“So if I can stay up on this, I can stay up on that?”
“Basically, but you need a lot more muscle and height before you can hold this baby up. You’re too short.”
He pouted but he considered my words. “Cool. Do you go fast?”
I looked over my shoulder at his house next door and found his grandmother smiling from the porch. I waved to her. “I love to go fast, but I shouldn’t because it’s dangerous.”
“And you’ll have to pay a ticket. My dad always swears a lot when he gets a ticket, says it’s state sponsored robbery.”
I grinned. “Your dad is right.”
His bright smile said he was happy with my answer as he slid back onto the seat of his bike. “Thanks Mr. Ellison. You think you can teach me to ride when I’m older?”
“Sure kid.”
“See ya later Captain!”
“Bye, Lieutenant!” He saluted for a moment before clutching the handlebars and letting his bike go as fast as his scrawny legs would allow. Yeah, living in this neighborhood had helped.
***
After a quick shower and shave, I got dressed and made my way to Jana’s. With a gift. What the fuck was wrong with me? I never bought anything other than drinks or a meal for a woman I intended to take to bed. If they required any more than that, I moved on. The Reckless Bitches were always up for a hard fuck with nothing more than the hope of becoming something more. But here I was, buying a gift. Another gift.
Shit.
The door swung open and a woman who was not Jana answered. “Well, hello. You must be Max. I’m Teddy, the best friend.”
I nodded as recognition dawned. I could see why Jana thought I might want her friend, she was beautiful with long legs, bright red hair and big blue eyes that offered just enough promise to drive a man insane. But she seemed high maintenance as fuck. “Nice to meet you. Yeah, I’m Max.” I shifted the gift and shook her head. “Jana home?”
She opened the door further and stepped back. “Yep. Don’t worry, I’m not staying. I’m very happy to meet you Max but even though you look like you could snap me in half with two fingers, I have to tell you that I grew up in foster care and I know how to fight dirty. Don’t hurt my friend.”
Shit. “I have no plan to do that. I like Jana.”
Her gaze studied me, took me in as if she’d already measured me and knew my worth. Then her gaze shifted, maybe it softened, I don’t know. It changed. “Good. Just don’t let her stay in the house all the time. She’s beautiful and she belongs out in the world.”
“Just because I don’t know what you’re saying doesn’t mean I can’t hear you!” Jana’s voice sounded affectionately annoyed from deeper in the house.
Teddy laughed and I removed my jacket and hung it up. “Don’t worry, she’s just threatening me.” She laughed even harder and motioned for me to follow her. “Damn what smells so good?”
“You didn’t think we were just going to eat chocolate and cheese, did you?”
I frowned at her question, scanning the kitchen to see she’d been up to some serious cooking. “I did, but I’m happy to be wrong. Can I help?”
“Damn,” Teddy sighed. “You look like that and you’re offering to help? Jana you lucky bitch.” She chuckled and wrapped her friend in a hug. “Have fun and be a little crazy. He’s hot and he seems nice, that’s like a fucking unicorn.”
Jana’s skin flushed pink and she looked over her shoulder at me. “Your whispering game needs work, Teddy. Now get out of here.”
She laughed. “I’m leaving. Be bad tonight. Very, very bad.”
And then we were alone. “Sorry about that,” Jana said with a sheepish smile. “She means well.”
“She seems nice and she gives a damn, that’s always a good thing to me. But if you think I’d ever choose her over you, then I’ll have to make sure you know that’s not true before I leave tonight.”
She sucked in a breath and released a shaky breath. “Put that smile away, please. Have a seat and tell me about your day. Booze or wine?”
“No beer?”
“Too filling. I like to drink and snack at the same time, and with beer you get too full to properly snack.” She said it with the expertise of a neurosurgeon. “So?”