Love Restored (Gallagher Brothers #1)(39)

Graham’s mouth lifted in a small smile. “Yeah? You think you can beat me at pool? I don’t know, I’m pretty good.”

Blake put her hands on his hips but kept space between them. “So you tell me. I know you have the air hockey table at your place, but you don’t seem to have a pool table.”

Graham knew he shouldn’t get too close, get too serious, but he couldn’t help himself when he tucked her hair behind her ear. He needed to see her face, and he wanted to touch her, even if it was just a bare brush of skin against skin.

“No pool table. We just come here if we want to play. Owen never wanted one in his house since it wouldn’t fit the feel of it or whatever. Murphy would rather come to one of our houses than stay home.” He didn’t mention why, but he knew if he kept on with Blake, he would eventually. “Jake doesn’t have room since he built his studio inside the house. I like air hockey and got a good deal on the table, so…that’s what we have.”

Blake tilted her face as she studied him. “I like how it’s about the four of you, not just yourself. I asked why you didn’t have a pool table, and yet you mentioned each brother, not just you.”

“Is that a problem?” His brothers were part of almost every aspect of his life. They’d had fantastic parents who cared for them, loved them, and helped them grow. But no matter what, it had been the four Gallaghers against the world. They each had other friends and people in their lives, but no matter how hard the Montgomerys tried to adopt Jake, it would always be the Gallaghers.

She just smiled up at him and ran her hands through his beard. Hell, he loved when she did that. “I think that is really, really cool, Graham.” She went to her toes, her body leaning into his so her breasts brushed against his chest. “And now it’s time to see if you have any talent with…balls.”

He snorted and gave her a quick kiss. “Only my own, sweets, but let’s see what we can do.” He turned from her and took stock of the table. He was solids, and had a decent shot at one or two balls. He wasn’t the best pool player in the family—that title went to Jake for some reason—but he was decent enough.

He got in three before he missed because Blake had bent over the other side, her tank top riding low so he caught a glimpse of lace and sweet, creamy skin, as well as that ink he loved on her side when she stretched up. Damn woman knew what she was doing. But since she had a smile on her face because she was teasing, he didn’t mind. He got to look at his woman and have a good night.

The fact that he thought of her as his woman after such a short time should have worried him, but for now, he’d let it ride.

She sidled up to him and stuck her hand in the back pocket of his jeans. “Good job.”

He snarled, though he didn’t mean it. “I could have done better if you hadn’t been bending like that.”

“You like it when I bend.”

He lowered his face so he could whisper in her ear. “I f*cking love it. I want to bend you over this table and f*ck you so I can watch your tits bounce in the mirror they have on the other side. I want to feel your cunt clamp around me when you come, and I want you to scream my name so every guy who has his eyes on you right now knows you’re mine.”

She shivered next to him and took away his cue. “Let’s get something to drink,” she said, her voice breathy. “And maybe some nachos or something. I don’t think I can concentrate right now.” She’d moved her hand from his butt to rest on his forearm, and he craved more of her touch.

Dangerous thinking, Gallagher.

“Since my hands are shaking, yeah, let’s quit for now.” Her eyes danced, and she kissed his jaw over his beard. “Go find a table. I’ll clean this up.” He wrapped her hair around his fist, tilted her head back, and kissed her. Hard. She moaned into him, and he pulled away.

“Possessive much?” she asked on a laugh.

“Just making sure these hooligans know you’re mine.”

Her brow rose. “Really? Yours? Talk about caveman.”

“I’m a Gallagher, baby, I’m as caveman as they come.”

She just shook her head, a smile on her face, and strolled toward the tables. His eyes were glued to her ass before he forced himself to look away and back to the pool table.

“All yours,” he growled to the two college-aged boys who were also staring at Blake’s ass.

The two looked at him, eyes wide.

“The table,” he corrected. “The woman? She’s mine.”

They nodded slowly, and he went after Blake. Though he knew she’d be safe in here and was still in his line of sight, he didn’t like the idea of her being alone for too long. That might be on him, but still, it was a pub.

Blake snorted at him when he sat down at the high top she’d found for them. “Really? Warning off little boys from me?”

He shrugged and took a look at the drink specials on the table. “They were old enough.”

“I’m thirty-two, Graham. I’m not looking for some fresh-faced college kid who doesn’t know how to move his hips.”

Graham stared at her and shook his head. “The words that come out of your mouth…” He shook his head again, but a smile crept over his face.

“I thought you liked my mouth.”

He reached under the table and slid his hand over her thigh. He didn’t get too close to the seam of her jeans as there wasn’t a tablecloth to hide them, but she got the idea.