Page 60 of Junkyard Dog

Bo stood up, pushing his muscled stomach out as far as it could go and ducking when Alex tossed a pillow at him.

“There are no puppies.” He groaned. “Forget about the damn dogs. Why are you calling me seven hours later than you were supposed to be off?”

“Oh. That.” Her voice settled slightly, the frenetic pace lessening. “Becky and Jonas found an abandoned sedan hung up near Forty-Nine Palms. Max swears it’s the same one that hit Butch a few months back, but who knows. Unfortunately, he went and opened his big mouth about it and he and I had to review all our reports and sit in with the head honchos to discuss everything we remembered about the guy.”

He flopped back onto his bed and tossed his arm over his eyes, willing away his own exhaustion from staking out the Pirithous apartment for the past four hours. “Tell me you don’t work today.”

“I don’t. I’m going to bed until Max drags me to the tavern at ten.”

The tension that had settled in his shoulders during the long wait for her call released a fraction and he smiled. “I have to admit I like Max’s idea tonight.”

“Yeah, yeah.” She laughed. “You say that now. But when I come in all cranky and demanding, you’ll change your tune.”

“I kind of like when you get bossy. Get some sleep and I’ll see you at ten. Night, baby.” Dropping his phone beside him, he lifted his arm and glared at Bo. “What?”

“Nothing,” Bo said flatly, sprawling out on the small sofa. “I’m just wondering how rough the break-up is going to be for you.”

“Neither of us are in a place for a relationship, so there won’t be a break-up. Just a see-you-around,” he muttered, refusing to think about it. “You driving in with me? Thomas cooks up a mean burger.”

Bo stood up and walked to the small bathroom, examining his cheekbone and jaw in the mirror. “You’re a fucking dick. You owe me a goddamn burger for this. And stop touching your sides.”

He rolled out of bed carefully, holding his ribs in place until he was upright. “Next time I tell you to back off my woman, do it.” He snatched up his wallet and keys and froze midstep.

“Awoman,” Bo corrected for him. “And there won’t even be a next time.”

*

Charlotte kept apleasant smile on her face as she and Max approached Bo. “Max, this is Alex’s brother, Bo. Bo, Max.”

Bo gave a disinterested nod and polished off his drink.

“This really sucks,” Max grumbled, his eyes moving to Alex while he approached. “Now that there’s two of you, I’m never getting laid around here again, am I?”

“Bo will pass you his leftovers,” Alex offered, grinning when Bo snatched the beer from his hand and held it up to Max in solidarity. He stepped closer to her before he hesitated and rocked back. “Everyone’s over at the back booths.” She bit her lip as she glanced over at the very memorable table her colleagues were now drinking at. Catching her eye, Alex smirked. “I’ll be by after I run a couple orders out.”

Max dragged her across the bar, muttering about fishes and ponds and sharks taking over his hunting grounds. He squeezed in beside the Montana mumbler, shrugging when Charlotte raised her brows a fraction. Eying the only seat left, she sank down beside Becky.

“You’re passing one over to me,” Becky stated without hesitation, looking over Charlotte’s shoulder. “You don’t get both.”

Glaring at Max, she sat back in her seat. “Gladly.” She watched Alex as he wove through the maze of chairs and people, nodding as requests came in and politely dodging the hands of women when he paused to collect their empty glasses.

When he finally made it over to them, he looked pointedly at the table before grinning at her. “Coffee, beer, or shots?”

“Beer and shots!” Max yelled over, tossing his credit card on the table. “Overtime’s buying.”

Alex noted everyone’s request, leaning forward to whisper in her ear when he got to her. “You look tired. Want me to water your shots down?”

She nodded, biting her lip when he flicked his tongue against her earlobe before he straightened up to address the rest of the table. “Anything else before I grab the drinks?”

“You could send your doppelgänger over,” Becky called out, crossing her legs and crowding Charlotte to the edge of the bench. “He looks lonely over there.”

With a tight smile, Alex turned back to the bar. She watched him as he prepped their drinks, his movements slow and deliberate. He maintained a constant conversation with Bo, nodding toward Charlotte’s table before shaking his head and turning toward the beer fridges. He passed two over to Bo, his expression unreadable as Bo made his way to their table and pulled a chair up tight to her side.

“You gonna introduce me?” he asked quietly, leaning in uncomfortably close to her.

She scooted an inch closer to Becky, receiving an unimpressed sigh from the woman as she called out everyone’s name, pausing long enough for each person to give a quick wave before moving on. “And this is Becky.”

Becky reached behind her to give Bo a limp-wristed handshake. “So are you and Alex twins or brothers?”

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