Passing the Torch (Devil's Knights 2nd Generation 1)

“I guess dogs just like me.” He reached around me and patted Oscar on the head. “I always had a dog growing up, and they loved me, too.”

“Lucky dogs,” I mumbled. I closed my eyes and prayed for the floor to open up and swallow me. Where in the hell had my filter gone? It was like I couldn’t keep a single thought inside of my head without blurting it out.

“Yeah,” Hero laughed. “They were good dogs.”

His eyes connected with mine, and I couldn’t turn away from him. The heat of his gaze held me in place, and I swear it was like he could see into my mind and know exactly what I was thinking. His deep blue eyes glittered like the ocean, and all I wanted to do was swim around and float in them. They were hypnotizing.

“Sunshine.”

I shook my head. “Uh, yeah?”

“I asked you if we were messing with your business with the RV in the road? The thing is so huge that King didn’t want to pull it into the clubhouse parking lot because he didn’t think he had enough room to turn it around.”

“No business.” I shook my head. “I mean no, you’re not hurting my business. Pam dropped off my last dog for the day, and no one else is coming until closer to five for pickups.” There. I finally said something that made sense. I looked away from Hero and stepped back. “It’s all good in the hood.” And there I went sounding like an idiot again.

Hero smothered a laugh. “That’s good. For the hood, that is.”

I glanced at him and

cringed. “I’m normally not a tool,” I insisted.

He tipped his head to the side. “Never once thought you were a tool, Sunshine. You actually fit in pretty damn good with the other women in my life.”

Other women. Jesus. How many chicks was he dating?

“Well, okay.” What was I supposed to say to that?

“I could tell you some stories about my mom and her best friend, Meg. Life with those two around was never dull.” He sounded amused, but I could tell he wasn’t making fun of his mom. He was proud.

His mom and her friend. Those were the other women in his life? I found it hard to believe that he was referring to them and not a girlfriend. I nodded and smiled. Now instead of saying something ridiculous, I was silent Betty.

Oscar whined.

“Uh, I should probably get back to work. Oscar is a good boy, but sitting in a sink half clean probably isn’t all that fun.”

“I came in to make sure we weren’t messing with your business, and then, I stand here distracting you.” He chuckled and ran his fingers through his hair.

He was distracting. So distracting. A man shouldn’t be allowed to be that handsome without coming with a warning sign.

Warning: So hot will fry your brain. Will render you speechless and/or a bumbling fool.

He reached out and patted Oscar on the head again. “Have a good bath, buddy.” He moved back to the front door, and I didn’t take my eyes off him. It was physically impossible for me to not look at him when he was within fifty feet.

“Did you call your landlord?”

I blinked twice and tried to get my brain working again after watching his butt. “Uh, for?”

“The lock, Sunshine.”

Oh. “Uh, not yet.”

Hero shook his head. “Stay safe.” He pushed out the front door, and I watched him through the glass ‘til he disappeared.

I looked down at Oscar and sighed. He laid his paw on my side and grunted.

“Yeah, boy,” I mumbled. “I really need to get a grip.” I had gone years without ever running into any of the club members of the MC, and now, suddenly, two days in a row, I had managed to embarrass myself in front of Hero.

I turned on the water and tried to focus on finishing up Oscar.