Delight (McKenzie Brothers, #3)

My blush has worked its way up from my chest into my face as I listen to his words. Words I know he is only teasing me with because I certainly didn’t look at him in that way. That way is reserved for Ruben.

I shove at his chest. “Stop! I most certainly did not look at you that way. As you well know. I might have looked happy to see you because I am. I’m always happy to see a friend.” Placing my hands on my hips, I’m more-or-less telling him to not mess with me. Not sure it’s working with the laughter lines around his eyes, which also look full of humor.

“I’m glad we’re friends Rosie. I really am, but I’m not used to having friends especially of the * variety…”

I gasp, and before he can finish I’m turning away from him to head behind the bar thinking this isn’t a conversation that I want continuing. What the hell is wrong with me this morning?

“Rosie.” He grabs hold of my wrist and pulls me around to face him. “Yeah, I’m a jerk, but I’m also a guy and guys like me don’t have female friends. But I’m willing to keep trying okay? Hopefully Ruben will be around soon, which will keep me in line with you.” The whole time he’s talking his eyes stay focused on mine. Not many people do that. “Truce,” he says after a minute, holding his hand out.

Placing my hand in his, he tightens his hold as we shake. “I also promise to stop coming on to you, although you’re so sweet to tease.”

The eye roll happens without me thinking about it. There is no way he will stop with the teasing. He enjoys it too much. “We’ll see how long that promise lasts, but I’m on to you now and I’m prepared to give as good as I get so be warned.” Then something occurs to me, so I ask, “You haven’t met the girls over there yet have you?” Knowing the answer, I continue, “I’m sure they’d love to meet you. I mean who can refuse such a sexy, tattooed guy.” I smile and stand in his space whispering, “I mean one who is built like you. They’d have to be blind.” His eyes widen in surprise at my comments about him while I openly gloat at being able to tease him when he didn’t see it coming—or rather—didn’t see me coming.

I wink and ducking under the hatch, I grab a towel, and ignoring Hunter start to wipe down the already clean bar to give me something to do. I enjoyed giving him as good as he usually gives, but I’m not very good at it or hiding my embarrassment at having done it. I really do just want to be friends with him. It’s been so long since I had ‘real’ friends and being friends with Hunter would be different. I don’t know why but I am positive that he’d always be there for me if I needed him. Just like I’d be for him.

Well at least he took my mind off Ruben’s absence for a short time. I’m still pissed at him though for leaving it until the last minute to tell me. I wonder how I can make him pay. Withholding sex might work? But then I’d suffer as well and that isn’t right. I could go back to my apartment for a couple of nights after we’ve had sex, but there again I’d suffer along with him because I love sleeping with his body spooning mine. I love waking up with him already hard and inside me, stroking along my walls with his thick penis.

I need to practice saying cock. I don’t know why I feel uncomfortable saying cock instead of penis but I do. The thing is when I think of a cock I can’t get a proper image in my mind, but when I think of a penis, the image I get is of Ruben’s long shaft. He has a wide girth and veins that throb along its length to the bulbous head, which by the time my eyes make it to that point is usually leaking with pre-cum. Licking my lips, dreaming about Ruben’s cock—that didn’t feel that bad—comes to an abrupt end with the smash of a glass. A glass I realize that I’m responsible for breaking.

“Don’t move Rosie. The glass is all around your feet,” Hunter shouts dashing toward me.

He picks me up from the mess with glass crunching beneath his boots and places me on top of the bar.

“Are you okay?” He runs his hands up and down my legs. “Rosie, dammit. Are you okay?”

Shit. “Sorry. Yes I’m fine. I didn’t see it.” I still can’t believe I broke a glass. I’ve not broken anything since I’ve worked here, which is amazing. Well, apart from the night I got into the middle of a fight that is.

“There’s about three glasses here. Let me get the mess cleaned up.” More glass crunches beneath his boots as he walks over to the door behind the bar for the brush I’d left propped up there.

I can’t let him do this. “Hunter, I can do that. I’m fine. Seriously.”

“You’re only in shorts. All it would take is for one shard of glass to jump up and your gorgeous legs are scarred.”