LLucy’s Revenge(Divine Creek Ranch 15)(62)

Patrick let out a breath. “That’s what it sounded like. I wonder what rock he crawled out from that he doesn’t understand the difference.”

Beck wished the dickhead had hung around so he could explain the difference. Instead, he turned to Lucy. The warning flags were going up in the back of his mind but he had to say it. “You know, lots of people will make that assumption. I’d be willing to bet those two Abbott brothers are hoping you’re going to give them extras. If Vance ever calls you, he’s liable to expect some nookie, too.”

Lucy turned on him and the sparks in her eyes told him he’d gone and done it. Patrick gaped at Beck from behind her and motioned with a cocked finger to his head as though Beck had just shot himself and then pointed toward the kitchen.

“Excuse me?” Lucy said in a level, steely tone. Beck got a little scared when she reached out and trailed her fingertips down his arm and stroked the palm of his hand.

Clarify and apologize! That’s what his inner angel told him. But this was a serious concern for him. His inner devil told him to defend and justify. “Lucy, you know that’s going to happen. What are you gonna do when one of them tries to slide you something besides a tip for your services?”

The hint of a smile crossed Lucy’s lips as she flicked her tongue across her lower lip. In a lightning quick move, she grabbed his wrist, spun with his arm over her head and shoved it up between his shoulder blades, then pulled two of his fingers back in a direction they were never intended to go. Pain! Oh, good God, pain!

“That’s what I’d do, Beck.” For good measure she yanked his immobilized hand up just a little higher by her grip on his fingers and he whimpered before she released him. “I know how to defend myself.”

Cognizant of PJ sitting at the table in her kitchen, Beck spoke in a soft growl as he shook out his hand and wrist. “Shit. I wasn’t trying to piss you off. I’m genuinely concerned. Fuck. That hurt, woman.”

“You have no call to make such an insinuation, Beck. Everyone who comes in here knows I give therapeutic massage, completely above board, and if they try to cop a feel, which rarely ever happens, I know how to defend myself. We’ve already discussed this.” She poked him hard enough in the chest to make him take a step back and bump into the reception counter and spoke in a modulated tone. “By the way, the Abbott brothers are very, very nice to me, and are now regular customers with once a month standing appointments. Stick that in your judgmental pipe and smoke it, asshole.”

“Shit.” She’s already given them both massages and they liked it so much they want to come in once a month now? Jealousy reared its ugly head.

“Good going, dickhead,” Patrick whispered as he inched over to the hallway to peek in on PJ. “Doing okay, buddy?”

PJ called from the kitchen, talking over another mouthful. “Oh yeah. I’m good, Daddy.”

Patrick returned and wrapped his arms around Lucy from behind as she frowned at Beck. He nailed Beck with his eyes and said, “You got about two minutes to fix this.”

This could go one of two ways. He could apologize and make amends or… “Are they naked when you massage them?”

Lucy’s eyes flashed with fire and Patrick held her tight when she launched herself at him. Her feet even left the floor. Bad choice, I guess.

“When we started out, you knew I was a massage therapist. When I massaged you, were you naked?”

“Well…yes. But I hardly see what difference that makes. Though, it illustrates my point, doesn’t it? Yes, I was naked,” he growled softly, listening for movement from the kitchen. “And I was hard as a rock, too. I could barely keep myself from touching you.”

Lucy settled down and looked over her shoulder at Patrick and he released her. “Yes, you were,” she said, her eyes clearly revealing her turbulent emotions. He hadn’t meant to hurt her. “But you didn’t act on those feelings did you? My male customers wouldn’t be customers if they didn’t understand the boundaries. I swear, Beck. You need to download a filter and think before you speak.”

Beck frowned at her. “Were they nekkid?”

Lucy scrunched up her nose and glowered at him. “I’m not telling you. And it shouldn’t matter. I’m not interested in whether or not they were naked. As long as I can do my job it doesn’t matter.”

Crossing his arms over his chest, Beck stood his ground and said, “I don’t like imagining you working closed up in a room with a nekkid guy. It bothers me and I’m man enough to admit it.”

Lucy stood mirroring his posture with a frown on her face and her arms crossed in front of her. The only difference was the fact that crossing her arms under her breasts pushed them up, revealing more of her cleavage. Her breasts were practically drawing his hands like magnets. He could practically feel them in his hands. Maybe she was right and he was breast-obsessed. She made a small sound and he looked up into her eyes again and saw a trace of humor in her eyes.