Marley moves her head closer to Kinley’s, her smile soft, without taking her eyes off me and says just loud enough for me to hear. “Yep, he definitely likes her.”
Cupping my mouth with my palm, I slide my hand down my chin as we have a stare-off. Both of my sisters are smirking at me, eyebrows cocked, but I’m not having this conversation with them. Sliding my wallet back in my pocket, I grab my hat as I walk around them and leave the pub.
13
NORA
WATCHING HIMfrom across the room, I don’t have complete control of my legs yet, he grabs his cowboy hat from the table and sets it on his head as he walks out the door.He came to my rescue. I’ve never seen a man look that angry, he looked like he wanted to kill that guy.
My heart was beating so hard. But I’m not sure if it was because of the jerk who grabbed my ass or from watching Tucker go caveman and manhandle the guy.
It turned me on.
And then when he looked at me. Oh God, I almost felt… claimed. I wasn’t sure whether I should run or wait to see what he would do next.
Is it bad that I really wanted to see what he would do next?
When he stood so close to me, I could smell his cologne, the bittersweet smell of citrus mixed with something masculine and soft, and his hazel eyes glued to mine. It was in that moment I felt the flutters low in my belly.
I’ve heard girls make jokes about climbing a man like a tree, and for the first time in my life, I felt the compulsion to do just that.
There are so many books and articles about human evolution that claim women, by nature, deep in their DNA, are attracted tomen who protect and provide, but I laughed it off as ridiculous. I think I might be ridiculous.
As everyone is going back to what they were doing before the show, I shake my hands at my sides as I gain control of my legs again.
Admonishing myself, I remember why I’m even here. I can’t develop feelings for anyone. Another one of my flaws is that I can’t do casual. I always end up catching feelings and getting attached. An unfortunate fact I learned in college.
Something tells me I would get so attached to Tucker Harlow that he would live in my box of memories for the rest of my life.
My heart sinks. It’s been so long since I’ve been touched, even longer since I’ve been made to feel special. He just made me feel special. Maybe it’s just touch deprivation making me feel this way, maybe it’s just something that I need to get out of my system.
Fat chance.
Turning to go back to my section, my gaze lands on Trudy. Her work t-shirt is knotted in the front to show her stomach, and she’s glaring at me like I just stole her boyfriend. She’s been catty to me since day one, so I stare back at her, my eyebrows lifted in question, and hold my hands out like I’m asking her what her problem is.
She rolls her eyes and turns away.
Fine, I’m done trying to be nice to her. From now on, she’s just another person I interact with during my day.
The rest of the evening is busy and uneventful, but with a lot of tips. At the end of the night, Stony hands me a small stack of bills over the bar that’s my cut, and I fold them to put in my pocket. “Thanks, Stony.”
He nods and closes the door on the safe under the bar as he waves his hand over his shoulder. He’s a man of few words.All the lights over the bar are on, making it look much different from the dim environment during open hours.
Sammy bumps her shoulder against mine as I’m picking my purse up off a barstool. “I think you have an admirer.”
Thinking she’s talking about the scuffle earlier in the night, I shake my head as I loop my purse strap over my shoulder. “No, he would have done that for anyone.”
That’s what I’ve been telling myself all evening. Maybe if I say it enough, I’ll believe it.
She lifts her perfectly sculpted eyebrow, and an unladylike snort escapes her nose when she laughs. “I’m not talking about earlier. And you’re wrong, he wouldn’t have done that for anyone, not anymore.”
Turning to face her, I ask, “What do you mean?”
She smiles as her cool fingers wrap around my upper arms to turn me toward the front of the pub. I suck in a breath as my eyes find Tucker on the other side of the big window leaning against the driver’s side door of his tall truck, arms crossed with his fingers under his arms.
My heart flips in my chest and starts beating twice as fast.
She chuckles next to me. “He’s not here for me, babe.”
