Page 79 of Smooth Sailing

Fuck.

It wasn’t like they were all over each other, but he for certain had broken a seal for Diana. She cuddled up to him on the couch for both movies, he let her, and not only because there wasn’t a lot of room for everyone if she didn’t.

He’d never cuddled in front of a movie with a woman in his life…or ever. Never had the urge. He’d witnessed others cuddling, and he didn’t see the draw of it, having someone up in your space like that.

With Diana, it came natural.

And it felt great.

“Pete—”

“Though, talked to Tack and he said he hasn’t heard from you.”

“I haven’t made up my mind about her.”

“Okay, so, where you at with that?”

“Not someplace I’m willing to talk about it.”

“Hug—”

“It’s too early for this shit, Petey.”

“Maybe. But we touched on this the other day, so I’m gonna touch on it again by saying, we got you, and we don’t have you.”

Hugger didn’t understand. “What?”

“You’re Chaos. We can count on you. But I bet I asked, not one brother could say he knows you.”

Hugger felt a tightness hit his chest. “That’s the way it is. It’s what you give and what I return.”

“Yeah. That’s the other thing. Not one brother could say you know them.”

Hugger was not liking this.

“That isn’t true.”

“Only because they give a shit ton more than you do, and you pay attention.”

“You sayin’ that’s a problem?”

“No, son, I’m sayin’, for me, that’s a worry.”

“For fuck’s sake, why?”

“Because you got a lot to give.”

“Like what?”

“Maybe ask Diana.”

Hugger shut his mouth.

Big Petey did not.

“She gets to that point in healing, ask Suzette. Ask any of our brothers, you pitch up at the store and do your thing there, no complaint, when most the men hate workin’ the store. Ask any brother of Resurrection, when you take their backs. Ask Tab, when Playboy got to pukin’ his guts out and Shy and Rush were up in Fort Collins, Tack and Tyra were in St. Lucia, you went to the hospital to hang with her until her man and her brother could get to her.”

“It’s what we do.”

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