Keep It In The Family

Chapter 2

Bitter

**

I watched Sookie storm out, completely oblivious to the fact that Hadley was holding my chin and inspecting my mouth.

“I’m sorry, Erik… She’s… I didn’t think she’d act like that. Maybe a little snotty, but… Are you okay?”

I pulled her hands away from my face and offered, “She might be bouncer material after all.”

“She’d probably kill somebody. Are you sure you’re alright? Your mouth’s bleeding.”

“Sookie wasn’t feeling very flirtatious. I overstepped her boundaries.”

Her eyes widened and she gasped, “You were flirting with her? Her?”

I shrugged and turned for my desk with every intention of taking advantage of the address on Sookie’s application.

“Why not? She’s beautiful…” And feisty, and cheeky, and interesting. “She only came to Glamour because she thought I wanted help surprising my girlfriend. How much does she ‘know’ about me, Hadley?”

She bit her lip and cringed as she whined, “Oh God, what did she say?”

“She called you my girlfriend. She knew what I look like…”

Hadley stammered, “I don’t… just that I’ve been seeing you… I… shitshitshit… I didn’t even…”

And I didn’t even need to try to think of a way to test her intelligence.

She finally blurted, “She can’t know much about you because I haven’t gone snooping around. I swear.”

Before I left to chase the enigmatic little blonde, I paused to sample Hadley again… testing my sanity.

As usual her hints of sweetness were hiding under a stew of Glamour customers… and she tasted like a buffet of recreational drugs… and she still tasted better than what I was typically presented with.

She shuddered and breathed, “You’re not thinking about a threesome, are you?”

I chuckled, “You ask as though you don’t enjoy them almost as much as I do.”

“But… she’s my cousin, so ew… and she’s a prude. As far as I know, she’s still a virgin. I doubt Sook would go for that… let alone with me. We can’t even get through a Sunday supper without going at it.”

“Suit yourself… Back to my original question… You didn’t tell Sookie much about me, did you?”

She shook her head. “No. I can’t hook up with anybody without getting the judgy shit from my family… but… now that she met you… Sookie probably knows a lot about you.”

“She has a talent for reading people, yes?”

She’d seen through my reason to call her… Even if my premise was weak and the application had clearly been forged, she could tell I wasn’t interested in hiring her.

“You could say that, yeah.”

“Does your family have experience with the Supernatural?”

It was more than a little telling that she didn’t seem completely confused by the question… she just seemed to be trying to formulate her answer.

“I… I don’t guess much more than any family in Voodoo country.”

“I didn’t mean common superstition…” When she stared back as though she didn’t want to answer, I asked, “Do you know what I am?”

Her eyes widened and she stepped back. “Are you… Are you like… a Witch or something?”

Cute. There wasn’t anything to suggest she was joking, and she was frightened enough to explain why Sookie had mentioned Hadley’s ‘infinite open-mindedness’.

I would more than likely have more fun trying to get information from Sookie, but I had a feeling I’d find myself glamouring it from Hadley.

I sighed, “Your cousin left me… curious. Go to my house after your shift is over.”

She raised an eyebrow at me. “Sookie made you horny, so you want my help getting it out of your system?”

She was a decent enough actress that I almost believed she was somewhat offended.

“Shower while you wait. Don’t fuck anyone or drink in the meantime.”

**

It was almost as though the microscopic town of Bon Temps wanted to be hidden… If it hadn’t been for the directions Hadley gave me, I would have been lost long before I turned onto the driveway of the Stackhouse home…

I was amused to see Sookie, changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top, sitting on the porch swing of an aged farmhouse. Her legs were stretched out and crossed at the ankle to rest on the railing, and she had the company of an elderly woman.

She glanced at my car over the top of the book she was reading and rolled her eyes. A Man Named Spade And Other Stories.

Sookie continued to read, or at least pretended to… The older woman watched me park and then approach the porch.

As soon as my foot touched the top step, Sookie offered, “Gran, this is Hadley’s boyfriend who hit on me, Erik. Erik, this is your girlfriend’s grandmother, Adele Stackhouse.”

Adele Stackhouse was obviously confused as to how to reply, so I offered, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, but Sookie’s mistaken about the ‘boyfriend’ and ‘girlfriend’ labeling-”

Sookie interrupted, “I was sugarcoating, jackass. How much of the truth do you want me to tell her? Suck it up. You’re a slime-ball with or without minutiae.”

Oh really?

Adele Stackhouse took a glass from the small side table and left her seat. “I’ll just leave you two kids alone. It was nice to meet you, Erik.”

Sookie softened her tone to offer, “Don’t call her, Gran. Erik’s nothing special.”

I snorted, “Is that supposed to hurt my feelings?”

“I don’t particularly-” She paused to let her grandmother shut the door. “…Give a shit about your feelings. You don’t need to become the star of any of my aunt’s fantasies. She wants nothing more than Hadley to settle her ass down and stop partying like life is the MTV beach house. It’s bad enough you aren’t on food stamps or parole. If she found out you can actually pay your bills on time, I’d have to tell her you’re a Vampire to keep her from going into shock.”

I sat on the swing next to Sookie. “Hadley hasn’t been misled. We have a standing date, nothing more. Is your family so puritanical they don’t understand the concept of a casual relationship?”

“My family pretty much exists outside the box on almost everything, actually, but Hadley… When she got the job at Glamour, we all had the feeling she was just looking for a new crop of guys because she’s slept with almost every guy in Bon Temps… There’s a difference between casual and random… And I’m not buying that she knows what you are.”

“Why is that?”

“I think she was in Salem in a previous life. Anything unexplained pisses her off.”

Fair enough.

“She doesn’t know what I am, but she’s obviously no worse for the wear. I glamour her so she doesn’t know I’m feeding from her. I don’t force her to yield to me.”

She snorted, “Like you tried to force me.”

“I did not…”

She deepened her voice to impersonate me badly, “You’ll accept the job offer and begin training tomorrow night.”

“That isn’t the same thing. I could glamour her to strip her clothing and spread her legs, if I wanted to. She has the choice… I’m a lot of things, but I’m not a rapist.”

She scoffed, “He says like he asked before shoving his fangs into my neck and groping me.”

“Feeding is… delicate. It’s not as though I didn’t prepare your neck.”

She cooed, “I’m so ungrateful.”

“How many Vampires do you know?”

“I’m 99% sure you’re the first one I’ve met.”

How the fuck was that possible?

“You had almost no reaction to seeing my fangs.” And she was at least somewhat amused when I made a joke.

“Kneeing you in your junk wasn’t an option because of the way I was sitting. You didn’t budge when I pushed against you. I didn’t know if the exit at the end of the hall was bolted. I left my holy water and crosses in the car. Sue me.”

She was evaluating options… when most Humans would panic.

“You’re a very curious character, Sookie Stackhouse.”

“You don’t even know the half of it… Did you come out here to threaten my family to secure your little secret?”

“No.”

“Dessert?”

“Was that an offer?”

She elbowed my ribs hard enough to make me grunt. “No.”

“Feeding from you again so soon could damage your health. That’s why I meet Hadley weekly in spite of how much more often I could enjoy feeding from her.”

She finally looked up from her book. “Are you trying to talk me down from being annoyed that I was a snack?”

“I’d say you’re more of a delicacy than a snack… I’m simply explaining. You don’t seem to understand there are aspects of being a Vampire that require a certain amount of discretion… And unless you’re a vegetarian, you’re quite the hypocrite.”

She laughed, “Oh, I’ve got to hear how I’m a hypocrite!”

“Do you explain what you have planned for your meals before they’re served?”

“No, but I don’t snuggle with leftovers either…”

Fuck her point.

She giggled as she turned her attention back to her book. “Poor Erik left stupid and easy in Shreveport.”

“That seems to be the case… I don’t know how it is that my glamour didn’t have an effect on you, but you’re the first person to walk away from me remembering a feeding. If I’d known, I would have approached you with kid gloves.”

“You assumed you’d snack and release, huh?”

“I didn’t call you to feed from you tonight. I thought it would be worth my time to meet you and find out if your blood tastes like hers… Your scent was overwhelming…”

“You’re blaming me?”

“Yes. It’s been centuries since I struggled to control myself.”

“Oh really? How long then?”

“In the fifteenth century, I was captured and starved for a few months. When I was released, I nearly drained the first Human I found.”

“You’re 600 years old?”

“Closer to a thousand…”

“And does my blood taste like Hadley’s?”

I nodded. “It’s sweeter than normal Human blood, but yours is so much better…”

“Do you know of any other Vampires in these parts?”

“I know all of them. There are hundreds in my Area.”

“Cool. I’m intrigued as hell, but I don’t exactly want to talk to you.”

“You’d rather fuck than talk too? What a coincidence.”

She snickered, “Cute, but no.”

At least I tried.

“Have you figured out why Hadley involved you in her ‘drama’ yet?”

“Yeah.”

“Are you going to tell me?”

“No.”

“Can I negotiate for answers?”

“Sure. Give me my blood back…”

She seemed so sure of herself that she didn’t realize I’d dropped my fangs again until I’d almost bit into my wrist.

She nearly tumbled from the swing when she lunged to catch my hand.

“What. Are. You. Doing!?”

“You’re very upset that I fed from you without your permission even though I’ve tried to explain that if Vampires walked around with release forms and disclaimers, we would have exposed ourselves. If it means you’ll accept my apology, I’ll return your blood to you.”

She’d braced herself with her knee on my thigh, and she was only a few inches from my face.

“Bullshit.”

“Bullshit?”

“Yeah. Bullshit. You’re up to something.”

“I’m not really offering a grand apology. I just wanted to test how gullible you are…”

“Jackass.”

“I’m almost sure Hadley would have bought it.”

“Yeah, she would.”

“Do you think I should apologize for feeding from her without written consent?”

She narrowed her eyes, staring back at me for a moment before releasing my hand… and she slapped my cheek as she returned to her side of the swing.

“I’ll take that as a ‘no’.”

“Shut up.”

I chuckled, “I’ll still enjoy pursuing you… Why did Hadley include you?”

Sookie sighed, “She wanted me to size you up.”

“What do you mean size me up?”

“Well, she didn’t think you care…”

“I don’t. Her blood-”

Sookie rolled her eyes and scoffed, “I get it. She’s delicious… She’s good for two whole things.”

“Right. On Monday nights I’m guaranteed better blood than usual and at least a decent blow job.”

“Congrats… So… You’re doing your thing and she’s doing hers…”

“I’m not the only partner she has either. It’s not as though I expect her to…”

“Oh, for the love of God! Do you want me to tell you or do you want to keep interrupting?”

“I want you to remove your top. Is that an option?”

She took a deep breath and stared into the yard… completely flustered by my lack of concentration, but I was having more fun than I thought was possible.

“Why are you here?”

“Other than being concerned about the unglamoured donor I fed from exposing me?”

“Since I told you I wouldn’t say anything, yeah.”

“Am I allowed to be curious about why the fuck you wouldn’t sell your story to the closest reporter?”

“If you were arrested for murder, and they took blood samples from you as evidence, would there be anything funky going on?”

“Is that a segue or a non sequitur?”

She snorted, “Take it however you want.”

“I’ll hope it’s a non sequitur… If by ‘funky’ you mean that the blood sample would offer surprises, yes. Human blood cells die eventually, but Vampire blood cells don’t.”

“How is that even possible?”

“Perhaps the magic that reanimates us every evening is stored indefinitely because it isn’t being used to sustain us?”

“I was asking… incredulously, if not rhetorically.”

“I’m sure. I asked the same question when I was informed of the discovery… So why did you ask about DNA evidence?”

“Not really DNA. I was just curious.”

“Then you were about to tell me how you were expected to size me up.”

“I already tried to do that. You interrupted me.”

“You strike me when I use my mouth for anything but speaking. Remove your top. I can guarantee I won’t interrupt again.”

“Oooooooorr… you could just shut the hell up.”

Cute.

I took her book and lifted her hand to my mouth. “A compromise?” As soon as I licked her pulse point, her eyes rolled back…

“You’re such a pervert.”

“But I’m listening.”

She cringed and sighed, “She wanted me to size you up because you seemed blah about her except for your standing dates… until she mentioned taking time off of work… She said you were disappointed, but acted like you didn’t want to say anything…”

“But you know why that is.”

“I do, but… well…” She snatched her arm away from my mouth and scoffed, “Jesus. I can’t think when you’re doing that…” She elbowed me when I chuckled at her and continued, “So, she’s planning to take a couple weeks off, and you’re gonna miss your snack and then you think to explore her family tree… but she’s thinking you’re wanting to keep her around…”

“I would, but just fo-”

Sookie groaned, “Her blood. I know… Okay, look… If I replace her in your diet, will you stop feeding from her and cut her loose?”

“If you’re willing to feed me, then you clearly understand she isn’t in danger. Do you want an excuse to see me?”

She huffed, “No. She already canceled her appointment for an abortion because you acted like you gave a shit… If you’re not the father, then God only knows how many guys will get a family court summons for DNA samples… She’ll end up spiraling again… My aunt will end up raising the baby… it’ll be a huge freaking mess…”

“I’m not the father.”

“Right. DNA testing is an accidental discovery because every guy who’s ever said that was telling the truth.”

“Vampires don’t breed. The last time I fathered a child, I had a pulse.”

“Oh… oh shit.”

“Hadley mistakenly believed I cared for her and thought she’d test the water by having her cousin feel me out… and she called you here to explain that once I left Glamour, yes?”

“Something like that… So when you say you aren’t the only one she’s been sleeping with…”

“For months, I’ve had her bathe before meeting me because she usually smelled like several men at a time otherwise.”

“So she’s still a slut. She hasn’t calmed down at all.”

“I can’t say I’ve noticed, but one of the things I like about her is that she doesn’t behave like a twat when she sees me with other women… In fact, she was disappointed when I told her I was flirting with you, but only because she’s uncomfortable with the idea of having a threesome with her cousin.”

Sookie cooed, “You poor thing.”

“I know. It’s very sad. I might need a hug.”

She snorted, “You neeeeeed a kick in your junk. Between you and Hadley, you’ve probably slept with everyone in Shreveport.”

“I haven’t tapped Bon Temps yet.”

“Yes, you did. In your office. An hour ago.”

“You’re still bitter?”

“Yes, I’m still bitter! How would you feel if someone got all kinds of handsy with you just a few minutes after you met and then took a chunk out of your neck?”

“I’m not sure. I can’t say that’s ever happened. I’m willing to experiment…”

For hours.

“I’m sure.”

“Would you like to start with pawing or biting?”

She rolled her eyes up to look at the sky while she shook her head. “You know what?”

“You should surprise me. It’s only fair.”

“I might just bite you to prove a point.”

“It would serve me right.”

“Am I ever going to get rid of you?”

“I’ll need to find somewhere to die for the day, but I’m having too much fun to abandon my mission so early.”

“You never answered me… Are you going to cut her loose?”

I nodded. “Sadly… Are you pregnant too? Some Vampires prefer feeding from pregnant women because they’re supposedly sweeter.”

“No. I’m definitely not pregnant. Why are you going to cut her loose if you know some Vampires feed from preggos? I mean, that’s why I wanted you to stop, but if it’s safe…”

“I didn’t say it’s safe. I’m not sure there wouldn’t be side effects when pregnant women are more fragile anyway… I’ll stop because she’s more trouble than she’s worth at this point. I’ll need to glamour her to forget fucking me so I’m not served with a summons I can’t respond to as courts convene during the day.”

“That’s Hadley for ya. She’s definitely more trouble than she’s worth. You don’t own the patent on that.”

“How much trouble are you?”

“Tons.”

I touched her knee with the tip of my finger and ran it up her thigh slowly… watching goose bumps sweep over her leg…

“Other than how violent you are? Because I think I enjoy that.”

“Are you recycling what worked to get Hadley into bed?”

“Actually, I hardly needed to look at Hadley for that.”

“You’re dealing with night and day. I’m nothing like her.”

I chuckled, “Was the pun intended?”

She covered her face and shook her head. “No! I’m sorry… I didn’t mean…”

“What’s this? Are you worried about offending me?”

She swatted my hand away before she allowed me to make another pass and scoffed, “Seriously close to biting you… And that’s saying something since I’m Human.”

“If you bite me, will you snuggle me?”

“Oh God, would you behave!?”

“I am behaving. You haven’t showered yet. You still smell delicious.”

She huffed and stood up, but I caught her hips as she tried to storm past me.

When I turned her to face me, pulling her to stand between my legs, she groaned, “Didn’t anybody teach you not to play with your food?”

She slapped my cheek when I leaned towards her to enjoy the scent nestled in her cleavage.

“I’m not usually so much as tempted to play with my food… but…”

“Stop that, and put those away.”

I ignored her to moan, “I won’t bite you again so soon. I’m taking in your scent.”

She pulled my hair to yank my head back and scowl at me. “I’m not cat nip.”

I chuckled, “Actually, the imagery that inspires isn’t completely inaccurate.”

“How freaking strong and fast are you? Do I have any chance of getting away?”

Just to prove the point, I lifted her legs and straddled her to my lap before she could finish gasping.

She whimpered, “You could have just said ‘no’.”

I ran my fingers into her hair and tilted her head to the side…

There was still so much sunshine hiding in her hair…

“You asked two questions, but I only answered the first… If you really want to get away from me, I’ll release you…”

She breathed, “What do I have to do? Is there a magic word?”

“Can I ask a question first?”

“Are you stalling?”

“Yes.”

She snickered and released my hair to punch my arm. “Make it quick.”

“I told you I’m not a rapist. I told you I wouldn’t bite you again so soon. If you understand that I’m just enjoying your scent, then why would you want to leave me?”

“What rapist wears a nametag to announce himself? ‘So soon’ doesn’t exactly imply that you’ll give me the choice in the matter later. And if you’re just enjoying my scent then you really shouldn’t go to the Botanical Garden in mixed company because you’re digging into my thigh… On top of all that, I don’t do physical contact. It’s more than a little off-putting to have a stranger all up in your personal space.”

“Are you phobic?”

“No. I’m just not… Dammit. You’re still stalling.”

As I moved to enjoy the other side of her neck, I offered, “You still haven’t told me to fuck off, or bitten me.”

She sighed, “This is just… more intimate than I’m used to.”

“But you don’t smell as anxious as you do aroused.”

She gasped and leaned back. “No! Tell me that’s crap like the transformation line.”

I shook my head. “You have your reasons to be annoyed, but you’re excited too.”

She stared at me (I assume she was waiting for me to laugh) and it went on long enough that her heart started to race.

She finally asked, “How do you usually do it?”

“Do what?”

“Feed… You said Hadley doesn’t know. How is that possible?”

I took her hand from my shoulder and put her wrist to my mouth… running my tongue over her pulse what I invited was a horrible tease when I shouldn’t take more…

I’d fed twice in twenty-four hours and I was still wanting.

“Our glamour allows us to take over a Human’s will to an extent. Normally, I draw a donor’s attention and hold them while I bite and feed from them. When I release them, they don’t remember it happened.”

“Why didn’t you just try that with me?”

“Because I was already quite contently nuzzling your neck.”

“Try it.”

“Try drawing your attention?”

She nibbled her lip, shifting nervously and nodding. “Yeah.”

Knowing she hadn’t responded to being glamoured, I began working her wrist… I wouldn’t have been doing myself any favors to just bite her…

Her fucking eyes rolled back again… like she was trying to punish me for feeding from her…

I wasn’t even trying to push her, and she started trembling…

Her eyes locked on mine like they had been when I thought I was glamouring her earlier…

And maybe it was because I knew it hadn’t worked earlier, but I could tell I wasn’t in control as I scraped my fangs over her wrist…

“When are you gonna start?”

“If you could be glamoured, your top would be on the ground by now.”

She punched my shoulder and laughed, “You turd!”

“It didn’t work. Anyone else would have been my puppet… I can demonstrate on your grandmother if you want. I’m sure she’ll remove her top.”

She hit me again. “Stop making me laugh when I’m mad at you.”

“But you have a lovely laugh… Are you really mad?”

“Yes.”

“Because I didn’t ask before I fed from you?”

She nodded. “Well, that whole sniffing thing was forward as hell too. C’mon. I know that’s how y’all roll, and if I was normal, I’d be none the wiser, but… rude.”

“Will you forgive me for being rude?”

The corners of her mouth turned up slightly before she changed her mind about smiling. As she left my legs, she shook her head. “Yeah… I’d have to be a complete bitch to hold it against you that you need to do things a certain way… but… this is… you dated my cousin.”

“I’m not asking for a threesome. That would be awkward anyway… and technically a foursome…”

She snickered, “She’s a colossal pain in the ass… but we’re kin, Erik. Sharing guys? Ew… and I’m not really keen to being ‘two birds with one stone’ either. I’d kind of like to do something the normal way.”

“I’m not sure I’m willing to accept that… Sitting on my lap made you so excited that you’re wet, but you don’t want to be interested because I’m one of the many who have fucked your cousin? That doesn’t seem rational. It’s not as though she cares. Her only reason to not want a threesome was because you’re related… She called you a prude. Is that the real reason?”

“That bitch! She called me a prude!?”

I nodded. “And she seemed disgusted when I told her I was flirting with you…” I held my hand out for hers. “Come back.”

She took my hand, but she didn’t move to sit on my lap…

Our standoff only lasted until she seemed to realize she wouldn’t win.

She growled as she returned to my legs, “I’m still not cool with being part of a damn legion, man-slut.”

“I think we already established that I left the legion in Shreveport.”

Her eyes lit up. “Oh! I reformed you in one feeding, huh?”

At least somewhat. It wasn’t as though I’d easily forget anything about her.

Sookie Stackhouse was unique, if not refreshing, enough that monotony would suffice any longer.

“Exclusivity when you haven’t as much as kissed me yet?”

“You know what I mean.”

I led her hands over my shoulders and countered, “And you’re smart enough to know I was fishing.”

“Yeah. My cousin’s boyfriend.”

“I thought I mentioned that I wouldn’t use her anymore.”

“Because you’d rather use me?”

“Because I’ve enjoyed arguing with you tonight more than I enjoyed months of fucking her.”

Sookie snorted, “Part of me wants to feel sorry for her.”

“And part of you knows she is just as apathetic towards me as I am to her… and part of you is very happy to be on my lap again.”

“Do you want me to bite you? Because that’s what it seems like.”

Absolutely.

“You’re the prude. I’ll settle for a nibble.”

“I’m not a prude.”

“If I dare you to prove that-”

Before I could finish challenging her, she caught my lip between her teeth and growled, “Shut up,” and leaned in for more…

More…

More…

I was so fucked…

I’d wanted to fuck her before I knew what she tasted like… or how she smelled…

And there were so many ways to fuck up a kiss… breath alone usually killed the interest… and then there was drool and breathing and lack of skill…

But Sookie…

Leaning her body against mine…

Fisting her fingers in my hair…

Even the little noises she made, and those usually would have resulted in turning a ‘date’ around.

I could have been content to stay, even stalled at kissing on a porch swing…

I would have complained later, but later wasn’t a factor yet…

And the only thing that stopped us was her grandmother shouting, “SOOKIE STACKHOUSE!”

She withdrew immediately, leaving my lap as though it was on fire, and studying the boards on the porch.

Adele Stackhouse chided, “Your cousin’s boyfriend?”

Sookie actually winced, so I explained, “Hadley works for me. It wasn’t until Sookie came to be interviewed for a position as barback that I was aware Hadley and I are supposedly dating… I wouldn’t normally be interested in Hadley. She’s superficial and reedy. When I expressed an interest in Sookie, we had a bit of a misunderstanding, which is why I drove to Bon Temps.”

It all sounded believable… but Sookie didn’t look up from the porch.

The old woman asked Sookie, “Hadley isn’t dating him?”

Sookie shook her head. “She’s crushing on him apparently.”

“How’d you mix that up?”

“It’s a long story. Can… can we talk about it later?”

The woman’s eyes widened slightly before she turned for the house. “I don’t guess it matters what y’all were doing out here before I stuck my foot in, but… even if we don’t have neighbors, get a room…” She continued to complain as she stiffly walked into the house, “Goin’ at it like dogs in heat… I’ll turn the hose on you… adults or not…”

In spite of my aching cock, I was chuckling before she closed the door.

“I think you inherited some of your character from your grandmother.”

She covered her face and shook her head. “We lied…”

“I’ll augment Hadley’s memory to believe she was only crushing on me. She’ll still face the same father-search and decisions in that regard. It certainly excuses you to spend time with me, because I’m no longer her boyfriend in your family’s eyes.”

She sighed, “I guess.”

“You don’t lie often, do you?”

“No. I freaking hate lies.”

“It’s a variation on a theme… and a means to an end…” I stood, but she still didn’t uncover her face. “Am I correctly assuming you aren’t interested in getting a room?”

She moved her hands just so she could slap my arms. “Gran kinda killed the mood.”

I chuckled, “For you… I want to see you tomorrow night.”

“I’m not going to sleep with you tomorrow night either.”

“Alright. Are you willing to sweat with me?”

She growled, “And you said you wouldn’t feed from me for a while.”

“And? I also told you I enjoyed arguing with you. Should I bring boxing gloves?”

She snorted, “Bring a book. We don’t have cable.”

“I can do that… Is there a reason you’ve been on an apparent Hammett binge?”

“It was just his turn… Richard Yates is next. I’m a bibliophile.”

Beautiful.

“Revolutionary Road?”

She gave me a comical grimace. “Yeah. I start at the beginning of the bibliography.”

“I do that too. It’s easier to keep the chronology in mind.”

She snorted, “What the hell were you doing with Hadley? She doesn’t even watch TV shows in order.”

“Apparently, I was just killing time. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”