Chapter 7

Gear looked over at Sadie, who was hugging her pregnant sister and laughing like a loon. What the hell?

Joe explained, “I think Rose told her we’re having twins.”

“Ah. Congrats.”

“Thanks. But then, Sadie could be laughing for any number of reasons.” Joe looked at Sadie fondly. “They’re all a little wacky, but such a fun family.”

“Wacky, huh?” Gear wouldn’t call Sadie wacky. Sexy, angry, passionate, mean, lovely… Okay, not lovely in the conventional sense, but her personality happened to mesh with his perfectly. He hadn’t been lying. The woman freaked him out.

“In a good way,” Joe hurried to add. “She and Elliot made me run the gauntlet to prove I was good enough for Rose. They’d do anything for each other. And they’re all really close. Hell, closer than my family. But that’s another story.” Joe sighed. The big, tall blond in the room, he didn’t quite fit in with the Liberatos. But Gear did.

He was an idiot for comparing himself, he knew. Hell, Joe had married into the family. Gear was just a—what? A fuck buddy? A friend who gave Sadie sex? A mistaken hookup she was humoring until someone better came along?

“So I have to know, the show…” Joe started.

Gear groaned. “It’s real. The drama with Sahara, B-Man being an asshole…all too true. It was supposed to be a show about bikes. Somehow, my ex turned it into a soap opera with hairy mechanics.”

Joe laughed. “Funny. I almost didn’t recognize you without the beard. How come B-Man never had one?”

“The fucker can’t grow one,” Gear said with relish.

“Ouch.” Joe chuckled. “So I hate to ask, but you being here is too good to be true. Can I ask you a question about my bike?”

Motorcycles were Gear’s wheelhouse. “Sure.” It would be a relief to talk about something close to his heart, something not confusing. Unlike Sadie.

When Elliot had responded to his text earlier, Gear had thought Sadie had finally answered him. Then Elliot had revealed who he was and why he’d answered instead of his sister.

She’s scared of you because she likes you so much. Don’t screw her over, or I’ll end you. Oh, and come by the shop at 7. Be prepared to stay. Cookies on us.

Nothing more, but the message had given Gear a strange sense of hope. For Sadie to be scared of anything, that had to be a good sign. Right?

He tuned back in to Joe’s question about not getting a good throttle response. “I already checked the carburetor tuning and engine tuning, and they’re fine.”

“How about the air filter and fuel filter? The spark plugs?”

Joe shrugged. “All good.”

“Then check the acceleration cable. That one always gets overlooked.”

“Oh, yeah, okay. I’ll do that.” Joe smiled. “Good call.”

“It’s an easy thing to forget, but rust can build inside the cable. And if that’s still not the problem, check out the clutch plates. Otherwise, take it in.”

“Hey, Mr. Boring,” Sadie said as she joined them. “And I mean Gear, not you, Joe.”

Joe smirked. “Thanks for clearing that up.”

“This is a Halloween party.” Sadie poked Gear in the chest. How pathetic was he that any part of her touching him felt good? “I appreciate you scaring the rest of us away with shop talk, trying to be all Halloweeny—”

“Is that a word?”

“—but it’s time to get Spookville rolling.”

Gear grinned at her. “Missed me, did you? Is Joe taking up too much of my time, Xena? Gonna fight him too?”

She shook her head. “That ego. It’s too bad you didn’t shave that off with your beard.”

“Ouch.” Joe stepped back. “She goes for blood, man. Be careful.”

“Oh, I’ve seen her deliver. She packs a punch.” He gave her a thumbs-up. “And I am still so damn impressed with that hit. Nice form, solid contact. I’d give you a ten, for sure.” He laughed. “So where do you work out anyway? I’m thinking of changing my gym membership since most of the garage works out there. Change of scenery is right up my alley.”

Elliot cut in. “It’s Jameson’s Gym, here in Green Lake. Mac Jameson runs the place. It’s an awesome spot. You can actually work out, or you can hit on the many fit, attractive people there.”

“Don’t listen to Elliot,” Sadie cautioned. “He’s already been warned by the management to stop breaking hearts. He’s putting a real downer on the place.”

“Hey, not my fault they can’t keep up.” Elliot eyed Gear up and down. “Once you go queer, hetero you’ll fear.”

“And won’t go near,” Rose added from the back counter, setting a tray of cookies down. “What do you think? I made that up myself.”

Gear grimaced. “Such a…ah…poetic family.”

Joe snorted. “You should see what Rose can do with a few thee’s and thou’s.” He lowered his voice. “She took one too many Shakespeare classes in college, you ask me.”

“Seriously.” Sadie agreed.

Her sister joined them, and Gear noticed the obvious resemblance between the three, though Elliot and Rose could have been twins they looked so much alike. Both outwardly beautiful, while Sadie wasn’t as refined. Not pretty or delicate, but real and tough and bendable.

Bendable? God, he needed to scrub his brain, the things that popped into it lately.

“What’s wrong?” Sadie asked, frowning.

“I’m getting a low-sugar headache,” he lied. “I’m sure some cookies and cider would help. Hint, hint.”

“This is what you get when you let just anyone in the door, Elliot,” Sadie lamented. “Weak help.”

“Those spiderwebs look awesome. And maybe a bat or two,” Gear prodded, drooling over the decorated cookies sitting too far away.

“Good choice. Sadie made the shortbreads. Elliot frosted them though.” Rose smiled and patted her rounded tummy. Joe gave her a kiss on the cheek, and Gear felt the couple’s clear love for each other. It gave him a moment’s pause, longing for that same connection he’d never thought to find. He glanced at Sadie, then away.

Joe and Rose moved to fetch the cookies and thermos of cider, and Sadie leaned closer to whisper, “I know. So in love it’s sickening. But it’s kind of sweet, in a diabetic overload kind of way.”

“Yep. A real poetic family. You should write for Hallmark.”

She grinned.

He chuckled, ate and drank, and did what he was told. Elliot used him as muscle, hauling boxes out of their large storeroom, as well as Joe’s truck.

It took a few hours, but when all was said and done, the place looked great. Strings of orange lights crisscrossed the exposed ceiling. The many glow-in-the-dark cobwebs had been strung over corners of the room. A skeleton named Stan sat with a life-size witch at a corner table, and the witch looked both cartoony and a little creepy. So real that, had he not known she was fake, Gear might have thought a real person sat with Stan.

Spookville happened to be the name of their haunted dollhouse, complete with eight creepy miniature rooms. A few werewolves, ghosts, and a vampire here and there chased doll children and adult action figures through the open rooms. They’d closed off the Victorian dollhouse in a huge clear-plastic box, and strobe lights timed with a soundtrack of lightning and thunder illuminated the house.

“That is just cool,” he said when they’d finished. They’d had to clear two tables to make room for it, but the family seemed to think the loss of seating worth it.

Sadie looked more animated and excited than he’d ever seen her. “Isn’t it great? I love that thing.”

“She didn’t love it as a little girl though,” Rose informed him. “She’d use all our dolls and toys and have mock wars over who owned the house, who had started a fight, and who would karate chop who. My Barbie never lived through the night.”

“Not when Boba Fett, a secret space ninja vampire, would suck her dry. Mwa-ha-ha-ha,” Sadie added in an evil voice.

“Okay, now I’m scared.”

Elliot laughed at that and slapped him on the back. “She’s a real fan of Halloween. Which makes it so odd that she fought going to that party.”

“It wasn’t Halloween yet, and that party was all about schmoozing, not scaring people,” Sadie said, defending herself.

Gear added, “I didn’t want to go either.”

Elliot nodded. “Yeah, but you had a good reason. Your betrayers were there.”

“You know, I like the dramatic flair you’ve got. You ever think of acting, Elliot?” Man, his parents would love the guy. Gear could just see them putting Elliot front and center, a new knight of the Round Table during Renaissance Daze, their seasonal renaissance fair outside the city.

“I would be an awesome actor. Alas, I am too tired, slaving away all day while my lazy and pregnant sisters force me to work my fingers to the bone.”

“That makes me sound like I’m pregnant…which I’m not.” Sadie eyed her brother and sighed. “What Elliot actually means is he’s a control freak who can’t stand to let us handle things. No way he’d leave us to take acting classes.”

Elliot perked up. “Quite right, sister dear.”

“What did you put in the cider? You’re acting weird.”

He smiled. “It’s called being in a good mood. Try it sometime, hag.”

“Ass.” Sadie chugged her cider, bit the head off a bat, then grabbed Gear by the arm. “I’m out of here. See you tomorrow, losers.”

“Love you too, Big Sis,” Rose yelled.

“Bye, Sadie. Bye, Gear!” Joe yelled with her.

Sadie tugged Gear with her out the front door.

“So, lot of love there, huh?” he teased.

“Oh, they’re great. But they were eyeing you like a seal pup in a shark tank. It was about to get ugly.”

“Great image you painted there.” He had to laugh. “You guys are a riot.”

“You say that now, but if we’d given it any longer, you’d be facing the inquisition. ‘What are your intentions? Where do you see yourself in five years? What are your finances like? When are you two getting married?’ Trust me. I’ve been there, done that.”

“Yeah?”

“Well, it was a while ago. A few years, maybe, but it’s always the same. I date a guy longer than a few weeks, he gets the spiel. With you it would have been sooner, because we never have anyone but family around for Halloween decorating.” Her eyes narrowed. “What did Elliot do to get you here? Did he say anything?”

“Oh, something about paying me to babysit his hag of an older sister.”

“What?”

He grabbed her flailing hands and put one in the crook of his arm. “It’s cold. We can continue to chat in my car.”

“Again with the car? For a hotshot motorcycle guy, you should be wowing with me something better than a…Camry? For shame, Gear.”

He laughed. It was hard not to when around the crazy woman. “It’s my brother’s. I told you. They’re still camped out at my place.”

“They—the press?”

“Yeah.” He corralled her into the car and turned up the heat. “So your brother calls you a hag, and you haven’t beaten him senseless yet? What’s his secret?”

“He’s a nag, but he means well.” She sighed. “You had a good reason not to go to that party. But I was just bored. Bored about being bored. Sometimes I get too inside my head and don’t want to do anything. Which is not to be confused with me liking my own space. I’m an introvert, so I’ve been told.”

“Yeah? Me too.” He finally started to thaw out. “Damn but it’s cold out.”

“You can say it. Colder than a witch’s tit. One of my favorite expressions.”

He tried not to, but when she said tit, he immediately remembered holding hers. Sucking hers. As usual, his body reacted.

“Tit, huh?” He glanced at her, heard her sudden intake of breath, and knew they were on the same page.

“Dirty mind.”

“Yep. Always.” He tapped the steering wheel. “You know, it’s been a while for me. Two days, as a matter of fact. My balls are totally blue.”

She tried to hide a grin. “Blue, huh? Well, my pussy’s hungry. Let’s say we go back to my place and fuck.”

He blinked, not sure he’d heard what he thought he had until she laughed. And didn’t stop laughing.

She caught her breath. “Sorry. You’re too easy. I’m not usually that blunt or crass. Well, not out loud. But I wanted to shock you. Did I?”

“Well yeah, but in a good way. I’m on board.”

“Ha. With what? My hungry pussy?”

“You keep saying it, and I’m gonna feed it. Meow.”

They looked at each other before Sadie sighed. “I’d better stop talking before I turn our foreplay into something ugly and cheesy, huh?”

“Yeah. Let’s just go have sex.”

“Well, if I must.” Her eyes sparkled.

Gear had a difficult time finding something not to like about her. “Your place okay?”

“Sounds perfect. And don’t worry about my car, because I walk to work.”

“In the dark?” He frowned. “That’s not safe.”

“It’s Green Lake.”

He followed the directions she gave him to her place, which was just a few minutes away. “It’s Seattle. Don’t be stupid.”

He could almost feel her dander go up. “Oh?” she said a little too softly. “So you’re calling me stupid?”

“Yeah, if you walk alone in the dark in this city. Even I don’t go around by myself unless I have to. Every neighborhood has problems. Hell, my brother nearly got mugged in Ballard last week.”

Her ire faded. “Seriously?”

“Well, it was my sister who assaulted him, we later found out. But that woman is scary when she’s on her period.”

Sadie just stared at him before a grin creased her lips. “You are such a prick. No wonder we get along.”

He nodded. “Great minds think alike.”

She agreed. “So can I ask you something?”

“Sure.” They parked and got out, and he walked with her into her building and up to her floor. She didn’t say anything else until they entered her apartment.

“So this thing between us. It’s still casual, right?”

He watched her lock the door, then face him with an unnaturally calm pose. He could tell she was nowhere near calm because she tapped her foot, and her breathing seemed a little fast.

“Casual, just the way you want it,” he agreed.

But she didn’t look satisfied.

Join the club, hot stuff. He had no idea what to make of her. Gear wasn’t looking for a new fiancée, girlfriend, or flavor of the month. Yet Sadie felt like all three combined, and it was odd.

What made her even more compatible was that she seemed as uncomfortable about getting close as he was. Every argument she threw up was one he’d already used. It made dealing with her both easy and challenging, and he looked forward to seeing her again the moment they parted.

Something to think about at another time, though. Right now he had a woman to make love to. Or fuck. Lady’s choice.

He waited for her to say or do something.

She watched him, unmoving.

“Well?” he asked. “Is this where we draw guns or what? Come over here, and have your wicked way with me.”

“You sure do like to boss me around.”

“And you like it.” He gave her a mean smile, heard her swallow, and knew he’d lost the game before they even made the rules. “I bet you ten bucks you’re wet right now.”

She lifted her chin. “I’ll take that bet and raise you another ten that you’re hard right now.”

“Like that’s a big leap. Baby, I was hard ten seconds after seeing you flaunt your ass at Sofa’s.”

“Flaunt my ass?” She smiled. “More like gently waving it before you. So glad you noticed.”

“Yeah, yeah. Now come over here and blow me.”

Her smile widened, and true joy shone from her eyes. “I love the way you talk. You’re so lyrical.”

“Poetic, just like your talented family.” The moment she got within reach, he dragged her close and started kissing his way down her neck. “Hard and fast, or slow and thorough?”

“Hard and fast,” she rasped, yanking him down by the hair and kissing him, giving him enough tongue to make him regret giving her a choice.

“Fuck. Fine.” He palmed her ass, grinding her against him. “Take off your pants and bend over the couch.”

“Right now?”

“No, tomorrow.” He rolled his eyes. “I’ll get the house tour later. Go to the couch, Sadie.”

She raced over and got rid of everything from the waist down. Man, she had a nice ass. So round and tight.

He bit back a groan, walked over to her, and took his pants and underwear down to his thighs.

“Condom?” she asked, her voice low, thick.

“Always.” He already had one halfway down his cock. “This is gonna be fast. Touch yourself while I fuck you. Let’s see who can come first.”

“I say me,” she breathed and started fingering herself.

He wished he could take a picture, yet knew she’d slap him if he tried. But God knew, Sadie Liberato, bent over with that fine ass… He was ready to bust from just looking at her.

Nudging her ankles wider, he warned, “I’m coming in.” Then he was there, right at the heat of her sex and thrusting. The position made her unbearably tight, and he had to fight not to come too soon.

“You’re too big,” she moaned.

“Want me to pull out?” he said between breaths.

“God no. Fuck me.”

“You got it.” He pulled nearly all the way out, then slammed back inside her.

She made the best sex sounds, all breathy and moany, right there with him as he took her. The sounds of rasping and the slap of flesh were all to be heard as they rose on the climb toward orgasm.

“Fuck. I’m coming.” He jetted inside her a moment before she squeezed him tight.

“Yes,” she hissed, rocking back into him.

He saw stars as he moved inside her, committed to giving her everything he had. Feeling primitive and raw, he withdrew, took the condom off, and gave serious—crazy—thought to shoving inside her, bare. Just to know what she’d feel like with nothing between them.

“What are you doing?” she asked, still trying to catch her breath.

“Tring to remember my name,” he quipped. “Where can I toss this?” he asked while straightening back up.

She waved toward the kitchen, and he found a trash can under her sink. The place was small but tidy and had a clean, uncluttered Sadie look to it. Spartan. Hell, even her house suited him.

She joined him in the kitchen, half naked and apparently not bothered by it. With her body, she had nothing to worry about. But still…

“You aren’t modest at all, are you?”

“Not with you. Why? Should I cover up?”

He tried to stop staring at her toned thighs and gorgeous pussy, but he couldn’t. “You have the best body I’ve ever seen. And I’ll be honest. I’ve seen a lot.”

“Flatterer.” She sauntered into her living room, then wrapped herself in a blanket before flopping onto…

“That is one fugly couch.”

“Thanks. It reminds me of my mother, whom I lost at a young age. It’s one of the only things I have left of her.”

He felt like shit. “Hell. I’m sorry.”

“You should be. For all you know, that was a true story.”

He narrowed his eyes at her. “Is it?”

“Hell no. My mother had better taste than this.” She snorted. “But you should never judge a girl’s furniture.”

He just stared at her.

“What?”

“Move over.”

“Shouldn’t you be leaving? You know, a fast hump and dump?”

He grabbed the TV remote from her hand, lifted her up, and settled her on his lap while he flicked through channels.

“Hey. That’s mine.”

“I’m a guest.” He batted her grabby hands away.

“Well, you can’t stay late. I have to be up early tomorrow to set up for the festival.” She told him about Sofa’s stand, where they’d be selling hot cider and goodies.

“Are you there all day? I’d call and ask you about it tomorrow, but we both know you never answer your phone.”

“Shut up about that already.” He’d swear she sounded embarrassed. “I said I’d talk to you the next time you called.”

“Gosh, Sadie. I’m the luckiest man on earth,” he said in his best Lassie’s-the-best-dog-in-the-world voice.

She shook with laughter, then yawned.

“Ah, I win. I outlasted the mean chick.”

“We’re playing a game?” she asked.

One where I win the girl if I’m careful. Oh shit. Do I want to win the girl? Then Sadie kissed the underside of his chin and snuggled close. Sugar and cherries hit him hard.

“No games, Sadie. I’m not good at playing them.”

“Me neither. I’m a lightweight. It’s sad.”

He smiled and rested his chin on top of her head. “I wouldn’t call you a lightweight. More like welterweight. Maybe light middleweight.”

She chuckled. “You’re a funny guy.”

“Don’t sound so surprised.” He kissed the top of her head.

“Mmm. I like that. You’re warm.” After a pause, she rubbed his pecs, and his heart gave a strangled leap. “If you’re free tomorrow, you should stop by. I’ll give you free cider.”

“Well, for free cider, I might have to.”

She nodded, her breath warm against his chest. A few moments passed, her breathing growing deeper, more even. “Gear?”

“Yeah, honey?”

“Am I boring?”

He frowned. “You? Boring? You’re the least boring person I know. Scary, cantankerous—and yes, I know what that means. I do read, you know. Oh, and obnoxious. But boring? Hell no.”

He felt her smile against his chest. “Good. You aren’t either. And I’m glad Sahara cheated on you.”

The hurt he felt surprised him, mostly because he hadn’t expected Sadie to be cruel.

“Because you deserve so much better than her.”

He relaxed, stunned to go from feeling high to low and back to high again. “Boring, Sadie? You? Never.” He stroked her hair, loving that she left it long, out of a ponytail.

She fell asleep in his arms, and he wondered how he could feel such bone-deep contentment with a woman he’d met only a week ago. A woman he didn’t want to leave, even though he knew it would be best for both of them in the long run.

But Gear had never been all that smart. So he carried her into her bedroom and tucked her in. The soft-blue room needed further exploring, but not now. So he kissed her good-bye, fit her into a compartment in his brain, and his heart, and left, locking up as he walked out.

Once at home and in bed, he set his alarm for ten. He had things to do in the morning. And people to see. One dark-haired siren in particular.