Yet here I sat with this desire to know that little goddess inside and out. Sisters? Why did she have custody of them? How old where they? Did they look like her? Where were her parents? I wanted to call her, to ask her all of those questions and more, a million more. I had never called a girl in my fucking life!

“You’re quiet tonight,” Emmie commented after swallowing a big bite of the bacon cheeseburger that I had made for her. I was getting tired of the very smell of bacon, but that was all she wanted, so that was what she would get, even if I gagged at the thought of eating another slice of pork again.

“He’s been moody all day,” Shane muttered, taking a swallow of his Corona.

Emmie gave me a long thoughtful appraisal. She knew us all inside out, so I knew she would realize what was wrong with me. And I both wanted to talk to her about it and hated her for seeing so much. “You really like her, huh?”

I shrugged, not wanting to talk about it with the other guys sitting right there with us. Nik’s head shot up from playing with something on his phone. “Who?”

The brothers seemed just as curious. I raked a hand over my smooth head and glared up at the star filled sky. “Okay, so I like her. She’s…” I broke off, because I didn’t know what she was like. I was attracted to her on a deeper level than any other woman I had ever met, and from the few minutes I’ve actually spoken with her, I had enjoyed her personality.

“She’s great,” Emmie told me. “She’s sweet and caring. I love that she can get just as bitchy as I can. I don’t have to ask her to help me because she jumps right in without complaint. I could really see her as my friend.”

We were all surprised at Emmie’s praise of the other woman. Emmie had a hard time trusting other females. Her monster of a mother had really fucked her up and she felt like she could only trust herself. The guys and I hadn’t helped much in that department, letting her see how other women acted around us and, subjecting her to all the jealous bitches that wanted to be her simply because she was the only female that would ever hold our hearts. If Emmie thought that Layla was already good friend material, then there was something very special about Layla indeed.

“So…” Shane took another pull from his beer. “…Jesse likes Layla. She’s so fucking hot, dude.”

Emmie, seated between him and Nik, smacked him on the back of the head. “Respect, Shane. Respect.”

“What?” He grinned at her. “She is. Come on, Em. Tell me you don’t think she’s hot. Tell me.”

“She’s beautiful.” Emmie conceded, “but you guys need to show her some respect. I mean it. You will not talk to her like you do your little sluts. And with her and her sisters moving in this weekend, you will clean up your language. Understand?”

“She’s moving in?” That news blew me away. She was going to be right here, every day? How would I survive that without getting to touch her?

“I told you guys I wanted a live-in. With the baby coming I can’t clean your shit up like I use to. She and her sisters are going to take the guest house.” She narrowed her eyes on us all. “Lucy is only six, so please try to watch your language around her.”

Six? So young. I wondered if she looked like Layla. “I’ll watch my mouth.” I promised. We had made that mistake with Emmie while she was growing up. She could put sailors to shame with her vocabulary. Sure, she had heard it from her mother daily, but we should have at least attempted to get her to not repeat those words.

The others agreed as well. Emmie pushed her half-finished burger away. “Good. I’m counting on you guys. This will be good practice before the baby gets here.” She took a sip of her milk. “So, which of you will volunteer to help Layla and her sisters move in on Saturday?”

The other three guys groaned, but I was quick to offer my help. I wasn’t about to turn down the chance to spend more time with the little goddess.

Chapter 6

Layla

If I was depressed that I had to go when Jesse had asked me to stay, then I was even more so the rest of the week. I didn’t see him at all on Thursday or Friday because the band was spending so much time in the studio. I hated that I went home both evenings with a heavy heart because I hadn’t gotten even a little peek at the sexy rocker.

Lana noticed my downbeat attitude. She asked me if something was wrong Friday night as we sat on our little couch in the living room sharing the rest of the pizza I had picked up for dinner on my way home. Lucy was already in bed, and I was happy to have some us time with Lana. But she saw way too much sometimes, and I knew that I couldn’t keep my feelings about the rocker from her, especially since we were going to be living right next door to the guy.

“What’s wrong, Layla?” She asked around a mouthful of dough, tomato sauce, and gooey cheese. “Aren’t you liking your new job?”

I shrugged, “The job is great. Emmie is the best boss I have ever had. I just…” I grimaced and shrugged my shoulders again. “…I don’t know.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You act like a girl who is crushing on someone who doesn’t know she’s alive. Is it one of those rockers?” Lana had a bigger thing about rockers and relationships than I did. That was probably my fault, because I had left her to deal with our mother’s shit alone when Lydia had kicked me out at sixteen. Poor Lana, who was only nine at the time, had to grow up fast because I wasn’t there anymore to take care of her like I had always done from the day she was born.

I had promised the girls when they moved in with me that I wouldn’t ever lie to them about anything, so I told Lana about Jesse and how I was feeling. It felt good to talk about it, and she helped me get it a little straighter in my head. I realized I needed to be extra careful because of the way I was feeling. I couldn’t start something with Jesse Thornton. Not only was it dangerous because I technically worked for him, but it was dangerous to my emotional wellbeing as well.

I had to keep my distance…

It was a complete surprise to wake up Saturday morning to him knocking on my apartment door. Emmie had promised me that she would have someone help us move, but I had thought she meant actual movers or something. Not the band!

But no, that wasn’t the case. Jesse Thornton was actually there with Drake Stevenson right behind him looking hung over. “Good morning, beautiful.” Jesse greeted me with a grin and an up and down appraisal of my shorts and tank top clad body. His eyes lingered on my legs a little longer, taking in the tattoo that wrapped around and around my right leg.