"How old are you?" he mimicked, teasingly.
"Old enough" I smirked at him. “Didn’t your mamma ever tell you it’s rude to ask a woman’s age?” I smiled and leaned forward a little, giving him a teasing view of my cleavage. Shit. That Long Island Iced Tea was a little stronger than I thought. Too much, Haven, too fucking much.
I grabbed my shot and threw it back. I hoped it would get the point across that I wasn't planning to elaborate.
"Next question. What do you do?" I poured more tequila into my glass, filling it to the brim.
"Well, I’m in construction. I build fences, pools and patios. It's nothing crazy but it's honest work and the pay is good." He almost seemed bashful when he told me about his job, his hair sticking up where he had just ran his fingers through it.
Was he nervous?
"I guess I need to think of something better to ask you. I already know where you work." His smile was back, like he had just thought of the million-dollar question. My eyes scanned his features. My mind raced as I skittered through possible answers I was willing to give.
Damn. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.
"Do you have any other siblings? I mean, I met the one guy. Trip? Any others?"
My hand rested around the base of the shot glass, prepared to shoot the liquor swirling around inside.
Easy one, yes.
I leaned back and looked at his curious expression.
"I have two big brothers, Trip, whom you've met, and Mace. His wife, Scarlett, owns the tattoo parlor you were in today. I also have an older sister Milla. She moved away a little while ago.” I thought about elaborating a little more. Family was a safe subject… mostly. "Mace is the oldest, then Trip, then Milla, and I’m the youngest. It's difficult for them to let go when it comes to me." I grinned. "I think they forget I'm not seven anymore."
His eyes sparkled at my words. "It's quite all right. I'm sure I'd be the same way with my baby sister if some out-of-towner came strolling in from God knows where and hit on her. You weren't too hard on them, huh?"
I giggled at his question.
Oh, my God, I'm fucking giggling.
"I'm nothing but hard on them. It still doesn't change them being meat-headed assholes and keep them from butting into my life." I sighed. "But that's for another night. I don't want to talk about my overbearing older brothers."
I placed my elbows on the table and clasped my hands under my chin. "You have any siblings? What about your parents?"
He mirrored my position. "Only child." His eyes skated left and back to mine. "Mom and Dad are happily married for forty-five years. Good ol' Country boy from Texas."
"So what brings you here?" I added.
“I was passing through when I had to stop and have my truck looked at for new tires. I just happened to be lucky enough to see you that day. After that, I decided since I had nowhere else to be right now, I’d stick around.” His answer evoked a tingling in my body; one I hadn’t felt in quite some time.
“Sweet talker. I bet you say that to all the girls.” My tone light and completely out of character for me.
He looked almost sheepish. “Nah, I’m not typically that forward. There’s just something about you, Haven. I saw your face that day and it was an expression I have seen in my own mirror a few times.” His hands went through his hair again. “It made me want to meet the woman behind the mask. And don’t even act like you don’t know what I’m talking about. That guy—you know the one who thinks he owns you?—I’m willing to bet my right arm he has something to do with it.”
Fuck, he’s observant. I foolishly thought I had the upper hand. I shifted in my seat uncomfortably and hoped he dropped it—or at least our food would arrive. Too many more shots and I was done for.
“Yeah, well, we aren’t anything, and I’m here with you.” I plastered on a smile. Sitting up a little straighter, I reached across the table to rest my hand on his. “Okay, so we’ve established you are pretty much perfect,” I said on a smirk. “You drive a badass truck, you wear boots and a cowboy hat, and you stuck around just to get to know little ol’ me. Well, cowboy, I’d say you are just what I’ve been looking for.” His eyes widen with surprise and he turns his palm up to interlace his fingers with mine.
“No, Haven, I think you are just what I’ve been looking for.”
Jude
“Boys!” I yelled from the bottom of the staircase. “Move your backsides or we’ll be late for Mima’s” Grabbing the bags of food and stepping over their backpacks, I made my way to the front door only to be bombarded with noise and little feet.