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We didn’t make out, but there was a delicious touch of tongues before Javi broke the kiss and said softly, “Buckle up, lil’ mama. Let’s get home and eat. I’m fuckin’ starved.”
I did as told and Javi put the truck in gear.
“Good day?” I asked as he set us to rolling.
“Had a word with Cody,” he replied readily. “He feels shit he screwed the pooch with lookin’ after you. He promised to get his head in the game.”
“That’s good,” I said. “Anything from Kevin?”
“Babe.”
He said no more.
I turned back to him.
“I took him down,” I reminded him.
I marveled that his sun-bright smile didn’t melt the windshield. “You did that.”
“Javi—”
“Listen, baby,” he began, “I know you women aren’t backing off. All the men know that. We also don’t like it, and you know that. So you cannot be pissed I’m not gonna feed into your play.”
I flounced (yes, I could do this even seated) to face forward and crossed my arms on my chest.
It was at this juncture (and in this mood) I decided to tackle something else.
“I know we have a date tonight, but after pizza and our talk, you’re going to take me home.”
“The hell I am,” he replied.
I turned to him, telling the straight truth, since I knew he didn’t miss me attacking him last night, and he definitely didn’t miss us rolling around in his bed yesterday morning.
“Javi, it’s hardly going to work, this taking it slow thing, if we’re living together.”
“I don’t have any problem with you setting the scene.”
He actually didn’t, which stymied me, and therefore, I had no retort.
Which gave Javi the opening to lay down an ultimatum.
“Right, your choices are, you stay with me, or I stay with you. I don’t give a shit where we stay. But you are not going to be unprotected.”
“I take it whatever you got from Kevin, if you got anything, means that situation isn’t sorted.”
“It is not.” He enunciated each word irritably, giving me a hint at how he felt about the fact that they, too, came up with zilch from Kevin.
“You guys didn’t get anything out of your interrogation?” I asked to confirm.
“Oh, he sang.”
Hmm.
“It’s just this is his bud’s thing, and it’s oozing everywhere,” Javi went on.
“What’s his bud’s thing?”
Javi didn’t reply.