Part 1: No Regrets(Divine Creek Ranch 2)(62)

“Oh, no. Mum’s the word.” Rachel made the motion of locking her lips and throwing away the key. She powdered her nose and tried to keep from laughing at their drunken banter. She adjusted the rear strap on her high heels.

“Hey! Those are some great shoes!” the fluffing brunette squealed.

“Oooh! They’re pretty. I’ll bet they cost quite a bit.”

“Not too bad. I found them at Stigall’s here in town.” Rachel

experienced a surreal moment conversing about her shoes with women who had earlier talked about fucking the man she loved.

“So, what’s his girlfriend like?” one of them asked her conspiratorially.

“Is she a total dog? Paper-bag ugly?”

“No, she’s not too bad. He seems to like her a lot. She’s a great dancer, too. I know for a fact that she’s here tonight, and she’s super jealous. He’s really a nice guy. Very thoughtful and honest.”

“Is he?” one of them said dreamily.

Rachel nodded helpfully. “Yes, supposedly he’s an incredible lover.

Very considerate, if you know what I mean,” she added with a leer.

“Really?” another woman asked breathlessly.

“And huge!” she stage-whispered dramatically as she held her fingers a good distance apart to their stunned gasps.

“But be careful because his girlfriend usually sits in that chair right next to him. And he only dances with her.”

“Damn!”

“You are so sweet to tell us all of that. What was your name?”



Her Gentle Giant, Part 1: No Regrets

143

“Rachel.”

“Right, Rachel. Hey, if you want to join us at our table, we’re having a bachelorette party for Mandy. She’s getting married next weekend. It’s her third try, and we’re all hoping it sticks this time,” fluffing brunette told her.

Rachel heard braying laughter from one of the restroom stalls, and a whiney blonde popped her head out and said, “I heard that! You should totally join us, Rachel! Maybe you could point his girlfriend out to us. He’d make a perfect going away present for me,” she added drunkenly.

“That sounds great. But I’m here with my boyfriend, and he’s probably wondering where I am right now. But I’ll see you out there.”

“Do very many decent guys come in here?” one of them asked.

“Oh, lots of them. I met my boyfriend here, as a matter of fact.”

“So they mind their manners in here?”

“For the most part. My boyfriend asked me out the night I met him, but I turned him down for two whole months before finally saying yes. Very persistent, but, yes, lots of great guys come in here, some I even know personally.”

“I wish you could sit with us, point out the available ones to us,”

Mandy whined.

“Sorry, my true love awaits,” Rachel said as one of them sighed. She almost laughed.

“Okay, later! Later!” several of them called out as she made her exit, fighting back laughter. She sauntered over to the bar and spoke to Quinten for a moment before returning to Eli’s side.

“Angel, it’s about time I took a break. Would you like to dance?” he asked her as she hugged him. She watched as the group of bachelorettes made their way to a large table.

“I’d love to. That’s a fun group of gals over there. You would not believe what they were talking about in the restroom.”

He groaned and ventured a guess. “I don’t know. The hot bouncer guy with the long, pretty black hair?”

“The one and the same. Oooh! The things they want to do to you, honey!” Rachel grinned evilly and rubbed her hands together.

“How many eyes did you blacken?” he asked jokingly but his eyebrows knit together a little, showing he was only partly kidding and was now a little worried.



144

Heather Rainier

“Oh, none. They’re all drunk, and I played along with them. They asked me all about you, and I shared helpful information and warned them about your super jealous girlfriend. I hope they aren’t too upset with me when they see us together. I ordered a round of drinks for them from Rachel to soothe their disappointment that they won’t be fucking or sucking you in the ladies’ restroom.” She cackled in glee at his shocked look.

“No more Crown Royal for you. You’re an evil woman, Rachel Lopez.

Shall we go dance and give them an eyeful?”

“Let’s wait until their waitress comes to take their order and discover the first round is on Rachel, and then we can dance and even go say hi if you want to.” She giggled when he rolled his eyes at her suggestion.

Eli looked down at her and raised an eyebrow. “What kind of helpful information did you share?”