Page 63 of Smooth Sailing

That was when Big Petey started to look mad.

He didn’t hesitate to explain why.

“You know it would gut her to hear you say that.”

Pete was talking about his mother.

“It’s the best way to live life. Have no expectations, get no disappointments. She showed me that.”

“Bullshit,” Pete clipped. “She had no choice. But she gave everything so you would.”

Now Hugger was getting mad. “You don’t know what we were. You don’t know what we had.”

“I knew Jackie,” Big Petey shot back. “I knew the feeling she had for you. And I know that woman in there, whose world lights up just ’cause a woman opens the cage she closed around herself just enough to color in a book, and that same woman prepares a spread on the fly for a bunch of men she barely knows and gets off on it, is a woman your mother would be doin’ cartwheels is in your life. She’s into you, Hug, don’t fuck that up.”

“We’re on a mission.”

“You can’t multi-task?”

“Shit is real, Pete.”

“When isn’t it?”

Hugger didn’t answer that because it would prove Big Petey’s point.

“Call Rush and call Tack,” Pete commanded. “And I’ll talk to Eight.”

With that, they were done, Hugger knew because Pete left him on the balcony.

8

TAKE THE RISK

Hugger

The next morning, Hugger stood on the balcony sipping coffee he made and staring straight at the assholes who were back enjoying a Saturday morning latte at the coffee spot in the courtyard.

He heard the door slide open and twisted to see Diana, her hair in a messy knot at her crown, some loose drawstring shorts hanging on at her hips, and a cropped babydoll tee tight at her tits that shared she was a fan of the Diamondbacks. It was the first time he’d seen her with no makeup.

She was just as gorgeous as she was with it on.

Christ.

It was like she was trying to torture him.

“You’re awake,” she noted.

He nodded and tipped his head to the courtyard. “We got company.”

She did an annoyed side-eye and stuck her tongue out like she was gagging.

Fuck him, her cute was as hot as her hot.

Totally torturing him.

“Gotta use the can,” he told her. “You can stay out here, but don’t get anywhere where they can lay eyes on you.”

“You didn’t already—?” she began.

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