Free {Nauti Boys 5} - Nauti Deceptions by Lora Leigh Page A

almost laughed at the term her mother had once used. That was exactly how she looked, and Sheriff Zeke Mayes just happened to have a reservation for dinner with his son and his aunt, Lucinda Mayes- Downes, his father’s sister.
    Lucinda Mayes-Downes was no one’s fool, and that old woman was as rowdy as any Rogue had ever known. Shane Mayes, Zeke’s son, was a crackerjack. The kid was going to be a heartbreaker when he was older, if he ever managed to get hold of that penchant to fight at any given opportunity.
    She shook her head, took her hands, and mussed her hair invitingly, then pursed her lips and blew a kiss toward the mirror before giving a light, anticipatory laugh and heading out to the dining room. To work.
    Damn, how had she managed to let Janey convince her to actually work?
     
    *****
     
    Zeke had a feeling when he met his aunt Lucinda and son in the parking lot of the restaurant that the evening wasn’t going to go nearly as planned. Once a month he was roped into taking his aunt and son out to eat. A family thing, Lucinda liked to call it. It was more along the lines of an excuse to drive from Louisville where Shane was now attending college and staying in her guest room. An excuse to get nosy, to point out the fact that he was only growing older by the day and that it was time to settle down and give Shane a brother or sister.
    Thankfully, Shane didn’t seem quite so enthusiastic about the brother/sister part. He found quite a bit of amusement in listening to his great-aunt gently berate Zeke though.
    Hell, it if wasn’t the Mackays driving him crazy with their shenanigans, then it was Shane and Lucinda. How the hell was a man supposed to consider an affair, let alone a relationship, when his aunt seemed to have an earful of gossip, about him, each time he saw her?
    “You’re late, Zeke.” Lucinda stepped out of the cherry red Mustang she owned, a new one, a bright smile on her face as Shane pushed himself from the passenger seat.
    His son didn’t look happy. Evidently his doting aunt had refused to allow him to drive her new baby.
    “By five minutes, Lucy,” he grumbled. “You’re lucky I made it at all.”
    Lucinda’s smile only brightened. “Of course you made it. Otherwise I would have had to start making calls, tracking you down, and pulling you out of the arms of whatever little widow you’d found to amuse yourself with. Funny, I haven’t heard about any widows lately though.”
    He shot her a warning look. Not that Lucinda paid much attention to his warnings.
    As he neared, she hooked her arm around his, the fine silk of her conservative blue blouse sliding against the cotton shirt he wore. Black slacks and conservative pumps completed her outfit.
    Her once-black hair was now dark silver, styled to frame her face and add a touch of youthfulness to it. Her dark brown eyes sparkled with warmth, and a touch of impish mischief. No one could accuse Lucinda of hiding her playfulness under a barrel. The woman fairly shouted “good times” with that grin of hers.
    “So, nephew, how is your love life?” she asked as he opened the door for her, casted her a baleful glance.
    Because he was more than aware of the hostess who had glanced up and more than obviously caught his aunt’s question.
    “It’s still none of your business,” he told her as Shane snorted behind her.
    “That’s never stopped her, Dad,” his son told him. “And before you try to lie to her, she’s been on the phone for the past two days discussing you with her cronies here in Somerset.”
    “Friends, Shane,” Lucinda reminded him with a long-suffering look. “I’ve told you, they’re friends, not cronies.”
    “Children, we’re in public,” Zeke reminded them, ignoring his aunt’s pinch to his arm as she restrained her laughter.
    “Sheriff Mayes,” Rogue’s voice slid through the teasing. “It’s good to see you and your family again.”
    God, her voice did things to him. He couldn’t describe