Page 77 of Whatever Lola Wants

“Put something on first,” he told her, and she looked down.

“Oh. I forgot.”

She scrambled to the closet, snagging a summer weight caftan in scarlet. She slipped it over her head. “What would you like to drink?”

“Any of my beer left?”

He’d gotten into the habit of stocking a few bottles from his favorite microbrewery in her refrigerator. “I think so.” She started to turn, then frowned. “Should you have alcohol?”

“I got stun gunned in the middle of a blowjob,” he told her, his voice dangerously close to a whine. “I want a damn beer.”

“Okay, I was just checking. I’ll be back in a minute.”

She hurried out to the kitchen, pulling open the fridge and snagging his beer first, then turned on the oven. While it was warming up, she took him the beer.

Satisfied he was as comfortable as she could make him, she went back to the kitchen. She pulled out a baking sheet and lay several pieces of pizza on it, sliding it in to heat when the oven signaled it was ready. Then she opened a bottle of red wine, poured herself a generous glass, and drank half of it down in one go.

Finally, with nothing left to do but wait for the pizza, she laid her head on the counter and laughed until tears ran down her face.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Anna’s brown eyes were wide with shock. “You did what?”

Ginger squirmed while Lola snickered into her drink. “I thought he was assaulting her. What was I supposed to do?”

Anna turned to Lola. “She’s kidding, right?”

Lola shook her head. “Unfortunately, no.”

“Oh, my God. And you were…”

“Getting skull fucked,” Lola supplied helpfully.

Anna let out a peal of laughter that had half the restaurant turning to look. “I’m sorry,” Anna gasped, holding her ribs as she giggled uncontrollably. “I just can’t…oh, my God.”

Lola nodded. “It’s okay. Once I realized he wasn’t dead, that was pretty much my reaction.”

Ginger cheeks reddened even more, clashing with the robin’s egg blue summer dress she wore. “I feel terrible.”

“Honey.” Lola rubbed a consoling hand down the other woman’s arm. “You shouldn’t. I think it’s amazing you came to my rescue.”

“You didn’t need rescuing,” Ginger muttered, toying with the few French fries remaining on her plate.

“Yes, but you didn’t know that,” Lola countered. “It was very brave.”

“I agree,” Anna said after she’d gotten herself under control. “You’re a badass.”

Ginger snickered. “Well, I guess my mother was wrong about the big city chewing me up and spitting me out.”

“Did you tell her what happened?” Lola asked.

Ginger’s eyes grew round with horror. “Are you kidding? She’d brave the rampant crime and sex traffickers to come drag me home herself.”

“You know, those numbers are hugely inflated. What law enforcement calls ‘sex trafficking arrests’ is mostly arrests of consensual adult sex workers.” Anna picked up her drink. “I could give you some links to send your mom, if you think it would help ease her mind.”

“Believe me, it would not.”

Lola cleared her throat. “Well, I'm glad you're here.”

---