American Bad Boy: A Military Romance by Sadie Black, Eddie Cleveland Page B

know she’s trying to be stern with me, but it’s just making me want her more.
    “So am I.”
    “Listen, I’m not one of your bimbo fan-girls. I know you, the real you. At least, I used to.” Her voice trails off sadly and her eyes soften. Lauren quickly composes herself though, throwing her shoulders back and jutting out her chin. “Anyway, I’m not even crying over you. You’re such an ego maniac!” Her eyes snap back up at mine. This time they stop me dead. She’s not screwing around.
    “You weren’t?” I step back and run my hand over the back of my neck. I guess it was presumptuous to think she’s got nothing else going on besides thinking about me.
    Lauren might be right about the fan club bimbos. It’s hard to remember that you’re not the center of everything when every chick you meet acts like you are.
    “Then, what are you so upset about?” I take another step back, giving her the space she needs to talk and giving me the distance I need to concentrate on more than her round ass and her tight little …
    Focus!
    Lauren looks up at me sideways, like she’s not sure if she can trust me. Or maybe it’s my intentions she’s struggling with.
    “I seriously want to know. Maybe I can help or something?”
    She tilts her head and shrugs, and I don’t think about running my tongue over the soft skin of her neck. Well, not for more than a second. Two seconds, tops.
    “I don’t know if you can,” she talks to our feet. “It’s Chris. He’s completely out of control.”
    “Hold old is he?”
    “Nine,” she swallows hard.
    “Nine.” I’m no genius, but it doesn’t take one to do that mental math. “Wow, you and Joel didn’t waste anytime after I left, huh?” Lauren looks at her hands and I realize that I’m making this about me.
    Again.
    “Never mind, sorry, that’s none of my business. But, nine-year-old boys love to stir up shit. I can tell you that from experience.”
    Her full lips twist up for the first time since I’ve seen her. Her face lights up and almost knocks the wind from my lungs with a simple smile. “I remember.”
    “Yeah, well, so you know it’s probably nothing. Normal guy stuff.”
    “No. It’s more than that. He’s on a path of self destruction, Mack. He was expelled from school and then the next day he was picked up by the police for trashing a convenience store with his friends. This isn’t just normal boys will be boys type stuff anymore. He’s turning into a criminal.” Tears fall back down her cheeks as her chin quivers.
    “Hey, hey, come here. It’s ok,” Lauren steps back against me and I wrap my arms around her. “It’s ok. Let it out. You’re dealing with a lot right now.”
    “I just don’t know what to do anymore,” she confesses as she nuzzles her face against my chest. I run my palm over her black hair and try to figure out how I can help.
    “Bring him here.”
    “What? Why?” She looks into my eyes.
    “Bring him here and I’ll talk to him, man-to-man. Good ol’ Captain America might not do much for you,” I give her a wink, “but a lot of guys Chris’s age think it’s cool or I’m cool or whatever. I bet if I could chat with him, I can help. At least a little.”
    Lauren dries her tears and contemplates my offer. “That might not be a bad idea, actually,” she admits.
    “Yeah, every once and a while I have a good one.” I give her a playful squeeze and she laughs.
    “Ok. You know what, I will. I’ll bring him tomorrow. It’s not like he’s in school or anything.”
    “Sounds good. That’ll give me time to think about what to say to him.”
    “Ok. Thanks, Mack. I mean it. I think that you’ll really help. But, even if it doesn’t, I appreciate you stepping up like this.”
    Lauren steps up on her tip-toes and quickly pecks my cheek with an innocent kiss. Just as quickly, she steps back, opens the door and disappears through it.
    “You’re welcome,” I whisper to the empty stairwell.
    Lauren is right, she