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“The first question you asked doesn’t apply since you asked me questions.”

“Fair enough,” I mumbled.

“And I want to get to know you because there is something about you.”

“Something about me?” I asked. “What does that mean?”

“I’m not sure yet. Once I do, I will let you know.” He leaned back in his chair and maneuvered it to plant his feet on either side of mine on the rung of my barstool. “Now tell me about what you like to do for fun when you’re not working.”

“Hang out with Tommy.”

“He your boyfriend?”

I chuckled. “No, though he’s claimed me as his human.”

“Dog?”

I shook my head. “Thought about it, but having to go up and down those stairs whenever they need to go to the bathroom squashed that idea quickly.”

“I hope it’s a cat or a rabbit. Please don’t be a reptile.”

I wrinkled my nose. “Cat. No way in heck I would ever own a reptile. I would have the luck of the thing getting out of his cage and trying to eat me while I slept.” Though I’m sure if I were ever late feeding Tommy, he would try to eat me alive. He was loyal to me, but he was also ruled by his stomach.

“You named your cat Tommy?”

I nodded. “Yup. It sounds less pathetic when I say I’m spending time with Tommy rather than Tinker Bell or something weird.” I nodded to him. “You thought he was my boyfriend, didn’t you?”

He took a swig of his beer. “You got me there, babe.”

“And speaking of Tommy, I really need to get up to my apartment. If he could use the phone, I’m sure he would have sent out an amber alert for me.”

“I’m sure he’ll understand. I’m just trying to spend some time with his human.”

I shook my head and smiled. “And have you figured out why that is yet?”

Hail shook his head. “Not yet. A game of pool might help me figure it out.”

“Is that so?”

Hail shifted then leaned forward and rested his elbows on the bar. “Or we can stay here. I don’t really care what we are doing as long as you’re close.”

“This doesn’t seem odd to you?” I asked.

“This what?”

“You and I. Whatever the heck it is, we are doing.”

He shrugged. “I don’t tend to question things that feel right. It’s served me well for the past twenty-nine years. It helped me land joining the Lost Mavericks and is a big reason why I climbed the ranks to prez at such a young age.”

“It just felt right?”

He nodded. “Yup. The club felt like the right fit, so I joined. I went from prospect to prez in ten years. Wanna know why?”

I tipped my head to the side and smiled. “Because it felt right?”

A sly smile spread across his lips. “Damn straight, babe. If something feels right, I don’t let it go. It becomes mine. Forever.”

There was so much more to what Hail was saying.

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