Love a Woman Right (The American Soldier Collection 17)

“They made you go off the road?” he asked. She was shocked, and apparently so was Laverty, as his eyes widened and then he quickly bent down.

“No way. We offered your mom a ride home so she would be safe. Look, I even bandaged up her arm, and Ghost here, he’s going to fix her bike.”

Kenny hugged her leg and stared at Laverty and then looked at Ghost.

“What happened?” Valentina asked, coming off the front steps along with Jace, who held Grace in his arms. Tye and Lena ran to Lois.

“You got hurt?” Tye asked with concern.

“I’m okay. It’s no big deal. I just lost control of the bike and fell,” Lois explained, but the kids looked upset. Tye and Lena wrapped their arms around Lois. “We’ll help you,” Lena said and Valentina smiled.

“I guess we’ll take it from here. Thank you for helping my sister.”

“No problem, Valentina. We’ll fix the bike and drop it off when it’s done,” Laverty said and Ridge and Beck walked over to look at the bike with Ghost.

Sparrow came over from the house and Lois felt embarrassed.

She locked gazes with Valentina who raised her eyebrows up and down and winked.

The kids walked her into the house.

“Here, I’ll take Grace,” Valentina said and then whispered something else to Jace as she took the baby from him. Whatever it was, Jace stopped Valentina and said something to her firmly before he gave her rear a light tap. Valentina shook her head and followed Lois inside.

Lois chuckled as the kids started looking over her injuries and asking if she needed anything. It was so sweet.

“I’m totally fine, no big deal. Why don’t you guys go play so Valentina and I can talk?” Lois said, and they gave Lois hugs before they headed into the other room.

Valentina sat down on the couch next to where Lois sat on the floor. Lois played with the rip in her capris and thought about Laverty and Ghost and how they’d taken care of her.

“So, how did it all happen? The fall off the bike, Ghost and Laverty of all people coming to your rescue, and the fact that Jace saw Ghost’s hands under your shirt as he drove up the road?”

Lois gasped and turned to look at her sister.

“His hands weren’t under my shirt. Well, not like that. He was putting ointment on some scratches back there.” She reached back and eased away from the couch. “I’m going to be bruised and sore by morning. It was a hell of a fall.”

Valentina raised her eyebrows and gave her sister the once-over.

“You let Ghost, a man…Ghost, who is super intimidating and scary, actually touch you? Start talking and don’t leave a damn thing out.”

Lois felt her cheeks heat up and she lowered her head and shook it. She looked at her sister as she exhaled.

“It was their fault I fell off the damn bike. They made me nervous first when they slowed down to see if I needed a ride. Like I would get into a truck with the two of them? No way! Then, they headed away and some guys in a Jeep stopped to ask me directions, which I think was their way of flirting. They took off as Ghost turned the truck around to come back to check on me and what the guys wanted, and one

look in his eyes and, oh, God…I freaked. I started to shake and then the next thing I know I’m going headfirst into the tight ravine and over the handlebars. I could have broken my damn neck.”

Valentina laughed and then covered her mouth with her hand.

“It isn’t funny, Val. They’re intimidating and huge. I’m like a shrimp compared to them, and did you see their bodies?”

Valentina cleared her throat and looked around to be sure no one could hear them.

“What woman in their right mind wouldn’t notice their bodies or their sizes? Come on, really? So you like them, are attracted to them?”

Lois shook her head and lowered her eyes.

“Liar,” she whispered and slid down onto the floor next to her sister, placing her arm over her shoulder. She held her gaze and saw the fear, the tears, in her eyes.

“I can’t,” she said and her voice cracked.