Page 25 of The Illicit Play
“I don’t have anything in my pockets, sir,” Blake calls back to him.
“We’re leaving now.” I back her up, tucking my armaround the curve of her elbow and urging her toward the exit.
“Don’t you need to get some stuff?” She points at the supplies in my hand.
Dumping it on the shelf by the door, I shake my head and walk out into the light drizzle. It’s been raining on and off all day, which isn’t too bad after the heavy downpour we had all night. Hunching my shoulders, I lift the collar of my jacket and watch Blake do the same.
I’ll come back and get my stuff later. Right now, I just need to get this woman away from false accusations.
Steering her toward the overhang of the building down the street, I make sure she’s under shelter before glancing back over my shoulder at the pharmacy.
I don’t relax or let her go until we’re five stores down.
Slipping my hands into my pockets, I softly check on her. “You okay?”
She glances up, her smile warm and unaffected. “Yeah. Thanks for backing me up in there. That guy had it in for me.”
“I can’t believe he was saying that shit to you.” Another soft growl reverberates in my throat. “You shouldn’t have had to turn out your pockets.”
Wiping a few raindrops off her face, she flicks her hand and gives me a smile. “He needed the reassurance. I don’t know what he saw on his security camera, but he must have assumed I just took that nail polish and didn’t see me returning it or something. I don’t know.” She shrugs, licking her bottom lip before gazing across the street with a sigh.
“You know, there’s another place on Fifth Street that sells great makeup. I know a lot of the girls go there. Can’tremember the name of it, but it’s got a great selection, and I think it’s cheaper than the pharmacy back there.”
“Oh yeah?” She glances back at me, a teasing smile growing on her face. “I didn’t know you were into drag.”
I snicker and shake my head. “Mygirlfriendis big on the beauty thing.”
“Girlfriend?”
Her question stops me in my tracks, and I squeeze my eyes shut, muttering, “Ex-girlfriend.”
“Right.”
“Loves her makeup and polish and pretty clothes and shit.”
Why are you still talking? Stop talking!
I clamp my lips together, my fingers curling into fists in my pockets as we silently walk side by side down the street.
“How long ago did you break up? Must be kinda recent.” Her soft questions feel like horn blasts, and I grind my teeth together. She waits me out as she continues walking down the street, and when I don’t say anything, she ends up giving me an easy out. “It’s obviously still kinda fresh. We don’t have to talk about it.”
Her nose wrinkles when we get to the end of the shelter and have to walk into the rain again. It’s still light enough to not be drowning us, but her boots splash into a puddle that’s been forming over the past few days. It’s been a wet week, and I’m so over this rain.
I usually don’t mind it too much, but when I don’t have an umbrella to offer the woman beside me, it becomes an irritation. Teah always hated getting her hair wet. Although… Blake doesn’t seem to be as bothered. Her damp curls are starting to frizz, but she just tucks a clump behind her ear and keeps moving forward.
“You got a boyfriend in Chicago?” I don’t know what the fuck makes me ask.
She whips a look at me, her eyes rounding before she bursts out laughing.
“What?” I frown. “Why is that funny?”
“It’s not. I just…” She shakes her head, still laughing like I’m fucking hilarious. “I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“Okaaay.” I brush raindrops off my forehead. “What am I missing here?”
“Nothing.” Wiping a hand under her eyes, she lets out another soft laugh before pulling herself together. “I just…” Licking her lips, she keeps her eyes across the street and finally says, “I’m too busy for a boyfriend.”
“Right.” I nod, still finding her reaction weird.
