There would never be an element of surprise to his arrival. He had to know that as he sidled up her well lit sidewalk, his thumbs hooked up in the pockets of his jeans and his shoulders down drawn. His chin had the downward tuck of an ashamed little boy and his boots sounded against the sidewalk louder than they usually would have now that the bike engine had been cut to a deafening silence.
"It's two in the morning, Scotty." Jarry let her shoulder lay into the frame, the door itself cocked just enough to guard against the fact she had a Glock safely palmed in her right hand. "This better be good."
The smile he turned up at her wasn't anywhere near true and it surprised her to realize that she knew the difference between his pure amusement and a put on prettiness. "I wanna stay."
"I don't know." She squinted a glance up the sidewalk to the escort that was still haunting his lagging frame from the street. "You keep telling me that you've gotta go."
His face seemed to pale sheepish as he followed her glance back to where Quinn was easily relaxed astride his own bike, both the large man's gloved hands pressing his knees. Chibs made a grunted noise of agreement as he nodded and turned his eyes back toward her, stepping faster up into the door space than she expected. Her back straightened on its own, an unforgiving reflex that tensed her thighs and ached into her shoulders.
"Where's your weapon, Jarry?" Now his smile was visceral and real and the scars disappeared into a wealth of warm dimples, his voice a rushed whisper that just barely preceded the way his lips caught hers.
The decision to slide her tongue against his was about as involuntary as the reflex of drawing the weapon up between them was, the muzzle nubbed hard into his chest. A laugh tripped off his lips as he pulled from the kiss and arched a dry glance down over the department issue sidearm. "Hello there, lovely."
"Safety's still on." She shrugged slowly as he used the back of one hand to shy it away, his glance drifting over her hair too softly to be anything but suddenly intimate and almost intruding.
"I wanna stay." He repeated softly, mirth in his eyes even though the closeness of his face allowed her to see how tired and worn ragged he was. "Whatcha say, Ally? Spend some time in the gutter with me. We'll look for stars."
"You're so full of shit." She hummed the words back over him as she shook her head and leaned harder into the doorframe, nodding to where Quinn had stood up from the saddled seat of his bike, watching warily. "Go unleash your guard dog."
"Aye?" he nodded questioningly, his eyes a bit more aware than they had been. "That's a yes?"
"It's a limited offer." She couldn't keep from letting a piece of a smile tip her lips. "Be on my side of the door when it locks."
She watched him put his fingers to his lips and sound off a sharp whistle, taking a few steps back with a grin.
"I have neighbors." She hissed out toward him, brow knit in annoyance. "You could show respect."
"I respect ya, Lieutenant." Chibs shrugged off as Quinn stepped up into his back, the two of them leaning into each other in a manner that was fashioned of implicit trust.
She envied it a little, the comfort of the mannerisms.
She envied the trust he leaned into the other man.
And that she tried to ignore, instead focusing on the long line of him in the sidewalk's light.
"You sure about this, brother?"
Chibs nodded into a shaded grin. "Aye. She's a prettier piece than you are, Quinn. She'll watch my backside and enjoy it."
"Jax said - "
"Jackie Boy knows how to find me here." Filip softened his tone. "It's a Sheriff's house, boyo. Ain't no place safer in Charming, huh?"
The other man rolled his eyes into a half chuckle that sobered quickly, "Watch yourself, VP. There's a big difference between getting play and being played."
The Scot winced into the implication but had to slowly nod into the veracity of the other man's statement, blowing out a slow breath and turning a quick nod toward the door. His glance started at the top of her and drifted down the fall of dark hair, the thrown back shoulders and the way her arms crossed under the comforting curves of her breasts. A tank top and leggings that clung just right had him lingering over the length of her before he shrugged back to the other man.
"There are days I'd rather die wrapped up by a beautiful woman than while shedding greed's blood, ya know?" Chibs had both hands lifted in explanation as he stepped backward toward the door, a bittersweet half smile painted on his face.
The other man tossed off a laugh as he waved, heading slowly back toward his own bike as the door shut closed behind him.