“Are you okay?” Gemma rubbed his back, but was also giggling hysterically.
“I’m fine…fine. I just…I think some came out of my nose…and it burns like hell.”
More laughter erupted at the table and Jordan handed him a few tissues. Matt wiped his face and after he stopped sputtering, he looked up at Gemma. “I find you…strangely intriguing.”
She smiled. “I find you strangely attractive.”
The tomato tinge reddened Matt’s cheeks again. A shy grin curved on his lips as he watched her walk to the ladies room.
“I guess it’s a good thing you know her name, Matt,” Tyler teased.
“Shut up, Ty.” His eyes shifted to Jordan. “You know, never in a million years would I have imagined that this is the company you keep.”
“You say it like she’s the innocent one.” Neil said. “She’s probably worse than us.”
“Don’t let our accountant fool you.” Tyler sat back and smiled. “Neil’s right. She’s just as bad. She cusses like a trooper. And while you’re here, don’t let her challenge you to a game of pool. She’s a hustler, too.”
“You play pool, Jordan?”
“League and regional champion, Matt.”
Tyler said it with so much pride, she couldn’t help but smile. His arm moved around her shoulder and he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.
Matthew groaned awkwardly and pulled a weird face. “Yeah, I’m not gonna get used to seeing that any time soon.”
Gemma returned from the restroom, picked up her hat from the seat and grabbed the front of Matthew’s shirt. “Let’s go, cowboy.”
He stood up immediately, seemingly anxious to get away from them. Neil slithered out of the booth as well. “I’m gonna go find me some dick, but, Tyler, if at any point in the night, you feel like you may be leaving alone, come find me. I’ll take care of that real fast.”
“Sure,” Tyler responded. He was already playing along and Jordan’s heart just melted.
“You wound me, Neil,” Matt said. “Only Tyler gets an offer. I’m your future consultant and that’s how you treat me?”
“Sorry, Matt. It’s not you, I promise. It’s just that Gemma called dibs on you as soon as you walked in the door. Usually we compete for the same guys, but dibs is sacred.”
Matthew’s face lit up with that statement.
“Can’t disrespect the Ho-code,” Neil continued. “You’re off limits to me. Jordan has never called dibs on Tyler, so he’s free game.”
Tyler watched them disappear into the crowd before he turned to face her with a slight smile tugging at his lips. “So you never called dibs on me? I’m hurt.”
“In my defense, I only found out we were sort of together yesterday.”
“Not sort of,” he corrected.
Those few simple words had her swooning like a love-struck teenager. He shifted in the seat, moving one arm along thebackrest behind her as he leaned closer. “I’m dying to kiss you right now. Actually, I’ve been dying to kiss you since I got here.”
She gave a small shrug. “So kiss me.”
He shifted closer, pulling her legs onto his lap and then his lips met hers. Slow and leisurely, he massaged her mouth with his. See, this was the problem with Tyler’s kiss. Tyler’s kiss didn’t just confine itself to her lips. Tyler’s kiss drew a reaction from every single body part. Knees went weak, breasts started tingling, thighs clenched together in anticipation. She felt a big hand slowly moving higher up her leg. And this was the problem with Tyler’s touch. Once his hands got involved, she lost control of all body parts.
A moan escaped her before she could stop it. Her chest pressed against his and she found her hand sliding down his stomach until it reached his belt. With the amount of alcohol in her system, this could escalate very quickly and she reminded herself that they were in public.
She pulled away and broke the kiss. “We should dance.”
“Why? I’m really liking it here.”
“Tyler, I’m about five seconds away from pulling you into a bathroom stall and doing very,verybad things to you.”
