Read Online Strength & Courage (The Night Horde SoCal Book 1) by Susan Fanetti - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Susan Fanetti
Ads: Link
just ask. “What’s next?”
He stopped wiping, folded the towel neatly, and dropped it to the floor before he responded. “What d’you mean?”
Forcing herself to avoid the stupid coding of saying-but-not-saying, she said, “Well, we skipped the part where you sneak out, or I try to get you to leave without being a bitch. I don’t know what happens when that doesn’t happen.”
For a couple of seconds, he simply studied her. Then, he asked, “Do you want me to leave?” He wasn’t defensive at all. Just curious.
“No. I mean…I have, I had…plans. Sort of. I don’t know. My father wants to see me. I thought I’d go home today. But…”
Smiling, he put his hand on her knee. “Easy, hon. I need to check on my dog, and get to work at some point. So how about this. Your shower’s pretty nice. How about we get cleaned up, and I get you off in your shower. Then you have your day, and I have mine.” He cocked his head a little, like a thought occurred to him. “Hey—you need a ride somewhere?”
“What? Why? I live here.” Oh—her car! Was at Harry and Carole’s, still! “Oh—yeah. I left my car where I was last night. But how do you know that?”
“Powers of deduction. No car here.”
“Oh. Yeah. That would be great. If it’s not out of your way.”
“I’m sure it’s fine. Where is it?”
“My boss’s house. Mountainview Estates.”
He grinned. “My President lives in there.” His hand slid up her thigh. “Ready for that shower?”
Yes. Yes, she really was.
~oOo~
“That’s your car?” Muse bent his head and scowled through the windshield of the van.
Sid was used to people reacting to what she drove. A 1973 VW Thing. Cotton-candy pink with a white top. She loved that car like it was a living being. “Yep. That’s me.”
He was still scowling. “You go out in the field in that?”
“No. I use a state-owned car for work.” There were a few protections like that in place, intended to keep caseworkers’ personal property and information from the people they worked with—people who were often angry with them. Obviously, as last night had demonstrated, it was an imperfect system. She didn’t know how Demon had found her—or Muse, for that matter. “How did you find me last night?”
He turned from his stunned consideration of her awesome and unique vehicle. “I didn’t find you. I found Demon.”
“How’d he find me, then?”
He frowned, considering her question. “I don’t know, hon. I’ll ask him.”
Which maybe presupposed that she’d be talking to Muse again, if he intended to tell her the answer. Feeling that awkwardness creeping back in, she did what she’d done before, asked the same question. “What’s next?”
He smiled, his blue eyes lively and bright, and held out his hand. “Give me your phone.”
She did, knowing—hoping—what he was going to do. Taking it, he tapped around on her screen and then handed it back to her. He’d typed a phone number and the name ‘Muse.’ “That’s my personal. I’d like to see you again sometime. Call me if you want to get together. Can’t say I’ll be able to drop everything, but we can make a plan. If you want.” He leaned over the console between their seats, getting up close. “Do you want, Sid?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Good.” He kissed her. Damn, he was good at that.
CHAPTER FIVE
Demon was sitting at the bar, with his head lying on his arms, when Muse came into the clubhouse a couple of hours after he’d dropped Sid off.
Just the asshole he wanted to see.
But, feeling guilty about leaving Cliff alone so long, he’d brought the dog with him this afternoon, and Cliff loved Demon. As soon as the dog saw that sad sack, he went from strolling contently at Muse’s side to tearing across the Hall, doing a little doggie dance around Demon’s barstool. Demon lifted his
He stopped wiping, folded the towel neatly, and dropped it to the floor before he responded. “What d’you mean?”
Forcing herself to avoid the stupid coding of saying-but-not-saying, she said, “Well, we skipped the part where you sneak out, or I try to get you to leave without being a bitch. I don’t know what happens when that doesn’t happen.”
For a couple of seconds, he simply studied her. Then, he asked, “Do you want me to leave?” He wasn’t defensive at all. Just curious.
“No. I mean…I have, I had…plans. Sort of. I don’t know. My father wants to see me. I thought I’d go home today. But…”
Smiling, he put his hand on her knee. “Easy, hon. I need to check on my dog, and get to work at some point. So how about this. Your shower’s pretty nice. How about we get cleaned up, and I get you off in your shower. Then you have your day, and I have mine.” He cocked his head a little, like a thought occurred to him. “Hey—you need a ride somewhere?”
“What? Why? I live here.” Oh—her car! Was at Harry and Carole’s, still! “Oh—yeah. I left my car where I was last night. But how do you know that?”
“Powers of deduction. No car here.”
“Oh. Yeah. That would be great. If it’s not out of your way.”
“I’m sure it’s fine. Where is it?”
“My boss’s house. Mountainview Estates.”
He grinned. “My President lives in there.” His hand slid up her thigh. “Ready for that shower?”
Yes. Yes, she really was.
~oOo~
“That’s your car?” Muse bent his head and scowled through the windshield of the van.
Sid was used to people reacting to what she drove. A 1973 VW Thing. Cotton-candy pink with a white top. She loved that car like it was a living being. “Yep. That’s me.”
He was still scowling. “You go out in the field in that?”
“No. I use a state-owned car for work.” There were a few protections like that in place, intended to keep caseworkers’ personal property and information from the people they worked with—people who were often angry with them. Obviously, as last night had demonstrated, it was an imperfect system. She didn’t know how Demon had found her—or Muse, for that matter. “How did you find me last night?”
He turned from his stunned consideration of her awesome and unique vehicle. “I didn’t find you. I found Demon.”
“How’d he find me, then?”
He frowned, considering her question. “I don’t know, hon. I’ll ask him.”
Which maybe presupposed that she’d be talking to Muse again, if he intended to tell her the answer. Feeling that awkwardness creeping back in, she did what she’d done before, asked the same question. “What’s next?”
He smiled, his blue eyes lively and bright, and held out his hand. “Give me your phone.”
She did, knowing—hoping—what he was going to do. Taking it, he tapped around on her screen and then handed it back to her. He’d typed a phone number and the name ‘Muse.’ “That’s my personal. I’d like to see you again sometime. Call me if you want to get together. Can’t say I’ll be able to drop everything, but we can make a plan. If you want.” He leaned over the console between their seats, getting up close. “Do you want, Sid?”
“Yeah, I do.”
“Good.” He kissed her. Damn, he was good at that.
CHAPTER FIVE
Demon was sitting at the bar, with his head lying on his arms, when Muse came into the clubhouse a couple of hours after he’d dropped Sid off.
Just the asshole he wanted to see.
But, feeling guilty about leaving Cliff alone so long, he’d brought the dog with him this afternoon, and Cliff loved Demon. As soon as the dog saw that sad sack, he went from strolling contently at Muse’s side to tearing across the Hall, doing a little doggie dance around Demon’s barstool. Demon lifted his
Similar Books
