Page 55 of Levee

“Why would you say that?”

“Doesn’t seem like she’s slept in a week,” he said. “She’s already loosening up,” he added, watching her laugh at something Kylo said. “But she’s tense as fuck too. You don’t know what’s going on?”

“No. But it hasn’t been… serious,” I said. “And I maybe see her once a week, so… I dunno. But I don’t buy the story about the wall for a second.”

“I wouldn’t push, though. She seems a little fragile. She’s probably here to try to get away from whatever it is bothering her. Be that getaway for her. If she’s comfortable enough, she will let you in eventually.”

I wouldn’t pretend to understand how Velle got so much insight into a complete stranger just by observing her. But everything he said rang true to me.

“How long do I need to be the comfort person?” I asked.

“As long as she needs,” Velle said, getting up off of the chaise to walk over and join Kylo and Jade.

I sat back for a moment, watching, ready to step in if Jade looked uncomfortable. There was no chance of that, though. She was someone who seemed able to easily get along with strangers. I mean, look at the close bonds she already made with her neighbors in such a short amount of time.

I just waited for her to come to me.

Which she did. After finishing one drink and starting another, stopping to talk not only to Velle and Kylo, but York and Coast as well as the girls.

Watching her, you’d think that she’d been a part of this club for months or years with how easily she seemed to fit right in.

But I was just glad to see her usual smile come back, to watch her laugh and lose the tension in her shoulders.

Making her way toward me, her head tipped to the side, she didn’t move to sit on the chaise next to me that Velle had abandoned. Instead, she dropped right down on mine.

“I really like your friends,” she told me.

“Even Velle?” I asked, knowing that sometimes people found him a little off-putting because he seemed to see so much.

“He’s got a quiet intensity, but he has kind eyes,” she said, shrugging as she finished off her margarita.

“Those are good, aren’t they?” I asked.

“They don’t even taste like alcohol,” she admitted, shifting easily as I reached to pull her back against me.

“Oh, but they are. You might want to wait until you have some food in your stomach, or you’re gonna be too shit-faced to walk straight.”

“I’m buzzing already,” she admitted, reaching to put her cup on the ground, then relax into me, taking a slow, deep breath.

“Buzzing is good,” I agreed, sliding my hands up her arms, her neck, the sides of her face, then pressing my fingers into her temples.

“That’s nice,” she said.

“Headache?” I asked.

“A little. The tequila helped,” she said. “So, are the girls… girlfriends?” she asked.

“No. They’re… club girls,” I told her.

“What does that mean?”

“It’s just a biker thing, I guess. When you have a club, you have club girls.”

“To party? Or do they hook up with the members?”

“Both. Either. Depends on the girl, I guess. Does that bother you?”

“Why? Because you’ve had sex before?” she asked, turning her head to glance up at me. “No virgin is as good in bed as you are,” she told me. “And all the women you’ve been with before are a part of that. Why would I complain when I’m reaping the benefits?”

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