“Football isn’t really my thing. Besides, your friends don’t want me hanging out while you’re all shouting at the TV, cheering on your team.”
“Someone needs to make the snacks and serve the beer.”
She expected that line to come with a smirk. It did not.
When did I become the domestic assistant?
Lucky for her, she had better plans. “I actually promised a friend I’d help her this weekend.”
“Doing what?”
“Selling food at the farmers market.”
His gaze sharpened. “With who?”
“Trinity.”
He tilted his head. “Who is that?”
“Tate’s sister.” The minute she said it, she wanted to take the words back.
Clint leaned in and put his hand on her thigh in another grip that got her attention. “I thought you were done with him.”
She put her hand over his to soothe him. “Trinity has been my friend since we were kids. She opened a shop in town a while back. Her business partner married her brother Drake. Adria needs to stay behind and run the shop, so Trinity asked if I wanted to help at the market. Tate won’t even be there.”
Clint jerked his hand away and shifted his focus back to the dancers. “I thought you were moving on with me.”
“I am,” she assured him.
He turned back to her. “It doesn’t feel that way when you continue to associate with Tate and his family.”
She’d seen Tate once in all the time they’d been dating and this was the first weekend she didn’t spend doing chores and seeing Clint. “Just because Tate and I are taking a break, doesn’t mean I have to give up my friend, even if she is his sister.”
Clint clamped his hand over her arm on the table and leaned in. “You’re on a break?”
She sighed and tried to make him understand. “Tate and I are friends. That’s all.”
“Then why the break? He should be happy for you that you’re with someone who wants to make you happy.”
Her mind hesitated to agree with that.
“I’m sure he will be, once he gets over the fact I needed some space, and that doesn’t mean I’m not his friend.”
Clint pressed his lips tight and shook his head. “Women and men can’t be friends.”
“I think the best married couples are best friends.” Her parents and Tate’s were the perfect examples of that.
“That’s different. Your wife should back you no matter what.”
She agreed with that to a point. “A relationship should be based on friendship.”
“I agree. But between men and women, there’s gotta be heat.” He leaned in and brushed a soft kiss just under her jaw, then whispered in her ear, “That’s more important than anything. All I want to do is get my hands on you, not talk about my day, why you won’t spend your weekend with me, or that your friend is an asshole and you’re better off without him.”
So getting laid is all that matters? What happened to the guy who ran errands and went out of his way to please her? “So you do all those nice things just to sleep with me?”
“Said every guy, ever.”
She pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead, mostly because it pounded to the beat of the loud music, but also because she couldn’t believe he said that. “I’m ready to go. That wine gave me a headache.”
His fingers contracted on her arm. She tried to pull free, but it took him a second to let go.
“Let me guess, you don’t want me to go home with you.”
“My head is throbbing.” She pointed up. “The music is really loud. I just want to go home, down an ibuprofen, maybe have a cup of tea. If you want to relax and watch a movie, I’d like that.” But sex was off the table because her head was spinning after everything that had happened tonight.
He stood and tossed some money on the table to cover their drinks. “You take care of yourself. I guess I’ll go home and take care of myself.” If he meant it as a joke, the bitterness in his voice didn’t help it sound like it.
She tilted her head and raised an eyebrow at the innuendo and outright jab at her for denying him what he wanted.
He shook his head and relaxed his shoulders. “Chalk it up to a bad day. I hoped seeing you tonight would make everything right, but you and I seem to be off.”
No. He seemed off. The charming guy who held doors open for her, sent her sweet texts just to say hi and ask about her