Page 66 of Playing for Keeps (Checkmate 4)

17

Riley

911

Because Andi isn’t always the kind of girl to think too far ahead, an hour after we fell to my bed with exhausted bodies and goofy grins, when she had to pee, but found herself stoned and cuffed to the man she declares lifelong servitude to, we had to drag our sorry asses up together, and I had to stand on the cold tile with my crutches while she peed.

Sheswearsshe has no clue where the keys are.

When she sat with a quiet smile of relief, wiped, and almost used the wrong hand, our relationship took on a whole new level of comfort. Most couples tend to wait a while before peeing in front of each other, right?

Not us.

Two hours after she was done, it was my turn, so again, we got up and made our way into the bathroom, Andi stood hip to hip beside me and basically held me up, and in the super-late hours of the night, or super-early hours of the morning, experienced her first ever standing-up-to-pee moment.

I refuse to accept her silly giggles as a reflection on my cock, so I peed and lay the blame directly on the fact she was stoned.

Around four a.m., the munchies kicked in and resulted in another batch of brownies in my messy kitchen, minus the loaded butter, and belly aching laughter as we ate the batter and fed clean batter to a curious Nacho-The-Pig.

“Why’d you call her Nacho?”

“Because she’s Nacho-damn-pig!”

Finally around five, with satisfied bellies and empty bladders, we fell back to my bed with sighs and contented laughter, and for the first time since I woke in that godforsaken hospital, I slept without pain, without bad dreams, and with Andi’s face on my heart.

She lie on my right side and hitched her leg high over mine, and with her fingers stroking my stomach, we slept the sleep of the dead until my next round of meds were due.

* * *

“Oz?”As soon as he picks up the phone at nine, I breathe a sigh of relief, since neither Alex nor Libby are answering. “Hey, can you come over to my place this morning?”

Like he’s walking around his home, Oz moves through sliding glass doors and closes them until the clanging of dishes and tween giggles quieten. “Hey, Rook. You okay? Everything good?”

Andi sits beside me –obviously– and stifles her giggles. “All good here, but umm, I kinda need you to come over to my house. I have somewhat of a situation.”

“Andi okay?” The sound of keys clanging together and boots hitting hardpacked dirt make Andi giggle against my shoulder. Her chest bounces, her hair curtains her face, but her hot breath bathes my skin through the fabric of my shirt. “If you tell me you upset her again, I’m gonna run you down with my truck and put you outta your misery. But if she burned your house down, then give me a heads up and I’ll get fire on the way, too.”

“House is fine. Andi’s fine. But I need a little help. I tried calling X, but he’s not answering.”

“He’s at the doctor’s with Jules this morning. They’re getting blood tests done or some shit for the baby. Sasquatch! Come here.”

“Oz, no!” I scrunch my eyes closed and pray for my life when Andi’s giggles turn to howling laughter and Benny’s shouted reply comes through the phone. “Oz! Don’t bring her nephew. Jesus, are you insane?”

“Is she dressed, Rook? Safe? Not tied to anything.”

“She’s… dressed.”

He knows what I’m not saying. “So there’s no reason why Benny can’t come. Sack up, Rook, and prepare to meet your maker. Get in the back, Sasquatch. You can ride like a criminal today.”

Oz’s teenaged step-son growls in reply. “Fuck you, pig!”

* * *

“Knock, knock.”I hear the laughter in Oz’s voice, the giddiness in his bouncing steps on my hardwood floors. One set of shoes. Two sets.

“Fuck me.”

“That’s more than two people,” Andi whispers.

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