course. What’s the occasion?” he asked curiously.
“I thought I’d go get a drink,” I replied, knowing he was going to push for more information than that, and of course he did.
“A drink? You’ve got a whole clubhouse full of liquor, boss.”
“Yeah, I know.” Oh, what the hell. Why was I being mysterious? He was my best friend. “I have a date.”
He whooped so loudly, I almost fell off my chair.
“Aw, fuck, stop that shit,” I said. “It’s just a drink.”
“Well, it may just be a drink, but you haven’t been on a date in seven years!”
“Yeah, I’m fully aware of that, thanks,” I said sarcastically.
“Well, who’s the lucky girl?” he asked.
“Rosie’s teacher.”
His eyes bugged out and he stared at me.
“The hot Ms. Daisy? Holy shit!” he said, nodding his head up and down, his unruly curls swinging around his face.
“Shut up. Sure, she’s hot, but she’s also….I don’t know…sweet.”
“Sweet!” he spat out the whiskey he just poured into his mouth. “Yeah, and I bet she tastes real sweet, too, boss!”
“Shut up!” I was regretting saying anything at all, but he was the only person I trusted to watch Rosie. My parents had died a long time ago in a car accident, and Rose’s parents lived in New York and while they came to visit every now and then, they were not a regular fixture in her life. I think it was hard for them to look at Rosie and see Rose in her eyes.
His cackles followed me down the hallway as I retreated to the privacy of my office. But, then I remembered the guy following me and I walked back out to Reaper. Sandman had joined him, and they were talking quietly and laughing together, no doubt about my upcoming date.
“Hey guys. Have you seen a black sedan hanging around outside at all? One guy in it — short brown hair, looks like a cop, but isn’t dressed like one?”
They shook their heads.
“No, boss. Ain’t seen nothing like that,” Sandman replied.
“Me, neither,” Reaper said. “Why?”
“He was outside my house today when I finished walking lil’ Mike. When I left, he followed me all the way to the parking lot of Ralph’s. I have no idea who it is, but just keep an eye out and let me know right away if you spot him. It could be the DA sending someone to try to drum up some dirt on us.”
“Sure, boss, we’ll keep an eye out.”
“Thanks, brothers. Reaper, can you come to my house at seven tonight to watch Rosie?”
“I’ll be there,” he said with a knowing smile.
“Thanks,” I grumbled before returning to my office to try not to think about Daisy for the rest of the day.
I failed miserably.
☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼
When I opened the door at eight that night, Mike was standing there with two helmets in his hand and a mischievous grin on his face.
He held up the extra helmet and shrugged.
“I forgot to mention I’d pick you up on the bike. Glad you’re wearing jeans,” he said, grinning like a madman.
“I’ve never been on a bike before,” I said, shyly.
“Never? Seriously? Wow, you’re in for a treat! I’m glad I’m your first,” he said, his expression turning serious as he gazed at me and leaned in to kiss my cheek.
I blushed, my insides melting as I felt the heat of his lips on my cheek. I didn’t pull away, I didn’t lean in, I just let him kiss my smiling face and looked up at him when he pulled back.
“I’ll try not to be afraid,” I said, referring to the bike ride, even though the same could have been said about his kisses. There was something about Mike that drew me to him, made me want to be closer to him, made me want him to reach into my heart and jeans all at the same time.
I hadn’t seen him drive anything else, so I assumed we would be on his bike, which is why I eventually decided to dress down tonight. I was wearing my favorite black, pearl-buttoned cowboy shirt, my best fitting pair of jeans and brown cowboy boots.
“I thought I’d go get a drink,” I replied, knowing he was going to push for more information than that, and of course he did.
“A drink? You’ve got a whole clubhouse full of liquor, boss.”
“Yeah, I know.” Oh, what the hell. Why was I being mysterious? He was my best friend. “I have a date.”
He whooped so loudly, I almost fell off my chair.
“Aw, fuck, stop that shit,” I said. “It’s just a drink.”
“Well, it may just be a drink, but you haven’t been on a date in seven years!”
“Yeah, I’m fully aware of that, thanks,” I said sarcastically.
“Well, who’s the lucky girl?” he asked.
“Rosie’s teacher.”
His eyes bugged out and he stared at me.
“The hot Ms. Daisy? Holy shit!” he said, nodding his head up and down, his unruly curls swinging around his face.
“Shut up. Sure, she’s hot, but she’s also….I don’t know…sweet.”
“Sweet!” he spat out the whiskey he just poured into his mouth. “Yeah, and I bet she tastes real sweet, too, boss!”
“Shut up!” I was regretting saying anything at all, but he was the only person I trusted to watch Rosie. My parents had died a long time ago in a car accident, and Rose’s parents lived in New York and while they came to visit every now and then, they were not a regular fixture in her life. I think it was hard for them to look at Rosie and see Rose in her eyes.
His cackles followed me down the hallway as I retreated to the privacy of my office. But, then I remembered the guy following me and I walked back out to Reaper. Sandman had joined him, and they were talking quietly and laughing together, no doubt about my upcoming date.
“Hey guys. Have you seen a black sedan hanging around outside at all? One guy in it — short brown hair, looks like a cop, but isn’t dressed like one?”
They shook their heads.
“No, boss. Ain’t seen nothing like that,” Sandman replied.
“Me, neither,” Reaper said. “Why?”
“He was outside my house today when I finished walking lil’ Mike. When I left, he followed me all the way to the parking lot of Ralph’s. I have no idea who it is, but just keep an eye out and let me know right away if you spot him. It could be the DA sending someone to try to drum up some dirt on us.”
“Sure, boss, we’ll keep an eye out.”
“Thanks, brothers. Reaper, can you come to my house at seven tonight to watch Rosie?”
“I’ll be there,” he said with a knowing smile.
“Thanks,” I grumbled before returning to my office to try not to think about Daisy for the rest of the day.
I failed miserably.
☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼ ☼
When I opened the door at eight that night, Mike was standing there with two helmets in his hand and a mischievous grin on his face.
He held up the extra helmet and shrugged.
“I forgot to mention I’d pick you up on the bike. Glad you’re wearing jeans,” he said, grinning like a madman.
“I’ve never been on a bike before,” I said, shyly.
“Never? Seriously? Wow, you’re in for a treat! I’m glad I’m your first,” he said, his expression turning serious as he gazed at me and leaned in to kiss my cheek.
I blushed, my insides melting as I felt the heat of his lips on my cheek. I didn’t pull away, I didn’t lean in, I just let him kiss my smiling face and looked up at him when he pulled back.
“I’ll try not to be afraid,” I said, referring to the bike ride, even though the same could have been said about his kisses. There was something about Mike that drew me to him, made me want to be closer to him, made me want him to reach into my heart and jeans all at the same time.
I hadn’t seen him drive anything else, so I assumed we would be on his bike, which is why I eventually decided to dress down tonight. I was wearing my favorite black, pearl-buttoned cowboy shirt, my best fitting pair of jeans and brown cowboy boots.
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