Sugar and Spite Read Online Free

see Dirk has company…”
    “And now that you’ve seen who that company is,” Dirk growled as he nodded, not so subtly toward the door.
    In her peripheral vision, Savannah could see Dirk’s cell phone sitting on top of the television set in the corner. She sauntered across the room in that direction.
    “Actually, I had a good reason for dropping by, old pal,” she told Dirk. “I brought you something. It’s in my car.”
    She craned her neck to look out the window at her Camaro. As she had hoped, they did the same and she took the opportunity to sweep the cell phone into her jacket pocket.
    “What is it?” Dirk said. She could hear the suspicion in his voice. She didn’t really expect him to buy this pitch. The best she could hope for was that he would be a gentleman and not call her “liar, liar, pants on fire” to her face.
    “Your cell phone,” she replied. “You left it at my house. I figured you’d need it.”
    Dirk shot her a “yeah, right” look and glanced around the room. He didn’t see his phone. But that wasn’t unusual for Dirk. The guy would lose his rear end if it weren’t stapled to his tailbone.
    “So where is it?”
    “In my car.”
    “Why didn’t you bring it in with you, Savannah?” Polly asked, flipping her lush golden mane of split ends back behind one shoulder.
    “Forgot.” Savannah held out her car keys to Dirk. “Why don’t you go get it. I think I left it on the passenger’s seat.”
    He grumbled under his breath and headed for the door. “Aren’t you coming with me?” he said, not bothering to hide his anger.
    “In a minute, darlin’,” she said, much too sweetly. “You go ahead. I’ll be along shortly.”
    He looked from her to Polly and back, then shook his head. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to leave you two broads alone.”
    “Go on, Dirk,” Polly said, stroking one of her legs as though checking for razor stubble. “I’m not afraid of Savannah. We’re old friends, right?”
    “You may be old,” Savannah replied. “I’m barely middle-aged. And just for the record, you and I have never been friends.” She tossed the keys to Dirk. “Go get your phone. I’ll be right out.”
    Reluctantly, he exited the trailer, leaving the door ajar. Savannah waited until he was out of earshot. Then she took a few steps closer to Polly.
    In spite of what Polly had said, she did look a bit worried, just enough to satisfy Savannah’s perverse streak.
    “I don’t know what you’re doing here,” Savannah said. “After the number you did on Dirk, I can’t imagine why you would come back into his life, or why he would allow you to. But if you use him and hurt him again, like you did before, I swear I’ll beat the tar outta you. And if you think I mean that figuratively, you’re wrong.”
    A flicker of fear crossed Polly’s eyes; then she reached for the pack of cigarettes on a nearby TV tray and lit up. She blew a long puff of smoke in Savannah’s direction before answering. “Now what is this I hear? Do I detect a note of jealousy? Was I right all those years ago… you really do have a thing for Dirk?”
    “Yeah, I have a thing for Dirk. It’s called friendship. Loyalty. Concern for his well-being… all things you wouldn’t know about.”
    “I think you want him all to yourself.” Polly released more smoke through her nose.
    How perfectly lovely
, Savannah thought.
Quintessential femininity. I’d like to snatch her bald.
    Savannah reached over and, before Polly knew what was happening, grabbed the cigarette out of her hand. She crumbled it between her fingers and dropped the remains into a glass of white wine that was sitting next to the ashtray and a bottle of half-drunk beer on the TV tray. Dirk’s beer, no doubt. Polly’s wine.
    “If you hurt Dirk again,” Savannah said, using a voice she usually reserved for suspected murderers and child molesters, “I’ll hurt you. My interest is not romantic; it’s self-preservation. I’m not