“Come in” I cal ed, thinking it was Mom or Trixie to give me another lecture.
Eddie walked in and closed the door.
Damn.
“I’m almost ready.”
I stood and grabbed my jeans jacket, pul ing it on.
Eddie watched me; shoulders against the door, arms crossed on his chest, eyes on my uniform. For the first time that night he looked unhappy.
“What?” I asked.
“I don’t like you working there,” he said.
I grabbed my purse, but he wasn’t done.
“And I really don’t like that outfit.” I sighed.
“I don’t have much of a choice,” I said, walking toward him. “Anyway, it doesn’t much matter if you like it or you don’t, it doesn’t have anything to do with you.” He was standing against the door and not moving.
“Can you get out of the way?” I asked, looking up at him.
I should have looked sooner. His eyes were glittery which meant he’d gone from unhappy to pissed off.
“I thought we’d been through this,” he commented, his voice scary quiet.
Uh-oh.
I decided to ignore it.
“I can’t be late for work.”
“I can see my plan isn’t working,” he replied, changing the subject.
“What plan?” I asked, staying as far away from him as I could without retreating or looking like I was staying as far away from him as I could. I was beginning to feel a thril of fear working up my spine.
“Honesty, being a nice guy, doing good deeds, getting you indebted to me.”
I stared at him, scared of what he’d say next.
“So?” I asked.
Okay, so I had to know, even though I didn’t want to know.
“So, I’l have to try a new plan.”
If his old plan was honesty, being nice and doing good things, I didn’t want to know what his new plan would be.
He told me anyway.
“The way I see it, the minute I got my hand in your pants and made you come, that bought me nearly an entire day of you bein’ nice to me. You didn’t yel at me once, you cried in my arms and fel asleep in them too. So, I’m guessin’ that’s the way to keep you sweet.”
Oh… dear… Lord.
I just stared. I mean, what did you say to that?
He kept going, “I’l take you to work, I’l pick you up and you’re spendin’ the night at my house.”
Eek!
“I don’t like your plan,” I final y found my voice.
“Then quit behavin’ like a bitch, it isn’t you and doesn’t suit you.”
My mouth dropped open. I knew I was being a bitch, but I never expected him to cal me on it.
My eyes narrowed and I put a hand on my hip. I’d been doing that a lot lately. I didn’t think I was the kind of woman to put a hand on her hip, but there you go.
“Pardon?”
“Your Mom and her friends love you and they’re proud of you. Tonight, you embarrassed your mother.”
“It isn’t about her,” I snapped, “It’s about you.”
“I know it’s about me. It doesn’t matter, you stil embarrassed her.”
“She’l get over it.”
“Can I expect more of this tomorrow night, with my mother?”
See, I wasn’t wrong with what I told him. Trixie, Ada and Mom would get over it and I knew that.
There was no way I’d be bitchy to Blanca. Blanca was a nice lady.
Eddie didn’t need to know that. For now, if I was going to be a bitch, then I was going to have to go al the way. I leaned forward a couple of inches and kinda lied, “Maybe.” He pushed away from the door and came at me.
“Then I’l have to make sure you’re sweet.” Eek! Eek! Eek!
I put my hands up to ward him off.
“You could just back off and leave me alone,” I tried.
His chest came up against my hands and then pushed them backward until they were pressed between our bodies.
“That’s not gonna happen.”
I looked up at him.
He looked down at me.
We had a staring contest.
I lost the staring contest, let out a big sigh and relaxed against him.
“Oh, al right. I’l stop being a bitch.” The scary glitter went out of his eyes and warmth seeped into them.
“I knew you couldn’t keep it up.”
This was true.
I stil gave him a look.
He wrapped his arm around my neck and guided me to the door.
“Let’s get you to work.
Chapter Twelve
Enough Was Enough
Eddie walked into the club with me.
Smithie took one look at us and shouted, “I got new furniture on order and I don’t wanna hafta buy more. Get that motherfucker outta here.”
Eddie’s hand was at my back and at Smithie’s words it slid around to my hip. I thought this was a dangerous sign so I looked up at him to gauge the danger level. There was no smile, but the dimple was out and I took this as an indication I could relax.
I put my jacket and purse on the bar and slid my cel into the apron Smithie gave me.
“He’s just dropping me off.”
Smithie was glaring at Eddie, who’d casual y put his forearm on the bar like he was going to stay al night. At my words, Smithie’s eyes slid to me.
“I take it since you got a fuckin’ escort, you ain’t got your shit sorted out yet,” he said.
“No,” I admitted.