Page 89 of Tapped

“I can’t lie,” Annette says with a smile. “I’m excited.”

I turn to look out the back of the house again, but this time I catch blue eyes staring at me. Micah’s not swinging the little boy any longer, and he’s not paying attention to what his friends are saying. His gaze is hot and never wanders from me when he puts a beer bottle to his lips and takes a pull.

“Damn,” Landyn says. “That man is in another world, and all he sees is you.”

“That’s hot,” Annette mutters.

That is hot. Wetness surges between my legs because the only other time he’s looked at me like that is when my clothes are in a messy pile on the floor. I have no doubt our thoughts are in the same place. He drags his thumb over his bottom lip to wipe away a drop of beer before his tongue follows suit.

“If that man is playing you, he deserves an Oscar for foreplay,” Annette announces.

“He’s not playing you, Evie,” Landyn agrees. I turn back when I feel a tug on my hair. “I think you need a day of pampering. I know you can’t come to the salon right now, but you’re safe here. I’ll recline you back in the kitchen, put a mask on your hair, and give you a scalp massage. Nothing makes you feel better than a good blowout.”

“Trust me, Landyn is the best. She’s been doing my hair since she was halfway through school,” Annette says.

“I’m due for a trim, but I could never ask you to do that. You need to stay off your feet.”

Micah gave me the lowdown on everyone on our way here, including the women. Landyn just opened her own salon last year and rents space out to stylists. Annette teaches high school literature.

Landyn waves me off. “I’m only taking a few appointments a week. And once this little girl makes her appearance, Brax will do everything. I’ll go stir crazy. A wash and blowout are nothing.”

“You should take her up on it. She wouldn’t do it unless she wanted to. All I can offer is a refresher course on Romeo and Juliet—and you don’t need that kind of bad juju, you have enough. No offense,” Annette says.

“None taken.” Their kindness is overwhelming. Not as overwhelming as Micah, but touching in a whole other way. “I appreciate it and will definitely take you up on it.”

The door opens from the outside. Rocco stalks straight for the refrigerator like he lives here. He’s well over six feet tall and built of lean, solid muscle. His hair is clipped short on the sides and back but perfectly shaggy on top. It fits him and his age. He looks like he just stepped off the runway, even though I can tell he’d never step onto one to begin with.

He grabs another beer, cracks it open, and leans a hip on the counter next to Landyn. “I know what’s going on out there. I want to hear the other side of the story. I knew the great one would fall eventually, but I didn’t see this coming.”

Landyn feigns innocence. “We have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Is that the story you’re sticking to?” He takes another drink. “Because that’s not what they’re saying.”

“If you think Micah and Brax are tight,” Annette explains before motioning to Landyn and Rocco. “These two are tighter.”

Landyn shrugs. “He needed a best friend, and I was his only choice. It stuck.”

“I have friends, but Landyn likes to boss people around. I let her think she can.” Rocco defends himself on a grin that probably has South Beach dropping their bikinis left and right. He looks back to me before he takes a drink of his beer. “I’m a giver.”

Landyn looks put out, but I can tell this is something that probably happens often between these two. “He wouldn’t know what to do without us.”

Rocco turns his playful, whiskey eyes on me. “Your date out there is calling in favors left and right to find your hitman.”

“Rocco!” Landyn does more than elbow him this time. “We’re trying to make her feel welcome. Don’t remind her of that.”

Rocco doesn’t look the least bit sorry. “If there’s a killer after you, I doubt anything is going to make you feel better.”

“He’s right,” I say. “It’s really okay.”

Rocco’s expression turns serious. “It should make you feel better. If anyone can get shit done, it’s Micah.”

“They’ll all help,” Annette says. “They’re going to figure out who’s after you and stop them.”

“I’m counting on it. I want my son at home with me, and I want a divorce. I’m ready for this nightmare to be over.”

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