Page 45 of Misadventures And Ms. Demeanor

It was time to go. I couldn't watch JT with her a moment longer. "I should get changed. It was nice meeting you. Being you. Whatever."

I started to skate away.

"I'll see you in the fall when the movie comes out." I turned around at her words. "I'm going to do a signing at Goldilocks, so I'll be in Bozeman."

"Wow." I looked to Goldie, who was thrilled. "I won't be there. I'll be in Brazil for work. JT will, though. He's a big fan."

I glanced at JT who looked stunned. His mouth pinched into a thin line and he looked like he wanted to say something more, but didn't. Why, I wasn't sure. Perhaps it was because he had the woman of his dreams on his arm. A porn star he could love and leave. Perhaps it was because he knew nothing would happen between us and it was his way to end it. Perhaps it was because...well, who the hell knew?

Goldie had done a reallygood job of seamlessly trading Silky Tangles for me. I'd skated into the locker room and swapped the candy striper outfit for my unexciting shorts and t-shirt. I pulled my hair back in a ponytail and slipped a baseball cap on my head. There weren't any fans waiting outside the door. There weren't bikers trying to get my attention. There wasn't anyone there but JT. He leaned against the cinderblock wall texting on his cell.

"Hey," I said, taking a deep breath, psyching myself up for this conversation.

He put his phone in his back pocket and smiled. "Hey yourself. You were...wow. Um...crazy out there. No, that's not the right word. Incredible, insane."

I grinned. "It was a lot of fun."

"Did you get hurt at all?" He looked me over for injury, although probably a little late.

I landed on my butt a few times, but I wasn't going to tell him that. "I'm fine."

"Hungry?"

"I'm okay. Where's Silky?" I asked, glancing around.

JT angled his head toward the main area. "In there signing autographs."

"I bet her fans are loving her now. Not only is she a porn queen, but she can also kick some serious roller derby ass."

"She's your number two fan," he said.

I frowned. "Oh? Who's number one?"

He pulled me into him so I had to tilt my chin up. "Me."

His mouth covered mine in a gentle, light kiss. "I think you scared ten years off my life when you were part of that group that went out of the ring."

"I barely fell down," I told him, remembering the moment well.

"No kidding. How you pulled that off, I'll never know. Shit, Daphne, I hope your roller derby days are over."

"Why?" I asked. "You're going to see Sarah soon and I'm off to Brazil."

"Right." He sighed. "What's this about Brazil?"

"A new story."

"When did you learn about it?" he asked, tugging on my ponytail.

"After the police station."

"Which one?" he asked. I knew he was trying to be funny, but it didn't come across that way. "Were you going to tell me about it?"

I looked down at the front of his shirt. "What does it matter? I was never a keeper for you. I was just a fantasy. Besides, I was always going to leave."

He frowned. "That's what you think, that I slept with you because I'm fulfilling a fantasy?"

"Of course. I'm fine with being your fantasy. I was never going to be your reality." I stepped back, pasted on a smile. "It's been...crazy. I'll see you around sometime."