Page 6 of Loyalties & Longings

What is that? Embarrassment, maybe.

Her face is a light shade of pink, making me wonder how long they’ve been in the sun waiting for me. She sure as shit isn’t a kid anymore. She’s damn gorgeous with her vibrant crystal-green eyes and brown hair that’s thrown into a bun. It looks like it only took a minute to do, but I’m sure it would have taken longer. Her hair color reminds me of silky, smooth chocolate.

I wouldn’t mind a glass and a half of her.

Nodding at her in acknowledgment, I try to maintain eye contact because when I was walking over, her nipples were so hard they were difficult to miss. She’s obviously not wearing a bra.

So fucking sexy.

I have just spent a fair amount of time, six years to be exact, around filthy horndogs who only ever talked about all the scandalous things they were going to do when they got out. Shit, some of them couldn’t even wait that long and sought comfort in each other. No judgment on my part, but that was a line I wasn’t comfortable crossing. Then, the first thingI’mconfronted with when I am released isthis. It’s like handing a kid a bowl of candy and telling him he’s not allowed to eat any.

Of course, I start to get hard with a woman like her in front of me.

Enzo should have at least made her wear a bra. On the other hand, maybe that’s not Enzo’s style. For all I know, he likes to empower his daughter to be and do whatever she wants. If anyidiot is game enough to step out of line with her, he would, without a doubt, not hesitate to kill them.

I don’t blame him. Lake is a nationalfuckingtreasure.

“Let’s get out of this cesspool,” Enzo says as he rounds the car to the driver’s seat, thankfully pulling me out of my thoughts before I start to get carried away and do something stupid like pull Lake in for a kiss or…

… something worse.

Lake gives me another smile and turns toward Enzo’s car. With keen eyes, I watch her walk to the back passenger door. Holy shit, her jeans are so tight anyone would think they’re spray painted on.

What I wouldn’t give to peel them off her.

As she climbs into the SUV, I run my hand down my face in frustration. This woman will be trouble, or maybe I’m going to get myself into troublebecauseof her. Almost like an animal drawn to a fire, I know she’ll burn me, but I don’t think I’ll be able to stop myself. Knowing I’m going to have to try my damnedest is what I’m struggling with the most because I don’t want to cross Enzo. He has been accepting and patient and has done so much for me since the moment I met him when I was at my lowest.

I must try to stay away from his daughter. I owe him at least that much, especially after losing the carload of shit I was delivering when I got jumped. Then, obviously, getting busted and thrown in prison for it, leaving him one man down for six years.

Sliding into the car, I look back and forth between Enzo and Lake.

“Where’s Massimo?” I question, noticing he didn’t come with them to pick me up. Not that I really give a shit. He is the shadiest prick I’ve ever met. And that is saying a lot since it is coming from someone who has just spent six years locked upwith some of the worst. I see Lake roll her beautiful green eyes at the mention of Massimo.

“He had some stuff to do,” Enzo says indifferently.

I’m not going to ask for more. I couldn’t care less that he isn’t here, and I’m not sure how much Lake knows about her dad’s business, so I judge it best to keep quiet.

“You think we could stop for something to eat? I’m starving and could go for a decent burger or steak. I’m in need of a good meal after eating that crap the prison tries to pass off as edible,” I mention this to no one in particular, and my stomach rumbles at the thought of good food.

“Yeah, I could eat too,” Lake says while Enzo nods in agreement.

“Are there any good places around? What are you in the mood for?” I turn around to look at her.

Her eyes are already on me, slightly lidded, and she is biting her bottom lip, slowly raking it through her teeth while she thinks.

Fuck. Me.

I know what I want now, and it isn’t food anymore. I’d enjoy nothing more than to sink my teeth into the soft, pillowy flesh of her bottom lip. Her dad shifts to sit a little straighter and looks in the rearview mirror at her, waiting for her reply just as much as I am.

“Burgers on High has killer food.”

With Enzo’s eye back on the road, she rolls her lips in and presses them together tightly, trying to hide a smile.

She thinks it’s funny that she almost got caught giving me sex eyes, looking like she wants to do bad things to me. Turning my body to face toward the front again, I tilt my head to the roof, close my eyes, and let out a deep sigh.

Mistaking my exasperated sigh for a sigh of relief, Enzo asks, “Good to be out, huh?”

“Mm-hmm.”

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