Faster We Burn

physical variety.”
    “Mhm,” I said, fully aware that Zan was sitting right in front of me and Katie would not want him knowing. “When?”
    “Right now. Can I come to your place?”
    “I’m fixing a friend’s truck right now, but maybe in an hour?”
    She sighed.
    “Okay, fine. But don’t tell anyone.”
    “You got it,” I said and hung up.
    “Who was that?” Zan said.
    “Just a friend who wanted to look at that extra guitar I’ve been trying to sell. He’s coming over in an hour.”
    “Can you finish in time? I have to get this back to Lottie so Will doesn’t kill me.”
    “Sure thing.” I got on my back and slid back under the truck, trying not to grin too much.
     
    ***
     
    Zan left ten minutes before Katie’s Mazda pulled into the lot next to my apartment. She’d never been here, but she clearly knew where it was anyway.
    She was visibly upset when I opened the door at the bottom of the stairs. I was on the second floor, but the first floor apartment was vacant, so I just treated the whole space as mine.
    “You okay?” I said, taking in her puffy red eyes and the fact that she hadn’t made much of an effort with her appearance again.
    She laughed without humor.
    “I wish everyone would stop asking me that. I’m so tired of saying ‘I’m fine.’ I didn’t come here for that.”
    Jesus, calm down. We signed up for a hookup, not a therapy session. “Okay. From now on I will not ask you if you’re okay. Deal?”
    She inhaled.
    “Deal.”
    “Any other requests?”
    She thought for a moment and stepped over the threshold until we were chest to chest.
    “Yes. Don’t call me babe.”
    “You got it,” I said before I picked her up and kissed her so hard our teeth collided. I nearly broke both our necks getting us up the stairs and through my front door, but somehow I managed it.
    At least this time I got my pants all the way off. She was no less frantic as she stripped me down and shoved me toward the couch. I had to toss the banjo on the floor, hoping it didn’t get damaged. She straddled me and this time at least, I was prepared with a condom. She tore the package with her teeth and rolled it on, like someone who had had a lot of practice, before sliding down on me.
    Neither of us spoke.
    I let her take the lead this time, picking up her quick and vicious rhythm. My hands dug into her ass as she found her pleasure and then I found mine. We both panted as she climbed off of me and started getting dressed. I went to take care of the condom and when I came back she had folded my clothes and left them on the couch for me.
    “So what are you escaping from this time?” I said as she pulled her shirt over her head.
    “Zack sent me a bunch of stuff and wrote me a note saying he wants to talk.” I put my boxers on. The tag was sticking out of the back of her shirt, so I put it back in for her, even though she flinched at the simple gesture.
    “Don’t do it,” I said.
    She turned her head to look at me, her eyes blazing and her cheeks still flushed from the sex.
    “Don’t tell me what to do,” she snapped.
    Christ, I needed to wave a white flag with this girl every time I opened my mouth. “I’m not. Just advising. It isn’t a good idea.”
    “Well thank you so much for your concern, guy I just fucked, but I’ve got plenty of concern and I don’t need it from you.” She pulled on her boots and smoothed her hair, re-doing her ponytail. “I don’t need anything from you except a physical distraction, and now that I’ve got it I’m going to go back to my room to watch movies with my friends and smile and be fine. Because I am.”
    I smiled at her. “Okay, sweetheart. You’re fine.”
    She glared at me and put her purse over her shoulder and pulled out her keys.
    “Don’t patronize me.”
    I shook my shirt out and pulled it over my head.
    “Sorry. My mistake.” Upon further inspection, the banjo seemed to be unscathed, so I set it on my lap and played a little tune.
    “Sooo, bye. I’ll call you.” She paused for just a moment with the door half-open.
    I grinned at her. “Me and my dick are looking forward to it.”
    She glared again and shook her head before slamming the door.

 
     
    Chapter Three
     
     
    Katie
     
    Saying something and doing it are two different things. I hadn’t thought about Stryker much since our little tryst, but when I got back to my room Friday afternoon to find a pile of gifts and a note from Zack taped to my door, I lost it.
    The