“I’m not standing here staring at you. I’m waiting for you to grow wings and hover over us with your golden bow and arrow,” I returned.
Ryker grinned his scary grin. “As you’ve experienced, I kick fuckin’ ass with my golden bow and arrow.”
“Just to say, the ’burg can do without your version of Cupid,” I remarked.
“I can wait for the gratitude,” Ryker declared magnanimously. “You and Merrick can name your first kid after me.”
“Dude, Merry and me got our shit together. Your bullshit coulda fucked us up,” I shared.
“Tell yourself that,” Ryker replied.
My eyes narrowed. “How thick is your skin?”
“I’m half reptilian,” he returned. “The alligator kind.”
“Okay, how thick is your skull?” I kept at him.
“Not as thick as yours, you wasted years before you fell on your man’s dick,” he retorted.
I shouldn’t have even started this.
So it was time to end it.
“I’m feelin’ like making tips tonight, not cleanin’ up blood,” I decreed.
“Like you could cut me,” Ryker scoffed.
“Don’t underestimate a pissed off woman,” I warned.
“That’s why I got sugar in my bed, not spice. Don’t ever need to worry about that shit,” Ryker stated.
This was going nowhere.
“I need to get to work,” I muttered, turning to the office.
“Cher,” Ryker called.
I sighed and looked back to him.
“Lissa’s over the moon,” he shared.
That might be true, but it was Ryker who was happy for me.
“You’re all soft under all that crazy,” I replied.
He grinned a grin that many children would witness and have nightmares for decades.
“Don’t tell anyone.”
I rolled my eyes and walked to the office to get rid of my purse. When I walked out, Dee was out on the floor with her tray, which meant I was back of the bar with Feb.
I got the lay of the land, made some drinks, then hit my posse at the end.
“You ready for your show?” I asked Dusty.
She made pottery. It was awesome pottery, but I didn’t get it since she also made a shit-ton of money off it. Apparently, some people really liked pottery. Enough to spend hundreds of dollars on just one piece.
“Yeah,” she answered. “And I’ve set a piece aside to give to you and Merry for your wedding.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “Don’t you start with that shit. You’re a chick. You’re supposed to have my back.”
“It’s more fun to mess with you,” she returned.
Damn.
I should have seen it coming.
Dusty was a lot like me. She had some girlie in her but not much. Mostly she was a straight shooter who had it completely together.
I lifted my hand and did a sweep of the far end of the bar, declaring, “I think Feb can cover you all with drinks.”
“Weak,” Cal grunted.
“I need to be in a good disposition to earn tips,” I retorted.
“Why?” he shot back. “You been earnin’ tips for years not in one.”
He had a point.
“You can kiss my ass too,” I returned.
“Lame,” he muttered.
He was not wrong.
God, with Merry giving me the warm and squishy, making me happy, I was losing my edge.
I wasn’t proud of continuing the lameness, but I actually did have to earn tips.
So I muttered back, “Whatever,” and wandered down the bar.
The night wore on and it was Friday at J&J’s. Time to herald in the weekend and do it right by going out, throwing a few back, and communing with your ’burg brethren.
So I was busy.
And it was much later when the opportunity was afforded to him.
Being Benny, he took it.
Cal was deep in conversation with Ryker and Colt, Vi at his side, his arm curled around her neck, holding her close. And Mike, Dusty, and Frankie were gabbing with Dee, who was standing with them, carrying a full tray of empties.
Benny was in on the Cal conversation, but he made himself free to catch my eyes when I was forced down their way to nab a bottle of beer that was in the fridge closest to them.
“Happy?” he asked quietly, just for me.
“Yeah,” I answered quietly, just for him.
“Good,” he replied and gave me the flash of his white, movie star smile.
He was wrong.
It wasn’t good.
It was beautiful.
But I didn’t correct him.
I looked to his pregnant wife, then back to him.
He knew what beauty meant.
I shot him a return smile.
Then, before anyone noticed our moment and gave me shit about it, I ended it and got back to work.
* * * * *
Saturday Afternoon
I slid my lips up Merry’s throat as the last tremors of my orgasm drifted out of me.
I could tell the last of Merry’s were still with him at the thick gruffness of his voice when he murmured, “Seems my brown-eyed girl can make love.”
I smiled.
My kid was at a friend’s house, hanging out.
And I was at Merry’s condo, trying my hand at giving as good as I got.
Seemed I’d succeeded.
I slid my lips to his jaw.
I was on top, Merry still inside since we’d just finished, his arms around me tight. But as my lips drifted, his arms loosened so his hands could float light and sweet over the skin of my back.
“Got the reservation at Swank’s, baby. Six thirty. That good?” Merry told me.
“Yeah,” I told his jaw, wondering what I was going to wear and hoping one of Ethan’s two dress-up outfits still fit him.