“Only when you’re nervous,” Cali said quickly.
“Which is all the time when I’m around people I don’t know.”
Cali’s lips twisted to the side. “It takes practice. Not everyone’s comfortable around strangers.”
Or attractive men, Ireland thought.
“If you go on a few no-pressure dates, it’ll help ease those nerves.”
Sadly, Cali was talking sense. “Fine. I see your point.”
She grinned. But this time, it wasn’t directed at Ireland.
Ireland slipped on her glasses and stared in the direction of Cali’s gaze.
Jaeg had entered the restaurant, and he was making his way over.
Ireland tucked her glasses back. “Your lover is here.”
A purr emanated from Cali’s chest, because clearly Cali’s senses had already tuned into his presence. Her pheromones must have been triggered the moment Jaeg entered the room.
These two. Good thing the guest bedroom of Cali and Jaeg’s place was on the other side of the house. Ireland wore earplugs at night so she didn’t accidentally overhear something she didn’t want to.
Jaeg made his way to their table and bent and kissed Cali on the lips. “Good evening, ladies. How’s everything?” He took a seat next to Cali and draped his large arm across the back of her chair. All the while, Cali grinned at Jaeg like she hadn’t seen him in weeks instead of just this morning.
Cali saw her fiancé more often than most couples, with Jaeg working from home in the woodshop on his property. You’d think the ardor would have worn off by now, but no, they were still setting off fire alarms with merely a look.
Which sounded kind of nice.
Ireland wasn’t jealous. Not one bit.
Okay, she envied the hell out of them.
Ireland had never dated anyone she had that kind of chemistry with. She was happy for Cali, but she’d be lying if she said she didn’t want something similar. Which was why she was seriously considering dating this Hunt guy, even if he was a player. And even if it was his brother Bran who drew her attention. Cali was right—Ireland needed to warm up in the dating department, and Bran wasn’t into her.
Ireland had learned a long time ago that a relationship with a man who was only slightly interested wasn’t worth it.
“Are you sure Hunt would go out with me?” Ireland said. “I’m not putting out, if that’s what it would take.”
Cali snapped out of her Jaeg haze, her gaze swinging back to Ireland. “Hunt’s not like that. He seems to enjoy the company of women—all women. Besides, that man doesn’t need to work on getting laid. Women drop their panties left and right for him. A date with you would be a palate cleanser.”
Jaeg chewed a bite of their leftover pizza and wiped his mouth, resting his bare forearm on the table. “You interested in Hunt?”
“Not exactly,” Ireland said.
“Ireland just needs…” Cali distractedly trailed her fingers down Jaeg’s arm. Where they lingered. She flattened her hand, squeezing and running it up and down his muscular forearm.
“Cali,” Ireland snapped.
“Right.” Cali removed her hand from her fiancé. “As I was saying,” she paused and looked at Jaeg as though she hadn’t just been feeling up his muscles, “Ireland needs to go out on a date or two to break the seal. She’s been cooped up with video game nerds who have no social skills.”
Ireland raised her finger. “I’ve been known to play video games. And my social skills are just as deficient as theirs.”
“Exactly,” Cali said. “It’s like the blind leading the blind. And in your case, I mean that literally.”
Truth.Ireland couldn’t see shit without her glasses. But she was trying to change her image from massive nerd, to only slightly nerdy. And she wasn’t lying about the contact lenses. They bugged the crap out of her eyes. Until she got new ones, or braved surgery, she was as blind as a bat.
“If you want to date Hunt, I can put in a good word,” Jaeg said, then took a swig of Cali’s beer and eyed another slice of pizza. Apparently massive appetites went hand in hand with large men, because Jaeg always seemed to be eating. Ireland and Cali could throw down in the food department, but Jaeg’s appetite made them look like small eaters.
