Chapter 144

“Hey, love,” Gemma said, grinning from ear to ear as you walked down the street to meet her.

You swept her up in your arms and spun her around right there on the sidewalk as you kissed her. Gemma had worn a pair of tight jeans that were more hole than fabric - you weren’t sure when or how that trend started, but you appreciated all the skin it showed. She was also wearing a t-shirt for a band you didn’t know, but tied in the back to make it more like a crop top, and cute converse shoes.

“Hello, gorgeous,” you said, setting her down but still hugging her to you.

“No flower this time?” she asked.

“I wasn’t sure what we were doing, so I held off,” you said. “But I memorized a half dozen places in the area, so depending on where we’re going I want to stop and get you one.”

“You don’t have to do that,” she said, but you knew the look in her eye was that she’d be happy if you did. It was a thing you’d started, and keeping it going was a gesture you wanted to pursue.

Instead of answering, you kissed her again on the lips and took her hand in yours. “So what are we up to?” you asked.

“Have you ever done ax throwing?” she asked.

“I haven’t, but I’ve seen pictures,” you said.

“Well, that’s what we’re doing. I want to see you go full barbarian for me while we drink. Then, since we’ve made it our thing, there’s a food truck that’s supposed to be set up a block over that we should try out.”

“Then let’s throw some axes,” you said, giving her hand a squeeze.

“But then I come out of the shower and they are right there in the kitchen, and his ass is pointed right at me,” you said, gesturing with the pint you were holding as Gemma laughed along with your story. “And Mosche is freaking out again, but Tasha is just like ‘Hey’ and then goes right back to telling him to fuck her. And then, here’s the kicker, she says if he gets her off she might stop edging him later.”

“Oh nooo,” Gemma giggled, closing her eyes as she laughed. “She’s got poor Mosche wrapped around her finger.”

“I don’t know whether to congratulate him, or be worried for him,” you said. “He finally found a woman who knows what she wants with him, but if he hasn’t gotten off this whole time I don’t know what to think.”

“Oh, boy,” Gemma sighed, wiping her tears of laughter from her eyes and then standing up. “Alright, my turn.”

She stepped up to the line and hefted one of the handaxes, feeling its weight in her hands. Then she wound up, using both hands to bring it over her head, and let it loose. The ax spun end over end and impacted with the wooden board with a satisfying thunk, sticking into the target about half a foot from centre.

“Nice!” you called, standing up and high fiving Gemma.

The bar was loud with the sounds of not only the ax throwing, but other weird bar games as well. You would never have guessed that the old, warehouse looking building held this gem of a bar inside it.

“Fear me, for I am Xena, warrior princess,” Gemma laughed, flexing and giving you a tough expression.

“Did Xena have a romantic interest in the show?” you asked.