Tattered Love (Needle's Kiss)

hitting the red zone of irritated, he was still a sight. Dark worn jeans slung low on his hips, white fitted cotton shirt pulled taut over his solid chest and arms, a slight shadow of stubble along his jaw. Damn him for making my blood pressure soar and my lady bits clench. Why couldn’t my hormones stay in line with my temper?
    “Hey, kitten, looking beautiful today.”
    Yuck, he just wouldn’t quit with the sappy shit. Maybe I should tattoo his eyeball instead? “I’m not a kitten. Why are you here?” I asked bluntly and straight to the point. I didn’t want to be rude, but he was grating on my last nerve.
    “Don’t be like that, cupcake. I brought you lunch.” He smiled, putting a brown paper lunch bag on my work table. “Enjoy your lunch and make sure you eat it all up. You need to keep your strength up, pumpkin.”
    I could hear Trip and Remy snickering behind me somewhere, whether it was at me or the ridiculous tone of voice Mace was talking to me in, I didn’t know. Mace kissed the tip of my nose, waved goodbye to the guys, and took off out the front door.
    “Eat up, pumpkin,” Trip mocked, flopping down into his chair all eyes on me. Curiosity got the best of me and I opened the paper bag, pulling out its contents. An apple, a juice box, a Twinkie, a packet of heart-shaped candy and something wrapped in wax paper. By this point, both boys were in hysterics. Ignoring them, I read the note left on top of the wrapped item.
     
    Love you, baby. Here’s a little something to show you what you mean to me.
    You are my sunshine,
    My only sunshine
    You make me happy when skies are grey,
    You’ll never no dear how much I love you.
    Please don’t take my sunshine away.
    All my love. Mace.
     
    What the hell is wrong with that man?
    I felt my eyebrows draw together as I unwrapped the paper. He’d lost his shit. It was official. Mace was crazy. Trip was now rolling around on the ground holding his stomach. Remy had tears rolling down his face, and there I sat, holding a peanut butter and jelly sandwich cut into the shape of a love heart. Against my will, my heart swelled; he really was making an effort, a ridiculous effort, but it was kinda sweet regardless.
    No! What am I thinking? He’s an obnoxious ass.
    “Will you two shut the hell up? It’s not funny! He’s clearly a sick man. Trip, as his brother, I think it’s your responsibility to have him committed. He’s clearly not right in the head.”
    “You should see your face; it’s perfect. Wait. Say cheese.” Before I could figure out what was going on, Trip was standing in front of me snapping pictures with his cellphone.
    “You little shit, you delete them right now, or I swear you’ll be walking around with no balls,” I threatened.
    “You’ll survive, and besides, this is too funny not to share. Teens might wanna see this. I’ll just send it to her,” he said with a smile while punching buttons on his phone.
    Not even five minutes later Teeny walked in the door. “That was freaking awesome. Did he bring you a kiddie lunch?”
    “Don’t you start! He’s annoying the crap outta me. Today was supposed to be my day off, but I came in here to get away from him. My bathroom has been invaded with girly fluffy slippers and a matching bathrobe. Don’t even get me started on the ‘his and hers’ towels. The kitchen was full of baked goods, roses and four different pairs of heels he apparently thought I’d look sexy in, and to top it off, Mace was in the backyard shirtless cutting my hedges into hearts and shit.” Teeny couldn’t take anymore, she burst into laughter.
    “I’m bored. There’s nothing to do here, and I’m avoiding Mace. So stop laughing at my misfortune and help me find something to do.” I picked up my bag, and flipped the still chuckling Remy and Trip the bird as Teeny and I went out the front door. I came to a quick stop when I registered what was in front of me.
    “My Car! Wait. How did you get my car?” There was my baby, all shiny and fixed, with a sexy-as-sin Mace casually leaning against the hood, twirling my keys around his finger. If I wasn’t so mad at him, the fact he’d picked up my precious car and was standing there looking like sex incarnate, would have cause me to walk right up to him and dry hump his leg.
    “It’s my buddy who owns the repair shop. I called in a favor; had it hurried and he called me this morning to let me know it was ready.” Tossing the keys to me, he took that moment to