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"According to Suzie, you’re being a father figure to the boy You call hiames, and last week you went to his class for career day She says she couldn’t do the single- without your help"

Uneasy with the praise, Sawyer shrugged "Being a single ive up," Lucille said softly

"Saood kid," he said and fixed his attention to the flat

Lucille and Chloe talked ast thes, but she was doing a da the subject He had no intention of letting it go, but sootten on the subject of Sawyer at the age of eight Lucille was telling Chloe about the time when he and Jax had urinated their naht by none other than Lucille herself And then how several years later, the two of the poop to the residents on Mulberry Street--until one of the bags had tipped over and caught Mrs Ramos’s dead rosebush on fire The fla and nearly burned her house down

Sawyer finished with the tire just as Chloe asked about his teenage years Christ, that was the last thing he wanted her to hear about, and he tensed

But Lucille gave hi in her kind eyes as she shook her head at Chloe "He figured things out," she said "He had a big heart, even then"

Bless her for lying through her teeth

"He’s one of the good guys," Lucille said, and patted hiain

"Lucille," he started

"What? It’s true Yesterday alone you saved the peace in town at least twice"

"What happened yesterday?" Chloe asked

"Honey," Lucille said with exasperation "Facebook! I have all the good stuff up there, including today’s blog on Cute Guy So shirtless on the beach this er--"

"Okay, we’re all done here," Sawyer said, gently but fir Lucille to the driver’s side of her car

"Lucille," Chloe said "Could you give me a ride?"

"Of course, dear I can’t believe Todd just left you on the side of the road like that I--"

"I’ve got her, Lucille," Sawyer said, giving the older wo Lucille’s door on whatever it was that she was going to say He turned to Chloe, every line of his body saying pissed-off cop

Well, crap "You just chased off my ride," she said casually as Lucille drove off

"Yeah You’re co with lasses and looked her over for hi in the way that every inch of her skin was covered in mud except for her clothes, which were relatively clean She knew the exact second when he ca because the carefully blank look vanished "You and Todd were in the ical assuh day that it pissed her off "No I--"

"He’s dangerous, Chloe Stupid dangerous"

No shit She thought about ht not have seen in Todd’s truck, but Sawyer cut her off

"I realize you like the dangerous part," he said "But I never pegged you for stupid"

Oh no, he didn’t She reached for the Zen cals It was a total stretch "I don’t know exactly how stupid I look, but even I know Todd’s nothing but a player"

He didn’t bend an inch "Lucille said you were in his truck"

"He gave me a ride"

"So you ith him"

"Oh my God!" Sofrohith no concern for how sheout of her ears Maybe it’d melt the mud from her body "Moronic man," she muttered, prepared to walk all the way back to town to avoid talking to Sawyer "Moronic ood penises--"

A big, warly around, stabbing Sawyer in the chest with a er "And you--"

"Moronic," he said rip, he pulled her back to his truck and stopped at his passenger door "Stay," he said

"Oh, hell no I don’t do ‘stay’ I--"

But she was talking to air because he’d ency kit Which he wrapped around her shoulders It was thick wool, and she snuggled into it even as she shook her head "I’ll get it all dirty"

"Done deal," he said "Get in the truck"

"What about my Vespa?"

"Did you crash it?"

"No I think the battery is dead Which is how I ended up in Todd’s truck, you…you Neanderthal"

He ignored that "Your Vespa can wait You need to get dry and war around "I’" Even to her own ears, she sounded ridiculous, but the words were out She realized that she was co rown up, but she decided that a fewthe way never hurt anyone

Sawyer considered her for a brief moment She’d seen hi so ht indication that his patience was stretched, yet it seeri of his eyes Oh, and his jaw see at randoe fro

"Jesus" He pinched the bridge of his nose, then drew in a deep breath "Just get in the daet it dirty, too"

"It’s seen worse" He pulled open the passenger door, bodily picked her up, and plopped her onto the seat Leaning in, he yanked the seat belt across her and stabbed it into the buckle at her hip He didn’t slaotten out, but it arood It’d be counterproductive to leave, she decided, and leaned her head back and closed her eyes, ignoring Sahen he slid behind the wheel She went into radio silence as he started the truck,that quiet as he cranked the heat and aiave her a full fiveon?"

"Thought you had it all figured out," she said

"Christ You drive me insane, you know that?"

Yeah She knew that She drove everyone insane It was a special talent of hers

Chapter 10

"Just when you think you’ve hit rock bottoer