Page 30 of Hooked on Trouble

She drags a nail down the meaty part of my thumb, rough and deliberate. “It would be a shame. You said yourself you haven’t been to the Valley in a long while. I bet you really miss it.”

I groan—a pained sound from the back of my throat. Can’t even find my voice to reply.

That doesn’t stop Raven. “I hear it’s quite warm down there. It would be a shame to miss out, unless you don’t remember how to find your way.” Her suggestive wink almost kills me.

I shouldn’t keep flirting, not when I haven’t been honest with her about my concerns, but it’s too tempting. “I know my way just fine. Enjoy the scenic route, actually. Taking my time. Finding secret places to explore.”

It’s her turn to whimper, and my skin tightens at the image of a naked Raven writhing on a bed. My cock gets heavy. I’m breathing hard by the time we reach my truck.

She leans her back into the door and grabs my belt loops, pulling me in front of her. “Thanks again for everything. For today, for looking for Rose. It means a lot.”

She tips her chin up, drags me closer, and everything else fades. My uncertainty. My questions. I can’t deny myself this. I plant my hands on either side of her and dip my head down, taking a taste, a soft brush of our lips. Heat suffuses my chest, hunger fires my gut. The kiss deepens, and I suck on her bottom lip. She nips mine. My dick throbs, reminding me just how long it’s been. Tongues tangling, her fingers dig into the base of my skull, and I push my thigh between hers as we move closer. And closer.

Before things pass the point of no return, I create some distance. “Damn.”

She hums. “Yeah.”

I run my thumb over her swollen lips. “That was quite a thank-you, but it’s not necessary. I’m helping because I want to.”

“Okay, but if I buy slushies for our drive as a not-a-thank-you, what flavor would you want?”

Even after the Joe disaster, she has me chuckling. “Those things are bad for you.”

Her attention drifts down to my waist. And lower. “Sometimes the stuff that’s bad for you tastes the best.”

Isn’t that the truth? Whisking her home and having my way with her is becoming harder to resist. If I don’t get my head straight, spending a night alone with her in Fraser Valley will kill me.

We hop in the car and chat lightly on the drive, but I’m wound up. By the time I drop her off, I’m restless, the Joe incident and Raven’s proximity feeding my agitation. I could hit the gym or pound out some miles on the pavement, run until I can’t feel my legs, but a beer with the guys is what I need. A sounding board. Time to unload and decide how best to approach Raven about her past.

I pull out my phone to text Sawyer. You in for beers?

Definitely. I’ll check with Kolton.

Meet at Diamonds in ten.

* * *

I have a pitcher, three glasses, and a booth claimed by the time the boys arrive. They slide in opposite me and pour themselves a round, not bothering with a word until they toss back a generous swallow.

Sawyer plants his glass down with a thud. “Beer is shit as always.”

“Tunes are shit, too.” Kolton winces as some classic Hank Williams strums from the speakers.

Classic, meaning old, like everything in this place: the juke box that doesn’t work, the pool tables with the cigarette burns on the felt, the bartender, Doug, who likely survived World War One. The beer is never cold enough, the dartboard falls every time you hit the target, but we’ve been coming here since they’d serve us without IDs.

“You guys don’t know from good tunes.” I could listen to Hank all day.

Sawyer sticks a finger in his ear. “Tell that to my eardrums.” He turns to Kolton. “Has Shay been working on this new business as much as Lily?”

Kolton shrugs. “She clocks a lot of hours. Locks herself in the basement office.”

I nod to Sawyer. “You feeling left out?”

He scowls into his beer. “All I know is, between designing for us part-time and selling purses and starting up this new event gig, Lily hasn’t had much free time.”

Kolton pats his back. “Never thought I’d see the day.”

“It’s like he’s learning to walk,” I say. “Except his feet are tied together. The man doesn’t know how to function on his own anymore.”