Page 10 of Lucky Dr & the Rockstar Next Door

“Holy shit, it really is you. Lancaster.” Another woman stopped at the table in a tight red mini-dress that left nothing to the imagination. “Wanna get out of here?”

My gaze slid from the woman back to Kayla as I shook my head. “No thanks, I’m right where I want to be.” Having women be so bold wasn’t new to me, but with Kayla around, I didn’t like it. I didn’t like that flash ofsomethingI saw in her eyes. It was almost as if she was waiting—or expecting—me to lose interest.

She shrugged. “Your loss.”

“Possibly,” I conceded with a smile before I turned back to Kayla. “You really have a parade?”

She nodded. “Oh yeah, we go all out for pretty much every holiday. There’s at least one festival every single month.”

“She’s right,” Torey chimed in with a smile. “There’s a green beer pong competition, bracket-style, but you need a partner for that. An Emerald Isle cook-off, a scavenger hunt, and then the parade followed by a potluck and dance.”

I wasn’t sure if they were messing with me, but it all sounded fun, and like Kayla said, the perfect distraction. Maybe I needed to adjust to civilian life again, and inspiration would hit me. “I’ll make a float with you if you partner with me for pong.”

She frowned. “You want to do green beer pong? Seriously?”

“Hell yeah. Why not? Are you scared?”

“Ha,” she tried for a fake laugh. “No, but I thought that pizza was your carbs for the year.”

“Smart ass,” I laughed and stole a potato skin from her plate instead of the platter in the middle of the table. “I’ll get back in shape when I have to.”

“Now that’s just cruel,” Rob groaned from the other side of the table.

“I’m in,” Kayla answered with a hesitant smile.

“Perfect.” I returned her smile, and our gazes locked again, and it was intense and hot, and electricity arced between us like one of those lightning storms in Colombia.

“This was fun, but we have to go,” Nix said and stood, which forced Rob and Torey to stand as well.

“Yeah, me too,” Torey agreed.

The night was over, and everyone was headed home. “I’m gonna stick around for a while,” Rob said as he eyed the bartender in the flannel shirt.

“Since we’re neighbors, how about I walk you home, Kayla?”

She lifted her chin. “MaybeI’llwalkyouhome.”

“I accept.” My hand landed on her back and slid down to the spot just above her ass.

“Come on, then.” I followed her out and focused on the swing of her hips and the curve of her ass. Her body was killer, I knew that, but the way those jeans hugged her thighs and hips should be illegal.

“How did you like growing up here?”

She shrugged. “It was great, mostly. It sucked trying to date and outgrow the nerdy girl I used to be, but it also allowed us to be a bit more reckless than your average teens without lasting consequences.”

I could listen to her talk all day. Her voice was a low alto, smooth and husky, and when she talked, the words came out relaxed and engaging. The walk home was too short.

“Here we are.” She turned to me, her hazel eyes smiling.

I realized we were in front ofmydoor. “I don’t think so.” I took her hand in mine and walked us both across the grass until we were at her front door. “Thanks for the walk.”

“You’re welcome. I can now put bodyguard on my resume.” Her laughter was contagious, but my eyes were laser-focused on her mouth, full and lush with just a hint of red leftover.

Instead of laughing, I palmed the back of her neck with one hand and the side of her face with the other. She seemed so delicate and fragile in this vulnerable position, but her lips were parted, and her breaths came out in shallow puffs. I leaned in closer until I could smell the negroni on her breath, and then I froze. “Kayla,” I groaned.

She froze and then took a step back, clearly misreading my tone, but it was probably for the best. “See you around, Mac.”

“Soon, Doc. Really soon.” I called myself every kind of fool on the short trip across the lawn, and once I was inside my house, I vowed that the next time I had the chance to kiss Kayla, I was taking it and running with it.

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