Now, you could be the most mellow person in the world, and anight that intense was going to fuck with you.
In other words, this night had to have fucked with hiswoman.
But this was one of those times.
One of those times like she gave him, so it was one he hadto give her.
A time for space.
A time for her to share with him when she was ready, if atall.
And like usual, it was fucking with him.
Because she just got in her brother’s face about his rampantgrief running roughshod over their family, grief that was hers too and shedidn’t get to wallow in it and let others take care of her like her brotherdid.
And for the last three hours, they’d been neck deep in thefresh grief of Mal and Shanta.
Archie had to be feeling it.
Now, she was wandering into her kitchen while Jagger turnedon lights and watched her.
When she got into the kitchen, she looked at something onthe counter, then she lifted her head, caught sight of him, but gazed aroundbefore she came back to him.
She raised a piece of paper and shook it.
A note from his parents.
“Your folks made the schnitzel.We have plates if you’rehungry.”
He could eat a whole roast pig.
“You hungry?”he asked.
She shook her head.
“I’m good too,” he lied.
She nodded at that, and pointed out, “They also cleared thetable.Cleaned the kitchen.You’re gonna have to give me your mom’s number so Ican text her to thank her.”
“Will do, baby, but maybe now we should go to bed.”
She stood there, watching him across the apartment, and itfelt like it was as closely as he was watching her.
He dropped his cut down his shoulders, tossed it on hercouch, and asked, “Youwannago to bed?”
Not taking her eyes from him, she moved his way.
She stopped close, and still didn’t take her eyes from hisas she touched him.
Putting her hands on his chest, she slid them up to thesides of his neck.
He put his hands on her hips.
She squeezed his neck.“You good?”
“I’m good, uh…yougood?”
She didn’t answer his question.
