Chapter 14
Jack
One small argument and she wants out? All I did was ask her to listen and under the circumstances, I was fucking reasonable as hell.
However, I can tell by the look in her face she’s saying goodbye.
“You sure, Blake? Just come in and sleep next to me, hun.” I hate how pitiful and weak I sound.
“Uh… no. I think maybe it’s better if I sleep on the couch. Let me just grab a pillow.” Eyes lowered, she walks past me, and grabs some bedding.
“You should take the bedroom.” I touch her arm and when electrons jump between us, I let her go.
“Did you even notice the size of the couch? You would never fit.” She shakes her head sadly, staring where my hand had rested
I can’t imagine Suds or Lucky hitting on her but if those amethyst eyes start to tear, who knows what might happen.
“Doesn’t matter. There’s a houseful of men. It’s not right. Goodnight, Blakely.” I grab my bedding and she closes the door behind me with a kind of finality that makes me shudder.
When the two warriors reenter the living room, I’m on my third beer, clicking through TV channels. I guess I look like hell because neither of them razz me about getting kicked out of the bedroom. After they both grab a beer from the kitchen, I sit up so Suds can have one side of the couch while Lucky sinks almost to the floor in an overstuffed chair.
“So? Spill it.” Lucky’s the first to dare speak.
“Nothing to spill,mate.” Hopefully my tone will get them to leave me be.
“Not the way I heard it.” Suds pops off the beer cap and takes a long pull.
“Fine. The shrink is done with me, okay? I helped find her sister’s murderer and apparently, now I’m a possible sperm donor. Leave it be.”
Suds punches me from the other side of the couch. “That doesn’t sound like Blakely.”
“Yeah, well, it surprised the shit out of me, too.” I focus on some morning news show where David Young is being taken away in handcuffs. The ticker underneath reads,Bodies found, local leader arrested…
“Don’t you guys need sleep?” They both look wide awake but by my account we’ve been up for more than twenty-four hours.
“Nah, this is nothing. You’ve gone soft as a civvy.” Lucky grabs the remote and turns up the volume.
We listen to the local news, glad our pictures aren’t plastered all over the screen. When we asked, the FBI was more than happy to take credit for the arrest and keep us out of it. Guys like us need to take a back seat or end up at a desk job.
When the stories turn back to Washington DC and some threat on a Senator, I sigh. “Maybe I should join the Secret Service. I’ve got a recruiter who calls me every other week, begging to have me sign on the dotted line.”
Suds finishes his beer, burps loudly, then says, “The navy would be damn proud to have you.”
Lucky grins. “Nah, a pussy like him would probably wash out of training.”
“You fucking frogs. Take away your water and you’re useless.” I laugh at the banter, At least we’re not talking about Blakely anymore.
“Listen mate, why don’t you just knock on her door and tell her how you feel?” I guess Lucky didn’t get the memo.
Oh, for the love of God…“It won’t matter. She made it clear she doesn’t want to be with me.”
“Well that just sucks.” Suds shakes his head back and forth, as does Lucky.
Fuck it. Enough pissing and moaning.“I’m going home. See to it she gets to the airport, will you?”
I pick up my phone and change my flight. “Can one of you cry babies drop me off at the airport and manage not to talk about her? I’m a grown-ass man and shit like this happens.”
On the way, Lucky looks my way. I dare him to say another word with my worst glare but the Aussie is fucking tenacious. “Look, mate, the way I see it is you two just had a bit of a snit. No worries.”
