Chapter 72
CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO
“ I ’m not wearing that.”
Larissa picked up one of the delicate sleeves of the costume Moon had spread out on the bed then let it fall back down.
Moon reached out to snag Jace’s hand before he could grab the slinky material.
“I am not wearing lime green.” She shuddered at the thought of the bright color against her skin tone; it wasn’t her only complaint about the mini dress. “I don’t know what you were thinking. The top is a halter—one of my boobs wouldn’t fit in the whole top.”
“You’re exaggerating,” Moon scoffed at her, giving Jace one of his toys to play with. “It’s not like you have much to choose from. The party is tomorrow night.”
“Have you decided what you’re going to wear?”
“No clue. You have any ideas?”
“Several,” she answered snidely.
“Your mama is being mean to me again.” Woefully, Moon made a sad face for Jace’s benefit.
“Cut it out.” She picked up the creepy green mask with feathers before Jace could drool on it, then put it in the nightstand drawer.
“Sorry, your mother is being callous to me again. Better?”
She moved to the foot of the bed, and her hands went to her hips. “You think you’re being so cute, don’t you?”
Moon gave her an offended look. “You don’t think I’m cute?”
“Several four-letter words comes to mind where you’re concerned, and cute isn’t one of them.”
“Ouch.” Moon turned his face back to Jace. “You hear that, son? That’s called being facetious.”
Larissa raised her hands in defeat. “Spare me. I’m going to fix dinner.”
In the kitchen, she took out roasted chicken cutlets and started fixing lemon chicken. As she prepared the meal, she mulled over what costumes she could wear. Even if she found one on the Internet, it wouldn’t get here in time. That left her with two choices—clothing she already had, or she could borrow one from Mom, Priss, or Lana. The only other option was to sew one together. Mom had taught her at an early age, and she had made a couple of tops and dresses, so if she found a pattern she liked, that would be her best bet.
After dinner, she found the website she was searching for. Moon kept Jace occupied as she searched, but when she failed to find anything she was brave enough to wear, she took a break to feed Jace and put him to bed.
When she walked out of the bedroom, she saw Moon set the monitor aside before he resumed watching an episode of their favorite series.
“Did I do it to your expectations?” She lifted a lone finger then started counting off. “I put on his sock, checked to make sure it was on, made sure nothing was in the crib with him, and double-checked to make sure the window was locked.”
Moon’s eyes didn’t stray from the television screen. “I’m just being cautious.”
Larissa dropped onto the sofa, pulling the laptop onto her lap. “You’re being a nut. I thought you would quit being so overprotective after a couple of months. Instead, you’re getting worse.”
“I am not,” Moon denied.
Unconsciously, she nibbled on her bottom lip. Why were women’s costumes made to show more body parts than they covered?
“I’m waiting to come home from work one day and find you’ve put him a plastic bubble.”
“They sell those?”
Sending him a harassed look, she went back to searching for a pattern. It was hard to concentrate with the show on. Moon had introduced her to it. At first, she had been disgusted with the extreme violence and would read while the show played in the background. Until she got an eyeful of the main character when his costume had come off. The actor, and his body, was ooh la la.
She had even secretly googled the actor, which she had never done before. From what she could find out, he was a new actor and was taking the world by storm. The show’s producer had sighted the then unknown actor at a bar with his friends and had approached him. Now fans were lining up for his appearances.
The craziest thing about it was that no one knew what the actor’s face looked like. On screen, it was always covered, even during the sex scenes, while his body was bare.
“You hear my question?”
Dragging her eyes away from the visually stunning man on the television screen to the big doofus sitting on the couch had her yet again questioning her life choices.
“I heard. I was just trying to ignore you. You are not going to put Jace in a bubble.”
“I was joking.”
Larissa lowered her eyelids to half-mast.
“Never mind.” Moon rose from the couch. “I’m going to make some popcorn; do you want some?”
“No, thanks.” If she was going to fit in any of the costumes she was looking at, she was going to have to starve until the party.
“You sure? If you do, I’ll make an extra bag.”
“I’m sure.”
She went back to watching the show, the aroma of popcorn tempting her.
“Make me a bag,” she called out.
Ignoring Moon rolling his eyes at her, she became engrossed in the show.
The main warlord had just picked a woman from his harem to spend the night with him. Poor thing didn’t know one of the other women was killing off anyone unlucky enough to please the warlord.
Absentmindedly taking the popcorn from Moon, she continued watching.
“Please,” Moon snorted from her side. “That is so fake. You can tell the actress isn’t into the scene.”
“She seems pretty into it from my viewpoint,” Larissa said around a mouthful of popcorn.
“Nah,” he criticized. “The dude must have bad breath.”
“I can guarantee you she doesn’t care.” Opening her can of sparkling water, she took a sip. “I’d kiss him.”
Moon gave her a dirty look. “He’s not into it, either. His dick is as limp as a dead shrimp.”
Her hand paused in the popcorn bag. “Shrimp? That’s a mackerel.”
“My bad. I wasn’t staring a hole through the television. I can’t believe you’d kiss him.”
“Why not? He hasn’t been French kissing Chastity.”
“You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”
“Nope.”
“It was a just a kiss that may have lasted a couple of minutes. She wasn’t even that good.”
“Hmm. I’m curious, does Jesus have the right to vote?”
Moon opened his can of beer. “No.”
She would have to ask Killyama. Something told her that Moon was lying through his cheating teeth.
“Who do you think is better at riding a motorcycle—Jesus or you?”
“Me. Why?”
Shoving another handful of popcorn in her mouth to keep from laughing at Moon’s jealous expression, she continued to bait him. “Just curious.”
“Well, you can stop. You won’t be riding with the brother again.”
“You can’t stop me. If he offers, I will.”
“He won’t be offering.”
Larissa frowned at him. “Why not?”
Moon gave her a satisfied grin. “Because when I went into work this morning, I told him it would be hazardous to his health.”
“You didn’t.”
“I did.”
The smug look on his face made her clench her can.
“I wouldn’t,” Moon warned, “unless you want me find out how many times I have to paddle your ass before you beg me to stop, then I would fuck you until you had to crawl out of bed.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me.”
Larissa set the can down on the table. “You wish.”
“You were much easier to deal with when you were scared of me.”
Deciding it would be more prudent to ignore Moon, she watched the show without baiting him further. Damn, she was going to have to take a cold shower. A slight movement from Moon reminded her that he was still there. Why should she have to take a shower?
As the credits rolled, she eyed Moon. Her desire took a nosedive, however, when she saw him using a toothpick to dig the kernels out of his teeth.
Moon stopped what he was doing to stare at her curiously. “You need something?”
“No. I’m good.”
He stretched his arms, yawning. Rising, he rubbed his abdomen as if he had eaten too much. “I’m going to hit the shower and have an early night. I didn’t get much sleep last night,” he wisecracked.
“Good night.”
“Good luck finding your costume.”
She balefully watched him leave when he didn’t attempt to kiss her good night, only his threat keeping her from beaning him with the empty can.
Disappointed, she started scrolling through the costumes again. She was at the point of just calling it a night and go as a nun. Her lips twitched as she imagined The Last Riders’ reaction if she did. There wouldn’t be any votes going on. The only thing stopping her from deciding that was the costume was that it was much too Halloween-y.
When she found another site, she sat up straight. Persistence pays off , she crowed to herself. Crossing her fingers, she pulled the pattern up. It didn’t seem too complicated. The problem was: could she finish it in time? The closest fabric store was in Jamestown. If she could talk her mother into coming in early in the morning, she could be back in Treepoint by her first appointment. She could then work the pattern when at work.
Cheerful, she got off the couch, disposing of the two empty popcorn bags and cans. She felt much better about going to the party now since none of The Last Riders would know it was her under the costume.
She quietly walked into their bedroom to check on Jace. From the hall light, she could see Moon lying sprawled out on the bed, wearing a pair of black underwear that hugged his gorgeous ass.
Damn.
She pursed her lips in disappointment at seeing the underwear, which he had started wearing after Jace’s birth; she had hoped they would be back in his drawer after last night.
That wasn’t the only disappointment she was dealing with. He was sound asleep. Here she was, all wired up from watching the scrumptious warlord, while he was out like a light.
Tempted to slam the door shut, she had to settle for making a face at him to keep from waking Jace.
Walking through the dark, she went to the bathroom. After showering, she changed into her nightgown before climbing in next to Moon. Shoving him over to make more room for herself, she glared at the dark ceiling when he didn’t wake.
Feeling vindictive, she wondered if he would wake up if she rolled him off the bed. She then gave herself a stern lecture.
What happened to the kind, sweet woman she used to be? She had been the least temperamental woman in her family. What had happened to change her?
Moon had.
Mr. Hot Lips had run over her feelings with his stupid motorcycle, playing kissy face with Saffron.
You’ve got to get a grip, Larissa , she told herself.
I will, after I find out for sure he hasn’t been cheating at the club.
What if he has?
Then Moon would be the first Last Rider to actually make it to the actual moon, courtesy of a one-way rocket, and she was just smart enough to do it.