“I don’t want you here, Billy, now or ever. You’re not welcome.” My voice was firm and there was no doubt that I meant it. Regardless of the scandal it would create, I decided that he would willingly leave on his own or I’d call the police and have him removed.
Billy wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed and he wasn’t about to give up so easily. “Are you still jealous over Laura?” That was the only thing he ever took away from the argument we had when I walked away from him for good. His ego wouldn’t allow him to contemplate that his actions were wrong; no, my jealousy was the issue.
“I envy her as much as I would a case of incurable herpes,” I replied. “Get out of here and do not come back.”
“I don’t believe you.” Billy reached for me, but paused when we heard a dog’s vicious growl behind him.
“I’d believe him if I were you.” Gabe sounded as angry and dangerous as the snarling dog on the end of the leash he held in his hands.
“ARE YOU OKAY?”I asked when Josh’s eyes met mine.
Josh glanced at the vase of red roses I held in the bend of my arm then smiled at me. “I am now.”
Buddy continued to growl menacingly and I held tight to his leash, just in case he wanted to take a chomp out of Sampson’s sleazebag ass. If I hadn’t already been crazy about the dog I would’ve been when he made his opinion of the man known. I’d always heard that animals were good judges of character and Buddy’s reaction to the deputy proved it.
“Big Daddy’s home!” Savage’s words and timing were impeccable as always.
Josh’s smile grew wider. “Did you teach him that too?”
“I know nothing of which you speak.” I’d deny it until my dying breath. I shifted my focus back to Sampson who was looking between the two of us in confusion. “I believe Josh told you to leave.” My voice was as menacing as Buddy’s growl. A huge part of me really wanted to put the beat down on that mofo for hurting Josh the way he did, but I was an adult–one who swore to uphold the laws and not circumvent them when it was convenient for me.
Sampson ignored me and looked at Josh. “You can’t be serious.” He hooked his thumb in my direction and asked, “Are you for real with this guy?”
“Very real,” Josh replied. “I want you to leave, Billy, and never come back. There’s nothing for us to talk about and I don’t want to be friends with you.”
I could feel the hostility rolling off the dickbag when Josh reaffirmed my right to be there. The contemptuous look that Sampson gave me the morning I was called to the scene of Nate’s homicide was child’s play to the one he gave me in Josh’s salon kitchenette. Instead of derision, I saw outright hatred in his blue eyes because I stood in the way of something he wanted. I wasn’t fucking going anywhere so he’d just have to get the fuck over it.
Sampson shook his head like he couldn’t believe what Josh told him. A lesser man might’ve gotten his feelings hurt, but I wasn’t that man. I felt secure in my place in Josh’s life. “Whatever.” Sampson’s words sounded like a teenager who didn’t get his way. “I’ll be seeing you around, Josh. This isn’t over.” Sampson bumped his shoulder against mine on his way to the door. I guess it was his way of trying to intimidate me, but it didn’t work.
“Billy,” Josh called out before he reached the door. He waited for Billy to turn then said, “Itisover and has been for ten years. Don’t come back here.”
Billy didn’t say anything, but he didn’t have to because the way he slammed the back door behind him spoke plenty. I unclipped Buddy’s leash and went to Josh. I placed the vase and leash on the countertop beside him and studied him. I hated the tense lines on his face and the rigid way he stood. I pulled him into my arms and he resisted me. I worried that Sampson had undone some of the positive steps we’d taken forward, but then Josh held up his hands to show that they were wet.
He dried them on the towel beside him then turned to me. “Okay, now.”
I pulled him against my chest and wrapped my arms tightly around him. My heart melted as I felt the tension drain from his body until he was the consistency of putty in my arms. Josh let out a soft sigh and I was glad that I took the initiative to come over to his house unannounced. I expected to find the door locked since the salon was closed, but instead I found an unwanted visitor inside.
“Do me a favor and keep the door locked, okay?” I asked. I knew he was used to growing up in a small, safe community where hardly anything bad happened, but like with most cities and towns across America, things were changing. In the span of just a few months, there were two murders, and two attempted murders, and the large drug bust. On top of that, there was Nate Turner’s death not far from town. I still didn’t know what the hell Nate was doing in my county the night he was killed, but I didn’t think it was a coincidence.
Josh pulled back and looked up at me. I was happy to see that the lines of tension were gone from his beautiful face. “I learned my lesson.” Josh looked over at the flowers and then back at me. “What’s the occasion?”
“Do I need an occasion to do something nice for the guy Ilike?” I could see the battle brewing in his brain through his expressive eyes. Josh wanted to believe that I didn’t have an ulterior motive in mind when I brought him flowers, but his experiences filled him with doubt.
“Are you even real?” Josh finally asked.
If we had been horsing around, I would’ve placed his hand over my crotch, but the seriousness I saw in his eyes told me a flippant or sexy gesture or response wasn’t what he needed. Instead, I moved his hand from my waist and placed it over my heart. “Very real.” I repeated the words he used earlier.
I felt a tenderness in his touch that wasn’t usually present when Josh rose on his tiptoes and pressed his lips to mine. He was usually the one who turned things sexual between us because it was all he knew. I vowed to not let it happen that night. I wasn’t saying no to getting him naked, but I wouldn’t allow sex to be my primary focus that night. I controlled my dick, not the other way around.
“So, what did you have in mind tonight?” he asked when he pulled back from our kiss.
“I planned a special night in for us since you were out so late last night. I actually have quite a few things in my trunk, but I wanted to bring Buddy and the flowers in first.”
I gave Josh credit for only looking wary for a few seconds. He was a guy who liked his routine and did not care for surprises, except on occasions like Christmas when they were somewhat expected. “That’s very thoughtful of you and I must admit that I’m intrigued. Do you need any help carrying anything in?”
“Nope, got it all covered.” I was sure to lock the damn back door when I returned from my car. “You’re in for a real treat,” I said when I unpacked the groceries from the bags. “I’m going to cook you a nice dinner, we’re going to drink some wine, and then we’re going to watch your favorite movies.”
“This sounds great, but what are you getting out of all of this?” Josh asked.
