“Sorry about that.”
I shrug. “No need.”
“You didn’t mind?”
“Why would I?”
“No reason.” But she smiles as though my answer pleases her. “They can be a littleenthusiasticsometimes.”
“Nothing I can’t handle.” Any other time—with anyone else—I’d play on that double entendre, but tonight I just don’t feel the need. I have everything I want right now in front of me.
“I shouldn’t think there’s much you can’t handle.”
I finish my beer before I answer her. “You’d be right.”
Her thumb’s stroking mine, and I know she wants to ask me something but isn’t sure how I’ll react. “What is it?”
“I’m just wondering…” Her voice trails away, and then she takes a deep breath. “Well, what it is you do at your club.”
Club business is never discussed with outsiders, and officially, even old ladies are kept in the dark, although I know my dad could never keep much from my mom. The girls that hang around at the club are for one thing only and casual hookups are told nothing. Women who ask shit that has nothing to do with them are soon put in their place.
Grace doesn’t fit into any tidy little niche of my life, and I sure as hell won’t tell her to mind her own business when she has no idea what’s she asking.
“I drink. And it’s a lot cheaper than doing it here.”
I hope that’ll shut her up on the subject, but somehow know it won’t.
“So you don’t do anything sort of, well, illegal? Like drug running?”
She’s biting her lip and her blue eyes are filled with worry, and it’s a combination I can’t resist. Sure, she has no right to question me, and if my brothers discovered she had, and that I hadn’t shut her down, there’d be hell to pay.
My brothers aren’t here. They’ll never know. And the truth isn’t so bad, anyway.
“Nah.”
It’s worth breaking all the rules when she gives a relieved sigh and squeezes my fingers. I lean in close and whisper in her ear. “Let’s get out of here.”
Chapter Thirteen
Grace
It’s late Sunday morning and I’m drying my hair after Zach and I shared a leisurely shower together. I’m still tingling all over, and can’t take my gaze off his reflection as he pulls on his jeans and tee. Any fears I’d had that he and Charity would lock horns were completely unfounded. My sister now knows he isn’t a two-headed monster, and not only did they get along well, but he also managed to charm half of our friends without even trying.
I’m sure he’s coming around to the possibility we might have a real relationship rather than just frequent hookups for sex. Otherwise why would he have asked me that random question last night about whether I was seeing anyone else?
But he didn’t answer me when I asked him the same thing. Only because we were interrupted, though. I’m not going to worry about it.
I drop the towel and reach for my underwear, fully aware his hot gaze is raking over me as though he wants me all over again.
“Leave them off.”
“What?” I turn to face him, my panties dangling from one finger. I know exactly what he means, but want to hear him say it.
He plucks my underwear from me and tosses them onto the floor. “Go naked under your dress.”
“I guess that’s fair, seeing as you’ve gone commando.” I give him a breezy smile as though I’m used to abandoning my underwear at a moment’s notice, but I don’t think he’s fooled.
“Yeah. Gives me easier access.” His leer is certifiable, and I laugh and slap his hand away from my ass.
