Unbreak My Heart (Rough Riders Legacy #1)(84)

“Another time, in a less public place.” I didn’t tack on when you’re not drunk.

“Boone—”

“Stop.” I clamped my hands on the backs of her legs. “I don’t want these creepy country club dudes seeing this hot ass bouncing up and down, okay?”

That caught her attention. She sighed and kissed the hollow of my throat. “Okay. But promise me we’ll do it in a car. In a kinky role-playing game, where you’re wearing your uniform and you pull me over. I tell you if I have another traffic violation I’ll lose my license so I’ll do anything not to get that ticket…”

I groaned. “Have you been watching porn?”

She giggled. “They’re full of really great ideas.”

I slapped her ass. “Get back in your seat and behave.”

“Yes, sir, officer.”

Smartass.

Once we were both buckled up, I peeled out of the parking spot and ran over her shoes. Then I put it in reverse and backed over them.

Sierra laughed hysterically.

Then she asked me where I’d hidden the fried chicken because she was starved.

Next time I glanced over at her—like two minutes later—she’d conked out.

She didn’t stir when I lifted her out of the car or when I carried her into the house.

I settled her on the couch instead of the bedroom so I could keep an eye on her. After I tucked an afghan around her and kissed her forehead, I noticed Lu standing between the great room and kitchen.

“Didn’t mean to startle you.” She dipped her chin at Sierra. “Rough time at the bridal luncheon?”

“A seven-whiskey luncheon, apparently.”

“Yikes. Poor thing.” She returned to the kitchen.

I followed her, wondering what she was doing here.

She’s Sierra’s roommate. She lives here.

“Raj fell into bed after he came back from dropping you off. I’m letting him sleep.” She scanned me, head to toe. “You’re wiped, dude.”

“Midnight to noon shifts suck, which is why I mainline caffeine.” I gestured to the groceries strewn across the counters. “What’re you up to?”

“Cooking. Living in this house with Sierra and this dream kitchen has spoiled me. So I’m making Raj dinner. Shish-kebobs, mushroom risotto, arugula salad and angel food cake.”

I whistled. “Lucky man. But I know it’s not his birthday.”

“I wanted to do something nice for him.”

“He’ll appreciate it. Neither one of us is a great cook.”

She started chopping something green.

“So I’ll let you get to it.”

“Stay, if I’m not keeping you from something. I promise I’ll clean up my mess when I’m done and Sierra won’t know I destroyed her kitchen.”

Weird thing to say. “Cool. I’m grabbing a bottle of water. You want one?”

“I’m good. I’ll have a glass of wine when I open the bottle to make the salad dressing.”

I took a seat at the breakfast bar.

Lu lowered her knife and studied me. “It’d probably be good for us to get to know each other better, since Raj is your BFF and Sierra is mine.”

“Agreed. So should I call you Lu or Lucinda Grace?”

“Lu.” She scraped the greens off the cutting board into a small bowl. “Sierra called you to rescue her from luncheon hell?”

“Her dad called me first. Apparently they’d been texting during the event and she told him how much she’d been drinking.”

“Gavin has your phone number?”

“He insisted on having it when I was in Wyoming.”

She smirked. “Of course he did. He usually calls me because he frets about Sierra being around her mom—with good reason.” She paused. “If you know Gavin, then do you know Ellen too?”

I shook my head. “Sierra didn’t talk about her that much when we were in high school. Today was the first time we crossed paths.”

“And your first impression?”

“Nasty bitch who doesn’t deserve to have a daughter as awesome as Sierra.”

“Amen.”

“Have you spent much time around Ellen?” I asked her.

“Enough to know you’re dead on the mark with your opinion of her. I’m sure Sierra told you about Ellen MILF-ing Sierra’s boyfriend. I was around for that fun situation. As well as Ellen groveling for a few weeks, followed by her extreme nastiness when Sierra wouldn’t have anything to do with her.” She shuddered. “The ugly things she said to her own daughter? Shocked the hell out of me.”

“You get along with your parents?”

“Of course. They are awesome. How about yours?”

I doubted Raj had shared my story. “My mother makes Ellen look like a dream. My dad was around as little as possible. Which is why it sucks that I agreed to meet him in Flagstaff the day Ellen gets married.” I fiddled with the cap on my water. “Did Sierra ask you to go to the wedding with her since I can’t?”

“Nope. Ellen is not my biggest fan. She disappeared for a while, maybe…nine months to a year. She didn’t come to Sierra’s college graduation. Then she popped back up with her new boyfriend, Barnacle Bill.”