Chapter 17
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Deuce
At some point in the middle of the night, we shifted to the back seat of my car, both of us complaining about sore backs and stiff necks from sitting in the front seats for too long.
Not sure that change accomplished anything.
As the first light of day streams through the windows, I blink awake to a shooting pain in my neck, and I’m pretty sure I don’t have a left arm anymore. Can’t feel it at all.
Awareness returns quickly and I realize I’m sweating already though it can’t be much after dawn.
Valentina is lying on top of me, her hair acting like a blanket across my face.
She’s using my chest as her pillow and her leg is hitched over my hips.
As much as I like having her snuggling with me, a thing she’d never do if she was awake, I’m pretty sure one of us is supposed to be watching for the owner of the gray sedan.
Using my right hand, I push her hair out of my face, a few strands caught in my mouth. Jesus. How do women live with a mop of hair on their heads their whole lives?
Ah. There’s my left arm. It’s jammed between the seatback and Valentina’s body. It’s gonna hurt like a son’bitch when circulation returns to it.
“Valentina,” I croak. She was supposed to take the early morning shift. Or was that me? Shit.
She doesn’t even stir. I wrench my left arm out and try to poke her in the ribs with it, but I can’t move my fingers.
Best I can manage is to drop the useless appendage on her ass.
That wakes her up in a hurry. She pushes off my chest and raises her head like a king cobra ready to strike.
Her knee also comes up on reflex and jabs me right in the balls, a move I would have anticipated if I’d been fully awake.
I let out a curse that ends on a moan, trying to push her knee away. I need caffeine and a little something on my stomach before I can tolerate pain like that.
“He’s gone!” Valentina hollers in a voice even more throaty than usual.
Keeping my useless hand over my private parts, I try to sit up.
We’re tangled together in a space not made for two sleeping adults.
We finally manage to sit upright after some cursing and a few pointed glares at each other.
You’d think we’d be kinder to each other after sleeping together, literally and figuratively, but that’s not how we roll.
“What do you mean, gone?”
“As in, not here, ciuccio,” she snaps back, running her hands over her hair to smooth down the wild strands.
I look toward the empty spot where the car was parked overnight. “Guess he’s an early riser. Wait ’til Bettina hears you botched a stakeout.”
I can’t help it. It’s in my DNA to tease her. To push her buttons and watch her light up in pissed-off flames.
Valentina snorts her indignation. “Oh, I didn’t botch the stakeout. You did. You had morning shift.”
I’m already shaking my head. “No, morning shift was you. Besides, stakeouts are kinda your thing, not mine. I sell suits, baby.”
She gives me a dirty look, but it lacks heat when there’s a line across her cheek from where her face was pressed against my shirt all night. My brain flashes to her head tossed back, riding my cock last night.
“Maybe if you hadn’t been so distracted by my impressive body…” I drawl.
She reaches down to the floorboard and comes up with her elbow cocked. Her sandal hits me square in the chest. “I hope your screams for help one day go unanswered. I hope your marshmallow always catches on fire. I hope your hot coffee is cold and your iced coffee is warm.”
I laugh at her creativity, which pisses her off more.
She climbs over the front seat, giving me a perfect view of her rounded ass.
I pat her on said ass as she goes, which earns me a growl.
I mean, she had my dick in her mouth last night, I’m pretty sure that gives me the right to touch her ass, right? We didn’t exactly lay out ground rules.
I climb out next, getting the door open and to my feet to stretch my aching back. Then I come around and open her door, squatting down to slip her sandal back on her foot. She doesn’t say thank you, but she doesn’t wish me death either. It’s progress.
“I think I’m too old for stakeouts,” I grumble, climbing back behind the wheel and firing up the engine.
Valentina grunts. “Yeah. Used to be a lot easier, that’s for sure.”
I pull out of the parking lot and head toward home. There’s silence between us, but it’s not uncomfortable. Something switched in my head last night and I’m not even sure why. I’ve still been holding on to resentment between us. For her stabbing me. For the way we parted back when we were teens.
And yet, I like Valentina.
There. I admitted it. Even just to myself. I actually like this woman and I don’t want to be competing against her anymore. I doubt she’d fully admit we’ve competed against each other our whole lives, but it’s true nonetheless.
And I’m done with it.
“Let’s go home, change, and head to the clinic.”
Valentina blinks and then swallows hard, like she forgot about the broken condom. “Okay.”
Thank fuck she didn’t fight me on it like she usually would.
Maybe we both turned a corner last night.
We get home, both of us heading for our separate bathrooms to shower and change.
We meet back downstairs and I have a plate of scrambled eggs ready for us.
She eats while leaning against the island and rinses the plates, thanking me for breakfast under her breath.
She’s back in a floral dress, this one knee length, which has me staring at her calves, especially when she gets back in the car and the hem rides up her thighs a bit.
Jesus. What is wrong with me? We fucked just last night. I should have her out of my system by now.
I have a bad feeling that might never happen.
The clinic is small but already has a few people waiting in the chairs out front.
I leave Valentina in one of them while I go in the back to speak to Georgia, a woman I dated a good ten years back who’s since gotten married and had a baby.
We’re still friends because I’m the kind of guy who’s still friends with all his exes.
Except for Valentina, of course.
“Georgia! You’re looking like a ray of sunshine this morning!”
The woman, seated at a desk as she types away on the computer, nails clacking away, spins at my greeting. Georgia brightens when she sees me. As she pops up from the chair, I give her a hug and kiss her cheek.
“How’s the baby?”
She shakes her head. “Into everything and driving me crazy. I love him to pieces. What’re you doing here, Deuce?”
I lean in and keep my voice low. “My friend and I have a little bit of a problem. I need someone with discretion.”
Her bright red lips pinch, but she nods all businesslike. Exactly what I need. Efficient and not one prone to gossip. “What’s going on?”
“Condom broke. Need a prescription to make sure we don’t make Deuce two point oh and if you could run a hormone panel on her, that would be great. She’s been having anxiety lately and I wonder if it’s hormone related.”
Georgia pats my arm. “You got it. Give me one minute to finish up this email and I’ll have her called back. What’s her name?”
I give her all the details, though they’re mostly all false. When Landry Greer gets called back, I stand up. She glares at me as we walk out of the waiting room.
“What are you doing?” she hisses.
I put my arm around her shoulders. She probably thinks I’m playing the part of devoted boyfriend, our cover story. But even if the truth all came out right now, I’d still go with her for this appointment. I’m part of this little dilemma.
“It takes two to tango, Landry,” I whisper back, squeezing her shoulder. “I’m going to be here for you every step of the way.”
She huffs, but doesn’t say another word as we’re led to an exam room. I help her onto the exam table covered in paper. Georgia comes in soon after, introducing herself to Valentina. She’s all business, which I appreciate.
“I’ll send a prescription over to the pharmacy. Should be ready within the hour. Deuce here says you’d be interested in a hormone blood test as well. Is that correct?”
Valentina looks at me in surprise, like she figured I wouldn’t remember our conversation about her panic attacks. “Uh, yes, that would be great.”
Georgia smiles at her. “Okay, good. I’ll have our phlebotomist come in and take your blood. I’ll call with results, and if there’s anything further to discuss, we’ll have you make another appointment with me. Good to meet you, Landry.” Georgia gives me a head nod before she exits the small room.
Valentina turns to me, assessing. “Is Georgia an ex-girlfriend?”
I dart a glance at the closed door. “Uhh.”
Valentina crosses her arms over her chest, the paper crackling beneath her as she shifts her weight. Seems like truth is the path to take here.
“Yes. Georgia and I dated a long time ago. She’s married to a great guy now and they have a son.”
“How come you never got married?”
The question takes me by surprise. We’ve never talked about these kinds of things. Personal things.
I sit back in the plastic chair and hope the phlebotomist comes quickly.
“Well, I guess I just always saw relationships as transactional. A product of having Bettina for a mother, I guess. I just never wanted to be that way in my own life, plus I figured if I did fall in love with someone, I didn’t want to bring them into the chaos that is my life due to my association with Bettina. ”
She nods thoughtfully. It’s weird looking at her.
She still has the dark hair and body shape of a vixen.
The whip-smart comebacks and the fire in her eyes.
But now she has flowers and pretty colors and wears her hair down more often than not.
It’s like she’s a blend of old Valentina and new.
I wonder how much of her time here in Heaven, Mississippi, will rub off on her.
Part of me is sad to think that maybe none of it will.
“Personally, I’ve never seen a successful marriage.”
I hate how negative that sounds, but I know she’s just being honest.
“I see my friends happily married, so I know it’s possible.”
Valentina picks at the hem of her dress, her voice even quieter when she asks, “Does that make you envious?”
I nod, but she can’t see me. “Yeah, it kind of does. Who wouldn’t want a built-in best friend?” I clear my throat, not wanting to keep talking about this stuff. It’s making me feel…something. “Plus on-demand sex? Hell yeah, sign me up.”
Valentina snorts, her gaze coming back to mine. “We’re more alike than I previously thought.”
I grin, cocky and annoying, like I know she expects from me. It’s what most people expect. “Probably why we get along so well. We only fight like cats and dogs most days.”
Valentina tilts her head, a soft smile on my lips. “That’s my favorite thing about you.”
The door to the exam room pops open and a short man enters, pulling a cart. “Landry Greer?”
Valentina sits up straighter. “That’s me.”
The guy gets all his tubes and needles lined up. I shift uncomfortably in my chair. An elastic thing is tied around Valentina’s upper arm as she sticks it out and flexes her hand. She looks over at me and puts her hand up to stop the guy.
“Wait. Deuce. You should wait for me in the waiting room.”
I’m flattered she remembers my little phobia, but I shake my head, despite feeling a little lightheaded. “No, I feel fine. I’ve got this.”
I’m determined to stay and be here for her. Surely blood in a tube won’t set me off, right? I meant what I said. It was my condom that broke that led to this appointment. I should be here with her every step.
Valentina gives me a look, but nods at the guy to continue.
He does, wiping alcohol across the crook of her elbow and then holding a needle near her skin.
My vision goes dark around the edges, but I start counting my breaths, forcing air in and out of my lungs.
A cold sweat breaks out along my forehead when he plunges that needle into her arm.
A line of red threads through the line and sprays into the tube.
It’s the spray that gets me. Bile rises to my throat and I swear my heart stops beating.
I wake up on the floor of the exam room with Valentina standing over me, waving her hand in my face. Georgia is also there, laughing at my misfortune. The phlebotomist waves something foul smelling under my nose.
“I told you to wait in the waiting room, honeybear,” Valentina drawls.
“Just shut up and help me off this dirty floor,” I growl right back.
I don’t miss the way Valentina is fighting back a smile. Even at my own expense, I love to see it.