Free Riordan by Kathi S. Barton Page B

sloppy
    sweatshirt?” He told her that he didn’t, but he was going to take care of that. “You’ll probably
    want them ironed, too. Or buy some that already have tears in them, to make them look stressed
    or whatever. My pants are worn with pride. And they probably cost a quarter of what you’ll pay
    for a pair that are already worn out. You’re such a dweeb.”
    As she drifted more, he thought of the flowers that he’d had when he shifted. The roses that
    he now realized would have been a mistake. And chocolate. Getting chocolate, or for that matter
    any kind of sweets, for a person who baked like she did would be wrong as well. He thought of
    what she might like and had to laugh to himself. She would take a gun and ammo over flowers
    and candy any day, he’d bet. Riordan reached out for his brother Mac, the one who knew just
    what to get a girl.
    Her? Shit, Riordan, I don’t have a clue. She’s not like most women, and I think you know
    that. He told her that he did. Why don’t you try taking her out? I mean, not to a romantic dinner,
    but a bar. Maybe one that has line dancing. Wait, no, that wouldn’t work. She’d shoot you if you
    even suggested that.
    Mom said I need to grovel. I’m not sure how to do that and not fall back into my usual mode
    of working around a woman. Mac laughed . I was thinking of doing something to me. Not leaving
    her, as she has told me to do numerous times, but she mentioned jeans and a sloppy sweat shirt.
    Yeah, with her, casual is best. That way when she kicks your ass again, you won’t ruin
    another suit. I heard that the other one you had on was beyond help. Come by the house when
    you leave there. I think I can help you out with that. Oh, and bring her along, too. There is
    something that I’d like to ask her. It’s personal, not business. Tony said that she’s got an instinct
    about things. I’d like to ask her advice on a place I’m thinking of buying.
    Riordan said that he would. When the door opened a few minutes later, Storm woke with her
    gun pointed at the door. The nurse stood there for several seconds before she reached slowly for
    her badge. She was military if he was looking at her badge correctly. But Storm obviously didn’t
    trust that either. The gun never wavered at all.
    “Who’s your CO?” She told her it was Blackson. “Is he here still? If so, go and get him. I
    want to talk to him anyway.”
    When the door shut and opened again, Storm sat up in bed when the man himself entered.
    Blackson looked like he was going to hurt something as he tried his best not to laugh. The man
    had to try twice before he could speak.
    “You scared ten years off that kid. I swear to you, she’s going to think twice before working
    for me again.” His laughter broke through then, and he just shook his head. “She was coming in
    to tell you that you can go when you’re ready. I’m having you escorted and watched, but you can
    go. We won’t have a run down on that shit for a couple more days. Might as well let you go
    home and see what kind of trouble you can get in there.”
    “Clothes?” she asked him. Blackson nodded and tossed Riordan a duffle bag that felt too
    heavy when he caught it. “I’m not going to need protection. Save it for someone who does.”
    “Too bad. My boss said you do, and he’s got a bit more pull than you do.” He started out the
    door, then came back in. “Stormy, I’m sorry about this.”
    Storm nodded and reached for the bag. Blackson said he’d be in touch and left them alone.
    Riordan stood up to help her when she moved the blanket out of the way. The little nurse came
    back in just as he was trying to figure out how to work around the IV. He wasn’t sure, but he
    thought that Storm was ready to pull it out on her own. The nurse had it out and a Band Aid—
    one with little happy faces on it—on her arm before either of them could say anything. Then she
    left them without a word.
    Getting her to the side of the bed, Riordan