Page 6 of Lawless in Leather

Mal emerged from his office about an hour after Raina had left, in search of coffee and the latest update from the crew replacing the last few sets of security gates in the stadium.

He passed by the reception desk and saw Sara typing something on a laptop.

“Where’s Tora?” he asked.

Sara looked up but she kept typing. “She had a half day. I said I’d cover for a while.”

“You know you don’t have to do that.”

She shrugged. “I like helping out. I’m flying Maggie back into Manhattan later. Did you need me to take you anywhere?”

Mal shook his head. “No, I have my bike.”

“You will go home tonight?” Sara nailed him with a disapproving look.

Mal hid a wince. He thought he’d hidden the fact that he’d spent a couple of nights in his office lately from Alex or Lucas but apparently not. If Sara knew, then Lucas must know.

“Yes, Mom,” he said.

“Not your mom. Just an interested onlooker. The three of you are going to be burned out before the start of the season.”

“Only a few more days. I think we’ll survive.”

“I hope so.” Her expression softened a little. “What did you want with the dance coach?”

“What?”

Sara’s gaze sharpened. “The dance coach? Raina. You know, short, red hair, smokin’ bod. Was in your office about an hour ago? That one.”

“Just a scheduling mixup,” Mal muttered. “I fixed it.” He tried not to think about the “smokin’ bod,” as Sara had so neatly put it. He’d been trying not to think about it since Raina had left his office.

“She’s pretty,” Sara said.

Pretty was not the word Mal would use to describe Raina Easton. Her face was too sharp for pretty. She was all cheekbones and dark angled brows above slightly tilted eyes that were somewhere between bronze and green and razor-sharp red hair sleeking around her face. Then there was the mouth. Curved and bowed in contrast with the straight lines everywhere else. Painted a shiny version of her hair color. He’d found it hard to look away from that mouth. Until she moved. Because when she moved—particularly when she walked—every last one of his male instincts went on alert.

He’d watched the practice a little while longer from the safety of the stands after he’d spoken to her. In the sea of dancers, she’d been the only one he’d seen.

Bad news.

Alex and Lucas had both gotten themselves tangled up with women who worked for the Saints since they’d bought the team. He had no intention of continuing that trend.

A woman was the last thing on earth he had time for.

And a woman like Raina Easton? A redheaded, sex-on-legs, owner of a goddamned burlesque club of all things, firecracker? No. Just no.

She wasn’t the sort of woman you’d get out of your mind easily if you let her in.

So he wasn’t going to.

“Hello? Earth to Malachi?”

He realized he was still standing by the desk. Sara was looking amused.

“Sorry, what?”

“I said Raina’s pretty,” Sara repeated.

He forced a shrug, and Sara’s smile widened. “I suppose. If you like that type.”

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