Page 50 of Sundowners
16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Roman
I was still floatingthat night. After class, which Creed watched with interest, we walked Rhonda, and then fell back into bed for more kissing and touching…and sucking. God, I couldn’t get enough of him. I fed the two of them dinner and then I dropped him and Rhonda off at the lighthouse so they could go for a run. I was invited, but I really wanted to catch Lola awake tonight. Vanessa and Rey hadn’t answered my texts, so I figured I wasn’t needed at the PD.
I still couldn’t believe that I legit had a consulting gig—my first—with a law enforcement agency. If you would have told teenaged Roman that he would be working with The Man, he would have run over your foot with his skateboard, flipped you off and probably grabbed his crotch or something equally vulgar and disgusting.
No. I’d turned into a highly educated, upstanding citizen and was a police consultant on a case that potentially involved an organization that I was investigating as part of my doctoral research.
What is this life?
And I’d had an incredibly kind and generous andsexyman in my bed all day, who gave the best blow jobs on the planet and who loved to eat ass. Life was just fucking awesome.
I practically skipped into the doors of Puesta Del Sol, I was flying so high. I snuck up behind Lola as she stood with Stella in the doorway to the library and I spun her around in a big hug.
“Roman! What’s gotten into you? You’re going to give me whiplash acting like this. What is wrong with you?”
I couldn’t have wiped the smile off my face to save my life. I felt like the damn Joker. I did some excuse for a dance step, tried one of the ones she used to try to teach me when I was little and would let her boss me around.
“Roman,” she said, pulling me into a corner away from her sister. “You’re going to get fired at that college if they find out you are on drugs. What are you thinking?”
I burst out laughing and wrapped my arms around my beloved grandmother.“There were no drugs involved in the making of this mood, Lola. This is pure, unadulterated bliss you’re witnessing.”
“Now you’re an adulterer? That’s it. I’m calling Vanessa. You need to be checked out. Maybe one of the nurses here—”
“Lola, I promise, I’m just in a good mood. Guess what?” I asked her, rather than sayingit’s because of one of the nurses here that I’m in such a good mood.
“What is it?”
I took her hands in mine and bent down to her level. “I signed a contract yesterday to consult with the police on a case. I’m working with Tita and Tito.”
Her eyes widened and she pulled me in for a hug. “I didn’t need another reason to be proud of you, my sweet boy, but you give me more reasons every day.” She kissed my head, patted my back, and then backed away, straightening herself. “But you were almost late for Bingo, and since your aunt and uncle are working, you have to sit with me.”
“It would be my honor.”
Bingo was a blast. Lola and Stella were neck and neck with their wins, but Lola grew tired earlier than normal and I had to take her up to her room before the session was over. I tucked her in and she asked me to get Nurse Creed for her.
“Lola, he’s off tonight.”
She sighed. “Okay, I’ll just go to sleep then. Good night, Roman.”
“I love you, Lola Frances.”
She patted my hand and then rolled over to go to sleep. I figured it was all the excitement, but in that moment, I realized just how attached she’d gotten to Creed. What would she think if I told her we were seeing each other? I wouldn’t tell her until I talked to him, though, and we ascertained that we were, in fact, doing more than…having a freaking fantastic time together.
I climbed into my car and got goose bumps thinking about how much I couldn’t wait to get him back in my bed. But it was more than that. We’d had a real breakthrough that afternoon, and I wanted to see where this could go, me being all grown up and shit with a legit job, and him being—for once—a really good guy for me.
I was pumped when it was time for me to meet back up with Creed at a local club. He’d asked if I wanted to check out a new band he’d heard about from the bartender at The Catalyst, and they were playing at The Blue Lagoon, a dive bar down the street. My taste in music was a little more R&B flavored, but the idea of spending an evening dancing and carousing with him, and then potentially taking him home to bed with me, sounded like heaven.
I parked in the public lot next to the Hula Grill and walked down Pacific to the bar. I was immediately sucked into a crush of bodies, all cheering for the band, Bloody Brilliant. I’d heard of them before, but Creed hadn’t seen them so I figured why not? Whatever made him happy after the day we’d had.
The band was legendary in Santa Cruz for taking on the different vampire personas that were pop culture hits. Their music varied from classic and stoner rock to new wave throwbacks, depending on which of the members was singing. They had a few originals but they also took classic songs and changed the lyrics to make them fangy. It was a riot. Folks here loved to poke fun at their vampire history and happily welcomed the tourist dollars that history brought.
Once inside, I spotted Creed at the bar, so I worked my way through the press of bodies to his side.
“Sorry I’m late,” I said into his ear, loud enough he could hear me.
