It’s not surprising he’s here. He comes to the bar all the time, but usually he’s with his friends and in a good mood. Right now, though, he’s talking on the phone and seems very upset. His gray eyes are narrow slits and his jaw is clenched. But I’m not going to lie. Angry is a good look on him.
At over six feet tall with broad shoulders and several tattoos, Jack looks intimidating. But really he’s a big softie. I hardly ever see him in a mood other than happy. So this angry version of Jack is a new experience for me. A very hot experience.
He catches me looking at him and tips his chin. His anger dissipates for a brief second as a lopsided smile hitches up the corner of his mouth, but then he turns his attention back to his phone call and clenches his fist before ending the call.
Interesting.
He shoves his phone into his back pocket and heads my way.
“What’s up?” I say. “You seem upset.”
He shrugs. “Nothing. Just family shit.”
I snort. “God. Yes. I have plenty of that.”
He nods and our eyes lock and hold. One beat. Two.
I hate this part of our friendship; the part that reminds me of what happened between us last year when we got drunk and carried away one very steamy night. The memory shouldn’t still turn me on like it does. But Jack and those goddamn silver eyes of his are hard not to respond to.
We never talk about it, which is better, but in moments like this, when his eyes are on mine with such command, I can almost feel his hands back on my body.
“Here you go.” Cody returns with the schedule book for me to sign. “I switched our shifts and marked you down as on vacation.”
“Thanks,” I say, grabbing the book and initialing by my traded shifts.
“Hey Jack.” Cody nods at him. “What can I get you to drink?”
“Just a beer,” Jack says. Then turns to me. “So where are you going on vacation?” His mouth is so close to my hand that his warm breath skitters up my arm and sends a jolt of hot want directly into my pants.
Damn him.
On second thought, damn me for being such a swooner.
I’m not usually like this. I swear it. Guys are the last thing I give priority to in my life. It goes chocolate, tattoos, a hundred other things… and then men. Because women don’t need men to have a full life. And I’m living proof of that.
I keep my eyes on the book. “New Orleans to visit my grandma.”
He nods. “Is she dying again?”
Even my friends know how ridiculous my grandmother’s yearly death threats are.
“Yep.” I pop the p. “The drama queen just won’t hand the spotlight over gracefully.”
He smirks. “Like you’d wait to be handed anything, you swiper.”
Ah, he knows me so well. I’m not very patient and if I want something I usually just take it.
Cody sets Jack’s beer down and asks me, “Are you flying out tonight?”
“Nah.” I finish signing the book and hand it back to him. “I’m driving there so I’ll leave in the morning.”
Jack swings his head to me and a slight wrinkle forms between his eyes. “You’re driving all the way to Louisiana?”
“Yeah. Pfft. I’m not spending hundreds of dollars on a last-minute plane ticket. Grandma needs to give me at least a month’s warning next time she decides to keel over.”
Jack takes a sip of his beer, but continues looking displeased.
I hate it when he stares at me like I’m doing something wrong.
“What?” I snap.
He shrugs. “That’s just a long trip to make on your own.”
“Yeah, well. Good thing I don’t mind driving.” I look at Cody. “Thanks for covering for me. I owe you. Later Jack.” I turn to leave just as a drunk guy stumbles into me, knocking me back into Jack’s chest.
Jack’s hands instantly go to my hips, and my hips instantly want to yank his hands down my pants. My hips can’t be trusted.
“Watch it,” I say to the drunk guy, giving him a little shove forward so I have room to pull away from Jack.
Jack’s fingers slowly slide off my hips, trailing lower just before ending contact with my body and my eyelids lower in want.
Clearly, I need to have sex. Not with Jack—that would be a disaster—but with someone. Soon. So I can sex Jack out of my system. Again.
I’ve been trying to sex away Jack a lot lately.
I blink up and find Jack’s eyes watching mine. He saw my moment of weakness; that split second of desire. Dammit.
“Right. So I’m going to go.” I step back and act casual. “I’ll see you when I get back. Later.”
I spin around and weave through the crowd to the exit, feeling Jack’s eyes on me the whole time.