Rock Chick Redemption (Rock Chick #3)(89)

“You didn’t put me in danger and anyway, Lee likes you.

He told me that Vance told him you were a rock after he found you. Other women, they’ve had other…” she stopped.

“Let’s just say, you impressed them.”

I stared at her, floored.

“Want a coffee?” she asked.

“I want a drink,” I answered.

“Whisky?” she teased.

I hit her in the arm jokingly. She got up to get a coffee and I sat watching her go, not quite able to shove down the warm feeling stealing over me.

* * * * *

It was nearing closing time when my purse rang. I was sitting behind the book counter with Duke.

I grabbed my phone, flipped it open and put it to my ear.

“Hel o?”

“Hey Sunshine.”

My heart fluttered.

“Hey Whisky,” I said softly.

“How’s your day?” he asked.

“Pure and complete lunacy. But I now know how to make espresso drinks. Yours?”

“We’re close to something. I’ve spent the day putting an operation together, we’re goin’ in tonight. It’d be good if you didn’t get shot at or attacked in the middle of it.” I smiled at the phone. “I’l do my best.”

“Good. Lee and Indy have got a key to my place. Ask her to give it to you. There isn’t much food in the house, there are delivery menus in one of the kitchen drawers.”

“Thanks, but Luke and I are going to Smithie’s tonight.

Jet’s sister’s debut. Maybe the gang wil go out to dinner before.”

Silence.

Then, “Sorry, I thought I heard you say you were going to Smithie’s tonight.”

“You did.”

“Roxanne,” his voice was low and discouraging.

“Hank,” I tried to mimic his tone and failed.

More silence while I suspected Hank fought for control.

“Did anything Tex said to you this morning penetrate that stubborn f**kin’ brain of yours?”

Hank obviously lost the fight for control.

“I promised Jet I was going.”

“I’m sure she’l understand.”

“Hank.”

“You aren’t goin’.”

I ground my teeth.

Then I said, “I’m going, Hank. Bil y Flynn is not control ing another f**king second of my life.” Another beat of silence then, “Shit, you’re stubborn.” I think I got to him.

“Damn straight,” I replied.

Then he said, “I spent al day tryin’ to concentrate on work, and when I wasn’t concentratin’ on work, I was tryin’ to concentrate on handlin’ your shit. Instead, I found I spent most of the day concentratin’ on al the ways I want to f**k you breathless.”

I went breathless at his words and nearly dropped the phone.

“You’re damn lucky you make me hard just rememberin’

the taste of you or I’d think you were a major pain in the ass.”

Holy cow.

“Whisky.”

He talked over me as he gave in. “Try not to burn down Smithie’s. Smithie is a good guy, he doesn’t deserve whatever mayhem he’s got in store tonight.” I couldn’t help myself, I smiled at the phone. “I promised Luke I’d be good.”

“You’re good al right.”

I wasn’t sure what he meant by that but I found it made me both annoyed and my ni**les went hard.

Then he carried on. “You get home before I do, don’t wear anything to bed. I won’t be in the mood for obstacles.” I was sure what he meant by that and I felt a spasm between my legs.

Final y he said, “Stay safe.”

“You too,” I said back, my voice soft even though we’d had an argument. I didn’t know what his “operation” was about but I didn’t want to hang up the phone with him on angry words.

More silence. So much that I got confused.

“Hank?” I cal ed, wondering if he was gone and didn’t disconnect or something was wrong with my phone.

“I’m here,” he said, his voice had changed, gone husky.

“Hank,” I said again and even though I didn’t mean to let it show, a lot could be heard through my saying his name.

“See you later, Sweetheart.”

Then he disconnected.

I flipped the phone shut and noticed Duke looking at me.

“You’re al right,” Duke told me on an approving nod.

“I am?” I asked.

He turned to me, leaned a hip on the counter and crossed his arms over his black, leather vest.

“You are. These boys need women who can take the heat without meltin’ like butter, and sometimes that heat is fiery. They need women who can give back their shit so they don’t walk al over ‘em and get bored out of their f**king skul s. And they need women who can go soft when the situation demands because they get hard knocks on a regular basis, sometimes literal y, and comin’ home to somethin’ soft is the only way to cope.”

Holy f**king cow.

“You think I’m a woman like that?” I asked him.

“I think there are a fair few women like that in the whole f**kin’ world. And yeah, you’re one of them.” Um… wow.