legs into that pretzel shape, while keeping her boots off the upholstery, in the tiny enclosure. “I’ll live. I’m probably faring better than you, anyway. You only think in your car when you’ve got a big problem. This baby’s for driving, not moping. Please tell me Alanso isn’t the trouble. You’re not going to dump him, are you?”
“What?” He shook his head. “Hell no. You know me better than that, Sally. Don’t you?”
A ghost of sadness crossed her face, making him tilt his head when she answered, “I do. Yes. I’m betting you two are forever. You’ve been besties since the moment you met. Throw in good sex, and what more could you need? I’m happy for you.”
“It doesn’t seem like it.” It was a statement, not an accusation.
“A little jealous, I guess.” She shrugged and looked away. “I’m not getting any younger, Cobra. I want a guy that looks at me like you two drool over each other. Even if you were trying to deny it these past few months.”
“I don’t think that’s going to be a problem, Sally.” Eli wished Alanso were here now or that they’d had just a little more time to discuss their long-term game plan. Too many things swirled in his mind. Big things. Things he couldn’t afford to fuck up by rushing.
One at a time, he cautioned himself. Slow and steady.
“Yeah. Right.” She sniffled.
“You sure you’re not coming down with a cold?” Eli lifted up to withdraw a rag from his pocket. He shivered when a slight ache reminded him of how he’d started his morning. “It’s clean, I was just going to make sure I didn’t get any bug guts on the car last night.”
“Thanks.” When she accepted the soft cloth, she noticed the paper in his fist. “What’ve you got there?”
“Bad news.”
“Ah, shit. That’s why you’re out here.” She wiped her nose daintily then held out her hand. “Well, let me see what’s got you all knotted up again. I liked seeing you relaxed this morning. It’s been a while.”
He nodded, both permission and agreement, before handing her the letter.
Being smart, she read it faster than he had. Then she clutched the paper to her chest and raised the cloth to her face again. Dabbing her eyes, she managed to preserve most of her elaborate makeup. He loved seeing what creative work she did on the canvas of her already-gorgeous features each morning.
“His poor mom.” She let out a tiny sob.
Eli reached over the gear shifter to hold her hand. He considered dragging her into his seat but didn’t want to risk tempting himself. She didn’t need him mauling her now. Under the weather and heartbroken weren’t conditions conducive to getting it on in a sports car.
Hell, not much was. But he’d make do, if he ever got the chance.
“I have to tell him, right?” He wished there was another option.
“Of course you do.” Her wobbling lower lip firmed as she found her legendary determination. “If you don’t, I will.”
“Will what?”
Eli jumped at the sound of Alanso approaching. The guys must have dropped him off outside so he could walk his bike into the shelter. He’d been upset enough last night to ditch the glowing neon motorcycle at the bottom of the staircase to their apartment.
Not far behind him, the rest of the men marched toward the shop.
In his rearview mirror, Eli spotted them joking around. Bryce punched Holden in the shoulder as wisecracks were doled out like candy at Halloween. Staggered in an uneven line, their forms were impressive. And reassuring. Together they could survive this like so many other devastations before.
He looked to Sally and nodded.
They both climbed from his beloved hot rod to greet the gang.
“Hey, guys. Come in here, would you?” Eli waved them forward and motioned for them to gather around. He was glad to see his dad bringing up the rear. Tom would make sure they didn’t go haywire.
“Oh shit. This must be serious. Let me guess…Alanso is horrible at sucking cock and you’ve
“What?” He shook his head. “Hell no. You know me better than that, Sally. Don’t you?”
A ghost of sadness crossed her face, making him tilt his head when she answered, “I do. Yes. I’m betting you two are forever. You’ve been besties since the moment you met. Throw in good sex, and what more could you need? I’m happy for you.”
“It doesn’t seem like it.” It was a statement, not an accusation.
“A little jealous, I guess.” She shrugged and looked away. “I’m not getting any younger, Cobra. I want a guy that looks at me like you two drool over each other. Even if you were trying to deny it these past few months.”
“I don’t think that’s going to be a problem, Sally.” Eli wished Alanso were here now or that they’d had just a little more time to discuss their long-term game plan. Too many things swirled in his mind. Big things. Things he couldn’t afford to fuck up by rushing.
One at a time, he cautioned himself. Slow and steady.
“Yeah. Right.” She sniffled.
“You sure you’re not coming down with a cold?” Eli lifted up to withdraw a rag from his pocket. He shivered when a slight ache reminded him of how he’d started his morning. “It’s clean, I was just going to make sure I didn’t get any bug guts on the car last night.”
“Thanks.” When she accepted the soft cloth, she noticed the paper in his fist. “What’ve you got there?”
“Bad news.”
“Ah, shit. That’s why you’re out here.” She wiped her nose daintily then held out her hand. “Well, let me see what’s got you all knotted up again. I liked seeing you relaxed this morning. It’s been a while.”
He nodded, both permission and agreement, before handing her the letter.
Being smart, she read it faster than he had. Then she clutched the paper to her chest and raised the cloth to her face again. Dabbing her eyes, she managed to preserve most of her elaborate makeup. He loved seeing what creative work she did on the canvas of her already-gorgeous features each morning.
“His poor mom.” She let out a tiny sob.
Eli reached over the gear shifter to hold her hand. He considered dragging her into his seat but didn’t want to risk tempting himself. She didn’t need him mauling her now. Under the weather and heartbroken weren’t conditions conducive to getting it on in a sports car.
Hell, not much was. But he’d make do, if he ever got the chance.
“I have to tell him, right?” He wished there was another option.
“Of course you do.” Her wobbling lower lip firmed as she found her legendary determination. “If you don’t, I will.”
“Will what?”
Eli jumped at the sound of Alanso approaching. The guys must have dropped him off outside so he could walk his bike into the shelter. He’d been upset enough last night to ditch the glowing neon motorcycle at the bottom of the staircase to their apartment.
Not far behind him, the rest of the men marched toward the shop.
In his rearview mirror, Eli spotted them joking around. Bryce punched Holden in the shoulder as wisecracks were doled out like candy at Halloween. Staggered in an uneven line, their forms were impressive. And reassuring. Together they could survive this like so many other devastations before.
He looked to Sally and nodded.
They both climbed from his beloved hot rod to greet the gang.
“Hey, guys. Come in here, would you?” Eli waved them forward and motioned for them to gather around. He was glad to see his dad bringing up the rear. Tom would make sure they didn’t go haywire.
“Oh shit. This must be serious. Let me guess…Alanso is horrible at sucking cock and you’ve
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