“No wonder you’re such a badass.”
Whatever.
“Says the badass.” I bumped hips with Megan, who was not only a sheriff’s deputy but, it turned out, was also an accomplished cat burglar.Shewas exceptional at yoga too.
“Go and sit down.” Holly foamed milk in the stainless steel pitcher, the steam making a high hissing sound. “I’ll bring it over in a sec.”
Megan, Indi and I sat down at a corner table, leaning our rolled mats against the wall. Other tables had customers, some familiar to Indi, who waved at two older men. The scent of baked goods and coffee made the place welcoming, and it was obvious why it was a hit in town.
“So I guess they hate that you left the Navy?” Indi probed.
“Well, that’s the irony. They never wanted me to join the Navy and held me back at every turn, but now that I’ve left the Navy for merc work, they’re going out of their minds with worry. I haven’t called my mom in two weeks, so I had to answer to the big gun this morning.” I crooked a grin.
“I guess he doesn’t think much of Ford?” Indi ducked her head. “Sorry, I might have overheard too much, too.”
“My dad dug into his background and learned all about his dishonorable discharge. I set him on the right trail.” I shrugged then glanced at Indi to make sure she wasn’t upset about the blackballing of her boyfriend. I knew she was, but we all lived with it until we could ferret out the truth and bring the bad guy, or guys, to justice. “My dad can be a bulldog when it comes to interfering with my life.” I flashed a knowing grin. “Who knows, with his misplaced worry, he might rattle the right cages and actually unearth something useful for the team.”
“Ah, I see how you think,” Indi said. She didn’t seem bothered but picked up on the fact that I was spinning my father’s anger into having him dig for results. If he hated me working for a supposed-bad guy like Ford, he better help make Ford turn into a good guy. “I like it.” She glanced past me and lowered her voice. “Oh, don’t look now, but I think you have an admirer.”
I waited a beat before turning, but before I could, a friendly male voice sounded behind me. “Well, hello there, ladies.” A large hand dropped, not to my shoulder, but to the chairback behind me.
I spun to gaze up at literally the only hot and eligible bachelor in Sparks. Lee Landers, the local mechanic. I gave him a brilliant grin. “Heyyyy. Lee, right?”
He leaned over with a smile. “That’s right.” He extended a hand to shake mine, even though he hadn’t offered it to Indi or Megan. Although he’d known both of them his whole life since I’d heard he’d grown up here too. “You’re Quincy.”
He remembered. I beamed up at him as I shook his rough palm.
I’d met him a couple times in passing at the coffee shop and had hoped to extend our acquaintance to a date. Or drinks. Or a basic hookup. I could be as much of a sailor as the rest of the guys when it came to getting my sexual needs met without any strings. And I had a feeling this guy could do it.
With his rugged good looks and quick smile, I was surprised Holly wasn’t all over him. His dark hair was a little long, and it fell over his forehead. Wearing jeans, sturdy leather boots and a black t-shirt that didn’t hide one bit of his muscled torso, he practically oozed blue collar perfection I read about in romance books. Especially with the tattoo on his biceps.
I felt calluses on his fingers. A man who worked with his hands was probablyveryskilled with them.
“What are you ladies up to?” His gaze swept over my yoga clothes, taking in the rolled mats. “Morning workout?”
“Yep,” I replied. “Now we’re caffeinating before work. What are you up to?”
“Me, too. I’m headed to the shop.” He thumbed over his shoulder in the direction of his auto shop a few blocks down. Mrs. L told me he ran a brisk business, taking over the place from his father and building it up. His dark eyes didn’t leave mine.
He stared.
I stared.
“We’re going to K-Sparks later,” Megan announced, mentioning the name of the local microbrewery. “You should come around.”
Lee didn’t look toward Megan when he asked me, “You going to be there?”
“Yeah.”
I hadn’t had sex in a while. Alongwhile. I was all for a fling, but I was selective. Especially now. Especially after that one time with Kennedy when my feelings had gotten involved. I hadn’t meant for that to happen, but they had. I didn’t long for the gorgeous SEAL and his magical dick since we pulled out, and he used it on women from coast to coast, but I was… something. Hung up. I had to be because being around him only riled me up. Sexually and emotionally. That made me angry because I didn’t want to be into a guy. Especially not a soldier. I had enough soldiers in my family.
That was why Lee might be exactly what I needed.
Attractive. Nice. Employed. Didn’t live with his mother—that I knew of. Definitely wasn’t in the military or was ex-military. And he wasn’t Kennedy.
Yeah, he’d do.
“See you there.”