A familiar blush lights her cheeks. “Thank you. It’s nice to finally meet you guys.”
“Finally?” Rex’s shit-eating grin tugs at his lip ring. “How long have you and Jonah been hanging out?”
Raven’s attention slides to me, her eyes wide. “Oh, we’re not hanging out . . . er . . . we work—”
“What would you girls like to drink?” I redirect the conversation and smile at the relief I catch in Raven’s expression. Why does it feel as if we’re hiding some deep, dark secret?
“Water would be great,” Raven answers and Eve nods.
“You girls up for baseball?” Most girls wouldn’t be interested in the game, but, then again, most girls aren’t car mechanics.
“Baseball?” Raven scrunches up her nose and shakes her head. So damn cute.
I motion to the loungers set up poolside. “Would you rather get some sun?”
She studies the double lounger and looks at Eve. They both smile big. “Yes, please.”
I set them up with towels and a lounger, placing them close enough so that I can admire Raven, and go back and forth from them to the game easily.
With a fresh beer in hand, I relax against the bar and settle in for the game. So far so good. I have a girl, a date, over at my house. The guys are being semi-respectful. The girls are laughing and talking comfortably. What could possibly go wrong?
“Let’s get this party started, motherfuckers!”
Oh, shit. Blake.
Six
Jonah
My glare sharpens toward the sound of his voice, and it takes everything I have not to punch something.
“Fuck me,” I whisper to the floor.
Blake isn’t alone. He has three girls with him. Two of them I’ve seen before. One is the redheaded stripper, and the other is the blond stripper I slept with a week ago.
Girls I’ve slept with don’t come over. Ever. What the hell is Blake thinking?
I drop my head into my hand. Dammit. Blake doesn’t know I slept with her. He was too busy inspecting the tonsils of that redhead when I left the club.
“Jonah.” Blake saunters up, a girl under each arm. “You remember Selena.” He motions with his chin to the girl with unnaturally bright red hair. “And Candy.” He motions to the blonde.
Her name is Candy. Typical.
“And this lovely lady here is Fiona.” He motions to the dark-haired girl with gigantic breasts shoved into a tiny top. Won’t have to worry about her sinking in the pool.
Candy slides out from under Blake’s arm and steps into my space. Too close. I straighten from my leaning stance at the bar to gain some distance.
“Nice to see you again, Jonah.” Her very white teeth dig into her plump lower lip. She finger walks her hand up my chest to wrap it around the back of my neck. Her other hand lies flat against my stomach.
“Candy, get your hands off me.” I command in a low voice to avoid making a scene in front of Raven.
I’m grateful to see her engaged in conversation with Eve and Nikki who joined them by the pool.
Candy follows my gaze and sneers in Raven’s direction. “Oh, I get it.” She looks back at me and pulls her hand from my neck, making sure to drag her long fingernails against my skin. “Fresh meat.” She looks back to Raven before spinning on her high heel. Her short, tight skirt looks more like a belt as she swings her ass. “You’ll be back. Can’t live on SPAM forever.”
Her sidekicks squeal with laughter, and I glare at Blake. He shakes his head and throws his hands in the air mouthing, “I didn’t know.”
I’m not familiar with the sick feeling that gnaws at my insides. From the hateful look Candy gave Raven, there’s no way she’ll keep her mouth shut about our night together. My reputation is no secret, but having it confirmed is unsettling.
It shouldn’t matter because I slept with Candy before I knew Raven, but the thought of Raven knowing the intimate details of my sexual history makes me insecure. I want her to see me as worthy. And sleeping around, especially to the daughter of a prostitute, doesn’t say ideal boyfriend material.
Is that what I want? To be her boyfriend?
It’s on this eye-bulging thought that Nikki walks up with Raven and Eve flanking her.
“Blake, I see you’ve brought the entertainment.” Nikki’s smile is the farthest thing from friendly.
“Oh, come on, Nik. Don’t hate the player; hate the game.” Blake laughs and the tension rippling off Nikki intensifies.
Raven and Eve, eyes wide as saucers, look back and forth between the two.
Owen stands from his barstool and grabs his wife by the hand. “Nik, baby. Inside. Now.”
She allows herself to be led away, but maintains a death glare on the strippers until she’s out of sight.
Blake’s eyes follow Nikki into the house before he sets his sights on Raven and Eve. He pushes past his dates. “And who do we have here?” His cocky-ass smile has the girls giggling.
Fucking Blake.
I give a quick growled introduction.