By the time I get to my knees, straddling her so I can reach back and slip off her boots—because boots have to come off before jeans can come off, and jeans are coming off—Millie is panting, eyes half-lidded.
Her second boot hits the floor. My eyes lock with hers. I grip her fly—
And her phone rings.
Chapter Twenty-Five
MILLIE
“Shit!”Struggling for purchase, my arms and legs pinwheel as I try to sit up beneath Luc. I yank up my delinquent bra and slap my mussed hair out of my face.
“What are you doing?” Luc asks, still straddling me, and, for some reason, not moving.
“Getting up. Getting my phone,” I say, not snapping, but not far.It’s ringing, for God’s sake. “It’s probably the kids. Can you let me up?”
“It’s not the kids. They just texted.”
I ignore him. “Let me up.”
He raises a brow, but Luc plants a foot on the floor and is off me and halfway to my purse before I can scramble up.
He snags my phone, swipes the screen and puts it to his ear. “What’s up, Mattie?”
I shoot to my feet, my heart in my throat. “What’s wrong?”
Luc frowns. “Oh, Emmett. What’s going on?... I’m answering Millie’s phone because I was closer.” His frown gouges deeper. “Why are you calling,jefe?”
I can hear the tinny squeak of Emmett’s voice, but I can’t make out the words. Luc’s face goes blank. But he doesn’t look concerned. He looks…annoyed.
“Yes. I got your texts. Good job. Is that why you’re calling? To see if I got your texts?”
I bite my bottom lip.
“Mmm hmm,” Luc mutters, sounding unamused. “So, everyone is fine over there?”
The squeaks on the other end of the line are definitely affirmative.
Luc nods. “Okay, so I’m adding a stipulation. If you want your fifty bucks, don’t call unless it’s an emergency—”
“Luc!”I whisper-yell, advancing on him, reaching out toward the phone. “Give me that.”
He blocks me with one hand, his renewed frown aiming down toward the floor.“Why?Because your sister deserves a night off. That’s why.”
“Give it to me,” I hiss, batting away his deflecting hand and almost reaching the phone before he turns, giving me his shoulder. And then the next thing I know, his arm snakes out and snatches me to him. Our bodies press together, his right thigh notched between my legs. My chest crushes against him, my mouth at his collarbone, inches from the phone. I swallow a moan just in time.
“We clear?... Nope. I’m not mad at you, buddy. Neither is Millie.” I open my mouth to speak, and Luc lifts his thigh, grinding it into me. Right. There.
“Yeah,jefe. We’ll see you at ten.” Luc pulls the phone from his ear, presses the red button with his thumb, and tosses it onto the couch. “And you sayIwork too much.”
I shake my head. “That’s not work. That’s family.”
He gives me the look that saysPlease. Who are you kidding?“You work harder at taking care of them in one day than most of my guys work in a week.” He takes two steps forward, pressing into me and walking me back. “And you know I don’t hire slackers.”
That’s true,I think, gripping his shoulders for balance. He takes two more steps. With each one, his thigh rubs me in the most sublime, distracting way.
I grapple for focus. “So, everything was okay?”
Two more steps. “Everything was okay, Millie.”
