Lance: I have a very persuasive tongue.
Harper: Is this a bad idea?
Lance: Yes, but we should totally do it anyway.
I grin at his use of my own words against me before turning off my engine and rolling down my window. I sit in wait for mere seconds when I hear a voice sound off just as a little boy bursts through the door onto the neighboring porch.
“Mommy! I can’t be on the porch at night!”
“You will stand out there, young man, until you can talk to me with respect,” her reply sounds out as the little boy crosses his arms and glares inside.
“This house is a prison!”
“You need some new material,” she calls back.
“No, I need a new mommy who will let me do my work in peace.”
“Boy, watch yourself. I’ll extend your time. Five minutes. Think about the things you say before you spray them.”
“That’s not funny. You rhyming like that.”
“Well, I think it is.”
“Who cares what you think! I don’t.”
“Adding three minutes. You just hurt my feelings.”
“I can’t hear you from the porch. You need to come closer.”
“Sorry, I’m making your crappy mac and cheese.”
“I didn’t say it was crappy.”
“Yes, you did.”
“I said I was tired of having it!”
“It was implied.”
The little boy throws his hands up. “I didn’t say anything about flies!”
Laughing, I jerk in my car seat when Lance appears out of nowhere and takes the passenger seat next to me.
“What are you doing? I thought I was coming inside?”
“Trust me, you don’t want that kid to be the one to spot us,” Lance says, slinking down in the seat.
“I really don’t think this little SUV is equipped to conceal a gladiator. And that kid is hilarious.”
Lance glances at the little boy a smirk upturning his lips. “His name is Dante, and he reminds me of my little brother Trevor.”
Dante speaks up from the porch.
“Fine. I’m sorry, Mommy. For what I said. Can I come back in?”
Her voice rings out clearly. “What did you say?”
“I don’t know!”
“Five minutes left.”
“Fine. Whatever. Hand me my pillow. I’ll sleep out here.”
Seconds later, a pillow flies through the open door.
“I will sleep out here!” He threatens before looking around, the fear in his eyes, proving his threat empty. “I will.”
“Well, there’s your pillow, ‘man of the house.’”
“You are supposed to be nice to me. I’m your son!”
“Works both ways, kid. You have an attitude problem.”
Lance and I chuckle before he speaks up. “It’s eleven. He’s usually in bed by now. He’s up way later than normal.”
I lift a brow. “You know the bedtime routine next door?”
“I’m home a lot.”
“Why?”
“Because…” he frowns. “Long story.”
“I have time.”
He turns to me, his hair damp. I can smell his body wash. He’s got on a T-shirt and black mesh shorts. My mouth waters at the thought of curling up next to him, inhaling that scent.
“I lost my truck not too long ago.”
“Lost it?”
“Sold it.”
“Why?”
“Had to.”
“Elaborate.”
“Naw. Not tonight. Not something I want to think about right now, okay? Just forget I brought it up.” He does want to talk about it. It’s eating him up inside, I can tell, but I nod.
“You can come in,” the woman calls out before Dante disappears inside.
“She puts her kid on the porch often, huh?”
Lance grins. “Clarissa is her name. And yeah, they fight like an old married couple. To be honest, he reminds me a little bit of me too, when I was his age. It’s entertaining. Come on,” he takes my hand before I can prod him further, “I think we’re good.”
“So, who’s home?” I ask as we approach the porch to the older two-story house.
“Just Theo.”
It’s then I hear the sound of a guitar coming from the basement.
“Wow, he’s really good.”
“Yeah and he’ll be at it most of the night.”
“Hmm. And Troy?”
“He’s gone most nights. I think he works graveyard.” He turns to me. “Wait, how did you know Troy lived here?”
“He saw me the other night when you kicked me out,” I say with an edge to my voice.
“And you’re just now telling me? Did you miss the point of our argument?” His voice carries a much more dangerous edge.
“He was three sheets to the wind or lost in thought or something. He didn’t even look my way. He just said, “Hey,” like he was on autopilot. He was at the kitchen table, staring out the window. I didn’t answer him. He was on another planet.”
Lance seems satisfied as he walks me up the stairs, the sound of guitar filtering throughout the house. “Wow, he’s incredible. You said his name is Theo?”
“Yeah, he plays in the Grand Band.”
“What does he play?”
“I don’t know, we don’t talk much.” Lance leads me up the stairs before closing the door to his bedroom and caging me behind it. “I didn’t kick you out,” he says, his masculine scent filling my nose.
“Threw me on my ass,” I clasp my hands behind my back. “Tossed me like garbage.” Lance bends, so we’re eye level.
“You really aren’t going to let this go, are you?”
“I do believe you mentioned something about your tongue and an apology.”
His eyes pool dark. “I didn’t mention an apology.”
He leans in, slightly lifting the hem of my T-shirt with his finger and lazily running it along my abdomen.
“You should apologize.”
“I did.”
“You should do it again.”
His deep chuckle sends goosebumps over my flesh as his finger runs up between my breasts before tracing the underside of my bra. “A little bit demanding tonight, aren’t we, Mami?”
“Maybe.”
“Well, let’s hear them.”
“Hear what?”
“Your other demands.”
“I don’t know yet. I’m new to this.”
“I’m sure they’ll come to you.”
Breathless, I lean into his touch and am rewarded when he takes it a step further, his erection pressing into me. “We should ease you into this.”
Something about being with this man makes me bolder. It’s been that way since the day we met.
“Then I’ll have your tongue first.”
Lance
I stroke the skin of her hip, my arms wrapped around her as we listen to Theo’s latest concert. It’s been an hour-long mix of Santana and Jimi Hendrix. “He should join a band or something.”
“I told you, he’s in the marching band.”