Rushing the Goal (Assassins #8)

Still glaring, Lucy tore her gaze from Benji’s to look to Angie. “We wanted to wait until we were sure we liked each other.”

Angie nodded and then thought that over for a moment. Pressing her finger to her lip, she looked up at them. Benji smiled, but Lucy looked like she was about to have an anxiety attack. “So are we moving in?”

“Angela, no! We are just dating.”

She squinted her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest. “So what do I gain here? From him being your boyfriend?”

Covering her face again, Lucy moaned as Benji laughed. “You get a friend,” he answered, ruffling her hair as she giggled. “Plus, I’ll always make your mom smile.”

She shrugged as Lucy looked over at him, a grin pulling at her lips. Angie smiled and then said, “Cool.”

“Cool?”

“Yeah, cool,” she said with a nod before sliding out of her chair. Lucy looked to Benji with wide eyes.

She’s crazy, she mouthed and he grinned, nodding his head.

The girl was a handful for sure.

“And, Mom?” Lucy looked from Benji to Angie as she held on to the counter, rocking back and forth. “Told you prayer works.”

As she walked away like she had just made the point of the century, Lucy glanced at Benji and shook her head, but he couldn’t take it anymore. Reaching for her hips, he brought her in close and kissed her hard on the lips. Relaxing against him, she laid her fingers against his jaw as he moved his lips with hers. When he pulled back, he kissed her nose then her bottom lip before leaning his head toward hers.

“Was that so bad?” he asked, and she rolled her eyes.

“It was torture. That girl drives me to no end,” she said, moving her nose along his, her fingers biting into his neck. “But I feel better. I don’t like keeping secrets from her.”

He nodded, kissing her top lip. “You know she’s right.”

“Good Lord, about what?”

“That prayer does work,” he said, his lips curving. “’Cause I’ve been praying for you for the last ten years.”

And thank God the big guy was listening.





Pushing through the back door, Lucy found Benji at the counter, looking up at her with wide eyes. Probably because she came through the back door like a bull in a china shop. Quirking a brow, he said, “Hey, you.”

“Hey,” she said, looking around frantically.

“Need something?”

“Scissors! I can’t find mine anywhere.”

“Did you look in the bottom drawer on the left on your workstation?” he asked as she came around the counter, searching his kitchen drawer.

She paused. “No.”

“Well, they are in there,” he said as she slowly rose to look at him.

“They are supposed to be in the right, top.”

“Well, I didn’t know that and put them in the left,” he said, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

“Why didn’t you ask me?” she asked, striking her hips, and he grinned.

“Because you weren’t there, and I wanted it done so you could work.” She rolled her eyes as he kissed her once more. “I like when you’re frazzled. Really cute.”

Giving him a deadpan look, she pursed her lips, eyeing the leftover potpie he was about to eat. All of a sudden, she was famished. Waggling her eyebrows, she nodded her head to it. “Hey, you gonna eat that?”

He grinned. “I am. There is some in the fridge if you want some.”

She grinned, leaning into him, batting her lashes. “Can I have yours?”

He laughed. “Are you serious? Get your own.”

“But yours tastes better,” she whined, leaning into him more, nuzzling her nose into his jaw. “Please.”

Letting out a sigh as his fork dropped, he pushed the plate to her. “You suck.”

She giggled, taking the plate and the fork. “You rock. Thank you.”

Leaning up for a kiss, she pressed one to the side of his face before going around the counter. “One day, I’ll learn to say no to you.”

Her eyes widened. “Oh, I hope not,” she said with a wink, reaching for the door.

Taking a bite, she was almost out the door when he said, “Hey, want me to get Angie? So you can leave from here for practice? Or do you have it?”

She paused, thinking for a second as she chewed. She had a lot to do, but she didn’t want to put him out. “If you can get her, that would make life so much easier.”

He grinned, looking up as he placed a slice of potpie on his plate. “Well, I do like making your life easier, so I’ll get her.”

“Are you sure? No big deal?”

“No big deal,” he promised, his eyes locking with hers. “I like picking her up. She’s a hoot.”

“She’s something,” she said around a bite. “Okay, I’ll run by the house and get her stuff when I head to the warehouse. You are a lifesaver. Thank you.”

“Anytime. Did Rick get back to you? Are you meeting him tonight, or is he coming up to the rink?”