Page 30 of Dozer

My phone pinged.

Hana: I just woke up. Come get me at the MC.

Pippa:lol. On my way.

I checked my backpack as I rushed into the living room. Romeo was beautiful with high cheekbones, a flawless complexion, eyes to drown in, and a mouth made for kissing. He was tall and fit and funny.

Dozer took my breath. His hooded gaze sent a quickening of wicked need through me. He leaned up on his elbow. The blanket rode low on his hips and revealed the outline of his morning erection.

“I’m late for class. I can drop you at the MC. I’m picking Hana up.”

He swung his legs to the floor and rubbed his head. “Sure. I’ll pee and we can go.”

“How do you feel?”

Both eyes were bruised near the corner by his nose. The left was also swollen and dark. He had several cuts, and the right side of his jaw was red and puffy.

“Like shit.” He grabbed his clothes and strode past me to the bathroom.

“Care to elaborate?”

“Not really.” The bathroom door closed.

Was he always grumpy in the mornings because if so, he could break into someone else’s house drunk, beat up, and aroused.

No, not aroused. Not that he was mine, but if he were, I wouldn’t share him. I didn’t want to think ofhim with anyone else. I wanted him with me…I wanted to feel the way I did when he watched me with Romeo.

But I didn’t like the way I felt this morning. He’d come to me. I was trying to be honest with him and with Romeo. Why was I feeling guilty? Maybe he was, too.

“Ready?” He slipped a cigarette between his lips.

I snatched my keys from the counter. “Yeah, but you can’t smoke in my car.”

His lips twitched. Not quite a smile, but close as he tucked it behind his ear. “No problem.”

In the garage, I pressed the button for the automatic door.

“Keep this door locked until I get the window fixed,” he said, locking the kitchen door then pulling it closed.

“Maybe you should stop breaking and entering. You’re not very good at it.” I opened the back driver’s door of my car and tossed in my backpack.

He walked around the front of the vehicle. “Someone isn’t a morning person.”

I rolled my eyes and climbed behind the wheel. “Are you serious?” I pushed the start button and threw the car into reverse. “And put on your seatbelt. It’s the law.”

Once out of the garage, I lowered the visor, hit the remote, and closed the automatic door.

Rather than endure the silence, I turned on the radio and tapped my fingers on the steering wheel to the song. When the next song started, Dozer turned and stared at my profile.

“You were dancing to this song the first time I saw you at Liquid Chrome. You used a long neck bottle as a microphone, and you sang along as you rubbed up against Hana.”

“It’s a good song.”

“I couldn’t stop staring at you.” He plucked the cigarette from behind his ear and clamped it between his lips.

“Why didn’t you talk to me?”

“Your mouth was busy getting to know Romeo’s tongue.”

---