“Hell yes, if she’ll have me.”
Jasmine and I shared shit-eating grins.
“She doesn’t know you well enough to deny you,” Doug said. “But it’s nice to know someone’s getting laid around here.”
“You’re married, dude.”
“Exactly, like I said, it’s nice to know someone is getting laid.”
“It can’t be that bad,” Drew said as the truck doors collectively opened.
“She won’t even let me take my socks off in bed anymore.”
Julian spoke up next. “Have you seen your fucking feet, man? Get a damned pedicure already, or hacksaw or something. Get a little man care going on.”
I covered my mouth as Jasmine gripped my thigh.
“What kind of pussy gets a pedicure?”
Two of them spoke up in unison, “I do.”
Ian spoke up next. “Don’t look at me, no one touches my feet. But hey, do any of you guys know what blasted means?” The truck doors slammed as Jasmine and I sank into the hammock with tears of laughter pouring down our faces.
LATER THAT NIGHT, FOUR SUNBURNED and drunken Marines came barreling through my front door with victorious stories about being captains at sea. Doug, I had learned, was always the first to pass out and went straight to his guest room. Julian and Jasmine made themselves scarce as Drew and Ian faced off in a game of dominoes. Games seemed to be the guys bonding medium. I pretended to read my book while spying on their progress.
“You are a sloppy drunk, figure it out,” Ian slurred.
“I’m working on it.”
“Working on losing your ass,” Ian said. “You already owe me fifty for the bet on the boat. You need to go ahead and cough it up now.”
“Put it on my tab.” He snickered at Ian as he popped open another beer.
“I best not have to clean up after your ugly ass tonight.”
“Calm down, Mom, I can handle another beer.”
Drew downed his beer in spite and Ian looked my way and gave me a drunken smile. “Hey, you.”
I couldn’t help my giggle. “Hey back.”
Drew leaned over the table and spoke in nothing close to the whisper he was aiming for. “You two are soooo cute. You’re sleeping with a supermodel, we get it.”
“I can hear you, Drew,” I said, turning a page.
“Well, I hope you take it as a compliment. Hey asshole, here’s your fifty. I’m out.”
“It was earned,” Ian said, pocketing the money as Drew gave me a wave goodnight before turning it into the bird for Ian. I laughed as he retreated while Ian sauntered over to me, close to rearranging the furniture with his drunken sea legs.
“And it’s time for bed for you.”
His perma-smile only got wider. “I’ll agree to that.”
“Not that kind of bedtime, professor.”
He pushed his lips out in a pout which was so unlike him, and I laughed.
“I’ve been meaning to talk to you,” he said as I pulled his arm around my neck.