[chapter fifteen]
Disclaimer: If you've heard of
them, I don't own them. Everything else is mine, so no stealing, pretty please.
;-)
**
Kick met Junior's eyes then motioned again to the balcony. "Let's go outside." She said softly. "Excuse us, guys." She said to the assembled group, every pair of eyes on her and Junior.
Sliding the door shut, she turned to face him, hands on her hips. "What are you doing here?" She asked harshly.
"I just…god, Kick, I fuckin' miss you." Junior said, running a hand through his hair and looking at her forlornly. "I've been goin' crazy without you. I had to see you. I knew you were here, so close, and I was goin' crazy."
"Mm-hm." Kick said noncommittally.
"I was. I miss all those long phone conversations and seein' you at the track every weekend and all our nights together. God, I just miss you." Junior said plaintively.
"You didn't seem to be missing me too bad when you were fucking that other girl." Kick spat angrily, her eyes squeezing shut as she tried not to imagine it in her mind again.
Junior's cheeks reddened. "I just…I got scared, Kick. I found myself really fallin' for you, and I didn't think…I just…I got scared. I think I was just trying to self destruct, ya know? It was a fuckin' stupid thing to do, and I'm sorry."
Kick's expression softened slightly at his sincere-sounding words. She jumped as Jimmie threw open the sliding door. "Kick, I'm outta here. Bye." He said shortly, not even looking at Junior.
"Jimmie - don't go. Stay and…" Kick gestured to the group, who were still watching her, the poker game long forgotten.
"No, I don't think so. Bye." Jimmie spun on his heel and marched towards the door. Kick and Junior followed him and Kick winced when she felt Junior's hand on her shoulder, pulling her back against him slightly.
"C'mon, Johnson, stay. Hang out with Kick and I for a while." He said with a winsome smile.
Jimmie's expression darkened further as he slammed open the hotel room door. Kick shrugged off Junior's hand and watched the door swing shut.
Almost shut.
Before the latch could catch, Jimmie came striding back in, walking across the room to come almost nose to nose with Junior.
"Alright, Earnhardt. Outside. Now." Jimmie said, his voice dangerously quiet.
"Outside?" Junior drawled. "How come?"
"So I can tell you what I think of you." Jimmie answered.
"Tell me here." Junior smiled.
"No. I don't want to…"
"Chicken shit." Junior goaded Jimmie, knowing that every pair of eyes on the room was on them. Including Kick's.
"I should have done this months ago." Jimmie said, his voice quiet and even.
"What?" Junior grinned.
A gasp was heard from the collected
crowd as Jimmie punched Junior square in the face.