Page 44 of Lulu

I took a chance. “Why are you lying to me?”

Another hesitation, this one longer, before she sighed and looked my way. “Because it’s easier that way. You don’t get a lot of questions when everything is okay with your life.”

I understood what she meant by that. Everyone in the world had that formula down pat. If you didn’t want someone up in your business, you just pretended that everything was good and lied your ass off to make it believable. Now it was my turn to pause. Our friendship was too new for me to know how far I could go with Harlow before she shut me down and then shut me out. I didn’t want that, and decided to set her straight.

“Look, honey, if I step out of line, just tell me. You won’t hurt my feelings by telling me it’s none of my business. We’re just two friends winding down at the end of the day with a glass of wine and conversation.”

“Thank you for that.” There was relief in her tone. “It’s none of your business.”

We both threw back our heads and laughed like long lost friends rehashing funny memories from our pasts. Just as we were winding down, Doc appeared in the doorway, his eyes instantly moving to Harlow. The longing on his face made me feel so sad for him. He was a good man who deserved to find happiness with someone just as the others had.

I suddenly wondered if Harlow was the reason he didn’t go to his clinic as often.

“I’m on my way out,” he said. “Savage is good.”

“Did he tell you what happened?”

Doc snorted, and the smirk that all the Desert Rebels had perfected curved his lips upwards.

“You can’t say ‘club business,’” I was quick to point out, because I sensed that that was exactly what was coming next.

“It’shisbusiness,” he said instead. His eyes darted to Harlow again. “Take care.” He turned and left before she could respond.

I looked at her and understood why she hadn’t said anything. She was choked up with emotion. Huge tears were shining brightly in her eyes, and I wondered how she kept them from falling. After a moment she seemed to pull herself together and took a drink of her wine, staring out at the darkening horizon. The sun was just about gone behind the mountains.

“Let me go check on dinner.” I felt that she needed a few minutes alone.

Buttercup followed me into the house and went directly back to the bedroom. I didn’t care if I had to fight Brody for her, I’d already decided I was going to keep her. She was a good dog, well-behaved, and lovable. I’d had her for a few days now, and I’d been taking her to work with me. She loved the attention.

The roast and vegetables were done, so I fixed Brody a small plate. He hadn’t had solids for a while, and now that he was awake I was sure that he would turn down any more broth. I took it to him to find him walking back to the bed like an old man--a naked old man--without a cane, holding his side and mumbling irritably beneath his breath.

A loud laugh burst out of me. I couldn’t help it. “Now I know what you’re going to look like in thirty years.”

With a grunt he carefully lowered himself back down to the bed, removing the view I’d had of his fine, firm ass and giving me an even better view of his swinging cock. Fuck, even flaccid that muscle was formidable. I raised my eyes to his before he caught me gawking.

“What makes you think you’ll get a chance to see me in thirty years?”

I thought about his question for a moment before I responded saucily, “Wishful thinking?”

He laughed, but cut it short and grabbed his side. “Whatever you have on that plate smells fucking good.”

I brought it over to him and sat down on the edge of the bed. “It’s roast and vegetables with a little gravy.”

He looked down at the plate on my lap, his stomach grumbling. “That’s all I get?” He frowned disappointedly. “I’m a grown-ass man, not a five-year-old boy.”

I rolled my eyes internally. “You haven’t had solids in days. If you can get this down and want more, I’ll get it for you.”

His eyes lifted to mine after he arranged the sheet over his lap. “You going to feed me, too?”

I gave him his plate and stood up. “No. I invited Harlow for dinner. We’re going to drink wine and eat at the table like adults.”

“I could use a beer.”

“Uh-huh. And when you’re strong enough to walk yourself to the kitchen and get it, you can have one.”

His grin warmed me. Four days ago, I’d thought it was the end of Brody Savage. The tall, big-muscled man who’d seemed invincible had come close to dying. As I stared down at the infuriating, sexy killer, I knew that only a fool would give her heart to a man like him, someone who lived life on the edge and probably had a lot of enemies. Seeing him on death’s door had scared the hell out of me, and reminded me of how fragile life was. But the truth was, I didn’t want to face life without him.

Jesus, was I going to cry?