I eyed the back of the bus—my bike was on a trailer behind the bus, tied off and covered. “I think I need to ride.”
He nodded. “Figured you would.” A glance at Charlie. “Alone?”
I shrugged. “Not if I can help it. Not sure if she’ll go for riding a bike, though. We’ll see.”
Charlie and Lexiewere in the lounge of the bus, watching Jupiter make a stupid amount of scrambled eggs and bacon. By stupid amount, I meant two dozen eggs and at least three pounds of bacon.
Jupiter: six-five, former professional bodybuilder, with a blond mohawk pulled back into a ponytail, and ice-blue eyes. His body resembled a G.I. Joe action figure turned real—he wasn’t on the show circuit anymore, but staying huge and lean was a way of life for him, so he was only a little less perfectly built than he would be if he were to go back on the circuit.
He glanced at me as I slid into the booth next to Charlie. “Yo, Crow. What up, bro?”
I sighed. “You always have to rhyme everything with my name, Jupe?”
He snickered. “Can’t help it. Must be a poet, just don’t know it.”
“The ‘roids must’ve gone to your head.”
He flipped me off with both hands, one of which was holding a spatula, the other a pair of tongs. “Fuck you. You know damn well I was natty.”
I just laughed. “Yeah, yeah.” I glanced at Charlie. “He feeding you, too, or just his own fat ass?”
Charlie arched an eyebrow. “Fat ass? I don’t think he has a single molecule of unnecessary fat on his whole body. I’ve got more body fat in one thigh than he has everywhere on his body.”
Jupiter blew a raspberry. “I’m at eleven percent right now. That’s a lot, for me. I used to cut down to five percent or under when I was showing.” He eyed her as he flipped bacon. “Don’t take this the wrong way cuz I know you’re with my boy Crow, but what you are is soft in all the right places, and not a single thing more, so cut that shit about fat thighs.”
She blushed, shifted in the booth. “Uh, thanks.”
“You know what they say, right, Charlie?” Lexie asked, her tone mischievous.
I sighed. “No, Lex, what do they say?”
“Thick thighs save lives.”
She snorted. “Nice.” I arched an eyebrow at her. “So youaresaying I have thick thighs.”
“Yep, and that it’s a good thing.” She glanced at me. “Right, Crow?”
I smirked at Charlie. “Um. I mean. I’m partial to thick thighs, so yeah, I agree.”
Charlie just blushed, bless her.
Jupiter shut off the heat, pulled out plates, and divvied up the food onto three plates, then eyed me. “Some for you?”
I nodded. “Sure. Thanks.”
We ate in companionable silence, and eventually I broached the subject on my mind. “So, the limos won’t be here for another hour, and the repair guys for an hour after that. I’m gettin’ antsy.” I met Charlie’s eyes. “How you feel about riding with me?”
She tilted her head. “Ride with you where, on what?”
“On my bike.”
Her eyes widened. “On a motorcycle?”
I nodded. “Yep. We’d just head on to Denver.”
She swallowed hard. “I, um. Isn’t it dangerous?”
I smiled. “I mean, it can be. But I ain’t reckless. Been riding since I could fit onto a dirt bike. You’ll be safe as houses with me, darlin’.”
