Tejas’s expression grew smug and knowing as he picked up the pint Dee had slid in front of him and sauntered away.
“You’re taking the protective-best-friend gig too far tonight, Fireball. Ican field my own offers,” she said.
“You want forever after, darlin’, and he isn’t someone who’ll give it to you. He’s got years before he settles down.”
I softly rubbed her arm, in way of apology for overstepping, and watched with sick delight as her skin pebbled. The goosebumps were completely at odds with the heat of the room, and the reason for it—the attraction it insinuated—landed yet another fierce blow to my chest. Sharp and fast and brutal.
“Sometimes, while waiting for forever after to finally show up, a woman deserves a fast, fiery moment of passion to tide her over.” Her eyes met mine, and the fire I saw there tore right through me, all the way down to my overactive libido.
I hadn’t seen that look in a long time. Definitely not since she’d come back to Swift Rivers.
The Maisey who’d returned home wore a bit of a mask, giving me a blank face more often than she showed her cards. She’d earned more scars while away at college, internal ones instead of the almost invisible one that lingered on her jawline, so I hadn’t taken it personally. But I’d also be kidding if I said I didn’t miss the Maisey who’d once worn her heart on her sleeve.
I tore my gaze from her heated one and ordered more drinks for the group.
I needed to cool off, to cool us both off and put aside this unwelcome barrage of thoughts and feelings.
While I didn’t want to think about Maisey sleeping with anyone, it was obvious I needed to get laid—and soon. In an effort to clean up my player image with the town’s bigwigs before it prevented me from getting my next promotion, I’d abstained for too long. That was the problem tonight. It had nothing to do with my friend and everything to do with my dick begging for action.
As the trivia round ended, Maisey slid off her barstool and headed for the restroom.
I kept an eye glued to the hallway she’d disappeared through, waiting to ensure she made it back unmolested. But when she finally returned, my discomfort only grew as I watched Leon, Tejas, and even a couple of tourists try to make their move on her. Every time one of them scanned her body in that flirty dress or even smiled at her, the viselike grip on my gut ratcheted tighter.
By the time she made it back to us and Sweeney shot her another flirtatious tease, touching her shoulder as she went by him, I was ready to start a fight. To pound a few faces into the ground.
And I simply didn’t understand it.
Protecting her wasn’t anything new, but what I felt tonight, the uncontrollable anger at any man who even looked at her, was absolutely new. New and uncomfortable.
I needed to get the hell out of here.
When the trivia game ended an hour later, relief coasted over me, even with the men losing. I needed to walk Maisey home, have a long talk with my dick, and get my head on straight.
As Maisey leaned around me to whisper to Fallon, “You owe me. I get naming rights now,” I got another whiff of that uniquely Maisey scent. The normal comfort I got from it was replaced with a different reaction. One I felt all the way down to my balls.
Before Fallon could reply, Parker stood, grabbed his wife off the stool, and tossed her over his shoulder.
“Time I pay my debt, Wife.”
Fallon laughed, pounding him playfully on the ass.
“Have fun, you two,” Sweeney bellowed as they made their way through the crowd to the door.
“And with that sickening display of love, I’m out,” Andie said, gathering her belongings.
“I’ll walk you to your car,” Sweeney told her.
“I’ll come with you,” Maisey said. As she reached for her bag, the look of hope that crossed Sweeney’s face had me grinding my teeth.
Two seconds ago, I was ready to duck and run, but now there was no way I was letting her walk out with him. I grabbed her wrist, stopping her.
“Nope. Not leaving yet, darlin’. You owe me one more drink.”
She rolled her eyes. “I don’t owe you anything.”
“Fair is fair. I asked you to come out first, and you turned me down only to show up for Fallon. You owe me a drink to soothe my hurt feelings.”
“As if that dead muscle in your chest could actually be wounded,” she huffed.