Rock Chick 04 Renegade (50 page)

“Do it,” he demanded.

Okay, now I was freaking out and deciding maybe I didn’t want to have sex even though I wanted sex now more than ever.

Al the while looking at him I pushed down my underwear and it fel to the floor. No sooner did it hit my feet then he lifted me up, hands at my ass and my arms and legs automatical y circled him.

He went down to the floor on his knee then he put me on my back and covered me with his body.

“What are we doing?” I asked, staring into his eyes.

I felt his hand between us, working at his belt.

“We’re gonna have to be quick.”

“How quick?”

“Real quick.”

“I’m not sure I want quick.”

His face went into my neck. “You don’t have much choice,” he said in my ear which made me shiver. Then I felt his tongue touch me and slide down my neck to my col arbone which made me shiver more.

“Is quick good?” I asked.

“It can be,” he said at the base of my throat then he touched me between my legs and I sucked in breath.

His mouth came to mine and I could feel he was smiling, pleased about something.

He looked in my eyes and said, “Christ, you’re always wet.”

“Is that good?”

“Fuck yeah.”

“I think it happened when you told me to take off my underwear,” I informed him helpful y.

His finger slid inside me. “I’l remember that.” My hands pushed into his jeans and I ran them over his ass. I was done talking and so was Vance.

And, for your information, quick could be good.

* * * * *

It was sitting on my desk and the display said “Crowe cal ing.”

Looking at it, I smiled.

* * * * *

Apparently Mace had done his job wel . This was because Luke and Ike felt like getting in on the act. So they’d al done their job wel . They’d done it job so wel , Shard, Clarence and Jermaine not only decided not to fuck with me, they also decided that maybe Denver wasn’t for them. Luke, Mace and Ike had convinced them to try their luck at ruining other people’s lives somewhere outside the Mile High City. They weren’t only leaving town, they already left. Vance knew this because Mace, Ike and Luke had escorted them to the city limits.

This made me feel weird. It was weird because I felt safe and protected but I also felt badly that they likely had to commit acts of violence in order to make me feel safe and protected.

I spent the morning struggling with that.

Since I figured Shard, Clarence and Jermaine had destroyed a number of lives by the time the clock struck twelve, I got over it.

Then I cal ed Luke.

“Babe,” he answered.

“I don’t know what to say.”

Silence then, “I’m guessin’ you’re talkin’ about the boys.”

“I’m talking about what you and Mace and Ike did for me.

I feel like I should do something to repay you.”

“Not necessary.”

“Maybe I should make you some cookies,” I suggested.

“
Really
not necessary.”

At first I was shocked at the emphasis to his “real y”.

Then I remembered that Luke had smel ed the results of my last attempt at being a baking goddess.

“Okay, maybe I should buy you some cookies.”

“That’d work.”

Disconnect.

Wel then, there it was.

Store cookies seemed kind of a lame “thank you” for driving three drug dealers hel -bent on gang-raping and torturing you out of town but burnt cookies were no thank you at al .

I made a mental note to hit the bakery at Safeway and got back to work.

* * * * *

I liked it a lot.

I picked up my phone and flipped it open. “Hey,” I said to Crowe.

“Hey. Got some things to do tonight. Thought I’d take you to Lincoln’s for dinner before I did ‘em.”

“That sounds good.”

“Meet you at your place at six.”

“Okay.”

“Later, Princess.”

Disconnect.

I sat there with the phone to my ear and stayed that way. I liked how I felt even after a quick, meaningless phone cal from Vance tel ing me he was taking me out to dinner. I wondered if I’d always feel like that and I hoped I would.

Slowly I flipped the phone shut and set it on my desk, realizing this would be only the second time we’d been out to dinner. We’d had only one date and we were practical y living together. He was moving clothes to my house, I had toiletries at his.

Realizing this, I started to laugh, my body shaking with it.

Vance had done it. Just like everyone said he would, just like Lee, Eddie and Hank before him. He hadn’t wasted any time (I, however, had) and he’d moved so fast I didn’t even realize it was happening. Hel , it was
my
idea for him to leave clothes at my house.

I was laughing so hard, I snorted and Andy, who was on the phone, looked up at me with knitted inquiring brows.

I shook my head at him and mouthed, “I’l tel you later.” Andy blinked in surprise.

I’d been working with Andy for awhile. He’d come to the Shelter about six months after they hired me. I’d never, not once, told him anything personal about me. He was a good guy and he could make me laugh. He had a wife and a little girl. He shared stories al the time about what they’d done, funny things his kid said.

Me, nothing. I never shared.

I’d gone through life alone (my choice), in order not to feel, so I wouldn’t get hurt.

Now I knew what I was missing.

What kind a fucking idiot was I?

I struggled with that long after Andy got off the phone.

Long after I shared with Andy that Vance was practical y moving in with me. Andy had said, hesitantly and with concern, “Um… Jules, don’t you think this is a bit fast?” then I’d told him about Indy, Jet and Roxie, his eyes got big, but he didn’t look any less concerned. Long after I hit two different Safeways and cleaned them out of their M&M

cookies (the absolute best) and picked up some other provisions (doing this randomly because although Vance was going to be hanging clothes in my closet, I had no idea what kind of food he liked in the house).

This last thought had me cracking up hysterical y in the meat and cheese section and people gave me a wide berth. This was a good thing as it meant I had the meat and cheese section al to myself without anyone breathing down my neck to make a selection.

I got over my latest emotional struggle when I put the cookies on the kitchen counter, put the food away and gave Boo his kitty treats, letting him have a few more because I was in a good mood. Then Boo and I went over to Nick’s.

Then, realizing it was nearly six, I stopped outside Nick’s backdoor and Boo and I went back to my side. I dropped Boo long enough to write Vance a note saying I was on Nick’s side. I didn’t want him to think he was stood up again. Vance didn’t like that.

When I was done I stared at the note on the counter and went back to emotional y struggling with having to write a note to someone to explain my whereabouts, something I’d never done in my life. This didn’t take long because, as I stared at the note, that velvet shroud wrapped around me and I stopped staring at the note and started smiling at it.

Then I snatched up Boo and we went back to Nick’s.

I knocked on the door and stuck my head in. “Nick?”

“Hey Jules, be right there.”

I walked in and dropped Boo who immediately went in search of Nick.

I went in search of beer.

I’d just pul ed out a Fat Tire when Nick came in.

“Hey,” I said.

“Hey,” Nick replied, staring at me intensely.

“What?” I asked about the stare.

“I don’t know,” Nick answered.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

He leaned a hip against the counter. “I’m waiting to see what you have to say. I don’t know if you’re gonna tel me someone’s been shot, you broke up with Vance again or you’ve decided to single-handedly plan a march on Washington due to the lack of AIDS medications available to developing countries. I gotta be prepared for anything.” I grinned at him and popped open the beer. Then I handed it to him and leaned a hip against the counter myself.

“I’m going to tel you that I’m off the streets.” His body moved, only slightly, but it stil moved. It got tense then it relaxed in such a way that his relief could be read in every line.

“Good,” he said quietly.

I had to admit, I felt guilt at this. Nick’s reaction wasn’t an overwhelming reaction but it said it al .

I decided to move on to a different subject before I could figure out an anatomical y possible way to kick myself in the backside. “I’m also going to tel you that Vance is moving some clothes to my house.”

Without hesitation he said, “Good.”

It was my turn to stare. I thought for certain I’d get a lecture that we were going too fast.

“Don’t you think we’re going too fast?” I asked.

“Vance the reason you’re off the streets?”

“Part of it.”

“What’s the other part?”

“You.”

His body moved again in the same way then he closed his eyes. When he opened them, what I saw made that velvet shroud wrap closer, my pug snuggled in and licked my face.

Before I could struggle with this too, Nick started talking.

“I like Vance. I like that, since he came into your life, you got girlfriends throwin’ you parties and folks showin’ up at your house to watch footbal . I like lookin’ out the front window seein’ guys I don’t know, but I know I can trust, knockin’ on your door. I like knowin’ you aren’t alone over there with just Boo and Stevie Wonder for company. No, I don’t think you’re movin’ too fast. What happened to your family hadn’t happened, I’d have married Reba within months of knowin’

her. When you know it’s right, you just
know
. I got a feelin’

Vance knows it’s right. I’m glad that you figured it out. I’d be honored to walk you down the aisle, if we were walkin’

towards Vance, even if you told me it was happening tomorrow.”

I couldn’t help it, one night off the job and I was already losing hold on my head crackin’ mamma jamma. Therefore at his words I burst into tears.

I felt as his arms came around me, I shoved my face in his neck and I heard Auntie Reba’s voice in my ear.

Home
.

My tears turned to sobs and now I was emotional y struggling with the fact that I was a big sissy.

A knock came at the door.

“Yeah?” Nick cal ed.

I heard it open and I lifted my what I was sure was red, wet and scary face away from Nick and saw Vance standing there watching us.

Shit.

“I’l come back,” Vance murmured.

“Think you best take over here,” Nick answered, gently moving me towards Vance.

“I’m okay,” I wiped my tears with my fingers but made one of those sil y, girlie, sobby hiccoughs.

Vance came forward and his arms went around me. At the feel of them, I started crying again, and harder, so I shoved my face in
his
neck.

“What happened?” Vance asked Nick.

“I don’t know. Do you ever know? She’s a girl,” Nick answered.

My body went solid and I pul ed my head out of Vance’s neck. “I’m not a girl!” I shouted at Nick. “I’m a head crackin’

mamma jamma!”

“Sure you are,” Nick soothed but I could swear he sounded a little bit like he was laughing.

I narrowed teary eyes at him. “I am!”

Vance total y ignored me but kept his arms around me.

“We’re goin’ to Lincoln’s for dinner. You’re welcome,” Vance told Nick.

“Nah, game on tonight,” Nick answered.

“Another time,” Vance said.

“Sure, sounds good, haven’t been there in awhile.”

“Not much has changed.”

“Best part about it.”

“Hel o!” I shouted, pul ing out of Vance’s arms and pointing to myself with both hands. “Having total emotional breakdown! Anyone? Anyone?”

Nick started out-and-out laughing. Vance just grinned at me.

“You done?” Vance asked me.

I rol ed my eyes.

Whatever.

I’d finish my total emotional breakdown later when I was alone, possibly while listening to Stevie Wonder singing “Al in Love Is Fair” which was the best time to have them.

“I’m hungry,” I grumbled, wiping my face with my hands.

Then I cal ed, “Boo!”

Boo trotted in, tail straight in the air, equal y oblivious to my emotional turmoil.

I scooped him up, glared at Nick, swung my glare to Vance, walked out of Nick’s and went to my side.

I was in the bathroom cleaning up my face and repairing makeup damage when I heard Vance return. Then I heard a rustling bag.

When I walked into the kitchen Vance was eating an M&M cookie.

“Don’t eat that! Those are for Luke, Ike and Mace.” Vance stared at me for a beat then looked into the bag.

Then he looked at me. “There’s at least thirty cookies in there.”

“Thirty-three,” I told him. Then I scowled at his cookie.

“Now, thirty-two. How am I going to divide thirty-two cookies three ways?”

He didn’t answer me, instead he said, “Why are you giving Luke, Ike and Mace thirty-two cookies?”

“They beat people up for me,” I replied. “That requires payback. Since I can’t bake, I can’t
make
them cookies.

Knitting is boring, as in
super
boring, so I can’t knit them sweaters. I don’t think they’d like a homemade card or anything I could do with the stickers I bought. There wil likely not be a time where I could beat up someone for them. Therefore,” I pointed to the bag, “cookies.” He took another bite of his cookie while walking up to me. His hand went to my neck and he brought me closer to his body by putting pressure there.