Page 25 of Ball Buster

“What are you talking about?”

“Dandy’s. We have a date.”

Her mouth forms an O.

“You forgot.”

“Shit. After the crazy day we’ve had I was treating myself to a glass of wine and a facial. Give me like ten minutes. Twenty tops.”

I start to tell her if she wanted a facial all she had to do was ask but think better of it.

“All right. You got boots?”

“Boots?”

“Babe, we’re taking my bike.”

“Now I’ve got to change my whole outfit. Can’t I just meet you there?”

“It’s a motorcycle ride to a western bar, not a fashion show. And no. If I wanted you to meet me there, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.”

“Right. Okay.”

“Vada?”

“Yeah?”

“Wash your face.”

“I was planning to.” She sticks her tongue out and shuts the door in my face, but not before I catch a glimpse of Tater huddled in his blanket on the futon which makes me smile bigger.

I go back to my place and open a beer. She said twenty minutes, but it’s been forty. I’m about to go knocking again when she finally comes out. She’s gorgeous. Damn near perfect. Dressed in distressed dark denim jeans that look like someone splattered bleach on them. I stare at her t-shirt and realize she’s wearing one of Les’s favorite t shirts. An old and faded Easy Rider tee. Her hair is styled into two braids on either side of her head, and I can’t help to imagine myself yanking on them as I fuck her from behind.

“Do you think he’d mind?”

“Think he’d love to see it.”

“Will you tell me about him sometime?”

“Abso-fuckin-lutely. Tell you as much as I can.”

“I’d really like that.”

“You ever ridden on a motorcycle before?”

She shakes her head. I go over the basics with her and she seems to get it. Her arms go around me, her chest pressed to my back. I give her thigh a squeeze and we ride out.

When we roll up to Dandy’s the parking lot is full. Another reminder that the lot at our bar is empty. Something’s gotta change only I have no clue what to do with the fuckin’ place. Least if Vada gets on board with collecting that insurance money, we’ll have the finances to make changes.

I help her off my bike and she seems a bit dazed. “You good?”

“That was incredible. I think from now on I want you to drive me everywhere. Though I think my ass is still vibrating.”

I chuckle and take her hand. I expect her to pull away, but she doesn’t. Her fingers lock with mine and something about the simple gesture feels right. However, the minute we walk in regret hits me square in the chest. Angel is here and by the looks of the way she’s sloppily hanging onto the bull ride in the middle of the room she’s wasted.

Fuck, I hope she doesn’t make a scene.

“That looks fun.” She stops abruptly, watching the show Angel is putting on.

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