Page 64 of Pirate

“What are you doing?” Pirate asked, amused. If she did something Sophia-y in retribution, he would currently not be fast enough to stop her.

“Trying to figure out the odds that whoever is at the door are Jehovah’s Witnesses.”

Curious, Pirate inquired, “And what would it matter if they are?”

Sophia indicated to her naked body. “It matters if I’m getting dressed or not.” At Pirate’s startled laugh, she explained, “What better way to get rid of themandensure that they won’t return than to scare them away?”

“I don’t know,” Pirate mused, raising an arm to put behind his head. “If I showed up at your door and you answered like that, I’d be tempted never to leave.”

She smiled wickedly down at him. “Yeah, but you’re not a Bible Thumping Door Knocker.” She crawled back onto the bed, holding herself over him. “You’re my dashing pirate who currently,” she paused and then rushed out, “doesn’t have two legs to catch me.”

Unfortunately for her, Pirate was expecting something like that. Her error was getting closer to him. When she made to dash off, he snagged her around her waist and flipped her onto the bed with him over top of her. She laughed loudly at getting caught.

Just as he was about to kiss her, the knock sounded again, which set the dogs off too.

Groaning, Pirate dropped his head to Sophia’s bare chest. “Stay here,” he grumbled, dejectedly.

Sophia sat up. “Um, you’re supposed to be staying off of your leg, mister.”

Pirate snagged his pants from the day before that were on his chair and pulled them on commando before standing. He held up his crutch to show her that hewasgoing to stay off his leg. Then he grabbed his gun from his nightstand.

Sophia’s eyes widened. “You can’t shoot the Jehovah’s Witness!”

Pirate waggled his eyebrow. “Certainly tempting, but no. I’m just going to go see who is at the door.”

“And that requires a gun?” She hopped off of the bed, grabbing his shirt. She threw it over her head and then down her body.

“Did you forget about your nighttime visitor?” Pirate asked her. When Sophia paused, he knew she had. Or at least, not thought of the possibility that he could be the one at Pirate’s door under false pretenses. “I’m not taking any chances. Stay here.”

“No way!” she called after him, following him out of the bedroom. “All he has to do is kick your crutch out from under you and you’re of no use to me.”

Pirate turned to glare at her. He might not be walking the best, but he was still capable of protecting her.

But that shit-eating grin on her face doused his anger and made his heart do a funny pitter-patter in his chest. Sophia patted his cheek and walked past him, beating him to the door. She was only wearing his shirt, which he was not happy about.

“Check the peephole!” he scolded when she reached for the lock.

Sophia turned, facing her back to the door, and crossed her arms over her chest. “I’ve seen that movie. I put my eye to thepeephole and the villain shoots me in the eye as soon as he sees the shadow from his side. The little comic reliefalwaysdies first.” She pointed to herself. “And I’m the funniest person I know.”

“For fuck’s sake!” came through the closed door. “Just open the fucking door or I am going to break it down.”

Both Pirate and Sophia looked at the door and then at each other.

“Is that Steel?” she asked him, dropping her voice down to barely a whisper.

Pirate nodded. The source of his confusion was because he couldn’t remember Steel ever coming to his and Jumper’s apartment before. Hurrying forward as fast as he could on his crutch, he nudged Sophia out of the way. Unlocking both locks, Pirate opened the door to indeed reveal Steel.

The dogs bounded out of the apartment to greet him. One of Steel’s rare smiles just barely touched his lips as he knelt down to pet them in the hallway.

After a moment, Pirate issued a command for Kidd and Pooch to go lay down.

Steel rose. “May I come in?”

Startled that he asked, Pirate hopped aside to allow his President to come into his apartment. When Steel had given Pirate a two-part punishment for punching Carlos, he hadn’t expected Steel to chase him down to get the answer to his question.

Steel walked past Sophia and into the living room.

Sophia turned to Pirate and mouthed, “What is going on?”

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