Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86455 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86455 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 346(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Shooter demanded.
Emilio managed to scowl and look contrite at the same time. “I didn’t know she spoke Spanish!”
Shooter shook his head. “Doesn’t matter. You don’t talk like that.”
Now Emilio just scowled. “You guys talk like that all the time!” he protested.
Hawk pinched the bridge of his nose. The nuances of appropriately inappropriate behavior were obviously lost on the kid. “Not right in front of them,” he admonished. “It’s rude. And she’s a nice girl, Emilio. You don’t talk about nice girls like that. They won’t take it as a compliment.”
Shooter sighed. “It’s more than that,” he declared. “You’ve been different. Coming in late, leaving early. Mouthing off. Not just to that girl, but to us.”
Emilio opened his mouth to protest, but Shooter cut him off with a look. “I don’t like it,” Shooter told him. “It stops now.” He didn’t wait for Emilio to agree; he didn’t need to. Shooter’s word was law as far as any of them were concerned.
“I’d have you apologize to Hildy-” Shooter said.
“Tildy,” Hawk corrected.
Shooter turned to look at his friend. His look of surprise was apparent. To cover it up though, he asked, “What kind of a name is Tildy?”
Hawk shrugged. “A secret one.”
“Oh look, you have something in common,” Tex teased.
At that moment, the tow truck swung into the turnaround, hauling Tildy’s Mercedes.
Easy whistled. “That her ride?”
“Yup,” Hawk replied.
“So, not much else in common then?” Tex asked.
Hawk merely snorted. “I’m just taking a look at her engine.”
“That’s what we’re calling it now?” Tex asked, grinning.
“Gonna check her oil, too?” Easy asked. “With your dipstick?”
“I am trying to teach this young man how to behave!” Shooter yelled at his men. “Try to set good examples!”
“Can’t,” Tex replied. “Raised in a barn, remember?”
Shooter leveled his gaze at Emilio. “I swear to God. If you cost me lunch...”
“I’ll smooth it over,” Hawk said, waving his hand and heading toward the break room. As he opened the door, he heard Shooter say, “You’re pushing her car into the bay.”
“Oh, man!” Emilio whined.
Hawk shut the break room door behind him to cut down on the noise from the work area.
“What did you say, Tildy?” he heard Slick ask.
Tildy shook her head. “What? Oh. Nothing.”
Hawk crossed the room to wash his hands at the sink. “Car’s here,” he told Tildy. “They’re putting it in the bay. Shooter should have a good idea what’s wrong with it in a little while.”
“Okay,” Tildy replied, watching him. “Thanks.”
Hawk wasn’t terribly familiar with the look Tildy was giving him. He detected no lust in her gaze, but she was definitely interested in him. He pulled up a chair and reminded himself that she wasn’t his type. At least, if he had a type, Tildy wasn’t it. After she’d practically sprinted out of the garage when Emilio teased her, Hawk figured she’d never even been in the vicinity of a man like him. It was obvious that Tildy stuck to college boys. Hawk couldn’t help but smile though, as he thought about ruining Tildy for all lesser males.
“Sorry about Emilio,” Hawk said. “He’s young.”
Tildy flushed pink and he suppressed a grin.
“It’s okay,” she replied, but she looked away just the same.
Slick shook her head and sighed.
“Do I get to eat?” Hawk asked, holding up his hands. “I washed up,” he added for good measure.
Slick set down a plate in front of him.
“Fabulous,” he said. “Sit,” he told Tildy. “Slick’s the best cook in the Dakotas.”
“I heard that!” Tex growled as he entered the room.
“Of course you heard that,” Slick replied. “In case you didn’t hear it, I’m putting up a billboard next week.”
“Oh, is that right?” the Cowboy demanded, arms crossed.
“Yeah. Right after I serve the World’s Best Chili tomorrow at your barbecue,” Slick announced.
Tex’s eyes narrowed. “I’m making chili!”
“Good. When we run out of mine, we’ll serve yours as leftovers,” she countered.
“Leftovers? Leftovers! How did you know I was making chili, anyway?”
Slick was silent.
“Vegas,” Tex grumbled. “Gonna tan her ass when I get home tonight!”
“Who’s Vegas?” Tildy asked quietly.
Hawk turned to her. “Tex’s...girlfriend.”
“Hawk,” Slick said, voice full of warning.
But Hawk grinned, not taking his eyes off Tildy. “And in case you were wondering, the hide-tanning will be literal.”
“Hawk!” Slick yelled as Tildy gasped. Tildy’s face turned a whole new shade of red that Hawk hadn’t seen yet.
Apparently Tildy hadn’t minored in spankings at college.
Tex made an irritated noise, stomped past them, and washed his hands. Tildy bounced her gaze back and forth from Slick to Hawk. Slick shook her head; Hawk nodded. Tildy didn’t know whom to believe. Hawk nearly burst out laughing when Tildy skirted around the table, further away from Tex, and planted herself beside him.
Hawk normally didn’t go the spanking route, though he entertained any and all reasonable requests. He didn’t think Tildy would ever make such a request, but it was fun to tease her anyway.