Bad Things (Tristan & Danika, #1)(19)

“No wonder we get along so well,” I finally responded. “We have more in common than we’d realized. Is your mother in Vegas, too?”

She shrugged, one side of her mouth jerking down. “I’m not exactly sure. She and I never really got along. We don’t keep in touch.”

I’d learned my lesson when I’d asked her about her sister, so I didn’t ask her why on earth she didn’t know where her mother was, though I was curious as hell about it.

“So what’s a good day for you to come meet my mother?”

She smiled, the clouds in her silver eyes clearing. “So you’re not asking, but telling me, that I’m going to meet your mother?”

I gave her a rueful smile. “I’m letting you pick the day, at least. You have nothing to worry about. You two are going to love each other.”

“If she’s anything like you and Jared, I can’t imagine we won’t get along.”

That brought my mind to my baby brother. It didn’t matter that he was an adult, he’d always be my baby brother. I’d have done anything for him, anything at all, but I knew that he was a little upset that I’d told him that he couldn’t ask Danika out. We had very strict brother rules about dating the same woman, but since I wasn’t dating her, he thought it was unfair that I’d warned him off. Still, whether he understood it or not, I thought he’d respect my wishes.

The waitress brought out our bottle service, and I saw Danika’s eyes widen. I made a note to myself that I owed Doug big time.

“I’m impressed. Grey Goose bottle service. You’ve got some pretty good connections, for a homeless guy.”

I laughed, already mixing dirty martinis for us.

“Just how dirty do you want this?” I asked, wiggling my eyebrows suggestively.

That surprised a giggle out of her, and I thought that was my favorite sound. It was just so uncharacteristic for her, and I loved to be the cause of it.

“I’ll take it as dirty as you can dish it out.”

I felt myself growing hard. She’d gotten the better of me, yet again.

We had two drinks before hitting the floor.

I was a good dancer, but I had absolutely nothing on Danika. The girl could move. And her dancing wasn’t just about the sexy. I thought that every move she made was filled with talent and beauty. It was a Top Forty dance mix tonight, and she knew the words to every song, frequently matching her moves to the words in cute little ways, flipping her hair, or holstering air guns at her sexy as hell hips.

I bummed a cigarette off Kenny when I saw him where he was chatting up some guy in the corner.

“Do you mind if I smoke?” I asked Danika as I returned to our table.

She was looking at her phone, but she glanced up briefly to shake her head. She didn’t look happy.

“It’s not a habit,” I reassured her as I lit up. “I only smoke when I drink.”

She laughed. “Well, from what I can see, you drink every night. How is that not a habit?”

I smiled ruefully. She did have a point.

“Who are you texting?” I asked, trying to get a look at the screen on her phone.

Her lip curled in distaste. “No one important. My ex won’t leave me alone, but I’ve learned not to text him back, even if it’s just to tell him to go to hell.”

I felt a totally unreasonable surge of anger move through me at that. “Want me to kick his ass?” I asked, not even close to joking.

She laughed, shaking her head as she put her phone back into her tiny clutch. “No. He’ll give up eventually.”

“What did his text say?”

She rolled her eyes. “He says he loves me. But he sure didn’t love me enough not to cheat on me.”

My gut clenched and my fists curled. “How long ago was that?”

She made a dismissive motion with her hands. “Almost a month now.”

My eyes widened. “You haven’t even been broken up for a month?” I couldn’t have said exactly why, but that bothered me. A lot.

“We’re ancient history, as far as I’m concerned. One strike and you’re out. I don’t know if it was the first time he cheated on me, but it was the first time I caught him, and once was enough for me. I wouldn’t take him back if he were the last man on earth. I’m ‘if he caught fire, and I had a glass of water, I’d drink it slowly and watch’ done.”

Even out of sorts, I had to stifle a laugh at that visual.

I heard the faint noise of her phone dinging at her even in her purse, and I wanted to punch somebody.

She got it out again, checked the screen, then put it back.

“You let me know if he keeps it up, and I will make sure he stops.”

She sent me a sideways smile that made me want to kiss her. “You’re sweet, you know that?”

I shook my head. I’d never thought of myself that way. Not even a little.

“What do you say we hit the floor again, boo?” I asked her, after we’d both had two more dirty martinis.

Her perfect little nose wrinkled at me. “Don’t call me that. That is such a weird nickname for a grown ass man to be calling me.”

“So what should I call you?”

“Danika.”

“That sounds so formal. I can’t call you by your name all of the time.”