Page 20 of Angels & Whiskey

The bald guy gave a big goofy grin as he stepped forward with his hand out. “Vinny.”

I shook his hand too and then turned to Brad. “Paul says your ex-army. I’m ex-marine.” He said with a southern drawl and a strong grip.

“Awesome. Three military men and two bald guys.”

We all laughed.

“And one wanna be rapper.” Vinny nudged his thumb toward Nick. “Plus a Cali boy.” He looked over at Jackson.

“Vegas better watch out,” Jackson boasted.

“Let’s drink some beer and move shit,” I offered, holding up one of the twelve packs.

It took three hours for the five of us to move all our shit. Afterward, we finished a few more beers before the guys called it a night. We made plans to get a round of drinks later in the week so they could tell us how the Vegas scene worked in our line of work.

When I stepped out of the shower, Jackson was in the kitchen. He held up the brown sack with my bottle in it. “What triggered it this time?”

“Life.”

“I thought you didn’t have nightmares anymore?”

I sighed. “That’s just what I told you.”

“Now that we live together, we’re gonna fix this.”

I scrubbed my hands down my face. “Can’t fix dreams, P.J.”

“Workingdoesn’t help?”

I knew Jackson really meant fucking. I walked up to him, snatched the bag out of his hand, “For the most part. I had a bad day.”

“Bad day? I’ve been with you all day. What was bad about it?”

“Fine! I had a fucking trigger. I bumped into a woman at Starbucks and she smelled exactly like Cochran and now I can’t get her out of my head.”

Her… the stranger … not Alyssa …Why was I thinking of the stranger?

“Gabe,” he groaned. “I really think it’s time you talk to someone. It’s been three years, man.”

“I don’t need to talk to anyone,” I disagreed, turning on my heel and walking to my bedroom, bottle in hand.

“Shh, stop giggling. You’re gonna get us caught.” I grabbed Alyssa by the hand and tugged her through the dirt parking lot.

“They’re all in the bar drinking.” She giggled again.

“Where’d you park?”

“In the back like always.”

I tugged Alyssa faster, not wanting to waste another second. “Keys, babe.”

She pulled her keys from her front jean pocket, pressing the unlock button on the fob. I reached out, opening the backseat and let Alyssa get in before me. After closing the door behind me, I turned facing my blonde angel.

I leaned slightly toward her, grabbing the sides of her face with both hands and bringing her lips to mine. She moaned when my tongue thrust inside her mouth, tasting her cherry Chapstick coating my lips in return.

“I’ve missed this,” I groaned against her mouth.

She smiled, not breaking the contact. “Me, too.”