“Enticing. Right.” She had trouble not laughing. The guy was funny but full of it.
She glanced past him, wondering where Jeff had gone, but then she spotted someone she’d much rather forget. “Oh, crap.”
“What?” Damon turned from sexy giant to glowering tough guy in a heartbeat. And her libido revved up, raring to go.
Hadn’t she decided to go for a bad boy? No more nice guys. Just something simple with someone who’d leave soon enough.
“Um, just a guy I’d rather forget.”
He nodded, relaxing. “Ah, isn’t that Ben, your loser ex from the restaurant?”
“Loser is right.” Oh goodie. Ben stood with his arm around Darlene McBoob, the chick from his “all guys trip” to Vegas.
Marlie studied them, trying to figure out how she felt. She wasn’t hurt or angry. More like disgusted with herself for wasting time with a guy she knew was no good.
“What did you see in him?” Damon asked, standing next to her as they stared at Ben and McBoob. “I mean, those shoes.”
She snorted. “Loafers are for losers.”
“You got that right. Real men wear boots.”
They both glanced down at his feet. Then at hers, encased in comfy leather ankle boots.
“I guess I’m a real man then.”
He stared into her eyes, his gaze shifting from amused to serious.
Damn, but he made her nervous. “Damon?”
Ben ruined the moment by joining them with Darlene. “Hi, Marlie.” He glanced up at Damon and frowned. “I know you.”
“Yeah, I saw you at Rielle’s Bistro. You know, when Marlie was dumping your ass.” Damon looked at Darlene, not seeming to read the woman’s admiration, because he said, “And you must be Darlene McBoob.”
Marlie blinked, not sure she’d heard right.
Darlene didn’t take exception. She gave a throaty laugh and stuck her chest out. “Yep. All real too, handsome.”
Damon turned around, giving them his back while Ben sputtered about boorish giants.
Boorish? Really?
“Come on, Marlie.” Damon grabbed her by the hand and dragged her with him away from the crowd.
They found an empty hallway.
“Sorry.” He let her go, his cheeks turning pink. “I probably shouldn’t have said that, but Ben’s an ass, and that chick with him is even worse.”
Marlie, delighted with his abrupt rudeness, reached for a door. She opened it, spotted the room empty, then shoved him inside.
“Um, what?”
Glancing around and seeing them in what appeared to be a guest room, she locked the door behind him.
“Marlie?”
Then she turned him around, his back to the door, and dragged him down by the neck to kiss him.
For a moment, Damon froze.
