Page 29 of Riding the Edge

I really am fucked in the head. Maybe Jack’s right. I’ve spent too much time playing with my green thumb that I neglected my dick. I should call one of my regulars. The hostess at the diner is always up for a good time. Too bad I can’t remember her fucking name.

Pulling my hands out of my pockets, I comb my fingers through my hair and shake the crazy from my head.

“Are you listening to a word I’m saying?” Maria questions, sounding annoyed.

“No,” I admit. Before she smacks me upside the head, I make good on my word. “Nico woke up today.”

At that, her features soften and God, I like the way she’s looking at me.

I like it a fuck of a lot.

“That’s great news.”

“Yeah, he’s got a ways to go and he’ll probably be in the hospital for at least a week or two but, everything looks good.”

“Thank God,” she replies. “You and Patty must be so relieved.” Pausing, she pushes the wispy strands of hair away from her face. “I should’ve realized he was awake the minute I saw your face. You wouldn’t have left that hospital otherwise.”

Noticing she missed a piece, I reach out and tuck it behind her ear. At the slight touch, her body goes completely still, and her eyes lock with mine. Silence settles over us as we become consumed with trying to figure out what’s happening between us. Days ago, we were two people who only uttered a word to one another if we were forced to. Now, she’s texting me and I’m showing up at her job looking to slice some fucks fingers off because he touched her.

Clearing her throat, she takes a step backward, out of my reach and the invisible walls around her come flying up, reminding us both we’re not cut from the same cloth.

“Have dinner with me,” I blurt rebelliously.

Blinking at me, she looks bewildered… like I didn’t ask her to share a simple meal but rather to pack her bags and run away with me.

“What?”

“Dinner,” I repeat.

“That’s crazy,” she scoffs, looking away.

“Is it?” I press. Defying her need for space, I step forward and lay a finger to her chin, forcing her eyes back to mine. “It’s the least I can do after all you’ve done.”

“I didn’t do anything you didn’t do for me.”

“I wrecked your fancy scarf with my blood.”

“It’ll wash out,” she argues.

“Have dinner with me, Lady.”

“Do you need me to tell you all the reasons why that’s a bad idea?”

“Yeah and you better make them good because it’s going to take a lot of convincing to sway me,” I tell her.

It’s true too. In the back of my mind, I got a whole list of reasons why I shouldn’t get any closer to Maria. The first being she’s Riggs’ mother-in-law. The second being a woman like her will likely chew me up and spit me out and if she don’t her son will fucking nail my balls to the cross. Still, even knowing all that, I want to spend time with her.

“Well, for starters, we have nothing in common.”

“Try again.”

“Name one thing you and I have in common,” she challenges as she starts to pace again.

For fuck’s sake, she’s making me dizzy.

“You got kids, I got kids. We got a shit ton of mutual acquaintances—”

“That’s not a good thing.”

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