Page 46 of Lulu

“In my book they do.” I’d been horny since I’d walked into the room earlier that day and she’d been in the kitchen, wearing that miniscule crop top and lacy boy shorts that were tucked in nicely between the cheeks of her ass. “I don’t kiss women for the pleasure of it.” I’d known instantly that had been an asshole thing to say, and Lulu hadn’t let me get away with it.

“You’re a jerk!” she’d spit out angrily. With a huff she’d left the couch. “You just reminded me why I don’t like you!”

As she’d stormed from the room, I’d watched the bounce of her sweet ass, just itching to get my hands on it. I wanted Lulu fiercely. Always had. But I didn’t try to approach her again. She’d spent the rest of the night watching TV in her bedroom, and later, when she’d come back out, it was only to toss a blanket and pillow at me, saying snarkily, “Since you feel well enough for sex, I’m moving you to the couch.”

I’d been officially moved out of her bed.

Her couch was fucking uncomfortable, and morning hadn’t come soon enough. Making a pot of coffee for her had won me some brownie points. If there was anything I’d learned about Lulu, it was that she had to have coffee first thing in the mornings. I could tell from her expression when she’d first come out of her room that she was still slightly annoyed with me, but feeding Buttercup and letting her out had put a smile on her face.

Later, I’d watched her drive away in the small rental she’d picked up for the week. It crossed my mind that I could have let her use my truck, but realized the danger of returning to my house. I couldn’t assume that whoever was after me didn’t know what I drove when I wasn’t on my bike. Finding out would be as easy enough. If it was the same bastard who’d hacked into Sanford’s files, the DMV records would be a piece of cake to find.

I didn’t want Lulu associated with me in any fucking way.

A whine drew my gaze downward. Buttercup was there looking up at me expectantly, her tail wagging. Lulu had been bringing her to work all week, but had left her home today. I had a feeling that she was going to keep the dog, which was fine by me. “What?”

More tail wagging and then a bark.

“Wanna go out?”

She went to the door, and I took that to mean “yes.” She didn’t go far after I’d let her out, and I stood and watched while she did her business and then came right back inside.

I glanced up at the sky as I was closing the door. The dark clouds moving in told me that we were going to get some rain. It wouldn’t be much. Nevada was the driest state in the U.S., and if we got ten inches of rain a year that was something. We were more apt to get a dust storm than a rain storm.

I went to the fridge for a beer and decided to call Doc to let him know I would be at the clubhouse later than planned. He wouldn’t recognize my number, but I knew he’d pick up. When he answered there was a lot of noise in the background.

“Hey, Brother, you started the party without me?” I inquired.

“Where the fuck are you? I thought you’d be here by now.”

“Yeah, I decided to come later. That a problem?”

“Hell, no. Got a room all ready for you. We held church about your situation. Oz is gonna do a little research too, to see what he can find out. The brother is scary good with that kind of shit.”

“Appreciate it.” I didn’t really think Oz would find anything though. “Got word earlier that three of us are gone now.”

“Shit, Brother, what’s your gut telling you?”

“That it’s one of us.”

“Can you get us a list?”

“No. There’s only one man who knows who we are, we all use aliases. I’ve worked with a few, but I don’t know all of them.”

He grunted. “Shit, man.” The racket behind him was distracting and made it hard to carry on a conversation. “Demon wants to talk to you.”

I’d figured as much.

“I’ll see you when you get here.” He hung up, but not before I heard a husky, “Dance with me, baby.”

I snorted. Doc had the hots for Harlow, but that sweet little thing was married. Wanting someone you couldn’t have had to be tough.

Wanting someone you could have was hard, too.

Lulu wasn’t for me, no woman was, but damned if I didn’t want to claim her. It was easy to imagine what life with her would be like. It wouldn’t be boring, that was for sure. She was a little hellcat. Not afraid to use her claws, or say what she thought. She wasn’t afraid to fight, either. My dick got hard just thinking about how demanding she was in bed, how she held nothing back. And then I thought about her softness, and the tenderness of her hands when she’d taken care of me.

The woman had all the qualities I craved in a partner,ifI’d wanted that kind of life. I had to keep reminding myself not to go there because I knew that it wouldn’t work out, and in the end it would only hurt Lulu. I knew in my gut that I couldn’t give her what she deserved. No, I’d stick to our arrangement until one of us called it quits. Then I’d wish her well and we’d go our separate ways with no regrets.

I finished my beer and tossed it into the trash almost angrily. Thunder boomed loudly, shaking the little house. Buttercup took off as if the hounds of hell were after her, probably to hide under the bed or in the closet. I heard the first pitter patter of raindrops hit the windows. It sounded like someone was tossing pebbles at the glass. The darkening sky had turned the interior of the house gloomy.