Smolder: Trojans MC by Kara Parker Read Free Book Online Page B

with her instead?”
     
    It was small of her, but Shayla needed a little encouragement.
     
    “Of course not,” Luke replied. He cocked an eyebrow at her and the corner of his mouth twitched. “If I was out with her, I’d have to pay.”
     
    Shayla nearly snorted her drink out of her nose, managing to hold back her laugh long enough to swallow it. She hadn’t expected Luke to be so full of wit. It probably wasn’t fair of her to think so, but she had expected more of a tough guy “meat and potatoes” kind of thing. Like maybe just staring at her over dinner and eye-fucking her until they finally broke and had each other on the table.
     
    Shelly would have loved that.
     
    But, while Luke’s stares were certainly smoldering, they were far from eye-fucking. And she definitely wanted to get in his pants, but she also wanted to get in his head. The reporter in her was already spinning story angles, wondering what made him tick. Why did he start a motorcycle club? Had he gone to college? What was his childhood like? Why The Iliad ?
     
    But the woman in Shayla knew better than to ask any of those questions. Because as soon as she did, what they were doing became more than just a lusty connection and some sex. She’d known that was all it would be as soon as he’d asked her—well, more demanded—to take him to dinner. She couldn’t just change up the game because she started feeling curious.
     
    “Were you sad to see the kitten go?” she asked. “What was his name? Bubbles?”
     
    Luke grimaced. “His name was Achilles, not Bubbles.” He took a drink of his Coke, his Adam’s apple bobbing on his throat. Shayla had to drag her eyes away from the muscular expanse of his neck and shoulders. “And yeah, I guess I’m a little sad to see him go. The little thing had fight, but he was also a lazy piece of shit. I found it all very endearing.”
     
    “Are you actually going to visit?”
     
    “Depends.” He grinned. “Would you follow me with a camera if I did?”
     
    Shayla mulled that over. Would she want to pitch and likely shoot a follow up story to tonight’s? “Absolutely not.”
     
    “Why not? I bet your boss would love that.”
     
    Shayla wrinkled her nose. “Amy is not my boss. She’s the show’s producer, and she ranks higher than me, but being my boss would imply that she’s responsible for my job satisfaction. And let’s face it, she only barely knows my name.”
     
    “That’s a shame.” He leaned back against his seat, the vinyl squeaking against his bulk. “You and I could make a great team.”
     
    Shayla snorted. “The kind of team that does fluff pieces about lost kittens? I don’t think so.”
     
    “I’m sure we have more to offer the world than heartwarming, albeit banal, stories of unconventional heroism.” He leaned forward. “I can think of a few things right now that I’d like to do with you.”
     
    Heat flashed across Shayla’s face. “Oh yeah?”
     
    He curved his lips and nodded, his gaze steely yet hot.
     
    “Well, then,” Shayla said. “I think maybe after this we should go get something a little stronger to drink than Coca-Cola.”
     
    “Wasn’t it you who was complaining about how late it was already? Too late for dinner, as I remember.”
     
    “Too late for dinner, but never too late for a drink.” She gulped. “I think I’m going to need one.”
     

Chapter Eight
     
    Considering that they were the only two people in the diner, the service was shit. Probably because the waitress, whatever she’d said her name was, was too busy gawking at Luke to remember that she had a job to do. Luke loved women falling over themselves over him most of the time. Most of the time. But when he was trying to get between the thighs of a girl like Shyla? It cheapened the situation.
     
    And Luke badly wanted to get Shayla alone. Everything about her, from her smile to her eyes to the way her lips curved around the straw in her glass, god, it got him so hot.