Status Updates From Αξέχαστες Νύχτες

Hang on, baby. Kayla was tough. She was a fighter and she’d stay alive until he could find her. Then he would turn his back on the FBI and spend the rest of his life living in cookie-cutter suburbia with only one identity—the man who loved Kayla Cantrell. “C’mon, Lucky. Let’s go get my girl.”

The words swam before him….reinstatement in the FBI…congratulations…report for duty. They had no meaning at all. He crumpled the paper in his hands. This was not the answer to his prayers. It was his death warrant. He’d killed any chance he’d had at a real life.

Laughing was the only possible reaction—she refused to break down in front of him again. The post-orgasmic verbal diarrhea was bad enough without adding a crying jag to the emotional roller coaster of the last 24 hours. That was enough to send any man screaming off into the night. Hell, even she wanted off this crazy ride.

Expecting the Ice Queen, his breath caught at what he saw. Desire. Affection. Hope. No one had ever looked at him like that before and he suddenly wanted to be that guy—the one who could live up to all those expectations. Luckily, he wouldn’t be around long enough for Kayla to figure out he could never be her hero.

“You do what you want, Governor, but hear this loud and clear. I do this my way. If you get in my way, I will move you.” Jack hung up. Eff. He’d probably just ended his career.

After lying there for several moments, she heard footsteps approaching. Voices. Shouts. Through the dizzying tumult, one voice became clear and grounded her as the earth fell out from under her and was replaced by a hospital gurney. “Kayla, baby. You’re gonna be all right. Just hang on.” Jackson.

“This is serious and you could get hurt. Don’t be stupid.” Her expression turned to stone. Oh shit. That was the wrong thing to say. If she hadn’t been irrational before, his comment sent her straight over the edge into stubborn female crazytown. Population: one very pissed-off blonde.

A cop is never really off duty. It’s in my blood to serve and protect.” Jack smiled in response to her more relaxed chuckle. “I help everyone even if I haven’t seen them naked.”
“So, that doesn’t get me special treatment?”
“No. But it will get you a longer strip search.

“Who are The Boys?” Crystal leaned over the front counter, the glee of gossip pinkening her cheeks. “Oh honey, that’s what we called Teague, Lucky Landon, Beck Sutherland, and Jack Cantrell in high school. They were the best-looking things that ever came out of this town.”

“Who are The Boys?” Crystal leaned over the front counter, the glee of gossip pinkening her cheeks. “Oh honey, that’s what we called Teague, Lucky Landon, Beck Sutherland, and Jack Cantrell in high school. They were the best-looking things that ever came out of this town.”

As if she could read his mind, her eyes fluttered open and his breath caught at the naked desire in their depths. Working as a deep-cover cop, his survival depended on him being the invisible man, but she saw him—really saw him—and he understood the meaning of regret. His choices made it impossible for him to pursue a woman like her.

Mr. Sex-on-a-Stick took his last shot and accepted the congratulatory thumps on the back from his friends. He didn’t smile in response, just quirked his full, sensual lips and turned to face her head-on with an expression full of hot promise. Catcalls and low whistles from his friends drifted across the crowded bar. Come on, handsome. Don’t let me strike out at my first real bar pickup.