“I told you not to tease him about her,” Brad groaned as he tried to pull Jason off, but Jason outweighed him by a good thirty pounds of muscle, so he barely managed to jostle him.
Jason watched his friend through narrowed slits as he fought back the urge to beat the shit out of him. This was one of his oldest friends and part of him knew that Mitch was only giving him shit, but he would never allow anyone to treat his little grasshopper with anything but respect.
With barely suppressed rage, Jason took a deep breath before he spoke. “Let’s clear this up once and for all.” At Mitch’s enthusiastic nod, probably because if Jason was talking, it meant he wasn’t beating the crap out of him, he continued. “Haley is my world,” he said, ignoring Mitch’s eyes going wide at that announcement. “Because we’ve been friends since we were five, I’m going to overlook this little act of stupidity.” Mitch noticeably relaxed at that announcement. “As long as you stop ogling my girlfriend’s ass.”
Mitch pursed his lips, thinking over the ultimatum. After a minute, he dropped his arms by his sides and sighed, “I’d rather get my ass kicked.”
Chapter 18
“Baby, stop!” Haley said, unable to stop laughing.
Jason’s arms tightened around her waist, keeping her from walking away. “Stay home with me. I missed you,” he said, giving her his best pout.
She gently ran her fingers through his hair the way he liked it. “I’m sorry, sweetie, but I can’t back out again. I promised Amy and the girls that I was coming tonight.”
There was no way that she could stay home tonight. Over the past week, she’d come so close to wrecking the surprise that she’d been planning for the past month by telling him everything. She knew that if she stayed home tonight that the excitement would get to her and she’d ruin everything.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without her grandmother’s help. A few times, Haley had considered giving up when money became an issue, but then Grandma offered to help her. She’d somehow managed to find the perfect place at less than half the cost of every place Haley had looked at.
It was the first time Haley had ever accepted her grandmother’s help. It had always been important for her to make it on her own without her family. For Jason, she’d sucked up her pride and asked Grandma to help her find the perfect cottage to rent and now, everything was going to be perfect.
“Does it even matter that I’m on my knees begging you? You’re really going to be able to leave someone this pathetic?” Jason demanded in a sulky tone.
Haley rolled her eyes as she gently pried his arms from around her waist. “It’s just for a couple of hours. You won’t even know I’m gone,” she promised him.
He sat back on his haunches, doing his best to look pathetic.
She did her best not to roll her eyes again. It was just so damn cute and sweet that he didn’t want to spend even one night without her. That was something she’d never expected from Jason Bradford, one of many things actually. He was so sweet and attentive.
“What if I promise to make you a batch of brownies tomorrow?” Haley asked, deciding to use his love of baked goods against him.
He snorted in disbelief as he got to his feet. “I’m not some whore you can buy with a pan of yummy baked goods, woman. How dare you insult me?” Jason said on a sniff as he folded his arms over his chest and did his best to look upset.
“Fine,” Haley said with a sigh. “What if I promise to make a big bowl of frosting tomorrow and let you lick it off me?”
She had to bite back a smile as Jason shifted anxiously while he licked his lips and ran his eyes hungrily down her body. “Buttercream?” he croaked.
“Mmmmhmm,” she said, walking over to him. She cupped the back of his neck and gently tugged him down for a quick kiss. “And if you’re good, I might lick some off you,” she said, loving the idea.
“Get your own bowl of frosting. I don’t share,” Jason simply said, giving her one last kiss before walking out the door, whistling happily, no doubt thinking about the large bowl of frosting that he was going to devour tomorrow.
With a smile, she grabbed her small black purse and headed out the door. She wasn’t surprised to find Jason playing basketball with Mitch and Brad. Not that she would ever really expect it, but it was nice to know that he’d pick her over his friends. She wasn’t the type of woman that expected a guy’s attention twenty-four-seven, but it was nice to know that it was hers if she wanted it.
She blew a kiss in his direction and couldn’t help but laugh when Mitch jumped in front of Jason to steal it.
“That was my kiss, you bastard!” Jason yelled, placing Mitch in a chokehold and taking him down to the ground while Brad stood by, sighing.
He really was a sweetheart. Maybe she’d make him a big batch of fudge brownies to go along with that bowl of frosting.
“And stop looking at her ass!” Jason snapped.
“Oh, my God, I can’t believe you came,” Amy said, leaning back in her chair as she watched Haley approach the table.
“He’s probably right behind her,” Sarah pointed out with a laugh.
“Ha, ha, very funny,” Haley said, taking the only empty seat at the table as her four friends and a woman she had never met before gave her knowing looks.
Amy gestured to the new woman. “This is my friend, Kate. Kate, this is Haley, the woman I told you about.”
