To Save His Mate(26)

“I take it they’re bad?” Lacy smiled but climbed up onto her stool in an effort to cut off his view.

“Horrible. Now, back to you and Ethan. Do you like him?”

“Real subtle, Sarah,” Stephanie grumbled.

“When have I ever been subtle?” she groused. “Seriously?”

Stephanie shrugged before turning back to Lacy. “She’s right. There’s not a subtle bone in her body.”

“It’s all right,” Lacy assured both women, already enjoying herself. “I like a straight forward person. And I do like Ethan. He’s a real sweetheart.”

“Oh, hell! Friend-zone alert!” Sarah yelled before leaning over the table to speak to Stephanie. “Time for an intervention.”

“A what?” Lacy asked. What the hell was this girl talking about?

“Ethan has a serious jones for you, sweetie. That man is extremely picky when it comes to women—all of the Wolfe brothers are—so him being hung up on you is a pretty big deal,” Sarah explained.

“I don’t think he’s ‘hung up’ on me. We just like each other a lot.” Surely, he was just attracted to her. Really, Lacy didn’t think her lust-addled mind could take it if he felt the same way about her. After all, she was fairly certain she’d almost completely lost her heart to the man already.

That’s when Stephanie chimed in, the traitor. “The kiss he planted on you the other day wasn’t exactly a friendly peck, Lacy. And Adam says Ethan has warned him and a few others away from you already.”

“What?” Others? He was warning other guys away from her? What did that mean?

“Come on.” Sarah threw up her hands and rolled her eyes back so far Lacy feared she’d pass out. “You’re a gorgeous model in a small town. Do you seriously think the men around here haven’t noticed? Take a look around you. It’s like you’re sitting in a spotlight and all of these guys in here have their eyes trained on you.”

A quick glance around the bar had Lacy feeling very uncomfortable. She wasn’t used to being the center of attention…not this much male attention anyway. The guys on the shoots generally kept a professional distance. None of them had ever hit on her or asked her out. Well, except for Ethan.

He wasn’t like the guys in the city, either. No, Ethan was a gentleman, a good ol’ southern boy with manners. Yeah, he stared at her sometimes, but nothing like the looks she was getting in here. Ethan’s looks were softer, more sensual, leaving her feeling special, while the looks she was receiving from these yahoos made her feel naked and dirty.

“Here’s the deal,” Sarah began. “If you don’t love the man, and I mean really love him, not just think you do, then do not sleep with him.”

Now, the girl reminded her of her mother. “I think I’m old enough to decide who I sleep with.” Really, why did she feel the need to warn her away from having sex with Ethan?

“Listen, I just don’t want to see Ethan get hurt, and believe me, if you mean as much to him as I suspect you do, it would destroy him if you left.”

Lacy lowered her head. In truth, it was already going to wreck her when the time came for her to go. This small town had definitely grown on her in the short time she’d been here, and she was in no way looking forward to returning to the city. “If he’s interested in a relationship, I would be willing to stick around after this job and see where things go,” she admitted. “I’m just not sure what his intentions are right now. I mean, he could just be looking for a quick fling while I’m here, and I’m just reading too much into things.”

Sarah and Stephanie were both shaking their heads almost in unison when Lacy looked up, but Sarah was the one to speak first. “I already told you, the Wolfe brothers are very picky about their women. If he has taken a serious interest in you, then he’s looking for something more long-term, if not permanent.”

“Permanent? Like marriage?”

Sarah looked as if she was about to say something else, but Stephanie cut in. “Lacy, there’s something special going on between you and Ethan. It’s obvious to anyone who watches the two of you. Whether you are together or apart, you both seek each other out, watching one another with heated gazes and it’s really sweet to witness.”

Lacy groaned and put her face in her hands. “Am I that obvious? He must think I’m some clingy nut job!”

“I doubt it because that would make him one, too.” Sarah laughed.

“Make him one what?” A striking older woman had sauntered up to their table and both Sarah and Stephanie smiled in welcome.