“Billy!”
It wasn’t Roxie’s voice, but it was as he suspected.Three copies of her were seated around a table, their dark heads bent together conspiratorially.
Man, it was still enough to stop him in his tracks.
Standing, one of the sisters came over to welcome him.She looked sharp and pressed in a designer dress, and she smelled like a dream.It made him glad he’d showered and changed.The Harley T-shirt he wore wasn’t high fashion, but it didn’t reek of smoke and his jeans hadn’t spent the night on the floor.
The floor of her identical triplet’s bedroom…
“Lexie?”he guessed.
“I’m so glad you’re still here.”
He shook her hand, evaluating her.Up close, he’d thought there’d be more differences between them.There were details, small changes, but overall, they looked so much alike it was uncanny.“That your car outside?”he asked.
She nodded.
“There’s a good engine under that hood.”
The look on her face brightened.Women were like men that way.They all had a soft spot for their rides.
“It runs like a dream,” she admitted.
“I bet you look good driving it, too.”
He was satisfied when that moony-eyed expression returned, the one she’d given him last night before all hell had broken loose.
“Come in.Join us.”Smiling, she drifted backwards until she bumped against her chair.
Maxie had turned to watch, but the expression on her face was different.She was frowning as she stared at the duffel bag he carried over his shoulder.“Are you leaving?”
“Thinking about it.”He dumped his load on another table, finding room between the overturned chairs.
“But we just met you.We haven’t had a chance to talk.”
No, they hadn’t.His gaze caught Roxie’s.She looked surprised to see him and not all that happy about the idea of swapping stories.
He spotted donuts on the bar, and a bit of the devil rose up inside him.“I smell coffee.”
He stripped off his jacket, but suddenly felt like one of those Chippendale dancers when he felt them all staring at him.Maxie and Lexie were open in their wonder, but Roxie’s look had turned into more of a glare.She tried to cover it with calm composure, but the expression riled him enough to want to shake her up.
Heading straight for her, he caught her by the chin and gave her a hard, hot kiss.It was quick, but long enough for him to feel her lips soften in response.
And long enough for him to harden somewhere else.
“Morning, babe,” he said, his voice gravelly.“You ran away fast.”
She wasn’t the only one at the table who inhaled sharply.
“Not fair,” she hissed after him.
“All’s fair,” he said, tapping her on the nose.
Continuing along, he circled the bar.The scent of java was pulling at him like a finish line.He was happy when he found the pot half-full.He kept his head down as he searched out a mug, but he was watching the table closely.Skeeter was right.There wasn’t a word passed between them, but there was a whole lot of conversation happening over there.
Lexie and Maxie were asking silent questions, and Roxie was tossing back frustrated glares that clearly said, “Yes, he stayed the night.What’s it to you?”
It was a lot to him.
