of days.” Irritation vibrates around him like agitated waves.
“Everything alright?”
He sits on the bench and draws the back of his hand across his forehead. “Yeah, I’ve got a new client who’s giving me a hard time.” His big hand scrubs through his hair, making it stand on end. “Or should I say, her father’s giving me a hard time. He thinks I should be at his beck and call.”
“Oh, one of those parents.”
A dry chuckle moves his voice box but doesn’t change his face. “Pretty sure he’s the king of those parents. The girl’s a head case too.”
I join him on the seat, and the cool air blows across my sweaty skin. “How so?”
“She’s pissed at her old man and instead of firing him as her coach, she passive-aggressively sticks it to him. I end up refereeing them instead of treating her.”
“I’m surprised you haven’t fired them. You don’t generally put up with that shit.”
He squints off into the distance. “Yeah, well, work is work.”
That’s not the Duke I know at all. He seems all casual, good ol’ boy on the outside, but the man has an intensity that intimidates even me. There’s no screwing around when it comes to rehabbing a client back to health. “Mm-hmm.”
He doesn’t respond to me, which is fine because all my attention just went to the former Miss Texas, who has bent over to grab the last of the weeds she’s been pulling from Elva’s small flower bed. Like a heat-seeking missile, my eyes go to her round butt in her cut-off shorts—and good Lord.
“You might want to roll your tongue back into your mouth, there, lover boy.” Duke slaps my leg and stands to make his way to the back porch, where Maxine has just brought out a pitcher of iced cold lemonade.
I ignore him and move to Tiger. “Need some help?” I ask from behind her. But the words are muddled, because my mouth’s gone dry, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
“Would you mind holding that garbage bag open so I can drop these weeds and clippings into it?” She’s looking at me from under her arm with her ass still in the air.
“Sure.” I do as she asks, and we finish up the job together.
Her hands go to her lower back and she stretches. I try and fail not to notice how the motion accentuates her breasts under her Ryder Mustangs T-shirt.
“Back hurt?”
Brilliant, King.
“It’s just tight from bending over so long. I’ll sit in the hot tub tonight, and that’ll straighten me right out.”
My brain short-circuits thinking of Tiger Lyons in a swimsuit.
She must take my silence as disapproval because she quickly adds, “I mean if it’s alright with you. It is your house now.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, of course you can use the hot tub.” I try to play it cool on the outside, but inside I’m screaming, Please, please, please use the hot tub!
Her long finger swipes down the side of my face, and it’s all I can do not to turn my head and capture the digit into my mouth. Her eyes go wide, and for a moment, I worry that I’ve said that last bit out loud.
“Sorry …” Pink-cheeked, she loops a piece of hair behind her ear. “You had grass stuck to your cheek.”
I glance at the flower bed. “You did a great job.”
“Thanks. You guys did too.” She sweeps her gaze around the yard and lands on our taskmaster, who’s peacefully sipping lemonade on the porch. “Poor Elva. Do you think she couldn’t afford to have the work done?”
“Maybe, but mostly I think she saw an opportunity for some cheap labor and took it.”
“You’re probably right.” Her laughter is a drug, and I’m a damn addict.
I dust my hands off on my jeans. “I also think she’s a little lonely.”
She glances toward the porch. “Huh. I was so caught up in saving the rec center that I never considered that, but you’re probably right. Still, I hope this is enough to convince her to not sell to Brad.”
I pick up the garbage bag of weeds. “We should go talk to her about it now that we’re done.”
Before we can move, Elva lets out a laugh that sounds like broken bed springs at something Duke says, and I can’t help but smile.
Tiger chuckles and lays a hand on my arm. “Maybe we could wait until tomorrow to talk to her. She’s enjoying herself so much, and I don’t want to stress her out