Home to Stay (The Long Road Home #2) - Maryann Jordan Page 0,20
T-shirt and beer. Nothing that won’t come out in the wash.”
“Oh, right. Well, I can wash it for you—”
“There’s no need.”
His hands still covered hers as they rested on his chest, and the warmth from their touch replaced the shock of their accident. The blue of his T-shirt made his eyes appear stormy gray but not from anger. Need? Desire? I’m probably imposing my own thoughts on him. Licking her lips, she glanced around, thankful that no one was paying them any attention. “Oh, your friends have left.”
“That was my grandfather and a friend of his who’ll take him home.”
She sighed, shaking her head. “Oh, you were his ride home, weren’t you?”
“It’s okay. He’ll be just as happy to have his friend driving him home. Anyway, I’m glad to see you.”
Her breathing relaxed as it appeared he truly wasn’t angry. “I’m glad we met again, too, although the way we met was a bit auspicious.”
“You think?” he laughed. He looked around before settling his gaze back on her. “Were you here with anyone… um… special?”
“I’m here with a friend, but from the looks of things, I’m about to get ditched.” His body stiffened, the feel of his muscles tightening underneath her fingers.
“I can’t imagine anyone ditching you.” His voice was a growl, and while she’d read that vocal description in books, she had never actually heard someone growl before. The way his tone vibrated through her body ended in her core, and she decided that he could growl at her any time he wanted. A crinkle had settled between his brows, and she wanted to reach up and smooth it away.
“Well, my girlfriend, Paula, wanted me to hear this band. She goes to lots of concerts and heard this one from Canada at a music festival up there. I was kind of her wingman, and she’ll leave with whoever catches her attention.” She jerked her head from side to side quickly, adding, “That sounded very uncharitable. We usually have a good time, and truthfully, I don’t come out very often. Plus, I drive separately so I can leave whenever I want.”
“So, you weren’t on a date?”
She laughed, and a little snort slipped out, followed by a blush. “No. I was going to stay at home and paint my shutters, but she convinced me I could do that tomorrow.”
“Paint your shutters?”
“Yes. I have a lot of house projects. That’s why I was in the hardware store.”
“That sounds like me. I’ve been helping my grandfather around his house. He’s the one who suggested we come out tonight.” His gaze shifted over to the beer on the table, and he turned back to her. “Can I buy you another beer since that one’s half-empty?”
“No. I just went to the bar to have something to do while Paula was flirting with the musician between sets.” She scrunched her nose and added, “But the crowd is different tonight. The band seems to draw mostly bikers… big, kind of scary bikers. But Paula’s cool. She has no fear, so I guess my wingman duties are over for the night.” As soon as the words left her mouth, she inwardly winced. Damn, why didn’t I take him up on buying me a drink? Anything to keep talking to him for a while!
“Then can I walk you to your car, or would you like to stay and listen to the music some more?”
“If you’re leaving, you can walk me to my car, but if you’re staying, I’d love to stay with you.”
Her breathing eased as she watched the smile curve his lips, hard-won and even more gorgeous than she’d imagined. He placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her through the crowd with his other arm outstretched to keep others from bumping into her. She felt the burn of his fingers through her shirt and battled the desire to plaster her side to his.
The musicians were back from their break, cranking out the cover songs again. The bikers took up most of the tables and seats, but she followed John as he found a spot against the wall. He leaned back, then bent to whisper into her ear. “I’d let you lean your back against me, but it might smell a bit of beer.”
Who cares?! “Oh, no worries. If you have to wash your shirt, there’s no reason I can’t wash a bit of beer out of mine as well.” She shifted her weight and leaned against him, his broad chest the perfect backrest.