Face Value (Next Generation 7)

by Cheryl Douglas

  She got up and stood in front of him. “Please, I can handle myself. Believe me, this happens all the time with the crews who work with me. They find out I’m single and suddenly I’m fair game.”

  His eyes trailed over her face, and he could barely breathe when her tongue moistened her lips. “It’s not gonna happen with my crew.”

  “You don’t have to protect me,” she whispered.

  “Maybe I want to.”

  Tucker shifted and inched his legs wider. She stepped between them. He tried to keep his hands to himself, but it was impossible with her standing so close. He rested his hands on her waist to give her a chance to retreat, but she looped her arms around his neck and moved farther into his arms. He was in trouble. His brain was short-circuiting and good sense was quickly getting lost in lust.

  “Why?” she whispered, scanning his face. “Why do you want to protect me?”

  He ran his hands up her back, trying to control the urge to dip lower. He knew if he did, it would be over. “I don’t know. I just do.”

  “Tucker…”

  He saw she was as conflicted as he was. Their behavior was wrong for so many reasons, but the force drawing them together was impossible to ignore. When he was with her, he wanted to touch her. One glance at her lips, and he wanted to taste them. “Now would be a good time to tell me to get my hands off you.” Before it’s too late.

  “I know,” she whispered. But instead of backing away, she moved in closer.

  “Lauren…”

  She grazed her lips across his, and that’s all it took to provoke the storm. Before he could talk himself down, he fisted his hands in her hair, loosening the knot, and claimed her mouth like a man possessed. He told himself to stay seated so he wouldn’t take the kiss further, but his body didn’t get his brain’s message.

  He stood, confining her with his body, giving her nowhere to go. But when she slipped her hands under his shirt and moaned into his mouth, he realized she wasn’t trying to get away. She was trying to get closer.

  He’d been around the block enough times to know kisses like that were just a prelude to the main event, but he couldn’t take her right there on a dirty kitchen floor. Lauren was too classy to be treated that way. She deserved a soft bed, roses, candlelight, music… Where the hell had that thought come from? He’d never romanced a woman to get her into bed, but something told him Lauren was unlike any woman he’d ever known. She was in a class by herself.

  “Tucker…” She finally pulled away, her hands clenched in his hair as she rested her forehead against his chest and drew deep, gasping breaths.

  He should apologize for letting things go too far, but he wouldn’t pretend he was sorry. He wasn’t. She was a temptress; there was no other word to describe her. She was the kind of woman who could drive a sane man crazy and bring a strong man to his knees.

  Tucker had spent the four years since his release rebuilding his business and his life. He’d earned the respect of his employees and the community again by proving he was a changed man. He’d even learned to like and respect the man in the mirror by setting and achieving goals and drawing lines he refused to cross. He’d honored his commitments to others and himself, but that night, he broke a vow to himself and to Lauren, and that didn’t feel good.

  “I didn’t mean for that to happen,” he said quietly. That much was true. He went there looking forward to spending more time with her. He hadn’t intended to ravage her.

  “It’s not your fault.” She hooked her thumbs through his belt loops and tipped her head back to look him in the eye. “I wanted it as much as you did. But it can’t happen again.”

  He knew she was right, but the reminder still hurt as much as a swift kick in the gut. “I know.”

  She stepped back and pulled the black elastic from her disheveled ponytail, letting her hair fall over her shoulders. “I’m glad we agree about that.”

  Tucker watched her hair fan out, and his only thought was how it would look spread out over his pillow. Agreeing to reason was the easy part. Wrestling his libido to the mat every time he saw her was bound to be more difficult.

  Chapter Seven

  Tucker stormed into Lauren’s house early the next morning in a foul mood. He’d tossed and turned most of the night, thinking about her and that kiss. He was there to confront the man with the audacity to ask her out, and he was even more on edge. He knew better than to walk into a situation that riled up, but if he didn’t confront Rob, he was bound to explode on some poor, unsuspecting soul who hadn’t done anything to warrant his anger.

  Ten, nine, eight… “I want to talk to you.”

  All four of the men within shouting distance turned to Tucker with the same thought in mind: I hope he’s not talking to me.

  Rob turned around slowly, and Tucker wanted nothing more than to wipe that smug smirk off his face. He shoved his hands in his coat pocket for one reason: he was less likely to strike out if he was retrained. “What the hell were you thinking?”

  “Uh, you’re gonna have to be more specific, boss.”

  The grin on his face told Tucker Rob was too stupid to recognize a threat staring him in the face.

  Will stepped forward, getting in Tucker’s face. Tucker didn’t have to ask why. His friend had seen him in that state too many times over the years.

  “What’s this all about?” Will asked, looking from Tucker to Rob.

  “This stupid son of a bitch came on to a client yesterday.”

  “So what?” Rob said, still smirking. “She wanted me. If she said she doesn’t, she’s lying.”

  Tucker lunged and immediately had four guys surrounding him, trying to physically restrain him as they talked him down.

  The front door slammed shut. “What’s going on here?” Lauren asked. She looked from Tucker to Rob, waiting for a response. “Is there a problem?”

  “No, no problem,” Tucker said, shaking his friends off so he could make his way outside. He couldn’t believe he’d almost let his temper get the better of him. That hadn’t happened in years, and he’d sworn it would never happen again.

  Tucker ate up the pavement with long strides. He needed to get out of there. He slammed the door of his truck, but before he could start the engine, Lauren hopped in. Muttering a curse, he rested his head against the leather headrest and closed his eyes, drawing deep breaths. “I have to get to work.”

  “Not until you tell me what that was all about.”

  He couldn’t deal with her right then. She messed with his head in a big way, making him feel things he’d sworn he’d never feel again. “This isn’t a good time.”

  “Too bad.” She fastened her seat belt. “If you leave, I’m going with you.”

  He sighed. At least reason was finally permeating the cloud of fury. “Get out, Lauren.”

  “No, not until you tell me why you almost beat the hell out of one of your employees.”

  Tucker knew he shouldn’t have confronted Rob in that state. He should have waited until he was calmer and the taste of Lauren on his lips had faded away. He was too close to her and their situation to be objective. Tucker’s anger wasn’t about an employee hitting on a client. It was about a man hitting on a woman he wanted for himself. He was so jealous he couldn’t even see straight.

  “I came to talk to him about happened with you yesterday. It got out of hand.”

  “I knew I shouldn’t have told you.” She crossed her arms.

  “You should have told me.” He reached for her hand, though he knew physical contact was the worst way to forget what happened between them last night. “I’m glad you told me.”

  “Why?” Instead of pulling away, she threaded her fingers through his, rubbing circles on his palm with her thumb.

  “If you have a problem, I wanna know about it.” That was Tucker’s M.O. He took care of the people important to him, and Lauren had somehow managed to earn a spot in that select group without even trying.

  She smiled as she leaned her head against th
e seat and regarded him. “You can’t come to my rescue whenever I have a problem.”

  He didn’t know how she’d managed it, but his mood had gone from nasty to relaxed in minutes. “Says who?”

  “That’s kind of your thing, isn’t it? You like playing the hero?”

  Tucker chuckled. No one had ever called him a hero before, but he wouldn’t mind her thinking of him that way. “No, I just look out for the people I care about.”

  “You don’t know me well enough to care about me.” She looked at their joined hands.

  “Don’t I?”

  She sighed. “Tucker, what the hell is this? What’s going on between us?”

  “I haven’t got a clue.” That much was true. He’d sent the message to his brain: this woman is off limits. But his heart, and his body, must have missed the message because every time he saw her, he took one look in those big blue eyes and fell just a little bit deeper. “I can’t come by tonight.” He hoped she would accept the change of subject without an argument.

  “Why?”

  “It’s Friday. I’ve got to pick up my kids after work.”

  “Oh, okay.”

  Had he imagined the hint of disappointment in her voice or was that wishful thinking? “Will ya miss me?” He grinned when she rolled her eyes. When Tonya did that, it was annoying, but when Lauren did it, he wanted to kiss her senseless.

  “No!” Her full mouth trembled, as though she was trying to keep a straight face. “I have a date tonight anyways, so it’s probably better that you’re busy.”

  He withdrew his hand, gripping the steering wheel instead. “Oh yeah?” Don’t ask. “Who are you going out with?”

  “Mitch.”

  He’d sensed something between them when he saw them dancing. “Why the hell did you let me kiss you if you’re hooking up with him?” Tucker felt his temper rising again. He didn’t appreciate being played for a fool, and the thought of someone else kissing her the way he had had him cursing viciously in his head.

  “Did I say I was hooking up with him?”

  Ten, nine, eight… “You need to go. I have to get to work.”

  “Tucker, before you go…” She turned to face him, looking apprehensive. “Can I ask you a question?”

  He knew whatever it was, he wouldn’t like it. “That depends on what it is.”

  “Why did you go to jail?”

  He definitely didn’t like that question. “I don’t want to talk about it.” He was pretty certain she’d already heard Amanda’s version, and he was satisfied to leave it at that. If she thought he was a tyrant, maybe she would do them both a favor and keep her distance.

  Tucker knew one thing for sure: he was all wrong for Lauren McCall, and she was even worse for him. If she were his woman, he had no doubt she would be the match that finally lit his fuse. Wherever they went, men would come on to her, and Tucker would probably bust an artery trying to contain his rage and jealousy.

  “Is it true that you beat Amanda’s ex-boyfriend so badly he was on life support for-”

  “I said I don’t want to talk about it!” He slapped his open palm against the steering wheel and winced when she jumped.

  “I’m sorry I asked.” She threw the door open and jumped out.

  He watched her stalk up the driveway without looking back. “That’s it, you dumbass,” he muttered to himself. “Scare her away.”

  ***

  Lauren was looking forward to seeing her cousin Anna. She always had fun when they went out as a foursome with Mitch and Justin, but her thoughts kept drifting to Tucker.

  Amanda and her father appeared right about him. He was definitely a hothead, but he also had a gentleness she never would have expected. The way he wanted to protect her…

  “Hey there,” Anna said, leaning over to kiss Lauren’s cheek.

  Lauren had been so wrapped up in thoughts of Tucker she hadn’t even seen them walk into Jimmy’s. “Where’s Mitch?”

  “He’ll be here soon.” Justin took Anna’s jacket and hung it on the iron peg affixed to the booth. “Have you been here long?” he asked, kissing Lauren’s cheek before sliding in next to his fiancée.

  “No, just a few minutes. How have you been?” Lauren asked, reaching for Anna’s hand.

  “Good.” She grinned at Justin. “Busy planning the wedding.”

  Justin and Anna were perfect for each other, and Lauren was thrilled her cousin had finally found a man who loved her as much as Justin clearly did. “I can’t wait for the big day.”

  “We wanted to talk to you about that,” Anna said, sliding a look at Justin. Before she could continue, Justin raised his hand to beckon Mitch to their table.

  Mitch shook hands with Justin and kissed Anna before sliding in next to Lauren. He dropped a quick kiss on her cheek. “What did I miss?”

  The waitress appeared to take their order, and they spent a few minutes pouring over the menu.

  “We asked you guys to come out with us tonight because we want to ask you both something.” Anna reached for Lauren’s hand. “You know I love you like a sister. It would mean the world to me if you’d agree to be my maid of honor.”

  Lauren squealed, and Mitch covered his ear with the palm of his hand. “Easy, girl.”

  “Are you kidding?” Lauren squeezed Anna’s hand. “I’d love to be your maid of honor.”

  Justin grinned at Mitch. “Gee, this is awkward. Now I feel obligated to ask you to be my best man.”

  Mitch chuckled. The two men had been best friends for years. No one doubted who Justin would want standing beside him when he married the love of his life. “I think I might be busy that day.”

  “Smart ass.” Justin grinned. “Seriously, man, it would mean a lot to me.”

  “You don’t even have to ask.” Mitch extended his hand to Justin. “It would be an honor to be your best man.” The two men shook hands and shared a smile.

  Lauren squealed as she put her arm around Mitch. “Isn’t this exciting?”

  Mitch laughed at her enthusiasm. “Take it easy, girl. You’re not the one getting married.”

  Lauren didn’t care that it wasn’t her big day. She was just happy her cousin had found the happiness she deserved with the man of her dreams. “Oh, have you thought about the dresses?”

  “Here’s what I was thinking.” Anna scrolled through images on her phone until she found the one she was looking for.

  “I love it!” The indigo floor-length gown with hand-sewn embellishments was stunning. “Who else will be in the bridal party?”

  Anna slipped her phone back in her purse before she said, “Alisa, Sela, Brianna, Erika, you, Megan, Lena, Melanie, and Ava.”

  “Who’s Melanie?” Mitch asked before popping a pretzel stick in his mouth.

  “My sister,” Anna said.

  “How come I didn’t know you had a sister?” Mitch asked. “Is she hot?”

  Anna laughed and slapped his hand. “Behave yourself. She’s married.”

  “Ah, but for how much longer?” Lauren asked, raising an eyebrow. They all knew Melanie was having marital problems, and they wanted to do whatever they could to help her through it.

  “That’s the question.” Anna smiled at the waitress returning with their drinks. “You know Mel. She’s strong and determined. She doesn’t want to give up on her marriage.”

  “What do your parents think of her husband?” Mitch asked.

  Anna wrinkled her nose. “Daddy hates him. Melanie’s his adopted daughter from his first marriage. She grew up with her grandparents, but my dad was a big part of her life since her mom was never really in the picture.”

  Mitch nodded. “Where does Melanie live?”

  “In Fort Worth,” Anna said. “She moved there because her husband got a job offer, but it has never really felt like home. It may sound selfish, but I wish she’d just leave that loser and come home already. We all miss her.”

  Justin put her arm around Anna, brushing a kiss against her temple. “She promised she’d b
e here for the wedding. Who knows, maybe she’ll decide to stay.”

  “I hope so. Anyways, what’s new with you?” she asked Lauren and reached for her glass of wine. “Justin said you found a new contractor.”

  “Yeah, his name’s Tucker Brooks.”

  Anna nodded. “I think I’ve heard of his company. It’s Brooks Construction, right?”

  “That’s right.” Lauren wondered if her cousin could give her any insight into the man who’d monopolized her thoughts. “You know him?”

  “No, but one of the teachers at work used his company when they renovated their house. She said they were great. They came in on time and on budget, and we all know that’s not the norm in construction, right?”

  That was an understatement. If Lauren had learned one thing since she started her business, it was to hope for the best but expect the worst. “That’s for sure. He seems great. He’s really gone out of his way to help me out.”

  “I wonder why?” Justin grinned at Mitch, who nudged Lauren in the ribs.

  “What am I missing?” Anna asked, looking around the table.

  “Nothing!” Lauren said quickly. She glared at Justin.

  “I think Tucker Brooks has a thing for your cousin,” Mitch said, reaching for his beer.

  “Shut up, he does not!” Lauren’s mind flashed back to their X-rated kiss and hoped the guilt wasn’t written all over her face. “We have a working relationship, nothing more.”

  “Uh huh.” Anna narrowed her eyes. “Why don’t I believe that?”

  Anna knew her better than anyone. Lauren could never fool her. “I don’t know. Can we please talk about something else?”

  “No way.” Mitch laughed. “I love seeing you all riled up. You’re usually so calm and collected.”

  “I am not riled up!” She reached for her wine, hoping the evasion tactic would work.

  “Is he hot?” Anna whispered, loud enough for the boys to hear.