I walked to him and explained, “We’re kind of a nutty bunch.”
Eric’s dark eyes tilted down to mine and that was when I realized I had to admit he was definitely hot.
“I know,” he replied then his mouth formed a smal grin. “I read the papers.” Then he went on, “Miss Hendrick’s County?”
Jesus.
I was going to kill whoever was talking to the reporters.
“That was a long time ago,” I told him.
“That was a long time ago,” I told him.
“They have a swimsuit competition?” he asked.
My eyes narrowed and my hand went to my hip.
“It was a teen pageant. They didn’t do swimsuits, just fitness.”
His eyes got a pleasant, warm look about them which made him even hotter and he muttered, “Shorts then.” Good grief.
“Um, don’t you have a thing for Stel a?” I rudely reminded him.
“No shot,” he returned without hesitation or apparent bad feeling.
“So, you’re feeling like branching out?” I asked, cocking my head angrily to the side.
“Nope. Just lookin’ for happy thoughts. You in a teen pageant fitness routine, wearin’ shorts, is a happy thought,” he returned.
Holy cow.
I decided right then and there that he might not be a member of the Hot Bunch but he could join the team in a shot.
Then his eyes lost their flirty warmth and went hard and serious (yep, definitely could be a member of the Hot Bunch). “Cal one of your boys, I got things to do and I gotta go. They need to know Stel a’s lost her bodyguard.” I nodded, he turned to leave then twisted back to look at me.
“Keep her away from the papers.”
With that, he was gone.
The door had barely closed on Eric when Uncle Tex boomed at Duke, “Wel ?”
boomed at Duke, “Wel ?”
Duke growled back, “Wel what?”
Uncle Tex threw his meaty paws up in the air and boomed (again), “Wel , it’s time to lay the truth on Stel a!” Duke nodded his head and his eyes went to the door.
“Damn straight. But it ain’t me that’s gotta lay the truth on her.”
“I’l agree with that,” Jet put in firmly and everyone looked at her.
Jet had shared with al of us the crazy, intense and heartbreaking story about Mace and his sister. We’d al been told to keep quiet (direct orders from Mace, who told Lee, who told Indy, who told the Rock Chicks) but Jet didn’t like it, not one bit. She looked like she’d just lost patience with keeping Mace’s secret.
“You don’t say shit, Loopy Loo,” Tex warned Jet.
“Someone has to –” Jet started.
“Ain’t gonna be you,” Tex went on.