Page 4 of Smoke and Mirrors
“Well, what?”
A naughty grin followed. “Has he asked you out yet?”
2
MELODY
Iblinked. “Excuse me?”
“Ah, guess he hasn’t. Shy fucker needs to step it up.” Connor grinned as he pushed three mugs of piping hot coffee into my hands.
“Wait, are you and him like, planning this behind my back?”
“I prefer the term ‘surprising you’. Maybe ‘sweeping you off your feet’.” He dropped a light kiss to my nose. “Just a date, babe, not a big deal. For you to get to know each other.”
“Okay, but…” I struggled to put words to my feelings. “It’s kind of weird that my boyfriend is also playing matchmaker.”
“He makes you happy,” he said matter-of-factly. “You light up like a goddamn Christmas tree every time you see him.”
“Yes, but so do y—”
“I know I do, babe. This isn’t about me, though.” He took back the coffee mugs, set them down, and placed my hand over his heart. “I have you. I know that, and I’m secure in that fact. That guy,” he jerked his chin out toward Hunter, “is a good dude. I’m comfortable calling him my friend and I want him to be happy too. If you’re feeling him and he feels the same, he deserves to feel what I do when I wake up next to you. He’s suffered so much, he deserves to taste a kiss like yours, babe.”
“Goddamnit, Connor.” I yanked my hand away from his chest to quickly wipe the tears building in my eyes. “You going from grumpy as hell to all sappy and sweet gives me whiplash sometimes.”
“I’m here to keep you on your toes,” he smirked with an affectionate final swat to my ass. Thrusting the coffee mugs into my hands once again, he added, “Just wait til I get you to make up with Raz.”
“No.” I froze, all humor and smiles gone from my face. “Don’t talk to me about him again. That’s over and I mean it.”
“It never had a chance to begin,” he retorted before waving toward the door. “Let’s move, babe. I don’t want to eat no cold-ass bacon.”
Clutching the three coffees for dear life, I held the door open with my back to allow Connor outside. Even without his prosthetic legs, his movements were swift and as natural to him as breathing. Once he was off the bottom step and on the ground outside, he pressed into the ground to lift his hips and thighs up, then walkedon his handsto the log where Hunter was sitting. His butt and legs never touched the ground.
“Jesus, Connor. Making us look like shit,” Hunter joked.
“It’s all in the core, man. Thanks, babe,” he said as I distributed coffee cups.
“So what you’re saying is I should be doing sit-ups every day. Thank you, Mel.” Hunter’s smile made me melt a little as his hand brushed mine.
“Nah, sit-ups are pretty ineffective, to be honest. They only target your upper abs. You gotta do planks, leg lifts, and variations of those to hit your obliques too. But hey,” he slapped Hunter on the back, “keep bringin’ home the bacon, boy, and I’ll keep sayin’ you’re in perfect shape.”
“Trying to get in my pants, Con?” Hunter grinned.
“Keep on feeding me and I’ll do anything you want,” came the reply. “Maybe I’ll even show Mel how certain things are done.”
“Excuse me?!” I cried. “I didn’t hear you complaining last night!”
“Kidding, babe.” He blew a kiss in my direction which I pretended to brush off.
The guys continued their bantering while I curled up with my coffee and crispy strips of bacon. Itwasreally good. Flavorful with just enough fat and lean meat.
I chewed, savoring the taste while I listened to the guys talk with only half an ear. Not really paying attention to what they talked about, I just liked hearing their voices.
They talked and interacted as if they’d been friends for years. Normally so wary and closed off, Connor’s body language was relaxed and open. Hunter too had been extremely cautious at first. He only watched me for a few days at first because he didn’t want to scare me with what he was, even though I never feared him, not even when he was howling and roaring in his cage before we rescued him.
While quieter and more soft spoken than Connor, Hunter laughed genuinely as he sat back, listening to Connor’s stories and antics. It warmed my heart to know he trusted us and wanted to hang around, despite the fact that we were in the same business that captured, tortured, and drugged not only him but his children.
Connor was in this business because of necessity. If he didn’t perform, he would be another homeless, disabled veteran on the street. Me? The carnival was my only happy memory as a child, but my first night onstage proved to be a nightmare. It was only because of desperation for money that I stuck with it, lest I be homeless myself.
