Lucky 13 (Deadlines & Diamonds)

by Kearns, Morgan

  Shayne groaned when he jumped up to slap the wooden beam that separated the rooms.

  “That kid’s got hops.”

  “Yeah.”

  “You don’t sound enthusiastic.”

  “He leaves dirty fingerprints in places too high for me to clean. Yeah, it’s really great.” She rolled her eyes. “He wants to try out for basketball.”

  “Ugh.” Ricky screwed his face up tight, his brows crinkled, his nose wrinkled, and he literally shuddered. “We’ll have to change his mind.”

  Shayne glanced down the hall and laughed. “Good luck with that.”

  Ricky tipped her chin up with the slightest pressure from his index finger. He kissed her on the tip of the nose. She went all warm and gooey inside. Her eyes fluttered closed and she prepared for the kiss she hoped would find her lips. She didn’t have to wait long.

  The first brush was soft, gentle. The second threatened to consume her. He slid his hand up to cradle her face. She leaned into his touch. His thumb stroked her cheek. His tongue stroked her bottom lip. She sighed as he slipped into her mouth. His low groan preceded his hand gliding down to mold to her ass.

  He guided her hips to nestle against his. Surprise and satisfaction had her grinding into his arousal. This time his groan sounded pained. He peeled his mouth away, his breath ragged. His forehead rested against hers. “You slay me.”

  Breathing hard herself, she raised a brow while she punished him with another grind of her pelvis. “And here I thought you were the one with the sword.”

  ***

  She had not just said that.

  But as Ricky lost himself in the chocolate twinkle of her eyes, he knew she had in fact just made a reference to his genitals.

  He grabbed hold of her ass, one firm cheek in each palm, and held her tight against his sword. He kissed her neck right below her ear. She moaned and melted. He allowed his lips to brush her lobe and whispered, “Careful there, mujer bonita.”

  “What does…that mean?” she asked on a breath.

  His lips brushed her lobe. “Beautiful lady.”

  She shivered, goosebumps breaking out on her tanned skin. He could feel the thud of her pulse against his mouth. Satisfaction quickened his heart rate. He kissed his way back to her...

  “Okay. I’m ready.”

  Shayne jumped back, a dark blush staining her cheeks. “How long have you been—”

  “Standing here?” Judging by the smile on his face, the kid had been standing there. “Not long.” He exited the hallway and crossed into the kitchen, sitting down on the couch to tie his shoes. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’m good with it.” His head dipped, his concentration on the bunny-around-the-tree thing. “I like him.”

  Shayne stared at her son, her lips parted. Her cheeks went fuchsia. Ricky had to admit his own felt a little hot. Her hands shook as she grasped his, tugging him into the kitchen.

  “I don’t know you.”

  “I want you to.” He stroked a finger from her temple to chin.

  “You don’t know me.”

  “Shayne, we’ve been through this. That’s what we’re doing. Getting to know each other.”

  She sighed, crossed her arms over her chest. “You’re a really great kisser. Really great, but when your lips get anywhere near me, I can’t think. And if I can’t think, I can’t…” She closed her eyes and huffed. “It screws with my judgment.”

  He leaned down and brushed his lips against her freckles. “Last one. I want your judgment to be spot on when you realize you love me.”

  She laughed. “Love you? You’re kinda confident, huh?”

  “Yes, ma’am.” He stepped away from her and offered his hand.

  “How can I love you when I don’t even know you?”

  “Good grief.” He took off his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. “Get over the fact that you don’t know me and start focusing on what you want to know about me. As far as you’re concerned, Shayne Xavier—” He held his arms wide. “—I am an open book. Ask me anything.”

  “Favorite band or singer?”

  “Pitbull. Same question.”

  “Kenny Chesney.”

  “Ugh. You just had to be a country girl, didn’t ya?”

  She nodded. “And I look great in my cowboy boots.”

  Matt hollered from the other room, “Are we going or not?”

  “We’re coming,” she yelled back before turning to him to say, “Just my cowboy boots.”

  Ricky might have been able to bite back his groan if he’d had any idea she’d be flirty. But it’d completely blindsided him, Mack truck to his deer-in-the-headlights. What he had expected from her was distance. So maybe she only wanted physical distance. He held out his hand and smiled when she grabbed hold.

  ***

  Enrique Santiago surprised Shayne at every turn. Not so much who he was, but how he made her feel. Comfortable. At ease. Cherished. Admired.

  He glanced over as he stepped out of the batter’s box and grinned. In that moment she felt—dare she say it?—sexy. His wink made her insides liquefy and her knees wobble.

  It’d been a long damn time since she’d felt like anything but “Matt’s Mom”. All of this was happening too fast. It took a great deal of effort, but she managed to pull her gaze away from Ricky’s sexy, molten stare to watch Matt step into the batter’s box and square up.

  He waited for the ball. It whizzed by, slapping the chain link backstop with a ka-chink! He cursed and Shayne pretended she hadn’t heard the outburst of frustration. They’d been at the batting cages for almost an hour and Matt hadn’t hit a single ball. She could tell Ricky wanted to step in, offer some pointers, but for some reason he hesitated.

  Another ball hit the backstop and yet another curse crossed Matt’s lips. Her heart ached for her son. She got up off the bench, ready to put a stop to all the fun, when Ricky cleared his throat.

  “It’s all about timing.” He picked up a bat and motioned for Matt to back out of the box. “Show me your stance. Good. Now swing. Okay.” He lifted the bat to his own shoulder, crouching down into the batting stance.

  Man, the guy could fill out a pair of jeans. Shayne swallowed to keep drool from running down her chin.

  Matt copied the stance, his face all concentration. “Like this?”

  “Keep your back shoulder level. You’re dropping it as you come around.” After Matt followed through with his swing, Ricky nodded. “Okay, try it again, slugger. Watch the ball all the way to your bat. Don’t blink.”

  Matt hit the bat against his tennis shoes and stepped into the box. Ricky shot Shayne an amused grin then his full attention went back to her son.

  The ball came out of the pitching machine and Shayne held her breath. She watched it, just like Ricky had said, all the way to…

  The solid thwack! of bat against ball sent Matt into the air on a victorious celebratory jump. Shayne squealed and clapped her hands. She ran forward, threw herself into Ricky’s arms, and hugged him hard. It wasn’t until he returned her embrace that she realized what she’d done. She stiffened. He held on tight.

  Matt, completely oblivious to anything but the baseball currently hurdling toward him, hiked the bat back to his shoulder and another thwack! resonated.

  With her heart hammering out a cadence in her chest, she put her hands on Ricky’s chest and eased away.

  “That time it wasn’t my fault.” He raised a black brow. Damn, he had the sexiest grin she’d ever seen. His dark eyes twinkled. His earrings sparkled.

  “I’m sorry.”

  He traced a finger up her arm, goosebumps rising in its wake. “I’m not.”

  She shook her head. “You make me crazy.”

  Another intoxicating grin and jog of his brows. “The good kind of crazy, right?”

  “I am not going to answer that.”

  His chuckle, low and deep, mocked and amused her all at the same time. She laughed too.

  When a ka-chink sounded, it wasn’t followed by an adolescent cur
se. Matt simply shook his head and concentrated harder on the next ball.

  Shayne couldn’t help her smile, nor could she stop the tears of pride gathering in the corners of her eyes. She watched Matt, her heart full of gratitude for the man in front of her.

  “Why the tears, mujer bonita?”

  She wiped at her eyes with shaky fingers. “He’s never had a male role model before. It’s my fault. I’m careful who I allow around him.”

  Wow. Where had all that come from? Fear ate at her when she worked up the courage to meet Ricky’s eyes. Instead of victory or smug recognition, he smiled. “He’s really a great kid.”

  “Thank you for helping him.”

  “My pleasure.” He crossed his arms over his chest and watched Matt take a few more swings. “Watch your shoulder. You’re dropping it again.” He walked away from Shayne, motioning for Matt to get out of the box. He put his big hand on Matt’s shoulder, bending to look him in the eye. “It’s okay to regroup. When things don’t feel right, pull back, examine what’s wrong then retackle it when you’re back in control.”

  Matt nodded, craned his head on his neck, lifted his shoulders, put the bat behind his back and stretched. “Okay. I think I’m ready.”

  “Go for it, my man.” Ricky pointed toward the top of the tent that kept the balls from liberation. “Take it on a ride.”

  Matt grinned and straightened his batting helmet. He grimaced when the ball hit the backstop.

  Ricky came back over to where Shayne stood. “As soon as he’s finished, it’s your turn.”

  “I’m fine.”

  He purposely dropped his gaze from her face, letting it roam uninhibited down to her toes and back up. He clucked his tongue. “You are definitely fine, and it’s your turn.”

  Heat bloomed in her cheeks as well as her stomach. “Is it hot in here?” she asked even as she shivered under his scrutiny.

  Again, his eyes went roaming. And again, his smile turned her belly into lava. “Yes, it’s definitely hot in here.”

  Did that absurd giggle just come from her? Oh hell, she did not just slap at his chest. When had she turned into a sixteen-year-old girl?

  He strutted over to the side and grabbed a bat, bringing it back. He held it out. “Try this one out.”

  She had no idea what she was supposed to do with a baseball bat. Of course she’d seen other people use them. They had been at the batting cages for over an hour. But as she tried to get into position, she knew she looked like an idiot. His snicker confirmed it.

  “Here, lemme help you.”

  She felt the heat from his body wash over her as he got up close and personal behind her. He wrapped his hands around hers on the bat and hefted it up on her shoulder. “Don’t rest it on your shoulder. It needs to swing free. Wiggle the tip.”

  She giggled—and cringed.

  “What?”

  “I thought it was my job to tell you that.”

  He groaned. “Are you serious right now? ‘Cause your little innuendoes are killin’ me.”

  She bit her lip to keep from grinning. “Sorry.”

  “No, you’re not.” He bumped her hips with his groin. “Now, let’s be serious. We’ve got an audience.”

  He released hold of her hands on the bat and gripped her hips. She purred. She couldn’t help it. His hands were huge and warm and wicked thoughts of having them all over her naked skin raced through her mind. She shivered, refusing to think of the one and only time she’d…

  “It’s a good thing Matt’s clear over there.” Ricky’s lips brushed her ear. “And it’s a damn good thing he’s here at all, because you makin’ little noises, teasin’ me like you are, he’s the only thing keepin’ me from pushin’ up against the backstop and kissin’ the holy hell out of you.”

  Instead of a warning, his words sent a shot of disappointment through her. She dropped her arm, the bat coming to rest next to her leg.

  “You know, you make me want to do very bad things.” She shook her head. “I’m not sure how I feel about that.”

  His lips pursed, his brows creased. “Yeah, well, I guess we’d better stick to your pathetic batting stance then.”

  She sobered, feeling like a fool. “Yeah, I ah, we shouldn’t… My batting stance, right.”

  Instead of helping her, he stalked away. His hands flexed, tightened into fists, then slammed into his thighs. His enormous back stretched and contracted with a breath. He turned on his Nikes and took his time getting back to her side. The look on his face was all about the pissed off.

  Panic flooded her bloodstream and her fingers clutched tight to the only weapon she had.

  6

  Ricky didn’t know if he was comin’ or goin’. He now knew what it felt like to be a freakin’ yo-yo. Shayne flipped from flirty to distant so fast, he didn’t know whether he should have brought along his swim trunks or his ski parka.

  Damn, the woman was the epitome of frustration!

  As he made his way back toward her, the look of utter fear on her face stopped him cold. She stood stiff, her hand flexing around the bat. She chanced a quick look at Matt out of the corner of her eye then her shrewd, protective eyes watched Ricky approach.

  He’d seen a woman like that once before. When he’d been about ten. His terrified neighbor as she stood in the middle of her lawn, standing off against her abuser.

  He held up his hands, spoke softly. “Shayne, you okay?”

  She dropped the bat, shook her head. “Yeah. Fine.”

  He took a hesitant step forward. “You sure about that?”

  “Yeah.” She looked at Matt again. The kid had gotten the hang of things and was banging the crap out of everything coming down the pipe. Her smile was short-lived, only long enough to find him. She frowned. “I just need a minute. Where’s the restroom?”

  “Go out the gate, around the corner and down the hallway. Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “I’ll be right back,” she hollered at Matt, who nodded.

  Ricky wondered what just happened between them. Yeah, he’d been pissed, but come on, he wasn’t spittin’ mad and besides he’d never take it out on her.

  But did she know that?

  What the hell had happened to her?

  He considered for less than a heartbeat to ask her brother, only to scratch that piss poor idea off the list of possibilities. Xavier hated him and would never approve of Ricky dating his sister.

  “Everything okay?”

  Ricky turned to see Matt approaching. “Yeah, I think so.”

  “I know she can be frustrating.”

  Ricky chuckled. “You do, huh?”

  “I’m thirsty.” Matt rubbed at his forehead with the back of his forearm. “Is there a drinking fountain around here anywhere?”

  “I don’t know about a drinking fountain, but I know where a Coke machine is.”

  The two of them walked in silence to the lobby. Ricky slipped a dollar bill into the machine and hit the Coke button, got his change and added another dollar. “Diet Coke for your mom?”

  “Coke Zero for her and I’d probably better stick with Sprite. Mom doesn’t like me to have the caffeine this late. She says it makes it so I can’t sleep.” He shrugged. “I sleep just fine. It just takes me a while to get there.”

  Ricky bit back his humor and didn’t inform the kid that he’d just confirmed his mother’s reasoning. They sat at a table off to the side and waited for Shayne to come back.

  Matt took a swig. “Why do you wear number thirteen?”

  “It’s my lucky number.”

  “Mine too.” Matt screwed the lid back on his soda. “Why is it yours?”

  “My birthday is September thirteenth.”

  “Shut up! Mine is May thirteenth.” Matt grinned. “I guess we have something in common.”

  “Yep. I’ll bet there’s more, too.” Ricky checked his watch and realized she’d been gone about ten minutes. A slight worry wriggled around in his gut. “Do you think she’s—”

  “S
he’s okay.” Matt took another sip of his soda. “She’s just freakin’ out because she doesn’t know what to do about you.”

  “What to do about me?” Ricky tried to play the casual with a sip of his own soda.

  “Yeah.” Matt sipped and smothered a soft burp. “’Scuse me. Mom doesn’t date much.” He frowned. “Well, not really. Ever. I think she likes you. And I’m pretty sure that scares the crap out of her.”

  Ricky couldn’t help but wonder what else scared the crap out of her. Or who? “Was your dad…did he…hit her?”

  “I don’t know my dad. Never have. She never talks about him. I know her dad hit her when she was a little girl. Uncle X stopped him and got his ass, I mean butt kicked for it.”

  Ricky really didn’t want to talk about the man who’d obviously been a big part of her life. He’d rather talk about Shayne. “Your mom’s beautiful.”

  Matt grinned and snorted. “You noticed, huh?”

  “I got eyes, kid.”

  Matt threw his head back and laughed. Ricky couldn’t help it, he laughed too.

  “What’s so funny?” Shayne’s smile emanated her gentle spirit and kind heart. Every bit of discomfort had disappeared in the time she’d been in the bathroom.

  “You had to be there, Mom.” Matt shook his head and when his eyes met Ricky’s he snorted and burst out in another crack of hilarity. He pointed at Ricky. “He’s a really funny guy.”

  Her smile widened when she looked at Ricky and his heart stuttered. She offered her hand. “Should we get something to eat?”

  “Heck, yeah!” Matt jumped out of his seat.

  Her hand hung in the air between them. Rock steady. She smiled a bit, glanced down at her outstretched fingers and nodded. Ricky hesitantly took her hand and stood slowly, questioning her with his eyes.

  “Keys?” Matt held up his hand. Ricky reached into his pocket and tossed them in the kid’s direction. The keys hit his palm with a jangle and he raced out into the parking lot.

  Ricky tugged Shayne’s arm just a bit, giving her the option for a quick hug or the chance for retreat. She stepped into his arms, laying her head on his chest. He rubbed her back. “I’m sorry for whatever happened back there.”