Page 21 of After Care

“Who has time with you assholes to babysit?” Tommy mocked, taking a long sip of his beer.

“That’s okay, Tommy. You don’t need to defend yourself. We know you’re A-sexual.”

“A-sexual?” I snort laughed.

“Dude,” Gage warned, but Jared explained, “Against sex.”

“Fu…” the k sound followed without Tommy completing the word.

“When was the last time you got laid, old man?” Petty teased.

“None of your damn business,” Tommy grumbled, finishing his beer and then peering into the bottle as if more would magically appear. Ivy stood to my right.

“Always getting hit on, but never up for the occasion,” Petty mocked, stroking his imaginary appendage above his jeans.

“Okay, that’s enough,” Tommy said, standing.

“Dude, shut up,” Gage barked, directing the warning at Petty.

“What?” the blond mocked, arms raised to protect his head in a fighter’s stance. I hadn’t seen Ivy leave, too enthralled by the playful but telling banter between these men. She returned with an armful of beers.

“Babe, don’t serve them, especially him.” Gage pointed at Petty, who just laughed and helped himself anyway.

Something in me sensed the frustration rolling off Tommy. While I thought the words exchanged seemed jovial and carefree, Tommy sat rigid next to me. I don’t know where the boldness came from, but I felt the need to defend him.

“Don’t you think that’s a little unfair?” I directed to Petty. “I mean, Tommy’s an attractive man. I suppose he could get laid if he wanted to on the regular.”

Jared’s mouth fell open, repeating, “On the regular,” while Petty’s teasing expression dropped. Silence followed my statement. Then a burst of laughter rushed between the two band members. Even Gage chuckled a little. I looked at Ivy, who had returned to Gage’s lap. She shook her head and smiled, dismissing the guys as acting like boys.

“Why is that funny?” Suddenly, I wanted to know what I’d said to make them laugh. They continued to chuckle, dropping the tone down a bit at the seriousness of my question. I felt like I was defending mankind instead of a man.

“I mean…” I swallowed preparing for what I said next. “He’s sexy.”

Silence fell again. Birds chirped. The wind blew, and then a slow rumble began. A snicker. A chuckle. A gasp.

“Tommy?” Jared shrieked.

“Sexy?” Petty howled in humor.

“What?” I defended again. All eyes were on me, except Tommy, who sat slightly amused himself at this conversation. His lips curled.

“You don’t think you’ll get old one day?” I addressed the group, but Tommy’s head swung to face me at that question.

“Darlin’,” he started, but I continued by placing a hand on his arm.

“What will you look like?” I said to Petty defensively, growing bolder in my need to prove that Tommy was a sensual man.

“Portly,” Jared snickered, cutting his gaze to Petty.

“Will you have sexy silver hair?” I said, eyeing Tommy’s head. “Wrinkles from laughter? Eyes that have seen too much? A heart that stays strong for others?”

Tommy sat forward at this comment, his elbows coming to his knees as I assessed him.

“Scruff on your face, if you can grow any,” I teased, as Petty’s blond features didn’t lend to facial hairs. I was hoping to lighten the tension around Tommy. Jared laughed.

“You don’t think your body will shift? You’d be lucky to have the strength to carry the weight of others.” I squeezed Tommy’s arm and he rolled his head to look at me over his shoulder. His hands tented, fingers linked to support his chin and this accentuated his firm bicep, but I wasn’t talking about his physical appearance despite my description. I was talking about who I sensed Tommy Carrigan was inside. He was strong, and he carried the weight of his band.

“That’s a chest full of love, giving up everything for others,” I said, scooting closer to him and spreading my palm to rub across his pecs, feeling his heart racing under his white T-shirt. I patted his chest, but my hand slipped downward.