Tyrell is sitting there, drawing circles with his finger and looking a little dejected. Shit. I need to do some damage control.
Restocking, my ass. We all know that was a lie. He’s not stupid. In fact, he’s always been one of the smartest guys I know. He was consistently one of the top students in the class. Seriously. The guy could do no wrong, and I’m freaking out,missingout, by coming up with restocking excuses.
Grow up and get your butt back over there!
The thought hits me up the side of the head at the exact moment a girl appears behind Tyrell. She’s pretty and has a bright smile… aimed directly at him as she walks around to position herself right in front of him.
She leans against the counter, her body language loud enough for the entire place to hear. She wants him… and she’s not hiding it or scuttling away.
When she touches his arm and lightly runs her fingers down what Iknowis a beautifully sculpted bicep, this primal instinct grabs a hold of me.
Get your hands off my man.
I bite my lips together to stop myself from shouting at her, instead forcing myself to casually walk back down the bar and stake my claim with a smile on my face.
“You sure you don’t want anything to drink, baby? It’ll be on the house.” I wink at him.
He turns to look at me, his twitching lips telling me he knows exactly what I’m playing at, and he’s into it.
“Thanks, bae.” He smiles, and the girl beside him gives me a slightly sour frown before pasting on a bright grin.
“I’ll have a Corona, please.” She bounces on her toes, and I have to ask.
“ID?”
“Yep.” She pulls out her wallet, and I scan it carefully, making sure it’s not a fake. I even rub my thumb over the birth date, but it looks legit, so I have to serve her.
“One Corona.” I pop the top and place it on the counter.
“Thanks. Is this one on the house too?” She laughs.
My laugh sounds forced and plastic compared to hers. It cuts off quickly, probably too quickly, but I’ve got to stake my claim, right? “Only for my man here.”
I point at Tyrell and then go the extra mile, curling my fingers around his.
His big thumb brushes my knuckles, and those licks of pleasure are only getting stronger.
“Okay.” The girl manages to keep her smile in place as she looks between us, then gives me a polite nod. “I’m just gonna go and catch up with my girls.”
“Great idea.”
Oh man, I am being such a bitch right now.
She looks at Tyrell. “I’ll see you around.”
“Yeah.” He tips his chin, and we both watch her walk away, moving around tables and homing in on a guy about to start a round of darts.
“She’s on the hunt,” Tyrell murmurs, lifting my hand to his lips and pressing a kiss to my knuckles. “Thank God I’ve got myself a woman.”
I can’t help an instant smile, my lips quivering when he turns to gaze at me like I’m special.
“Thank God it’s you.”
A breath whistles out between my lips, and I don’t know what to say.
I’m his woman.
He’s my man.
