Gwensi leaned over and gave Keren a hug, followed by a gesture to Scott at the bar who was still scowling dangerously.
“Booze,” Gwensi said. “Jugs of margaritas and we’re going to pretend we’re in Mexico or Brazil facing a beach.”
“That’s going to take some imagination,” Keren said, stripping off her coat to show a tight black dress with sparkly thread woven through it. “Maybe we should persuade Scott to hold a Hawaiian themed night, I need an excuse to wear a bikini.”
“Is that to torment Scott?” Sorrell said, finally deciding to brave it and jump into the mystery that was Scott Maynard and Keren Leigh.
Keren laughed, sarcasm oozing out with it. “The only time Scott Maynard would be interested in me would be if I was in a coffin.”
“Somehow I don’t think that’s true.” She’d considered it carefully and given that she had learned how to read people because of her job, she was convinced that there was a history between the two of them that went further than childhood friends.
Keren pulled her jet black hair away from her face and shook her head. “We were friends once…”
“More than friends,” Gwensi interrupted. “Because ex-friendsdon’t have the spark you two exude.”
“The only thing Scott Maynard exudes is bullshit,” Keren said, oblivious to the fact that the man himself was behind her, carrying their second jug of margaritas.
“Good thing I don’t use it as an extra ingredient in your drinks, then isn’t it, hot cheeks?” Scott said, looking straight down at Keren. “Although I’ll make an exception for your drinks in future.”
She looked up at him, her almost black eyes glinting as dangerously as his gaze dripped down her cleavage.
“Fucking hell,” Gwensi said in a loud whisper meant to be heard. “You could light a fire with those sparks.”
“Wanker,” Keren hissed. “Go stare at the tits of someone in your league, mountain man.”
“With pleasure,” Scott shrugged. “Because let’s face it, you don’t have ladders long enough to climb into my league,honey.” He strutted off, casting a look back at Keren as he reached the bar, one that included another set of daggers with added smoulder.
“And if you even try to tell me that you two never fucked, I’ll know you’re a liar,” Gwensi said.
Sorrell nodded. “There’s no way you haven’t seen him naked,” Sorrell added, slightly more polite. “So don’t try to deny it.”
Keren rolled her eyes and looked to the ceiling, as if praying for divine intervention. “Never. Stupid eighteen year old me would’ve loved to, thankfully she didn’t have the chance.”
“On behalf of Sorrell, who may soon be getting acquainted with certain parts of another Maynard brother, does she need to move up to a larger vibrator in order to accommodate his appendage?” Gwensi refilled her glass. “Because if you’ve lusted after him, you’ve checked it out.”
Sorrell sighed. There was no point trying to put a filter on Gwensi. She’d tried and failed many times.
“Honestly?” Keren poured a large measure of margarita into her glass. “I have never seen it, I just observe. But if things go that way for you and Zack, you’ll enjoy yourself. Now can we change the subject?”
Chapter 13
Zack cursed winter and all its viruses. He cursed the weather and he cursed Jake for taking on a flock of fucking alpacas. And he cursed the damn cretins who’d patched up the barn the alpacas were now in for being fucking idiots and not doing a proper job in the first place.
“I’ll get the first round in to say thanks,” Jake gave him the shit eating grin that he reserved for women he was trying to charm and family members whose night he’d scuppered.
“It won’t be just the first round. I told Sorrell we’d be there an hour ago,” Zack groused. “If one of those fucking idiots from the rugby club is chatting her up, I’m going to feed your testicles to the fucking alpacas as a treat.”
Jake laughed, because that was what Jake did. Zack didn’t remember ever seeing him in a bad mood, even as a teenager. Alex had been pretty similar; but when he’d been pissed off at something—which was rare—he’d been really pissed off.
The bar was packed when they entered, but the noise was dominated by the new coven in the corner.
Sorrell, Rayah, Keren and Gwensi were sitting round a table, a couple of empty pitchers by them, and the gazes of most men in the bar on them.
“For fuck’s sake,” Zack cursed, feeling his blood boil a little hotter than Hades. “That does not look like a civilised night out.” Rayah appeared to be getting ready to get on the table to dance, Coyote Ugly style. Luckily, Keren grabbed her arm and forced her to sit down.
“It’s a Friday night in Severton. There’s nothing civilised about it,” Jake’s smile was broad and amused. “Wouldn’t hurt you to let loose a little, you know. I bet Sorrell would prefer a man who doesn’t have a rod stuck up his arse.”
“Thanks, Jake,” Zack mumbled. “I hope your dick shrivels up like a dried out prune from lack of moisture. When is the last time you got laid?”
