His Southern Temptation - By Robin Covington Page 0,54

packing boxes.”

Lucky was in too good of a mood to get pissed over their mocking this morning. He even resisted the urge to flip them the bird. Clearly, it was love.

“Kayla loves it when I work around the house and get all sweaty. If I’d known, I would have been a construction worker or something,” Jack offered.

“Whoa. Oversharing,” Beck said.

Lucky choked on his coffee, barely stopping from spitting his mouthful across the floor. “I think I liked you better when you didn’t talk so much.”

“Bite me,” Jack said.

“How are things going with Taylor?” Beck asked.

Before he could answer, Teague walked through the door, scanning the diner until he saw the three of them. He raised a hand in a wave and headed over, weaving through tables and greeting other patrons as he made his way across the room. Teague was so much like his father, confident and outgoing with everyone. Lucky had no doubt he would be successful when he entered politics in the future.

“Not a word to Teague about me and Taylor. I need to talk to him in private,” he said to Beck and Jack.

“Hey, guys. Sorry I’m late.” Teague offered handshakes all around, nodding yes when Beck offered coffee. “Olivia had a late start getting back to DC.”

“Did she enjoy the party last night?” Beck asked.

Teague shook his head, taking his first sip of the hot beverage. “I don’t think the country is her thing.”

“That’s too bad. She seemed like a nice woman,” Jack said.

Lucky blinked at him in amazement. Olivia had been rude, distant, and snobbish. He’d disliked her within minutes of meeting her. She must be dynamite in bed because he couldn’t imagine why Teague put up with her attitude.

“She is. But her father is a lobbyist and her mother is old money.” He emphasized the word and Lucky could only take it to mean that her money was older than Elliott money—and that was saying something. “She’s a city girl. I probably won’t see her again until I head back to DC.”

“Well, we’re at least keeping one Elliott in the old town.” Jack continued when Teague gave him a puzzled look. “Taylor is staying and going into business with Aunt Sissy.”

Teague swiveled to look at Lucky, his mouth hanging slack with shock. Oh buddy, wait until you hear the rest of the news. Lucky’s gut tightened at the idea of telling Teague he was in love with Taylor. What he thought shouldn’t matter, they were both adults, but Teague’s disapproval could cause a rift in the Elliott family and their lifelong friendship. With the pressure Teague was under right now, it was anyone’s guess how he would react.

“What is my sister doing?”

“She’s going into partnership with my mom and opening a day spa.” Teague still looked a little dazed, so Lucky added, “She isn’t going to Hawaii.”

“When the hell did that happen?” Not waiting for an answer, Teague turned, searching the crowd for Taylor. Spotting her, he placed his coffee cup on the counter and started to make his way across the room, almost colliding with Sheriff Burke, who nodded to them all. When his greeting reached Lucky, the cocky grin on his face sent a shiver of apprehension crawling over his skin.

Now was not the time for Sheriff Burke to unveil his newly discovered sense of humor.

“Lucky. Sorry about my wake-up call this morning.”

No. No. Fuck no. Lucky desperately tried to signal for him to shut up, but the older man was too busy setting up the punch line to notice.

“I know it’s Landon property, but you and Ms. Elliott should be careful about where you decide to make love. Bodean Taggert is still mad at you and there are all kinds of hunters a—”

“What?” Teague asked. He turned back to face him, his red face testifying to his inability to breathe.

“Teague—” Lucky instinctively raised his hands. Teague was going to hit him, he could see it in his eyes, and who would blame him? This wasn’t a great way to find out your baby sister was having sex with your best friend.

“Did you sleep with Taylor?” It must have been meant as a rhetorical question because Teague didn’t even take a breath before plowing on. “Are you fucking my sister?”

His voice, normally moderate and polished, was loud and harsh. Alerted to the drama unfolding before them, the crowd in the diner ceased all conversation, glued to the Elliot version of shitty reality TV.

Lucky tried again, desperate to find the right words to