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I cupped her cheeks. “Baby, I can’t let you take the brunt of this. Me being part of it lightens your load.”

She widened her eyes at me. “It gives them more reason to hate you and be vicious.”

“They’ll be vicious anyway, wild child. Especially the longer we wait.”

If she had something to say to that, I didn’t hear it because I crushed my lips to hers. I’d been dying to kiss her for the last three hours. Hiding what we had was going to be my undoing.

She wrapped her arms around my waist and her body melted against mine.

That was more like it. I loved kissing her.

She pulled away. “All right. We have to stop. I’m sure one of my brothers will be coming by my place tonight…so we’ll have to spend the night apart.”

After some thought, I shook my head. “Not necessarily. We were so focused on other shit back in December, we never talked about the fact your trailer park has a community pool with a parking lot. I’m in my truck, so I can park there, and walk back to your place.”

Her eyes lit with her small smile. “That’s brilliant. Do you need a key?”

I didn’t, but we also didn’t need someone catching me picking her lock. “If you don’t mind, sure.”

She twisted a key off her keyring and handed it to me.

“Do you expect them to come inside to chat with you?” I asked.

“Oh. I hadn’t thought about that.”

“Are they both closing with you?”

“Yeah.”

“Then whatever you wanted to say without me butting in, do that while you close.”

“That’s a good call,” she said.

“Kiss me again. Lark told me to get out after that exchange, so I better not push him.”

She kissed me again. It threatened to get out of hand, but I cut it off.

“See you soon, Mick.”

In the morning, I set a plate in front of Mickayla. “Ham and cheese omelet with toast.”

“Thanks, honey,” she said.

“Does it ever wear you out?” I asked.

“What?”

“The late nights. Do they ever wear you down?”

Her lips stuck out with her contemplative pout. “Not really. I’m pretty good at getting my sleep - even during the daytime if I work really late, like when we do inventory.”

I sipped my cold brew coffee. “I hear that. I fuckin’ hate doin’ inventory at Platinum’s. When are you going in today?”

“Unless something comes up, I’ve got the day off.”

“How did you meet your friend London?”

She grinned. “We were college roommates. Luck of the draw, but in this case, I don’t believe in luck. She is so fabulous. I’m sorry if she rubbed you the wrong way with the teddy bear comment.”