So he’d forgotten how it felt. How deep it ran. How intense the desire was, how extreme the hope was that you’d one day be in a position to give back to those who put brightness in a dark life, cutting through the black.

Unconsciously, even if years had passed, once he’d opened his eyes, he’d set himself on a course of giving back.

And taking in the smile he gave a man he respected, he determined he’d stay true to that course.

No matter what it took.

* * *

When she walked in the back door, Joker was at Carissa’s stove, stirring the thickening sauce, dinner around the corner because she’d texted him half an hour ago with I’m off in thirty. Then I’m on my way home. You better be there, sweetie, because I’m STARVED.

He’d been there.

He turned to see her walk in and toss her purse on the counter.

“Yo,” he greeted.

She grinned at him.

Then she blinked.

After that she asked, “What on earth is that?”

He looked down into the pot then to her. “Étouffée sauce.”

Her eyes got big.

Fucking cute.

“Like, shrimp étouffée?”

“No. Got crawfish. So, like, crawfish étouffée.”

She wandered to him, her eyes on the pot. “Where’d you get crawfish?”

“Got it at the LeLane’s close to Ride. Also got the étouffée mix at the LeLane’s close to Ride.”

Her head tipped back and her eyes caught his.

Now she was pouting.

Totally fucking cute.

“You didn’t come to my store?”

“Carrie, you gave me half an hour to pull this shit together. Ride is close to your pad, but your LeLane’s overshoots this house by ten minutes. The LeLane’s by Ride is only a few minutes outta the way.”

“I see,” she muttered, her eyes drifting back down to the pot.

“You done chattin’?” he asked, and she looked up at him.

“I’m not sure.”

Absolutely fucking cute.

“How about you be done for a minute and kiss me?”

“I can do that,” she said.

“So do it,” he ordered when she didn’t kiss him.

She smiled.

That was the cutest of all.

Then she lifted up on her toes with her hand to his abs.

After that, she kissed him.

He kissed her back.

When he was done, he let her change out of her LeLane’s outfit.

And finally, both of them sitting at her dining room table, he fed his hungry girl.

* * *

Jesus, but she was a hot little piece.

After dinner and camping out in front of the TV, he’d started it with her. He’d done it intending to make out on her enormous couch and then take it to her fantastic mattress.

But now he found himself sitting on his ass, his girl straddling him, rubbing her hot crotch against his hard one with her hands up his shirt roaming all over him, and if she didn’t quit that shit with her pussy, her hands, and her tongue in his mouth, he was going to come in his jeans.