Chapter 10
Lucky
As I pace outside the safe house, the cold air does nothing to ease my lust but it does douse my anger at my buddy Suds. He was right. I’ve been a real wankah but a bloke can takeonly so much.Calliope needs to stop looking at my body like I’m her next bloomin’ steak on the barbie.
Every time her beautiful eyes capture mine, my blood runs south, and my brain goes numb. If this keeps up, I could lose the best fookin’ job of my life. And there’s not many places that hire a man with my talents.
To stay clear of trouble, I stay outside all day as snow continues to fall. Not until my fingers are close to frostbitten, do I dare venture back inside.
When I do, Suds is glaring at Callie across the kitchen table and she’s holding back tears.
Was it so much to ask him not to be a jerk?
“Tell him.” Suds storms out of the room.
“Tell me what?” After I remove my hat, scarf and gloves, I blow warm air onto my icy digits.
She refuses to meet my stare as she shreds a paper towel into tiny pieces. “Ah, I texted Gerard. He said he... ah, that I...”
“Out with it. I promise I won’t get mad.” I’d hold her but that’d ruin the whole point of freezing to death, eh?
Thick blond lashes lift and red lips purse. “Gerry said I gave him permission to feed the cat. He must’ve moved my mouse.”
Her fur ball under discussion curls around my legs, purring madly so I lean over and scratch her head. “Let me get this straight. Your Mr. Chase left the party, went to your apartment, fed your cat and moved your mouse?”
“Mmm-hmm. That about sums it up.” She bites down on her lower lip, a clear indication she’s holding something back.
“Your computer, luv? Was he in there as well?”
“I didn’t ask but yeah, I guess. He was probably just checking my thesis.”
“Without askin’?” Sitting, I kick off my boots and stare. Has she lost her bloody mind?
“I know it sounds bad. I’ll talk to him about it.”
I want to take that bloke and wring his bloomin’ neck but then, I get a new thought, one that changes my whole outlook on life.
The only reason I couldn’t kiss the lovely Miss Bradford-Clarke was because she was my client. With no break-in, there’s no reason for her to have a bodyguard and absolutely, fook-ilutely, no reason why we can’t jump in the sack except that I’m on the clock.
I call Patten Securities and Grayson’s auto-attendant picks up.
“Hey luv, Lucky here. Tell Gray there was no break in. Big misunderstanding. Soon as it stops snowing, I’ll take her home. Still at the safe house with Suds. Going to log off now. No point in double-charging her mum. Doesn’t take two blokes to guard a set of earrings.”
Callie smiles when I put the phone down. “Thanks for understanding. And I do apologize for making a fuss out of nothing.”
“There is one way you can make it up to me.” My brows raise and when I shoot her a wicked smile, her eyes go wide.
“Do you play poker?” I throw a few more logs on the fireplace, get out a deck of cards, and chuckle at her confused look.
Don’t worry luv. We got all night to heat things up.
Her mouth shoots into a little frown. “Ah, I’m not much of a player. You might need to remind me of the rules.”
I wonder if she’s still talking about cards.“How about Texas Holdem?”
She shrugs. “Been a while but I’m sure I’ll catch on.”
“How about we move this in front of the fire? It’s bloody cold in the kitchen.”
