“Wait here. I’ll be right back,” he said then jumped out of the truck and went inside. He returned seconds later with a takeout bag in his hand.
I watched as he climbed back in the truck and gave me his crooked grin.
“Bacon cheese burger on a toasted bun,” he explained as he held it out to me.
“Thank you,” I replied, feeling my heart swell up from the simple fact he remembered what I liked to eat here.
“I couldn’t let you go home tonight without feeding you. Especially after I’d made sure we would be eating somewhere you actually liked. I didn’t save you from the Shrimp Shack for nothing.”
So that was why Sawyer had changed the location. I grinned and opened the bag.
“Well, you still owe me your company while I eat.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Really . . . you think so?”
“Definitely. I’ll feel gypped if I’m forced to eat alone.”
He nodded and turned his truck towards the outskirts of town. It looked like we would be ending our night with a game of pool.
“You think you can remember those skills I taught you? Because I’d really like to see you bent over a pool table the rest of the evening.” The teasing tone in Beau’s voice did little to distract me from his words. My face felt warm and I cut my eyes over toward him.
“Damn. My imagination got away with me,” Beau said in a tight voice as he shook his head. “I need to think of something else. Fast.”
I needed to think of something else too but my mind kept replaying the night in the back of his truck. Every sound. Every touch. My body tingled from the memory.
“Please, Ash. Don’t look at me like that. I’m going to drive us to the bar. We’re going to play pool. That’s all. I can’t think about anything else. If I do . . . well, I just can’t.”
My breathing was a little shallow but I nodded then forced my mouth to open so I could take a bite of my burger. Anything to get my mind off how good it had felt wrapped up in Beau’s arms.
Neither of us spoke again until he pulled into the parking lot of the bar. I opened my truck door before he could do it for me, and jumped down. Having Beau touch me while my body was on high alert from the knowledge of just how good he could make me feel, was a bad idea.
“With Sawyer back in town I didn’t expect to see you walking back in here with her,” Honey Vincent said when Beau and I walked into the bar.
“I’m entertaining her for Sawyer, Mom. Leave it alone.”
Her eyebrows shot up and she glanced back at me. “So Sawyer’s okay with you hanging out with Beau, huh? Well, I’ll be damned. I’s sure he’d have a shit fit once he found out about the two of ya running around town together.”
“Beau and I’ve been friends as long as Sawyer and I’ve been. Sawyer is glad we’re rekindling our friendship,” I explained before Beau could say something snide.
“I’m bettin’ he ain’t got a clue you’re slumming it at a bar with Beau. If he finds out that Beau drags you out here then he ain’t gonna be none to happy about the two of you hangin’ out.”
“Stay out of it, Mom. We’re here to play pool.”
I let Beau pull me away from Honey before the two of them got into an argument over whether or not Sawyer would approve of my being here. I was almost positive he would be against it but it had become mine and Beau’s thing. I wasn’t willing to give this up too. I glanced back at Honey as Beau led me to the pool table. The disapproval in her eyes was obvious. She studied me a moment before shaking her head and turning to walk back to the bar.
“Sorry about her. She has warmed up to you some but she still isn’t crazy about Sawyer’s family, and you being Sawyer’s girlfriend makes you a part of it.”
I understood the unsaid words. Because I’d stayed with Sawyer and not chosen Beau over Sawyer I had a mark against me. In her eyes I was betraying her and Beau.
“That’s okay. I get it,” I assured Beau and picked up my cue stick.
“Alright Ash, it’s time for me to kick your hot little ass.”
“In your dreams, buddy,” I replied, knowing good and well he would beat me. I’d gotten better but not good enough to beat Beau.
Two games later I got a text message from Sawyer.
Are you at home?