Beyond the Orange Moon (Mathews Family Book 2) by Adrienne Frances

see where Lucy went. God, what was wrong with him? He tried to avoid her at every turn and she just kept popping up. His eyes drifted down to her ass and he felt his chest tighten at the sight of it in those leather pants. Every curve showed through the fabric and all he wanted to do was run his hands over it, maybe even give it a little spank.  
    Dammit.  
    Lucy returned and sat back on the stool. She looked at Michael, and said, “Water, please.”  
    Charlie shook his head at Brandon and turned his attention back to Lucy. “Your friends are leaving with my brothers.”
    “Aren’t you going with them?”  
    “I’m staying with you.”
    She considered that for a moment as she sipped her water. “I can take a cab,” she said. “I don’t need you to watch over me.”
    Charlie laughed and took the stool next to hers. “I guess I have a thing about saving you, huh?”
    She shot him a peculiar look. “I guess so.”
    “I don’t want you to take a cab,” he said quietly. “I can drive you home.”
    “Aren’t you drunk?”
    He cocked his head to the side at that. He hadn’t even finished the only beer he’d had all night. “Do I seem drunk?”
    “No.”
    “Are you mad at me?” She should be, he knew. He had basically sent her away and hadn’t been back in a week. He twirled his wedding ring with his thumb. At this point, who knew what Lucy thought of him?  
    Lucy bit her lower lip. “No.”  
    Charlie slid his credit card down to Michael and gave the cut-off sign. Michael’s eyes traveled from Charlie to Lucy and then he went about his business of cashing them out.
    “I don’t need a ride,” she said, a nervousness in her voice. “I’m perfectly capable of getting home.”
    Charlie ignored her as he signed the bill. “Are you ready?”  
    He slid off his stool and held out his hand as she stumbled from hers. She fell into his hand and laughed. “That last shot was a terrible idea.”
    “I don’t think the one before that was your smartest moment, either.” He kept his hand on the small of her back and guided her to the door. “Later, Olerson,” he called.  
    “You kids be good,” Michael called back, but Charlie just ignored him.
    Outside, Charlie helped Lucy into his truck and tried desperately to ignore the fact that he could see her nipples hardening beneath the thin fabric of her shirt. He closed the door when she was settled in and walked around to the driver’s side.  
    After he climbed in and shut the door, she turned her head toward him with an unreadable glint in her eyes. “Charlie to the rescue.”
    “That’s me,” he said. He placed his finger on his GPS screen to tap in her address. “Where do you live?”
    “Mosaic Apartments, on Gold Dust.”  
    Charlie shot her a surprised look. “I know right where that is. You really run far, don’t you?”
    “I eat a lot of cupcakes.” Lucy looked at him and released a drunken snicker. “I have to run if I want to squeeze into pants like these.”
    Charlie laughed and put the truck into drive. “Well, thank God for running.”
    When they pulled into her apartment complex, Lucy showed him where to go, which was not without difficulty due to how drunk she was. Twice, she led him to a dead-end and he had to turn around until she finally got it right.  
    He got out and raced around to the passenger side where she was already falling out. He got there just in time to catch her on the way down.  
    She slid down his chest and laughed when he caught her. “My hero.”
    “Let’s get you inside,” he said with a chuckle. “I think that last shot is hitting you.”
    “I don’t even feel it anymore,” she said, and leaned into him.  
    “You’re walking sideways, Lucy.”  
    She fell into Charlie’s chest with a loud, sexy groan. “My God, you smell so good,” she purred against his shirt.  
    “Thank you,” he said. He looked down just in time to see her look up at him with hooded eyes and a smile that could