“I don’t know.” Why didn’t I say hell, no? I’m angry, or I should be, but there’s a side to him that draws me in, a kind, funny side that’s impossible to resist.
“Okay. It’s cool.” He shifts on his feet, giving me a moment to change my mind. When I don’t, he turns in silence and strolls away from me.
“Wait.” This may be the worst decision I’ve ever made, but part of me believes this is a guy I could be friends with. Who am I kidding? We skipped the friend phase entirely, but I’m curious what he has to say. “You can follow me. That way you have a car if I need to send you packing.”
His lips curl into a smile so sweet, I melt. “Deal.”
We park at my apartment, and Tug takes my hand as we walk towards my sitter’s, who lives in the same complex. He smells earthy, and clean—masculine, the scent familiar, only attached to a memory I don’t want to think about, and now that I am, I regret agreeing to let him come home with me. I release his hand when we reach the stairs to Del’s apartment and knock softly on the door.
Del answers, wearing a loosely tied bathrobe. She opens the door without shame, even when she sees Tug. We worked at the club together. A lack of modesty is a job requirement, but I wish she’d try to cover her breasts before they fall out of the robe in front of Tug. I’m positive her not doing so is intentional. Del’s a whore and not just in the literal sense of the word.
“Hey, he’s in the back bedroom,” she says quietly as we step inside.
“Thank you.” She eyes Tug, batting her lashes. “Oh, this is my friend, Tug.”
As I glance at Tug, I expect him to be staring at her chest, but he seems uninterested.
“Aidan,” he corrects me, and extends his hand.
There are very few people he allows to call him Tug. The nickname is obviously reserved for people he cares about. His allowing me to use it delights me.
“Hi. I’m Delfina, but you can call me Del.” Her giggle is over-the-top as she shakes his hand.
“It’s nice to meet you, Del,” Tug says politely. “I recognize you from the club.”
He releases her hand. Her cheeks turn a fierce shade of red, and she turns away.
“I’ll go get him,” I tell the two of them.
“I’ll go with you,” Tug offers, following behind me.
We enter the bedroom, and Javier is passed out on the bed. I gather up his things and hear Tug.
“It’s okay, buddy. I got you.”
I turn to see him picking Javier up from the bed. Javier mumbles something and throws his arms around Tug’s neck. He nestles his little face against Tug’s chest, and I smile.
“It’s okay to wake him. You can’t possibly carry him all the way back to my place.”
“Nonsense. Of course I can.”
We walk back to my apartment, and he holds Javier the entire time without complaint.
I open my door, and Tug asks where Javier’s bedroom is. He follows me to my bedroom, the bedroom I share with Javier. Papa and I cannot afford more than a two-bedroom. Tug lays Javier on the bed and takes off his shoes. I find his toy train in the bag and set it next to him.
“Can’t forget that,” I whisper. “He’s kind of attached.”
Tug laughs quietly. “Nothing wrong with that, but I’d hate to roll over on it in the middle of the night.”
“Done it, and it hurts, but he loves it. Papa took him to see the trains up north and bought it for him. It was their last trip together before his mind went. Javier’s been obsessed with trains ever since.”
“There are worse things to obsess on.”
Don’t I know? I’ve been obsessed with Tug Hunter since the moment I laid eyes on him.
“True, but
he takes that toy everywhere with him. It’s not like it’s valuable or anything, but Del says he’s getting too old to carry it around all the time.”