to be domesticated.”
“Smel s like you’re failing.”
I shrugged, stil smiling at him.
He kept looking at me.
“Beer?” I asked again.
Slowly, eyes stil on me, Luke’s grin faded.
“I don’t want a beer,” he said.
“Coffee?” I asked, cocking my head to the side.
“No,” he replied.
Something had changed in the room, the air had started crackling. Before I could put my finger on it or do anything to disburse it, Luke was so in my space, he was my space, arms around me, mouth on mine, kissing me.
Instinctively I put my arms around his neck. He walked me back, hands moving up my sides, across my back, over my ass, al this time his tongue in my mouth. I felt my thighs hit the arm of the couch and we both went over and down, Luke control ing the fal with an arm out. Then his body settled on mine.
My heart was pumping with adrenalin and excitement both at the night’s activities and the couch activities.
He was good with his mouth, different than Vance, less intense, more titil ating, almost teasing. His lips were always there but his tongue was playing with mine, giving me a taste of something hot then disappearing when I wanted more, making me go after it. Eventual y his mouth disengaged from mine and went down my neck and his hands went up my shirt. I shivered and returned the gesture, liking the feel of the skin and muscle of his back.
His tongue was doing things behind my ear that felt good and I liked it, wanted it, wanted him.
And then just as quickly as I realized that, I didn’t want it.
Then I kid you not, I started crying for the first time since Auntie Reba died. I couldn’t have helped it if I tried but I didn’t even try. I was just too tired of holding them back.
I turned my head, put my lips to his neck and said quietly, “Luke.”
At the sound of his name, his tongue stopped and he turned his head to look at me. He watched me for a few seconds while the tears slid down the sides of my eyes.
Then he said, his voice soft and not angry, “Not normal y the reaction I get, babe.”
My hands left the inside of his tee and one arm wrapped around his waist, the other hand went to the back of his head.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
He didn’t answer. He rol ed to the side, back to the couch and pul ed us up so we were ful -on the couch. He kept his arms around me and I pressed my cheek to his chest. I took deep breaths and after a few minutes control ed the tears.
After I’d done that, I tilted my head back to look at him.
“You want a beer?” I asked, voice stil quiet.
He used his thumb to wipe the tears from my face and when he was done, he kissed my nose. Then he said, “Yeah.”
I nodded, pul ed away, got up and got us both a beer.
When I walked back into the living room, the TV was on, the sound low, some action movie with explosions was playing. I gave him the beer, sat down beside him and yanked off my boots. When I settled back into the couch, he pul ed me into his body, arm around my shoulders.
Boo jumped up and I lifted my legs to the couch and curled into Luke’s warmth, head on his shoulder. Boo settled in the space between us and I stroked him.
I wasn’t afraid I was giving mixed messages. Instinctively I understood that Luke knew the score, knew I needed not to be alone and was offering me that and nothing else.
It was kind. It was huge. It was as un-badass as it could get and therefore even more badass than ever.