Who's the Daddy (Crescent Cove 3)

I laughed. “You better fucking not.” I gave her one more hard smack then a squeeze and she yelped. “See ya, pizza girl.”

“A new nickname.” She laughed and tugged her shirt down. “Thanks for coming, pizza man.”

I laughed and snagged my shirt off the box where she’d folded it. I gave her little apartment one more look around. “You don’t have any help?”

She shrugged. “I’m used to doing stuff for myself. Don’t worry about me.”

I nodded. I knew how that went. “Get yourself a bed. Those cushions aren’t good for your back.”

“Don’t I know it.” She rubbed her ass. “I think I have cloth-burn on my butt.”

I turned her around. Sure enough there was a bit of pink on her perfect ass. And the outline of my hand. I frowned. I hadn’t hit her that hard.

She tugged her shirt down. “Dare.” She spun around.

“Did I hurt you?”

She pressed a hand to my belly, twisting her fingers in my shirt. “No. Nothing hurt. Well, I mean, not the bad kind.”

I fisted my hands at my sides. “I was too rough.”

“No.” She wrapped her much smaller hands around my fist. “Don’t ruin it by getting all guy-like. I liked it. At the risk of swelling your head, I loved it. I’m just a cursed redhead. Anything shows up on my skin. Wait until you see the PMS pimples. Really.” She sighed. “Lord, will I ever stop talking while I’m ahead? No. The answer is definitely no.”

I fought a smile. She was damn cute. “If you’re sure.”

“Positive. This was the perfect eight o’clocker.” She laughed.

I lowered my mouth to hers. Even knowing I’d left marks, I couldn’t quite stop myself from taking her mouth in a rough kiss. When I pulled back, there was a bit of beard burn around her lips. I stroked

the back of my knuckle across her cheek before opening the door. “Bye, Kels.”

She pressed her cheek against the side of the door. “See ya.”

“Get in there. I don’t want anyone else seeing those sexy legs.”

She wrinkled her nose, but her cheeks pinkened and she stepped back, shutting the door.

Cracking my knuckles, I headed down the stairs, then outside. The door didn’t latch behind me and I frowned as I used the steel toe of my boot to get the lock to kick in. Not as secure as it should be. I’d have to talk to Gavin, the owner of the building, tomorrow.

I shook my head. I didn’t have time to worry about someone else. I had enough to deal with. She’d be fine.

I dug out my phone and found four texts from my pop. I texted back that I ran into a friend and was on my way back to pick up Wes. And maybe a pizza of my own. I hadn’t gotten to eat much of Kelsey’s.

Neither had she. I hoped she was eating by now. My lips twitched. Her usual dinnertime of six-thirty had definitely come and gone long before.

Also not my problem.

I headed down the steps to the sidewalk. Nope, I had more than enough to worry about. I didn’t intend to add a crazy redhead to the list.

Three

I needed a quart of coffee and a trough of water.

What had I been thinking?

I rolled over and groaned. Had I had my legs wrapped around a tree the entire night?

Nope.