“Take yours off too. I could use some eye candy.” He arched an eyebrow, giving me a look usually reserved for the bedroom.
I moved slowly, like I was doing a striptease. When I was bare-chested, I held my arms out by my sides, and the slow graze of his eyes down my body had my pulse ticking up.
He grinned. “Love your abs. And that happy trail. Damn.”
“Why, Nix, if I didn’t know better, I’d think you wanted to go home.”
“Or look for a hidden spot near the trail.”
We laughed again. When we quieted, footsteps were approaching, accompanied by an odd tapping sound. A small black dachshund trotted up, its nails clicking against the packed dirt.
“Leave him alone, Otto.”
Brody and Gabe walked up, both shirtless as well.
Gabe nodded in greeting. “Look who’s here. Nice day for a walk.”
Brody rolled his eyes. “Too fucking hot.”
“Fuck off,” Gabe said, elbowing Brody in the ribs. “You’re the one who wanted to come to the park.”
Ignoring him, Brody looked at Nix, then at me. “Which one of you wanted to come out here on a day like this?”
“That would be Nix,” I said. “This was his idea.”
Nix smirked at me. “Didn’t have any trouble getting you to come.”
Gabe snorted, and Brody put a hand over his mouth.
After we made small talk for a few minutes, two joggers came around the bend. They were college-age men, and we moved aside to let them pass.
They slowed to stare, not even trying to be subtle.
“Go Warriors,” one said.
“Yeah,” said the other. “Go home with us.”
Laughing, they picked up their pace again and were soon out of sight.
Gabe shook his head. “Kids today. What are you gonna do?”
While we chuckled, Brody glanced at his watch, then at Gabe. “We need to get a move on, sweetie. Haircuts at three.”
We said our goodbyes, which Otto apparently understood. He took off, and Gabe ran after him while Brody laughed and brought up the rear.
“Nice guys,” Nix said. “You know, not a single Warrior has given me a sideways look since the day the teams wore those T-shirts.”
“They never will. They’re my guys, which means they’re yours too.”
Nix smiled, bumping his shoulder against mine. “The Condors too. You’ll see.”
“Let me help.” I crowded in beside Nix, who was chopping vegetables. “I can use a knife too.”
He flicked his hand at me without looking up. “Sit down and talk to me. If you help, it won’t be me cooking for you. It’ll be us cooking together.”
I slid onto a barstool next to him and watched him work. “This is nice of you, babe. Not many people have cooked for me before.”
“Not even your wife?” He looked over and grimaced. “Sorry.”
