Page 64 of Bleed Me

Sapphire gasped, sitting forward. “So, you do like it?”

What did it matter? Saph liked it. “Hell yeah.”

Standing behind her was a salesman giving me a quizzical stare, acknowledging my leather and gun that screamed of my lie. Muffling his laughter, he pointed to a black leather couch I would have chosen for myself.

I gave him a thumbs-up, but it was pointless. Saph loved the unsightly couch, so I pulled out my wallet, telling the salesman, “We will take the, uh… What’s it called again?”

“Flower Garden line.”

I mumbled, “Jesus.” Opening my wallet, I said, “We’ll take the Flower Garden Train Wreck please.”

Saph leaped at me. “Oh my gosh! Thank you!”

I had been saving the money I made from the shop, so had no problem treating this sweet girl. I asked the salesman, “How much?”

“Two hundred.”

“Saph! This shit must be cheap as hell.” I turned and sat down—then sank my ass to the floor. “I told you to spend a thousand!”

She hopped onto the cushion next to me, her legs curled underneath her skinny butt that wasn’t sinking to the floor in the slightest. “But this one is perfect for me.”

“Yeah, I’m seeing that.” Shuddering, I stood, asking the salesman, “You at least got a real captain chair that I can sit in when I visit her?”

“Over here.” He walked away. “I think I have what you want.”

Saph practically skipped as we followed him. Then she frowned at the most perfect brown, leather, man’s chair in the world. “Oh, Giver. That will not match my theme whatsoever.”

“Theme? Yeah? Well, it will match my butt. How’s that? You can throw a frilly blanket over it when I’m not there.” Off in the corner was a padded rocking chair. Wouldn’t you know it? It was white with flowers on it. I pointed, “How about that, uh Garden Line thing?”

Sapphire covered her gaping mouth. “Oh my God. My theme!”

I thought of my baby being held by a caring, possibly over the top, girly mother, and being rocked to sleep by this sweet girl, who already had a waitressing job, even though all her bills were being paid. She said she wanted extra money for anything the baby needed.

“Uh…” Swallowing emotions because Jesus was getting one right, for a change, I told the salesman, “We’ll take that, too. Can you deliver all three by tomorrow?”

“Let me check.” Behind a counter, he read a computer screen, then chuckled, “Believe it or not, no one has bought the Flower Garden line we have in stock.”

“Shocker.”

The salesman and I both cringed as Sapphire happily jumped up and down, squealing like a dying bird.

At the new apartment, Saph arranged the rocker in the corner of the nursery. She said she had never had her own place before and never thought her first place would ever be a two-bedroom. “Look, Giver. Look at the view the baby will have from his crib.”

“His?”

“Yeah, I hope it’s a boy. Maybe then he could be a Stallion like his daddy.”

Wow. Daddy. Then I thought of the older men in my life and how that may be me someday, with a young stubborn pup driving us all crazy. Yeah, I smiled.

In the kitchen, Justice was putting away dishes and glasses. As she reached into a cabinet, I came up behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist to kiss her neck. “You look hot in the kitchen.”

“Take a picture so you can savor the memory. You ain’t domesticating me.”

I nibbled on her ear. “Ain’t gonna cook me dinner?”

“Does Chinese takeout count?”

I whispered, “Only if I can slip oily noodles into your—”