Page 355 of The Tempted

“About an hour,” I replied, turning toward her. “He should be wrapping up any minute,” I added, but I wasn’t even sure she heard me. She blew Bianci a kiss, and that was my fucking cue to take a breather before I lost my lunch. These two could have you tossing your cookies with all their love bullshit.

I stepped outside the gym, lighting up a cigarette as I rounded the corner. Taking that first drag, I looked up and noticed some teenagers circling my bike.

Fucking, hell no.

“Get away from the bike,” a voice shouted from the car parked on the corner.

I knew that car, towed that piece of crap upstate.

Shit.

“Make me,” one of the little punks shouted.

The car door opened and my mouth dropped, the cigarette fell, nearly burning my lip off. Lauren stepped out of the car, calmly walking around to the trunk and popping it open. She slammed the trunk down and that’s when I saw the baseball bat in her hand.

“I said…get the fuck away from the bike,” she hissed, practicing her swing.

“Whoa, damn, girl…” another punk said, his eyes wide as saucers.

Me and my dick agreed with the punk.

Damn girl.

“You heard her,” I yelled, walking up behind the kid, my eyes on Lauren as she held the bat over her head and stared at me.

“Sorry! We don’t want any trouble,” punk number one cried.

“Then I suggest you run because she looks pissed,” I growled.

“Yeah, but she’s not looking at us anymore, she’s looking at you,” punk number two pointed out.

Kid had a point; those blue eyes were glaring at me.

“Get out of here,” she said, turning her eyes back to the two teens, rearing the bat back to take a swing.

They scampered away from my bike like a bunch of cockroaches, leaving me to deal with a very pissed off Kitten.

She watched as they ran down the block and brought the bat down to her side as she walked back toward the trunk of the car. I thought she’d turn my way that she’d say something but all she did was ignore me.

I pulled my hat from my head and ran my fingers through my hair, deciding on whether I should walk away.

I did it before and it wasn’t that hard.

“Thanks for looking out for my bike, Kitten,” I blurted.

Decision made.

I walked toward her car, watched as she popped her trunk and dropped the baseball bat inside, before slamming it shut again and snarling at me.

Whoa.

Pissed off Kitten was sexy.

“Don’t call me that,” she hissed, walking toward the driver’s door.

“Don’t do that,” I objected, sighing as I walked around the front of her car. She pulled open her door and fixed me with a look.

“Get away from me Riggs before I grab the bat again,” she warned.

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