Tekgrrl by A. J. Menden Page B

stomach. “You mean, he’s not attacking you?”
    “Attacking me? Of course he’s not attacking me! The only people attacking us are you two. Just take some money and go.”
    “We’re not trying to rob you, we’re heroes,” Luke said. “We’re trying to help!”
    The woman snorted and pointed at me with a manicured finger. “So you people get off by dressing up in crazy outfits and ‘helping’ people. Others like to have sex in public places. That’s not a crime, is it?”
    “N-no,” I stuttered.
    “Indecent exposure maybe,” Luke suggested, still holding the boyfriend.
    “In a dark alley where only freaks like you hang out?” The woman clutched her ripped blouse shut. “Let go of my boyfriend right now, before I sue your ass.”
    Luke let go of the guy, who quickly went for his pants. He rebuttoned them, pink-cheeked, and turned to his girlfriend. “Let’s just go, Lucy.”
    Lucy took her boyfriend’s arm. “Are you okay, Barry? Maybe I should take you to a hospital.”
    “I’m fine!”
    “You said the same thing when you fell off the bed and hit your head on the nightstand table. That time you ended up having a concussion.”
    “I said I’m fine!” He’d turned bright red. “Let’s go!” He tugged her along, away from us.
    “You two need to get laid once in a while!” Lucy called back at us as he dragged her away.
    Luke and I stood a moment in awkward silence, eyeing each other. Then I saw the corners of his mouth twitch. I gave him a small smile. We both burst out laughing.
    “For what it’s worth, I thought we made a good team there. If not an entirely bright one,” Luke remarked.
    “You can add ‘stupid’ to your list of insults, I suppose,” I joked after a moment. “Possibly lonely.”
    “I’m no better, I thought he was attacking her too,” Luke said, still laughing.
    “So, I guess you’ve never done anything adventurous like that, either?” I said—then realized too late what I had just said. And to whom.
    “I guess my adventurous nature is more suited to saving people and not the bedroom. Or outside of the bedroom.” He smiled wryly. “Or maybe I just haven’t met the right woman yet.”
    I ignored the tingle of attraction that surged through me. “Well, I think you’d have to be pretty desperate to decide to move things out here in order to spice things up in the bedroom.” I gestured around. “It’s, well…unhygienic. And cold.”
    “I suppose I should be grateful,” Luke said, sobering. “If that whole thing wasn’t an icebreaker, I don’t know what is.”
    “Sorry I yelled at you like that,” I said. “And maybe it is frivolous female jealousy that’s getting to me. She is gorgeous.”
    “See, that’s one of the things I don’t understand about women. So she’s pretty, so what? You’re pretty. You never see men not be friendly with someone because he’s more attractive.”
    “We are mysterious creatures,” I agreed, taking delight that I’d gotten a compliment out of him. I’d only had to be insulted and embarrassed beforehand, but hey, a compliment is a compliment. “But I will try to rise above petty insecurities and be nice and friendly from now on.”
    “Insecurities? You can rewire shuttles to take people into space, and you’re insecure…” He shook his head, as if amazed. I fought back even more pride. “We’re still going to work out together tomorrow, right?”
    “Right,” I said. Oh, no. What was I doing? I’d implied I was going to start training more with him, but that had been the champagne talking. I avoided working out like the plague. Luke acted like it was a form of religion.
    “I’ll invite her to join us. It’ll give you two a chance to get to know each other.”
    “Well,” I decided, “no one is glamorous while sweating.”
    “Exactly.” He gave me a wink.
    I knew I had to play nice. “All right, it sounds like a plan,” I agreed.
    He started off down the alley, back toward the main street.