CupidRocks by Francesca Hawley Page A

now. He’d gotten worried at first,
missing all those fingerings. He flexed his hands then stood up. He needed a
shower and he needed to get dressed. He glanced at the clock on the mantle.
They had to leave in just over an hour to make it to his parents’ home by one.
They couldn’t be late. Damn, Leopold would have his hide.
    He went to the kitchen to look for Mandy. The kitchen was
clean…and empty. He went to the fridge and took out some cold bacon strips to
eat. He headed for her bedroom. Empty too, but she’d showered. He found damp
towels folded along the side of the tub and on racks beside the shower stall.
The room smelled like her and he shifted as his cock stiffened. Damn, he wanted
to fuck her. But where the hell was she?
    Joe went through the place from top to bottom. No Mandy.
Anywhere. Now he was pissed. This little trip to visit his parents was her idea, damn it. If she didn’t show up soon, they’d be late.
    Joe heard a pickup truck pull up behind the house and prayed
it was Mandy. He went out to the back porch then swallowed hard. She was
laughing down into Zach’s face as he helped her out of the bed of the pickup.
He opened the door and went out into the cold.
    “How the hell would you guys have gotten home if I hadn’t
been driving past?” Zach asked Mandy, laughing.
    “We woulda walked.”
    “Then why did you ask me?”
    “’Cause you live next door, silly.” She glanced over and saw
Joe, her eyes clouding and her smile fading. “Look. Zach gave us a ride in from
downtown.”
    “Yeah. I see that.”
    Joe blinked a couple of times, wishing the damn wind wasn’t
making his eyes tear up. And he was sure his chest only felt tight because he
was hungry. He wasn’t hurt. No way. He turned and went back into the kitchen to
get some food.
    “Did you finish practicing?” Mandy asked quietly.
    “Obviously.” He pulled out some orange juice to drink,
taking a swig before turning back to face her.
    Carly came in and looked from one of them to the other. “We
missed you,” she said softly.
    He raised his brows. “Really? Looked like you all did fine.”
    “You were busy,” Mandy reminded him.
    “I didn’t tell you to leave the house because I had to
practice.”
    Mandy shrugged. “I went for a walk and ran into Eddie and
Carly. We went window-shopping. Everything’s all decked out for Valentine’s
Day. Hearts and flowers everywhere.”
    “And Zach just drove by while you were out? Right?”
    “Yes, that’s right.” Mandy crossed her arms over her chest.
    “Bullshit.” Joe put the juice away. “I’m going to shower. We
have to leave in about thirty minutes. You might want to get dressed.” He
looked her up and down. “And trust me. With my father, jeans won’t cut it.” He
stalked past and went to her bedroom.
    He pulled off his clothes, throwing them on the bedroom
floor then walked into the bathroom. Joe got into the shower, turned on the
water and stood beneath the streaming water. So Zach gave them a ride home. Why
the hell was he so bent about it? Shit.
    He got his hair wet and looked for shampoo, swearing when
the only thing he found was some damn female fruity crap. He poured some out
and used it anyway. He didn’t think Eddie would appreciate him wandering wet
and naked upstairs to get his suitcase.
    He climbed out of the shower and dried himself then used the
hairdryer on his long hair. Joe walked naked into the bedroom to find Mandy
still dressed in jeans and he shook his head.
    “Mandy, you can’t wear jeans.”
    “Why not?”
    “You just can’t.”
    He pulled down the garment bag and got out his clothes. He
tugged on a pair of briefs, then a white shirt. He pulled on his suit pants,
zipping them up. He tugged the leather belt out of the garment bag and put it
on, adjusting his shirt cuffs. He shrugged into his suit jacket, all the while
ignoring Mandy, who sat on her bed watching him with a pissed frown. Finally,
he tied his tie, put on his socks and dress