Page 6 of Rowdy Hearts

They’d surrounded Krista’s mom, an Angel wrapping a blanket around her shoulders while another set a plate full of food in front of her on the table. Still another Angel placed a steaming mug next to the plate and another was rummaging through the depths of the suitcase she called a purse. After a few seconds, Emme let out a whoop and pulled a packet out of the depths.

“Rowdy, bring that baby over here so we can warm her up.”

The Angel’s captain Caity Lopez, a redhead with the personality to match, waved me over to the table.

I got there just in time to hear Krista’s mom say, “…cheerleaders?”

“Technically, we’re a dance squad. We’ve won more championships than any other squad in our class. In fact?—”

“Don’t you dare finish that thought, Caity. Because I swear you will regret it.”

The look Caity gave me was laced with enough sass to fuel ateenage drama queen as she draped a blanket around Krista, who snuggled even deeper into me.

“Can’t say it’s not true, now can you, Rowdy?”

No, I couldn’t. But I didn’t have to like it.

So, instead of letting Caity have the last word, I turned to the bedraggled blonde in the booth. “I think I heard you say you got a flat. You wanna tell me where your car is? Me and a few of the guys can go get it for you.”

Once again, the woman trained her gaze on me. And once again, I was struck dumb by the intense blue of her eyes. They were so damn striking, I felt like I’d seen them before. I just didn’t have a clue where.

“Have we met before?”

Without hesitation, she shook her head. “No, we’ve never been here before.”

Not exactly what I’d asked, but she was clearly exhausted, so I let it go.

“Rowdy,” Mitzi barked. “You and a few of the boys go out and get Tressy’s car. And give me that baby. You’ve been hogging her long enough.”

Without waiting for an answer, Mitzi held out her hands to Krista, who jumped ship like I’d suddenly grown another head. Then again, when Mitzi said do something, you didn’t argue.

Mitzi turned her attention to the little girl, cutting off anything I would’ve said by addressing Krista.

“Okay, little miss, what would you like to eat?”

Krista and Mitzi disappeared into the mass of perfectly perfumed women surrounding the booth, leaving me standing there trying to get a glimpse of the most gorgeous woman I’d ever met.

“Hey man, you look like someone stole your beer money.”

Rebel elbowed me hard enough to make me wince. I returned the favor, enjoying Rebel’s muted “oof” in response.

“Come on, I need a ride.”

“Where’re we going?”

“To pick up the lady’s car.”

Just then the sea of beautiful women parted and there she was. Damn, she was even prettier than I’d first thought. I was pretty sure my mouth dropped open and my libido chose that second to remind me that it’d been several months since I’d gotten laid.

“That lady, huh? Now I see why you look like you’ve been smacked on the ass.”

Snapping my mouth closed, I shot Rebel a look. “Let’s go, dickwad. Shit to do.”

“Rowdy, mouth!” Mitzi yelled. “Children.”

I lowered my voice to a whisper. “I swear that woman can hear a pin drop from a mile away.”

“And she has eyes in the back of her head.”

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