Again not by choice, I said, “Okay.”

Joker didn’t move so I didn’t either. What we did was stare at each other, which made me feel strange and suddenly uncomfortable.

Until he said, “I like you.”

Of its own volition, my hand fisted in his shirt.

“In a way I wanna do this right,” he went on. “For you and for Travis.”

Okay, I could get on board with that.

“I like you too,” I told him shyly.

“Got that when you rubbed that heat against my thigh.”

I felt my face burst into a different kind of heat.

Then I felt Joker’s body start quaking and saw his mouth in a full blown smile.

“The pink is cute, Butterfly, but no need for it. That shit was hot.”

“Um… good,” I muttered.

“Cute and hot. Only bitch I know who can pull that shit off.”

That certain mood left me, as did my mortification, and I immediately started glaring. “First, Joker, I’m not a bitch. And second, our day was so nice I didn’t share my running tally, but I do believe you’ve racked up a debt of twenty dollars and seventy-five cents.”

“That’s the cute part,” he returned instantly.

“Stop flattering me at the same time irritating me.”

“Cute, hot, and can hold her own against a biker or a stick-up-his-ass suit, that also being cute and hot.”

I decided not to reply, just glare.

“You ready to watch TV?” he asked.

“Whatever,” I muttered.

He gave me another grin that I refused to acknowledge I liked, dipped his head, touched his mouth to mine, then let my leg go and shifted us so his back was against the back of the couch, I was tucked in front of him, and we were spooning facing the TV.

It felt lovely.

Which was annoying.

* * *

On my first break the next day, I went to the little square locker in the staff room at LeLane’s where I kept my purse.

The night before, Joker left my house around the time my eyelids started drooping. He did this guiding me to the door by my hand, giving me a soft kiss goodnight, then leaving.

Now I was back at work, Big Petey was at my place with Travis, and I was wondering what was next.

I was also hoping, since Joker and I exchanged numbers, that right then I’d find out what was next because I wanted whatever was next with Joker really badly.

As I extricated my purse, I bit my lip, wanting there to be a text or a voice message from him, even if it was just to say hey, which would tell me he was thinking of me. After what he said the night before about treating me like the girl he saw me to be, I didn’t want him to be one of those guys who played games in order to play it cool.