Hank’s mouth was watering from the smell; he almost drooled just looking at the ribs. Hya could make some mean barbecue but hearing her comment about how much action she still got had his gut twisting. It didn’t stop him from grabbing a rib while saying, “Jesus, woman, you gotta stop saying that shit.” Hank tore a piece of meat off the rib. Fuck, it melted in his mouth. “Especially when there’s good food around.” He took another bite and spoke around chewing. “Damn, woman, you still got it.”
“Damn straight I do, and in more ways than one,” she said and winked. “So what brings the sexy sheriff to my door?”
He didn’t even scoop the potato salad onto his plate, just dug his fork in it and brought the hefty scoop to his lips. He let it rest there and said, “Owe you an apology.” Then shoved the fork in his mouth. Yeah, that was it. Woman made the best of the best potato salad. He’d never tell his mom, though.
Hya reached for her glass. “From the way I see it, it’s me who owes you one. We tend to get carried away, but the intention is in the right place.”
Hank took another forkful and mumbled around the rib meat in his mouth. “Call it even then?”
She stopped with her forkful of potato salad halfway to her mouth, leaned to the side, looked at his cock and said, “Okay, if that’s what the kids are calling it these days.” Her eyes met his, but he saw behind the humor to the sincerity under it. “So where’s Arissa?”
“Think us diving in head first is getting to her.” Hank took a swig of the margarita and shook his head trying to get past the sweet tanginess of it. He stood and went to the fridge to grab a beer. “Not sure how you drink that shit at all and especially with barbeque.” He twisted the cap off the bottle and chugged half of it down. “Better.”
“Because I’m a sweet, delicate, motherfucking flower.”
Hank held his beer out toward her. “Whatever you like to think, Hya.” He dropped back into his chair and shared, “Thinking that’s why she came to you last week. All this…” Hank waved a hand down his body, winked at Hya and finished, “Might be too much to handle.” He smiled and then tore another chunk of meat off the bone.
“Maybe for some, but you know the offer is open,” she said and wiggled her brows. “She’s still young.” Hya took a pull from his beer before putting the bottle on the table near him, and then reached for another scoop of potato salad. “But that woman stumbled onto the goddamn golden ticket. Didn’t see you coming and she’s smart…knows what she’s got.” Hya met Hank’s stare. “Big heart too, that one. Thinks about everyone else before herself.” She shook her head. “How she didn’t get chewed up in the city is beyond me.” She sobered. “You’re not too much for her Hank. You’re exactly right for her, and she knows it.” She paused and added, “She’s right for you too.”
Hya was right; no doubt, Arissa did have a huge heart, golden down to the core. Hank held her stare, let his lips tip up on one side before he said, “Got that goddamn golden ticket myself.”
Hya studied him a second, satisfied with how that conversation went, then grabbed Hank’s beer, took another long swig and said, “Enough about you, it’s time to talk about me. Frankie Dee, he’s going to be pressing charges of assault.” She glared at Hank. “What do I gotta do to get you to squash that? I’m willing to do anything?” This time her smile went from ear to ear.
Hank shook his head, his eyes moving off her to the potato salad. Taking another scoop from the serving bowl, he looked at the creamy goodness and said, “Consider it squashed.” Then he tossed the bite into his mouth and winked at her.
Hya reached for another rib, grinned and said, “Yep, I still got it.”
14
Arissa’s head jerked to Hya as one hand moved to the seatbelt and the other to the door handle. The woman was weaving in and out of the lanes on the expressway like she was in the Dukes of Hazzard.
“What’s the rush?” Arissa shouted, because the top was down while Hya was attempting to break the sound barrier.
At Arissa’s question, Hya pulled her eyes from the road, the damn obstacle course she was creating with the other cars, and glared at Arissa.
“Eyes on the road, Hya!” Everyone shouted at once.
“You made us wait for a half an hour,” Hya hissed. Her focus moving back to the road when the horn blared, the occupants of her car all flew to one side as she corrected her course.
“We’re not living through this!” Maureen screeched.
“A half an hour! Knowing damn well what you were doing for that half an hour.”
Arissa turned her head to hide her smile, even as her body grew warm. She’d asked if they could stop at the station. She had no reason for it other than seeing Hank. She’d missed him, realized after she’d gotten home that she should have had naked steak because she wasn’t sure the opportunity would come again. As it was, she’d spent that half an hour against the wall in his office and on his desk. That was another piece of furniture that should be bronzed.
“Well, we’re on our way now,” she shouted to be heard over the gusting wind and horns that trailed after the lunatic that was driving.
“You sure you want to still do this?” Maureen asked.
She didn’t want to do it. She wanted sex on Hank’s desk and naked steak, darts in the garage and sex in
