Fireball (Cheap Thrills 1)

And then it all became clear why he was scrubbing so hard as he walked over to Jose and held his arms out for Liv.

It turns out that we weren’t done though, because Jose decided she wanted something done too. One Monroe piercing later, and an appointment to get a similar tattoo to the one on my thigh put onto the forearm with nothing on it, and we walked out into the sun, both of us squeaking and covering our eyes at the same time.

Life’s a funny thing. If you’d have asked me this time a year ago if I’d feel the way I was at that moment, I’d have told you it was impossible. Mom had been ill, and we’d been worried that her treatment wasn’t going to work, something which was confirmed weeks later. I felt like I had the weight of the world on my shoulders, and honestly – it felt like life was ending. If you’d asked me seven months ago when I lost her if I’d ever have a full heart and feel as happy as I was, again I’d have said it was impossible.

Except now, I knew it wasn’t impossible at all, it was my life and I was living every beautiful moment of it. She might not physically be here with me, but Mom was still here, and I could bet every strand of pink hair on my head that she was laughing her butt off with happiness.

DBI was an hour late getting home even though I’d left work two hours ago. Opening the door to Tabby’s house, I froze and looked around for the tiny asshole that was her cat. She might have been cute, but my theory was she used that cuteness to lure you in so she could drink your blood. In fact, after she clawed the shit out of you, she took great delight in licking her claws after it, probably lapping up every speck from underneath them.

Not hearing the telltale meow, I walked in and closed the door behind me. Warily take a step forward, I stopped when I heard a noise in the kitchen, and then let out a breath when a screaming ball of fur didn’t fly at my head.

This was the other thing she took great enjoyment in – Katy would attack you for about four days in a row, and then there would be nothing for a couple of days after it. To hell with writing books on how to fight a war and win over your opponent, this little shit had it all beat.

I could feel the tape on my side pulling each time I turned my head to look around the room, but I wasn’t going to leave myself open to an attack – hell to the no, pussy twat. After we’d pulled Mrs. Bane and Mrs. Keating apart, Raoul and I had listened to the whole “I’m shook” speech and argument again. This time, it wasn’t me who opened my mouth to discuss vernacularisms, it was Raoul who waded unknowingly into the ‘oh shit’ pond. By the end, he repeated five times how lucky they were that they weren’t being arrested, and that the only reason he wasn’t doing it was because he wasn’t sure that driving a police officer insane was an arrestable offense.

After it all, we’d returned to the station where I’d watched the clock, waiting for it to hit five. I was aware of Raoul doing the same thing, except he planned to numb his brain with a beer at the bar, and I was headed to see Ellis. And that’s what had made me late coming home.

Hearing a noise coming from Tabby’s room, I altered my course and headed toward it. Please don’t let it be the feline asshole.

“Well done, puppy. Do you think the sheriff’s going to like it? I hope so, because it flipping hurts.” Hearing her talking to the dog was amusing as hell because she spoke to him like they were actually having a conversation, unlike the cat who could probably only commune with Satan’s minions…

Turning the corner into her room, I stopped when I saw her standing in front of the mirror in a pale pink lace bra and panties set. Tabitha’s beauty at any time would leave you struggling to breathe, wearing pink she’d become an everlasting memory, and just smiling she’d take your breath away and leave you on your knees at her feet. But seeing her as she was now, her hair swept over one shoulder leaving one side visible as the locks curled around her breast on the other side, wearing nothing but pink lace with her tattoos on display? It was otherworldly, leaving you struggling to breathe, unable to think, and beyond grateful that she let you call her yours. There wasn’t a day that went by that I didn’t thank all and sundry for bringing her to me. There also wasn’t a day that went by when all the above didn’t apply to her, regardless of what she was doing and wearing.