Midlife Do Over

Chapter 15

Ryan

Was there anything better than an ice-cold beer on a hot day after spending all morning in the studio laying down new tracks? Not as far as I was concerned.

The day was still young enough to enjoy, but I’d already put in a good five hours of writing, tweaking and recording. I still had months before the studio expected anything from The Gregory Brothers, so I enjoyed taking my time, playing with new sounds and mixing genres. Some of the songs weren’t right for the band, I knew that as I laid them down, but figured I’d give Roman dibs on them before selling them off.

Writing again was good. More than that, it felt good. I hadn’t written much during the tour because I was too exhausted, my mind too cluttered and unfocused. I didn’t want to think that Pippa had anything to do with it, but I could admit to myself that sparring with her was better than regular conversation with just about anybody else.

“I must be crazy,” I told myself as I twisted the cap off a bottle of stout. The woman clearly hated me, at least on the surface. She couldn’t hate me too much if she’d slept with me, but her walls were a mile high where I was concerned, and getting anything from her other than physical satisfaction seemed to be close to impossible.

Still I wanted her as much as I ever had.

A knock sounded on the door and I smiled at the sound of quick, angry taps on the front door because I knew my mind had conjured up the woman who occupied my thoughts day and night. I took my time, taking long relaxed strides towards the front of the house. After a sip of beer and a relaxed sigh, I pulled the door open with a smile.

“Pippa, finally come to your senses?” I knew I shouldn’t tease her, but it was just too much fun.

Pippa’s nostrils flared and her jaws clenched tight, but she said nothing at first, just smacked a stack of envelopes against my chest. “Your mail came to my house.” She turned on her heels as if she couldn’t get away fast enough, which stung just a little.

“Too chicken shit to stay?”

She froze in the middle of the porch steps but kept her back to me even as she folded her arms across her chest in a defensive gesture. “And what do I have to be afraid of?”

“Your attraction to me. Obviously.” The smile in my tone made her turn to face me, a skeptical look on her beautiful face.

Pippa rolled her eyes. “I am not a horny teenage girl anymore Ryan, and you are not exactly irresistible.”

I put a hand to my chest and staggered back. “You wound me, Pip.”

“Then I suggest you go find some groupie to massage your ego. I’m sure there are no shortage of those.” Her words were sharp enough, but I couldn’t help but poke her a little more.

“Jealous?”

“Hardly. I have no plans to massage your ego, or any other part of you for that matter.”

“That’s good because I’d rather have a tongue lashing from you than an ego massage from anyone else. “Beer?”

“No thanks. I have things to do.” She turned away and marched down the steps as I clucked like a chicken behind her. “That won’t work on me, maybe try a younger woman.”

“I already got my eye on one, she’s just being difficult.”

A growl escaped from her, and the sound was dark, low and sexy as hell. I kept my gaze fixed on her mighty fine backside as she stomped across my yard and then hers, climbing the steps two at a time before she slammed her front door shut with more energy than the task required.

I smiled and went back inside, but the icy beer wasn’t as appealing anymore. The silence wasn’t as welcoming now that Pippa had spiked my heartrate with just her presence. Her sharp tongue.

I made it a full hour before I could no longer resist the pull of Pippa. I took a cold shower that turned hot, and I found myself scouring the bar for the bottle I knew would get me in the door. That’s how I found myself armed with Maker’s Mark, two rocks glasses, and standing on her doorstep.

She pulled the door open and rolled her big blue eyes towards the sky with a heavy sigh. “Ryan. What’s up?”

I held up the bottle and glasses. “The stars will start to pop soon and I figured we could drink until we’re no longer enemies while we stargaze.” I swung the bottle temptingly until she laughed reluctantly.

“And if I say no?”

I shrug. “I’ll just lay out in my own backyard and talk to you over the fence. Either way we’re stargazing together, Pip.”

“Stop calling me that.”