Worth the Wait(11)

God, Lord. I needed to get laid something fierce.

Maneuvering my car into a parking spot, I turned the key and stepped out into the cool night. Fall was an unusual season to experience in Texas, but with the later months, came the lack of humidity and slightly chillier nights. I walked quickly through the front door, the smell of good southern cooking and the hoppy aroma of the beer on tap immediately hitting my senses, making my mouth water.

I started for the bar, planning to have a seat and enjoy my dinner when the sound of my name being called drew my attention back toward the pool tables.

“Kenzie!” I turned to see Emmy and Savannah waving at me from their table. Smiling back, I made my way over to them, thankful I managed to run into someone I knew. I had already been looking forward to that burger and beer, but knowing I’d get to eat in company made it just a little bit sweeter.

“Hey, girl, what are you doing here by yourself?” Emmy asked from her perch, leaning way back against her chair, legs kicked out in front of her with her hands on her round stomach.

“My house was taken hostage by a crazy redhead. I’m under strict instruction not to return before midnight.”

“Can I take your order?” the waitress asked as she stopped at our table.

“Yeah, can I get a bacon cheese burger, extra bacon? And whatever IPA you have on tap.”

“A woman after my own heart,” a deep voice rumbled from behind me.

Wide eyed, I turned around to see the man who plagued my every naughty, debauched fantasy. Brett stood there, in all his sexy, rugged glory, looking down at me as he leaned on a pool cue, grinning like the cat that ate the canary.

“Hey there, beauty.”

The black thermal he wore stretched taut across his broad shoulders and defined chest in such a mouthwatering display of muscular deliciousness that I was rendered momentarily speechless.

“Who won?” Savannah asked as her husband, Jeremy, and Emmy’s fiancé, Luke, joined us at the table, each taking a seat next to their significant others.

“You ask that like you don’t already know the answer,” Brett scoffed as he took the only empty chair left at the table, right next to me. “I whooped their asses. I’m officially a hundred bucks richer.”

“Damn it!” Savannah declared, punching Jeremy in the arm. “I said no bets over twenty-five! You know you suck at pool. That’s our future kids college fund you’re pissing away.”

“Asshole cheated,” Jeremy grumbled as he took a drink from his beer bottle.

“How did I cheat? You were standing right there!”

“Well, looks like Mini Luke’s down fifty bucks for his college fund, baby girl,” Luke said casually as he rubbed Emmy’s pregnant belly.”

“Call him Mini Luke one more time and your P is never getting anywhere near my V again,” Emmy replied as she slapped at his hand.

Normally, I’d be laughing as I watched the back and forth banter between everyone, but I was I having trouble concentrating on anything going on around me when the heat from Brett’s thigh pressing firmly against mine felt like it was scalding my skin. I’d never in my life felt so in-tuned to another person as I was with Brett. My body was insanely aware of every movement the man made.

The waitress blessedly chose that moment to show up with my meal. As soon as the beer was placed in front of me, I snatched it up and took a couple hearty gulps.

“I think you and I started off on the wrong foot.”

Brett’s warm breath against my ear startled a jolt from me as I spun my head to the side to look at him. He was so close I couldn’t concentrate on anything but the hypnotic pull of those rich brown eyes.

“What?”

“The wrong foot,” he repeated. “I’d like us to start over.”

“And how do you propose we do that?”

Brett leaned back and extended his hand. “Hi, I’m Brett Halstead. It’s nice to meet you.”

I felt my lips tip up in a smile at his playful demeanor. “Mackenzie Webster,” I responded, placing my hand in his. As soon as our palms touched an electric current shot straight up my arm. “It’s nice to meet you, too,” I murmured, sinking into his gaze. The rough brush of his slightly calloused finger across the pulse point in my wrist caused my breath to hitch. I was certain he could feel its erratic thrum beneath my skin. I couldn’t describe the effect the man was having on me, but the longer I was in his presence, the more difficult it became to resist his pull, and a large part of me—the part that was heating up deep down in my belly—didn’t want to.

As the evening wore on, the conversation between everyone kept me entertained as I enjoyed my mouthwatering burger and what had to be the best onion rings I’d ever had the pleasure of eating in my life. Before I knew it, I was on my fourth beer and laughing so hysterically at Emmy and Savannah’s antics that my sorely underused stomach muscles ached. My head was fuzzy and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt so relaxed.