Page 247 of Property of Whiskey

I step closer. “Hey.”

She looks up. “What?”

I don’t know what I meant to say.

Be careful sounds too much like Cal. Don’t get hurt sounds like I didn’t listen to a damn word she said this morning.

So I settle on the only thing that doesn’t ask her to be anything except exactly what she is.

“Kick her ass.”

Twila’s smile comes big and real.

“That I can do.”

Then she’s gone.

The crowd fucking erupts.

“TWISTER! TWISTER! TWISTER!”

I follow to the edge of the curtain where I can see without getting in anybody’s way.

Twila walks out like the whole damn building belongs to her, arms raised, blonde ponytail swinging, smile sharp enough to cut. She slaps hands down the aisle, then turns near the ring and points straight toward me.

The crowd makes some kind of knowing noise.

I stare.

She grins. Then she climbs through the ropes.

Her opponent tonight is a thick-built brunette called Buckshot Betty. Hell of a name. She looks mean, which is apparently exactly how Twila likes them, but she’s wearing a hooter hammock that’s sure to fly off.

Wildcat meets them in the middle in his referee stripes, checks both women, then gives Twila a look like he already knows which one is going to make his job difficult.

She smiles sweetly at him.

He shakes his head and signals for the bell.

The bell rings.

The first lockup tells me immediately this ain’t fake the way outsiders think it is. Bodies still hit bodies, and gravity doesn’t give a shit what somebody discussed backstage. Betty and Twila didn’t speak a word beforehand.

Twila takes a shoulder and gives one right back. Betty whips her into the ropes, and Twila comes off fast enough to send her down hard when they collide.

The ring shakes. The crowd explodes.

I’m hard.

Not proud of it. Not ashamed either.

Twila gets up smiling.

That fucking smile.

I know what those thighs feel like around me now. Know how strong they are. Know exactly how she moves when she’s on top.

Watching her throw another woman across a wrestling ring should not make me think about sex.