Page 10 of Buckle Up, Buttercup

Outside, Bluebell grabs a smaller box from the back of my truck. “Hey, neighbor!”

I grin, bumping her hip with mine as I pass. “You don’t need to move my shit, Bluebell. Jasper’s here.”

She snorts, rolling her eyes. “I was across the street for a quarter hour having coffee with a friend, and in that entire time, I saw you make ten trips while he made one. So, it seems like he’s about as much help as I’d expect.” She looks down at the box in her hands. “Although, knowing him, he’ll open them all up and poke through your shit.”

That produces an uncomfortable heat that spreads along my neck, shoulders, and cheeks. There are a couple boxes I would decidedly not like any of the Tuckers looking into—Bluebell ‘cause it would be embarrassing, and Jasper ‘cause he’d never let me hear the end of it.

Which leads me to the box she’s currently holding. It’s nondescript, small, and fuck me, I’m pretty sure it’s the box with all my sex toys in it.

I take it from her, but she scoffs and grabs it back. The toys roll around inside it, and I swear to gods, if one of them turns on, I’ll sink into Main Street and die of mortification.

She slaps me with one hand. “Hadrian Alkazar, why are you being weird about this box?” Blue brows lift into a mischievous vee, and she lifts it high, shaking it again. The toys rock and roll inside.

“Bluebell,” I warn. “Stop that.”

Her mouth drops open. “Oh my gods, Alk, is there something spicy in here? I was kidding, but…”

I snatch it from her with a harsh look. “Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to.” It’s the best comeback I can summon as I haul the box high and grab another, piling it on top of the first.

“Well, well, well,” she says as she grabs another box and follows me into the alleyway. “Good thing I’m your landlord, technically, since I own the building now. I could just let myself in and poke around in all your things, you know. That idea is sorta appealing, if I’m honest.” She winks at me. “Shame you’re only here until you get your place fixed up.”

“Invasion of privacy.” I poke at her with my tail spade as I ascend the stairs. “I can’t be held liable for you being scarred by what you see in my apartment, and you gave me no limitations on behavior. I can have parties or whatever I want, I’m sure.”

She barks out a loud laugh. “You? Parties? Yeah, okay, big guy. That’ll be the day.”

“Called out.” Jasper appears in the doorway at the top, still holding the box of skyballs.

“Your sister’s right,” I mutter, “you’re the fucking worst at helping me move.”

“She’s a menace,” Jasper says, scrunching his nose up. “You sure you wanna live across the hall from her?”

“Don’t be jelly, Jazzy.” She sticks her tongue out at him as she brushes roughly past. Heading down the hallway, she disappears inside my apartment.

I follow with the other boxes, entering the tall, bright studio space and tucking the boxes into the corner of the kitchen where I hope she won’t go.

“I was kidding about snooping, Alk,” she calls out as she disappears back out the door.

Jasper joins me in the kitchen, eyeing the boxes. “Oooo, what are we snooping about, though? You got a hidden box of cool shit?”

I slap a hand over my face, then run it up over my right horn. “You Tuckers need to mind your own business. Can’t you help me move without examining all of my belongings?”

Jasper barks out a laugh and crosses his arms. “Yeah, but the more you’re talking and the darker that blush gets, the more I wonder what you’re hiding, Hadrian Alkazar.”

I spin him in place and shove him toward the door. “Nothing. Go get a couple more boxes, then I’ll buy you a beer.”

He punches me in the gut, but I sidestep and whack him with my wingtip. I’m so much stronger, he hits the wall with a thud.

Downstairs, Bluebell’s got two more boxes in her arms, heading toward us.

“I was kidding about the snooping.” I stop her with a hand on her arm. “You’ve been one of my best friends for two decades, Bluebell. The door’s always open to you if you need something, okay?”

“Just not bestie stuff,” Jasper quips. “‘Cause that’s a horrifying thought. If I find out y’all are doing fucking movie nights and shit without me, I’m going to throw a literal shit fit.”

Bluebell winks at me. “Guess naked yoga’s out so we don’t hurt Jazzy’s feelers.”

I laugh as her comm watch rings, and a name hovers over the blue band. She struggles to answer it while carrying the boxes, so I grab them and head for the stairs.

A quarter hour later, she appears in the doorway with Jasper, who’s carrying the last box.