Page 25 of Warrior's Walk

“Who wants to know?” I ask.

He chuffs like he’s amused I’m trying to hide my identity from him. “I live next door. Also, I’m your ball buddy.”

Fucking ball buddy? Suddenly, I’m less worried about my life and more worried about my dick. No, not my dick, myass. “Is that some sort of euphemism for being down to fuck?”

For a big guy, he sure does scare easily. His face blanches white and his eyes become huge. “What? No! No, no, man. I’m your BALLS buddy.”

“Yeah, you keep sayin’ that like I’m supposed to know what it means.”

Laughing, Mandy runs a hand through his short hair. “You know, Beyond the Army: Legion of Love Soldiers. I volunteer there, and they’ve got this program where they pair up buddies with other vets in need.”

What the fuck?“They just hand out friends?” In preschool, we followed the buddy system when we went to the bathroom, or on field trips, and in the Army, we were assigned battle buddies, but I don’t think either of those things apply here.

Mandy smiles. “No, not like that. But when you need a ride to the store or just someone to talk to, you call your buddy. I’ve got a buddy myself. He comes with me to doctor visits.”

“So, you want to be my Ball Buddy?” I’m trying to keep a straight face.

“I know. It sounds fucking stupid, but it is what it is. BALLS saved my life, so now I’m giving back, trying to save someone else’s.”

“So, you’re trying to save me?” The ladies at my mama’s church tried to save me. They haven’t succeeded yet.

Mandy snorts. “Something like that, smartass.” He shakes his head. “Here, give me your phone. I’ll put my number in it.”

Reluctantly, I hand it over and he punches his number in and then hands it back and walks over to the kitchen, pulling open the door on my fridge. Mandy looks inside like a nosy biddy.

“Shit, I should eat here,” he mumbles, then shuts the door and straightens. “You’ve got plenty of food for now, but when you get low, I’ll take you to the store.”

What the fuck?Who just goes through someone’s fridge like that? “I sure as fuck didn’t pay for any of it. I don’t know where it came from.”

“Knock, knock,” a voice calls out from the front door as they rap on it.

I know that voice.

From the kitchen, Mandy calls, “Riggs?”

“Hey, Mandy.” They exchange a one-armed hug.

“What are you doing here?” I’m stunned that Riggs is standing in my living room. “How’d you find me?”

They laugh and Mandy says, “He’ll catch on soon.” He claps my shoulder. “It’s a small town and an even smaller circle. News travels fast.”

“Are you settling in?” Riggs asks. His eyes travel up and down my body, almost like he’s drinking me in, and it makes my heart skip a beat.

“I don’t know. I feel like Dorothy plucked out of Kansas and dropped flat on my ass in Oz.”

Riggs chuckles. “Mandy, are you keeping an eye on my patient?”

Hispatient? No two words could sound sweeter.

“Trying to. He thinks I’m trying to get into his pants.”

I’m so busy gawking at Riggs that it takes a moment for me to realize he just threw me under the bus. “What? No! I mean, that’s what you made it sound like when you said you wanted to be my ball buddy. You know, like buddies who sit around feeling up each other’s balls. What was I supposed to think?”

He chokes on his laugh, trying to hide it. “Don’t worry, the ball jokes will grow on you,” Riggs assures me.

“Well, I’m gonna take off,” Mandy mumbles. “You know where to find me.”

He shuts the door behind him, and I’m left standing in my living room with Riggs.Alone. He’s staring at me and a deliciouscurl of heat licks through my body. Fuck, the sexual tension with this guy is ridiculous.

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