Page 170 of White Raven
Brandon leaned in and playfully kissed her, placing the container in her covered lap.“Yes, dear.”
“Gross…now youreallysound old.”
He snickered as he plopped down next to her and poured them both a glass of wine. “Where do you think they went? I thought they would have been back by now. Wren was about as ready to come out of that outfit as you were.”
Rhaena swallowed down another gulp and started picking at her dinner. “Maybe they went out. It’s been a really long day. Gotta admit though, I know it isn’t our house, but it’s nice to have it to ourselves for a little bit.”
Brandon chewed and stared over at the Boston skyline. “How much do you think this place goes for? A mil?”
Rhaena paused mid-chew, and drew her brows. “Probably. He said he hadn’t listed it yet. Why?” He had a gleam in his eye when he looked back at her, and a slight smirk on his lips.“No.”
“Why not? We’re both way past due for an upgrade, and neither one of us have made any moves to go back to your place. You know it’ll never be the same.”
She tried not to spew the residual anger at the thought of her apartment. “Nothingwill ever be the same, babe. Ever. Butaside from that, you know damned well we could never afford this place.”
Brandon shrugged, forking another mouthful. “Maybe not on our current salary, no. But you’re taking the captain’s exam, and Foley was planning on buying it, wasn’t he?”
True…
“And you’re not bothered by all of us basically playing ‘musical apartments’?” she asked, shooting her eyebrows up.
“If that’s what we’re doing, then it looks like we’d win, doesn’t it? Go ahead and fire off another excuse,” he smiled.
Rhaena chewed slowly and stared at the floor. “I don’t have one.” He must have noticed her change in attitude…or rather thedrop. He squeezed her thigh in comfort.
“It was just a thought, babe. I’m happy to impregnate you amongst my vast collection of sports memorabilia.”
Rhaena’s face shot towards him, and she couldn’t help her broad smile. “Ohhellno. Call Brent right now and make him a fucking offer!”
Brandon chuckled through his food. “Thought that’d do the trick.”
Sarah leaned against the wall with her knees raised under the old blanket she’d finally gotten back from evidence after they’d closed Nell’s case. Poe perched on top of it as he nipped at her fingertips and mimicked all the crazy sounds she was making at him while they impatiently waited for Athan to finish whatever the hell he was attempting to do in the kitchen.
“Can we look now?” she asked, leaning in and puckering her lips at their bird. Poe mimicked a kissing sound in reply.
“Not yet. You’re gonna be fucking proud of me,” Athan called from the stove.
“I already am,” Sarah grinned, scratching Poe’s ruffled breast. “We’re not choking on smoke.”
“That was hurtful, St. James. I’ve had a rough day, you know.”
Smoke sounded like an excellent idea, and she was quick to light a cigarette as she chuckled beneath her cupped hands and blew curls through her nose. Athan’s lighter flipped shut, and she set it on the nightstand. “Need some ointment for your sore asshole?”
“No, but you’re gonna need some foryoursif you keep that shit up.”
“Oooo,” she purred, wagging her brows. Poe repeated the word ‘asshole’, and she and Athan both burst out laughing. “Note to self. Never have kids. We’d be horrible parents.”
There were a couple loud bangs of pots on the stove, but then he replied, “Says,you. I’d be a great dad. He’d be smoking a pack a day and playing with guns before he could walk.”
“Can they up someone’s birth control?” Sarah jested. Athan popped his head around the corner of the fridge, shooting her a defeated look. “I’m kidding. Calm down. You know I live my life on the edge, detective.”
“Remind me to come back to this conversation later.”
She took a long drag from her cigarette, and moved Poe to his perch stand by the bed. “Dude, I’m ravenous. Are you done yet? I’m about ready to ravage our little blood bank.”
“Don’t come in here! Get your sexy little ass back on that bed.”
She stubbed the cigarette out and smiled over her shoulder as she crawled back onto the mattress. “Remind me to come back tothatconversation later.”
