“She doesn’t use her full name, and everything is under the band’s name. And the band agreed at the beginning not to use her face as a part of their media kit.”
“She’s cute, though. I imagine that would help.”
“It probably would. But safety is more important.”
“What flavor of stalker is he?”
“Obsessive, but not overtly threatening. He writes like they’re in a relationship. Like he owns her.”
“Creepy. Does he know she’s a lesbian?”
“I don’t think so. You’d have to ask Jansen, though. He’d know more. I’m just teasing out possibilities, looking for similar obsessive tendencies with kids who graduated her year. Then I’ll check a year younger and older. And we’ll see where things are at.”
“You have so much work, RJ. It worries me. You need breaks.”
He switches his gaze from the monitors to me. “I take breaks. I take the best breaks.” His lips are warm as they press against mine, his meaning clear.
“Only some breaks.”
“Not enough breaks?”
“Never enough breaks.”
I twist and rock against him, then hiss and pull back.
His chuckle has me mock glaring. “Still a little sore there, sugar?”
I stick my tongue out and he leans forward, dragging it into his mouth, our tongues lashing each other. “Just a tiny bit. Maybe a warm-up would help,” I mutter when we come up for air.
“You’re not the only one wishing that about now,” he says, hard between my legs.
“I could—”
He presses a finger to my lips, halting me before I slide to the floor. “I love your mouth on me, but unless you want us to be caught with our pants down, literally, by your best friend, we probably shouldn’t.”
I’m sure I look as grumpy as I feel. “What if I don’t want to be reasonable?”
“Then we’ll choose to be unreasonable tomorrow.”
“Promise?”
“Definitely. And we’ll try self-defense again, too.”
“My Saturday is getting full.”
“What else do you have?”
“Jansen’s sister has a concert and we’re bringing Emma to set them up. Hopefully.”
He laughs and I melt against his chest. “I still can’t believe you two are playing matchmaker. Do you think we can fit in a trip to the dojo before the concert?”
The fear that knocked me out last time sits heavy in my chest. Can I really learn to protect myself? Or am I too damaged? I couldn’t even handle RJ looming without passing out from panic.
Only, I need to learn this stuff. I can’t count on Trips to run in and save me.
Especially the way things are right now.
“I can do that. Let’s try again.”
