Under Locke(92)

Those sleepy eyes were curious and way too intent. And it was probably because I hadn't slept so well after the long crying jag I'd thrown myself into, that it took me what felt like forever to figure out why he was looking at me with so much attention.



"I'm not going to spontaneously burst into tears, Dex," I finally advised him, rolling my eyes before shoveling another spoonful of oatmeal into my mouth.



From the sides of the coffee mug, I could see his lips tilt up just the slightest. What was up with that look in his eye? So. Weird. "Oh, I know you're not," the smug jerk said.



Both my eyebrows went straight up. It was impossible to understand what it was about his little challenges that had started baiting me every single time. "How do you know that?"



Those pink corners of his mouth tipped up even higher. "I told you last night you weren't gonna anymore."



This man. Good lord. I wasn't sure whether to be annoyed or amused. My gut was going with amusement. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure that's not how it works."



"Yeah, it is."



I blinked at him. "No, it's not, but thank you for hanging in there with me last night." By last night, I meant almost all night.



After the longest hug in the history of the world, he'd turned on the television and we watched what was left of Stargate in silence. Right next to each other, thigh to thigh.



"Whatever, babe," he shrugged, like it wasn't a big deal at all.



But to me it was. To me, what he'd done had been what had kept me up all night. It wasn't the newfound knowledge of my father's indiscretions, or my brother's lies, but Dex. Dex who'd been the complete opposite of The Dick at the bar. How the hell one man could change his colors so quickly was incomprehensible.



That was just Charlie Dex Locke though, I guess. One contradiction after another.



"Whatever," I mocked him in a husky voice, winking before I even realized I'd done it. What the hell had gotten into me?



His gaze was impenetrable. All that cool, gem-like blue zeroed in on me, making me just a little breathless.



I forced a smile onto my face. "Thank you anyway. It was really nice."



Still, he didn't flutter an eyelash as I widened my smile. The only thing he did was lower the coffee mug onto the kitchen countertop, his head tilting to the side. "Baby, just 'cuz you're cute doesn't mean I wasn't bein' serious about spankin' your tight little ass for doin' dumb shit, Ritz. You do it again, and you're gonna get it."



And… my smile came crashing down. Do not think about him referring to your butt as tight, Ris. Focus!



"Just because I've never hit another person in my life doesn't mean I won't make you the first." I blinked coolly. "Charlie."



What did the man do? He laughed.



"I'm serious," I insisted, earning another laugh from him.



"I know, babe," Dex chuckled. "I heard all about you sellin' off the rights to my kneecaps."



Oh crap. There may have been a gulp that was processed in my throat. "About that..."



He leaned forward over the counter, elbows propped up on the edge. "Sooner or later you'll figure out that eventually I find out everythin', Ritz."



That suddenly sounded like way more of a threat that I hope he'd intended it to.



~ * ~ *





"Get that ugly shit out of my face," Blake snapped at Slim.





I—who had a hummus sandwich an inch away from my face—choked on air, right before gasping, "That's what she said," like there was a fire beneath my ass.



Slim tipped his head back and laughed, loud, pulling the sheet of paper he'd been shoving into Blake's face away. "Ah, shit."



"Sorry," I apologized, looking over at Blake. He was shaking his head, still tearing away at the baked potato he'd been eating. "You asked for it."



He waved his fork-less hand in my direction. "Sure, smart ass."



I waggled my eyebrows over at Slim, referring to the ugly shit Blake had been cawing at. "Not that my opinion matters, but I think it's awesome."



The piece of paper he'd been holding up against Blake's face was a design he'd finished last night. The artwork was of a bright blue dragon with huge black wings, firing out a spray of rainbow colors. I mean, considering my name meant rainbow, I had a fondness of them. Plus, it was epic.



"You want me to save this one for you?" he asked a little too quickly.



Like I wouldn't remember he tried at least once a week to get me to agree to a tattoo. It wasn't like I hadn't thought about it regularly. I did. I loved the tattoos that the guys and Blue did, but there was only one place on my body that I could instantly think of where I'd want one at. That one place was the only location I couldn't have done.