That had to be worth something…

***

Angie knew she should stop teasing the man. If she kept it up, she’d probably scare him off and she wasn’t even remotely done with him or his big thighs.

Smiling, she slipped out of bed, and started to walk away, but his long arm reached out and caught her around the wrist.

“Where you goin’?”

She tugged, trying to pull her arm out of his grasp. “Out with Sara and Mik, shopping.”

“No. Stay.” He pulled her onto the bed. Giggling she turned her back to him, trying to get off the bed. But he wrapped his big arms around her and pulled her into his body. “Besides,” he whispered in her ear. “I still didn’t have my breakfast.”

Angie bit her lip. Dammit! Much more of this and she’d forget all about promising anything to anybody. But today was more than about shopping. She needed to make sure all was right with “her girls” and to start gently easing Sara down the path to “Truce-ville.” So, any fun with Nik would have to wait until her return.

Shit. Why couldn’t she be selfish about her love life like other women? Friends were supposed to take a backseat. Damn, damn, damn.

“Later. Nik!” She caught his hand as it started to unclasp the front of her bra. “Sara’s waiting for me.”

“She’ll wait. You’ll find her sittin’ by the door, just waitin’… your slippers in her mouth.”

Angie, fighting a laugh, slapped his hand. “That’s not funny. And get your hands out of my shorts.”

“Come on, Sugar. Just a little somethin’.”

Knowing that if she didn’t get out now, Sara and Miki wouldn’t see her for another hour…or two…Angie dragged herself out of Nik’s arms.

She dropped to the floor. “Bad kitty!” She picked herself up. “Honestly! A girl isn’t safe with you hillbillies.”

Nik snuggled stomach down into the bed, his arms wrapped around one of the pillows. His muscles bulging as he flashed her a sleepy smile. “You like us hillbillies, Sugar. Admit it.”

If she said yes to anything, she’d say yes to everything.

“I gotta go.” She backed up to the door. She couldn’t stop looking at him. Stretched out on the bed, his naked ass calling her name. She picked up a T-shirt from off the floor, knowing she had to get the hell out of Dodge before all her best intentions went out the window.

She gritted her teeth. Honestly, the crap she did for her friends.

Slamming into the door, she grabbed the door handle, wrenched it open, and quickly left.

***

Angie found Miki and Sara in the kitchen. Whoever Sara had on the phone, they were doing all the talking, because Sara only grunted and nodded. Grunted and nodded.

Angie sat down next to Miki at the table.

“You ready to go shopping?”

“No. I have no money.” Miki flipped the page of the catalog in front of her, barely glancing at her friend. “Nice T-shirt by the way.”

Angie looked down at what she wore and rolled her eyes. “If you can’t play with the big dogs, get off the porch” emblazoned across the blue Tee in white letters.

“Oh, you have got to be kidding.”

“In a rush this morning were we?”

“Don’t start, Kendrick. And what do you mean you’re not going?” If she didn’t go, then why did she leave a randy hillbilly all by his lonesome upstairs?

Miki slammed the catalog down on the table. “I can’t afford any of this shit.”

Angie looked at the cover of the catalog. A baby furniture catalog. “And why is that?”

“Because being a professor doesn’t exactly pay for the high life.”

“I thought you didn’t want to teach.”

“I don’t, but I need the money.”

Sara hung up the phone and walked over to the table as Miki continued. “Conridge got me something.”

Angie picked up an apple. “Who?” Miki and Sara stared at her. “What?”

“Do you not listen to me at all?”

“I listen. When I find it interesting. Why? Who the hell is he?”

“My professor. Big fight with the hyenas. She watched me shoot a man in the knees.”

Angie shrugged. “Still nothin’.”

Sara flopped into one of the chairs. “She’s married to Van Holtz of the Van Holtz Restaurant chain. Filthy rich.”

“Oh! That Conridge.”

Miki rolled her eyes. “You’re amazing.”

“Thank you.”

Sara brought her knee up, bracing it against the table and used her other leg to rock her chair back and forth. Seemed some people never learned. Sara did that in junior high, fell back and busted her head open.

Angie shook off the image of a blood-covered Sara. “Miki, are you not staying with Conall? Did you decide to leave him?”

“I’m staying… ya know… for now.” Angie barely stopped herself from laughing in the girl’s face. Miki wasn’t going anywhere. She loved the big bear too much. It leaked from her every pore. “But I can’t take money from a man with no money.”

Sara and Angie frowned at each other.

Sara shook her head, “What the hell are you talking about?”

“I’m not living off the Pack, Sara. It’s that simple.”

“That’s great and all, but Conall has his own money.”