“They won’t watch. They’l turn off the cameras.” I wished that was true, but I’d spent time in that room and after awhile, you’d watch anything.
“No they won’t,” I said. “I know what it’s like sitting in there, it’s boring as hel . They’l total y watch.” there, it’s boring as hel . They’l total y watch.” His head came up. Then he said in his authoritative voice, addressing the room at large. “Turn off the cameras.” Then his mouth went back to my neck, clearly thinking that was that.
Good grief.
“They aren’t going to do it,” I told him.
His tongue slid down my neck to touch at the base of my throat.
“They’l do it,” he said against my throat.
“They won’t. You have to go check.”
His head came up and he looked at me like I’d just asked him to pop out and fetch me some Russian caviar.
“Seriously?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I said.
He pressed my behind, putting me in intimate contact with his rock-hard crotch.
“Sunshine, I’m in no condition to go check.” Mmm, it would seem he was right.
I thought about it then I made my decision. I’d hate it, but I’d do it, with conditions.
“Okay, but, just in case they’re watching, we have to do it with as many clothes on as possible and you have to be on top so they won’t see me.”
He stared at me a beat. Then he buried his face in my neck and I felt his body move with laughter. Then his lips slid along my cheek again and he kissed me, stil laughing.
Then he kept kissing me.
I knew two kinds of Hank Kisses. The light kisses and the make-you-dizzy kisses.
These kisses were a third kind of kiss. His hands roamed my bottom and back and I realized these kisses weren’t leading anywhere. They were cuddling-with-Hank kisses; softer, sweeter, slower, stil lots of tongue but mostly just-be-together-and-touch-while-you’re-necking kisses.
They made me a different kind of dizzy.
After awhile, he stopped kissing me and rubbed my nose with his.
Then he said, “Let’s go get something to eat.” I looked at him.
“We’re not gonna do it?” I asked.
“No. I appreciate your sacrifice Sunshine, but if you’re not comfortable, we’re not gonna do it.”
I hugged him, grateful, burrowing my face into his neck.
He was such a good man.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
He kissed the top of my head.
“I’l erase your day after I get back from the Haunted House,” I offered.
His hand went to my chin and lifted it up so I was looking at him. His eyes had that look in them again, the soft, warm look that made my stomach pitch. “I’m gonna hold you to that,” he said.
I found I had no problem with that at al .
*
We dropped Shamus off at his house and he took me to a restaurant cal ed Reiver’s that was on a street cal ed South Gaylord which was in Hank’s ‘hood. We sat at the bar and Hank ordered for us. Our beers had just been bar and Hank ordered for us. Our beers had just been delivered when my purse rang. I yanked out my phone, flipped it open and put it to my ear. “Hel o?” “Yo Bitch!” Annette yel ed into my ear. “Get shot at today?” she asked.
I looked at Hank and mouthed “Annette.” I watched the sides of his lips turn up, then to Annette I said, “Not yet.”
“Girl, Jason and I are in love,” she said.
I smiled at the phone. “I already know that.”
“No, I mean with Colorado. We’ve been mountain biking al day. It’s unbelievably amazing,” she told me.
“I’m glad you’re having fun.”
“Fun? This isn’t fun. This is nirvana. The trails here kick… fucking… ass. Sofa-King phat. Bitch, I’m opening Head 2, Electric Boogaloo in Denver. There’s a store across the street from Fortnum’s that’s for lease. I’m not fucking joking. I’m cal ing about it tomorrow.” Holy cow.
I wasn’t sure this was good. In fact, I was pretty sure this wasn’t good. I didn’t want Annette moving to Denver.
As for myself, I was in Denver-limbo. I couldn’t leave, I wasn’t going to stay.
I’d had a day without incident, time to settle, get my mind around things. I’d cleared my email, did some work, felt my life wasn’t total y out of control.
And I knew what I eventual y had to do.
The signs were al there; the right ones. Lee’s cheek kiss, Kitty Sue making us spaghetti, Indy’s unspoken invitation to the Sacred Sisterhood of Nightingale Women, me getting straight As on Malcolm’s Test.
It wasn’t that, it was me.
Things with Hank were good, fucking fantastic actual y, but that wasn’t going to last. I knew that like I knew The Gap’s clothing sizes ran smal . I was damaged goods and when things settled down and Hank had a minute to think, he’d realize just what I was and that he could do better. I wanted to be long gone before that happened.
My plan was simple. I was going to ride the wave, get safe and not cause any (more) trouble and then I was getting the fuck out of Dodge.