Page 131 of Three for a Girl

Romeo wiped his arm along his brow. Mud stained his cheeks, chin, and he breathed through his mouth, sucking in the air.

“But you couldn’t sleep…”

Romeo shook his head and Chad sunk, lowering his gaze.

“It’s not that I can’t sleep. I can, like a baby, but I’d rather not wake up and have the police all over us.”

“Right.” Chad said, scratching the back of his head. “Yeah, that makes sense.”

Romeo’s hand landed on his shoulder and he squeezed. “Why don’t you go back inside?”

“No.”

“No?”

“We’re in this together.”

Chad wrestled the spade from Romeo’s other hand. He released it with a soft laugh and squeezed Chad’s shoulder again.

“I can’t get the high without dealing with the messy bit afterwards, too.”

“I moved the car into the garage.”

“We’ve got to get rid of it.”

“Really? That priceless car? Only ten were made.”

Chad glared at Romeo and he laughed as he collapsed down on the dirt. Chad dropped into the hole and carried on shoveling. Romeo turned the flashlight towards him, putting him under a spotlight. The scent of mud filled the air, wet and earthy, and refreshing after the weeks of intense heat.

The mud clung to the spade like wet cement, and in no time, Chad was panting while wiping sweat from his brow. He rested the spade on the side and yanked his T-shirt over his head.

The cool air hit him and he tilted his head back, exposing his front to the wind.

“Seductive erotic dance, ten letters.”

Chad laughed, grabbing the spade. He waved it in a threatening manner towards Romeo. “I’m not doing a striptease.”

“Tease is definitely the optimal word.”

“I’m covered in mud and sweat, digging a god-damn hole.”

“For the guy I just killed. You look perfect.”

Chad tightened his brow before forcing the spade into the earth. “We’re not normal.”

“No, we’re not, but it’s much more fun being abnormal together, isn’t it?”

Chad glanced in Carter’s direction. It was ridiculous, but he expected him to move, just a bit.

“Why was the sand wet?”

Chad snapped his attention to Romeo. “What?”

“I said why was the sand wet?”

“Are we really doing this?”

“Yes, we are.”

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