Bought His Life by Aleka Nakis Tia Fanning Page A

heading, and she was getting hot and bothered at his touch. How good would his hands really be if she let them travel to all the spots that were aching for him?
    Get a grip, Emily!
    “What I mean is, you seem to be good with tools and all. Emy’s needs a couple of things repaired, and maybe I could pay you extra to fix them.”
    “Maybe,” he said. “Or maybe, we’ll come to some other agreement.”
    This time, she didn’t mistake his caress for anything other than what it was, an invitation.
    “Um, my house is that little yellow one over there.” She pointed to the quaint cottage with two fat palm trees in the front yard and a porch that wrapped around it.
    Disappointed they’d arrived, Jack sighed as he watched her climb the two steps to the door but decided he needed time to catch up with the world before getting to know this beautiful woman on a personal level. After all, he didn’t want her to think he was simple.
    “Thank you for seeing me home,” she said from the top step. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
    “You’re opening?”
    “Yeah, it’s Betty’s day off. With the others missing in action, I’ll be there all day.”
    She looked tired, as if she carried a lot of weight on those shapely shoulders. He wondered where she found the energy to smile all day. His instincts told him she’d always had greater responsibilities to deal with than any woman should. Jack wanted to gather her in his arms and relieve her of any worries.
    “Have a good night’s rest, Emily.”
    “Good night, Jack.”

 
    Chapter Twelve
     
     
     
    The Flaming Flamingo was less than five minutes south on the main road. As the large cartoon bird came into view, Jack blinked at the brightness of the place. Without a doubt, the pink lights trimming the motel and the loud music behind the white fence were a prelude to more elaborate and extravagant attributes.
    He entered the lobby and pictured his crew sitting on the little white couch surrounded by the butterfly pillows and the colorful lilies on the wall, sipping steamy cups of tea with their pinkies in the air.
    The image caused him to laugh until tears formed in his eyes. “Damn, Lawson, your girl got you good. She showed you who the boss is.”
    The majority of the mermaids in the tropical mural were males, and the alcohol served in the rowdy patio area overpowered the floral smell in the hotel. A man with a grass skirt wrapped around his waist walked in holding a tall hourglass-shaped goblet filled with a blue liquid and topped by a paper umbrella.
    “Hi, you must be Lawson’s friend.”
    Extending his hand, Jack cleared his throat. “Good evening. I’m Captain Jack Carter.”
    “Well, I’m Michiel, and damned if I’d miss a cruise on your boat.”
    Jack retrieved his hand and stuffed it in his pocket. “Actually, I’m a pilot.”
    “Ooh, the mile high club sounds interesting,” cooed Michiel.
    Scratching his head, Jack confirmed the flamboyant man’s view. “It is. Has Lawson secured a room for us?”
    Michiel smiled and swatted the empty air in front of him. With one long finger, he invited Jack to follow him to the desk. “You’re on the pool side, off of US1. Room thirteen, down the hall on your right.”
    Jack took the card with the picture of a lime-green dolphin and flipped it in his fingers.
    Michiel pointed to the arrow on the card. “Stick it in the door slot this way.”
    “Got it. Thank you.” He turned and walked in the direction the clerk indicated.
    “Yoo-hoo, Jack.” Michiel came up behind him. “We’re having a little get-together by the pool. Come out for a drink.”
    Reaching for his watch, Jack cursed under his breath when he didn’t find it, and Michiel took a step back at his reaction.
    “Sorry,” Jack said. “I’m just annoyed at having lost my watch.”
    “Oh, yeah. From those guys robbing you earlier. It’s sad there are people out there preying on good folks. You guys seem nice. Too nice.”
    “It takes all