“You think they’d let me through the door?” I doubt I’m the type they’re used to around here, and I’m not taking off my cut just to fit in.
“Of course they will.” She strokes my leather, as though she guessed my thoughts. “I never thought you were the insecure type.”
I tighten my grip around her waist and pull her hard against my body. “Do you know what I’d do if anyone else said that to me?”
She tilts her head and pouts her lips. She’s pushing all my buttons tonight and she knows it. Any more of her sass and I’ll throw her on the bed and screw her until she forgets how to talk at all. “Cut out their tongue?”
She doesn’t know how close to the truth that is. “Something like that.”
“No, you wouldn’t.” She sounds so sure of herself that I laugh.
“Keep telling yourself that.” It’s a novelty having a girl think I’m not a total badass, and I’m not sure why I like it. Not that it’s something I’d ever admit. My life as I know it would be shot to hell.
“I don’t need to.” She winds her arms around my neck. “I know you’re tough, but you’re not a jerk.”
“You sure about that?” I grin down at her. There are plenty of chicks in my past who’d disagree with her on that point, but I don’t care about any of them.
“Yes. I was engaged to one for two years, remember?”
It’s the first time she’s mentioned her ex in weeks, and it manages to kill the moment. “You see much of him at work?”
“Not really. We’re in different departments.”
I know it’s over between them, and she’d never go back to him, but it burns that they’re still working together.
Is she dating other guys?It hits me from nowhere. When we first hooked up it didn’t matter, and then I never thought about it, but now the image of her with other men is clawing through my brain like rusty spikes.
I don’t like it.
“You seeing anyone else?” My voice is rough. Where the hell am I going with this? I don’t date, so my question doesn’t even make any sense.
“Uh, no.” She sounds taken aback. “Are you?”
No, I’m not.The words thunder through my head. I’ve never said them before, never even thought them, but with Grace it just feels right. I want her to know she’s more than a casual lay. Hell, even thinking that makes me crazy. She’smy girl. I suck in a deep breath.Just tell her.
Before I manage to get my shit together, Charity’s voice interrupts the silence that’s sprung up between Grace and me.
“Are we going out, or do you want me to leave you two alone?”
I grin at my girl. There’s no need to say anything. She knows what she means to me.
…
The bar’s within walking distance of the apartment, and I sling my arm around Grace’s shoulders. It feels real good, knowing for sure she’s not sleeping with anyone but me.
“At least we don’t need to worry about getting mugged.” Charity nudges my girl before throwing me a smile. “Zach’d scare the crap out of anyone idiotic enough to try.”
Grace agrees, and a weird feeling snakes through my chest. “Usually, I’m the one in a line-up, not the hero.” Okay, so I’ve only been in a line-up once, but I doubt her ex ever has.
Why do I keep thinking about that asshole?
“Aww.” Grace snuggles into me. “You’ll always bemyhero.”
I’m relieved no one I know is around to hear her say that, even though I like it. “Never been accused of that before.”
The bar is everything I expected, which means it’s so far removed from Odin’s they might as well be on different planets. I pull open the door for the girls to go in first, and Charity shoots me a shocked look as though she thought I’d let it slam in her face. Just because I’m not from the right side of town doesn’t mean I’m a total Neanderthal, and I smother my grin as I remember how Grace once called me that.
I get plenty of sideways glances from the trust-fund kids who make up the majority of customers, and as we make our way across the floor people step back as though they think I’m going to start ripping heads off.
