Page 54 of He Who Sleeps

“Namaste,” they heard Keezie say and the studio started to move, the session ended. Sitting up, she smiled at Jack who was watching her move with his own grin.

“I tell you, now getting caught watching you isn’t a bad thing.”

“It wouldn’t have been before,” she said as she rolled her shoulders.

“But before I was an unknown and didn’t even talk to you,” he said as he helped her to stand. “And you were infatuated with seven men.”

“Still am,” she offered as Keezie walked up.

“I wasn’t aware you and Jack were friends,” she said by way of greeting.

“Oh...yeah, we weren’t really ‘til recently,” she offered.

“Her boyfriend is my best friend,” Jack said with an easygoing smile.

“Boyfriend? Ooh, you have been holding out on us...” Keezie said, clearly not as excited about the guy as she sounded.

“Well, we aren’t really friends. Why would you know?” Petra asked.

“We could be, though,” she said. “You always seem so involved I didn’t want to bother you but...your vibe has always drawn me to you.”

“Uh huh,” Petra said.

“Yep.” The woman was back to being sunny. “Listen, why don’t I call you and we can have that hangout, yeah?”

“Ah...yeah, sure,” Petra said and Keezie smiled again, triumphant.

“Great! I’ll text you later!” She waved and walked off, a bounce in her hip as she did.

Jack wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “You tell me that’s not a woman trying to sound the dinner bell.”

She rolled her eyes. “You’re my boyfriend’s best friend?”

“Well technically, yes.” He whispered, “I mean I’m also your boyfriend...but you belong to my six best friends so...not a lie.”

Boyfriend. Seven boyfriends. She smiled. “Just a stretched truth.”

“Umm...yes. We can call it that.” He let her go and they walked out of the studio. “Though make no mistake, Stitches finds out about her interest in you, he will mail you her heart in a box. He doesn’t share well.” He winked.

“So you are saying I can’t have female lovers?” she asked as they started down Fifteenth.

“Do you want them?” Jack countered.

“No, but I’m trying to figure it all out.”

“I would think seven lunatics with very specific tastes would be enough for that tight little body but...I can tell the guys...”

“Nothing.” She laughed. “I didn’t peg you for the jokester.”

“One of us has to be,” he suggested. “So...where to? That beer?”

“I was going to go home,” she offered. “Have a shower, take a nap, I’m on at the shelter for the overnight tonight...”

“You feel like company?” he asked as they crossed the street.

“Is that allowed?”

“I don’t care if it is. No one is watching us, or you right now.”