next,”
J.T. offered. Hopefully she’d do it quickly before he found himself going down paths better not taken.
“I want you to look after her,” Lucas said. “I’m shipping out again. I don’t like the idea of her being in that town alone. No one ever understood her or tried.”
Shit. He should have seen this coming.
J.T. stared at the grim expression on Lucas’s face. Hard, lean and muscled. He screamed military from the standard hair cut to the tattoo etched on his arm.
“Sure, man, I’ll keep an eye on her. You know that.” Even as the words slipped out, he knew he was damned. He’d just promised to keep an eye on a girl he couldn’t control his lust over. Real smart.
“Lucas!”
The feminine exclamation rang out. Both men looked up, and J.T. felt a fist straight to his gut. He honestly couldn’t take a breath.
Devoid of the graduation gown that had done a very good job of hiding what was beneath it, she hurried across the parking lot in a pair of extremely tight jeans and a tank top that hugged a luscious set of breasts and bared three inches of her midriff. Her jeans dipped low on her waist, and dangling from her belly button was a very feminine piece of jewelry.
He hadn’t seen her in two years, but he hadn’t forgotten a thing about how she looked. Or how she made him feel.
Suddenly, agreeing to come to her graduation with one of his best friends didn’t seem like such a good idea.
8
www.samhainpublishing.com
Reckless
Nikki Durant launched herself into her brother’s arms, and J.T.’s mouth went dry.
Then she stepped away from her brother and threw herself at J.T. He caught her as she wrapped herself around him. His arms were full of a mouthwatering, gorgeous woman.
Her curves molded to his hard body. Her nipples tightened and poked at his chest.
Ah hell, she wasn’t wearing a bra. Her swift intake of breath verified she was just as affected as he was.
He stepped back hastily, desperate to put as much distance between him and Lucas’s little sister as he could.
Her smile was breathtaking. Her wide blue eyes danced with merriment and mischief. She knew.
After so long of hiding his reactions to her, in one moment, it was all in the open. He tried to conjure regret. Shame. Something other than the prickle of excitement that tightened every muscle in his body.
Hell. He was so busted. Now he just waited for Lucas to beat his ass.
But she turned and waved at someone across the parking lot. Then she looked back at her brother.
“Give me just a second, Lucas.”
And she ran across the parking lot, her dark hair flying behind her.
“Was that a pink streak in her hair?” J.T. asked.
Lucas chuckled. “Uh yeah. Her latest method of driving me insane.”
J.T. was trying to act casual, but his body was in overdrive. A lot had changed since that night five years ago when he’d held her as she cried. Then she’d been a broken girl, unsure of herself and her place in the world. Now she was a breathtaking woman who seemed very in charge of her destiny.
Lucas turned, his eyes serious. “I meant what I said, man. Look out for her, okay?
Nikki…well, she’s a free spirit. She’ll never fit into a small town like Barley. She never did. People like to give her shit.”
www.samhainpublishing.com 9
Maya Banks
His gaze tracked Nikki across the parking lot. “And guys tend to think she’s an easy mark because she’s so outgoing and…flamboyant. I won’t be around to kick some ass, so I’m counting on you to do it for me.”
Easy mark? J.T. frowned. He knew Lucas and Nikki didn’t have it easy growing up.
Even in a poor small town they’d been on the lower rung of poor, and when no one had much, those who had slightly more liked to lord it over those who had nothing.
“They’ll look at her and see our mother,” Lucas said quietly.
“Don’t sweat it, man. I’ll make sure she stays safe.” Especially from me .
Lucas bumped J.T.’s arm with his fist. “Thanks. I
J.T. offered. Hopefully she’d do it quickly before he found himself going down paths better not taken.
“I want you to look after her,” Lucas said. “I’m shipping out again. I don’t like the idea of her being in that town alone. No one ever understood her or tried.”
Shit. He should have seen this coming.
J.T. stared at the grim expression on Lucas’s face. Hard, lean and muscled. He screamed military from the standard hair cut to the tattoo etched on his arm.
“Sure, man, I’ll keep an eye on her. You know that.” Even as the words slipped out, he knew he was damned. He’d just promised to keep an eye on a girl he couldn’t control his lust over. Real smart.
“Lucas!”
The feminine exclamation rang out. Both men looked up, and J.T. felt a fist straight to his gut. He honestly couldn’t take a breath.
Devoid of the graduation gown that had done a very good job of hiding what was beneath it, she hurried across the parking lot in a pair of extremely tight jeans and a tank top that hugged a luscious set of breasts and bared three inches of her midriff. Her jeans dipped low on her waist, and dangling from her belly button was a very feminine piece of jewelry.
He hadn’t seen her in two years, but he hadn’t forgotten a thing about how she looked. Or how she made him feel.
Suddenly, agreeing to come to her graduation with one of his best friends didn’t seem like such a good idea.
8
www.samhainpublishing.com
Reckless
Nikki Durant launched herself into her brother’s arms, and J.T.’s mouth went dry.
Then she stepped away from her brother and threw herself at J.T. He caught her as she wrapped herself around him. His arms were full of a mouthwatering, gorgeous woman.
Her curves molded to his hard body. Her nipples tightened and poked at his chest.
Ah hell, she wasn’t wearing a bra. Her swift intake of breath verified she was just as affected as he was.
He stepped back hastily, desperate to put as much distance between him and Lucas’s little sister as he could.
Her smile was breathtaking. Her wide blue eyes danced with merriment and mischief. She knew.
After so long of hiding his reactions to her, in one moment, it was all in the open. He tried to conjure regret. Shame. Something other than the prickle of excitement that tightened every muscle in his body.
Hell. He was so busted. Now he just waited for Lucas to beat his ass.
But she turned and waved at someone across the parking lot. Then she looked back at her brother.
“Give me just a second, Lucas.”
And she ran across the parking lot, her dark hair flying behind her.
“Was that a pink streak in her hair?” J.T. asked.
Lucas chuckled. “Uh yeah. Her latest method of driving me insane.”
J.T. was trying to act casual, but his body was in overdrive. A lot had changed since that night five years ago when he’d held her as she cried. Then she’d been a broken girl, unsure of herself and her place in the world. Now she was a breathtaking woman who seemed very in charge of her destiny.
Lucas turned, his eyes serious. “I meant what I said, man. Look out for her, okay?
Nikki…well, she’s a free spirit. She’ll never fit into a small town like Barley. She never did. People like to give her shit.”
www.samhainpublishing.com 9
Maya Banks
His gaze tracked Nikki across the parking lot. “And guys tend to think she’s an easy mark because she’s so outgoing and…flamboyant. I won’t be around to kick some ass, so I’m counting on you to do it for me.”
Easy mark? J.T. frowned. He knew Lucas and Nikki didn’t have it easy growing up.
Even in a poor small town they’d been on the lower rung of poor, and when no one had much, those who had slightly more liked to lord it over those who had nothing.
“They’ll look at her and see our mother,” Lucas said quietly.
“Don’t sweat it, man. I’ll make sure she stays safe.” Especially from me .
Lucas bumped J.T.’s arm with his fist. “Thanks. I
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