“Crap,” Patrick muttered. “My sister Rhonda just showed up at that table. I need to go say hello. Stay put for a minute okay, Lucy?” He glanced at Beck and then got up from his seat.
Several of the women smiled at him as he strolled over to say hello to his sister. Patrick always seemed so at ease and confident. Watching the way his muscled shoulders rolled under his dress shirt as he hugged his sister and then shook hands with members of the group just made her want him more.
Possessiveness reared its head when his sister introduced Patrick to a couple of her friends and those women showed obvious interest in him. One even hugged him, casting a glance Lucy’s way.
“Lucy, look at me,” Beck murmured as he covered her hand with his, where it rested on the table for everyone to see.
Patrick spoke to his sister briefly and then she glanced Lucy’s way and replied quietly to Patrick. The woman appeared to be few years older than Beck but still very much in her prime. She raised an eyebrow and glanced Lucy’s way once more and Lucy felt like crawling under the table at the scrutiny.
“Lucy?” Lucy turned her attention to Beck. “Do you want to leave? I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. Is this too weird for you?” He looked like he was braced for bad news.
She turned her hand palm up and squeezed his hand back. “No. I’m just feeling a little off kilter, that’s all.” Talk about an understatement!
“Patrick’s right. I’m not interested in ‘friends with benefits’ either and that’s not why I asked you out. I just wanted you to feel special. I’m on my best behavior here. Aren’t you impressed?” he asked, with that familiar sideways grin. With his dimples visible it was even sexier than before and she gave in to the urge to giggle.
“Not a single mention of my tits either. I am impressed, actually. You look like you feel much better today. Did you wake up a little sore this morning? I thought you might.”
He rubbed his chin, the same way he had when it had been covered with his beard, and then chuckled as though he’d just realized it was missing and said, “I’m a little sore all over but I haven’t felt this good in a long time. My neck pain is gone.”
Feeling a little more settled, Lucy nodded. “Good. You were unbelievably stiff in some places.”
Beck cleared his throat and shifted in his seat as he glanced at her, humor in his clear green eyes. She blinked as her words dawned on her and laughter burst out of her. She sat back in the chair and put her hands to her burning cheeks and wanted to kiss him. The tension seemed to unravel inside of her as the laughter flowed from her. Beck smiled and she took his hand again. “Thank you. I needed that. I was not laughing at you.”
“You were laughing near me, I know. It’s okay.” Pointing a finger at her gift sitting on the table, he said, “Open it.”
She pulled the tissue from the bag and pulled out a pretty ceramic travel mug. It was hand painted and glazed with bright cheerful flowers and honeybees.
He pointed to the other side. “See what it says?”
She turned it and giggled. “‘You’re the Bee’s Knees!’ How sweet, Beck.”
He looked a little sheepish. “I saw it in Cassie’s shop display and I know you like bright colorful things. Thought you’d like it.”
“I do. It’s perfect and definitely me. Thank you,” she murmured as she gazed into his sexy green eyes. “I’ll treasure it.”
His eyes were warm as he gazed at her and he beckoned her to lean closer. “You are the most beautiful woman in this room. If you’ve noticed everyone staring at you, sweetness, that’s the reason why.”
In that instant she knew he was well on his way to winning her entire heart. “You don’t think it’s because I’m obviously on a date with two men?”
Beck winked. “It’s not that obvious. For all they know we could just be best friends having supper together. Trust me, if they’re looking it’s because you’re beautiful. Purple and blue suit you.”
She gulped, wishing she could believe him. “I don’t like being the center of attention. It makes me feel weird.”
“Well you’re the center of my attention tonight.”
Patrick rejoined them and said, “Mine, too. Think you can handle that?”
“What?”
Patrick took her other hand and held it on the cloth-covered tabletop. “Think you can handle being the center of attention for two men?”
That was the sixty-four-thousand-dollar question wasn’t it? Fresh worry entered her mind. “What about the two of you?” She glanced at the tables around them, hoping that no one was eavesdropping. “Can you handle my attention being divided between you?”