Something for the Pain(12)

“That’s my best quality, brother.” I walk backwards, giving Memphis the middle finger with both hands, before jumping into my truck and starting the engine.

He stands there and watches me the whole time that I back out and pull off.

He’s exactly who I got my protective nature from, and just like me . . . he never backs down.

I pull up at Dax’s a little earlier than expected. Tripp still has about thirty minutes left before she gets off, but I decided to just show up early and kick back with a few beers while waiting. I could use a little unwinding before heading back to the house and seeing her and Lucas together.

The bar is pretty packed when I walk in, but I easily spot Tripp over at one of the tables close to the bar. It’s a pretty full table, so not wanting to add to her pressure I make my way up to the bar to order a beer. I smirk at Harley as she looks up at me from wiping down the sticky mess in front of her.

“Harley. Just the girl I’m looking for.”

Harley smiles from ear to ear and her face instantly turns red. Of course she knows that I know. Ace can’t keep his mouth shut for crap. “Don’t even say it, Carter.” She points at me as she reaches below her for a beer, already knowing what I’m after.

I shrug my shoulders, trying to hide my grin. “I wasn’t going to say shit about you and Ace fucking. I promise.” I laugh and she tosses the beer cap at me, hitting me on the nose.

“Alex! I want to strangle you sometimes.” She leans over the bar, suddenly interested, looking around to see if anyone’s listening. “Tell me what he said. Don’t leave anything out or I’ll choke you.”

Standing up, I grab the bottle of beer and lift it up, chuckling under my breath. I love screwing with her. “Cheers, Harley. I’ll see you later.” I walk backwards, smiling while tilting back my beer.

“You dick!” Harley shakes her head while giving me the evil eye. “I’ll get it out of Tripp. Trust me.”

Tripp appears beside me out of nowhere, so I wrap my arm around her neck and pull her to me. “No you won’t. Tripp doesn’t tell anything that I ask her not to.”

Harley bites her bottom lip in annoyance. “True . . . and I hate you for that.” She slaps her towel down onto the bar before crossing her arms. “Dammit! Fucking men! What are they good for?” She tilts her head in thought. “Oh yeah. Well double damn.”

Turning around, I pull Tripp with me as I find an empty seat away from all the noise and Harley’s man-hating ass right now. “Hey, babe.” I kiss her forehead before sliding into a booth. “How’s work?”

She rolls her eyes and lets out a frustrated breath. “Oh you know . . . busy as shit. And for some reason, Dax has only me on the schedule for another thirty minutes.” She holds up three fingers. “Then he has three girls coming in. He expects me to hold the joint down by myself, but can schedule three girls for the late shift. He’s lucky he left over two hours ago or I’d be choking him in a corner somewhere.”

Getting lost in how damn cute she looks when she’s mad, I let my teasing come out, unable to stop myself. I might just get punched for this, but it’s always well worth it. “I’d let you choke me in the corner. Anytime and anywhere.” I take a swig of my beer, before setting it down. “As long as it involves rough, dirty sex afterwards.”

Her face flushes red, but she doesn’t say anything, because some people from a few tables over start yelling her name annoyingly, trying to get her attention. “You’re so damn lucky, slick.” She pinches my nipple, hard, and then walks away, leaving me with a near hard-on.

She’s lucky, because if she did that when we were alone, then I’d have a really hard time not bending her over and fucking her. Best friend or not.

I’m trying to keep my thoughts in check, but I can’t when she does things like that to me.

I’m sitting alone for about five minutes, just enjoying my beer, when a petite blonde scoots into the booth across from me. She’s cute, but I’m not interested in more than a short conversation. My head is somewhere else.

She holds out her hand and smiles. “Mandy.”

Flashing her my dimples, I reach for her hand and shake it in mine. “Alex.” I nod down at her drink when I notice that it’s close to empty. “Let me buy you another drink.”

Tripp walks past just as I’m about to get up and go to the bar, so I grab her wrist to stop her. She looks down at me about to say something, but stops when she notices the blonde sitting across from me. She stiffens for a second, before clearing her throat and smiling. “Hey.”

“Mandy . . . this is my good friend, Tripp. She’s also the sexiest waitress I’ve ever seen.” I wink at Tripp with a smile, hoping to ease the tension.

Mandy flashes a small smile before reaching for her hand and shaking it. “Nice to meet you, Tripp. My name is Mandy.”

“Mandy.” She nods her head. “Let me get you two some new drinks. What will it be?”

I grip Tripp’s waist and squeeze it. “You don’t have to do that. I’ll just go up to the bar.”

Tripp looks down at me and pinches my arm. “Why are you so stubborn? This is my job, Alex. I can manage to get you some drinks.”

Before I can say anything, Mandy holds up her glass, interrupting us. “A Vodka and lemonade will be good.”

Tripp smiles at me and starts backing away. “One Vodka Lemonade and Miller Lite coming right up.” She spins on her heels and walks away, and I can’t help but to feel my stomach sink.

The idea of her waiting on me and some chick makes me feel oddly sick to my stomach. I barely like her waiting on me. It just doesn’t feel right. I like to be the one waiting on her . . . always.

I make light talk with Mandy, trying not to lead her on too much, while waiting for Tripp to return with our drinks. I look over to see her and Harley discussing something at the bar as Harley glances our way, but I can’t really get a read on Harley’s expression. She usually looks irritated, so it’s hard to tell.

Harley slides two drinks across the bar and then Tripp quickly grabs them and starts making her way back to us.

I have the urge to go to her and snatch the drinks before she can serve us, but she gives me that look. The one that will surly make me lose control and rip her clothes off in a corner somewhere if I fight her on it for too long.

“It’s on the house, along with your first beer too, Alex, and don’t even think about trying to fight it.” She sets the drinks down. “I’m going to close out my tabs and I’ll be ready soon.”

She begins to walk away, but I stop her. There’s no way I’m leaving this bar without paying. She knows how much I hate that. “I’m paying for the drinks and I’ll fight it all I fucking want. That’s what I do.” I pull out a twenty and two tens, and then hand them to her. “I don’t want any change either. You two split it.”

She tries protesting, but I send her on her way with a slap to the ass. She glowers at me, before walking away and yanking her apron off.

Mandy stands up and gives me an uncomfortable look. “I’m sorry. I didn’t realize that you had a girlfriend. I knew you were too gorgeous to be single.” She holds up her drink. “Thanks for the drink. I can pay you back if you’d like.”

I smile up at her and reach for my beer. “She’s my best friend.” I take a swig. “And it’s not a problem.”

She hesitates for a moment before speaking again. “It looks a lot to me like something more is going on.”

“There isn’t,” I reply simply.

Looking me up and down, she reaches into her bag and pulls out a pen. “Well I have some friends over there.” She points over to a table close by, occupied by three girls that suck at hiding their girly chatter and excitement for their girl, Mandy. “And I’m pretty sure you’re about to leave anyways. Can I give you my number?”

I tell her like it is, just like I do all the other women. “I know this sounds shitty, but I’m more of a one night type of guy. I’m just not looking for anything else. So if you’re okay with just having a good time . . .” I tilt back my beer before setting it down in front of me. “Then you can leave your number. I’m not trying to get mixed up in anything that I’m not ready for.”

She bites her bottom lip in thought, before reaching for a napkin and scribbling down her number. She slides it across the table with a grin. “I’d take anything I could get from a guy like you. Sometimes that’s all us women need.” She stands up straight and starts backing away. “Call me anytime . . . Alex.”

I grab her number and nod my head as she turns and walks away, joining her table of girlfriends. Then, I turn back to my drink and quickly finish it off before checking on Tripp to see if she’s ready.

She grabs my arm and starts pulling me toward the door so fast that she almost trips on the way out. “I need to get out of here, Alex. What the hell was Dax thinking?”

I shrug while holding the door open for her. “Told you he’s an idiot. I never lie to you, babe.”

She laughs under her breath, but doesn’t look back at me. “Sticking with the M’s, I see.”