hand.
“Hello. I’m Todd Lake,” Koka said, unwilling to give the man he suspected was Sabine’s ex his real name.
“You’re Sabine’s date?” the man asked, his tone one of shock.
Koka raised an eyebrow. “Yes. Why?”
Sabine watched Martin shake his head in disbelief— the bastard. He couldn’t even take it in that someone like Koka found her attractive when he no longer did. Well, screw him. She was having enough trouble believing Koka herself. She didn’t need Martin’s doubts too.
“That’s enough of being nosy, Martin. I don’t go to your house and harass your new wife. Now get your weights and leave. Joe will help you,” Sabine said. “And I’m pretty sure that’s the last of your belongings. So don’t come back anymore.”
When Martin blinked in surprise at her firm order, Sabine saw Joe grab his stunned brother’s arm and steer him back to the garage. She turned to Koka and sighed again.
“Sorry about that. My ex is just being nosy. He didn’t really come by to get his weights. He just wanted to see if you were real. I told him I had a date tonight and I guess he didn’t believe me.”
Koka nodded and untied his apron. “I can see you are distressed about his presence. I think I will help with the weights so that his departure will happen more quickly.”
“You really don’t have to do that. In fact, I’d rather you not get involved at all. Joe will see Martin behaves,” Sabine said softly.
He tipped her chin up again with one finger. “I’m already involved. And I want your ex to know it. Do you have a problem with that?”
Sabine sighed and bit her lip. Finally, she shook her head faintly.
Koka tapped underneath her chin to keep her aware of him. “Can I go help if I promise not to beat my chest like an ape and scream at him?”
“That was a joke, right?” Sabine asked.
Koka chuckled and leaned down to drop a kiss on her mouth. Too tempted to be a complete gentleman, he ended up nipping the lip she had bitten, wishing he could do more.
“Mostly I was joking,” he said quietly. “But I want to carry his weights and see his understanding of the metaphor I mean it to be. I am sure it will cause him surprise again that he has truly lost the most beautiful woman he will ever know. This is his day for seeing the truth.”
The breath she had been holding escaped slowly. When she was empty of it, she nodded. “Fine. Go beat your chest, but make it fast. I hate to eat dry chicken.”
When Koka grinned and headed out the door, Sabine shook her head. “I truly have lost my mind.”
Less than three minutes later, Joe and Koka strolled back into the kitchen laughing and talking. She looked at Koka’s hands in horror and pointed to another door. “Bathroom is down the hall and on the right. There’s degreaser under the sink. You should have let Martin lift the ones from the garage floor, you big dummy. Get that grease off before it stains. I don’t need Edwina tracking me down for ruining your hands.”
Koka laughed as he headed in the direction of her pointing hand.
Sabine turned when he left to see Joe staring after him. “Stop drooling. He’s completely straight. Trust me.”
Joe turned his gaze to Sabine. “No, that’s not it. Martin and I picked up two forty-five pound weights each. Koka picked up the rest of the pile all at once and carried them to the trunk of Martin’s car. He was very polite and gracious about it the whole time. Martin was poleaxed with shock, but I think I was too. Did you have any idea the man was that strong?”
Sabine bit her lip and stared back at her entrée that was nearing the end of its edibility.
“Yes. I’m somewhat acquainted with Koka’s muscles,” she admitted, unwilling to admit to Joe that her hands had memorized his biceps.
Joe reached over and kissed her cheek. “Okay then. Since my heroic deed is now done, I’m leaving. Have a good date. I like him, Sabine.”
“Yes,” she said softly. “I like him too.
“Hello. I’m Todd Lake,” Koka said, unwilling to give the man he suspected was Sabine’s ex his real name.
“You’re Sabine’s date?” the man asked, his tone one of shock.
Koka raised an eyebrow. “Yes. Why?”
Sabine watched Martin shake his head in disbelief— the bastard. He couldn’t even take it in that someone like Koka found her attractive when he no longer did. Well, screw him. She was having enough trouble believing Koka herself. She didn’t need Martin’s doubts too.
“That’s enough of being nosy, Martin. I don’t go to your house and harass your new wife. Now get your weights and leave. Joe will help you,” Sabine said. “And I’m pretty sure that’s the last of your belongings. So don’t come back anymore.”
When Martin blinked in surprise at her firm order, Sabine saw Joe grab his stunned brother’s arm and steer him back to the garage. She turned to Koka and sighed again.
“Sorry about that. My ex is just being nosy. He didn’t really come by to get his weights. He just wanted to see if you were real. I told him I had a date tonight and I guess he didn’t believe me.”
Koka nodded and untied his apron. “I can see you are distressed about his presence. I think I will help with the weights so that his departure will happen more quickly.”
“You really don’t have to do that. In fact, I’d rather you not get involved at all. Joe will see Martin behaves,” Sabine said softly.
He tipped her chin up again with one finger. “I’m already involved. And I want your ex to know it. Do you have a problem with that?”
Sabine sighed and bit her lip. Finally, she shook her head faintly.
Koka tapped underneath her chin to keep her aware of him. “Can I go help if I promise not to beat my chest like an ape and scream at him?”
“That was a joke, right?” Sabine asked.
Koka chuckled and leaned down to drop a kiss on her mouth. Too tempted to be a complete gentleman, he ended up nipping the lip she had bitten, wishing he could do more.
“Mostly I was joking,” he said quietly. “But I want to carry his weights and see his understanding of the metaphor I mean it to be. I am sure it will cause him surprise again that he has truly lost the most beautiful woman he will ever know. This is his day for seeing the truth.”
The breath she had been holding escaped slowly. When she was empty of it, she nodded. “Fine. Go beat your chest, but make it fast. I hate to eat dry chicken.”
When Koka grinned and headed out the door, Sabine shook her head. “I truly have lost my mind.”
Less than three minutes later, Joe and Koka strolled back into the kitchen laughing and talking. She looked at Koka’s hands in horror and pointed to another door. “Bathroom is down the hall and on the right. There’s degreaser under the sink. You should have let Martin lift the ones from the garage floor, you big dummy. Get that grease off before it stains. I don’t need Edwina tracking me down for ruining your hands.”
Koka laughed as he headed in the direction of her pointing hand.
Sabine turned when he left to see Joe staring after him. “Stop drooling. He’s completely straight. Trust me.”
Joe turned his gaze to Sabine. “No, that’s not it. Martin and I picked up two forty-five pound weights each. Koka picked up the rest of the pile all at once and carried them to the trunk of Martin’s car. He was very polite and gracious about it the whole time. Martin was poleaxed with shock, but I think I was too. Did you have any idea the man was that strong?”
Sabine bit her lip and stared back at her entrée that was nearing the end of its edibility.
“Yes. I’m somewhat acquainted with Koka’s muscles,” she admitted, unwilling to admit to Joe that her hands had memorized his biceps.
Joe reached over and kissed her cheek. “Okay then. Since my heroic deed is now done, I’m leaving. Have a good date. I like him, Sabine.”
“Yes,” she said softly. “I like him too.
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