Tex leans in close and presses his soft lips to my cheek, the ruined one. “I’d love to, big guy. Merry Christmas.”
A Bitchin’ Barbecue
Brandt
“Reaper, give me a hand with this box of explosives.”
“Fuck,” I grumbled, “why don’t you give me a hand with this damn cooler? What the hell are we blowing up, anyway?” I managed to shoulder the entire cooler on my own.
“Whataren’twe blowing up is the better question," West stressed. “It’s the Fourth of July. Did you think we were going to light sparklers and sing the national anthem?”
“I hoped?”
West laughed. “Come on, put that down and help me with these. I’ve got another box in the garage.”
Great, I fell in love with a pyromaniac. “We’ll be lucky if we get to light them, and aren’t entertaining SWAT, answering questions about why you bought the mother load of explosives.”
“Don’t exaggerate. This is gonna be fun as shit.” With his uneven gait, he struggled with the weight of the box, and I grabbed one end and helped him drag it outside to the deck.
“Maybe we shouldn’t put it right next to the grill,” West surmised, having a genius moment.
“Do you think? Put it over by the hot tub.”
West scratched his head. “Yeah, but if they splash, the explosives will get wet.”
“Maybe we could shove it up your ass?”
“Don’t be a dick. Are you sure Stiles said he’s bringing the meat?”
“That’s what he said.”
West disappeared inside and came out carrying a bag of ice and a twelve-pack of Ginger Ale. Lifting the lid on the cooler, he cursed. “What the fuck is this?”
“What?”
“There’s nothing but iced tea and water in here. Where’s all the beer?”
“The fuck, West? Nash, Brewer, and the guys from Serenity House are coming over. We can’t have beer.”
“Yeah, we can. They don’t have to drink it.”
Is he fucking kidding me? “Seriously?”
“What? What happened to all of that faith in your convictions, surrender, and let go and let God? If they’re tempted to drink my beer, they can pray about it.”
“All right, nowyou’rebeing a dick.”
He dumped the ginger ale and ice in the cooler and slammed the lid. On his way past me, he rubbed his hand over my ass, squeezing a handful of my cheek. “I’m not being a dick,” he chuckled. “I’m just fucking with you. Lighten up.”
Sighing, I scrubbed my face. “Sorry. I don’t know what’s gotten into me. I am being uptight, aren’t I?”
“Little bit.” He licked the shell of my ear, and I felt that shit in my dick.
“It’s only a big deal to you, Reaper. Nobody cares that you’re wearing a hearing aid today.”
“What?” I asked loudly, pretending I didn’t hear him.
“Fuck off,” he laughed, smacking my ass. “I’m gonna go grab the other box of explosives.”
