Cassie had always let me know she’d be interested in something. It hadn’t mattered if she was seeing someone or not, she hit on me and Teller whenever our paths crossed.
“Evening, Cassie.”
She slid into the other side of the booth.
Alarmed, I looked around for Andi. Surely she wouldn’t ditch her sister. I had to keep an eye on Ruby.
Ruby was fine. More than fine. Which was my problem.
Andi was headed toward the hallway the bathroom was in, but then she stopped to talk to the table of guys who ran the implement store. Shit. She could be a while. I’d been hung up once for an hour when I’d encountered one of them at the gas station.
Ruby laughed and kicked her feet at something the guy on her right said. He’d been several years behind me in school. Still older than her.
Cocksucker.
“Whatcha doing later?” Cassie asked.
I shrugged, my gaze on the group at the bar, and she leaned closer.
A whoop went up and Ruby cheered with each of the men. Allen set another glass in front of her. Was this drink six?
She was laughing and taking a pull when she turned and saw me. Her gaze narrowed on Cassie and she knocked back half the glass. I’d been trying to act like I wasn’t spying on her, but this time I waited for her gaze to clash with mine.
She arched a brow. I kept my gaze steady, promising. What I promised was yet to be determined.
Ruby ran her tongue along her teeth and flipped her hair as she turned back to the first man who’d bought her a drink.
Cassie glanced over her shoulder. “You know her?”
“She’s an employee.”
Cassie looked again, then back at me. “Is she why you’re here?”
Yes. “I’m just watching out for her.”
“Uh-huh.” She braced her elbows on the top of the table. “You watch all your employees that closely?”
If I told Cassie we were dating, this little setup would look weird as hell, like some sort of torture kink I didn’t have. But then if she heard Ruby and I were dating later, it’d look messed up. The only thing seeing Ruby surrounded by horny men did to me was flip the switch on my caveman brain. I wanted to toss her over my shoulder and haul her away. Then gouge out every man’s eyes who saw her ripe, round ass in the air.
I forced my stare off Ruby. Cassie waited for an answer.
The only thing Cassie was guilty of was being optimistically forward. I would give her an answer of sorts. “We were on a date, and I got tired of her thinking she’s not desirable. So I told her to sit at the bar and see how many guys approached her.”
Cassie ruefully shook her head. “You brought her to the right place. Andi and I weren’t even going to come here because we wanted to talk and have a drink and be left alone. But the price is right, and I get a little pick-me-up from Allen staring at my boobs.”
A low growl rumbled out of me. Allen stared at Ruby’s tits like he could see through her top.
Cassie reclined in her seat and folded her arms, grin in place. “You’re really dating her?”
I nodded, hating the lie but knowing this was exactly what we needed—word to get around without becoming a spectacle. “It’s a new thing.”
She barked out a laugh. “I’ll say. Here I was thinking Katrina was right about you.”
I bristled. Who knew whatshehad said. I gripped my beer bottle. “She probably was, but Ruby’s not like her.”
“Definitely not.” Cassie sighed wistfully and ran her hand over her pale tresses. “I also assumed tall blonds were your thing. I even thought maybe you and Katrina were getting back together.”
That got my attention off Ruby. “What?” Why the hell would she think that? Hadn’t my ex spewed enough dirt about me to turn everyone off?You’re nothing but an overgrown man-child, Tenor! You catfished me.
