He hooked his index finger under her chin and looked her in the eyes. His jaw tightened. “Don’t apologize. I had no right to turn my back on you. I could have at least given you a chance to talk. I should have thought about how much you were hurting. I’m the one who let that son of a bitch prey on you. Shit, Baby. I left you alone. Can you forgive me?”
“There’s nothing to forgive. We’re not going to get anywhere if we keep beating ourselves up. You stayed. You took care of me and did more for me than anyone else.”
“That reminds me, Ma’Linn has been here every day to check in on you. She helped clean up and made sure I ate. She’s been worried about you.”
Baby’s face fell. “Damn, it must have been hard on her with everything she’s going through with Phillipe. I need to let her know I’m ok, or at least that I’ll be ok.” She made a feeble attempt at a smile.
“You’re still going to feel like shit for a while. We need to get some electrolytes into you.” Lucky went to the refrigerator and popped open a Gatorade.
“Seriously?” She looked at him through her long lashes.
“Damn skippy. It’s gonna go down easy, but drink it SLOW,” he warned.
Her eyebrows arched. “I doubt that.” She sipped on the blue liquid, surprised at how good the tanginess tasted on her tongue. She guzzled from the bottle until Lucky pulled it away.
“It’s gonna be nasty when you throw that shit up.”
Baby Jade nodded. He had been taking care of her for days. He obviously knew what he was talking about.
“Do I still have a job?”
Lucky paced the room. “I don’t know. I haven’t talked to anyone from the club since the night I carried you out.”
“I had to be carried out?” She found the knot on her head and rubbed it with her fingertips. She remembered bits and pieces from that night.
Lucky filled her in on the details, clear down to Slade threatening to silence her if she had been taken to the emergency room. They both knew he meant it. That’s why he brought her home and nursed her through the detox.
Baby dropped her face into her hands and shook her head. “I’m embarrassed. I can’t believe you saw me like that.” She was all too aware what coming down looked like. She was able to piece information together like a puzzle. She remembered yelling and throwing things. The vomiting and diarrhea. The way she attacked him and offered to give him a blowjob for dope. She didn’t want to look at him in the face ever again, especially after the way she had tried to whore herself out for a taste.
“I told you, I wouldn’t have been anywhere else.” His gentle tone soothed her as he massaged her shoulders.
His words triggered a memory, but she thought she must be mistaken. “I remember something that wasn’t exactly bad.”
“Yeah? What’s that?” His firm hands kneading away at the tension in her back.
Baby tilted her head and turned toward him, flashing a full smile. “I thought I heard you say you love me.”
His lips curled into a lopsided grin. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. You must have been hallucinating.”
Her eyes danced, drinking in the pink flush of his cheeks. “Yeah, maybe. What do we do now?”
“Well, I’ve had a few days to think about that.” Lucky sat beside her on the couch. He rubbed his hands together and rested his elbows on his knees, giving her the impression he had something on his mind. “I have that business meeting tomorrow. After that, I’m free to do whatever. When things were still up in the air, I put in my notice with both Mickey and Rodney.”
“You were quitting because of me?”
“I thought it was time to move on.”
Baby’s face fell. She couldn’t bear to think of him leaving town.
“Hey, don’t look like someone kicked your dog. I didn’t know you cared that much.” He reached over and ran the back of his hand across her cheek.
With every part of her screaming out in pain and her brain beating against her skull, the man still made her body hum.
Lucky smirked. She had no doubt that he recognized how easily he got under her skin.
“Listen, I was thinking maybe after my board meeting, we could take off for a while. Go on that trip we were talking about.”
Baby Jade’s green eyes widened. “Are you serious?”
“Dead serious.”
“Oh my God!” Baby leaped up and landed on Lucky’s lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. Her lips crashed down onto his. When she came up for air, she said, “Yes! Yes! I can’t wait!”
He chuckled. She hadn’t planned on acting like a schoolgirl who was being asked to her prom by the star quarterback. She was taken aback. It was exactly what she needed. There was nothing keeping her here. Nothing but Ma’Linn and her job. She would have to make sure her friend would be ok while she was gone, but the job, she was sure to be unemployed when she got back anyway. That is if she wasn’t canned already.
“What about Mickey?” she asked. “I have to make a living.”
“Don’t you worry about him. Your job will be waiting for you when you get back if you still want it.” Lucky gathered her into his arms and stood. She locked her legs around his waist.
“Do you have to go home?”
“Nope. I packed my shit and only kept what would fit in my saddlebags. I’m all good. Hope you don’t mind me staying the night. I let my studio apartment go too.”
Still wrapped around him like a spider monkey, Baby beamed. “What will we do to get through the night?”
“I’m sure we can think of something.” Lucky wagged his eyebrows. He carried her to the bathroom, placing her on the countertop while he turned on the faucet. He filled the tub and poured in some of the Sweet Pea bubble bath, swishing it around with his hand to stir it up.
He then slid his hands underneath Baby’s t-shirt and guided it over her head. He hooked his thumbs under the lace trimming of her thong, pulling it off, and letting it fall. He lifted her and gently lowered her into the tub without saying a word. She was thankful the hot water heater was cooperating. The warmth eased her aching muscles.
He dipped the purple loofah into the water and then squeezed on some shower gel. Lathering it up, he massaged it across her back. He still didn’t speak. Heat filled the room as he washed her. First her back and shoulders. He moved down her arms and then her legs. She giggled as he washed her feet. When he was done with her body, Lucky poured water onto her thick mane of black hair, massaging in shampoo with his fingertips. He filled a cup and used it to rinse out the soap.
The silence was palpable. His tenderness stirred something deep inside her. She saw the same desire in his dark eyes. The combination of the water and his touch made her skin flush and tingly. Baby wanted him, every part of him.
Being with Lucky came naturally, as if he were a part of her, a part she never wanted to live without.
After rinsing away the soap and bubbles, he swooped Baby Jade up, wrapping her in a towel. He carried her to the bedroom and placed her in the center of the bed. Lucky leaned in and worked the towel down her body, drying her soft, smooth skin before dropping it to the floor.
He kicked off his boots before pulling his t-shirt over his head and then stepping out of his jeans. Seeing him standing naked in front of her made her breath hitch.
He climbed onto the bed and lowered himself on top of Baby, propping himself up on his elbows, and lingering. His heat made her shudder, sending goose bumps across her bare flesh.
She pushed her palms into his chest and took charge as she rolled him onto his back. Trailing her lips down his hard chest, Baby worked her way down his rippled abdomen.
As her head lowered, Lucky sat upright. “You don’t have to do this. It’s too soon.”
Baby rolled her eyes in jest and her pouty lips curled into a grin. She lowered her head between his legs and held his hard cock with one hand while running her hand along the inside of his thigh. His muscles clenched as she teased the tip of his cock with her tongue, tasting his excitement. The deep groan from his throat when she took his length into her mouth made her juices flow.