Changing Course (Wrecked and Ruined #1)(28)

"Just ignore him," Brett jumps in, looking only slightly less furious than he did a few minutes before.

"Um, okay. What can I get you guys today?"

"You serving up any hickies today?" Caleb asks, laughing as Brett punches him hard in the arm.

Obviously something is going on, and I'm the only one in the dark. "What the heck are you guys talking about?" I ask irritated.

"Oh man, Brett. Jesse said heck! She must be serious," Caleb mocks me. Before I can even respond to his rude comment, I look over at Brett to see the angry ogre has returned.

"Make fun of her again, *, and I will punch you in the face."

"Whoa, calm down there buddy!" Caleb laughs, surrendering with his hands in the air. "Although, I have to say, I am digging this caveman thing you have going on right now."

"I am too. It's hot," Kara chimes in from behind me. Eyes glued on Brett.

By this point, I'm beyond annoyed. Nothing is making sense, and no one is stopping to fill me in. I don't know why Brett could possibly be mad at me. He was kissing me breathless only a few hours ago. Now his best friend is making fun of me, Brett is threatening physical violence in my honor, and my best friend is staring at him like she wants to throw him down to service his vegetable right here in the middle of the shop. It's a madhouse!

"I'll be right back," I say quickly escaping into the back office. I shut the door and flop down in the chair to gather my thoughts. It only lasts for about thirty seconds before I hear Brett around the corner.

"Jesse?"

"Crap," I say to myself as footsteps approach the office door.

"Jess?"

"Come in. It's open."

"You okay?" he asks, locking his incredible green eyes on mine.

"Yeah," I answer simply.

"Why are you hiding back here then?"

"I'm not hiding."

"Yeah, you are. Don't lie. Your eyes got big and you sprinted back here like a cat with its tail on fire." He crooks a smile.

"Oh my God, don't say that! I love cats. I don't need that visual in my head."

"You like cats?" he asks surprised.

"Of course I like cats! Well, not all cats. The black ones kind of scare me. When I was a kid, I watched this scary movie made by Disney, and it had the scariest black cat in it. So, I only really like the white ones." I ramble, not exactly clear why we are having this conversation.

"The Watcher in the Woods!" he shouts.

"Yes! You saw that movie too?"

"Scared the shit out of me. I slept with the lights on for...well I still sleep with the lights on." He smiles a brilliant, white toothy grin before getting serious again, "Now, why are you hiding?"

"Fine. I'm hiding. You guys were all talking out there. You were noticeably mad at me. Caleb was making fun of me. And Kara was drooling over you. I had no idea what the heck was going on. So I came back here to see if I could catch my breath and sort things out.”

"I'm not mad at you, babe. I was annoyed with Caleb. He has been giving me shit all morning. We were at the gym working out and he noticed this." He loosens his tie and pulls his collar over to the side, revealing a quarter-sized bright red hickey.

"Oh my God! Did I do that?" I ask in horror covering my gaping mouth with my hands.

"Well, you were the only animal attacking my neck last night, so I'm assuming this little beauty is your handiwork."

"I am so sorry. I had no idea I was leaving a mark-"

"It's no big deal. If I'm being honest, when I saw it in the mirror this morning, it made me hot remembering last night." He winks and uses my hands to pull me to my feet. "I had a lot of fun Jess, so I don't want to hear any apologies out of that sexy little mouth of yours."

"You were really mad at Caleb out there. I know I told you I'd point out when he returned, and that was definitely an appearance from the angry ogre." I try to change the topic, still slightly embarrassed by his dirty compliment.

"I promised you last night that I would never laugh at you. I'll be damned if I'm going to stand by and listen to anyone else ever do it either. You’re already too skittish around me. I want you to feel comfortable and safe with me, gorgeous. If Caleb said or did anything to make you feel otherwise, I would be more than happy to remind him to watch his manners.”

"You threatened to punch him in the face. That is hardly a friendly reminder."

"If he made fun of you again, I would have done it, too."

"Um, please don't punch him in the face because he picks on me."

"No promises, but I'll try to restrain myself for you." He gives a small chuckle before pulling me tight into a hug. "So, where do you want to go tonight?" he asks after a few minutes of holding me in silence.

"Oh, I don't care. Anything is fine."

"As I recall, you don't like pizza?"

"No, I don't."

"Then don't tell me anything is fine," he half scolds while pulling me even tighter into his arms.

"I'm okay with pizza...if that's what you want," I stutter out.

"What time is it?" he asks randomly.

"9:20, why?"