CHAPTER 13
Marlie hadn’t had so much fun in…she couldn’t remember when.
She’d laughed so hard in between competing with a guy even worse than her brothers when it came to sportsmanship. It came as a huge shock when the bar emptied out, and the bartender—after getting a picture with Damon—shooed them out.
“Sorry, man.” Damon slapped the big bartender on the back, making the guy stumble. “Didn’t realize the time. I was too busy trouncing Nellie Sucks-a-lot here.”
“Shut it, stalker.”
The bartender laughed at them. “Ah, true love. I feel so much Christmas spirit from you two.”
Marlie grinned. “You know it.” She waved goodbye, recognizing the guy as someone Ed had once hung out with though she couldn’t for the life of her remember his name.
She felt buzzy but not drunk, excited and nervous to be with Damon. Yet she couldn’t understand why.
She’d been nothing but obnoxious and loud all night. Instead of putting him off, as she’d often done with Ben, having to soften herself, Damon had been even louder, encouraging her competitive nature.
“You okay? You had what? Two, maybe three beers?” He scoffed at her.
“Well, we can’t all be four hundred pounds.”
“Of muscle.” He flexed, though she saw nothing beyond a large man in a coat. “I’ll flex again later. You can’t see how huge I am.”
No, but she couldn’t stop remembering how huge he’d been Wednesday night. Damn. Between the booze, the great food, the super fun bar, and his amazing company, she was halfway in love with the guy.
Well, not really. But she liked him a hell of a lot more than she’d ever imagined she would.
Damon made her laugh. His dry sense of humor and ability not to take himself too seriously had charmed her with little effort. She didn’t sense him putting on a show either.
“Damon, seriously man, my eyes are up here.”
Once again, he stared at her boobs. She found it flattering. And she liked calling him on it.
Except he was trying not to laugh.
“What?”
“You’re wearing nachos, Marlie.” He pointed.
She looked down to see a corn chip tacked over her right breast.
“Geez.” She pulled it free, wiped the nacho cheese bit away, and ate it.
He laughed and tugged her under his arm against him. “You are so freaking cute.”
“I’m not cute. I’m an Amazon. I’m intimidating.”
“Ha. Yeah, like I said. Cute. And so tiny.”
She couldn’t argue feeling tiny against the six-and-a-half-foot muscle head.
They walked back toward his truck, and she felt them slow. Then she remembered his knee and felt terrible.
“Are you okay?”
He frowned down at her. “Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Your knee.”
