Free Falling for Trouble by Jenika Snow

take her in my arms, tell her
that I loved her from the moment I first set eyes on her, and kiss her
senseless. I would do everything in my power to be with her, to make her stay
beside me. I wouldn’t let anyone take her away, that’s for damn sure. I’ll tell
you one more thing, boy, and then I’ll let you get back to takin’ your
aggression out on my tools.” He grinned and Abe heard the teasing note in his
voice. “When you got something good, you don’t let it slip between your fingers
because once it does, that’s it.” He snapped his fingers to emphasize his
point. He gave one more nod and headed back into his office.
    Abe
sat there for a good long while, contemplating what Red said. It sounded good,
but was Red the kind of prick Abe was? Is that why he’d lost the girl he loved?
He turned his attention back to the motor and tried to get his mind off Kid,
which was impossible.
    ****
    It
was seven in the morning, way too damn early for Abe to be conscious, but he
was trying to make a point. Since speaking with Sophia and hearing Red’s story
yesterday, all he had been able to think about was how to show Kid that he
wasn’t a douche bag anymore. He didn’t want to go through life wondering “what
if.” He wanted her in his life, wanted to be by her side and not let her down.
He had spent far too many years trying to cover up his past with random women
and bottomless bottles of liquor. It was definitely time for a change.
    He
knocked on her front door even though he had a key. Kid was the type of woman
that deserved respect. It took her only a few minutes to answer, and when she
did, the surprise on her face was evident. It made him feel like shit. She shouldn’t
be surprised to see him on her doorstep.
    “Abe?
Hey.” She wore a tiny white tank top that showed her nipples right through the
thin material and a pair of boy shorts. She actually wore that shit to answer
the door, so any douche could see her? Well, fuck him.
      Her dark hair was mussed from sleep and fell
around her face. She was sexy as fuck, especially with the little reading
glasses she wore. His damn dick started to harden. Gritting his teeth, he
forced a smile and held up the box of doughnuts and the drink tray with two
cups of coffee in it.
    “Hey,
Kid. I know you said you couldn’t come over today for breakfast, so I thought
I’d bring it to you.” She stared at him for a moment and then glanced at her
watch.
    “It’s
like seven in the morning. I didn’t even know you could get up this early.”
    He
chuckled but didn’t tell her that he had hardly slept last night. All he could
think about was how her date had gone and if she planned on going on another
one. “Can I come in?”
    “Oh,
yeah. Sorry.” A pretty pink hue touched her cheeks and he bent down and kissed
her temple as he passed through the door.
    “I…”
    He
set the stuff on her table and looked over at her. “Can you maybe put some
clothes on?” He didn’t stop his eyes from traveling up and down her body. For a
moment she just stared at him, like she had no clue what he was talking about,
but then realization set in and her face got red.
    “Gawd…”
She disappeared immediately, and when she was back in the kitchen he sent up a
silent thanks that she had opted for a pair of sweats and a tee.
    Abe
cleared his throat and forced a smile.
    For
several moments she stood there, tugging at the hem of her shirt. Over the
years he had grown to realize she did that when her nerves were rattled.
    “Everything
good?”
    “I’m
actually meeting…someone for a late breakfast. That’s why I couldn’t come over
this morning.”
    His
hands curled inward but he pushed his jealousy away. It wouldn’t score him any
points to act like a caveman. “I didn’t mean to intrude or anything. I can go
if you want me to.” Please don’t tell me
to go. Please don’t tell me to go.
    “No.
I mean you’re already here and went to the trouble of bringing me doughnuts.”
She