“Hey.” I grab an iron-backed chair from the neighboring table and straddle it. Damn thing’s as uncomfortable as hell, although my hard-on doesn’t make it easier. Despite the takeout breakfast I got on the way to church, the combined aroma of freshly ground coffee and newly baked pastries makes my stomach growl. “You hungry?”
“We’ve already eaten.” The sound of her voice makes me rethink the whole eating thing, unless she’s on the menu. “I’d love another caffè macchiato, though.”
I guess I can wait a little longer. I glance at Kat. “How about you?”
She wriggles out from behind the table. “No way. I might barf if I have to watch you two going gaga over each other.” She slaps my shoulder as she leaves, and I shoot her a dark glare because what the hell?Gaga?
“She’s funny.”
Funny, my ass. “Yeah, she’s a riot.” Then I remember Kat’s comment on the phone, and I frown at Grace. “What’s she been saying about me?”
“Oh.” She shrugs and looks as though she’s trying not to laugh. I don’t think my sister’s ever had a real conversation with a chick I’ve slept with, mainly because she’s never even met most of them. It’s kind of weird to know they’ve been talking about me behind my back. Do I really want to know what Kat said?
“You don’t want to listen to anything she says. She talks shit half the time.” Jesus, what’swrongwith me? I don’t give a fuck what Grace believes about me.
“Well.” She blinks her long, blue-tipped eyelashes, and looks as though she’s just stepped out of one of my sister’s celebrity magazines. “She told me if I hurt you she’d poke out my eyes and set fire to my hair.”
“What?”
“Iknow. I mean, I guess I raked your back with my nails a little last night, but not enough to draw blood.”
Did she say that to Kat? Is she jerking my chain? Not that I really care, since her comment brings back last night in vivid, graphic detail. I lean in close. “Next time, draw blood.”
Her breath hitches. “That would be a first.”
I saunter over to the counter, and don’t even bother trying to wipe the satisfied smile off my face as I give our order. But I still can’t help checking her out as she sits there looking so untouchable. It’s as though she wasn’t in my bed all night, and I haven’t seen her naked, or heard her sexy gasps as she comes. Usually that’s all it takes for me to lose my predatory edge of interest, but I want her more now than I did when she strolled into Odin’s.
It’s not just because she’s classy. A few years ago Ty, Cade, and I hooked up with some rich bitch and her friends for an unforgettable night of no-holds-barred sex. Her version of a bachelorette party. One of the bridesmaids wanted more of a fling with me, but I wasn’t interested. I’d gotten all I needed from her in that one night.
A couple of guys I’ve never seen before strut into the shop and instantly home in on Grace. Not surprising, since she’s the hottest chick in the place. The pricks exchange a knowing glance before puffing themselves out like a pair of peacocks and strolling over.
I shove away from the counter and stalk them. When they reach her table she gives them a polite smile before turning to look out of the window. A clear brush-off, but they don’t get it.
“Mind if we join you?” One of them slides into Kat’s vacated chair.
I stop behind Grace, grasp the back of her chair, and loom in close. The guy standing beside the table falls over his feet as he backtracks, and dickwad in the corner looks as if he’s just shit himself.
“Yeah, I mind.” I give dickwad a laser glare, and he squirms out of the chair like he’s made of rubber.
“Sure. Didn’t realize you were…” He swallows and glances between Grace and me. I narrow my eyes at him, and he jerks his head like a turkey. “Okay, no harm done. We’re leaving, right?”
Grace twists around as the guys hotfoot it from the shop. “Do you know them?”
“Nah.” I swing the chair around so it’s right up close and personal to her and sit down, my thigh touching hers.
“They seemed to know you.”
I shrug. “Maybe.” It’s more likely they recognized my colors and didn’t want to start anything they had no hope of winning.
Her gaze roves over me. “They looked terrified, actually.”
I slide my arm along the back of her chair and my fingers play over her shoulder. “No one hits on my girl.”
Sure, there’s nothing serious between us. She’ll be gone tomorrow. But today she belongs to me and I’ll break bones to prove it if I have to.
“Hmm. I thought you weren’t a Neanderthal.”
“Guess you thought wrong.” I grin, because while I’ve been called a lot of things by pissed off chicks,Neanderthalisn’t one of them. Then again, Grace isn’t angry with me, either.
