Georgia looks up at me. Her eyes assess me with the same distaste she gave Monty.
“I’ve not seen you around here before.”
She glances at Denver, then back at me. I lean a little closer to him and smile as her eyes narrow and she purses her over made-up lips. An ugly pink matching her ugly words.
“Oh. It’s my first time here. I’m Sinclair, Denny’s girl,” I say, batting my eyelashes up at him like I think he’s the most amazing man I’ve ever laid eyes on. “We’re here on a romantic break. Aren’t we,baby?” I coo.
Denver’s brows lower and he stares at me like he’s going to make me pay during our training later. But my muscles are already aching. He can’t make them any worse.
“All the forest, the privacy. It’s so fun!” I widen my eyes with a giggle, looking back at Georgia.
She scowls at me, then focuses an accusing glare on Denver. I balance Monty in one arm and slap Denver’s butt playfully with the other one. He stiffens, clearing his throat.
I’ve got to give it to him; he really is good at the whole poker face thing. He didn’t even flinch. I keep my hand on his ass and squeeze a muscular chunk of it inside my palm.
He’ll thank me later.
“You almost done, baby?” I pout. “I’m going to go and pay for our stuff.”
I throw a fake smile in Georgia’s direction and spin on my heels. Her low hiss starts the second I walk away toward the cash register.
“You have a girlfriend now? Since when?”
“I—”
“Who is she?” she interrupts Denver, making my spine prickle with irritation.
“She’s someone I’ve known a long time,” he says.
Georgia huffs. “Well, is it serious?”
His answer is muffled by Buck’s sigh as he looks at the black Amex I’m holding out to him.
“Sorry, cash only. Machine’s busted again.”
“Oh. Um.” I reach into the back pocket of my jeans like I’ll find a hidden stash of money. But I only brought my card. I only ever need my card. And sometimes I don’t even need that. I have accounts at all my favorite stores in the city and they just send a bill each month.
The bell above the door chimes loudly as I give Buck a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry. I’ll have to leave everything?—”
“Here, Buck.” Denver passes him a fold of bills as he steps up behind me, his large body like a furnace against my back.
“What was that?” he grits quietly as Buck opens the register.
“What was what?” I glance up at him. His jaw is rigid. I swear his teeth are in real danger of cracking, given the way he’s clenching it so hard.
He inhales slowly as we thank Buck. Denver carries our groceries in one arm as I place Monty onto the floor, and we head outside.
“You know what,” he says as we walk toward his car.
“I was just making friends.”
Georgia’s opening up the blue pick-up truck that Denver was looking at earlier. I wave at her, but she’s too busy recoiling at Monty walking alongside me to notice.
“She seems…” I narrow my eyes. “She seems awful. You could do so much better. I did you a favor.”
Denver places the grocery bag on the roof of his car. “A favor?”
“Yeah. She supports the drowning of piglets. Didn’t you hear her? What else would she think is okay?”
