“Can I have some gas money, Layla?” Lana asked as she rushed to get dry. “Your car is low.”

I washed my hands. “Of course. But I don’t have any cash. Just use my credit card at the pump, okay?” I reached for a ponytail hold and pulled my thick hair back into a messy bun before reaching for my tooth brush.

“Thanks, Layla.” She ran a wide toothed comb through her damp hair then went into the bedroom to get dressed. “Hey, do you care if I have dinner with Drake Friday?”

My hand froze with the toothbrush still in my mouth. My mouth was full of toothpaste and spit, but I moved to the door and frowned at my sister as she pulled on jeans and a simple black tank top over her black bra. “What?” Maybe I hadn’t heard her right.

Lana pulled her damp hair out of the shirt and turned to face me. “I want to have dinner with Drake Friday night. He asked me to go to this little Greek place that he thinks I will like. I promise I won’t be out late.”

“Lana, he’s in his thirties.” I reminded her around my mouth full of paste. “And he’s a rocker.”

She sighed. “He isn’t like those guys that Mom played around with, Layla. Yes, I’m sure he’s lived hard, but there is something about him that…” she shook her head. “I don’t know what it is, Layla. I feel like there is this invisible rope that pulls me toward him.”

“Lana…”

“No. Please, just listen. I like him. But right now we’re just friends. He isn’t ready for anything more…” I opened my mouth to ask how she knew that when she went on. “We haven’t talked about it, if that’s what you want to know. I just sense it. He’s haunted by something in his past and until he’s ready to face it, he won’t be ready for me. So, please just trust me. Okay? I want to be his friend.”

I shut my mouth, my teeth biting into my bottom lip while I tried not to swallow the mess in my mouth. I trusted Lana. She was a good girl, with a good head on her shoulders, and in a few short weeks she was going to be eighteen, an adult. I had to trust that she knew what she was doing and would be able to handle any mistakes she might happen to make along the way.

“Okay, Lana. I trust you to know what is best for yourself. Just be careful, okay? And remember that he’s still a rocker. That isn’t going to change.”

--

After I had put Lucy on the bus, I headed into the house. The guys were already gone; I had heard them leave right after Lana had pulled away. I relaxed in the knowledge that other than Emmie, who was either still asleep or in her office working, I was alone in the house.

The first thing I did was take care of Drake’s room. His sheets weren’t as rumpled this morning, but there was still the slight smell of fear and sweat, so I changed his sheets and tossed his comforter in the washer before taking care of his bathroom.

When I was done upstairs, I straightened up the kitchen. The dishwasher was full of dirty dishes, and I turned it on before getting out a pan to fry up some bacon for Emmie. I knew she would be hungry, but if she was working she would forget about eating unless I brought her something.

I fried up the bacon nice and crispy, just the way she liked, and scrambled some eggs while the bread toasted. I was just plating up the eggs when I heard footsteps entering the kitchen behind me. “Hey, little momma. Are you hungry?” I asked without turning around.

“Starving.”

I nearly dropped the skillet at the sound of Jesse’s deep voice. I yelped and turned my head to find him standing in front of the island in nothing more than a pair of jeans that sat almost indecently low on those narrow hips. My mouth went dry as my pussy flooded with desire.

Good God! He was something from a dark fantasy. Sure, I had seen his chest when we were swimming on Saturday, but that didn’t mean I was any less affected right now. That broad, thickly muscled chest with the black heart over his left pectoral. Those abs that were all hard angles and deep ridges. The little trail of dark hair that trailed from his belly button down his flat stomach and disappeared into his jeans…

I closed my gaping mouth and tried to steady my racing heart as I turned away from the devastating sight of the sexy man behind me. “Um…I wasn’t expecting you to be here.” I got out in a voice that only slightly shook with my need.

“Em has a doctor’s appointment and I was the only one free to go.” I heard his footsteps as he came around the island. My already crazy heart rate accelerated as I sensed him stop just behind me. I could actually feel the heat radiating from his big body. “Can I join you for breakfast?”

“Of course. Just let me make some more eggs.” I reached for the carton of eggs with a hand that trembled.

His hand caught my elbow, and carefully pulled me around to face him. All the oxygen seemed to leave the room as I looked up into those eyes that changed with every emotion that crossed his endearing face. Right now, they were darker that I had ever seen them. “I was hoping for something a little sweeter than eggs, Layla,” he murmured as his head lowered toward mine.

It was stupid. It was crazy…but I had never been all that smart or sane. At least that was what I told myself as I stepped closer. He towered over me, but I thought we fit perfectly against each other. His erection pressed against my stomach, my breasts against his chest in just the right spots. I could see the pulse beating at the base of his throat, and I ached to suck on it.

“You are so fucking beautiful,” He growled, his head making a slow dive toward mine as if he were giving me time to reconsider letting him kiss me.

The first brush of his lips across mine was soft and gentle, but no less intoxicating. His lower lip was fuller than his top, and before I could think about it, I latched on to it, sucking it into my mouth to get the full taste of him. It was like a drug, that sweet addicting taste of passionate man. Large fingers gripped my pony tail, holding my head still while he explored my mouth with his tongue.

A moan escaped us both when he pulled back. I pressed closer, wanting his mouth. He turned his head away, cursing softly while he tried to suck in deep breath after deep breath. The kiss hadn’t been long, maybe twenty seconds or so, but it had stolen his breath completely. I thrilled in the knowledge that I had affected him so completely.

One big hand rubbed over my jeans clad hips and pulled me into his hard body. His erection throbbed against my stomach, making me burn for him. I laid my head on his chest, loving the sound of his out of control heartbeat. It matched my own and let me know that I wasn’t the only one fighting for control over this thing that was between us.