Funk-N-Fiction

Our sweet black cat inspo pic is making another appearance today. This time, as a part of T K Lawyer‘s story from Lycrus (current WIP, book two), in her The Brigade Trucking Company world.

“What are you doing here?” Chloe addressed the broad-shouldered male strolling through the front door.  She glanced at her black cat named Voodoo and smiled.  Voodoo arched her back in a long, satisfying stretch. She, promptly, abandoned her bed and strode over to Lycrus, receiving a generous back rub, from him, in response. She dipped her head, toward his hand, to receive a quick massage, too, then swiveled her face ninety degrees and let his fingers scrub beneath her chin.

Chloe huffed, knowing exactly why Lycrus was present.  He respected the fact that Chloe went on her own and, bravely, started her own business amidst concerns about viability and sustainability in a saturated market. Yet, his presence at Chloe’s Confections, wasn’t so much to support her business or to buy a dessert or two from her, but more so to bother her with something silly or to question her about her boyfriend, Kenton. He seemed to enjoy rustling up drama where it was unnecessary. Still, the fact that he pretty much left Kenton alone astounded her.

She tried hard to think about the guys she dated in the past, considering if Lycrus had liked any of them. No. Lycrus had, somehow, found fault with all of them.  With Kenton, it was much the same.  Lycrus didn’t like him at all.  Yet, he hadn’t run him off yet and that was saying something.     

“You know what I like,” Lycrus said, stunning her for a long second before she recalled he was merely answering her previous question. He claimed the barstool directly in front of her, clasping his hands over the bar top with a playful, toothy grin.

She chuckled. She couldn’t help herself. As exasperating as Lycrus could be, he was also a cutie.  There was just something devilish about him and, dare she say it, sexy, at the same time. He was her brother- yes- yet, she had eyes. She could tell he was handsome-sinfully so. Whoever caught his avid attention was in for a hell of a ride but didn’t know it, yet. She almost felt sorry for the gal.

She pulled two objects out of the glass cabinet, placed them on a plate and shoved the plate in front of him. “Here you go. I know you can’t resist,” she teased.

“What you got?  No way.” Lycrus shook his head as he took one bite out of the gooey confection. He closed his eyes, humming long and low while, slowly, dropping the peanut butter goodness back onto the plate.  “Wow. Your cookies are delicious. Every time.”

“Cookie,” Chloe corrected. “You’ve only had one, so far. How do you know the other one is just as good?” She gave him an amused smile.

His eyes displayed mischief. His voice turned husky. “Anything that comes from you is sumptuous.” He licked his fingers with revelry after taking another bite.

Chloe regarded him with a cat-like grin as she, slowly, shook her head. “You are incorrigible. Positively. Enjoy your treats. I have customers to take care of.  Paying ones.”

“Hey, I pay.  Half the rent, that is,” Lycrus called after her.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Chloe waved a hand, dismissively while she strolled to the other side of the counter to assist a young blonde who had stepped up to the checkout.

She glanced over at Lycrus in between grabbing what the girl, in front of her, wanted and placing them all into a to-go bag. Was he interested in the female? He, certainly, looked like he was but then, Lycrus seemed to have an interest in any woman, as long as she was breathing.  From the rumors she heard about him and the stories he told her, he, certainly, did not seem choosy. She recalled the first story he told her about parking his rig at a truck stop. He had finished his meal, in his sleeper, when there was a sudden knocking sound at the door.  He opened it to find a tall, thin, frail looking woman standing outside. The next thing Chloe knew, Lycrus started describing the acts they did inside his sleeper in explicit detail.

Chloe slammed her hands over her ears. “God, I don’t want to hear that.”

“Why?  We’re friends, right? We share everything,” Lycrus retorted.

“Not like that,” Chloe balked. “Besides, you’re my older brother.”

“So? Don’t you want to know your older brother is doing well out there on his own.  You know it gets lonely on the road.”  Lycrus caressed his fingers up and down Chloe’s arm. 

She wriggled. “Stop that. It creeps me out.”

His hand, quickly, recoiled, like a snake.  He sported a frown. “What? My touch?”

Chloe narrowed her eyes. “You know what I mean.”

Lycrus laughed, in response.

“Alright, alright. You don’t want to hear my stories about lot lizards. Then, I won’t tell you.”

“Is that what they’re called?” she snorted.

“Yeah. Prostitutes.” Lycrus sported a winning smile.

“You’re disgusting.”

“But I’m still your brother,” he called out after her.

Chloe shook her head.  The story he told her had been from more than two years ago, yet the details remained vivid to her, even today.  Despite his antics, Lycrus was a good man. A good catch for anyone. Yet- some of the things he did and the stories he told her… She couldn’t imagine the number of women that had hopped in and out of his bed, since the day he regaled his first tale of sleeping with a lot lizard.

“You’ll always be my number one,” he’d say to her after regaling her with crazy tales of meetups with strangers. It was nuts the things you thought about at inappropriate times, like now, when she was supposed to be paying attention to the short line of customers in front of her.

She took the credit card from the blonde with the pig tails and processed it, considering what she might look like if she had the same bouncy hair style.  The female had pure blonde colored hair while Chloe had more of a sandy blonde shade.  Plus, Chloe’s hair was too short to put up into a ponytail much less two pig tails.

Chloe had tried using a wig once, but she found it uncomfortably hot underneath the human hair decoration. She didn’t know how others pulled off the look with grace and finesse.  She could not do it.

The one-time Chloe wore the wig to a friend’s pool party, Chloe had left early, with sweat pouring down her face in rivulets, too embarrassed to take off the wig and proceed with the party with her normal, short hair. Nope. Wigs were not meant for her, but they looked great on others. 

Thank goodness Lycrus wasn’t around at that embarrassing moment.

He had been off on one of his overnight trips.  That’s when Chloe decided to have some fun. She had hidden the long-haired wig from him because she knew exactly what his opinion would be.

“You don’t need that.” He’d say, shouting at her while trying to pull the wig off her head, at the same time.

She shook her head, effectively, snapping herself out of her daydreams and back into reality.

“Enjoy your confections and have a nice day!” She waved at the cheerful blonde, stepping off to one side of the counter and allowing a nicely dressed customer behind her to approach.

Chloe peeked over at Lycrus, his eyes following the bouncy girl for several long seconds.  His gaze, suddenly, boomeranged back to her. Caught, Chloe widened her eyes and swallowed a sharp intake of air, at the same time.  She coughed into her hand as the handsome customer, dressed in a business suit, rattled off a list of items he wanted to buy.

Chloe coughed and coughed, unable to stop the sharp, abrupt sounds coming out of her mouth.  She grabbed at the spot beneath the countertop containing her water bottle, fumbling to find the nefarious object eluding her, when a large object zipped in front of her. Lycrus uncapped the bottle and shoved it in Chloe’s free hand.  She silently thanked him while downing several gulps of the clear liquid. He then grabbed ahold of a notepad and proceeded to write down the customer’s order.

“Will that be it?” Lycrus barked at the guy, still searching through several items beneath the glass countertops.  Lycrus’ gaze darted to Chloe and then boomeranged back to the customer. Voodoo perked her head up and regarded Lycrus for several seconds. She then returned to her regular grooming schedule, promptly ignoring him, once again.

The male nodded, in confirmation.

“You okay?” Lycrus gave Chloe an incredulous look. He turned his back to the patron and whispered to her, “I sure hope you didn’t think he was good looking and that was the reason for all of this.”

Chloe rolled her eyes. “I was choking, Lycrus. Choking. That’s it.” She sighed in exasperation as she grabbed the list from his hand. “I’ll take care of it.  Thanks.”

Lycrus offered, “You sure you’re okay? Let me help you.”

“I’m fine. Don’t you have a job to do or something besides bothering me at mine?” Chloe handed the customer his products and finalized the transaction.

Lycrus laughed. “You know you like my company.”

Did she?  Yeah, she did.  She couldn’t deny the truth of this statement.  Yet sometimes… She guessed it was a sibling thing that kept them quarreling at times. Still, she enjoyed the banter between them.

“I see you all the time at the apartment.  You don’t need to hang out here, too.”

He glanced at his immediate area. “But I like the atmosphere.”

She waved at him, dismissively. “Yeah, whatever.  Thanks for getting my water bottle and for taking the order.”

“You okay?” A different male patron approached the counter.  He had been seated by the window, previously. “I saw you were coughing.  You looked like you had a bit of trouble there. How are you doing?”

“She’s fine,” Lycrus grumbled. He swept past the stranger to reclaim his seat.

Chloe slapped a hand across her chest.  “Yes, I am fine now. Thanks for asking. You need anything?”

“Well, I was going to ask for your number. That’s if you’d like to grab a drink with me, sometime. I think you’re kind of cute.”

The corners of Chloe’s mouth curved up into a grin.  “Oh, that’s so nice of you to say.”

“What did you just ask her?” Lycrus’ back stiffened.  He gave the guy a menacing glare.

Chloe swiveled toward Lycrus, giving him a warning look seconds before she turned back to the guy. “Sorry about that.  My brother can be a bit protective.”

“I see,” the gentleman dressed in a t-shirt and dark blue jeans said. “My name’s Adam, by the way.”

“Chloe,” she said, taking the hand, he offered and shaking it amidst a rolling growl sound in the background. She flashed a quick frown at Lycrus before returning to Adam. “I’d love that drink but I’m, actually, in a relationship with someone.”

Adam wiped the smile off his face.  He retrieved his phone in midair before he could hand it to her and get her number.  “I didn’t know.  I apologize.”

She waved off his comment. “No need.  That was a nice compliment.  Under different circumstances, I would have said yes. I sure hope you enjoyed dining here, though, and that you will be back.”

Adam flashed a winning smile. “Yes, this is a very nice place you have here. And the blueberry muffin I bought.  Absolutely delicious. A great way to start the day.” He nodded in confirmation.  “You take care now.”

“You too.” Chloe waved at Adam as he departed through the front door, part of her attention focused on an unhappy, brooding Lycrus, seated nearby.

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