“That's from my Budweiser.”
“A Budweiser gave you a scar?”
“Not the beer. That's what we call our trident.”
“Trident?”
“It’s the medal that says you're a SEAL.”
“And you have a scar from it?”
“The ceremony isn’t a pinning; it’s a pounding.”
“Oh, my word!”
“It’s a badge of honor, Babe. I’m proud as hell to be branded.” I bring the subject back to our discussion of when. “So, the first day of school then?”
She kisses my scar before she speaks, and the gesture fills me with pride.
“Yes. I stood in the doorway of the gym and scanned the crowd looking for a place to sit. I didn’t know anyone, and I didn’t want to walk all the way to the other side because there was this group of guys heckling some of the girls. But then I saw you sitting there. You were laughing. You were the cutest guy I had ever seen.” She glances up at me. “Before I realized what I was doing, I was walking out. The closer I got to your group, the more nervous I was. I prayed the whole way that I wouldn’t get a horrid name, but if I did and you noticed me, I knew it would be worth it.”
“Oh, I noticed you! When you walked by in that tight red sweater tank top with your beautiful tits and those tight jeans that proved your ass was perfect too, I was done. I couldn’t take my eyes off you.”
She pushes up, and I pull her to my lips.
“But then a day or so later, I overheard you brutally cussing out a girl, and I didn’t want any part of a dude that was that mean.”
“I was never mean to you.”
“I didn’t see the difference. You were hateful to her, therefore.…”
“I’m not proud of treating any of them that way, you know. But I did what I had to do.”
“It was over the top.”
“Was it? Do you know why I had to resort to being that damn crude?”
She frowns, and her eyes narrow. “No ….”
“They were grab-assing my junk.”
“What?”
“It’s true. When the size of my cock became the envy of the locker room, word got out, and there were a few girls who copped a feel to confirm it.”
Her mouth falls open.
“I’m not shitting you. Those were the girls I cussed out.”
“Oh, my god!” She dies laughing. “Of all the things you could have said, that wasn’t what I was expecting!”
“I took care of it the best way I knew how.”
“Why didn’t you tell someone?”
“That isn’t exactly something I wanted to broadcast to the whole school.” I sweep my hand across the air, “Jocko Malone, sexually harassed by groping girls.”
She giggles.
Chapter Seventeen
Jocko
After a nice hot shower, I open the bathroom door. Jorja isn’t in bed, so I wrap the towel around my waist and look for her in the living room. She's dressed sitting on the couch with Lucifer. His head is in her lap, and she's petting him, talking to him. The look on his face mirrors mine. He's completely content.
When I enter the room, they both look up at me. “I hope you don’t mind. He looked so lonely in his cage.”
“He's got the big puppy dog eyes down pat, doesn’t he?”
She smiles and ruffs his neck. “Yes, he does. But he's such a good boy!”
Shaking my head, I walk back in to get dressed. She comes to the door to watch. “I was thinking we should go grab a bite to eat. What's your favorite food? Italian? Mexican?”
“American. I’m a steak and potatoes man.”
“Of course, you are.” She smirks. “There's Angelo’s steakhouse we could hit.”
“Sounds good.”
“I'll call ahead and make sure Lucifer's allowed.” She takes her phone and walks back to him on the couch.
Walking back into the room, pulling my shirt over my head, my phone dings. She glances at it but doesn’t say anything. But her expression changes and she bites her bottom lip. Picking it up, I see why.
Do we have a date tonight or not?
I need to know what to wear.
Sexy and available?
I walk over to Jorja. “Hey, whatever you just thought, let it go.” I wrap my arms around her. “Don’t assume the worst, okay? Let me explain. We have to be able to communicate, or this won’t work.”
She rests her face on my chest.
“Desi's a big flirt, but she's also an old friend.”
“Like Liv?”
“No, Liv is just a big flirt.” I laugh. “Desi’s a friend. I stopped by her place earlier this week because I need her help with Lucifer. He needs to socialize with other dogs. She wanted to hear some war stories and invited me, us, for a beer tonight at nine at Hooligan’s Bar. If you don’t want to go, we won’t.”
“That didn’t sound like I was invited.”
“Here, I 'll prove it.”
I text Desi.
BFF’s. See you there.
Jorja’s a lucky girl. Don’t be late.
Walking across the parking lot with Jorja’s satchel on my shoulder and the flowers in her hand, she tells me a little about what she did after high school. She shares that her mother married the next year and moved to Arizona. She rented the house from her and started working at the magazine instead of going off to college. She earned her degree working during the day and taking online classes. When we reach her car, I give her another long kiss, then open the door.
She slides in, looks up at me, shields her eyes with her hand, and says, “Are you sure Lucifer will be aright in the hotel room alone?”
I smirk. “I’m sure. He 'll climb up on the bed and sleep.”
“Okay, I 'll pick you up at eight then.”
I watch her pull away, standing there until she 's out of sight.
I look down at my boy. “Do you realize she 's going to be your mama?”
He wags his tail, and we head for my truck. The businesses are all closed, so the hike 's short. When we 're loaded, I ask him. “We've got an hour to kill. Want to go to the park and chase the ball?”
Jorja
Standing in my closet, trying to decide what to wear tonight is pure torture. Hooligan’s is not a fancy place. It is a pub. I should wear casual clothes and Converse tennis shoes. But Desi’s text makes me stop. She was going to wear sexy and available.
I grab my phone.
Margie! Help!
What’s wrong? Are you okay?
I need to know which dress says sexy and available.
Ah! An easy choice.
The little black dress.
You know the one you have not worn?
Where is Jocko taking you?
I slide the hangers until I am looking at it stuffed in the very back of my clothes. It was a drunk purchase. It is mostly spandex and leaves nothing to the imagination. Hanging there, it looks like a tube top.