Maybe This Time (Maybe #1)(45)

“What does that mean?”

“Maybe you should try picking up chicks somewhere different. In a library, perhaps. I assure you the women who frequent there would probably be blushers.”

“Stereotype,” he says in a sing song voice.

I roll my eyes. “Maybe so, why don’t we put that to the test sometime?”

“You’re on. What did I do with my time before you moved here?” he asks playfully.

“Have more sex?”

He thinks it over. “You’re probably right. And try to keep an eye on Reid, but now you’re here for that.”

“Ha!”

“I think you’re the only person he will listen to.”

“I think you’re exaggerating,” I reply.

“Oh, please. He’s so * whipped,” he says, then commences to make whipping noises.

“Mature, Ryan,” I say, shaking my head and smiling.

“Seriously though, you’re good for him, babe. I’m happy you’re here,” he says in a gentle voice.

“I can’t handle your sweet, Ryan,” I say, looking out the window.

“Don’t get all hormonal on me,” he says, chuckling.

“Aaand you’re back.”

“We’re here, come on.” He says, getting out of the car. I hop out and walk around to meet him.

“You didn’t tell me you hired Jade,” I say after we order our food and drinks.

“I’m sure I did,” he says, looking around the restaurant.

“Scared of my reaction, Ryan Knox?”

His eyes snap to mine and narrow. “I had to hire her. She needed the money and she was my brother’s girl. Was I a little worried how you would react? Maybe,” he admits. “But it was also kinda fun, waiting to see what you'd do.”

“I don’t mind Jade, and it’s your bar, you can hire who you want.”

“Yeah, but I was hoping you would think Reid hired her, not me.”

“You’re evil.”

“There’s always an evil twin,” he says in a creepy voice.

“Two in some families,” I tease, poking my tongue out at him.

“Who’s the babe?” comes a deep voice. I look up into the face of a muscular man with reddish hair and green eyes. He has a goatee and a slightly crooked nose.

“None of your f*cking business. Leave,” Ryan demands, his voice dangerously low.

“I saw you at the fight, you’re Reid’s bitch?” he leers, staring down my top.

I sit up straighter in my seat, pulling my top up as high as it can go.

“I’m next up against Reid,” he says, sounding thrilled. Reid is fighting this sasquatch of a man? Fucking hell.

“Get the f*ck out of here, before you regret it,” Ryan spits out. His hands clench on the table, and his jaw is set stubbornly.

“You guys share this bitch, or what?”

Ryan stands up. I know this guy is just pushing him, obviously wanting Ryan to react.

“Ryan,” I say, my eyes pleading with him. A guy calls out “Frank” and the sasquatch retreats, his smug chuckles permeating the restaurant.

“Stupid f*ck,” Ryan curses.

“Don’t let him get to you. Let’s try to enjoy our meal, okay?”

“Shit, I was worried about you, babe. If he wanted to fight I have no problem handling that, hell, both Reid or I could kick his ass. But then one of his * friends would have come up and started to harass you, I know how these *s operate.”

“Is that who Xander got into a fight with?”

“Not the same guys, but other fighters. There are some good guys who fight, then there are some dickheads like those, who go looking for fights and drama everywhere they go.”

“He was scary,” I admit.

Ryan scowls. “I’ll never let anything happen to you, babe.”

“I know that, he just looked like a serial killer.”

Our food arrives and we wait quietly as they place down our plates.

“Thank you,” Ryan and I both say to the waitress at the same time.

“Shit, maybe we are seeing too much of each other,” he jokes, lightening the mood.

“Cos we're both polite?”

“Cos we're speaking at the same time. Even Reid and I don’t do that, and we’re twins.”

“Sexy twins,” I correct.

Ryan grins. “You’re so good for my ego, babe.”

“Trust me, your ego doesn’t need any stroking, Ryan.” I eye his food. “I want a bite.”

“Of course you do,” he says dryly.

“What you’re like Joey from Friends now, you don’t share food?”

“Friends.” He chuckles. “We should watch that tonight.”

“Let’s. We should take home dinner for Reid, too.”

Ryan gives me a taste of his steak, I give him a bite of my chicken. We finish up and then head back to their apartment, with a shitload of food for Reid. I wonder if he’s even home yet. What I don’t expect to see, as we walk up the stairs to the front door, is a woman standing there. Dark red hair and fair skin. I can’t tell the colour of her eyes from where I’m standing, but I instantly recognise her as the woman from the bar.