by Harley Stone
“I can’t believe this is the same podium. I love the metal strips you added. Awesome touch. Looks a little steampunk.” She handed me back my phone. “Make me something?”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. Something special.”
“I didn’t make the podium.”
She rolled her eyes. “Okay. Buy me some old piece of furniture and refinish it. Better?”
I tried to think of something to get her, but I was having trouble focusing. She had a drop of ice cream on her bottom lip and it was terribly distracting. I couldn’t help but wonder what the dessert would taste like from her lips. Closing the distance between us, my tongue snaked out and sampled her lips.
Lily’s eyes dilated. Her gaze darted to my mouth.
It was all the invitation I needed. Ice cream forgotten, I cradled her face in my hands and crushed my lips against hers. We’d fucked multiple times, but it wasn’t enough. I needed more. Her hands landed on my head, mussing my hair as she held me to her. My body reacted instantly, ready to plunge back into that tight, welcoming pussy. I should be exhausted, but I couldn’t get enough of her. Sex had turned me into some insatiable beast, and all I wanted was Lily. I was seriously considering carrying her fine ass upstairs and seeing how many more orgasms I could wring from her when she pulled away and brandished her spoon like a sword, keeping me at bay.
“No. Stop. And don’t look at me like that.” Cheeks pink, lips swollen, eyes wild, she looked like she wanted to jump on my lap, but she kept that damn spoon between us.
“Look at you like what?” I put my hand on her inner thigh and she all but melted against me. “Like I want more of what we had earlier?”
“Yes.” She snatched my wandering hand and put it on the table. “It’s against the rules to take visitors upstairs and trust me, you do not want to make Monica angry. She hulks out. Turns green, rips her clothes, everything. It’s not a pretty sight. In fact, you should get back to the fire station before we do something crazy like try to get around her rules by doing the nasty right here on this table.”
I liked that idea. A lot. Judging by the way my cock throbbed against my zipper, it was all-in, as well. “It wouldn’t be upstairs, so technically, we’d be in the clear.”
“See, that logic right there is what’s going to get us killed. I can’t go back to being homeless. I have a dog to think about, and you saw how much he loves his bed.” Standing, Lily took her ice cream and made a hasty retreat into the kitchen, putting a shit-ton of unwelcome space between us. Leaning against the island, she took a bite while watching me.
What I wouldn’t have done to be her ice cream…
She was right, though. I had no desire to offend Stocks or Monica by stomping on their hospitality, so I kept my distance as we finished our treat. Then, I gave her a kiss goodbye and forced myself to leave before I did something that could get us both in trouble. I’d gotten three steps away from the house when she ran out after me. I stopped, and she grabbed my face and directed my gaze onto hers.
“I love you, Bull. Promise me you won’t go home and start overthinking everything. I want this—I want you and everything that comes with you—and I will fight for you if I need to. You’re not getting rid of me, so don’t even think about trying.”
I didn’t think I could force myself to shake Lily if I wanted to. I was having enough trouble just walking away from her for the night. I dropped my forehead to hers and breathed in her clean, sweet scent, letting it ground me. “I love you, too. I’ll try.”
Back in the day when I’d first prospected with the club, our parties didn’t end before sunrise. We’d close the place down, stumble upstairs, and sleep the day away. But now that half the club was married with kids, all-nighters were a thing of the past. By the time I got back to the fire station, it was almost 2:00 a.m., and the party was winding down. All the married couples and kids had cleared out hours ago. Zombie and Frog were on one pool table, and the other was empty. Morse was sitting in a corner with his laptop, and Tavonte was alone at the bar, nursing another beer.
Since he had an early flight, I was surprised to see him still up. I poured myself a large glass of water and sat beside him.
“Saw you leave with Lily,” Tavonte said, playing with the bottle. “Everything okay between you two now?”
“Yeah.” Unable to help myself, I smiled. Just thinking about my angel had me grinning like a goddamn guilty devil. “We’re good.”
Tavonte eyed me and smiled. “Glad to hear it. You talked everything out?”
“Yeah. Thanks for the push. I needed that. I’m still worried about my family and don’t know what the fuck’s gonna happen when I show up on their doorstep with Lily on my arm, but we’re committed to trying this.” Mom would probably pass out and Dad would freak out and ask if I’d lost my damn mind. And Lily? Well, she’d take it all in stride. She’d probably win them over with her uncanny ability to wriggle into people’s hearts.
Tavonte chuckled. “A word of advice… warn them first.”
“Yeah. It’s probably past time for me to have a conversation with the folks.”
“It’s amazing the shit you can fix by opening up and actually talking to people,” he deadpanned.
“Smartass.” I tried to glare at him, but doubted it worked since I couldn’t seem to stop grinning. “Don’t you have a flight in the morning? Shouldn’t you be asleep?”
“Yeah.” He shrugged. “I should be, but… I’m worried about what I’ll be walking into at home. I’ve tried to call Kiana a few times, but she’s not answering. Mom told me all she knows, which isn’t much. My sister started hanging out with some hood rat. Mom told her to stay away from him and focus on her schoolwork, but my sister can be stubborn as hell. Mom caught her sneaking back through her bedroom window the other morning. Doesn’t know where she was and how long she was gone. Mom demanded answers, but Kiana lost her mind, talkin’ about how she’s in love and shit.”
“Maybe she is?” I suggested.
He leveled a hard look at me. “No man worthy of my sister is gonna want her crawling through windows and sneaking around like some side-piece. The shit-for-brains isn’t even in high school. He’s a grown ass man and has no business fuckin’ with a sixteen-year-old girl. Mom’s worried Kiana is gonna get knocked up. Or worse.”
“Shit. Sorry. I didn’t realize he was older. Thought it was just a couple of teenagers being crazy. This guy sounds like a real bastard. You need any help, be sure to let me know. I can fly out and help you bust some heads.”
“Thanks, brother. I can take care of my own, but I appreciate the offer.”
“If you change your mind and need me, I’m there. Besides, the travel might be nice.” My talk with Lily had reminded me of that dream. There were still so many places I wanted to see—shit I wanted to do—and it was nice to know I wouldn’t have to travel alone. “I’ve always wanted to see Nashville. Bet Lily would like that, too.”
Tavonte nodded. “My mom’s one hell of a cook. I’m tellin’ you, it’d be worth the trip for her homemade mac-n-cheese and biscuits and gravy. Mhm-mhm. Okay. Just thinkin’ about Mom’s cookin’ has me feelin’ a lot better about headin’ home. Sure, I may have to kill a motherfucker, but at least I’ll get some good meals out of it. Once I’m settled and have this shithead dealt with, you and Lily can fly out and visit. I’ll take you around to all the hot spots.”
“Deal.” I drained my water and stood. “I gotta get to bed. Gotta work tomorrow and I’m already gonna be hating life. I’ll see you in the morning before you head out, right?”
Tavonte nodded. He stood and we clasped hands, patting backs, before heading in our separate directions.
My phone buzzed with an incoming text, so I tugged it out of my pocket.
Lily: Have you ever wondered why local bars can only sell alcohol until 2:00 am?
The question was so classic Lily, I laughed out loud as I headed for my room.
Me: Can’t say I have.
Me: The bigger question here is what bars are open at 6 am, and why have we never gone to one?
Lily: See? Every time you feed my insatiable curiosity like that, my panties melt a little.
I groaned at the visual that accompanied her text wishing she was waiting in my bed, rather than across town in her own.
Me: Don’t make me turn this car around and ravage you again.
Lily: I miss you already.
Me: Same. Go to sleep, Angel.
Lily’s response was made up of a series of emojis: happy face, heart, smiley face with a halo, bed, dog, happy face, and heart. I went to bed smiling for the first time in a long ass time.
13
Lily
I WAS ON top of the world.
Not literally, thank God, because heights and I had never gotten along. But metaphorically speaking, I couldn’t get any higher if I was making special brownies with Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart.
I was also exhausted.
Cherished memories of the moments I’d spent in Bull’s bed kept me awake long after he replied to my last text. Unlike Bull, I was no virgin, but sex had never felt wrapped in feelings like this before. Emotions bubbled inside of me, making it impossible to sleep. I spent most of the night reveling in the afterglow of our declarations of love, still unable to believe he’d finally given in to his desire for me.
Despite all odds, I’d busted out of the dreaded friend zone.
Take that, you motherfuckin’ black hole!
And I didn’t even have to become a subatomic particle to do so. Good thing, since I liked science about as much as I liked heights and didn’t even know what a subatomic particle was. According to Google, it was the only way to escape a black hole, but I’d proven all internet search engines wrong.
I wanted to celebrate. There should be balloons and some girl-power song blasting in the background while I sipped champagne. I’d never had champagne, but I was certain this occasion called for some bubbly. Instead of partying it up in honor of my achievement, everyone was asleep, and I needed to keep my excitement bottled and stare at the backs of my eyelids until my mind went into hibernation mode. I had a full day scheduled and I needed sleep.
By the time my alarm went off at 7:00 a.m., I’d gotten maybe three hours of shut eye and wanted nothing more than to turn off the annoying buzz and go back to dreamland. But there was no rest for over-committers. I’d volunteered to help Julia with Marcus on my last day off before my apprenticeship started, and I wasn’t about to let the Wilsons down.
Julia’s bookstore wasn’t far from the fire station, about six blocks from the shelter. Too close to justify the use of my dwindling funds to purchase a bus ticket, so I decided to get some fresh air and exercise and jog the distance. Once upon a time, I used to run track, and I was still in relatively good shape. Or so I thought. By the time I arrived at the bookstore, I was gasping for air like a two-pack-a-day smoker who needed caffeine and a good stretch, stat.
Since Julia was still nursing the baby, I was terrified there’d be no coffee. I should have known better. Like any proud Seattleite, she not only had coffee, she had the good stuff: so dark and flavorful it should be illegal. The pot had just finished brewing when I walked into the shop, and between the smell of old books and freshly brewed coffee, I was in fragrance heaven.
I headed into the kitchenette and looked over the collection of coffee cups. Several had funny sayings or cute kitten pictures, but since I planned to cart Marcus around, I needed a safer vehicle for my addiction. Finding a lidded tumbler, I added enough flavored creamer to preserve my body until the end of time and went in search of my charge.
“I see why you’re so reluctant to give this place up,” I said, my gesture encompassing the space.
Julia didn’t have to work. She had a trust fund and an inheritance from her deceased ex-asshole who’d foolishly neglected to scrub her from his will. But the bookstore was her first love, and she refused to let it go. And, since Havoc was the type of man who’d move heaven and earth for his wife, they’d found a way to make it work. Spade and Stocks had helped him move out the counter to put in a temporary wall that created a small nursery area. With a swing, playpen, and bassinet, Marcus was all set. I doubted Julia even needed my help, but since her one employee needed to start taking Sundays off, Havoc didn’t want Julia and Marcus at the bookstore alone.
“I love it here. It was my sanctuary for years, and without it, I never would have met Havoc.” Julia smiled fondly. “Besides, Tap has been helping me with social media marketing, and business has been picking up. The work is easy—perfect for a new mom—and I set my own hours.”
I chuckled, recognizing her spiel for what it was. “Nice speech, but you don’t have to convince me.” I inhaled deeply. “The combination of books and coffee alone sold me.”
Marcus had started fussing in his bassinet, so I slid him into his baby sling and affixed it to my body, freeing up my hands so I could drink coffee and help Julia.
When she realized what I was doing, her gaze fell on my lidded tumbler. “Thank you for thinking of that.”
I saluted her with my drink. “Not my first rodeo. Gotta keep our little man safe and burn-free.”
Nodding, she studied a book’s spine before sliding it into its spot on the shelf. “Do you like to read, Lily?”
“Yes.”
If she was surprised, she didn’t show it. “What sort of books do you prefer?”
“Fantasy, YA, new adult, romance.”
She added another book to the shelf. “Was there a particular person or event that turned you into a reader?”
“When I was little, my grade school used to host reading challenges. I was pretty competitive, so I borrowed one of the approved books from the library and got in on the challenge. My parents had just split up, leaving me with my grandma, and I was… struggling with reality. Books became my escape from the bullshit.”
She nodded. “I get that. When my first marriage started falling apart, it was easier to lose myself in the love stories of others than it was to deal with the fact my ex was a manipulative, cheating douche canoe who wouldn’t know love if someone rammed it into his mangina.”
“Mangina?” I asked, unfamiliar with the term.
Julia shrugged. “What can I say? Some men are just pussies.”
I belted out a laugh. No wonder Havoc had fallen for Julia. She knew the best words and had an amazing sense of humor. We went to work and between the constant caffeine, the delicious gyros and sugary baklava Julia had delivered for lunch, Marcus’s sweet snuggles, and Julia’s ridiculous stories about her crazy-ass family, I made it through the day. By the time Havoc arrived to relieve me, I was so far beyond exhausted I could barely feel my feet, but my cheeks hurt from smiling so much.
It had been my pleasure to help Julia and I didn’t expect compensation, but when Havoc slapped a fifty into my hand, his hard-ass look didn’t leave any room for argument. “You gave me peace of mind so I could work,” he said. “Trust me, that’s worth more than this fifty. You need a ride home?”
His arms were full of baby. He had bags under his eyes and looked like his first day back to work had taken five years off his life. He needed to be here with his wife and son.
“Nah. Thanks, but I got it.”
He was far too stoic to sigh in relief, but I could tell he wanted to. “Next Sunday?” he asked.
“Of course. I had a blast.” I kissed Marcus’s forehead, gave Julia a hug goodbye, and took off.
Body feeling like Jell-O, with fifty unexpected dollars in my pocket and the threat of being late hanging over my head, I opted out of jogging and hopped a bus home. My bed called to me with promises
of soft, comfy sleep, but I didn’t have time to answer. I’d made a promise of my own. Leashing Brahma, I led him the few blocks to the park. By the time we arrived, I was regretting every single commitment on my time I’d ever made, but the way Johnny’s face lit up when he saw Brahma made my sore feet and tired legs worth every overbooked, worn-out minute of my life. Physically, I was running on fumes, but emotionally, my tank couldn’t have been fuller. Especially when Shelly wiped away a tear and thanked me again for meeting up with them.
The park bench called to me, and I stretched out across it, my eyelids so heavy I could barely keep them open. Shelly looked at me like I’d lost my mind, and I didn’t have the heart to tell her that sleeping on park benches was nothing new for me. That kind of talk made people uncomfortable, but when I was homeless, I’d learned to sleep where I could.
There was no shame in grabbing a few winks on a bench.
To make her more at ease, I stood to keep myself from nodding off.
Johnny and Brahma played ball for a little over an hour, until my dog was almost as tuckered out as I was. The last time Johnny threw him the ball, Brahma glanced at it, and collapsed in the grass, refusing to fetch. I’d never felt so spiritually connected to an animal in my life. I held up my fist in solidarity and imagined him doing the same. Shelly and Johnny took off, and I coaxed Brahma to his feet with promises of treats and a nap. The walk from the park to the shelter took forever. When we finally dragged our asses over the threshold, Brahma went straight for his water bowl, and I collapsed face down on the floor of the living room, hoping I’d never have to move again.
No such luck. Moments later, footsteps preceded the feel of something soft hitting my back. It rolled down my side, across the floor, and under the couch. Plastic poop bags. Great.
