He gives me the side-eye while grinning.
“Come on,” I coax. “You can tell me.”
“I lost a bet and had to get a Prince Albert piercing.”
My mind goes blank for a moment before I stutter. “Hadto? What the hell kind of bet would you wager that kind of piercing on?”
“Last year I bet Rafe the Tampa Bay Rays would win the World Series. The Lightning won the Stanley Cup and the Rays were playing awesome, so how cool would that be if they had won too?”
“Butthatpiercing? Why not your nose or, or your nipple?”
“Too easy. We take our sports seriously.”
“What about a tattoo? I’m actually surprised you don’t have any.”
He gives me a quick look. “You haven’t seen my entire body.” His voice becomes deeper, rough.
I cough. “Uh, no, no I haven’t.” I wait a beat. “So you actually went through with it? With the piercing?”
“I never renege on a bet.”
“Because you’re a man of honor.” I can’t help saying it with laughter in my voice. Not that I don’t think he’s honorable, but to go so far as to get his penis pierced? Wow!
“Damn right,” he says while smiling.
“So…”
He gives me another glance. “So, you’re wondering if I still have it.”
I feel myself blush and thank goodness he can’t see. Although I’m sure he knows that’s exactly what I’m doing.
“The answer is no, I don’t. Hurt like a son of a bitch and was nothing but a nuisance. Had me peeing out of multiple holes.”
Laughter explodes from me and Xander joins in.
“The bet was to do it. Nothing about the bet said I had to keep it. I took the damn piercing out within a few days and thankfully the extra hole healed shut.”
“Oh my God!” I continue laughing.
“I learned my lesson. Turned out Rafe already had one and would’ve had no problem getting another.”
“Okay, enough,” I sputter, waving my hands at him. “TMI!”
“Yeah, I guess I didn’t need to put that image in your head. Forget I said anything.”
“Too late!”
“You started it.” He laughs.
I look up just in time to see we’re nearing my turn. “You’ll want to turn at the next right.”
Xander slows down and makes the turn. I then guide him around the winding roads until we get to my condo. He parks, turning off the car and unbuckling his seat belt.
“House upon house upon condo,” he murmurs.
“Not much choice these days with all the expansion.” I unbuckle and turn so I’m facing him. “Where do you live? Near the bar, on the beach?”
“Not really.” When I cock my head in question, he chuckles. “Dina and I own the building that’s next to the bar. The band practices there and we also store our equipment in it. The top floor has a decent apartment. I’ll stay there in a pinch, depending on gigs and practice. Or work. But I have a place up in the Homeland area where Dina and Jerald own a home with property.”
