* * *
Sitting on her porch with a cup of coffee in her hand, Cara savored the peacefulness that Saturday mornings brought. As she did every morning, she thought of Hawk. She wondered if he had screwed one of the women who hung out at biker clubs the night before. She wasn’t too sure what went on during the parties, but she had heard stories, and that made her worry.
Hawk was a woman magnet, and every time she was with him, she noticed women checking out his broad chest and firm ass. At his last court hearing, the court clerk and the bailiff both kept staring at his ass every time he bent over, and even in his orange jumpsuit, he looked hot. Watching the two ladies rake their eyes over his fine body, he’d flashed them a smile, dimples and all. He was such a flirt. Of course, the women melted, giggling and smiling at him. It was damn annoying.
Cara was sure the women who hung out at the club were more than willing to please Hawk any time he wanted it. He probably screwed several of them last night. The reality was the guy was horny, and all he ever wanted to do was kiss her or talk about fucking her. Whenever she tried to have a serious talk with him, his mind was always on her pussy, and he was so demanding. Most guys who acted like that were full of bullshit, but she knew that wasn’t the case with him.
She hoped he hadn’t slept with anyone, but she knew she was being ridiculous. After all, they weren’t dating, or anything. Still, she didn’t want to think of him with other women. She heard bikers were notorious for screwing around and not thinking twice about it, and she bet that Hawk had a past littered with satisfied women. On the flipside, Cara had only had two lovers: an awkward, quick bang in the backseat of her high school boyfriend’s Mustang after her graduation party, and Trevor, the guy she thought was her soulmate.
Hawk had probably broken many hearts over the years, and even though the women who hung out at the clubs knew the score, they must fall for some of the guys. Although, she couldn’t imagine any woman melting his heart since Hawk was so closed off. She perceived that he was interested in her, but she wasn’t stupid enough to think she would ever matter to him beyond a good lay.
Her phone rang, and she hoped it was Hawk calling to apologize for his atrocious behavior the other night in the restaurant’s parking lot. She looked down at the screen and saw it was Luke. She thought about letting it ring through, but figured that would be rude.
“Hi, Cara, how’s it going?” Luke’s cheerful voice grated her nerves, and she wasn’t sure why.
“Fine. Just hanging on the porch, enjoying this beautiful weather.”
“Do you have plans for Labor Day?”
“Going to my parents’. The family always has a big cookout. You know, tons of relatives and that sort of thing.”
“Sounds fun. I’m not doing anything. I usually go water rafting, but this year I’m not up for it.”
Grasping that Luke was hinting for an invite, she changed the subject. “My dad told me you handled the negotiations on the Cooper Mine Investments’ case real well. Good for you.” Cara imagined Luke’s chest puffing out.
“Thanks, I worked real hard on it. I’m glad your dad noticed my efforts. What are you doing tonight?”
“I have plans, remember? I told you, I’m going out with Sherrie.”
“I don’t know what you see in her. You’re both so different.”
“You don’t even know her, and she’s my best friend. Don’t even think of talking trash about her, Luke.”
He sighed. “Are you going to ask me to go with you to the Boys Hope charity event in a couple of Saturdays?”
“Uh—yeah, okay. You want to go?”
“I’d love to. Your dad bought a table, right?”
Cara rolled her eyes; Luke’s ass-kissing was too transparent. “Uh-huh.”
“Great, we’ll have a good time.”
“Yeah, right. I gotta go now. Let’s connect next week, okay?”
“You don’t want to see me on Labor Day?” he whined.
“Won’t work. It’s a family thing, you know. We’ll talk soon. Bye.”
Cara hung up the phone, wishing she would have let his call go to voicemail. Hawk was right; Luke was a pansy-ass. Cara laughed. She should’ve been furious at Hawk for the way he acted in the restaurant’s parking lot, but she wasn’t, and his possessiveness and confidence turned her on. It had taken all her strength not to fling her arms around his neck and kiss him that night. Why can’t I get him out of my mind? It’s driving me crazy. And why in the hell doesn’t he call me?
Standing up to get another cup of coffee, Cara’s spotted the manila envelope on the table. Realizing that the pre-raid photographs were in there, she opened it up. A wide smile broke over her face as she scanned the pictures. She screamed out, “Yes!” while picking up her phone to call Asher.