Everyone looked at me.

“Jay-sus,” Tex boomed then he got up, stalked behind the coffee counter and started banging on the espresso machine.

“How did you leave it with Vance?” Indy asked, ignoring Tex.

“He’s making me dinner after the powwow and after the ride-along with Luke I’m going to meet him at his cabin.”

“Ride-along with Luke?” Stevie asked.

“Yeah.”

“Vance know about the ride-along with Luke?” Stevie went on.

“Yeah, I explained Yoko Ono to him and to Luke, they understood.”

Indy, Ally, Jet and Roxie all nodded sagely, totally getting it. Daisy giggled again. Tod, Stevie and May gave me blank stares.

“It’s a long story,” I told them.

“Girl,” I heard from behind me and I turned around, my eyes hit a faded black t-shirt and the edges of a black leather vest. I looked up and saw Duke standing behind me.

Uh-oh.

I didn’t know that Duke was even there much less that he was listening in.

“Hi,” I said.

He didn’t return my greeting.

Instead he said, “You were a virgin right?”

Shit!

Why did everyone know I was a virgin?

I didn’t answer, I just stared.

“Those boys aren’t stupid. They know who you are, what you are and a lot more of how a woman’s mind works than you’d like them to know.”

This gave me pause for reflection because I had more than a small suspicion that Vance had my number.

My reflecting didn’t last long, Duke kept talking. “They don’t f**k around because they see a lot of shit in their line of business. They know the risks they take and they know the danger. They don’t have time to pu**yfoot around and process emotions. They see what they want, they get it. The end.”

Oh my God.

I kept silent and kept staring, I couldn’t help myself.

Duke went on. “He knows you were a virgin. It’s impossible to be a clueless virgin one day and a tease the next or at least what I seen of you, it’s impossible for you.”

I hadn’t agreed that I was a clueless virgin.

I didn’t have time to squabble, Duke was on a roll. “Vance knows that. If he’s havin’ dinner with you and he wants you in his bed, you got nothin’ to worry about. And if Luke knows you’re with Vance and he wants you ride-along, you got nothin’ to worry about with him either. Yoko Ono my ass.”

Well, there you go.

Duke’s eyes turned to May. “When Luke’s ready, mark my words, he’ll get his own f**kin’ woman and God save us all.”

Then he stomped away. Everyone watched him go.

Finally Stevie said, “Guess the powwow is over.”

“Yeah, well, Duke has a way,” Roxie mumbled.

“I’ll say,” May put in.

“Anyone want coffee?” Tex boomed. “If not, I’m shuttin’ her down for the night.”

“I have to get home. Lee’s taking me to Barolo Grill tonight,” Indy said, standing.

“Oh, sorry. I forgot to tell you, Eddie called. Lee and him have something on tonight. I told him to tell Lee I’d tell you,” Jet explained.

“You’re shitting me.” For some reason, Indy looked ready to blow. I suspected she really (really) liked Barolo Grill.

Ally laughed.

“You and Lee and Barolo Grill… not… gonna… happen,” Ally told Indy.

“Hank and I were supposed to go to a movie, he’s sucked into whatever-this-is too,” Roxie said.

Indy sighed. “Such is the life of the Woman of a Badass.”

“You got that right, sister,” Jet said.

Everyone laughed.

I didn’t. I was reflecting and kept reflecting while they all decided to go to Brother’s for burgers.

I headed home.

To Vance.

* * * * *

We were lying in my bed.

Vance was wearing jeans, a heathered, dark-gray henley with a cool, heavy-buckled black belt. His feet were bare and I had to admit, they were still sexy.

I was wearing low-rider, midnight blue cords; a cool, heavy-buckled black belt of my own; and dark, gray-blue, fitted long-sleeved tee (I didn’t figure Luke would have issues with blue cords). My feet were bare too and my toenails were painted a dark, electric-blue. It had seemed a good idea at the time; I was feeling in a funky-girl mood. I decided I needed a pedicure.

Vance had made quesadillas and they were good. He’d even put jalapeños and bits of sautéed chicken breast in them. When we were done eating I did the dishes while he made some calls (it was only fair, he cooked). He was off that night, back at work tomorrow. He was going to the cabin after Luke picked me up.

When he was done with the phone and I was done with the dishes, he guided me to the steps to the bed and we climbed up.

Luke was due at my house in just over an hour. I figured Vance would go straight for the hanky panky. We had time.

He didn’t.

He lay down on his back and tucked me in his side, my cheek on his shoulder. Then his hand went up the back of my shirt but only to draw mindless patterns on the skin of my lower back. Other than that, he was silent and he didn’t touch me or try to kiss me.

Hmm.

His fingers were having an effect. As I’d attacked him that morning, I thought it was his turn. I didn’t know how to communicate this without making it my turn.

“Vance?”

“Yeah.”

“What’re we doing?”

“Lyin’ in bed.”

“I know but… why?”

“Why not?”

I didn’t have an answer for that.

Wait, I did. “I’m not good at lying around.”

“Princess, you need to learn to be still.”

I thought about that, thinking maybe he was right. I was rarely still. I was usually on the go, always had been my whole life. Hard to save the world lying in bed and doing nothing.

“Is this a Native American thing?” I asked.

“What?” There seemed a hint of laughter in his voice and I got up on my elbow and looked at him. I was right, definitely laughter, in fact a full blown grin. “What’s funny?” I asked.

“You.”

“How am I funny? I don’t know anyone who sits around, doing nothing and being still.”

“Lot of people do it. Most the time they f**k it up with their eyes glued to a television set, filling their mind with garbage.”

I had to admit this was true. “Is that why you think I’m funny? Because I can’t be still?”