Page 95 of Flirting with Trouble

“Did you warn her about your boating skills?” Archer asks.

“Archer.” I shoot him a warning stare.

Grant winces. “That means he didn’t.”

Fitz sidles up to Victory and whispers, “Wear your life jacket,” and makes an okay sign with his fingers.

Victory laughs. “You guys are relentless.”

“We’ll see if you’re still laughing when you get back,” Brant says.

“If she gets back,” Grant says.

“We haven’t seen Kitchen Kelly since she pulled that stunt at the restaurant and Wells coaxed her out on his boat,” Fitz says.

“Jesus,” I grit out.

“Don’t forget about Peppermint Patty,” Archer says.

“Who’s that?” Victory asks.

I grit out, “Nobody.”

“She was another clingy girl,” Grant says. “But Wells knows how to take care of them. They go out on his boat, and they rarely come back.”

Victory looks at me curiously, and I shake my head.

“Don’t let this whole gentleman in the streets thing fool you like he fools the police,” Fitz says. “He’s got a long history of being a freak in the sheets.”

She meets my brother’s gaze and says, “I happen to like his freakiness.”

And I fucking love you. “That’s my girl.”

“More power to ya, but word on the street is that he keeps trophies from the ones who don’t return,” Archer says.

Roddy tugs on his earlobe and mouths, Earrings.

The guys all nod with cautionary expressions.

“Jesus, you guys. We don’t have time for this crap. Let’s go, sweets.” We head for my boat.

“Don’t forget the life jacket!” Fitz calls out after us.

I flick him the bird without turning around.

“You kids be safe out there,” Roddy hollers.

“Always,” I call out, and pull Victory closer. “Especially with precious cargo on board.”

“More precious than Kitchen Kelly?”

“She was never on my boat, and before you ask, Peppermint Patty was a girl who had a crush on me in seventh grade. She gave me Peppermint Patties every day at lunch, and her family moved away the following year. The guys just like to give me shit.”

“I figured as much. It was fun to see you getting worked up, glaring at your friends, that muscle in your jaw jumping as you grit your teeth.”

“I’d prefer to get worked up with you.” I tug her into a kiss, and the idiots whistle and cheer.

“I grew up with brothers. I’ve got this.” She turns around and takes a bow, then blows them a kiss, earning more shouts and whistles.