“Why not?”
“Lots of reasons. Anyway, you might want to mark your territory again. That bloke looks like he’s getting fresh with Kitty.”
I turned round fast enough to give myself whiplash and saw exactly what Jesse was talking about.
It was Kitty’s ex, the musician, and his hand was aiming for her ass.
I left my chair slowly, walking over to where she was taking his order, discreetly moving away.
Her smile sprang up as soon as she saw me, something I knew I’d never get tired of – I only hoped I could keep putting that smile on her face in many, many ways.
“Can we talk?” My hand went on the small of her back. The ex glowered.
Her fingers ran over my bicep, which she was currently obsessed with. “I’m just taking this order.”
“I’ll take it. I’ll see you upstairs in two minutes.”
She tipped her head to one side and looked at me curiously. “I’ll have five minutes. Not like the first time you needed a word.”
I gave a nod. “This’ll take less than five.”
She smiled again and turned to the ex. “Nicky will take your order. Sorry for the interruption.”
The grin her ex received off me was one that hopefully made his balls shrivel up and die.
“You and her?” He looked at me and pointed to Kitty’s exiting form.
I nodded. “Yep. So keep your hands to yourself, unless you never want to play guitar again.”
I was a big guy and I was muscular, so he was right to look intimidated, although those who knew me would’ve laughed. I was not a fighter.
“Your order?” I wrote down what he wanted, knowing I’d said enough, then dropped it in the kitchen and found Kitty upstairs.
“You did not like what he was doing.” She had her hands on her hips, waiting for me in her tiny lounge.
I shook my head. “Not one fucking bit.”
She was obviously very amused by this.
I pushed a hand through my thick hair that really did need a trim. I’d never asked anyone this before. I had no idea whether I was going to fuck it up.
“What’s the matter, Nick?”
I put my hands on her waist and took a deep breath. “I might need lessons in this, more lessons.”
She cupped my cheek, then rested her hand on my shoulder. “I can do that. What sort of lessons.”
“How to tell a woman I really, really like her and I want her to be my girlfriend. Exclusive. Just us.”
“Oh.” Her eyes glittered. “And who is this woman? Is she pretty?”
I was smiling again, like every time I was with her. “She’s more than that. She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met.”
“Is she clever? Does she have a good sense of humour? Does she make you laugh?”
I pulled her in closer to me. “All the time. She makes me smile, she lights up every room. When I think of her, everything seems better. And she gives really good head.”
She was laughing now, her face absolutely glowing. I moved a strand of hair away,
