I swallowed hard. I nodded. “I’ve always loved you.”
“Shit,” Duke said. “I’ve been waiting to hear that for a long time.”
“There you go. You’ve heard it.”
I broke away from Duke and stepped back, showing him my naked body. “Have anything you want to say?”
“Three words,” Duke said. “You. Are. Beautiful.”
“Thanks,” I said.
Duke closed back in, his hands at my hips. Something about that spot on my body and the size of his hands gripping me was instant wetness.
“Belle, I love you,” Duke said. “I’ve always loved you. Even when I was gone. You’re everything to me.”
“You’re everything to me, Duke. I just want all of this to be over. The pain. The suffering.”
“Ah, sweetie, I can’t promise that,” he whispered to me. “But I can promise you I’ll do everything to keep you from it. And when it happens I’ll be by your side.”
“Promise me that we can come up here and fool around whenever I want.”
“I could do that,” he said. Then he smiled. “But now that Cash has your scent, he’s like a predator. He’ll keep poking up here until he catches us.”
“Then what?”
“He’ll take pictures and jerk off.”
“Again, ew.”
Duke laughed. “Let’s get dressed.”
We got dressed and faced each other again. I wished there was something I could tell him that went beyond love without sounding like a creep or stalker.
I opened my mouth but never got the chance to speak.
Down below us, we heard a scream.
**
I was the fool who ran to the edge of the roof, completely forgetting we were high in the air. Duke grabbed me and tossed me back. He reached for his gun and peered over the edge. I then saw him tuck his gun away and look back, grinning.
“What?” I asked.
“You want to see something?”
I crept toward the edge and looked down.
Maggie and Jim were in the lot. Maggie was on the railing and Jim was in front of her. She probably screamed because Jim lifted her up. Jim always had insane strength. Even when he was a lazy drunk, he never lost his strength or definition. That always pissed me off too because if I had a jelly donut for breakfast my pants wouldn’t fit for three days.
Maggie had her hands on Jim’s shoulders. His hands were on the railing.
“They like each other,” Duke said.
“Yeah, they do,” I said. “I set that up. Had Maggie help at the house just to distract them both.”
“Them both?”
“Jim for the obvious reasons,” I said. “For Maggie… she was tied up in a bad breakup for a long time. Guy used her for sex.”
“Like there’s any other use for someone like Maggie?”
I punched Duke in the arm. “Hey. Don’t be like that.”
“What? She was…”
“Was,” I said. “Give her some credit.”
Duke laughed.
We watched as Jim and Maggie flirted back and forth. Jim had a bottle of whiskey and gave it to Maggie. When she went to take a drink, Jim slipped his hand to her lower back to keep her from falling back.
“There you go, man,” Duke said. “Make those little moves.”
“Oh, you’re giving commentary to this? Is that what you do?”
Duke looked at me. “No, sweetie. If I see something I want, I fucking take it. Always take it.
Dammit, he made me blush again with that comment.
Jim took the bottle from Maggie and put it down. I had never seen my brother give up booze for someone else before. His other hand touched her waist. Maggie pulled at his shoulders and Jim moved closer to her. They were just about eye level when I witnessed my brother kiss Maggie.
I could stand the first kiss but then the second kiss started and it was all tongue. Even from my vantage point I could see it clearly.
I was grossed out but happy for Jim. And Maggie.
Their make out session took a turn for the hotter when Maggie put a leg around Jim.
“Oh, shit,” Duke said. “She’s serious.”
“Appears so.”
“Your big bro is going to get laid tonight.”
“Ew. Stop.”
Jim pulled Maggie off the railing. I grabbed at Duke’s leather cut. All I could think about was Jim’s prosthetic leg. If he fell…
Jim turned and walked just fine.
He put Maggie on the back of a motorcycle and pulled her closer. Her hands went up into his hair. She leaned back and Jim kept going at her. I could stand there right up until I saw Jim’s hand go up and over Maggie’s left breast.
That’s when I checked out.
I pulled at Duke. “Leave them alone. They both need it.”
“Shit, sweetie, after watching that, I need it again,” Duke said.
“Oh yeah?” I flirted.
Duke made a move at me and that was interrupted by the noise of someone coming up to the roof. I thought it was Cash again but this time it was Trent.
Now that guy was big and scary looking.
“Trent,” Duke said.
“Duke,” Trent said. “It’s time to ride, brother. Night’s here.”
“I’ll be there in a minute.”
Trent climbed back down into the clubhouse and I looked at Duke, my heart already racing.