the inside,
I guessed.
Another round of coughing broke through my thoughts and I scowled at Phil as fiercely as I could to let
him know that I meant business.
“You need to get that checked out. It sounds terrible.”
“Yeah, yeah, as soon as I find the time. It’s just a little tickle.”
“No, it’s not. It sounds like you have the Black Plague.”
He shook his head at me and bent over to give me a little kiss on the cheek.
“You worry too much. You take care of those boys, I can take care of myself.” He lifted a dark eyebrow
at me. “While you’re at it, why don’t you find someone to take care of you? That would make your old man
so damn happy.”
I snorted and went to grab my purse and cell phone from the drawer I kept them in while I worked. I
was trying, but everyone came up short. It was hard to trust someone enough to let them all the way in
when I didn’t think they deserved to be there.
“Nobody fits the bill. Everyone keeps telling me my expectations are too high.”
“Are they?”
We walked out the front door and I hit the last of the lights. I folded against Phil as he tugged me into a
tight one-armed hug. I tried to fight down a swell of panic when I realized I could feel his ribs through his
shirt. He was typically a solid guy, this wasn’t good.
“My expectations are what they are. I’m never going to end up in a situation like I did with Jimmy
again.”
“Ah, honey, you gotta get over that burn. It was a long time ago. It should all be scar tissue by now and
there are plenty of good, if not great men out there, and not a single one of them is going to come wrapped
up in a bow of perfection.”
“I expect a lot because I deserve a lot.”
“That you do, Tink, but you also gotta keep your eyes open or the right one is going to pass you by
because you were too busy looking for the white whale.”
Again, against my will, my thoughts flipped to Rome Archer. I had told Nash that the older Archer was
as far from perfect as I could imagine and I wasn’t lying. He was moody, unpredictable, and I had a feeling
that he was dealing with some baggage that even I couldn’t help tackle. However, by all accounts he was
also loyal to a fault, steadfastly honorable, and I had firsthand knowledge that he appeared to be honest and
up-front about what he was feeling. There would be no guessing where you stood with the big guy, and
something about that was alarmingly appealing.
Jimmy had been tall, not nearly as tall as Rome, but a lot taller than me. He had also had ink from his
neck to his toes and had been pierced in all the most fun places. He wasn’t drop-dead gorgeous like Rowdy,
unforgettable like Rule, even just handsome like Nash, or rock-and-roll sexy like Jet. He was just a guy, and
I had loved him beyond measure. But now, looking back on things, I was beginning to wonder if maybe I
had been selling myself short because Rome was most definitely the most attractive guy I had ever seen up
close and personal and he thought I had pretty eyes. Jimmy had never told me I had pretty anything. Rome
felt dangerous and exciting at the same time even if perfect was nowhere in the picture. It made me all kinds
of tingly and that was more than anyone else had done since Jimmy broke my heart.
CHAPTER 4
Rome
Rule looked pissed when I finally pulled myself away from Cora and made my way outside. I wasn’t
looking forward to this little chat and flirting with the blonde was a great distraction. While she had been
occupied with something on the computer I slipped in the front door and watched her unnoticed for a few
minutes. She wasn’t my type. I didn’t normally go for girls that were so tiny. I liked them built sturdy and
able to handle everything I had to give them. I wasn’t a huge fan of all the ink and metal. I was used to it
because my brother was covered in it and I had to admit that I liked the snowflakes that Shaw had across
her neck and shoulders, but
I guessed.
Another round of coughing broke through my thoughts and I scowled at Phil as fiercely as I could to let
him know that I meant business.
“You need to get that checked out. It sounds terrible.”
“Yeah, yeah, as soon as I find the time. It’s just a little tickle.”
“No, it’s not. It sounds like you have the Black Plague.”
He shook his head at me and bent over to give me a little kiss on the cheek.
“You worry too much. You take care of those boys, I can take care of myself.” He lifted a dark eyebrow
at me. “While you’re at it, why don’t you find someone to take care of you? That would make your old man
so damn happy.”
I snorted and went to grab my purse and cell phone from the drawer I kept them in while I worked. I
was trying, but everyone came up short. It was hard to trust someone enough to let them all the way in
when I didn’t think they deserved to be there.
“Nobody fits the bill. Everyone keeps telling me my expectations are too high.”
“Are they?”
We walked out the front door and I hit the last of the lights. I folded against Phil as he tugged me into a
tight one-armed hug. I tried to fight down a swell of panic when I realized I could feel his ribs through his
shirt. He was typically a solid guy, this wasn’t good.
“My expectations are what they are. I’m never going to end up in a situation like I did with Jimmy
again.”
“Ah, honey, you gotta get over that burn. It was a long time ago. It should all be scar tissue by now and
there are plenty of good, if not great men out there, and not a single one of them is going to come wrapped
up in a bow of perfection.”
“I expect a lot because I deserve a lot.”
“That you do, Tink, but you also gotta keep your eyes open or the right one is going to pass you by
because you were too busy looking for the white whale.”
Again, against my will, my thoughts flipped to Rome Archer. I had told Nash that the older Archer was
as far from perfect as I could imagine and I wasn’t lying. He was moody, unpredictable, and I had a feeling
that he was dealing with some baggage that even I couldn’t help tackle. However, by all accounts he was
also loyal to a fault, steadfastly honorable, and I had firsthand knowledge that he appeared to be honest and
up-front about what he was feeling. There would be no guessing where you stood with the big guy, and
something about that was alarmingly appealing.
Jimmy had been tall, not nearly as tall as Rome, but a lot taller than me. He had also had ink from his
neck to his toes and had been pierced in all the most fun places. He wasn’t drop-dead gorgeous like Rowdy,
unforgettable like Rule, even just handsome like Nash, or rock-and-roll sexy like Jet. He was just a guy, and
I had loved him beyond measure. But now, looking back on things, I was beginning to wonder if maybe I
had been selling myself short because Rome was most definitely the most attractive guy I had ever seen up
close and personal and he thought I had pretty eyes. Jimmy had never told me I had pretty anything. Rome
felt dangerous and exciting at the same time even if perfect was nowhere in the picture. It made me all kinds
of tingly and that was more than anyone else had done since Jimmy broke my heart.
CHAPTER 4
Rome
Rule looked pissed when I finally pulled myself away from Cora and made my way outside. I wasn’t
looking forward to this little chat and flirting with the blonde was a great distraction. While she had been
occupied with something on the computer I slipped in the front door and watched her unnoticed for a few
minutes. She wasn’t my type. I didn’t normally go for girls that were so tiny. I liked them built sturdy and
able to handle everything I had to give them. I wasn’t a huge fan of all the ink and metal. I was used to it
because my brother was covered in it and I had to admit that I liked the snowflakes that Shaw had across
her neck and shoulders, but
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