Taking my eyes off the women, I turn my attention to my brothers, keeping them in my peripheral vision while we shoot the shit.
While talking, I laugh and point out that Lucifer had called it about the roughnecks as the girls move on to a few cowboys who came in from Meadows Ranch. I was wondering if they were here to keep an eye on Della, but they didn’t seem to pay her any mind. Don’t even think they saw her sitting at the bar.
Amelia worked, taking care of the customers, and in between, she spent time talking to Della.
The closer it gets to closing, I decide to get up and head over to make my presence known to the woman who’s captured my attention since she got here.
I should have left a few hours ago, only she held me transfixed in place. No way could I leave her here without protection. Didn’t matter whether the men from Meadows Ranch were around or not.
My cousin’s eyes lift to mine, and she stops in the middle of what she’s saying when I get close. Della twists, her head cocking ever so slightly, also looking in my direction.
“Ladies,” I call in greeting, my eyes staying on Della. “How’s it goin’?”
Fuck that sounded lame in my own head.
“We’re good,” Amelia remarks. Della nods and turns her attention back to my cousin.
“It’s getting late. I should head out,” she says, getting to her feet.
“Okay, when do you head back home?” Amelia asks.
“Don’t know.” Della shrugs. “I’ll call you later, and we can figure out a time to hang out again. Next time, when you’re not working and I can see your son again.”
“That would be great.” My cousin grins, slaps her hand on the bar top, and starts down the way to take care of a customer.
Della turns and nearly steps right into me.
“Excuse me.” Her sweet voice fills my ears, and my hands itch to touch her.
With her all but in my space, the smell of sweet honey fills my nostrils. Funny to have that hit me when mostly it’s sweat, smoke, and alcohol that you smell around here.
Still, it hits me, and I bite back the instant need to groan. Fuck me, little mousy Della smells good.
“I’ll walk you to your car,” I tell her, blurting it out without stepping away.
“I’m good to make it to my car on my own,” she says, her words terse. Definitely not friendly.
“This late at night? You should have someone walk you out.” It’s not like anything would happen to her out in the parking lot, but I had the urge to talk to her. Maybe talk her into coming to the clubhouse with me. Or even to my place.
“If you’re worried about me drinking, I’m not drunk. I only had one drink, and the rest was water. I’m perfectly capable of walking on my own two feet and taking care of myself.”
The way she snaps those words and pushes past me has me confused as fuck. Where the hell did little mousy Della go? Can’t say it doesn’t cause a reaction out of me. The attitude definitely piques my interest all the more.
“Didn’t say you couldn’t take care of yourself. Besides, if you had been drunk, no way Amelia would’ve been okay with you leaving intoxicated. What I’m saying is I’ll walk you out to your car, make sure you get out of here safely because other people are drunk, and you look the way you do.”
“Look the way I do?” The way her brows furrow is kind of cute. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“Babe, you gotta know how you look. Every man in the room has taken notice of you. The last thing you want is for someone to harass you in the lot.”
Della scoffs and shakes her head. “No one here has paid any mind to me. There’s plenty of other women still in here, dressed more provocatively than I am. You gonna walk them out too? Or is that just a privilege you’re giving me?”
“We got security that will walk them out if they need it.” I shrug, trying not to think of the reasons I want to walk her out.
“Right, well, I’m a big girl and can handle myself,” she mutters snarkily and walks off. “Follow if you want.” Those four words were thrown over her shoulder with enough attitude that I felt it in my dick.
I do enjoy a woman who’s got fight in them.
“Shadow,” Amelia says in a warning tone. “Leave her be. She’s had a rough few days.”
