Mystery Man(68)
He had a point there.
Time to retreat.
“I’m hungry and I need to go to the bathroom,” I announced.
His fingers flexed on my neck again when he declared, “Christ, you’re a pain in my ass.”
“Okay, then let me use your bathroom and then your phone to call a taxi so I can go to a hotel.”
He glared down at me and flexed his fingers at my neck again but this time he used them to pull me in and up.
“You say I don’t listen to you but you haven’t been listenin’ to me. We’re gonna ride this wave, you and me, what we got, what we had the night before last, even, fuck me, what we have right now. Don’t think for a second you can give me the sweet taste you gave me yesterday morning and then freak out and think you can cut ties. And while we’re doin’ it you’re not getting filled with holes, kidnapped, tortured and mutilated for your fuckin’ sister, not on my watch.”
I had to admit, that last part gave me some relief and made my belly get squishy. Though I didn’t admit this verbally, I just stared.
He held my stare then he sighed, his hands relaxed on my neck and I was able to move away two inches but that was all I got.
“I’m callin’ one of my boys to get Imperial and then you’re callin’ your father and then I’m callin’ Lawson so he can come here and talk to you about what happened at your house today. What do you want from Imperial?”
I was hungry so I wasn’t going to bicker. And anyway, Imperial was the best Chinese food in Denver. It would be a crime against nature to bicker when Imperial was on offer.
“Sesame chicken and hot and sour soup,” I told him then added, “oh, and crab cheese wonton.”
He stared at me then he asked, “Anything else?”
“No.”
“You sure?”
“I’m usually too full to try their desserts so I don’t know if they’re good so if you don’t have a roll of cookie dough in your fridge, it wouldn’t be unwelcome if one of the commandos swung by King Soopers and got some. Chocolate chip or sugar cookie.”
“I don’t have cookie dough in my fridge.”
I knew this. The morning before I’d checked in his fridge and he had yogurt, cottage cheese, fresh fruit, slices of smoked salmon and veggies. It was a wasteland in there. He didn’t even have condiments.
He studied my face while I thought this then remarked, “Babe, it isn’t a punishable offense not to have cookie dough.”
“Maybe not but you don’t have condiments.”
“Ketchup and cottage cheese don’t go real good together.”
I felt my lip curl in disgust then I watched his lips twitch in amusement as his hands at my neck gentled entirely and one thumb stroked the skin under my ear.
“You good?” he asked softly.
“About what? You and me? My living room being a disaster? Or war with Tack which, by the way, I should note, is not my fault.”
“Any of that,” he answered.
“No,” I told him truthfully.
His lips twitched again and advised, “You need to quit bein’ such a smartass.”
“Why?”
He went on like I didn’t speak. “At the same time bein’ so cute.”
“That I’ll agree with, cute is becoming a problem.”
The lip twitch turned into a grin. “You gave Lawson sweet and cute and you gave Tack smartass and cute.” His fingers flexed again and pulled up as his head came down while he muttered, “Lucky for me, I’m the only one who’s got it all.”
“Hawk,” I said when his lips were against mine.
“What?” he asked.
“I need you to feed me.”
“Right,” he murmured then brushed his mouth against mine but when he pulled away he didn’t go very far and his eyes locked to mine.
“Don’t try dodgin’ me again, Gwen,” he warned and I tensed at his tone. “Your friend’s man is a cop or not, I’ll come and get you. You almost got dead today. That’s twice in a week. That shit’s gonna stop and it isn’t Tack who’s gonna make it stop for you. Got me?”
“I’ll quit being a smartass if you quit being so bossy.”
“I see you didn’t take me seriously.”
“I’m being perfectly serious.”
“It’s impossible for you not to be a smartass.”
“Likewise for you and bossy.”
He stared into my eyes.
Stalemate.
Then he let go, took half a step back and dug in his cargos for his phone.
He handed it to me and ordered, “Call your Dad.”
I took it and muttered, “Bossy.”
Hawk sighed.
I flipped the phone open and called my Dad.