Undisclosed Desires(8)

At that moment Javier Garza, Antonio’s friend, walked through the entrance. A great-looking guy, Javier still couldn’t match Antonio. Plus, he tended to dress like a nineties grunge rock musician.

“Hey.” Javier greeted them with a wave. “Can I join you two?”

“I suppose,” Grace agreed with a mock frown. “If you really have to.”

Javier smiled and slid onto the seat next to Grace, his shoulder touching hers. “I’ll grow on you…if you let me,” he said suggestively.

Antonio frowned.

Grace chuckled. “Makes you sound like mold. Mold isn’t very sexy. Mold makes me sneeze.” She smacked his arm. “Is that the best line you’ve got tonight?”

“How about moss?” Javier offered instead. “Moss grows easily and moss can be very soft.”

“Slight improvement,” Grace teased. “But soft isn’t necessarily good. I don’t think that is going to win the heart of any of the ladies here tonight.”

“I’m just concerned about one special lady,” he said.

A laugh broke from Grace. “Sure.”

“So I’ll try to think up something better…just for you,” Javier whispered in a husky tone into her ear and gave a little nose nuzzle into her hair.

“Knock it off, man.” Antonio’s grip on his beer bottle whitened his knuckles. “Grace doesn’t want you mackin on her tonight.”

“How do you know?” Grace joked. “Maybe I do.” She gave an exaggerated wink to Javier. “I’m going to the ladies’. Order me another beer.” She got up and wound her way through the tables to the restroom. Antonio followed and stopped her with a hand to the arm.

“Stop flirting with Javier,” he said. She’d never heard him take such an angry tone with her.

“What do you care?”

“He’ll think you’re serious.”

“Maybe I am.” Seeing Brad had raised all the old feelings about wanting someone in her life. Wanting another human to be physically close to. The longing for a sexual relationship. And if it couldn’t be Antonio she had that kind of relationship with, maybe she’d have to settle for someone else.

“He’s not for you,” Antonio growled, his fingers pinching her arm.

“Just tonight you said you thought I could have any man,” Grace reminded him.

“I didn’t mean my friend.” Even with his olive complexion, a mottled red flush of anger flooded Antonio’s face. “Not Javier.”

She wasn’t good enough. “Thanks a lot,” she said, forcing back the tears that sprang to her eyes.

“I didn’t mean it that way.”

“Right.” She jerked away from him and turned on her heel.

“Where’re you going?” he asked, grabbing her again.

“To the restroom, if that’s all right with you.” She pointedly glanced at where his fingers pressed into her arm. Antonio’s gaze went to the spot also, and he released her immediately. “When I get back, we’ll pretend none of this ever happened.” She continued away, finally pushing through the swinging door to sanctuary.

Inside, she recomposed herself. For a minute, she stared into the mirror. A splash or two of water cooled her reddened cheeks. After a quick repair of her makeup, she took a long breath in and blew a long breath out. Grace squared her shoulders and walked back into the bar.

When she returned, Antonio and Javier stood at the bar, waiting to order. She approached but stopped short when she heard their conversation.

“Come on! Grace is hot, buddy,” Javier said.

“I said no,” Antonio replied.

“Are you saying you want her?”

“No.” Antonio’s tone was harsh. “I’m saying she’s my friend.”

His words were like a machete slicing through her belly. She’d known he didn’t find her attractive, but having it so bluntly thrown in her face was a dagger to the heart.

“I’ve waited months for you to make a move and you haven’t. So, by bro rules, you have no claim to protect. She’s not your territory,” Javier said. “If you don’t want to hit it, don’t try to cock block me.”

“I don’t want to hit it?” Antonio yelled. “I have hit it, so back off. She’s out of your league.”

“You screwed her and didn’t go back for seconds?” Javier whistled. “Still, I’d like to find out for myself if she’s a bad lay.”

Just then Javier glanced over and spotted her. His face blanched. At his expression, Antonio spun around.

“Grace, I—”

“You have hit it?” she asked. “You remember?” Whirling around, she bolted away from them and toward the door. Tears sprang to her eyes and she fought to keep them from falling as she strode, carrying the last shred of her dignity. Antonio did remember, but it had been so bad he didn’t want to acknowledge it? Pain. Everything was lost. The knowledge of the impossibility of any further friendship between them rose in her throat like bile and she choked it down.