Games of the Heart

by Kristen Ashley

  I tore my eyes away from the woman Mike kind of fell in love with before me. Then I looked to see the slutty bartender in front of us. She was grinning at both of us like someone was telling her the most hilarious joke in the world and she really, really wanted to laugh but she didn’t want to miss the end of the joke by laughing.

  “Tequila shooter, STAT,” I ordered and her smile got even bigger.

  “Fuck,” Mike muttered.

  “I’ll take that to mean two,” the woman guessed and Mike looked at her.

  “You’d be wrong. I’m drivin’. Bud, bottle.”

  “At your service,” she muttered then bent to open a fridge and pull out a Bud doing this while talking, her eyes never leaving me, “I’m Cheryl by the way, also by the way I know who you are.”

  She shoved the bottle under the bar and popped off the cap. Then she set it in front of Mike.

  I focused on her. “You know me?”

  She reached for a bottle on the shelves behind the bar, tagged it with a shot glass then she slammed it down in front of me and started pouring.

  And she also started explaining, her eyes locked to mine. “Uh…yeah. Totally. Your brother was known by everyone and everyone liked him,”

  She stopped pouring at the exact right time even though her eyes didn’t go to the glass which meant practice and I thought that was pretty cool.

  She kept talking, “Sorry for your loss. He came in a couple of times, he was the shit. That totally sucks and I’m not makin’ light ‘a that. It just sucks. And then there are rumblin’s of trouble. That sucks too. I hope that’s sorted out ‘cause death and trouble sucks even more than just death and death is the worst there is so that’s sayin’ somethin’. Then you light into town and nail down the numero uno eligible bachelor in The ‘Burg in, like, a day. Half the bitches in this place are plotting your murder as we speak. This is seein’ as they’ve been plottin’ to become the next Mrs. Haines for about three years and you killed their dreams, I’ll repeat, in a day. So yeah, Dusty, I know you.”

  I stared at her. Then I grabbed my shot of tequila. Then I tossed it back.

  When I put my empty down to the bar and after I took in a deep breath, I informed her, “I like you. I need a new best friend. I’ve added you to the top of a list that has one name. Yours.”

  She threw her slutty blonde, huge head of hair back and roared with laughter this shaking her big, probably fake knockers that were incased in a skintight tank top. This was a show I was pretty certain every man in the room took in except Mike, Colt, Joe Callahan and Tanner Layne mostly because all their women had knockers that rivaled Cheryl’s albeit not encased in a skintight tank.

  Cheryl laughed but Mike muttered, “Fuck.”

  I looked at him. “What?”

  He looked at Cheryl and said, “No offense,” then he looked at me and explained, “She’s a fuckin’ nut.”

  “No offense taken,” Cheryl stated generously.

  “So am I,” I reminded him.

  “She’s a different kind of nut,” Mike clarified.

  Cheryl put her forearms on the bar, her eyes on Mike, all ears. “What kind of nut am I?”

  Mike looked at her. “The kind I don’t think is cute because I’m not sleepin’ with you.”

  Cheryl smiled huge at me.

  “He’s a good guy but he can be bad,” I shared, her huge smile got even bigger and she leaned toward me.

  “Do tell,” she invited.

  “Fuck,” Mike muttered.

  “I mean, he can say it straight,” I explained.

  “Girl, if I didn’t know that already, I’ve just learned,” she replied.

  “This is true,” I mumbled.

  “Right, so, now that I know I like you, time to get this over with,” Cheryl announced and before Mike or I could say anything, she turned her head and shouted, “Vi! Get your ass over here.”

  Oh my God! No! Shit!

  I looked at Mike and he had his head bent and his eyes closed.

  “Mike?” I called and he opened his eyes and looked at me.

  “Fuck,” he muttered then his eyes shifted over my shoulder and he sighed.

  “Uh…hi,” I heard and turned.

  There she was. Violet Callahan. And she was even more gorgeous close up. Worse, Jessie and Mimi had followed her down. They either started our way before Cheryl gave them the okay or they had the ability to dematerialize and re-materialize at whim.

  “I’m Violet,” she told me sticking her hand out. I took it, her fingers curled around mine tight and she kept talking. “And, so this isn’t more uncomfortable for you and me, I’ll get it out of the way. I know you know about, uh…you know and obviously I know since I was, um…there so we both know. And that’s done. Oh, and I know you’re Dusty. And I also looked you up on the internet and saw your pottery. It’s pretty. So pretty I bought a bowl and a platter. Joe freaked because I spent three hundred and fifty dollars on a bowl and a platter. He said the most he’s ever spent on a bowl was twenty dollars and it came with four of them and a set of plates and he’s never owned a platter. But they were worth it, they were that pretty. And I’m not sayin’ that to get you to like me. I’m just sayin’ that because it’s true. And I didn’t buy them to get you to like me either. I bought them because I liked them. And Joe didn’t say that about them because he didn’t like them. I don’t know if he liked them. He’s not a pottery kind of guy. They came through the mail a couple of days ago and I put them out on the shelves in our livin’ room and I’m not certain he’s even noticed them. Probably not. But not because they aren’t pretty. Because he’s Joe. Oh, and I wasn’t internet stalking you or anything. I was just curious. It’s not like I read everything about you, though there isn’t much. Just your gallery page and –”

  “Vi, shut up, you’re babbling,” Jessie cut in.

  Vi jerked my hand she still held then let it go, crying, “Shit! I am. Sorry.”

  “You had a thing with my boyfriend. It was intense. You still like him. You don’t want to lose him from your life. So you’re nervous. I get that. You aren’t the first woman I’ve known who’s known what it’s like to kiss my man,” I offered to put her at ease.

  “Stealth kisses,” she muttered.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Fuck,” Mike murmured.

  Vi’s eyes went huge.

  “Sorry, uh…” Vi stammered and stopped.

  “Stealth kisses?” I asked.

  “Fuck,” Mike murmured.

  Vi bit her lip.

  I burst out laughing, slapping my hand on the bar while doing it and everything.

  “Oh my God!” I shouted when I was down to chuckling. “I think of them as slow burn kisses. Stealth is so…much…better.”

  “Fuck,” Mike murmured.

  Vi smiled a tentative smile at me and said softly, “Slow burn is good too.”

  I heard Mike sigh.

  I ignored that and turned to Cheryl. “Four tequila shooters,” I ordered.

  “Don’t forget me,” Cheryl returned.

  “Right then, five,” I corrected.

  “Fuck,” Mike muttered.

  I looked over my shoulder and grinned at him. His eyes dropped to my mouth. Then he sighed again.

  Then he claimed me, turning me into him and dropping his head to brush his mouth against mine.

  When he lifted it, he said quietly, “I’m outta here. You need me, I’m down at the other end of the bar.”

  “I think that’s a good call,” I approved, grinning.

  His eyes swept the area behind me and he muttered again, “Fuck.”

  My grin became a smile.

  Mike’s arm gave me a squeeze then he got the heck out of there.

  “Shots ready,” Cheryl announced and all the women reached in and claimed a glass. “What’ll we toast to?” she asked.

  I looked at Vi.

  “Stealth kisses,” I declared.

  “Absolutely,” she replied.

 
I smiled at her. She smiled back.

  We lifted our glasses and tossed them back.

  * * * * *

  “Cake.”

  This was said in my ear by a very deep, very rough male voice.

  I turned and my eyes hit a wall of tank top covered chest. They went up, up, up and I locked eyes with a bald man who, I had to admit, wasn’t entirely attractive. In fact, I didn’t get scared easily and, one look, he scared the crap out of me.

  “Sorry?” I whispered.

  “Cake,” he repeated.

  “Uh…” I mumbled.

  “As in, you owe me,” he explained.

  “I owe you cake?” I asked.

  “Yeah,” he answered.

  “Uh…” I mumbled again. “Like, you’re saying I owe you money?” I asked, concerned he would think this because first, he was scary. Second, I’d never seen him in my life and third, whatever money he thought I owed him I knew I’d pay just because he scared me.

  “No,” he drew this out like I was a dimwitted child, “like I’m sayin’ you owe me a cake with twelve layers and a fuckload of frosting.”

  What?

  “Ryker,” I heard Mike say and I felt his chest pressed to my back.

  Oh thank God.

  Mike was there.

  I leaned into him.

  We were still at J&J’s. The drinking had progressed but I’d moved to beers since I didn’t want to get shitfaced too soon. As I drank and gabbed with the nutso women The ‘Burg seemed to both produce and attract, I understood with deep clarity why Mike had a thing for Vi. She was funny, she was sweet and there was also the fact I’d mentioned before that she was gorgeous.

  Not to be conceited or anything but she reminded me of, well…me.

  Except brunette with two daughters and a brutal history that would take most women down to their knees in a way they’d never get up. By her account, she pulled herself up, twice, and knowing that made me like her more.

  She was like me even down to the man. Joe Callahan was rough around the edges, he had two scars that curved down one side of his face that only made him look dead cool and smokin’ hot and, unlike Cal, Mike had had his hair cut in the last month. But from all reports (these not only Vi’s but also from Cheryl, Mimi, Jessie and Feb who, with Cheryl, wandered to our hen pack when she wasn’t working) Cal was bossy, alpha, badass, protective and could be a pain in Vi’s ass. Not that Mike was a pain in my ass but I suspected when that happened (as it always did), Mike would be the same kind of pain in my ass. This being bossy, alpha and badass in a good guy up top, bad boy underneath kind of way, of course.

  By the by, Feb reported Colt was also like this.

  Eventually we decided to wander down to the men where Rocky had stayed and I got this since she had a brother who was a current cop, a Dad who was an ex-cop and she was used to being around the boys. She did welcome us and then joined our klatch after she introduced me to her husband though.

  Taking in Colt, Cal, Tanner and Mike I was wondering why I hadn’t moved back to The ‘Burg years ago when the man Mike called Ryker came up behind me talking about cake.

  “You know this guy?” I whispered to Mike, not tearing my eyes off Ryker.

  “Yeah,” Ryker answered my question then he jerked an enormous hand my way and he went on. “Everyone knows me. Now you do too. I’m Ryker.”

  I didn’t want to but I took his hand. He squeezed hard. I tried not to wince. He let me go.

  Ryker looked over my shoulder at Mike.

  “Nice hair,” he noted and I was thinking he wasn’t talking about Mike’s.

  “Ryker,” Mike said in a very low voice that sounded like a warning.

  “Pretty voice,” Ryker went on.

  “Ryker,” Mike repeated.

  Ryker grinned and if I was scared before, I was really scared now.

  “Seriously great rack,” he commented.

  I blinked.

  “You’re done,” Mike stated and his voice didn’t sound like anything. It was, quite simply, a warning.

  But I was thinking that I didn’t want Mike to have a smackdown with this guy. I figured Mike could take care of himself. I’d seen him in action with Beau and he took Beau down to his knees in a split second and kept him there with no apparent effort. But this guy had two sleeves of tattoos. He was tall. He had a lot of bulky muscle. He had no hair at all. It was early April, there was still a nip in the air and he was wearing only a tank top with no coat in evidence. He had a knife on his belt. And even his smiles were terrifying.

  Before Ryker could say anything to piss Mike off (more), I cut in.

  “Um, please don’t have a smackdown with my boyfriend. We just moved in together and when I say ‘just’ I mean, like, last night. Drunk sex for us is awesome. I’m half-drunk. I intend to get loaded. You have a smackdown with my boyfriend, you might be tempted to shank him with that knife. This would mean I might miss out on drunk sex and that would be upsetting.”

  Ryker stared at me and I quailed hoping I didn’t do it visibly.

  Then he threw his big, sadly unattractive head back and shouted with laughter.

  That was scary too.

  When he was done he trained eyes on Mike and declared, “I like her.”

  “She’s likeable,” Mike replied, sliding an arm around my belly from behind.

  Ryker looked at me and repeated what he said earlier, “Cake.”

  I thought it best to agree though I didn’t know why.

  “Uh…okay.”

  He stared at me then looked at Mike. “She has no idea.”

  “I told her someone was lookin’ into McGrath for me,” Mike said. “She didn’t know who.”

  That was when I stared at Ryker with new eyes.

  This was Colt’s informant? I’d never met an informant but I guessed he looked like one since he looked like he was capable of committing a variety of felonies and definitely knew others who participated in these activities.

  “You’re helping my family?” I asked.

  “For cake,” he answered.

  Suddenly, I liked him.

  Therefore I grinned and agreed. “Totally. My biggest cake is ten layers but that’s five cut in half so don’t get excited about the cake since it is a lot of cake but it’s mostly frosting. If you want twelve, I could swing that. That’s a little tall and it might slide off but as long as it’s on the counter, it slides off, just eat it off the counter or scoop it onto a plate. It won’t look pretty but it’ll still taste good.”

  He stared at me.

  “I like your tattoos,” I shared.

  “’Course you do. They’re awesome,” he returned.

  There was no reply to that so I tried gratitude for something else.

  “Thank you for helping my family.”

  “Nothin’ to thank me for yet,” his eyes moved over my shoulder to Mike, “McGrath’s slippery.”

  “Fuck,” Mike muttered his favorite word of the evening.

  “Still nosin’,” Ryker told him.

  “Good,” Mike said.

  “Gotta admit, I wasn’t committed to the task,” Ryker confessed. “But for a bitch in a tight tee with a great rack who makes twelve layer cakes and likes drunk sex, I’ll step it up,” he offered.

  I pressed my lips together but I was pretty sure my smile still came through.

  “Jesus,” Mike muttered.

  Ryker looked at me then announced, “I’m taken. Got a good woman who gives amazing head. But I find myself free and you find yourself the same, just sayin’, I’m open for a hook up.”

  Mike’s body got tight at my back, his arm the same around my belly and angry vibes started searing my skin.

  Clearly Mike was pissed but I forgot this guy terrified me and instead thought he was funny so you could hear the laughter in my voice when I turned him down, “That’s a great offer and I appreciate it but I’ve been in love with Mike for about twenty-five years so if that were to happen it would be in another dimension.”


  “Yeah,” he nodded his big bald head, “Lissa’s got her hooks in me deep. Still, the you and me in another dimension’ll have fun.”

  “I’m sure the you and me in another dimension will,” I concurred.

  He grinned his scary grin then muttered, “Right.” He looked at Mike and stated, “On the case now, bro. I’ll give it undivided attention.”

  “That’d be good, Ryker,” Mike said on a deep sigh.

  Ryker trained his eyes on me and his farewell was, “Cake.”

  Then he was there no longer.

  I turned, tipped my head back and pressed my body to Mike’s. He was already looking down at me and his hands settled on my hips so mine slid around his waist.

  “Did that just happen?” I asked.

  “Yes,” he answered.

  “That guy was real and not a figment of my imagination?” I asked.

  “Yes,” he answered.

  “He’s terrifying in a hilarious and slightly lovable way,” I shared.

  “He’s the first, the last two I’m not sure I agree.”

  I grinned up at my man and leaned deeper into him.

  Mike’s hands slid from my hips to become arms that rounded me and his head dipped close.

  “So you’re only half-drunk?” he asked.

  I stared in his eyes and liked what I saw.

  “Unfortunately,” I whispered.

  “Time for the tequila switch, sweetheart,” he whispered back.

  I smiled and replied, “You’re absolutely right.”

  Mike turned me to the bar and ordered a tequila shot. I drank it. More came after it. Then Mike took me home. He gave it to me bossy, controlling and dirty.

  I loved every second of it.

  Then I passed out naked in his arms with Layla’s head resting on my ankle.

  * * * * *

  Mike ended the kiss, his lips sliding down, his mouth working my neck.

  It was Sunday morning. We had day old Hilligoss downstairs which weren’t the same but they were still brilliant. Mike was inside me, we’d both finished after he’d taken his time. It wasn’t dirty. It was sweet, lazy, fantastic.

  And he’d ended it as usual then finished it off with a slow, beautiful kiss.

  I turned my head and in his ear, whispered, “Stealth kisses.”

  Against my neck, Mike muttered, “Fuck.”