Grave Intentions (22 page)
Authors: Lori Sjoberg
The fog of lust lifted, leaving her with an acute case of work-related anxiety. “I don’t know,” she said, thinking of the hours of work parked on her hard drive. If she didn’t do it this evening, she’d have to find time first thing in the morning. “I have a ton of work to do tonight.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll get you home in plenty of time. I have an appointment at eleven seventeen, which means I have to be on the road with Adam by ten at the latest.” He smiled at her, warm and inviting, and she decided she’d find a way to get everything done. “Come on, live a little.”
Sarah blew out a sigh, feigning exasperation. “Okay, you win. But I want a girlie drink with one of those tiny umbrellas.”
“You got it.” His smile widened, looking happier and more relaxed than she’d ever seen him, and at that moment she knew she’d do anything he asked. “I know just the place. It’s a little out of the way, but I’m sure you’ll like it.”
David opened the door for Sarah, not sure if women these days found the gesture charming or sexist. He figured she’d let him know one way or the other.
She smiled and said, “Thank you,” and he was relieved by the knowledge that some women still appreciated a man with manners. “How did you find this place?”
“I used to come here to unwind, before the tourists discovered it.”
Back in the day, it used to be called Sweeney’s, a college hot spot famous for nickel beer and women of questionable moral integrity. Several owners later, it was a sports bar, filled with pool tables, dartboards, and flat screen TVs. Neon signs adorned almost every window, advertising the brands of beer on tap, while every square inch of wall space was plastered with sports memorabilia. The bar was crowded but the tables were mostly empty, something that would change in another couple hours.
David led her to a quiet corner and pulled out a chair.
“You keep this up and you’re going to spoil me,” Sarah said, giving him a quick peck on the lips before taking her seat.
“You keep looking at me like that and we won’t be here long enough.” Already, he regretted picking a place so far from the apartment. He’d have a hard time keeping his hands off her during the long drive home.
The waitress had just delivered their first round of drinks when David heard a familiar voice in his periphery.
“Well, well, well, what have we here?”
Shit. Just his luck.
He turned in his chair and caught sight of Ruby as she sauntered toward their table.
Tonight, she wore tight denim jeans and a blouse cut so low it bordered on indecent. Her boots sported three-inch heels, and the handcuffs on her belt were probably not there for cosmetic purposes. She’d chosen a simple burgundy choker, the fabric woven in an intricate pattern that did a good job at concealing the ugly scar underneath.
“What are you doing here?” David asked, working hard to mask his surprise. This wasn’t a common hangout for reapers, which was part of why he’d chosen it. He’d been hoping to avoid introductions for a little while longer. Not that he was ashamed of Sarah, but because he wasn’t sure how everyone would react.
He recovered quickly, sending Ruby a silent warning to be on her best behavior. “I thought you’d be hanging out at Shackles tonight.”
Ruby shrugged. “You know how much I enjoy variety.” Her eyes cut to Sarah, and a sly smile lit her features. “Hello there.” She held out a slender hand, her nails painted to match the choker. “I’m Ruby, an old friend of David’s. And you are . . . ?”
“Sarah.” Her expression was notably neutral as she shook Ruby’s hand. “Sarah Griffith. Pleasure to meet you.”
“Pleasure’s all mine,” Ruby drawled before shooting a questioning look in David’s direction. “So what brings you two here tonight?”
“Just winding down after a long day at the office,” Sarah said, her demeanor surprisingly calm. A lot of women got defensive when another beautiful woman invaded her territory, but she seemed to be taking Ruby in stride. She rose from her seat and hitched her purse over her shoulder. “Why don’t I let you two catch up while I visit the ladies’ room?”
Before David had the chance to object, she pressed a kiss to his cheek and headed toward the back of the bar.
Ruby plopped down on the unoccupied chair, picked up Sarah’s drink, and took a healthy swig. “She’s cute.”
“Cute is what you call a kitten. She’s beautiful.”
“Beautiful?” Ruby arched an immaculately defined brow. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard you use that word to describe anything.”
“First time for everything.” His eyes never left Sarah as she crossed the room, his heart feeling too big for his chest when she turned back and flashed him a knowing smile. He didn’t know what he’d done to deserve her, but he wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Ruby’s mouth dropped open, her expression suddenly changing to one of sheer astonishment. “Oh. My. God. You’re in love with her, aren’t you?”
Was it that obvious? David shrugged, trying hard not to tip his hand. “I enjoy her company.”
“You are!” She kicked his shin under the table. “You know you can’t pull one over on me. After thirty-five years, I can read you like a book.”
Damned if she didn’t have him pegged. Not that it really surprised him. They’d been through a lot together, bearing witness to the best and worst each had to offer.
Ruby rested her chin on the heel of her hand, eyeing him as if trying to unlock some deep, dark secret. “You never looked at me with those puppy dog eyes.”
“Our relationship was different.”
“Yeah, like we never had one.” Ruby laughed. “We just tore up the sheets.”
“You were the one who made the ground rules, not me.”
Some people had an inherent fear of heights. Others were afraid of spiders. Ruby held a natural aversion to long-term commitments. She liked her men hard, fast, and out the door before the sheets got cold. And like a shooting star, they’d burned hot and brilliant during their brief time together.
“Point taken.” Her expression turned serious, her tone uncertain. “It was fun while it lasted though, right?”
David met her gaze, trying to figure out why she was asking. Regret, or validation? He wasn’t sure, so he raised his glass. “We had some good times, Ruby.”
“Damn straight,” Ruby replied, the swagger returning to her voice. She clinked Sarah’s glass against his and then tipped back the drink with her usual finesse. “So you’re going to make a run with her?”
David nodded. “That’s the plan.”
“She’s going to get old, you know.”
“I know.”
“And wrinkled. Maybe get hunched over with osteoporosis.”
“Yeah.”
“And she’ll eventually hit her expiration date.”
David shot her a level glare. “Is there a point to any of this?”
“Just making sure you understand what you’re getting yourself into,” Ruby said, her tone deceptively casual. She finished the last of Sarah’s drink and set the empty glass on the table. “You know how it is with mortals. How are you going to explain it when she gets all old and wrinkly and you’re still fresh as a daisy?”
“That shouldn’t be a problem,” David murmured, his eyes glued to the bottom of his glass.
“It won’t?” Puzzled, Ruby regarded him for a few seconds before realization kicked in. “Holy shit, she knows, doesn’t she?”
“I had to tell her,” David said. “She caught me doing a job downtown.”
“Caught you? What are you talking about?” Ruby leaned in close to avoid being overheard. “How could she catch you? She’s mortal!”
“She’s . . . gifted,” David said by way of explanation. “Her family has a strong connection to the psychic world.”
“How is that even possible? Have you told Samuel?”
“No.” Before she could respond, David added, “And neither will you.” The last thing he wanted was Samuel scrambling Sarah’s brain because she knew too much.
Ruby bit her lower lip, her brows drawn tightly together. “I didn’t hear any of this.”
“Thank you.”
“But you really ought to tell him,” Ruby said, an expression of worry lining her features. “Sooner or later, he’s going to find out. Better to tell him now and get it over with.”
“Duly noted.” He spotted Sarah approaching from the back of the bar, a purposeful swing in her hips. Damn, if it didn’t get his blood pumping every time.
Reaching into her pocket, Ruby pulled out a few bills and tossed a ten on the table. “For the drink,” she said as she stood. “I’ll leave you two lovebirds alone. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“That leaves pretty much everything on the table.”
She flashed him a cocky smile. “Exactly.”
Ruby met Sarah on her way to the bar. David watched as the two stopped to talk, huddled close enough to be heard over the bar chatter. For a moment he was worried about what Ruby might say to her, but then Sarah laughed, the underlying tension leaving her face for the first time that evening. Then the pair hugged and Ruby was on her way, commanding the attention of every heterosexual man at the bar.
“She’s very sweet,” Sarah said as she reclaimed her seat.
“Sweet? I’ve heard Ruby called a lot of things over the years, but sweet isn’t one of them.”
“Maybe you should get to know her better.”
David gave her a flat look. “I know her well enough.”
“Beyond the sex.” Before he could throw out a denial she added, “It’s obvious you two used to be an item. I’m fine with it, as long as it’s in the past.”
“I can guarantee that.”
“Good.” Her face relaxed into an easy smile.
“So what did you two talk about?”
“Nothing much.” She shrugged. “Just girl talk.”
Like hell. Curiosity ate at him. “Like what?”
“What’s it worth to you?” Sarah’s mouth curved into a sensual smile. Maybe if he asked real nice, she’d be up for a little paradise by the dashboard lights.
David leaned across the table, so close to her mouth he could almost taste her. Unable to resist, he nipped her bottom lip and was rewarded with a soft little moan. “What do you want?” he asked, prepared to give her damn near anything.
Sarah licked her lips. “What are you offering?”
He leaned a little closer, whispering in her ear all the things he wanted to do to her in elaborate detail. A blush flooded her cheeks as she pulled back to meet his gaze.
She stared at him for a few seconds and he began to question the wisdom of mentioning the part about the chocolate syrup. But then she pushed back her chair and said, “Race you to the car.”
Bar none, the next week was the best in David’s life. For the first time in far too many years, he knew what it was like to be truly happy.
Yeah, the job still sucked. And his soul was still under threat of damnation. And it didn’t look like the Dolphins were going to win the Super Bowl anytime in the immediate future. But he had Sarah, and having Sarah was enough to put a spring in his step and add a few shades of color to his otherwise dreary existence.
Better yet, whenever she was around, he forgot about his troubles and lost himself in her world, in her touch, in the warmth of her embrace.
She’d left for work an hour before, determined as usual not to let her asshole of a boss make her life miserable or ruin her career. The smile on her face when she’d kissed him good-bye was enough to keep his soul humming until she returned that evening.
Locking the door behind him, David left Sarah’s apartment and slipped back into his own. As usual, the kid was sacked out on the couch, stripped down to his Daffy Duck boxers, his mouth wide open and a little puddle of drool collecting on the pillow. Buford was on the floor beside him, lying on his back with his paws in the air. David tiptoed past the pair, intent on letting them sleep for another hour.
“Somebody got lucky last night,” Adam said, his voice rough with sleep.
Damn. Another five feet and he would have been home free. “Sorry, I thought you were asleep.”
“I was, but I’m a light sleeper.” Adam’s eyes cracked open. Squinting, he looked David over, and then a knowing smile curved one side of his mouth. “Yep. Definitely got laid. Sarah, right? I thought I heard some noise coming through the walls last night.”
David’s eyes narrowed while Adam’s smile widened.
“Dude, you are so old school. But hey, if you don’t want to share the deets, I’m cool with that.” Adam kicked back the covers and swung his legs over the side of the couch, almost stepping on Buford in the process. With a groan, he pushed up and stumbled toward the bathroom, scratching his ass along the way. He paused at the door and glanced back. “For the record, I’m happy for you, man.”
David held back the grin until he heard the water cut on in the shower. Then it slowly crept across his face and throughout his psyche, a bright light illuminating the darkened corners of his soul.
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