Page 13 of Luck of the Draw

Skye clasped her mouth, masking a fake-as-fuck giggle, and then placed her hand on his forearm.

“Oh my goodness! I’m so sorry, sweetie. I didn’t even see you there.”

His smirk stretched into an enamored smile, and he turned toward her. He placed his hand on hers and gave it a pat and a rub with his thumb. “You’re good, sweetheart. Looks like you’re having a fun time.”

With that, they were in business. And it was on like fucking Donkey Kong.

4

FRENCH QUARTER, NEW ORLEANS

Nothing in the world pulled Brennan out of a funk quicker than a beautiful, charming woman. Especially one who was obviously an out-of-towner. And especially one with hypnotic, crystalline blue eyes like that.

Good Lord.

His luck was clearly on the uptick that evening. Never mind that he had a huge problem looming just on the horizon. He could handle Vito and his dad and Connor’s obnoxious insistence on upholding the bargain later.

Tonight, Brennan would indulge himself—and by the looks of the suitcase next to the pretty young redhead’s long, slender-yet-shapely legs, he very well could be indulging himself for a couple of nights to come.

But he wouldn’t get ahead of himself. First things first.

“I am having the best time,” the young woman gushed, spreading her full, pink lips into a smile and biting down on the straw of the hurricane.

Oh honey, honey, baby girl.Brennan smiled to himself and at her.You are such a tourist, but you are the very best kind.

This adorable redhead was the charming kind of tourist; the ones who came to New Orleans with the full intention of throwing themselves headfirst into thatlaissez les bons temps rouler. The kind that didn’t make a beeline for Bourbon Street in a short skirt and tall heels. Her jeans, sweater, ponytail, and flats indicated she was on the prowl for relatively good, clean fun; not Mardi Gras beads earned by showing her goods to anyone who’d look.

Brennan was a veteran of not only the United States Marine Corps, but also of sifting through potential casual companions in the Quarter, and he knew immediately she was just his speed.

“Oh yeah?” he asked. He lifted one eyebrow and turned to face her, positioning himself so that touching her hand again would be casual and natural.

“Thebest,” she gushed again, gesturing with an open palm to the older women to her left. “I just got here, and I already made two friends.” She pushed herself to spin again, sipping the drink, and then stopped herself with one foot on the bottom rung of the stool next to him. “And now the most handsome guy in the bar is talking to me.” She gave a carefree shrug and turned coyly to the front. “I don’t think I could ask for a better reception in this city.”

Brennan chuckled congenially. “You flatter me.”

“Well, you should flatter me by letting me buy you a drink.” She lifted one hand and flicked her fingertips daintily at the bartender.

He gently reached for her hand and drew it back down to the bar. “Now what kind of gentleman would I be if I let you do that?”

She turned her blue eyes toward him, offering a single bat of her lush eyelashes and shrugging her long, red ponytail over one shoulder. “These sweet ladies bought my drink, and I would hope a gentleman might allow me to pay it forward.”

Oh, baby girl.Brennan smiled warmly at her.I will absolutely allow you to pay it forward, but that is not happening in this bar.

“I think allowing me the pleasure of sitting with you is paying it forward enough.” He gestured at the stool. “May I?”

Her lips stretched into another smile. “Of course.” She daintily offered her hand, palm down like a graduate of finishing school. “I’m Skye.”

“Brennan Riley.” He swept his thumb over the back of her hand and gave it a single, gentle shake before letting go and raising his index finger at the bartender.

The bartender moseyed to stand in front of them and tossed a napkin on the bar in front of him. “What’ll it be, handsome?”

“Macallan, neat.”

The bartender knocked her knuckles on the bar. “Comin’ right up.”

“Oh my.” Skye gave another small laugh. “Now I feel kind of basic for getting this super fruity drink.”

“There’s nothing basic about hurricanes, especially if you’ve never had one.” He slipped his wallet out of his jacket pocket and slid his credit card across the bar. “Especially if you’ve never been here before. You want the full New Orleans experience, and trying a hurricane is quintessential to that.”

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